cause to bee written in great Cubitall Letters in a huge Table which they expose about the end of the eighth Moone in great concourse of Magistrates and applause of the new Elects Friends and Kindred The Priuiledges and Ornaments of this Degree are more then of the former and if they intend to proceed no further they are hereby capable of very good Magistracies After the Act the Kings Examiners publish a Booke of their proceedings the names of the Graduates and their principall Writings especially his which is as the Elder Brother they call him Quiayuen and whose Theames were best liked The Bachelors of other Prouinces may not here be admitted some only except of the Kings Schoole in Pequin and Nanquin The third Degree is like our Doctorship called Cin-su which is conferred euery third yeare also but onely at Pequin and alway is the next yeare after that Commencement of Licentiates Only three hundred chosen ouâ— of the whole Kingdome obtayne it although the Licentiates of euery Prouince are admitted to the Examination This Act is in the second Moone on the same dayes that the former and in like forme sauing that the diligence is greater as for a greater degree and the Colai the chiefe Magistrates of the Kingdome are Examiners The Doctors being pronounced in the same Palace where the Licentiates vse to bee all of them in the Kings Palace before the chiefe Magistrates of the Court yea anciently the King was wont to bee present make a Theame according to the iudgement whereof the order of the Magistracies which they are to beare is declared being distributed in three Rankes Hee that in Examination of Doctors had the first place hath in this second Examination the third place without question but hee which hath the first or second enioyeth a great dignitie during his life besides the greatest Offices in the Common-wealth and might compared with ours bee as a Duke or Marquesse if it were Hereditary These Doctours presently haue their peculiar Vest Cap Bootes and other Ensignes of Magistrates and are preferred to the best Offices such as the Licentiates may not attayne and are as the prime men of the Kingdome Those Licentiates which are rejected from the Doctorship if they meane to proceed no further are preferred to Magistracie but if they list still to stand for that degree they betake themselues home to their Bookes afresh till the third-yeare-examination returnes so that some stand ten times continuing so long priuate to become more publike A Booke is also published of them and of their successe Another is yearely set forth contayning the Names Countrey Parents Offices of all the Doctors and where they gouerne whereby a man may know how any hath risen or descended all his life as is there vsuall after their merits It is remarkable also how the Licentiates and Doctors of the same yeare respect one the other as Brethren euer after and loue the Friends also of their Colleagues and honour their Examiners as Fathers They vse to grant at the same times and places the same Titles in the Moone following to Military Professors but with lesse pompe because Souldierie is of no such reckoning with them and few stand for them This Military tryall is three-fold in the first they shoot nine Arrowes on Horse-backe running in the second they shoot as many at the same maâ—ke standing and hee which hath hit the Marke with foure on Horke-backe and two Arrowes on foot is admitted to the third tryall wherein they haue some Theame of Military matters propounded and the Iudges examining this Triple tryall out of the whole number pronounce about fifty Licentiates in euery Prouince And when the Doctorall Act is at Pequin one hundred of the choice of these after a Triple Examinaâ—ion are made Military Doctors These Doctors are more easily admitted to Military Prefectures but scarcely without Bribes then the Licentiates Both the Philosophicall and Military ouer their doores set vp in great Letters this their new attayned dignity All the Examiners whether of Mathematicall or Military or Philosophicall degrees are of those Philosophers without assistance of any Captaine Mathematician or Physician as if thereby they were inabled to all things §. III. Of the Tartarian Conquest Of HVMVV the Establisher of the present Gouernment The Reuenues Magistrates in the Courts Royall Prouinces Cities Orders Exaltations Visitations Depriuations THe Gouernment of China is Monarchicall In times past there haue beene Lords of Title as are Dukes Marquesses and Earles in Europe but taken away eighteene hundred yeares since It was neuer subdued by any Forreiners before the Tartarian Conquest The Iesuites â—hinke that that Conquerour was Tamberlane for the Chinois call him Tiemor and say that he had before subdued Persia and Tartaria Hee whosoeuer hee was conquered all the Chinois and left them to his Posterity till the yeare 1368. At that time the Tartarians growing weaker diuers Captaynes arose in diuers parts of the Kingdome which shooke off that yoke Amongst them all the most famous was of the Family Ciu whom afterwards the Chinois called Humvu a famous Captayne or rather a Floud of Armes He of a common Souldier grew to such greatnesse that hee first expelled the Tartars and then repelled the Rebels thorow all the Kingdome and possessed that Souereigntie which still continueth in his Line For the Crowne there goeth by Inheritance only two or three of the Ancient Kings haue commended it to others their owne Sonnes seeming vnworthy and the people haue by Rebellion sometimes raysed a new Family diuers yet losing their liues rather then acknowledging that Faction this being Prouerbiall in their Philosophie An honest Woman hath but one Husband and a faithfull Seruant but one Lord. There are no ancient Lawes but the first Founder of any Royall family makes new Lawes which his Posteritie are not easily permitted to transgresse So the present Lawes of China are no ancienter then Humvu who either made new or confirmed the old Out of ignorance of other parts of the world they thinke their King Lord of the World and call him Thiencu the Sonne of Heauen or which is all one in their Theologie of God His vsuall title yet is Hoamsi that is supreame Monarch whereas they stile other Kings Guam an inferiour title To preuent Rebellions and Factions Humvu ordayned tâ—at none of the Royall bloud should intermeddle with Gouernment Those Captaynes which had ayded him in expulsion of the Tartars hee gaue militarie Commands with reuenues and titles to descend to their Heires The Royaâ—l race hee gaue the titles of Guam as pettie Kings with large reuenues to bee yeerely payed out of the Exchequer and commanded all Magistrates to reuerence them Their Posteritie hee honoured with inferiour Honours and reuenues so much lesse as further from the originall and after certaine generations to haue no more then might well maintayne them without labour The like in Marriages and Titles were prouided for the Royall
Mexico dated in the moneth of December 1591. With a Letter added written 1605. of later Discoueries H. pag. 1562. A Letter written from Valladolid by Ludouicus Tribaldus Toletus to Master Richard Hakluyt translated out of Latine touching Iuan de Onate his Discoueries in New Mexico fiue hundred leagues to the North from the Old Mexico H. pag. 1565. The Prologue of the Bishop Frier Bartholomew de las Casas or Casaus to the most high and mightie Prince Our Lord Don Philip Prince of Spaine pag 1568. CHAP. IIII. A briefe Narration of the destruction of the Indies by the Spaniards written by a Frier Bartholmew de las Casas a Spaniard and Bishop of Chiapa in America pag. 1569. Of the I le of Hispaniola pag. 1570. Of the two Iles Saint Iohn Iamayca pag. 1573 Of the I le of Cuba ibid. Of Terra Firma or the firme Land pag. 1575 Of the Prouince of Nicaragua pag. 1576. Of New Spaine pag. 1577. Of the Prouince and Realme of Guatimala pag. 1579. Of New Spaine and Panuco and Xalisco pag. 1580. Of the Realme of Yucatan pag. 1581. Of the Prouince of Saint Martha pag. 1583. Of the Prouince of Carthagene pag. 1584. Of the Coast of Pearles and of Paria and of the I le of the Trinitie ibid. Of the Riuer Yuia pari pag. 1587. Of the Realme of Venesuela ibid. Of the Prouinces of the firme Land or quarter that is called Florida pag. 1589. Of the Riuer of La plata ibid. Of the mightie Realmes and large Prouinces of Peru. ibid. Of the new Realme of Granado pag. 1591. Part of a Letter written by one which saw things mentioned pag. 1596. The summe of the Disputation betweene Frier Bartholomew de las Casas or Casaus and Doctor Sepulueda pag. 1601. CHAP. V. Notes of Voyages and Plantations of the French in the Northerne America both in Florida and Canada pag. 1603. CHAP. VI. The Voyage of Samuel Champlaine of Brouage made vnto Canada in the yeere 1603. dedicated to Charles de Montmorencie c. High Admirall of France H. pag. 1605 CHAP. VII The Patent of the French King to Monsieur de Monts for the Inhabiting of the Countries of La Cadia Canada and other places in New France pag. 1619. The Voyage of Monsieur de Monts into New France written by Marke Lescarbot pag. 1620. CHAP. VIII Collections out of a French Booke called Additions to Noua Francia contayning the Accidents there from the yeere 1607. to 1611. pag. 1642. CHAP. IX The first Plantation of English Colonies in Virginia briefly mentioned pag. 1645. CHAP. X. The Relation of Captaine Gosnols Voyage to the North part of Virginia begun the six and twentieth of March Anno 42. Elizabethae Reginae 16â—2 and deliuered by Gabriel Archer a Gentleman in the said Voyage H. pag. 1647. CHAP. XI Notes of the same Voyage taken out of a Tractate written by Iames Rosier to Sir Walter Raileigh and of Maces Voyage to Virginia pag. 1651. CHAP. XII A Voyage set out from the Citie of Bristoll at the charge of the chiefest Merchants and Inhabitants of of the said Citie with a small Ship and a Barke for the Discouery of the North part of Virginia in the yeere 1603. vnder the command of mee Martin Pringe H. pag. 1654. A Relation of the voyage made to Virginia in the Elizabeth of London a Barke of fiftie tunnes by Captaine Bartholmew Gilbert in the yeere 1603. Written by Master Thomas Canner a Gentleman of Barnards Inne his Companion in the same Voyage H. pag. 1656. CHAP. XIII Extracts of a Virginian Voyage made An. 1604. by Captaine George Waymouth in the Archangell Set foorth by the Right Honourable Henrie Earle of South-hampton and the Lord Thomas Arundel written by Iames Rosier H.P. pag. 1659 CHAP. XIIII The description of the Ilands of Azores or the Flemish Ilands taken out of Linschoten with certaine occurrents and English acts pag. 1667. Of certaine notable and memorable Accidents that happened during my continuance in Tercera in which are related many English Fleets Sea-fights and Prizes pag. 1672. The Contents of the Chapters and Paragraphs in the Ninth Booke of the Second part of Purchas his PILGRIMS CHAP. I. PArt of the first Patent granted by his Maiestie for the Plantation of Virginia Aprill the tenth 1606. pag. 1683. CHAP. II. Obseruations gathered out of a Discourse of the Plantation of the Southerne Colonie in Virginia by the English 1606. Written by that Honorable Gentleman Master George Percy H. pag. 1684 CHAP. III. The Description of Virginia by Captaine Iohn Smith inlarged out of his written Notes pag. 1691. Of such things which are naturall in Virginia and how they vse them pag. 1694. Of their planted Fruits in Virginia and how they vse them pag. 1696. Of the naturall Inhabitants of Virginia and their Customes pag. 1697. Of their Religion pag. 1701. Of the manner of the Virginians Gouernment pag. 1703. CHAP. IIII. The proceedings of the English Colonie in Virginia taken faithfully out of the writings of Thomas Studley Cape-Merchant Anas Todkill Doctor Russell Nathaniel Powell William Phetiplace and Richard Pot Richard Wiffin Tho. Abbay Tho. Hope and since enlarged out of the Writings of Captaine Iohn Smith principall Agent and Patient in these Virginian Occurrents from the beginning of the Plantation 1606. till Anno 1610. somewhat abbreuiated pag. 1705. The Proceedings and Accidents with the second suppy pag. 1719. CHAP. V. A Letter of Master Gabriel Archer touching the Voyage of the Fleet of Ships which arriued at Virginia without Sir Thomas Gates and Sir George Summers 1609. H. pag. 1733. CHAP. VI. A true reportorie of the wracke and redemption of Sir Thomas Gates Knight vpon and from the Ilands of the Bermudas his comming to Virginia and the estate of that Colonie then and after vnder the Gouernment of the Lord La Warre Iuly 15. 1610. written by Wil. Strachy Esq H. p. 1734 § 1. A most dreadfull Tempest the manifold deaths whereof are heere to the life described their Wracke on Bermuda and the description of those Ilands pag. 1734. § 2. Actions and Occurrents whiles they continued in the Ilands Rauens sent for Virginia Diuers Mutinies Paine executed Two Pinnaces built pag. 1742. § 3. Their departure from Bermuda and arriuall in Virginia Miseries there departure and returne vpon the Lord La Warres arriuing Iames Towne described pag. 1747. § 4. The Lord La Warres beginnings and proceedings in Iames Towne Sir Thomas Gates sent into England his and the Companies testimony of Virginia and cause of the late miseries pag. 1754. CHAP. VII The Voyage of Captaine Samuell Argal from Iames Towne in Virginia to seeke the I le of Bermuda and missing the same his putting ouer toward Sagadahoc and Cape Cod and so backe againe to Iames Towne begun the nineteenth of Iune 1610. H. pag. 1758. CHAP. VIII A short Relation made by the Lord De la Warre to the Lords and others of the Counsell of Virginia touching his vnexpected returne home and
fortie leagues Eastward called Mutipinan wherein were many Merchants which came in Cafilas from the Land of the Lauhos and PÃ fuaas and Gucos with great store of siluer The current setting strong against vs at the Rock of Tilauinera Wee came to Mutipinan and learned that the Riuer was deepe the best in that Bay the people peaceable that Merchants had come nine dayes before from the Kingdome of Benan in two Cafilas each of fiue hundred Oxen with store of Siluer Iuory Waxe Benioyn Camfire Gold in poulder to buy Pepper Drugs and pearles of Aynam that they had not any Armada of great ships because the Wars which the Prechau King of the Cauchins made wereby land that he abode at Quangepaaru a Citie twelue dayes iourny thence that his Mynes yeelded him fifteene thousand Pikes of Siluer halfe of which by Diuine Law belonged to the people which had remitted it to him on conditon to pay no other tributes wherto the ancient Prechaus had sworne to keepe it as long as the Sun should giue light to the Earth There hee sold a great part of his goods till newes of the Tanauquir Rouer made them afraid to come aboard so that he was forced to set saile Thus after many dayes spent in this Bay of Cauchin-china because Coia Acem and the Pyrates which robbed Christians were in league with the Mandarines and sold that which they had gotten in Ainan he pursued that purpose againe and came to Anchor in Madel a Hauen in that Iland where he encountred with Hinimilau a Chinese Rouer which had becomne lately a Moore and bitter enemy of Christians of which Religion hee had also beene Fiue Portugall Captiue Boyes which were aboard him cryed out for mercy whereby Faria mooued sent to know what they were which answering with stones on their heads that came in the Boat a cruell fight followed in which Faria remayned Victor and seised of the Captaine with fifteene others left aliue He demanded for the Portugall Boyes who told them they were in the Prow vnder Hatches whereupon sending to see they found them lying on a heape with their heads off a woman with her two children being also so serued Faria asked why hee dealt so with the small Innocents He answered it was sufficient that they were children of Portugals Being asked why he had forsaken the Christian Religion he said because the Portugals had respected him being a Gentile with Cap in hand saluting him Quiay Nicoda but after hee was Christian made little account of him whereupon he became a Moore in Bintam and the King of Iantan vsed him with much honour his Officers called him Brother and hee sware on a Booke to become an Enemy to the Portugall and Christian Name as long as he liued the King and Priest applauding and promising all happinesse to his soule Seuen yeares he had beene in execution of that Oath and had taken a Iunke of Luys de Pauia in the Riuer of Liampoo with foure hundred Bares of Pepper slue eighteene Portugals besides slaues and after that had taken at times foure ships in which he had slaine neere three hundred persons seuentie of them Portugals and taken fifteene or sixteen hundred Bares of Pepper and other Commodities of which the King of Pan had halfe to secure him and let him haue sale in the Riuer Choaboque on the Coast of China he had killed Ruy Lobo his old acquaintance with seuenteene Portugals escaping a wracke and taken into his Iunke on condition to pay him two thousand Cruzados to set him on shoare at Patane which notwithstanding hee slue him and the rest by the Moores counsell one night as they were asleepe Faria would heare no further but caused him to bee slaine and cast into the Sea In Silke and other goods he found in the Iunke to the value of fortie thousand Taeis the Iunke he burned hauing none to man her The other Necodas or Captaynes of the Iunkes seeing what Faria had done consulted together and seeing he might also doe as much to them sent two chiefe men to him desiring him as King of the Sea to giue them securitie to passe in dispatch of their businesses before the Monson were ended and that as his Tributaries they would giue him twentie thousand Taeis of Siluer to which he sware and that no Thiefe should rob them and with a Present receiued the Money brought him within an houre after A Boy which writ their Passes gayned in thirteene dayes aboue foure thousand Taeis besides gifts for dispatch each Iunke giuing fiue Taeis and the lesse Barkes two The Vice-Roy also of Ainan sent him a rich Present with a Letter to intreat him to serue the Sonne of the Sunne as Admirall from Laman to Liampoo at ten thousand Taeis annuall wages besides after three yeares end further aduancement whereto he excused his vnworthinesse and departed to Quangiparu a Citie of fifteene thousand Housholds and so coasted all alongst the Iland of Ainan seuen monethes space till the Souldiers were wearie and required their shares as had beene agreed which was quieted with promise to winter at Siam and hauing there made Money of all to giue each man his part With this agreement they came to an Iland called Theaues Iland because standing out of the Bay it is their place to take the first of the Monson Here at the new Moone in October wee were encountred with a cruâ—ll Tempest in the night by which the foure Vessels were broken in pieces fiue hundred eightie sixe persons drowned of which eight and twentie Portugals three and fiftie of vs by Gods mercie saued Faria being one and one and twentie other Portugals the rest Slaues and Mariners They spent two dayes and a halfe in Buriall of their dead and to get some of their prouision which yet hauing taken Salt-water would not last aboue fiue dayes of the fifteene they stayed there Faria comforted them saying that God would not permit so much euill but for a greater good nor would haue taken from them fiue hundred thousand Cruzados but to giue them sixe hundred thousand God doth not punish with both hands his mercie curing the wounds which his Iustice maketh Thus we walked naked and bare-foot on the Strand in the Wildernes suffering hunger and cold many of our companions dying not so much for want of food as the stinke and putrified vnholsomnesse thereof In this disconsolate plight a Sea-kite came flying from behind the South Cape of the Iland and let fall from his Talons a Mullet a span long which he taking vp with great prayse to God and Prayer to Iesus Christ not to consider their merits but his merits for them hee caused it to bee rosted and giuen to the sicke Looking to the place whence the Fowle came they saw more of them flying vp and downe and going thitherwards discouered a Valley with diuers Fruit-trees and before they came at it they found a Deere
and by reason of a Rebellious Portugall Captayne hee was taken as a Spye with twelue others so beaten that fiue dyed the other seuen sundred to diuers places where they dyed in misery only Vasco Caluo being now left aliue Her Father she said was banished to this Towne and there marryed with her Mother hauing somewhat to mayntaine her and by him made a Christian. They liued together many yeares like good Catholikes and conuerued many to the Faith of Christ in that Citie three hundred assembled on Sundayes to her house to their holies She shewed vs an Oratorie in which was a Crosse of wood gilded with a Candlesticke and siluer Lampe Wee asked her what they did when they came there and shee said nothing but kneele before that Crosse with their hands and eyes lifted to Heauen and say Lord Iesus Christ as it is true that thou art the true Sonne of God conceiued by the Holy Ghost in the wombe of the Holy Virgin Mary for the saluation of Sinners so pardon our sins that wee may obtayne to see thy face in the glory of thy Kingdome where thou sittest at the right hand of the Highest Our Father which art in Heauen hallowed be thy Name In the Name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost Amen And so kissing the Crosse â—hey embraced one another and went home alway liuing friendly with each other Her Father she said had left other Prayers written which the Chinois had stolne away so that now they could say no more Whereupon we promised to leaue her other Prayers and taught the Christians seuen times there and Christopher Borrall writ in China Letters the Lords Prayer Aue Mary Creed Salue Regina Tenne Commandements and other good Prayers Shee had giuen a Present to Chifus Wife to deale with her Husband to giue vs this leaue and to vse vs kindly and the Christians there gaue vs fiftie Taeis of Siluer and Inez de Leiria other fiftie closely deâ—â—ring vs to remember her in our Prayers We continued our journey vp the Batampina to a place called Lequimpau of tenne or twelue thousand Houses Neere to the wall stood a long house with thirtie Furnaces for the purifying of siluer which was taken out of a Hill fiue leagues distant called Tuxenguim in which Mines the Chinois told vs there continually laboured one thousand men and that it yeeled to the King yearely fiue thousand Pikes of siluer We departed thence in the Euening and the next Euening anchored betwixt two small Cities standing ouer against one another one named Pacan the other Nacau both well walled and builded These two Cities occasion mee to recite what I haue heard often heard read in the thirteenth Chapter of the first Chronicle of the fourescore which they haue of the Kings of China that sixe hundred thirtie nine yeares after the Floud there was a Land called Guantipocau in which liued a pettie Prince called Turban which had by his Concubine Nancaa three Sonnes refusing to marry and entring into Religion of the Idoll Gizom still much esteemed in Iapon China Cauchin-china Camboia Siam of which I haue seene many Temples appointing his oldest Sonne by the said Nancaa his heire His Mother then liuing was against this and marryed herselfe with Silau a Priest and slue Turban wherevpon Nancaa and her children fled downe the Riuer seuentie leagues and fortified a place which she called Pilaunera that is the refuge of the poore Fiue yeares after Silau prepared a Fleet of thirtie Barkes to destroy her and all her faction thinking that her Sons comming of age might dispossesse him But she hauing Intelligence hauing of men women and children not aboue one thousand and three hundred persons and but three or foure Boats not sufficient to conueigh away those few by common consent and aduice appointed a three dayes Fast therein to begge suâ—cour of God in all which time none might eate aboue once in paine of death This Fast ended they cast Lots and the Lot fell on a Boy of seuen yeares old which was also named Silau whom after all Ceremonies ended they bid lift vp his hands to Heauen and tell them some remedie to these dangers Who prophesied Victory to her ouer the Tyrant Silau commanding her to embarke hers in her Enemies Barkes and at the sound of the waters to runne along the Land till God shewed where shee should found a habitation of great name which through all times should send out his mercy with voyces and bloud of strange Nations after which words the Boy fell downe dead The thirty Barkes came saith the Storie fiue dayes after without any people therein for at a place called Catebasoy a blacke Cloud arose ouer them which rayned on them scalding drops which destroyed them all Nancaa with teares and thankes embarked her three Sonnes and the rest and went downe the Riuer conducted by the sound fortie seuen dayes and then came to the place where Pequim now stands Fiue dayes after they came aland was the first stone layd thereof by Pequim eldest Sonne of Nancaa and the Citie called by his owne name And a siluer shield hangeth on the Arch of the chiefe gate Pommicotay and hath this inscribed in which are fortie Warders and in the rest ordinarily but foure The day also of the foundation beeing the third of August is kept with great Solemnitie and thereon the King vseth to shew himselfe to the people The later Kings also haue made a Law that no Strangers except Embassadours and Slaues should enter the Kingdome The two other Brethren founded these two Cities called by their owne names Pacan and Nacau and their Mother founded Nanquin which tooke the name of hers IN the fift Booke of the chiefe places of that Empire is written that King Crisnagol which reigned as we may accord our computation with theirs about the yeare of our Lord 528. builded the wall the people contributing ten thousand Pikes of siluer which are fifteene Millions of Cruzados and two hundred and fiftie thousand men thirtie thousand Officers and the rest Labourers which was continued seuen and twentie yeares and then finished being saith that Booke the length of seuentie Iaons euery Iaon is foure leagues and an halfe which make three hundred and fifteene leagues The Priests and Iles are said to contribue as many and the King and Officers another third so that seuen hundred and fiftie thousand men laboured therein This wall I haue seene and measured being generally sixe fathomes high and fortie spannes thicke and foure fathomes runneth a kind of Rampire twice as thicke as the wall strengthened with a Bituminous substance on the out-side like Potters worke and in stead of Bulwarkes it hath houses of two lofts with beames of blacke wood called Caubesy that is Iron-wood seeming stronger then if they were of stone-worke This wall or Chanfacau so they call it that is strong resistance runneth with an equall course till it
name which among vs signifieth some small matter The Chinois doe not distinguish them by great or small and so their Villages are bigger then others which wee call Townes All the Cities and Townes are very well enclosed with high walls And because as I said I deferre this vntill another time I will only speake of Nanquin whereof I had some sight This Citie standeth in two and thirtie degrees and an halfe eight or ten leagues from the Sea vnto which it hath a mouth and a mightie Riuer It hath three walls of Bricke very high and faire with very great and beautifull gates which they shut vp very timely before night This Citie of old time two hundred yeeres past was the habitation of the Kings of China and so it continueth in very good condition The streets are very broad and all paued with very great square stones or set with brickes It hath exceeding long streets of two leagues and two leagues and an halfe and in the middest of the Citie are the Kings Palaces which are very great The Chinois declare the circuit of this Citie that two Horsemen going in the morning both out of the same gate and one going on the one side and the other on the other going all the day they meet at night in the gate opposite to that which they went out at The very truth is that it is at least eleuen or twelue leagues in circuit and seemeth to haue aboue two hundred thousand houses of people It seemed to all of vs that were there that Nanquin and this Citie of Paquin each of them haue as many people or more then foure of the most famous and populous Cities of all our Europe as Rome Lisbon and others of the greater sort For whereas these two whereof I speake are in themselues so great Cities not one nor two streets but the greater part of the Citie euery day doth swarme with people There are about this Citie many others within one or two dayes iourney and very famous for greatnesse and trafficke among which there are two one named Hancheo the other Sucheo and this is very great and like to Venice whose streets are halfe water and halfe land The Chinois call these Cities Paradise to expresse the goodnesse abundance and cheapnesse of all things that are in this Kingdome and come from other places And Sucheo is so full of people merchandise and trafficke that a Booke which is printed wherein all things are set downe which the Prouinces and Cities pay to the King saith that this only payeth one yeere with another in Siluer Gold Rice and Silke and other things wherewith it doth greatly abound twelue millions so that there be whole Prouinces that amount not to so much by a great deale which though it seeme an incredible thing yet they write it for a certaintie and hee which knoweth what these Cities are will beleeue it Yet for all this these Cities haue no notable things neither sumptuous Temples nor buildings which are wont to be those things which doe beautifie a Citie for the houses are not beautifull outwardly nor they vse no great Porches as they doe in our Countrey And he that hath seene the things of our Countrey and is skilfull in architecture shal find it here very little For the houses are low and without galleries lofts windowes or sight into the street yet they haue faire yards and are very neate within and painted with diuers colours with that Charan or liquid Gumme whereof I made mention before And that which I speake of Nanquin touching the abundance of people trafficke and manner of houses is after the same manner in the other Cities which we saw For the Chinois are so like and so vniforme in all naturall and artificiall things that he that hath seene one of the principall Cities findeth no new thing to bee seene in the others And albeit that other Cities are not comparable to these in bignesse yet in multitude of people proportionally there is little difference This Kingdome is commonly very fertile of all things that are necessarie for the vse of man and a great cause of the fertilitie and abundance thereof proceedeth of the great number of exceeding great Riuers which it hath which besides the profit that the Riuers yeeld by the fishing and besides the profit in watering of the grounds wherein they stand the Chinois in great stead they are occasion of great trafficke and communication of one Prouince with another with great ease by water which is an enriching to them that vse it and of great plentie in euery Citie of all things that are in the Kingdome From our departure from Macao till within a little of Paquin which is as I said sixe hundred leagues wee trauelled not past one day by Land because wee would not fetch too great a compasse about by water wee trauelled a great part of this way vnto Nanquin by the greatest Riuer that euer I saw in my life which in some parts is aboue three leagues broad and very deepe which the Chinois for the greatnesse thereof doe call The little Sea and that with good reason For though it were an hundred leagues from the Sea where I entred into it yet there is great abundance of fish of those kindes which breed in the Sea as Porposies fishes with sharpe beakes and others which I haue seene I saw in this Riuer neere the bankes thereof men fish with certaine Fowles as bigge as small Geeâ—e like vnto Rauens with a long beake and bending downeward like a crooked hooke which the Chinois teach to fish They haue a very long necke which they binde in such sort that the fishes cannot goe downe into their stomacke but they fill their throat with them if they be small fishes and when they come out of the water they make them cast them out and if the fish bee great hee fighteth with him and beateth him with pecking assaulting him with his bill vntill hee driue him vp that the Fisher may see him which commeth quickly with a small Net like a Wheele vpon a staffe and hee taketh him vnder the water And after this sort wee saw this Fowle take Fishes sometimes of a pound and a pound and halfe weight and they say they take bigger And because this fishing is so gainfull and so certaine they pay a certaine Tribute to the King for euery one of these Rauens or Cormorants Wee met with another Riuer as great as this which seemed to bee rather of mudde then water because the water was alwaies mingled with earth which whence it should come for so many yeeres I wot not They cannot drinke the water without they clarifie it which they doe with Alume Besides these two Riuers all the rest is made by hand for vessels to passe to Paquin The Vessels which we saw in all the Cities which we passed is one of the greatest things
These Gouernours therefore in that they had the charge of holy Mysteries were Priests in that they had to doe with the Court of Iustice and Iudgement they were Iudges we call them Noble-men in this place and the state of the Common-wealth gouerned by their ouersight an Aristocratie The same are called by our Country-men Godar and Hoffsgodar from the Church or Temple which is Hoff as it were Ouer-seers of the Church and their Office or Dignitie was called Godord to wit their name being next deriued from their Ethnick gods which they called God that euen by the name it selfe they who almost represented the Name and Office of the Gods might bee put in minde of the Vertues Wisdome and Iustice c. requisite in such a Gouernour And that they might shew themselues such I suppose the same place was appointed to iudgements of the seate of Iustice which was ordained for Sacred Mysteries to wit at the foresaid Temples And also therefore because the place of holy Mysteries was religiously thought fitter for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the taking of good counsell whereof there is especiall vse in the Court of Iustice. Moreouer the Prouinciall Gouernours had their two-fold assemblies as the Rappagogi had yeerely or ordinary meetings and proclaimed or extraordinary any necessitie requiring those former assemblies containing many dayes vid. Kaâ—pb cap. 8. Torn Log. and that as it is likely assembled by some signe of holding a meeting as we haue already said of Reppagogies which surely what it was in times past is not well knowne vnlesse it were that which afterwards and yet remaineth in vse the forme of a Noruegian axe of Wood carried about after the same manner among the prouinciall Citizens as we said a little before of the woodden crosse This token of the Iudiciall Court is called Bod in our language which signifieth a message Moreouer euery one paid some yearely tribute or reuenue to the Temples whereof the Guardian or Ouerseer of the Church was the Collector for speaking of holy mysteries pertaining to the Church I call euery Noble man so To him also came the penaltie of the Temple and Court of Iustice prophaned who likewise ought to maintaine the Temple or keepe it in reparations at his owne charge Lastly the necessity and specially care to amend and make good whatsoeuer damage done vnto the Prouince or to foresee and preuent it being imminent vsing the helpe of the Prouincials lay wholly vpon him so that for the destroying of Theeues and publique Robbers you may finde some who were prodigall of their owne life Contrarily it is a lamentable case how at this day we see it euery where come to passe where they make a great conscience to condemne a notorious Theefe by the Law or any other conuicted once or twice of any capitall crime much more to put him to death These are the Gouernours of Prouinces The Nomophylaces or Iustices follow The Nomophylax was the other kinde of the superiour Magistrate somewhat later then these of which sort in the whole auncient Citie of Island for we yet describe it at one and the same time there was onely one who of pronouncing or deliuering the Law was called Logmann and Logsogumann For the Commonwealth began not suddenly but by little and little to be framed therefore the Prouinciall Lawes were first of the like meaning though peraduenture not euery where the same before they had them compact and gathered into one body which when they attained for the custody and preseruation of the same they admitted trustie and wise men whom I call Nomophylaces and whose Office I shall very well describe in the words of D. Nicolaus Cragius declaring the Office of the Spartan Nomophylaces The Office of the Nomophylaces saith D. Cragius Li. 2. cap. 6. de Repub. Lacedaem was as we perceiue by the matter it selfe to haue charge of the custody and preseruation of Lawes for the benefit of the Common-wealth and that they should not suffer them to be abolished changed or taken away by any Moreouer they indeuoured that the force of the Lawes might not grow out of vse or the memory thereof be forgotten but they compelled the Magistrates to the often obseruation of them and execution of their dutie And further we may thinke these very men were the interpreters of Lawes if peraduenture any thing doubtfully set downe or hardly vnderstood should come in disputation This Cragius writeth the same which I doe of ours adding this that they had some manner of authority in their power together with the rest of the Nobility of changing renewing Lawes and also inlarging them as it were Orators and Counsellours the consent of the people being added Therefore the Nomophylaces or chiefe Iustices tooke nothing away from the forme of an Aristocratie but were as hath beene said before Interpreters and preseruers of the Law armed with publique authority for this purpose in whose power also the custody of the Booke of the Lawes remained But I dare proceede no further with our Author in his Law Suites and Courts lest I be therein detained with Demurs and tedious delaies I am a Traueller and howsoeuer I haue not so much for Island as for the knowledge of the Arctoan antiquities waded thus farre I will not tire the Reader further but remit the more curious to the Author himselfe who hath added much of their Lawes and a whole Booke of their auncient Grands and another of their Kings both here omitted The Kings of Norway began to haue dominion in Island A. 1261. diuers immunities reserued which Kingdome descending vpon Margaret by her was linked with that of Denmarke and so hath continued aboue 200. yeares ENGLISH NORTHERNE NAVIGATIONS AND DISCOVERIES RELATIONS OF GREENELAND GROENLAND THE NORTH-WEST PASSAGE AND OTHER ARCTIKE REGIONS WITH LATER RVSSIAN OCCVRRENTS THE FOVRTH BOOKE CHAP. I. A Voyage set forth by the Right Worshipfull Sir THOMAS SMITH and the rest of the Muscouie Company to Cherry Iland and for a further discouerie to be made towards the North-Pole for the likelihood of a Trade or a passage that way in the Ship called the Amitie of burthen seuentie tuns in the which I IONAS POOLE was Master hauing fourteene men and one boy A.D. 1610. THE first of March 1609. I wayed at Black-wall and went to Grauesend The third day I went downe to the Noore-head The ninth wee wayed and put out to Sea blessed bee God and by the fifteenth day I was in the Bay of Rosse on the Coast of Norway in Latitude 65. degrees at what time the wind came Northerly and blew extreame fierce with great store of Snow and Frost The sixteenth day wee had the like weather and winds so that wee could not maintaine a mayne-course and we lost some of our Beere The seuenteenth day we had Snow and all the Beak-head was so laden with Ice that it seemed a firme lumpe and the wind at North which blew so fierce that we could
Christianos transijt hodiâ—que tenet Finis Aquilonis Pascatur terra Magna Hâ—ngaria * Scilicet in notâ—oribus illis Orbis regionibus Blaci Valachia Ilac Mare Caspium Montes Caucaâ—â— Cataiâ— Nigra vel Cara Cataia Cataia Nigra fuit Terra Presbyteri Iohannis de quo multa falsae nec falsitate minori transijt fabula ad Abassinos novumque dedit nohis Presbyterum Ioannem Africanum Turci Regnum Coir Can. Naiman populus Caracarum Villa Pascua Moal Tartari Cingis faber Cingis can Hocata-can Ken-can Mangu-can Tota Russia Tartaris subdita Cataia Nigra vbi fuit Presbyter Iohannes Terra Moal Terra Tartarorum Ornan Kerule Caracarum Ciuitas Imperialis Tangut Vacâ—ae mulcendae cantu ad Mulgendum * Mulgeri Tebeth Vid. ab Hak. to 1. ap Vincen. spec hist. 1.32 Solangi Catâ—ia in extremitate Orientis Vel Asprâ—olorum Descriptio Simiae Patriarcha Nestorianorum b Sic solus Abuna in Aethiopia ordinat Idolatrae Templa Campanae Rasuâ—a Castitas Collegia Sacerdotum Corda nucleorum Iugres Tebeth Tangut Catai Orientalis Chinaei vtuntur hodie eiusmodi pâ—nicillis characteribus Caracteres Philoso phici V.B. Spec. hist. lib. 32. Mat. Michou l. 2. c. 5. saith two of them went to the Cham but they were two others sent another way Iohn de Plano Carpini and his fellow whose story is in M. Hak. and in the said Vincent l. 32. Others call him Ocodai Can Bathu The foure were Ascelinus Alberike Alexander and Simon See a like distinction of Ethnikes Aug. in Psal. 113. V. Bel. l. 32 c. 90. * This seemes to be that Sartacâ— in Rubruq Ercalthays pretended Letter in Vincent c. 91. * Hee was Author of a great part of that history which is wholly ascribed to Paris by the most Dacia is here as often by later Authours corruptly taken for Denmarke The Dacia of the ancients comprehended Transiluania Walachia and Moldauia A Caluish conceit See Brierwood and my Pilgr l. 4. c. â— l. 5. c. 14. Crusados against the Taâ—â—tars A deuouâ— Queene and Saint King Diuine apopâ—â—hegme Emperour Fr. 2. this Leâ—â—ter to King Henr. 3. * An errour vsually such shadowes atâ—tend fame 〈◊〉 like the form of inclosed 〈◊〉 Iewes And iâ—â—deed the Taâ—â—tartars were 〈◊〉 base and so mote that they like 〈◊〉 ouerflowed the Earth 〈◊〉 wâ—re vnknowne yeaâ— thâ—n also 〈◊〉 sudden storm and vnknowâ— originall adâ—ding to that teâ—â—our 〈◊〉 which they then amazâ—â— and withall affâ—ighted thâ— Worâ—d as the Letters 〈◊〉 The Pope to haue his will against the Emperour exposeth Christian Princes to mutuall quarrels which he shold haue opposed to the Tartars neuer ceasing till he had ruined that Familie and the Empire Tartar Spies This Emperor Fred. â— married Isabel Sister to K. Henr. 3. Dacia naualis Malice maâ— Selib 8. c. 6 4. Neusâ—â—t * Of Baldwâ—â— conquâ—ring Constantinoplâ— and the Empire of the 〈◊〉 there 〈◊〉 hath gâ—â—uen a long 〈◊〉 course see so Knolles Tuâ—â—kish Historie sup tom 1 l. 8. * Called by bilfada Ismaâ—â— Sogdat and placed in Chirmia not Armenia on the North-side of the Euxine Sea Frier Bacon before cals it Soldaia in Cassaria Bâ—cara or Boghar in Bactria of which see M. Ienkinson They come to the Great Can. They are sent Ambassadours from the Can to the Pope Golden tablet vsed as a Commission vnder the broad Seale Acre or Acoâ— then in possession of the Christians see before l. 8. c. 4. Pope Clement the fourth * Another copie hath 15. x For the Booke was written by a Gentleman oâ— Genoa from his mouth and therefore still in Ramusio Marco is mentioned in the third person and not in thâ— first at least much of it waâ— so written anâ— the whole pubâ—lished by 〈◊〉 d The tenth that name Letters and Preaching Frâ—â—ars sent vnto the Tartar The Citie Clâ—â—menfu The adoratiâ—â— of the Tartaâ— Marcus 〈◊〉 made one oâ— the Chans Clerkes anâ— a Courtier Marcos Legâ—â—tiâ—n His wisedomâ— in trauelling to a farre Countrey * This 26. yeare to be reâ—â—koned to thâ— time in 〈◊〉 this booke 〈◊〉 written froâ— 1272. to 12â— as in the Relation appeareth The 〈◊〉 is that it was 26. yeâ—rs sâ— he began to a Courâ—ier They 〈…〉 Argon a King of the Indians Argon is a Nation of India And this King gouerned the same The will of Queene Bolgana Cogatin The manner of the Inhabâ—â—tants Giazza Turchomania Turkie Of the Georâ—â—â—anâ— Georgia Moxul Baldach Chisi Balsara Vlau Alau or Haalon Tauris Deuils Martyrs The eight Kingdome of Persia. Horses Asses The Inhabitants Fine distinction as in a Popish fasts Iasdi Camandu Oxen with a bunch on the backe Sheepe of the bignes of Asses Their Inchantments The Authors danger Ormus Parrats Their Ships An outward shell which growes vpon the Caco Nut and yeelds a thready substance A Desart in which is Salt bitter laxatiue greene water Cobinam Tutia and Spodio A Desart of eight dayes Iourney Timochaim Tree of Sun or Arbor Secco a Ricci Mulehet Aloadine the old man of the Mountayne Knaue-fooles Paradise * It is likely that the Assasines mentioned in the eight ninth Bookes were branches of this stock Disciples of his Syrian Vicar or this of them Large pleasant Countrey A Desart Sapurgan Pompions Statyra Balach perhapâ— in Susa. Thracian Salt-mountaynes Scassem Porcupines Porci spinosi Balaxiam Couragious Horses and vnshod Bucephalus-breed Bascia Chesmur Vochan Highest mountayne Pamer Beloro Caschar Carchan Wennes by bad waters happen also in the Alpes Cotam the name of a Prouince and chiefe Citie Peim Adulterous custome Great Turkie or Turcomania Ciarcian Lop. Desart of Lop. Illusions of Deuils It sâ—â—meth that the compasse was not then found out which of later times they vse in Deâ—sarts as in the Sea Sachion Tanguth The Sacrifice of the Birth-day The Rites of Funerall Astrologers Iouiâ—ll Lâ—ds Bâ—wdes to their owne Wiues Kind Cuckoldâ— This Chapter is not in Ramusios Italian Copie which I haue printed 1559 yet is it mentioned there among the Prouinces of Tanguth And I haue not a little trauelled in Trauellers to find this Salamander but haue found not a little no Midwife to my throwes which makes mee throw away that conceit Succuir Rhubarbe Of this Ramusio hath giuen a large discourse from the Relation of Chaggi Meâ—eret which had beene in these parts Camâ—ioâ— Christian Churches Idolâ—trous Monasteries Idols of diuers kinds The yeere of the Moone Their many wiues Ezina Carchoran vid. Rubr. of Caracarum The originall of the Dominion of the Tartars The fruit of a wilde gouernment Cingis goeth forrh against Vmcan Tanduc He consulteth with the Magicians Hee vanquisheth the Enemie by warre He dieth with the shot of an Arrow Cingis an Câ—n Caâ— Batâ—â—n Can. Eâ—u Can. Monâ—â— Can. 〈◊〉 Can. Alâ—â—i the Sepulcher of the Kings of the Tartars Their cruell custome of funerals The marriages of the Tartars Womens concord and industrie z Cosmos Their substance of Cattell Cottages The Tartars religion Painted Marriages Their war-fare The mulct
Patron or Owner They lost their Rudder on a Rocke not farre from Cales in Spaine and were faine to make thither to repaire it and other diastâ—rs followed They leaue the ship The Schiffe lost Hard dyet Great Frost aâ— Venice Extreame cold The death of sixe and twentie Great thirst Sight of Land Hot strong stomackes to cold small drinke They goe on Land Iland of Saints or Santi bearing off the coast of Norway See Ortelius his Map of Scandia hee placeth Santi and Rustene in 74. degrees but too Northerly then they are from the North Cape from which this Rocke saith Quirino bare Westward 70. miles other Rockes not farre distant some inhabited some not This is off Rustene three miles in compasse and called in their Language for the extreame remotenesse The arse of the World Foure dye and others after Great weakenesse Miserable cold Abundance of Lice They finde a Fish 1432. in Foraine account I le of Rustene A Germaine Priest Rustene described Stock-fish in stead of mony Their drinke and bread Halibuts very great Sinceritie Simplicitie Thus the Italians thought in regard of their differing iealousie which scarsly permits the growne Sonne or Brother to sleepe vnder the same roofe with the Mother or Sister m Quirino faith in the same Chamber their houses being built of timber in round forme with one light in the top which in winter by reason of the vnsupportable cold is couered wiâ—h skinnes of great fishes which cast a great lustre Their children after foure daies old are set vnder the same for the snow to fal on them that they may bee hardned for the cold From the fiâ—t of Febr. to the 14. of May it almost alway snowâ—d Their garments are of course cloâ—h of London c. more then of Lether Funerall Bathing Long nights Quirino saith that it is three moneths night with continual light of the Moone and three others day with continuall sight or light at least of the Sunne Birds Mâ—xi They returne Bâ—rga Tokens of the Skiffe drowned Trondon Saint Olaus Vastena Venetian Knight Lodese * Quirino saith when he set foot on England hee seemed to bee comne out of Hell and reuiued Hee came to Câ—mbridge an Vniuersitie where a Benedictinè gaue him sixteene Crownes thence to London where he stayed two moneths c. * * Octhers voyage see Hak. â—â—â—1 〈…〉 4000. Matthew Westminster hath 4800. viz 1200. for the South coast also * A. 1042. Hocktide I haue seene kept with publiâ—e feasting in the street the women also â—inding men or compelling them to some ransome the Tuesday forâ—night after Easter English Conquest in Sweden A. 1024. Saint Olaue Romish Pilgrimage a protection for tyrannous vsurpation of Norway England without restitution to the right Heires as if Peters preteÌ„ded key were a Pick-locke to open Heauen to whomsoeuer Historia Danica Second English Expedition into Norway m Trecentiâ— coggonibuâ— From 787. to 1065. vid. sup l. 8. c. 6. â— 1. Note Ma. Periâ— p. 981 The Pope and his Legates deere friends to all Kingdomes Saint Lewis his offers His Lettâ—r M. Par. his voyage to Norway Iohn Abbie Monkes ignorant of their owne order Popes long hands and Lime-fingered Appeales l Of these sâ—e Hak. tom 1. King Haralds children n See pag. seq Frier of Linne Hen. 4. T. of Woodstock Schâ—gen Elsenore Coppenhagen Dantzik Amber Sak A Frogge in a piece of Amber Strange report of Swallowes The Vistle High wall Idolatry Marriage Hospitalitie Houses Torne Norway Sweden * When he was there His other trauells Loretto Alpes The fields Sauramenses and Oczacouiensâ—s betwixt the Riuers Bogus and Nester Long miles in those parts and so vnderstand in the rest of this storie Sharpe winter Part of Moâ—dauia or the lower Valachia called sometimâ—s Bessarabia Lake Vidouo in Necster Bialogrod Beriboneum Adrigoli Dommina Berezania Carcinitus Leuca Oczacauia Boresthenes or Neper Bogus The Isthmus Their houses and pasture-progresse Tanais or Don. Perecopia Cosslow Ingermanum Chersâ—na Kiou Parthenium The Citie Balachei or Iamboli Marcopia or Mangat a City Cercessigermenum Admirable Vaults Baccasaray Salaticum Almassarai Perecopia Cremum Sorâ—â—ssus Cremum Crim Tartars why so called Sidagios or Sudacum Orium and Oxon. Theodosia now Capha Petigorenses or Colchis Idolaters Deepe Wells Salt Lake Cyngis Lochton Selim. Gerâ—y Chan. Sachmates The Galba or heyre apparant Election of the Chan. Sachibgiereius Attalici Hamiati Wiues and children Arabike letters Mahometan Religion Gouernment and Lawes The Cadi and Begs No Atturnies nor Lawyers they plead their owne cause Great peaceablenesse to the shame of alway lawing Gospellers No daily vse of weapons * Aquauitae Meat and drinke Slaues Merchants Tartar slaues Tribute Embassadors Alma Bacchasanium Audience Bassa of Capha Warres Money Prouision for warre Manner and Art of warre The Chans tenth Misery of Captiues Manner of redemption Ars deluditur arte Their Horses Their Armes Store of Horses Flight fayned Their Discipline His strength The principall Ensigne a Mares tayle m He published this Book Anno 1607. See of Island originall the next Chapter Antiquities are often mystical or mythical fabulous The Christian care of King Christian. Two Bishops in Iseland Tadde Bonde Waloe Three sorts of people Twelue Iustices each yeere Strength Hâ—bite Superstition and Witchcraft Night Rauens Sweet sacrifice for the Deuill letice sutable his lips Learning Fiwing fish Drinke An old man or a loud lie Bread Commodities Whoores Drinking and singing Louing wormes Lousie loue Lodging Long night Chesse Dryed Fish Hot Bathes Diue-doppers Stone-making water Note French disease Hecla a burning Hill Conceit of Purgatorie Collusions of men or Illusions of Deuils Aâ—ngim Ionas an Islander scoffes at 〈◊〉 as fabulous Strange Story Another wonder No fruits Bartar Brimstone Birch-tree Great winds Fat grasse Their kine horses and sheepe Dogs of more price then children Beares and Foxes White Crowes Riuers Whale-bone-bridge Trauell by compasse Whales Hugâ— Whalâ— Note Orca. A Sea-monster Hacfal another Monster Dog-fish Note Horne of a Sea-fish See Ionas Poole and Baffin l. 4. Islanders terme Manner of trials and suites Sentence and execution Their Pigmies are Beasts and Vnicornes Fishes Pigmies our men haue noâ— seene such Of this the English Discouâ—riâ—s in this and the next Booke wiâ—l giue bettâ—r light The Authors Voyage for Discouerie In Sir Thomas Smiths Hall in London is a kind of Boate somwhat like of Barke sowed Seales skins A Beare The Authors Iourney to Mount Hecla Hafnefordt His abiding there two winters His Nauigations on the Coast of Africa c. hee mentions in his Preface which I haue for breuitie omitted * This learned Islander published A. 1593. one Booke of Island which M. Hak. translated and set forth in the first Tome of his Voyages This worke is larger in three Books out of which I haue taken some things which I held conducent to our purpose In the former worke he confuteth the errours of diuers Authors which write fasly many things of his Countrey Hola in 65. degrees
beginnings of the China Kingdome and of their admirable Wall pag. 263. § 4. Mindo Salt pits Mines of Coretumbaga Copper-workes Idolatrie and Christianitie China Trades and Riuer Faires their comming to Pequin triall and sentence Rarities of Pequin pag. 269. § 5. Foure buildings incredibly admirable in Pequin and diuers of their superstitions their Hispitals and prouisions for the Poore The Kings reuenues and Court their Sects pag. 273. § 6. Their remooue to Quansie quarrels miseries Tartarian huge Armie and losse at the siege of Pequim reported Quansie taken and Nixianco Mendez his exploit Their entertainment by the Tartar King and going to Cauchinchina with his Embassadours with many Tartarian obseruations pag. 277. CHAP. III. Spanish plantation of the Philippinas and what entercourse hath thence hapned betwixt them and the Chinois pag. 282. § 1. First discouerie of the Philippinas written by Friar Iuan Gonzales de Mendoza ibid. § 2. First plantation of the Philippinas by Michael Lopez de Legaspi pag. 284. § 3. Of Limahon a China Robber and Rouer by whose occasion the Spaniards sent into China pag. 286. § 4. Friar Martin de Herrada and other Spaniards entertainment in China and their returne to the Philippinas pag. 292. Two Letters taken out of Bartolome Leonardo de Argensola his Treatise called Conquista de las Islas Malucas printed at Madrid 1609. pag. 336 337. mentioning the comming of two English ships to China which seeme to be two ships of the fleet of Beniamin Wood The former written by the Visitor of Chincheo in China vnto the Gouernour of the Philippinas Don Pedro de Acunna H. P. pag. 309. The Answere of Don Pedro de Acunna Gouernour of the Philippinas to the Visitor of Chincheo in China pag. 310. CHAP. IIII. The report of a Mahometan Merchant which had beene in Cambalu and the troublesome trauell of Benedictus Goes a Portugall Iesuite from Lahor to China by land thorow the Tartars Countries pag. 310. CHAP. V. A generall collection and historicall representation of the Iesuites entrance into Iapon and China vntill their admission in the Royall Citie of Nanquin pag. 316. § 1. Of Francis Xauier Melchior Nunnes Valignanus Ruggerius and Pasius ibid. § 2. Iaponian Embassage to the Pope Of Nabunanga and Quabacondono their gouernment Corai inuaded Embassage from China Taicosamas Temple and Ogoshosamas succession pag. 322. § 3. Ruggerius enters againe into China with Ricius and is forced backe to Amacao thence sent for againe by the Vice-roy Sande and Almeida are sent to them and enter the Countrey as farre as Cequion and returne to Sciauchin pag. 327. § 4. False brethren and others accusations detected they are expelled Sciauchin erect a Seat at Xauceum Monasterie of Nanhoa and other things of note in those parts They alter their habit Voyage to Nanquin the Lake Riuers Idols and other rarities pag. 332. § 5. Nanquin described Ricius expelled thence he setleth at Nancian thence goeth to Nanquin againe and to Pequin description of it the way thither the Kings Palace and of Suceu and Hamceu pag. 338. § 6. Letters from Father Longobard and Taiso Ricius his entertainment at Nanquin and residence there The Chinois vnlearned learning pag. 343. CHAP. VI. A Letter of Father Diego de Pantoia one of the Companie of IESVS to Father Luys de Guzman Prouinciall in the Prouince of Toledo written in Paquin which is the Court of the King of China the ninth of March the yeere 1602. H. P. pag. 350. § 1. Difficulties of entring China their dwelling at Nanquin going from thence to Paquin with Presents for the King troubles in the way by an Eunuch pag. 350. § 2. The King sends for them is delighted with their Clocks and Pictures they are shut vp after take a House are admired for learning Christianitie of China pag. 356. § 3. The description of the Kingdome of China of Catay and Musk the diuision into Prouinces Cities and Townes described Riuer Shipping Commodities Diet and feeding pag. 360. § 4. Their moneyes apparell persons trades wealth learning marriages superstitions rites and opinions pag. 366. § 5. Their bad Souldierie and Artillerie Degrees priuiledges honours and promotions of learning Their Authors and Bookes and Printing The Mandarins commended pag. 369. § 6. Of the gouernment of China Of the Mandarins the China complements and manifold nicities pag. 372. § 7. Of their Women Of the Tartars Conquest acts and expulsion The greatnesse of the King and neighbouring States Of the Queenes Eunuchs pag. 375. CHAP. VII A discourse of the Kingdome of China taken out of Ricius and Trigautius contayning the countrey people gouernment religion rites sects characters studies arts acts and a Map of China added drawne out of one there made with Annotations for the vnderstanding thereof pag. 380. § 1. Of the name scite and greatnesse the Tributaries commoditie arts printing seales inke pencill-pennes and fannes ibid. § 2. Of their Characters and writing downeward their studies Ethikes Astrologie Physike authentike Authors Degrees how taken both Philosophicall and Militarie pag. 384. § 3. Of the Tartarian conquest Of Humuâ— the Establisher of the present gouernment The Reuenues Magistrates in the Courts Royall Prouinces Cities Orders Exaltations Visitations Depriuations pag. 387. § 4. Their manifold rites in Salutations Entertainments and other ciuilitie to the King and Magistrates Of Burials and Marriages Birth-dayes their Men Women Names and Games Habites pag. 391. § 5. Of their Superstitions Cruelties feares of Magistrates of the Kings kindred of Strangers and Souldiers Their Deities and three Sects Priests Nunnes Monasteries Legends Lyes pag. 395. § 6. Of strangers and forraine Religions in China pag. 399. § 7. The Map of China taken out of a China Map printed with China Characters illustrated with Notes for the vnderstanding thereof pag. 401. CHAP. VIII A continuation of the Iesuites Acts and obseruations in China till Ricius his death and some yeers after Of Hanceu or Quinsay An Extract of Monfaâ—ts trauell pag. 405. The Contents of the Chapters and Paragraphs in the third Booke of the first part of Purchas his PILGRIMS CHAP. I. A Treatise of Russia and the adioyning Regions written by Doctor Giles Fletcher Lord Ambassadour from the late Queene Euer-glorious Elizabeth to Theodore then Emperour of Russia A. D. 1588. pag. 413. CHAP. II. A briefe discouerie of the Northerne discoueries of Seas Coasts and Countries deliuered in order as they were hopefully begun and haue euer since happily beene continued by the singular industrie and charge of the Worshipfull Societie of Muscouia Merchants of London with the ten seuerall Voyages of Captaine Thomas Edge the Authour pag. 462. § 1. Greenland first discouered by Sir Hugh Willoughby the Voyages of Frobisher Pet and Iackman Dauis the Dutch First Morse and Whale-killing with further discoueries ibid. § 2. Dutch Spanish Danish disturbance also by Hull men and by a new Patent with the succeeding successe and further discoueries till this present pag. 466. § 3. The description of the
of Brasill ibid. § 2. Of the Warre Battailes Fortitude and Weapons of the Barbarians and of their Religion pag. 1333. § 3. Of their Marriages Education of Children Policie Hospitalitie Diseases Physitians Funerals and Lamentations pag. 1341. CHAP. IIII. The Trauels of Hulderike Schnirdel in twentie yeeres space from 1534. to 1554. abbreuiated H. P. pag. 1347. § 1. His Voyage vp the Riuer of Plate foundation of Townes their expedition vp the Riuer of Parana and Parabol the people of these parts ibid. § 2. Martin-Eyollas made Generall Gabreros comming Scherues Voyage Nunner his insolence Diuers people and accidents described pag. 1354. § 3. A long and troublesome March from Assumption into Peru. The Authors returne p. 1362 CHAP. V. The Obseruations of Sir Richard Hawkins Knight in his Voyage into the South Sea An. Dom. 1593. once before published now reuiewed and corrected by a written Copie illustrated with Notes and in diuers places abbreuiated pag. 1367. § 1. What happened in this Voyage before they came neere the Aequinoctiall Line with diuers accidentall Discourses vsefull for Nauigators pag. 1367 § 2. Considerations of Currents the Scorbute fire in Ships Fishes which attend them Sea-hawking and Hunting their comming to Brasill and obseruations thereof pag. 1372. § 3. Tharltons treacherie Discouerie of Land vnknowne Entrance of the Straits accidents therein and description thereof Diuers occasionall discourses for the furtherance of Marine and Naturall knowledge pag. 1382 § 4. Entrance into the South Sea Discouerie of the South parts of the Straits to bee but Ilands by Sir Francis Drake which the Hollanders ascribe to Maire and Schouten Of the Iland Mocha and the parts adioyning pag. 1391. § 5. The Vice-roy sends an Armado against the English which vieweth them and returneth is againe set foorth their fight the English yeeld vpon composition diuers Martiall discourses pag. 1398. CHAP. VI. A briefe Note written by Master Iohn Ellis one of the Captaines with Sir Richard Hawkins in his Voyage through the Strait of Magelan begun the ninth of Aprill 1593. concerning the said Srait and certaine places on the Coast and Inland of Peru. pag. 1415. CHAP. VII A briefe Relation of an Englishman which had beene thirteene yeeres Captiâ—e to the Spaniards in Peru c. H. pag. 1418. CHAP. VIII The Relation of Alexandro Vrsino concerning the Coast of Terra Firma and the secrets of Peru and Chili where hee had liued foure and thirtie yeeres H. ibid. CHAP. IX Notes of the West Indies gathered out of Pedro Ordonnes de Ceuallos a Spanish Priest his larger Obseruations pag. 1420. CHAP. X. Relation of the new discouerie in the South Sea made by Pedro Fernandez Giros Portugez 1609. with his Petitions to the King one Englished another in Spanish pag. 1422. The Copie of a Petition presented to the King of Spaine by Captaine Peter Ferdinand de Quir touching the discouerie of the fourth part of the World called Terra Australis Incognita and of the great riches and fertilitie of the same Printed with license in Siuill An. 1610. ibid. A Note of Australia del Espiritu Santo written by Master Hakluyt pag. 1432. CHAP. XI The Historie of Lopez Vaz a Portugall taken by Captaine Withrington at the Riuer of Plate Anno 1586. with this discourse about him touching American places discoueries and occurrents abridged ibid. CHAP. XII Briefe extracts translated out of Ierom Benzos three bookes of the New World touching the Spaniards cruell handling of the Indians and the effects thereof pag. 1448. CHAP. XIII Obseruations of things most remarkable collected out of the first part of the Commentaries Royall written by the Inca Garcilasso de la Vega Naturall of Cozco in nine bookes Of the Originall Liues Conquests Lawes and Idolatries of the Incas or ancient Kings of Peru. pag. 1454. CHAP. XIIII The suppliment of the Historie of the Incas briefly collected out of the Authors second part or Generall Historie of Peru. pag. 1485. CHAP. XV. Briefe Notes of Francis Pizarro his conquest of Peru written by a Spanish Captaine therein employed pag. 1489. CHAP. XVI The Conquest of Peru and Cusco called New Castile and directed to the Emperour by Francisco de Xeres Secretarie to Captaine Francis Pizarro which conquered them pag. 1491. CHAP. XVII Relations of occurrents in the Conquest of Peru after Fernand Pizarros departure written at Xauxa Iuly 15. 1534. by Pedro Sancho Notarie Generall in the Kingdoms of New Castile and Secretarie to the Gouernour Fr. Pizarro subscribed by the said Gouernour himselfe and others and sent to his Maiestie pag. 1494 The Contents of the Chapters and Paragraphs in the Eight Booke of the Second part of Purchas his PILGRIMS CHAP. I. A True Relation of Aluaro Nunez called Capo di Vacca concerning that which happened to the Fleet in India whereof Pamphilo Naruaez was Gouernour from the yeere 1527. vntill the yeere 1536. who returned vnto Siuill with three of his Companions onely Translated out of Ramusio and abbreuiated H.P. pag. 1499. § 1. Their Fleet and admirall and vnheard of Tempest their entrance into Florida the Lakes troublesome passages incounters disastrous successe building Boates for returne ibid. § 2. Misery pursues them at Sea and betrayes them to the Indians their miserable Liues and Death pag. 1506. § 3. Their flight from the Indians to others wonderfull cures backe and belly cares their trauels thorow the Countrey and hungry aduentures Diuers peoples and their Customes pag. 1514. § 4. They come to the South Sea and trauell through a plentifull Countrey till they meet with Spaniards whose crueltie manner of conuerting Sauages is related pag. 1524. CHAP. II. Ferdinando de Soto his Voyage to Florida and Discouerie of the Regions in that Continent with the Trauels of the Spaniards foure yeeres together therein and the accidents which befell them written by a Portugall of the Companie and heere contracted pag. 1532. § 1. Sotos entrance into Florida taking of Iohn Ortiz one of Naruaz his Companie comming to Paracossie and diuers other Caciques with accidents in the way ibid. § 2. Sotos further Discoueries in Florida and manifold Aduentures till hee came to Tulla pag. 1528. § 3. His departure to Autiamque Ortiz his Death and disasters following Soto takes thought and dyeth Moscosco succeedeth They leaue Florida and arriue at Panuco pag. 1550. CHAP. III. Diuers expeditions from Mexico and other parts of New Spaine and New Biskay especially to the more Northerly parts of America by diuers Spaniards in a hundred yeeres space pag. 1556. § 1. The Relation of Nunno di Gusman written to Charles the fift Emperour translated out of Ramusios third Tome and abridged ibid. § 2. The Voyage of Frier Marco de Nica Don Fr. Vasquez de Coronado Don Antonio de Espeio and diuers into New Mexico and the adioyning Coasts and Lands pag. 1560. § 3. Extracts out of certaine Letters of Father Martin Perez of the Societie of IESVS from the new Mission of the Prouince of Cinoloa to the Fathers of
afterwards deliuered to the generall Assembly of the said Companie at a Court holden the 25. of Iune 1611. Published by authority of the said Counsell pag. 176â— CHAP. IX A Letter of Sir Samuell Argoll touching his Voyage to Virginia and Actions there Written to Master Nicholas Hawes Iune 1613. H. p. 1764. CHAP. X. Notes of Virginian Affaires in the gouernment of Sir Thomas Dale and of Sir Thomas Gates till Ann. 1614. taken out of Master Ralph Hamor Secretarie to the Colonie his Booke pag. 1766. CHAP. XI A Letter of Sir Thomas Dale and another of Master Whitakers from Iames Towne in Virginia Iune 18. 1614. And a peece of a Tractate written by the said Master Whitakers from Virginia the yeere before pag. 1768. To the R. and my most esteemed friend M. D.M. at his house at F. Ch. in London ibid. Part of a Tractate written at Henrico in Virginia by M. Alexander Whitaker Minister to the Colonie there which then gouerned by Sir Thomas Dale 1613. pag. 1771. CHAP. XII Of the Lotterie Sir Thomas Dales returne the Spaniards in Virginia Of Pocahuntas and Tomocomo Captaine Yerdley and Captaine Argoll both since Knighted their Gouernment the Lord La Warres Death and other occurrents till Anno 1619. pag. 1773. CHAP. XIII The estate of the Colonie Anno 1620. and Master Dermers Letter to me from Virginia touching his Voyage for the South Sea pag. 1775. A Note of the Shipping Men and Prouisions sent to Virginia by the Treasurer and Companie in the yeere 1619. pag. 1776. CHAP. XIIII A true Relation of a Sea-fight betweene two great and well appointed Spanish Ships or Men of Warre and an English ship called the Margaret and Iohn or the Black Hodge going for Virginia pag. 1780 CHAP. XV. Virginian affaires since the yeere 1620. till this present 1624. pag. 1783. § 1. A Note of the shipping Men and prouisions sent and prouided for Virginia by the Right Honourable Henry Earle of South-hampton and the Companie and other priuate Aduenturers in the yeere 1621. c. With other Occurrents then published by the Companie ibid. Ships and People ibid. And for the benefit of the Plantations these things following haue beene here done this yeere ibid. Other Occurrents of note ibid. Gifts pag. 1784. § 2. Newes from Virginia in Letters sent thence 1621. partly published by the Company partly transcribed from the Originals with Letters of his Maiestie and of the Companie touching Silke-workes pag. 1787. His Maiesties gracious Letter to the Earle of South-hampton Tresurer and to the Counsell and Companie of Virginia here commanding the present setting vp of Silke-workes and planting of Vines in Virginia pag. 1787. § 3. The barbarous Massacre committed by the Sauages on the English Planters March the two and twentieth 1621. after the English accompt pag. 1788. § 4. A Note of prouisions necessarie for euery Planter or personall Aduenturer to Virginia and accidents since the Massacre pag. 1719. CHAP. XVI English Voyages to the Summer Ilands Henry Mays Shipwracke there 1593. The first Colony sent 1612. pag. 1793. A Copie of the Articles which Master R. More Gouernour Deputie of the Summer Ilands propounded to the Company that were there with him to be subscribed vnto which both hee and they subscribed the second of August in his House Anno 1612. which about the same time hee sent into England to the Worshipfull Companie of the Aduenturours pag. 1795. CHAP. XVII Relations of Summer Ilands taken out of Master Richard Norwood his Map and Notes added thereto printed 1622. The Historie of the Creatures growing or liuing therein being inlarged out of Captaine Smiths written Relations pag. 1796. CHAP. XVIII Extracts out of Captaine Iohn Smiths Historie of Bermudas or Summer Ilands touching the English acts and occurrents there from the beginning of the Plantation pag. 1801. CHAP. XIX Briefe intelligence from Virginia by Letters a supplement of French-Virginian occurrants and their supplantation by Sir Samuel Argal in right of the English plantation pag. 1â—05 CHAP. XX. Virginias Verger or a discourse shewing the benefits which may grow to this Kingdome from American-English Plantations and specially those of Virginia and Summer Ilands p. 1809. The Contents of the Chapters and Paragraphs in the tenth Booke of the Second part of Purchas his PILGRIMS CHAP. I. A Briefe Relation of the discouerie and plantation of New England and of sundrie accidents therein occurring from the yeer of our Lord 1607. to this present 1622. published by the President and Councell and dedicated to the Princes Highnesse here abbreuiated p. 1827. CHAP. II. The voyage of Master Henrie Challons intended for the North plantation of Virginia 1606. taken by the way and ill vsed by Spaniards written by Iohn Stoneman Pilot. H. pag. 1832. CHAP. III. Extracts of a Booke of Captaine Iohn Smith printed 1622. called New Englands trialls and continuing the storie thereof with Motiues to the businesse of fishing there pag. 1837. An Abstract of Letters sent from the Colonie in New England Iuly sixteene 1622. p. 1840. CHAP. IIII. A Relation or Iournall of a plantation setled at Plimoth in New England and proceedings therof printed 1622. and here abbreuiated p. 1842. CHAP. V. Good newes from New England or a relation of things remarkable in that Plantation written by E. Winslow and here abbreuaited pag. 1853. CHAP. VI. Noua Scotia The Kings Paâ—ent to Sir William Alexander Knight for the plantation of New Scotland in America and his proceedings therein with a description of Mawooshen for better knowledge of those parts pag. 1871. The description of the Country of Mawooshen discouered by the English in the yeere 1602.3 5 6 7 8 and 9. H. pag. 1873. CHAP. VII The beginning of the Patent for New-found-land and the plantation there made by the English 1610. deliuered in a Letter dated thence from M. Guy to M. Slany Also of the weather the three first winters and of Captaine Weston with other remarkable occurrents H. pag. 1876. Master Iohn Guy his Letter to Master Slany Treasurer and to the Counsell of the New-found-land plantation pag. 1877. To Master Iohn Slany Treasurer and others of the Councell and Companie of the New-found-land plantation the 29. of Iuly 1612. pag. 1879. CHAP. VIII Captaine Richard Whitbournes voyages to New-found-land and obseruations there and thereof taken out of his printed booke p. 1882. A Relation of New-found-land pag. 1884. CHAP. IX The names of diuers honourable persons and others who haâ—e vndertaken to helpe to aduance his Maiesties plantation in the New-found-land written by the said R. W. with extracts of certaine Letters written from thence pag. 1888. The second Part of the tenth Booke CHAP. X. DIuers warlike Fleets set forth to Seâ— against the Spaniards by our English Debora Queene Elizabeth of glorious memorie Her manifold deliueries and victories pag. 1891. CHAP. XI The Popes Bull the King of Spaines preparations the Duke of Medinas Expedition the Duke of Parmas Forces for the inuasion of England diuers Sea fights twixt
of their Iewels and seeing they pleased him freely bestowed them on him He loth to be exceeded in liberalitie caused twice the value to bee giuen them and besides great and rich gifts Hauing stayed one yeare in the Countrey of the said Prince whiles they thought to returne to Venice there suddenly arose Warre betwixt the said Barcha and another named Alau Lord of the Easterne Tartars These Armies fighting together Alau had the Victorie and the Armie of Barcha receiued a great ouerthrow By reason whereof the wayes beeing not secure they were not able to returne that way which they came And hauing consulted how to returne to Constantinople they were aduised to goe so farre to the East that they might compasse the Realme of Barcha by vnknowne wayes and so they came to a Citie called Ouchacha which is in the Confines of the Kingdome of this Lord of the Tartars on the West and passing further they went ouer Tigris one of the foure Riuers of Paradise and after that a Desart of seuenteene dayes Iourney without Citie Castle or Fort finding only Tartars which liue in the fields in certayne Tents with their beasts Beeing past the Desart they came to a good Citie called Bocara the name also of the Prouince in the Region of Persia which was subiect to a King called Barach in which place they stayed three yeares before they could goe forward or backward by reason of great warres betwixt the Tartars At that time a certayne Wiseman was sent Ambassador from the said Prince Alau to the Great Can who is the greatest King of all the Tartars residing in the Confines of the Earth betwixt the North-east and the East called Cublai Can who being comne to Bocara and finding there the said two brethren which had now well learned the Tartarian Language he reioyced aboue measure and perswadeth these Westerne men or Latines to goe with him to the presence of the Great Emperour of the Tartars knowing that hee should gratifie him in this and the men notwithstanding should be entertayned with great honour and rewarded with large gifts especially seeing through the manifold conference had with them he now perceiued their pleasing behauiour Those men therefore considering that they could not easily returne home without danger consulting together ioyne with the said Ambassadour and iourney with him to the Emperour of the Tartars hauing certayne other Christians in their Company whom they brought with them from Venice and departing towards the North-east and the North were a whole yeare in going to the Court of the said chiefe King of the Tartars The cause of their long time in this Iourney was the Snowes and Riuer Waters much increased so that they were forced in their trauell to stay the wasting of the Snow and decreasing of the flouds Being therefore brought before the presence of the Great Can they were most courteously receiued of him He questioned them concerning many things as of the Countries of the West the Romane Emperour and other Kings and Princes how they carried themselues in Gouernment and in Warlike affaires how Peace Iustice and Concord continued among them also what manner of life and customes were obserued with the Latines and especially of the Pope of the Christians of the things of the Church and the Religion of the Christian Faith And M. Nicolo and M. Maffeo as Wisemen told him the truth alway speaking well to him and orderly in the Tartarian Tongue Insomuch that hee often commanded they should bee brought to his presence and they were very acceptable in his sight Hauing well vnderstood the Affaires of the Latines and resting satisfied with their answers the Great Can intending to send them his Ambassadours to the Pope first consulted with his Barons and then calling to him the two Brethren desired them for his loue to goe to the Pope of the Romans with one of his Barons called Chogatall to pray him to send an hundred Wisemen and learned in the Christian Religion vnto him who might shew his Wisemen that the Faith of the Christians was to bee preferred before all other Sects and was the only way of saluation and that the Gods of the Tartars were Deuils and that they and others the people of the East were deceiued in the worship of their Gods Hee gaue them also in charge to bring in their returne from Ierusalem of the Oyle of the Lampe which burneth before the Sepulchre of our Lord Iesus Christ to whom hee had great deuotion and held him to bee true God They therefore yeelding due reuerence to the Great Can promise that they will faithfully execute the charge commited vnto them and present the Letters which they receiued from him written in the Tartarian to be deliuered to the Bishop of Rome He according to the custome of his Kingdome commanded a Golden Tablet to bee giuen them ingrauen and signed with the Kings marke carrying the which with them throughout his whole Empire in stead of a Passe-port they might bee euery-where safely conueyed through dangerous places by the Gouernours of Prouinces and Cities and receiue expenses from them and lastly how long soeuer they would stay in any place whatsoeuer they needed to them or theirs should be ministred vnto them Taking their leaue therefore of the Emperour they take their Iourney carrying the Letters and Golden Tablet with them And when they had rid twentie dayes Iourney the Baron aforesaid associated vnto them began to fall grieuously sicke Whereupon consulting and leauing him there they prosecute their intended Iourney beeing euery-where courteously receiued by reason of the Emperours Tablet Yet in very many places they were compelled to stay by occasion of the ouer-flowing of Riuers so that they spent three yeares before they came vnto the Port of the Citie of the Armenians named Giazza From Giazza they goe to Acre to wit in the yeere of our Lord 1269. in the moneth of Aprill But hauing entred into the Citie of Acre they heard that Pope Clement the fourth was lately dead and that no other was substituted in his place for the which they were not a little grieued At that time there was a certaine Legate of the Apostolicall Sea at Acre to wit Master Tibaldo de Vesconti di Piacenza to whom they declared all they had in commission from the Great Can and he aduised them to expect the Creation of a new Pope In the meane space therefore departing to Venice to visit their Friends purposing to remayne there vntill another Pope were created Master Nicolo found that his wife was dead whom at his departure hee had left great with child but had left a sonne named Marco who was now nineteene yeeres of age This is that Marco which ordayned this Booke who will manifest therein all those things which he hath seene Moreouer the Election of the Pope of Rome was deferred two yeeres They fearing the discontentment and disquieting of the Emperour of the Tartars who they knew expected
for the Hawkes of which are there mewed aboue two hundred Gerfalcons which he goeth once a weeke to see and he often vseth one Leopard or more sitting on Horses which hee setteth vpon the Stagges and Deere hauing taken the beast giueth it to the Gerfalcons and in beholding this spectacle he taketh wonderfull delight In the middest in a faire Wood hee hath built a royall House on pillars gilded and vernished on euery of which is a Dragon all gilt which windeth his tayle about the pillar with his head bearing vp the loft as also with his wings displayed on both sides the couer also is of Reeds gilt and varnished so that the rayne can doe it no iniurie the reeds being three handfuls thicke and ten yards long split from knot to knot The house it selfe also may be sundred and taken downe like a Tent and erected againe For it is sustained when it is set vp with two hundred silken cords Great Chan vseth to dwell there three moneths in the yeare to wit in Iune Iuly and August On the eight and twentieth day of August he departeth to make a solemne sacrifice He hath an herd of white Horses and white Mares about ten thousand of the milke whereof none may drinke except hee be of the progenie of Cingis Can except one family called Boriat priuiledged hereto by Cingis for their valour And these beasts as they goe vp and downe feeding are much reuerenced nor dare any goe before them or hinder their way The Astrologers or Sorcerers tell Chan that on the twentie eight of the Moone of August he should disperse that milke heere and there for the honour of all spirits and his Idols that they might be carefull preseruers of all those things which he possesseth There are two sorts of Idolaters Sorcerers called Thebeth and Chesmir which in the midst of stormes ascend the Palace and suffer no rayne to fall thereon which they make the people beleeue comes to passe by their sanctitie and therefore they goe slouenly and regardlesse of their persons neuer washing nor combing themselues They also haue a horrible custome to dresse and eate such as are comdemned to death but not those which dye naturally They are called also Bachsi which is the name of their Order as Friers Predicants or Minors with vs. They seeme by Magicke to doe what they list when the great Can in his Hall sits at his Table which is eight yards high and in the midst of the hall a good distance from the table is a great Cupboard of plate furnished They cause that the peeces full of Wine or Milke or other viands of themselues fill the goblets without any hand touching them and goe ten paces in the ayre into the great Cans hand and when he hath drunke returne to their place This they doe in the presence of any man when their Lord commands These Bachsi also when they will make feasts to their Idols goe to the Can and say Sir know that if our Idols be not honoured with Sacrifices they will bring plagues to Corne and Beasts And therefore wee pray you to giue the flesh of so many Sheepe with blacke heads and so many pounds of Incense and Lignum aloes that we may make them due sacrifice and honour This they spake not to him themselues but by certaine Lords deputed to that Office who speake to the Can and obtaine it On the feast day they sacrifice the said beasts and sprinkle the broath before the Idols They haue great Monasteries some of the bignesse of a Citie in some of which are about two thousand Monkes which serue Idols sequestred from the Laitie in their shauing and garments For they shaue their heads and beards and were a religious garment These in the solemnities of their Idols sing with solemne songs and lights some of them may marry There are some of great abstinence called Sensim leading an austere life for they eate nothing but Meale mingled with water till all the Flower be gone and eate the branne without any sauour These worship the Fire and the men of other rules say that these which are so austere are Heretikes against their Law because they worship not Idols as they doe and there are great differences betwixt them and these marry not in any case They shaue their Head and Beard they weare blacke hempen garments and bright yellow They sleepe in thicke Mats and liue the seuerest life in the world §. V. Of CVBLAI CAN his Raigne and Acts Magnificent feasts and Huntings Court and Counsell His Citie Cambalu and glorious Palace IN this Booke I purpose to write of all the great and maruellous Acts of the present Can called Cublai Can which is in our Tongue Lord of Lords the greatest Prince in peoples Cities and Treasures that euer was in the world Hee being discended from the Progenie of Chingis the first Prince of the Tartars is the sixth Emperour of that Countrey beginning to raigne in the yeare of our Lord 1256. being twentie seauen yeares old and ruling the people with great wisedome and grauitie He is a valiant man exercised in Armes strong of bodie and of a prompt minde for the performance of matters before he attained to the dignitie of the Empire which by his wisdome he did against the will of his Brethren he often shewed himselfe a valiant Souldier in the warres and carryed himselfe like a wiser and bolder Captaine then euer the Tartars had But since he swayed the Kingdome he went but once into the Field but sends his Sonnes and other Captaines in expeditions In the yeare of our Lord 1286. his Vncle named Naiam being thirtie yeares of age and hauing the command of many people and Countries so that hee was able easily to bring together foure hundred thousand Horse Being puffed vp through youthfull vanitie would now no longer be subiect but would needs take away the Kingdome from his Lord Cubai and sent to another great Lord named Caydu Lord of the parts towards great Turkie who was nephew of the Emperour Cublai yet hated him who yeelding consent to Rebellion promised to come in proper person with an hundred thousand Horse Both of them began to gather Forces which could not bee done so secretly but Cublai heard of it and presently tooke order to set guard to the wayes that no intelligence might passe that way and then assembled all the Forces within ten dayes iourney of Cambalu with great speed so that in twentie dayes were gathered together three hundred sixtie thousand Horse and one hundred thousand Foot a great part of them Falconiers and men of his Houshold With these hee made all haste day and night towards Naiams Countrey where at the end of twentie fiue dâ—yes he arriued altogether vnlooked for and rested his men two dayes Then hee called his Astrologers and caused them before all the Armie to diuine who should haue victorie a thing they alway vse to incourage
in circuit and of old encompassed three thousand and sixe hundred miles as is seene in the Maps of the Mariners of those parts but the North winds haue made a great part of it Sea It is the best Iland of the World The King is named Sendernaz The men and women are Idolaters goe naked saue that they couer their priuities with a cloth haue no Corne but Rice and Oyle of Sesamino Milke Flesh Wine of trees abundance of Brasill the best Rubies in the World Saphires Topazes Amathists and other Gems The King is said to haue the best Rubie in the World one palme long and as big as a mans arme without spot shining like a fire not to be bought for money Cublai Can sent and offered the value of a Citie for it but the King answered he would not giue it for the treasure of the world nor part with it hauing beene his Ancestours The men are vnfit for warres and hire others when they haue occasion §. X. Of the firme Land of the Greater India FRom Zeilan sayling sixtie miles to the West is the great Prouince of Malabar which is not an Iland but firme Continent called India the greater the richest Prouince in the World There are in it foure Kings the chiefe of which is Senderbandi in whose Kingdome they fish for Pearles to wit betwixt Malabar and Zeilan in a Bay where the Sea is not aboue ten or twelue fathome in which diuers descend and in bags or nets tyed to their bodies bring vp the Oysters in which they are And because there are great fishes which kill the Fishermen they hire certaine Bramines to charme them being skilfull to charme all sorts of beasts also and birds and these haue the twentieth the King the tenth These Oysters are found all Aprill and till the midst of May and not else in September they finde them in a place aboue three hundred miles off and till the midst of October The King goeth as naked as the rest saue that he weareth some honorable Ensignes as a Coller of precious stones about his necke and a threed of Silke to his breast with one hundred and foure faire Pearles as Beads to number his Prayers of which he must daily say so many to his Idols like Bracelets he weareth on three places of his armes and likewise on his legs and on his fingers also and toes The prayers which he sayth are Pacauca pacauca pacauca one hundred and foure times This King hath one thousand women and if any please his sense he takes her as one he did from his brother whence warres had followed but the mother threatning to cut off her breasts which had nourished them if they proceeded stayed the broyle He hath many Horsemen for his Guard which alway accompanie him who when the King dies throw themselues voluntarily into the fire wherein he is burned to doe him seruice in the next World This and his brethren the Kings of Malabar buy their Horses from Ormus and other parts The Countrey breeds none and if it happens sometimes yet are they there bred ill-fauoured and naught Condemned persons will offer themselues to die in honour of such an Idoll which is performed with twelue Kniues and twelue wounds in diuers parts of the bodie at euery blow saying I kill my selfe in honour of that Idol and the last he thrusts in his heart and then is burned by his kindred The wiues also cast themselues into the fire with their husbands they being disreputed which refuse it They worship Idols and most of them Beeues and would not eat of so holy flesh as Beefe for all the World There are some called Gaui which eate those Beeues which dye alone may not kill them and dawbe ouer their houses with Oxe dung These Gaui are of the Posteritie of those which slue Saint Thomas and cannot enter the place where his bodie is if ten men should carrie them They sit on Carpets on the ground in this Kingdome they haue no Corne but Rice are no Warriours kill no beasts but when they will eat any get the Saracens to doe it or other people wash twice a day morning and euening both men and women and will not otherwise eate which they which obserue not are accounted Heretikes They touch not their meat with the left hand but vse that hand only to wipe and other vncleane offices They drinke each in his owne pot and will not touch another mans pot nor suffer their owne to touch their mouth but hold it ouer and powre it in To strangers which haue no pot they powre drinke into his hands to drinke with them Iustice is seuerely executed for Crimes and Creditors may encompasse their Debtors with a Circle which he dares not passe till hee hath paid or giuen securitie if he doth he is to be put to death and M. Marco once saw the King himselfe on Horse-backe thus encircled by a Merchant whom he had long delayed and frustrated neither would the King goe out of the Circle which the Merchant had drawne till he had satisfied him the people applauding the Kings Iustice. They are very scrupulous in drinking Wine of the Grape and they which doe it are not admitted to be Witnesse a thing denyed also to him which sayles by Sea for they say such men are desperate They thinke Leachery no sinne It is very hote and they haue no raine but in Iune Iuly and August without which refreshing of the Ayre they could not liue They haue many Physiognomers and Sooth-sayers which obserue beasts and Birds and haue an vnluckie houre euery day of the weeke called Choiach as on Munday betwixt two and three on Tuesday the third houre on Wednesday the ninth c. thorow all the yeare set downe in their Bookes They curiously obserue Natiuities at thirteene yeares old they put the Boyes to get their owne liuings which runne vp and down to buy and sell hauing a little stocke giuen them to begin and in Pearle-season they buy a few Pearles and sell them againe to the Merchants which cannot well endure the Sunne for little gaine What they get they bring to their Mothers to dresse for them but may not eate at their Fathers cost They haue Idols Males and Females to which they offer their Daughters which when the Monkes or Priests appoint sing and dance to cheere the Idols and diuers times set victuals before them saying that they eat leauing it the space of a meale singing the while and then they fall to eating in deed after which they returne home The cause of these solaces is the household quarrels betwixt the God and his Goddesse which if they should not thus appease they should lose their blessing The great men haue Litters of large Canes which they can fasten artificially to some vpper place to preuent Tarantulas byting and Fleas and other Vermine and for fresh Aire The place of Saint Thomas his Sepulchre is a small
dead are and there it consumes with time Their mourning which they vse is the sharpest that euer I saw for they weare Coats after the common sort of verie course wooll next the flesh and girt with great coards and on their head a Cappe of the same cloath made like the Caps that are vsed in the Countrey sauing that these haue certaine flappes that fall ouer their eyes Notwithstanding that as they are nearest in kindred so they weare the rougher mourning weed The rest weare raw cloath and not so course For Father or Mother they mourne three yeeres and if he bee Louthia as soone as hee heareth the newes presently he leaueth the office he serueth and goeth to mourne to his owne house for three yeeres which being ended he goeth to the Court to demand his office The Women commonly excepting those of the Sea coast and the Mountayners are very white and fine women some hauing their noses and eyes well proportioned From their child-hood they wrap their feete in cloathes that they may remayne small and they doe it for the China's doe holde them for finer women that haue small Noses and Feete This is vsed yet among the noble people and not among the basest They weare their hayre very well combed close and tyed to the crowne of the head and bound from the rootes to the toppes with a long lace very well placed And the lace is garnished with Iewels and peeces of Gold round about They vse long Coats like the Portugall women which haue the waste in the same manner that they haue They weare vpper-bodies with long sleeues they spend commonly more Silke in their garments then their husbands but in their common apparell they are cloathed in white Linnen-cloath They make curtesies as our women doe but they make three together and very hastely They vse painting their faces with Vermilion and white Ceruse very well set They commonly keepe themselues close so that through all the Citie of Cantan there appeareth not a woman but some light huswiues and base women And when they goe abroad they are not seene for they goe in close Chayres whereof wee spake before neither when any bodie commeth into the house doth hee see them except for curiositie they chance vnder the doore-cloath to looke on them that come in when they are strange people Commonly the men haue one Wife which they buy for their money more or lesse according as they are of their Fathers and Mothers Yet may euery one haue as many wiues as hee is able to maintaine but one is the principall with whom they liue and the other he lodgeth in sundry houses And if hee hath dealings in diuers Countries hee hath in euery one a wife and house with entertainement If the wife committeth adulterie and the husband accuseth her and the adulterer both suffer death And if the husband doe suffer the wife to play the adulteresse hee is grieuously punished I being in Cantan saw a Marchant of China goe from Iustice to Iustice verie sharpely handled for suffering his wife to play the adulteresse The common women are in no wise permitted to dwell within the walls And in the Suburbes without they haue their proper streets where they dwell out of the which they may not liue All the common women are slaues they bring them vp for that purpose from their child-hood they buy them of their mothers and teach them to play on an Instrument of musique and to sing And those that can best doe this because they gaine most are worth more And those which cannot doe that are worth lesse The masters either carrie them vnto the men or sell them to them and when they are to beset in the street of the common women they are written by an Officer of the King in a Booke and the Master is bound to come euerie yeere with a certaine fee to this Officer they are bound to answer their Master so much euerie moneth When they are old with Paynting they make them seeme young And after they are not for that trade they are altogether free without any obligation either to Master or any bodie and then they feed vpon that which they haue gottten I spake so particularly of this matter for to come to say that in this Countrey of China is no greater captiuitie then this of these Wenches And let no man say or affirme any other thing for about the examining of it I laboured somewhat in Cantan because some Portugals would affirme it otherwise The captiuitie in this Countrey is in manner following If any woman by the death of her husband remayneth a widdow and hath nothing to maintayne her selfe with neither the children that are left her are such as are able to get their liuing neither hath shee any thing to giue her children this Woman in this necessitie commeth to a rich man and agreeth with him for six or seuen Crownes for a Sonne or a Daughter and the price receiued shee deliuereth it if it be a Daughter shee serueth as abouesaid for a common Woman and is brought vp for that purpose if it be a Sonne hee serueth his Master some time And when hee is of age to marrie the Master giueth him a Wife and all the Children that are borne to him remayne free and without any Obligation notwithstanding this Seruant is bound to giue his Master so much by the yeere hauing a house by himselfe for when he marrieth they giue him a house and he laboureth either at some Trade or by his industrie for to earne his liuing And no man may sell any of these Slaues to the Portugals hauing great penalties for it The Women as by being common they looke for great profit of them in no wise they will sell them besides the running into great penalties also And all those which commonly are sold to the Portugals are stollen they carry them deceiued and secretly to the Portugals and so they sell them and if they were perceiued or taken in these stealths they would bee condemned in the vtmost punishment The Lawes of China giue authoritie to the Women for to sell their Children and not to the Men for as the Men are bound to get a liuing for himselfe and for his Children if hee want the remedie they hold that hee is in the fault of that And that Man may the better labour for their liuing and their Childrens So farre is China from hauing Slaues that altogether should bee captiues that neither those which they take in warre are slaues onely they are bound to the King and are placed for Souldiers in places farre from their Countries where they were taken eating of the wages they haue of the King These doe weare for a deuice a red cap as I saw the Tartarians weare in Cantan which had beene taken in the warres §. IIII. Of their Louthias Mandarines or Magistrates their creation priuiledges maintenance Of Prisons and Tortures of the King
very great each hauing a woman sitting thereon with a Sword in her hand of the same metall and a siluer Crowne on the head so many had sacrificed themselues at her death to doe her seruice in the next World Another compasse environed that of the Giants all of triumphant Arches gilded with a great quantitie of siluer Bels hanging on siluer chaines which by the motion of the Aire continually yeelded a strange sound Without those Arches in the same proportion stand two rankes of Latten grates encircling the whole worke set in spaces with Pillars of the same and thereon Lions set on balls which are the Armes of the Kings of China At the foure corners were placed foure Monsters of Brasse one which the Chinois call the Deuouring Serpent of the deepe Caue of the House of smoke in the figure of a dreadfull Serpent with seuen Serpents comming out of his brest sported with greene and blacke with many prickles more then a span long quite thorow the bodie like Hedge-hogges each hauing in his mouth a woman ouerthwart with disheuelled haires looking deadly The old or great Serpent holds in his mouth a Lizard halfe out of aboue thirty spans in length as bigge as a Pipe with nose and lips full of bloud and in his hands he holds a great Elephant so forcibly that his entrailes seeme to come out of his mouth all so naturally represented that it is most dreadful to behold The folds of his tayle were aboue twentie fathome long enfolding therein another Monster the second of the foure called Tarcamparoo which they say was the Sonne of that Serpent which stands with both his hands in his mouth which is as bigge as a gate the teeth set in order and the blacke tongue hanging out aboue two fathomes Of the two other one was the Figure of a woman named Nadelgau seuenteene fathomes long and sixe about from whose waste issued a beake or face aboue two fathomes which cast smoake out of the nosthrils and flames of fire out of the mouth which they make therein continually saying shee is the Queene of the Fierie Spheare and shall burne the Earth at the end of the World The fourth is like a man set cowring with cheekes puffed like ships sayles so monstrous that a man could not endure the sight The Chinois call him Vzanguenaboo and say that it is hee which makes Tempests in the Sea and throwes downe Houses by Land to which the people giue much Almes not to hurt their Iunkes The second day we went from Pocasser and came to another Citie called Xinligau very great well built walled with Tyles ditched about with two Castles at the end hauing their Towres Bul-warkes and Draw-bridges in the midst of each Castle was a Towre of fiue Lofts with many workes painted in which the Chinois said were fifteene thousand Picos of siluer of the Rents gathered in that Archipelago which this Kings Grand-father there layd vp in memory of his Sonne Leuquinau which signifieth the ioy of all holden for a Saint because he dyed a Religious man and lyes there buried in the Temple of Quiay Varatel the God of all the Fishes in the Sea of whom they haue large Legends In that Citie and another fiue leagues from it is made the greatest part of the Silke of that Kingdome the waters there giuing quicker colours they say then in other parts The Weauers Loomes of these Silkes which they affirme thirteene thousand pay yearely to the King three hundred thousand Taeis Going further vp the Riuer wee came the next day Euening to a great Champaigne continuing ten or twelue leagues in which were many Kine Horses and Mares pastured for the shambles as well as other flesh and kept by many men on Horse-backe These Champaignes past wee came to a Towne called Iunquileu walled with Tyles but without Towres or Bul-warkes Here wee saw a stone Monument with an Inscription Heere lyeth Trannocem Mudeliar Vncle to the King of Malaca who dyed before hee was reuenged of Captayne Alboquerque the Lion of Sea Robberies We enquiring hereof an old Chinese said that about fortie yeares agoe the man there interred had come Embassadour from a King of Malaca to sue to the Sonne of the Sunne for succour against a Nation of a Land without name which had comne from the end of the World and taken Malaca with other incredible particularities printed in a Booke which hee made thereof Hauing spent three yeares in this Suite and brought it to some maturitie hee sickned of the Aire one night at Supper dyed in nine dayes and left this Memoriall Wee proceeded on our way the Riuer growing lesse but the Countrey more peopled scarsly a stones cast free of some House eyther of a Pagode or Labourer And two leagues higher on a Hill compassed with Iron grates were two Brasse Statues standing on their feete one of a man the other of a woman both seuentie foure spans long with their hands in their mouthes and puffed cheekes fastned to Cast-Iron Pillars seuen fathomes high The Male was named Quiay Xingatalor the woman Apancapatur The Chinois told vs that the man was Fire-blower in Hell to torment such as in this life gaue them no Almes the woman was the Hell-Porter which suffered the Almes-giuers to flye by a Riuer of cold water called Ochileuday and hid them their from the Deuils hurting them One of our company laughed at this Tale whereat a Bonzo was so offended that hee set Chifu in rage with vs who bound vs hand and foot and gaue vs one hundred stripes a-piece Twelue Priests were incensing these Monsters when wee were there with Siluer-censours full of sweet Odours Saying as wee serue thee helpe thou vs another company of Priests answering So I promise thee as a good Lord. And thus went they on Procession about the Hill an houres space sounding certayne Bels causing a dreadfull noyse Hence wee passed vp the Riuer eleuen dayes all peopled with Cities Townes Villages Castles in many places scarsly a Calieuer shot distant one from another and all the Land in compasse of our sight had store of great Houses and Temples with gilded Steeples which amazed vs with the sight Thus wee came to the Citie Sampitay where wee stayed fiue dayes by reason of the sicknesse of Chifus Wife There by his leaue wee went thorow the streets a begging the people wondering at vs and giuing vs largely One woman amongst others which busily questioned with vs shewed vs a Crosse branded on her left arme asking if we knew that signe and wee deuoutly answering yes shee lifted vp her hands to Heauen and sayd Our Father which art in Heauen hallowed be thy Name in Portugues and could speake no more but proceeded in China speech and procured leaue to lodge vs at her House those fiue dayes telling vs she was named Inez de Leiria and was the Daughter of Thomas Perez which came Embassadour to China
Students and some of the Royall bloud of which that Citie hath very great store which were glad of his acquaintance and when he had once mentioned his staying there the Physician was so eager in desire thereof that he feyned that the President Scilan had written to him to procure him residence there because in the former abode he had not his health The Chinois esteeme such lyes to bee wisedome Hee soone got credit amongst them by Mathematicall lectures and instruments and by his artificiall memorie especially For the Chinois aboue all others commit whole bookes to memorie with vnwearyed paynes and in the first yeeres of their studies doe nothing else He repeated the most confused and independant Characters in order yea backwards as well as forward Many desired to learne it and some hee entertayned Physicians being of no great authoritie he sought to insinuate into fauour of the Magistrates but a certayne Student had counselled him to neglect their license and thereupon enquirie being made by the Vice-roy this his friend and landlord very friend-like would needs throw him suddenly out of doores and hee was forced by force to defend himselfe But the Vice-roy hauing receiued a Libell from him testifying who he was greatly reioyced hauing heard of him and when hee came to his Court arose from the Tribunall to meete him would not suffer him to kneele and gaue him good vsage and magnificent Titles inuiting him also to reside there Whose affections were after kindled into a greater flame by his Physicians magnifying his Mathematickes Memoratiue Bookes three square Glasse and other nouelties The Vice-roy would haue him make him a Dyall and teach his Sonnes but for that admirable Glasse hee would by no kinde force accept the gift And whereas time out of minde many of the Royall bloud are there two of them hauing the tytle of Kings Chiengan and Longan sent their principall Seruants or Courtiers to inuite Father Matthew to the Palace which is fitting to Royall Maiestie both for Greatnesse magnificence of Building pleasure of Gardens and other furniture of houshold and attendance Chiengan first inuited and entertayned him attyred with a Royall vesture and Diadem Father Matthew gaue him a Dyall with the Signes of the Zodiacke and a Globe with China characters and other Europaean commodities which hee recompenced with Silkes weight of Siluer and diuers viands Nothing gaue him such content as two Bookes of Iapon paper smooth and hard bound in Europaean manner one contayning Maps and other Mathematicall representations with an explication in their Language the other was a tractate of Friendship wherein Dialogue-wise as Cicero in his Laelius hee bringeth in the King questioning what the men of Europe thought of Friendship and set downe the sentences of Philosophers Doctors and other Authors a worke to this day read there with great applause and admiration Printed in diuers Prouinces Chiengan continued his friendship and left it as a legacie to his Sonne who vsed when the Father visited him to pay the Porters and to giue money to his seruants a token with them of great welcome The Societie also of Learned men grew acquainted with him and the chiefe of them hearing him complayne of multitude of visitors wished him to command his Seruants to say hee was not at home which officious lye he affirming to bee by our Law vnlawfull bred in him and the rest much wonder In the meane while at Xauceo they sustayned abuses and Sebastian Fernandus was vsed ignominiously by the calumnies of their quarrelsome neighbours and sentence of a partiall Iudge which caused two Seruants to bee whipped vnheard and Fernandus to stand as in a Pillorie with his head in a board an ell and halfe square therein a hole fitted for the necke to bee opened and shut so that a man cannot put his hand to his mouth and this forsooth for beating the Bachellors This was written as the cause of his punishment Hee afterwards sought the Iesuites fauour ashamed of his fact inuited them and set vp an Edict for their safetie Fernandus was sent herevpon to Ricius and Cataneus continued alone without any Father till the yeere 1597. and fell sicke then going to Amacao Father Iohn Aroccia was sent in his place hee returned with Father Nicholas Longobard a Sicilian Father Matthew was appointed superiour of the China mission by the Visitor Valignanus without subjection to the Rector of Amacao To him precious watches were sent and Images with other things which might further their China proceedings the Portugals of Amacao continuing their liberalitie herein Father Matthew minding to trie all meanes to peerce to the Court assayed Chiengan in vaine who feared to raise any suspicion of himselfe Hearing therefore that Guan which had as you heard visited the house of Xauceo in his way to Hainan was thence called by the King to Nanquin to bee President of the first Councell called Li Pu that is the Councell of Magistrates in his way at Nancian they visited him with a present in which nothing so pleased him as the trigone Glasse and tooke opportunitie to signifie to him their desire of presenting the King with some Europaean rarities Hee approued thereof and sayd they should not onely goe with him to Nanquin but to Pequin also whither within one moneth of his comming hee was to goe Ricius with Cataneus attend him leauing two of the company at Nancian with two brethren of the company Seb. Fernandus and Emanuel Pererius of China parentage in Amacao who of their God-fathers take vsually both Christian name and Sir-name vsing also their China names in dealing with Chinois They set foorth from Nancian on Midsummer day 1598. and when they were come to Nanquin they found all full of feare by reason of the Iaponian warre in Corai so that none durst giue vs entertaynment grieuous Proclamations hauing lately forbidden to receiue men any way suspicious by occasion of Iaponian Spyes taken Euen the President himselfe feared to bee author in so troublesome time of bringing Strangers and Ricius when he visited him vsed his Gestatorie seate They gaue eight pieces of Gold to a cunning Clerke to write their Petition so deare doe Learned men there prize their labour which when they gaue the Chancellour which sends Petitions from Nanquin to the Kingâ— hee would not meddle with it but put it off to the President that hee should carrie them with him to Pequin He being to bee there to gratulate the King at his Birth day in name of the sixe Tribunals or Counsels sent his goods by water and the Iesuites with them but went himselfe by land When this President came to Nanquin other Magistrates visited him with presents after the manner and one the Vice-roy of that Prouince with a Map of Ricius his inuention concealing the name of the Author in a new impression which hee shewed to Ricius who soone knew and challenged his owne
tooke an house in the chiefe situation of this Citie all that which they gaue vs at the Kings cost in that place which was sufficient for our sustentation after wee were gotten out they gaue vs the same allowance in like manner Many Mandarins of this Court heard great fame of vs and of our things and vnderstanding that we were come out of that place bâ—gan to come in great numbers and concourse with much honour and respect courtesie and presents to visite vs and to enquire diuers things which they desired to know For the fame that went of vs that wee knew all Countries and the things and customes of the World and the materiall and spirituall things of Heauen was great and therefore euery one came to enquire that which hee desired And though our knowledge be but little in comparison of the knowledge which is in our Countrey yet being compared with theirs of China which knoweth nothing of the world saue their owne Kingdome which by a common name thy call The World of God and of the things of Heauen nothing and of other things little it was somewhat and was sufficient to send them home amazed and alwayes with a desire to returne They saw a very faire and great Map of the world which wee brought with vs and we shewed them how bigge the world was which they thought to bee so little that they imagined that there was not so much more in all the same as their Kingdome And they looked one vpon another and sayd wee are not so great as we imagined seeing heere they shew vs that our Kingdome compared with the world is like a grayne of Rice in comparison of a great heape They also thought that there was no other Writing nor no other Bookes in the world but theirs and when they saw ours which at the least they saw in outward appearance to bee much better then their owne they were astonied and put out of their errour doing vs alwayes more and more honour and chiefly they were astonied when wee shewed vnto them certayne things in the Mathematickes which they knew not giuing Clockes to certayne persons which for this end we made of purpose and by these and other meanes and principally by discoursing with them of Morall vertues whereof they write speake and haue many Bookes and of Gods matters there ranne so great a fame that the greatest Mandarins of all this Kingdome which are the greatest persons neâ—t the King sought to conuerse with vs and to seeke our friendship and so many sent vs presents and others came to visite vs with great numbers of people others with much courtesie inuited vs to their houses so that in foure moneths space wee had gotten the greatest Mandarins of Pequin to be our friends and readie to fauour vs is all things And he which at this time particularly doth fauour and honour vs iâ— the President of that Audience which hath the charge of vs and at the first approoued vs so that wee remayne Inhabitors of this Citie with all libertie that wee can desire to deale with all such as are willing to heare the things that belong to our holy Law and their saluation And by this good successe our Lord hath made vs forget all that is past And though it bee true that hitherto wee haue gotten no dispatch nor resolution of the King yet wee content our selues in that hee letteth vs stay heere although he neuer grant vs more For albeit by this our Iourney we haue not obtayned all that wee desired yet we hope that this our firme abode heere shall tend greatly to the seruice of our Lord and the good of this Mission They bee commonly of good vnderstandings so that easily they fall into reason and are capable they haue not in the gouernment of this Kingdome any thing that forbiddeth them to follow what Law they list nor any Law nor Obligation which is contrarie to our holy Law They haue none which effectually and with authoritie doth exhort them vnto other Lawes and with-draw them from the truth For the Bonzi which are dedicated for this purpose to Idols are in the common conceit of all men the most base contemptible and worst people in all China whose least care is to exhort them to any thing more then to giue them somewhat and thus they doe not onely not exhort them to follow Idols but also with their bad manner of liuing perswade them as wee haue often heard of men of good iudgement that it is not good to serue them since their Ministers bee such And so in this matter of worshipping of Idols though there be many that worship them and haue many of them and vse their Ministers for their Funerals and other things yet with very small affection and deuotion thereunto we easily make them say that they are naught and that it is not fit to worship them Yet though these things and others which I 〈◊〉 doe helpe them with ease to follow the Law of God the counterpois is great and commonly it weigheth downe the ballance on that side For first because the matter of Strangers is so odious in China and the dealing with them so suspicious one sort because they disdayne it as the Princes who albeit they now conceiue better of vs yet to learne of Strangers and to receiue a Law which is not of their owne meanes they hardly perswade themselues others for feare as the base people The second difficultie and perhaps the greatest iâ— a naturall obliuion that all this Nation hath of another life and of immortalitie and of saluation or condemnation of the Soule and not onely an obliuion but also an auersion from all these things wherein wee haue likewise found them to differ from all other Nations And it is a thing to be noted that since it is a thing so naturall to Man to reuerence some God either false or true and to feare or loue him and to conceiue or imagine what shall follow after this life Those Chinois which on the other side are of so good capacities in humane things and so wittie therein bee as though they were depriued thereof for they are almost all Atheists not knowing nor worshipping neither false nor true God nor neuer thinking what shall follow after this life And those which a man would thinke are most bound hereunto which are the Learned men are they which haue least knowledge hereof yea rather one of the chiefest things that they commend is not to beleeue any thing that concerneth another life Hell nor Paradise which they wholly place in this life The Bookes which they studie from their Child-hood doe them much hurt which are of certayne Philosophers aboue two thousand yeeres old whom they esteeme little lesse then if they were their God to whom euery yeere they offer Sacrifices of whom they hold so great an opinion that they thinke not that any thing
not to speake euill of them yet commonly all of them at a certaine time of the yeare doe them some reuerence because it is the custome though in no sort they worship them as Gods and those which put most confidence in them burne Paper Incense and sweet smels vnto them and kill beasts before them Their Bookes of these Idols speake of Hell and in many places or in a manner in all the Cities there is set vp a portraiture of Hell made with bodily shapes and many Deuils as vglie as wee paint them It is very well set foorth but badly beleeued for it serueth only there for a bugbeare And if any beleeue that which the Idols say of Hell that it is a place of torments they say that after so many yeeres be passed all men come out againe and are transformed into some beast Those which beleeue in the Idols come before them to cast lots to know what things shall come to passe howbeit I haue not heard in all China that there was any answer of a Diuell in an Idoll as is in other parts in regard of the small beliefe that they haue in them and the lewdnesse of the Bonzi that serue them Their houses wherein they set them whereof as yet I neuer saw any good one are commonly verie filthy and stinking And besides this consulting of Idols the Chinois are much giuen to Diuinations to know things to come and whether they shall haue good or bad fortune whether they shall haue that which they desire or no and there bee an infinite number of these South-sayers and all of them pratlers mumblers and cooseners whereby they deceiue many And though the Chinois be of good vnderstanding and know that these fellowes know nothing and euery foot doe take them in lyes yet for all this there are verie few that when any occasion is offered doe not consult with them And though they seeme to bee but few yet some of them are in league with the Deuill as oftentimes wee gather by certaine things Many of these graue men of China haue commonly two follies wherein they doe erre more then in other things The first is that they perswade themselues that they can much prolong their Liues and for this purpose they vse a thousand inuentions and take many medicines which indeed rather doe shorten their dayes There are many Masters and Bookes of this follie which vsuallie are graue and rich men There are many that make themselues very old folks whom the people follow like Saints to learne some rule of life of them wherein they put all their felicitie Many doe not beleeue that we are so old as we say we be and that we doe dissemble but that in deed we bee an hundred yeeres old and that we know this rule to liue for euer and that we doe not Marrie because wee would liue long The other follie is that they perswade themselues that they are able and goe about to make Siluer whereof likewise there are many Bookes They vse for this purpose many Hearbs and Quick-siluer wherein they spend that little Siluer which they haue and remaine beggers but not perswaded but that it is fecible but that it was not their good lucke and good fortune and to obtaine this many of them fast many yeeres §. V. Their bad Souldierie and Artillerie Degrees Priuiledges Honours and promotions of Learning Their Authors and Bookes and Printing The Mandarins commended THere are many Souldiers in many Prouinces of this Kingdome and though they haue had Peace these many yeeres yet they still entertaine them but because they bee louers of peace and quietnesse the most contemptible state except the state of the Bonzi is the Souldier And indeed it is a most base people which hath no valour nor worthinesse much lesse any fortitude in them Many of them are Porters which beare on their shoulders the Chaires wherein the Mandarins and honourable persons are carried And at the time of Musters which are made from time to time they repaire thither to obtaine wages and thus they haue no worth nor jot of honour in them The punishment wherewith their Captaines punish them is the same wherewith they punish all other people they whip them as wee doe Children in Schooles According to the worthinesse and valour of the Souldiers the beautie of their Armour offensiue and defensiue is answerable which is fitter to bee laughed at then to be reported They haue no Harquebusses that are worth any thing and all those which I saw and I saw many Souldiers with them had their barrels but a spanne long so that it seemeth that they beare it and the rest of their Armour for fashions sake And I maruell not for by reason of the exceeding great Peace which they haue so long enioyed they haue none occasion to become valiant but they are able men when occasion serueth and it seemeth they will easilie become valiant The Mandarins of Souldiers is also a thing of small estimation and they are nothing comparable with those which they call the Mandarins of Learning which are those which take Degrees The Mandarins or Captaines of Souldiers obtaine not the same for Heroicall arts or prowesse but they make a Discourse or an Oration vpon some matter concerning warre and they make choise of certaine of those which had done it best Likewise they shoote two or three Arrowes to see if they bee skilfull in shooting They haue no vse of great Ordnance Albeit I saw in the Gates of some Cities certaine small short Pieces as broad at the mouth as at the nether end which I know not whether they shot off sometimes or no I saw about sixe or eight of them vpon the Walls The defence of their Walls is their height without any other Artillerie The greatest force and number of Souldiers resideth in the confines of the Tartars It is foure hundred yeeres since a King of the Tartars wonne all China whereof Paulus Venetus writeth which was in that Countrey and they did also possesse it two hundred yeeres at the end whereof a Bonzo a very prudent and valiant man rebelled and cast the Tartar out and remayned King whose issue continueth vntill this day They alwayes keepe great Watch and ward vpon this frontier Many youthes of these Tartars remayned in China and namely in these parts of Paquin there are many which keepe and maintayne their Law of Mahomet and haue Mezquitas or Turkish Temples and are much different in shapes and countenances from the Chinois Except the Souldiers there is none that keepe Weapons in their houses not because it is forbidden but because there is no need of them but rather the Learned and graue people count it a dishonest thing to keepe Armour there is no vse of them but in the time of warre For you shall neuer see them fight with weapons one with another as wee doe But their fighting
wee all thinke it necessarie to eate after this fashion and to vse their customes to obtayne more free accesse vnto them and to winne them to Christ. There is a Turke heere a dweller in this Citie which aboue fortie yeeres agoe brought one or two Lions to the Father of this King who partly because hee knoweth no Learning nor Sciences and partly because hee sought not to apply himselfe to the habite customes and manner of China there is none that will deale with him nor come neere his house And through the grace which God hath giuen vs and because they see vs apply our selues to their Apparell Fashion and Courtesies all the grauest Mandarins come home to our house to visite vs and doe vs the fauour to hold vs publikely for their Friends which they vse not to doe to their owne Countrey-men of our qualitie and condition praysed bee our Lord alwayes Amen I will not omit to declare the great pleasure wherewith these learned Chinois heare the great consent of the things and ceremonies of our holy Faith in Europe and that wee haue Bishops and as we call them heere Mandarins and superiours in Spirituall things and aboue all they reioyce exceedingly to heare of our Pope that being so great a personage they preferre a Learned and Holy man by way of Election and not by Succession and likewise the obedience and subjection which other Kings doe yeeld vnto him and that there haue beene many as wee told them who being chosen Popes refuse it in good earnest and by no meanes will accept the same and that we haue all things which concerne the Law of God and good manners set downe in writing with all other Bookes concerning him or his Ministers And although that which I haue spoken hitherto of our high Priest is a thing very apparent and true and wee deliuered it for such and they so vnderstand it yet oftentimes they haue giuen vs occasions of laughter The first was That when wee told them that some refused so great an Office straight-way they aske where you say that they refuse it is it not euident that their excuse will not bee accepted As who should say if they would accept of it who is there that would make an excuse And thus they say because they doe so themselues for when great Offices are bestowed vpon them eftsoone they offer vp a Petition making a thousand excuses to the King not to receiue them and they desiâ—e nothing lesse neither can any thing happen so grieuous vnto them as to accept their excuse But vsually they be not admitted though sometimes they bee to their great griefe of heart as I my selfe haue seene But to excuse themselues or to refuse with some danger is the vse so common that they will not fayle to doe so for if they should not doe so it were more certayne that they should goe without the Office The second thing that made vs more to laugh is that many of them tell vs that if wee would returne into our Countrey without doubt they would make vs Popes The reason though not openly which they yeeld is that wee haue a great aduantage aboue other men of our Countrey to wit that wee haue seene and studied and vnderstand their Bookes because that they onely in their opinion can make a man perfect and generally seene in all things Such is the high conceit and reputation which they hold of their Bookes §. VII Of their Women Of the Tartars Conquest Acts and Expulsion The greatnesse of the King and neighbouring States Of the Queenes Eunuches I Will conclude this Letter with two points the one concerning the Women whereof I haue little to say and the last is of the King and of his Palaces and Seruices Euery man as I said before may keepe as many Wiues as hee will and so they doe which is the cause of many tumults quarrels and disorders in their houses among their wiues and among the Sonnes of diuers Mothers and therefore when wee tell them that in our Countrey no man marryeth but one Wife they neuer are satisfied in praising it in words though neuerthelesse they doe not follow it nor put it in practise And the discontentment which the Women haue among themselues and with their Husbands for this occasion is like to prooue a great encouragement vnto them to make them desirous to receiue our holy Faith and to perswade their Husbands to embrace the same seeing that it doth not permit any more but one lawfull Wife onely Of their other Conuersation Customes and other things wee know nothing neither is any thing to bee learned for they keepe house all their life time and goe out of doores exceeding seldome to visite either their Mother or Sisters or nearest kinswomen for they goe not to any else no not in thought And therefore as they haue no conuersation but alwayes to keepe home I can speake nothing of their behauiour Their Apparell seemeth vnto mee honest and comely for sometimes I haue seene the Wiues of Officers and of the poore people for many of them doe goe abroad In some parts of the Countrey wee haue met many women vpon the high way in short garments like to the men of our Countrey without any difference saue on their heads and their feete for all the rest is all one kinde of Apparell but these are the common people onely One of the greatest ornaments that the Women haue is to haue verie little feete and they are so little that they goe verie badly and alway they seeme to goe as though they would fall I could not know the cause nor the Chinois themselues know not the originall occasion why this is counted for a beautie albeit some say it began not for a comelinesse but onely with a purpose to cut off all occasion from them of going abroad The Chinois haue beene very carefull in their Histories and therefore they haue histories of their Kings of aboue foure thousand yeeres And if credit bee to be giuen to that which their Bookes report touching those times and is gathered by diuers of their Histories There are many more yeeres from the Flood to our dayes whereof they also haue some knowledge in their Bookes then the most followed and allowed Calculation among vs which trâ—ate of that matter doe allow of for they say it is sixe thousand yeeres at the least They say that they haue continued Histories But I leaue this because I haue not well conferred the truth and foundation of the Chinish histories At the least it is certaine that they haue knowledge of their matters and certaine Kings within a little after the Flood whensoeuer it was They had many ancient Kings which were verie good men which it may bee were saued in the law of Nature because the heroicall workes of Vertue which they report of them were great and there is no record that they worshipped Idols but
Husbands house the street-fall of houshold attends her yet is all prouided by his costs which sends money some moneths before as a gift to her for that purpose Euery mans Birth-day is festiually celebrated with Presents Banquets and iollity especially after the fiftieth yeere explete at which time they are reckoned amongst old men and then euery tenth yeere The Children then procure Emblemes of their friends and Epigrams and some write Bookes That day is also festiuall in which they are of age to take the Mans cap which is about twenty yeeres till that time wearing their haire loose But the first New and Full Moone of the yeere is most generally festiuall each man then hauing ingeniously deuised Lights or Lamps made of Paper Glasse or other matter the house seeming by the diuersified Lights to bee on a light fire They runne vp and downe also with great stirres in the night with Dragon-fashioned Lights and make great shewes of Powder-fire-workes The Chinois are white but neerer the South more browne with thinne beards some hauing none with staring haires and late growing their haire wholly blacke eyes narrow of Egge forme blacke and standing out the nose very little and scarcely standing forth eares meane in some Prouinces they are square faced Many of Canton and Quamsi Prouinces on their little toes haue two nailes as they haue generally in Cachin-china Their women are all low and account great beauty in little feet for which cause from their infancy they bind them straight with clothes that one would iudge them stump-footed this as is thought deuised to make them house-wiues The men and women both alike let their haire grow without cutting but Boyes and Girles till they are fifteene yeere old are cut round leauing a locke onely on the crowne after which they let it grow loose ouer their shoulders till twenty The most of the Priests shaue head and beard euery eighth day When they are men they binde vp their haire in a Cap or Coife made of horse or mans haire or in a silken Cawle and in Winter of woollen on the top it hath a hole where the haire comes forth and is tyed in a neate knot The women weare not this Cap but binde vp their haire in a knot and make it vp with a dresse of Gold Siluer Stones and Flowers They weare Rings on their eares but not on their fingers The men and women weare long garments The men double them on their breast and fasten them vnder both the arme-holes the women on the midst of the breast They weare wide long sleeues but the womens wider the mans straighter at the wrists Their Caps are artificially wrought Their Shooes are much differing from ours the men weare them of Silke with diuers workes and flowers exceeding the elegance of our Matrons Shooes of Leather none but the meaner sort weare and scarcely admit they Leather soles but of Cloth The Caps of their Learned are square of others round Euery one spends halfe an houre at least in combing and trimming his haire They winde also long clouts about their feet and legs and therefore weare their Breeches loose They weare no Shirts but a white Coat next the skinne and wash often They haue a seruant to carrie a Shadow or great Sumbrero ouer their heads against the raine and Sunne the poore carrie one for themselues For Names besides the sur-name of which is spoken the Father giues one to the Sonne for females haue no name but the Fathers sur-name and called as they are borne first second third in order of the Sisters by this name they are called by the Father and Elders others call them likewise from that order amongst the Brethren as is said of Sisters They in their writings call themselues by that which their Father gaue them but if others either equall or superiour should so call them it were both vnciuill and iniurious When a Boy goeth to Schoole his Master giueth him another name which is called his Schoole-name whereby onely his Master and Schoole-fellowes may stile him When he hath his Mans cap put on and marrieth a Wife some more honourable person giueâ—h him a more honourable name which they call the Letter by this any man may call him but those which are subiect to him And when he is now at the full growth he receiueth of some graue person his most honourable name which they call Great whereby any may call him present or absent but his Parents and Elders still vse the Letter-name If any professe a new Sect his Instructer calls him by a new name which they call of Religion And when one visites another he will aske what is his Honourable name to stile him thereby and we were therefore fayne to take a Greater name then that which we receiued in Baptisme for them to call vs by They are studious of Antiquities much value old Triuets of Bell metall Pictures in blacke and white Characters and writings sealed with the Authors seale for there are many Counterfeiters The Officers haue all a Seale proper to their place giuen by Humvu which they vse only sealing with red colour and if they lose the Seale they lose the Office and are besides seuerely punished and therefore they carry it with them in a sealed and locked Boxe and neuer leaue it out of sight at night keeping it vnder their Pillow Graue men goe not on foote thorow the streets but are carryed in a seate closed except they list to open the fore-part whereas Magistrates seates are euery way open Matrons seates are altogether closed but easily knowne from mens by the fashion The Law forbids Coaches and Litters Some Cities are in the midst of Riuers and Lakes in which they haue very neate Boates to passe the streets And because they goe more by water then ours therefore there Shipping is more conuenient and elegant But the Magistrates built by publike cost are as commodious as Houses with diuers Lodgings a Hall Kitchin Cells so neate as seeming Great mens houses rather then Ships and therefore they make their solemne Banquets a Ship-board passing along the Riuers and Lakes for further pleasure All within shines with Ciaram or shining Vernish in diuers colours and the Carued workes gilded in places with combined sweetes to the Eyes and Nose They honour their Masters more then with vs so that if a man haue beene anothers Scholler but one day in any Art hee calls him Master euer after and neuer sits in any meeting but at his side and doth him all honour Dice-play and Cards are common with them Chesse also with the grauer persons not altogether vnlike ours but their King neuer remoues but to the foure next roomes and the Bishops haue their Queenes They haue also which they call Poulder paunes which goe before the Knights and follow the Paunes They haue a graue Game in a table of three hundred roomes
among them about prerogatiue of their Titles and Dignities Wherein hee vsed to set on the inferiours to prefer or equall themselues to those that were accounted to be of the Nobler Houses Where hee made his aduantage of their malice and contentions the one against the other by receiuing deuised matter and accusations of secret practice and Conspiracies to bee intended against his Person and State And so hauing singled out the greatest of them and cut them off with the good liking of the rest hee fell at last to open practice by forcing of the other to yeeld their Rights vnto him 2. Hee diuided his subiects into two parts or factions by a generall Schisme The one part he called the Oppressini or Select men These were such of the Nobility and Gentry as he took to his owne part to protect and maintayne them as his faithfull subiects The other he called Zemskey or the Commons The Zemskey contayned the base and vulgar sort with such Noblemen and Gentlemen as he meant to cut off as suspected to mislike his Gouernment and to haue a meaning to practise against him Wherein he prouided that the Oppressini for number and qualitie of Valure Money Armour c. farre exceeded the other of the Zempskey side whom he put as it were from vnder his protection so that if any of them were spoyled or killed by those of the Oppressini which he accounted of his owne part there was no amends to bee sought for by way of publike Iustice or by complaint to the Emperour The whole number of both parts was orderly registred and kept in a Booke so that euery man knew who was a Zempskey man and who of the Oppressini And this libertie of the one part to spoile and kill the other without any helpe of Magistrate or Law that continued seuen yeeres enriched that side and the Emperours Treasury and wrought that withall which hee intended by this practise viz. to take out of the way such of the Nobilitie as himselfe misliked whereof were slaine within one weeke to the number of three hundred within the Citie of Mosko This mischieuous practice of making a generall Schisme and publike diuision among the subiects of his whole Realme proceedeed as should seeme from an extreame doubt and desperate feare which he had conceiued of most of his Nobilitie and Gentlemen of his Realme in his Wars with the Polonian and Chrim Tartar What time he grew into a vehement suspition conceiued of the ill successe of his Affaires that they practised Treason with the Polonian and Chrim Whereupon he executed some and deuised this way to be rid of the rest 3. Hauing thus pulled them and seased all their Inheritance Lands Priuiledges c. saue some very small part which hee left to their name hee gaue them other Lands of the tenour of Pomestnoy as they call it that are held at the Emperours pleasure lying far of in another Countrey and so remooued them into other of his Prouinces where they might haue neyther fauour nor authority not being Natiue nor well knowne there So that now these of the chiefe Nobility called Vdelney Knazey are equalled with the rest saue that in the opinion and fauour of the people they are of more account and keepe still the Prerogatiue of their place in all their publike meetings Their practice to keepe downe these Houses from rising againe and recouering their dignities are these and such like First many of their Heires are kept vnmarried perforce that the stocke may dye with them Some are sent into Siberia Cazan and Astracan vnder pretence of seruice and there either made away or else fast clapped vp Some are put into Abbeyes and sheare themselues Friers by pretence of a Vow to be made voluntary and of their owne accord but indeed forced vnto it by feare vpon some pretenced crime objected against them Where they are so guarded by some of speciall trust and the Couent it selfe vpon whose head it standeth that they make no escape as that they haue no hope but to end their liues there Of this kind there are many of very great Nobilitie These and such like wayes begunne by the Emperour Iuan Vasilowich are still practised by the Godonoes who being aduanced by the Marriage of the Empresse their Kinswoman rule both the Emperour and his Realme specially Borris Federowich Godonoe Brother to the Empresse and endeauour by all meanes to cut off or keepe downe all of the best and ancientest Nobilitie Whereof diuers already they haue taken away whom they thought likeliest to make head against them and to hinder their purpose as Knez Andreas Guraken Bulgatkoue a man of great birth and authoritie in the Countrey The like they haue done with Peter Gollauni whom they put into a Dungeon where hee ended his life with Knez Vasilie Vrywich Gollâ—ohen with Andrieu Iuanowich Suskoy accounted among them for a man of a great wisedome So this last yeere was killed in a Monastery whither they had thrust him one Knez Iuan Petrowich Suskoy a man of great valour and seruice in that Countrey who about fiue or sixe yeeres since bare out the siege of the Citie Vobsko made by Stephan Batore King of Polonia with one hundred thousand men and repulsed him very valiantly with great honour to himselfe and his Countrey and disgrace to the Polonian Also Micheta Romanowich Vncle to the Emperour by the Mothers side was supposed to haue dyed of Poyson or some like practice The Names of these families of greatest Nobilitie are these in their order The first is of Knez Volodemer which resteth at this time in one Daughter a widow and without Children mentioned before sometime wife to Hartock Magnus Brother to the King of Denmarke now closed within a Nunnerie The second Knez Metheloskey thrust into a Frierie and his onely Sonne kept from marriage to decay the house The third Glimskoy But one left of his house and hee without children saue one Daughter The fourth Suskoy whereof there are foure Brethren young men and vnmarryed all The fifth Hubetskoy Of this House are foure liuing The sixth Bulgaloy now called Guletchey house whereof are fiue liuing but youths all The seuenth Vorallinskoy Two left of that stocke The eight Odgoskey two The ninth Telletskoy one The tenth Taytoâ—e three These are the Names of the chiefe Families called Vdelney Knazy that in effect haue lost all now saue the very name it selfe and fauour of the people which is like one day to restore them againe if any be left The second degree of Nobilitie is of the Boiarens These are such as the Emperour honoureth besides their Nobilitie with the title of Counsellers The reuenue of these two sorts of their Nobles that riseth out of their Land assigned them by the Emperour and held at his pleasure for of their owne Inheritance there is little left them as was sayd before is about a thousand Marcks a yeere besides Pension which they receiue
Realme This Tagla and Podat bring in yeerely to the Offices of the Chetfirds a great summe of money as may appeare by the particulars heere set downe The Towne and Prouince of Vobâ—ko pay yeerely for Tagla and Podat about 18000. Rubbels Nouogrod 35000. Rubbels Torshocke and Otfer 8000. Rubbels Razan 30000. Rubbels Morum 12000. Rubbels Colmigroe and Duyna 8000. Rubbels Vologda 12000. Rubbels Cazan 18000. Rubbels Vstiug 30000 Rubbles Rostoue 50000. Rubbels The Citie of Mosko 40000. Rubbels Sibierskoy 20000. Rubbels Castrome 12000. Rubbels The totall amounteth to 400000. Rubbels or Markes a yeere which is brought in yeerely the first of September that is reckoned by them the first day of the yeere The third that is called the Bulsha Prechod or great Income receiueth all the Customes that are gathered out of all the principall Townes and Cities within the whole Realme Besides the fees and other duties which rise out of diuers smaller Offices which are all brought into this Office of Bulsha Prechod The Townes of most trade that doe yeeld greatest Custome are these here set downe Mosko Smolensko Vobsko Nouogrod Velica Strararouse Turshocke Otfer Yaruslaue Castrome Nesua Nouogrod Cazan Vologda This Custome out of the great Townes is therefore more certaine and easie to bee reckoned because it is set and rated precisely what they shall pay for the Custome of the yeere Which needs must bee payd into the said Office though they receiue not so much If it fall out to be more it runneth all into the Emperours aduantage The Custome at Mosko for euery yeere is 12000. Rubbels The Custome of Smolensko 8000. Vobsko 12000. Rubbels Nouogrod vâ—lica 6000. Rubbels Strararouse by Salt and other commodities 18000. Rubbels Torshock 800. Rubbels Otfer 700. Rubbels Yaruslaue 1200. Rubbels Castrome 1800. Rubbels Nesna Nouogrod 7000. Rubbels Cazan 11000. Rubbels Vologda 2000. Rubbels The Custome of the rest that are Townes of trade is sometimes more sometimes lesse as their trafficke and dealings with commodities to and fro falleth out for the yeere This may bee said for certaine that the three Tables of Receits belonging to this Office of Bulsha Prechod when they receiue least account for thus much vz. The first table 160000. Rubbels The second table 90000. Rubbels The third 70000. Rubbels So that there commeth into the Office of Bulsha Prechod at the least reckoning as appeareth by their Bookes of Customes out of these and other Townes and maketh the summe of 340000. Rubbles a yeere Besides this Custome out of the Townes of trade there is receiued by this Office of Bulsha Prechod the yeerely Rent of the common Bath-stoues and Cabacks or drinking houses which pertayne to the Emperour Which though it be vncertaine for the iust summe yet because it is certaine and an ordinary matter that the Russe will bathe himselfe as well within as without yeeldeth a large Rent to the Emperours Treasurie There is besides a certaine Mulct or Penaltie that groweth to the Emperour out of euery Iudgement or Sentence that passeth in any of his Courts of Record in all Ciuill matters This Penaltie or Mulct is twentie Dingoes or Pence vpon euery Rubbel or Marke and so ten in the hundred Which is payd by the partie that is conuict by Law He hath besides for euery name contayned in the Writs that passe out of these Courts fiue Alteens An Alteenâ— is fiue pence sterling or thereabouts This is made good out of the Office whence the Writ is taken forth Thence it goeth to the Office that keepeth the lesser Seale where it payeth as much more to the Emperours vse This riseth commonly to three thousand Rubbels a yeere or thereabouts Farther also out of the Office of Roisbonia where all felonies are tryed is receiued for the Emperour the halfe part of Felons goods the other halfe goeth the one part to the Informer the other to the Officers All this is brought into the Office of Bulsha Prechod or Great income Besides the ouerplus or remainder that is saued out of the Land-rents allotted to diuers other Offices as namely to the Office called Roserade which hath Lands and Rents assigned vnto it to pay the yeerely salaries of the Souldiers or Horsemen that are kept still in pay Which in time of peace when they rest at home not employed in any seruice is commonly cut off and payd them by halfes sometimes not the halfe so that the remainder out of the Roserade Office that is layd into the Emperours treasurie commeth for the most part euery yeere to 250000. Rubbels In like sort though not so much is brought in the surplus out of the Strelletskoy Offices which hath proper Lands for the payment of the Strelsey men or Gunners as well those at Mosko that are of the Emperors Guard 12000. in ordinary as on the borders and other garrison Towns and Castles Likewise out of the Office of Prechase Shisiuoy Nemshâ—y which hath set allowance of Lands to maintayne the forraine mercenary Souldiers as Poles Sweadens Dutches Scots c. So out of the Office of Pusharskoy which hath Lands and Rents allowed for the prouision of munition great Ordnance Powder Shot Saltpeter Brimstone Lead and such like there is left somewhat at the yeeres end that runneth into the Treasurie All these bring into the Office of Bulsha Prechod that which remayneth in their hand at the yeeres end Whence it is deliuered into the Emperours Treasurie So that the whole summe that groweth to this Office of Bulsha Prechod or the great Income as appeareth by the Bookes of the said Office amounteth to 800000. Rubbels a yeere or thereabouts All these Offices to wit the Office of the Steward the foure Chetfirds and the Bulsha Prechod deliuer in their receipts to the head treasurie that lyeth within the Emperours house or Castle at the Mosko Where lye all his Moneys Iewels Crownes Scepters Plate and such like the Chests Hutches and Bags being signed by the Emperours themselues with their owne seale Though at this time the L. Borris Federowich Godonoe his seale and ouer-sight supplieth for the Emperour as in all other things The vnder Officer at this time is one Stepan Vasilowich Godonoe Cousin germane to the said Borris who hath two Clerkes allowed to serue vnder him in the Office The sum that groweth to the Emperors Treasury in money onely for euery yeere 1. Out of the Stewards Office aboue the expence of his house 23000. Rubbels 2. Out of the foure Chetfirds for Soake and Head money 400000. Rubbels 3. Out of the Bulsha Precod Office or great Income for Custome and other Rents 800000. Rubbels Sum 1430000. Rubbels cleere besides all charges for his house and ordinary salleries of his Souldiers otherwise discharged But besides this reuenue that is paid all in money to the Emperors treasurie he receiueth yeerely in Furres and other duties to a great value out of Siberia Pechora Permia and other places which are sold or bartred away for other forraine
pretended by him was charged by a woman that was familiar with him beeing then fallen out that he halted but in the day time and could leape merrily when hee came home at night And that he had intended this matter sixe yeeres before Now hee is put into a Monastery and there rayleth vpon the Friers that hired him to haue this counterfeit Miracle practised vpon him Besides this disgrace a little before my comming from thence there were eight slaine with in his Church by fire in a Thunder Which caused his Bels that were tingling before all day and night long as in triumph of the Miracles wrought by Basileo their Saint to ring somewhat softlier and hath wrought no little discredit to this Miracle-worker There was another of great account at Plesko called Nichola of Plesko that did much good when this Emperours Father came to sacke the Towne vpon suspition of their reuolting and Rebellion against him The Emperour after he had saluted the Eremite at his lodging sent him a reward And the Holy man to requite the Emperour sent him a piece of raw Flesh being then their Lent time Which the Emperour seeing bid one to tell him that he maruelled that the Holy man would offer him flesh to eate in the Lent when it was forbidden by order of holy Church And doth Euasko which is as much to say as Iacke thinke quoth Nicola that it is vnlawfull to eate a piece of beasts flesh in Lent and not to eate vp so much mans flesh as he hath done already So threatning the Emperour with a prophecy of some hard aduenture to come vpon him except he left murdring of his people and departed the Towne he saued a great many mens liues at that time This maketh the people to like very well of them because they are as Pasquils to note their great mens faults that no man else dare speake of Yet it falleth out sometime that for this rude libertie which they take vpon them after a counterfeit manner by imiâ—ation of Prophets they are made away in secret as was one or two of them in the last Emperours time for being ouer-bold in speaking against his gouernment THeir morning Seruice they call Zautrana that is Mattins It is done in this order The Priest entreth into the Church with his Deacon following him And when he is come to the middle of the Church he beginneth to say with a loude voyce Blaslauey Vladika that is Blesse vs heauenly Pastor meaning of Christ. Then hee addeth In the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost one very God in Trinitie and Aspody pomelui or Lord haue mercy vpon vs Lord haue mercy vpon vs Lord haue mercy vpon vs repeated three times This done he marcheth on towards the Chancell or Sanctum Sanctorum as they vse to call it and so entreth into the Scharsuey Dwere or the Heauenly Doore which no man may enter into but the Priest onely Where standing at the Altar or Table set neere to the vpper wall of the Chancell he sayeth the Lords Prayer and then againe Aspody pomelui or Lord haue mercy vpon vs Lord haue mercy vpon vs c. pronounced twelue times Then praised be the Trinitie the Father the Sonne and holy Ghost for euer and euer Whereto the Deacons and People say Amen Next after the Priest addeth the Psalmes for that day and beginneth with O come let vs worship and fall downe before the Lord c. and therewithall himselfe with the Deacons and People all turne themselues towards their Idols or Images that hang on the wall and crossing themselues bow downe three times knocking their heads to the very ground After this he readeth the Ten Commandements and Athanasius Creed out of the Seruice Booke This being done the Deacon that standeth without the Heauenly Doore or Chancell readeth a piece of a Legend out of a written Booke for they haue it not in Print of some Saints life miracles c. This is diuided into many parts for euery day in the yeere and is read by them with a plaine singing note not vnlike to the Popish tune when they sung their Gospels After all this which reacheth to an houre and an halfe or two houres of length he addeth certaine set Collects or Prayers vpon that which he hath read out of the Legend before and so endeth his Seruice All this while stand burning before their Idols a great many of Waxe candles whereof some are of the bignesse of a mans waste vowed or enioyned by penance vpon the people of the Parish About nine of the clocke in the morning they haue another Seruice called Obeidna or Compline much after the order of the Popish Seruice that bare that name If it be some High or Festiuall day they furnish their Seruice beside with Blessed bee the Lord God of Israel c. and Wee praise thee O God c. sung with a more solemne and curious note Their euening Seruice is called Vecherna where the Priest beginneth with Blaslauey Vladika as he did in the morning and with the Psalmes appointed for the Vecherna Which being read he singeth My soule doeth magnifie the Lord c. And then the Priest Deacons and People all with one voice sing Aspody pomelui or Lord haue mercy vpon vs thirty times together Whereunto the Boyes that are in the Church answere all with one voice rolling it vp so fast as their lips can goe Verij Verij Verij Verij or Praise Praise Praise c. thirty times together with a very strange noise Then is read by the Priest and vpon the Holidayes sung the first Psalme Blessed is the man c. And in the end of it is added Alleluia repeated ten times The next in order is some part of the Gospell ready by the Priest which hee endeth with Alleluia repeated three times And so hauing said a Collect in remembrance of the Saint of that day hee endeth his euening Seruice All this while the Priest standeth aboue at the Altar or high Table within the Chancell or Sanctum Sanctorum whence hee neuer moueth all the Seruice time The Deacon or Deacons which are many in their Cathedrall Churches stand without the Chancell by the Scharsuey Dwere or Heauenly Doore for within they may not be seene all the Seruice time though otherwise their Office is to sweepe and keepe it and to set vp the Waxe candles before their Idols The people stand together the whole Seruice time in the body of the Church and some in the Church Porch for Piew or Seat they haue none within their Churches The Sacrament of Baptisme they administer after this manner The child is brought vnto the Church and this is done within eight dayes after it is borne if it bee the child of some Nobleman it is brought with great pompe in a rich Sled or Wagon with Chaires and Cushions of cloth of Gold and such like sumptuous shew of their best
a great streame and by the Marsh and Sea standeth a great Church on which the Holy Crosse is drawne of colour white it belongeth to Eâ—elnesse de Hokesong and the Land to Peters Wike Item by Peters Wike lyeth a great Dorpe called Wartsdale by which lyeth a water or Sea of twelue miles or leagues ouer in which is much Fish And to Peters Wike Church belongeth Wartsdale Boy or Towne and the Villages Item neere this Boy or Towne lyeth a Cloyster or Abbey in which are Canons Regular it is Dedicated to Saint Olafes and Saint Augustines name And to it belongeth all the Land to the Sea side and toward the other side of the Cloyster Item next Godosford lyeth a Ford called Rompnes Ford And there lyeth a Cloyster of Nuns of Saint Benedicts Order Item this Cloyster to the bottome of the Sea and to Wegâ—â— Kerke was Dedicated to Saint Olafe the King In this Ford lye many small Iles. And to this Cloyster belongeth halfe the Ford and the Church In this Sound are many warme Waters In the Winter they are intollerable hot but in the Summer more moderate and many Bathing in them are cured of many diseases Item betweene Râ—mpnâ—â— and the next Sound lyeth a great Garden called Vose belonging to the King There is also a costly Church dedicated to Saint Nicolas This Church had the King before this Neere it lyeth a Sea of Fresh water called in which is great abundance of Fish without number And when there falleth much Rayne that the Waters doe rise therewith and after fall againe there remayneth vpon the Land much Fish drie Item when you sayle out of Emestnes Ford there lyeth an Inlet called South-woders Wike and somewhat higher in the same Sound and on the same side lyeth little Cape called Blâ—ming and beyond that lyeth another Inwike called Gronwike and aboue that lyeth a Garden called Daleth which belongeth to the Cathedrall Church And on the right hand as you sayle out of the same Sound lyeth a great Wood which pertayneth to the Church where they feede all their Cattell as Oxen Kine and Horses And to the Church pertayneth the Sound of Emestnes Ford. The high Land lying by Emestnes Ford is called The Ramos hayth So called because that on those Hills doe runne many Roe Deere or Reyne Deere which they vse to Hunt but not without the Bishops leaue And on this high Land is the best Stone in all Groneland They make thereof Pots because fire cannot hurt it And they make of the same stone Fattes or Cisternes that will hold ten or twelue Tunnes of water Item West from this lyeth another high Land called The long high Land and by another called whereon are eight great Orchards all belonging to the Cathedrall Church But the Tenths thereof they giue to Warsedall Church Item next to this Sound lyeth another Sound called Swalster Ford wherin standeth a Church called Swalster This Church belongeth to all this Sound and to Romse Ford lying next it In this Sound is a great Garden belonging to the King called Saint Heâ—lestate Item next to that lyeth Ericks Ford and entring therein lyeth an high Land called Ericks Hought which pertayneth the one halfe to Deuers Kerke and is the first Parish Church on Groneland and lyeth on the left hand as you sayle into Ericks Ford and Deuers Kerke belongeth all to Meydon Ford which lyeth North-west from Ericks Ford. Item farther out then Ericks Ford standeth a Church called Skogel Kerke which belongeth to all Medford And farther in the Sound standeth a Church called Leaden Kerke To this Church belongeth all thereabout to the Sea and also on the other side as farre as Bousels There lyeth also a great Orchard called Grote Lead in which the Gusman that is a chiefe or Bayliffe ouer the Boores doth well And farther out then Ericks Ford lyeth a Ford or Sound called Fossa which belongeth to the Cathedrall Church and the sayd Fossa Sound lyeth as men sayle out towards Ericks Ford and to the North of it lye two Villages the one called Eâ—er-boy and the other Forther-boy because they lye so Item from thence farther North lyeth Breda Ford and after that Lormont Ford from that West and from Lormont Ford to the West is Ice Dorpe All these are places built and in them dwell people Item from the Easter builded Land to the Wester Dorpe is twelue miles or leagues and the rest is all waste land In the Dorpe in the West standeth a Church which in times past belonged to the Cathedrall Church and the Bishop did dwell there But now the Skerlengers haue all the West Lands and Dorps And there are now many Horses Oxen and Kine but no people neither Christian nor Heathen but they were all carryed away by the Enemie the Skerlengers All this before Written was done by one Iuer Boty borne in Gronland a principall man in the Bishops Court who dwelt there many yeeres and saw and knew all these places He was chosen by the whole Land for Captayne to goe with Ships to the West land to driue away their Enemies the Skerlengers But hee comming there found no people neither Christian nor Heathen but found there many Sheepe running being wilde of which Sheepe they tooke with them as many as they could carrie and with them returned to these Houses This before named Indo Boty was himselfe with them To the North of the West Land lyeth a great Wildernesse with Clifes or Rockes called Hemel Hatsfelt Farther can no man sayle because there lye many Swalgen or Whirle-pooles and also for the Water and the Sea Item in Groneland are many Siluer Hills and many white Beares with red patches on their heads and also white Hawkes and all sorts of Fish as in other Countries Item there is Marble stone of all colours also Zeuell stone or the Load stone which the Fire cannot hurt whereof they make many vessels as Pots and other great vessels Item in Groneland runneth great streames and there is much Snow and Ice But it is not so cold as it is in Island or Norway Item there grow on the high Hills Nuts and Acornes which are as great as Apples and good to eate There groweth also the best Wheate that can grow in the whole Land This Sea Card was found in the Iles of Fero or farre lying betweene Shot-laâ—t and Island in an old reckoning Booke written aboue one hundred yeeres agoe out of which this was all taken Item Punnus and Potharse haue inhabited Island certayne yeeres and sometimes haue gone to Sea and haue had their trade in Groneland Also Punnus did giue the Islanders their Lawes and caused them to bee written Which Lawes doe continue to this day in Island and are called by name Punnus Lawes The Course from Island to Groneland IF men bee South from the Hauen of Bred Ford in Island they shall sayle West till they see Whitsarke vpon Groneland and then sayle
somewhat South-west till Whitsarke bee North off you and so you need not feare Ice but may boldly sayle to Whitsarke and from thence to Ericks Hauen If men be North the Hauen of Bredford in Island then sayle South-west till Whitsarke beare North then sayle to it and so come to Ericks Hauen If you see Ice that commeth out of Trolebothon you shall goe more Southerly but not too farre South for feare of Freesland for there runneth an hard streame And it is fifteene miles or leagues from Freesland Item Freesland lyeth South and Island East from Gronland Item From the Ice that hangeth on the Hilles in Gronland commeth a great Fogge Frost and Cold. And such a Fogge commeth out of the Ice of Trolebothon and it is a great Wildernesse There are Sables Marternes Hermelins or Ermins White Beares and White Hawkes Seales White and Gray Gold and Siluer Hills also Fish dryed and salted and thousands of Salmons also store of Losh Hides and other Hides There are Hares Foxes Wolues Otters and Veltfrasen Now if it please God they come to Gronland then shall they set but two men on shoare who shall take with them diuers kindes of Marchandize and let them deale with good order and let them bee such as can make good Report what they there doe see or finde and let them obserue whether men may there Land or no with the loue of the Inhabitants And I counsaile and charge those that shall Trade for Gronland that they set no more folke on Land but they keepe men enough to man the Ship And looke well to the course you hold to Gronland that if those that bee set on shoare bee taken they may come home againe with Gods helpe For if shipping returne they may come home or bee releeued in a yeere and a day And in your liuing there so demeane your selues to them that in time you may winne the Countrey and the people Remember my Scholler and Clearke which shall bee there appointed as Commander that you send those on Land that will shew themselues diligent Writers and that they carrie themselues so that they may learne thereby the State of the Countrey They shall take with them two Boats and eight Oares and take Tynder-boxes for fire if there be no Habitation Also set vp Crosses of Wood or Stone if need be This Note following was found in an old Booke of Accompts in the Yeere 1596. INprimis From Gtad in Norway standing neere the Latitude of sixtie three Degrees you shall hold your course due West and that course will bring you vpon Swartnesse in Gronland And in this course is the least streame and least perill of Swalgen or Indrafts There is lesse perill this way then is on the North-side you shall keepe 2 ◠of the Sea on Freesland side and one third on Island side And if it bee cleere weather and you haue kept your course right West you shall see the Mount of Sneuels Iokul in the South-west part of Island And if you haue a storme in the North you must shunne it as you can till Whitsarke be North of you Then shall you sayle right with it and seeke the Land and you shall finde a good Hauen called Ericks Ford. Item If you bee betweene Gronland and Island you may see Sneuels Iokul on Island and Whitsarke on Gronland if it be cleere weather Therefore men of experience doe affirme that it is but thirtie leagues betweene both Also if you haue a storme betweene Gronland and Island you must haue care you bee not laid on Freesland with the streame and Winde for the streame or Current doth run strong vpon Freesland out of the North. Also if you haue a storme out of the South you shall not sayle out of your course but keepe it as neere as you can possibly till Whitsarke in Gronland beare North off you then sayle toward it and you shall come into Ericks Ford as it is afore-said in the first Article CHAP. VII A Description of the Countries of Siberia Samoieda and Tingoesia Together with the Iourneyes leading vnto the same Countries toward the East and North-east as they are daily frequented by the Moscouites §. I. Discouerie of Siberia and the subiecting of the same to the Russes THere is in Moscouie a Kindred called the Sonnes of Oneeko of a rusticke or base descent and first sprung from one Oneeko a Husband-man He being very rich in Lands dwelt vpon a certaine Riuer called Wichida or Witsogda falling into the Riuer Duina which about one hundred leagues beneath neere vnto the Castle called S. Michael the Archangel which falleth into the White Sea This Oneeko being rich as is said had also many Children God hauing largely blessed and prouided him with plentie of all things Yet neuerthelesse hee had an earnest desire and affection to know what Countreyes were possessed and inhabited by those people which yeerely came into Russia to trafficke bringing with them costly Furres and diuers other Merchandizes much diffring in Language Apparel Religion and Behauiour calling themselues Samoieds and by other vnknowne names These people came euery yeere downe the Riuer Wichida and exchanged their Commodities with the Russes and Moscouites in the Townes of Osel and Vstiug on the Riuer Duina which at that time were the Receits and chiefe Mart Townes of all kind of Marchandizes but especially of costly Furres Oneeko therefore as hath beene said was most desirous to know from whence these people came or what Countreyes they did inhabit easily conjecturing That great wealth was there to be gotten since the Furres yeerely brought them amounted to a great summe of Money Wherefore secretly hee got acquaintance and consorted himselfe with diuers of them and sent in their company about tenne or twelue of his owne people into those parts enjoyning them that through what Countreyes so euer they should trauell they should make diligent search of euery particular thing therein and fully obserue the Manners Rites Dwellings and whole course of life of those Nations that at their returne they might bring from thence perfect knowledge thereof Which they hauing at length performed he entertayned them bountifully at their returne and shewed them all fauour but with especiall charge to keepe silence Hee likewise kept all these things close to himselfe not reuealing them to any man And the next yeere following he sent thither a greater number of his people joyning with them certayne of his Kindred and Alliance These carried with them diuers base Marchandize as small Bels and other like Dutch small Wares and tooke diligent notice of euery thing in those parts and after they had passed many Deserts and diuers great Riuers they came to the Riuer Obi where making Acquaintance and Friendship with the Samoieds they found that Furres were to be had for a small price and that great wealth was there easily to be gotten and further that this people had not any
man of courage I know sayth hee to whom I will commit him that will diligently keepe him and foorthwith hee slew him and buryed him And so the Sedition was appeased And from that time vntill this day the Word of God is taught amongst Barbarous men after the manner of the Confession of Augusta The Life and Manners of the Iselanders IN the whole Iland there are three sorts of men who are held in any reckoning and account for the common people by reason of the scarcitie of Ships wherewith they fish make themselues slaues to the richer Of those three sorts the first is of them whom they call Loshmaders that is to say Men of Iustice for Loch in their language signifieth Law These men administer Iustice and there are many of them but twelue of them onely haue the yeerely charge of Iustice. All men obey their Iudgement and Decrees Another sort is of them who are called Bonden They are in the place of Nobles and as euery one of them is richest in Shipping and Cattle so hee hath most Fishers and followers This onely power they know The third sort is of Bishops and Ministers of the word of God of the which many are found euery where throughout the whole Iland There are many of the Iselanders very proud and high minded especially by reason of the strength of body which they haue I saw an Iselander who easily put an Hamburg Tunne full of Ale to his mouth drinking off it as if hee had had but one small measure Both Sexes in Iseland haue the same habite so that by the garments you shall not easily discerne whether it bee Man or Woman They want Flaxe except it bee brought vnto them by our Countrey-men The Women-kinde there are very beautifull but ornaments are wanting The whole Nation of the Islanders is much giuen to Superstitions and they haue Spirits familiarly seruing them For they onely are fortunate in Fishing who are raised vp by night of the Deuill to goe a fishing And although the Ministers of the Gospell vse all diligence in disswading them from this impietie yet this wickednesse hath taken roote and sticketh so deepely in their mindes and they are so bewitched of Sathan that they can admit no sound Doctrine and Dehortation Yea by the Deuils meanes if you offer them money they promise a prosperous wind and performe it which I know as hereafter shall bee spoken The like Olaus Magnus writeth of the Finlanders in his third Booke They hold Ships also by inchantment almost immoueable and that in a prosperous wind And truely it is a wonder that Sathan so sporteth with them For hee hath shewed them a remedie in staying of their Ships to wit the Excrements of a Maide being a Virgin if they annoynt the Prow and certaine planckes of the Ship hee hath taught them that the Spirit is put to flight and driuen away with this stinke In the rest of the carriage of their life they thus behaue themselues The Parents teach their male Children euen from their child-hood letters and the Law of that Iland so that very few men are found throughout the whole Iland but they know Letters and many Women vse our letters and haue also other characters with the which they expresse some whole words of theirs which words can hardly bee written with our letters They giue themselues to hardnesse and fishing from their Infancie for all their life consists in Fishing They exercise not Husbandrie because they haue no Fields and the greatest part of their foode consisteth in Fish vnsauerie Butter Milke and Cheese In stead of Bread they haue Fish bruised with a Stone Their Drinke is Water or Whay So they liue many yeeres without medicine or Physitian Many of them liue till they bee one hundred and fiftie yeeres old And I saw an old man who sayd hee had then liued two hundred yeeres Nay Olaus Magnus in his twentieth Booke sayth that the Iselanders liue three hundred yeeres The greater part of Iselanders hath neuer seene Bread much lesse tasted it If our men at any time sell them Meale or Corne they mingle it with Milke and lay it vp for a long time as delicates for Nobles They call this sauce or mixture Drabbell The Germaines that trade in Iseland haue a place in the Hauen of Haffenefordt fenced by Nature where vnder Tents they set their Mercbandise to sale as Shooes Garments Glasses Kniues and such kinde of Merchandise of no price The Iselanders haue Oyle molten out of the bowels of Fishes knowne to our Tanners and Shoomakers they haue Fish Brimstone white Foxe skinnes Butter and other things They barter all these for our Commodities nor is the bargaine ratified before they bee well stuffed with our Meat Wine or Beere together with their Wiues and Children whom they bring with them how many soeuer they haue Comming into the Hauen they haue their Daughters with them which are marriage-able they after they haue inquired of our companie whether they haue Wiues at home or not they promise a nights lodging for Bread Bisket or any other trifling things Sometimes the Parents yeeld their Daughters freely euen for a whole moneth or as long as they stay If shee prooue with Child by that lying with her the parents loue their Daughter better then before and the Child being borne they bring it vp some yeeres while either the Father returne or they giue it to their Sonne in law that shall bee for a Dowrie with their Daughter who doth not despise it because it is borne of the Germaine blood If any Virgin haue familiaritie with a Germaine shee is honoured among them and therefore shee is sought of many Suiters And the time was before this that Whoordome which was without the degrees of Consanguinitie and Affinitie had no Infamie And although Preachers crie out against it and the offenders are seuerely punished yet they hardly abstaine They lay not vp Wine and Beere which they buy of our Countrey-men but quaffe it vp house by house by course one with another and that freely or for nothing While they drinke they sing the heroicall acts of their ancestors not with any certaine composed order or melodie but as it commeth in euery mans head Neither is it lawfull for any one to rise from the Table to make water but for this purpose the daughter of the house or another maid or woman attendeth alwayes at the Table watchfull if any becken to him that beckeneth shee giues the chamber-pot vnder the Table with her owne hands the rest in the meane while grunt like Swine least any noise bee heard The water being powred out hee washeth the Bason and offereth his seruice to him that is willing and hee is accounted vnciuill who abhorreth this fashion They entertaine them that come vnto them with a kisse and they behold and looke each on other if paraduenture they may see Lice creeping
name of Flokawogur and there the deepest part of the Sea where Geirhilda the daughter of Floco by chance was drowned was caled Geirhildarwata from her no otherwise then that Sea was called Hellespontus wherein by misfortune Phryxus lost his sister Helle. There was yet no vse of the Mariners Compasse wherefore Floco leauing Hietlandia tooke certayne Rauens vnto him and when hee thought hee had sayled a great way he sent forth one Rauen which flying aloft went backe againe to Hietlande which she saw behind Whereupon Floco perceiuing that he was yet neerer to Hietland then other Countryes and therefore couragiously going forward he sent forth another Rauen which because she could see no Land neither before nor behind light into the ship again But lastly the third Rauen was sent forth by Floco and hauing for the most part performed his Voyage through the sharpnesse of her quicke sight attayning the Land which the Mariners desired she speedily flew thither whose direction Floco following beheld first the Easterne side of the Iland as his Predecessors did and from thence directing his course to the South found a very wide and open Bay twelue Islandish miles broad betweene the two Promontories or high Lands afterwards called Renkanes and Snaefelsnes And hearing by a certayne Mariner whom he had with him a Scot borne named Faxa that the Bay they now met with was the huge mouth of a Riuer or Floud Floco to reproue the folly of Faxa supposing so huge a Bay of the Sea to be the mouth of a Riuer called the name of the Bay inclosed betweene the foresaid Promontories Faxaos which signifieth the mouth of Faxa This Bay by reason of the multitude of Hauens was afterwads called Hafnafiordur which name Hafnafiordur at this day is more specially vsed of a most safe Hauen of the same Bay After this Floco sayling along the West side of the Iland entred somewhat within the Bay Breidafiord remaining in a certaine Hauen of the Prouince Bardestraund called Watnsfiordur for I vse the names giuen them afterwards and there preparing wintering places he liued very commodiously and well with fish of diuers kindes wherewith that Bay doth abound But hauing the Spring time here very vntemperate through cold hee found a Bay which entreth this part of the Land on the North to be filled with Ice of the Sea which wee call Gronelandish Ice From which Ice Floco deuised the third name for the Iland and called it Island Moreouer also Floco turning to the South side passed another Winter in Island and returning into Norway from the Rauens which hee vsed in stead of the Mariners Compasse he allotted it the surname of Rafnafloke And Island surely obtained these names consequently from the finders or discouerers thereof For as touching the fourth Thule imposed vpon this Land by some I cannot bee perswaded to beleeue it is true chiefly by this argument That Thyle or Thule among the ancient Writers was often in the mouth and writings not onely of Pliny in his second booke of Naturall Histories 75. Chapter and fourth booke and sixteenth Chapter and Pliny flourished about the eightieth yeere of Christ and of him who was more ancient then Pliny Pythias Massiliensis buâ— also of Pub. Virgilius who liued not aboue fourteene yeeres after Christ but Island till the yeere of Christ 874. remained altogether desert as hereafter I shall speake Thule therefore which Virgil said should serue Augustus Geor. 1. tibi seruiat vltima Thule where euen euery child knoweth that Thule is Synecdochically spoken for the Inhabitanes of Thule not onely inhabited in the times of Augustus and Virgil but also knowne to the Romanes is not Island which many ages after began first to be inhabited Besides Plinie himselfe seemeth in the later place recited to reckon Thule with the Ilands of Britaine for saith hee Vltima omnium quae memorantur est Thule to wit of the Brittish Ilands for hee speaketh of them It is likely also that Virgil meant the same who said Thule was the last in the place before recited and likewise Penitus toto diuisos orbe Britannos that is to say the last Let me yet vrge the same argument further from the age of Claudianus Alexandrinus and Pub. Papinius Statius farre more ancient then he For Claudianus about the yeere of Christ 390. writeth thus concerning the successe of the Getick Wars atchieued by Theodosius Famaque ingrantes succincta panoribus alas Secum cuncta trahens à Gadibus vsque Britaâ—â—um Terruit Oceanum nostro procul axe remotam Insolito Belli tremefecit murmure Thulen Then blackwing'd Fame Feare girt frights all the World with Warre From Cades to Britaine from Our World shakes Thule farre But did Report and Fame cause Island not inhabited and desert to tremble And Statius more ancient by three hundred yeeres then Claudian in his third Booke Sylua writeth thus Quanquam etsi gelidas irem mansurus ad Arâ—tos Velsuper Hesperia vada caligantia Thules Though I should dwel in Artike frosts Or mystie shelues of Thules West coasts You heare not onely a slight report of Thule came to Statius eares but that the shallow places quicke sand or shelues found in approching to the Iland were sufficiently knowne vnto him by the often relation of Nauigators of which sort in the circuit of Island there are none that I know which experience speaketh but in comming to the Ilands of Britaine they are very ordinarie and common as they say The Longitude thereof from the East vnto the West hath not hitherto beene expressed by any certaine or assured measure that I know nor yet the Latitude from North to South saue that in an ancient Codicall or Writing I found that the Longitude was twentie dayes iourney and the Latitude where it is broadest foure dayes but the iourneyes as elsewhere so also with vs are not alike yet here I vnderstand Pyngmanualeid twentie in the Authors owne hand-writing it is Dagleider nor is it expressed whether of Horse-men or Foot-men But the Latitude it selfe is not euery where the same by reason of Bayes on both sides to wit from the Sotth and North entring the Land it selfe with vnequall distances The Easterly bound is Austurhorn the Westerne Randesandur for the Promontory Sua-felloues lyeth more toward the South-west but the North bound is Langanes and the South Reikranes The Iland also from the foure quarters of the World is diuided into North South East and West and the Promontorie Langanes diuideth North Island from East Island from West Island the Bay Rutafiordur from South Island the vast and huge deserts of rough and inaccessable places extended the whole length of the Iland But Soutâ— Island opposite to the North through these rough and inaccessable places lying betweene the Riuer Ioculsu running through the deserts of Solseimasande diuideth from East Island from West Island also a famous Riuer named Albis emptying it selfe into the Bay Borgarfiord So that if it pleased me
But hee said almost not altogether that hee might not take away the migrations of the Nations then presently beginning after the yeere of the World 2500. wee doe not therefore tye the time wherein this further Europe began to bee inhabited to the yeere of the World 2500. But wee say that that troublesome time wherein the Nations and among them the Giants of Canaan were cast out of their places and dwellings and compelled to seek new habitations euen in Europe happened in this yeere as was proposed by vs in the beginning And that Europe receiued her Inhabitants from hence among the Ancient Procopius is my Author a Writer borne at Caesaria of Palaestina Collector of the worthy Acts of Iustinianus about the yeere of the Lord 530. who to proue this very thing alleageth diuers Writers of the Historie of the Phoenicians The words of Procopius are these in his fourth Booke of the Warres of the Vandalls not in one place only cited by D. Cythraeus out of the which among other things I gather mine opinion The Hebrewes saith Procopius after they returned out of Egypt and remayned still in the borders of Palaestina Moses who led them in their iourney dieth whom Iosua the sonne of Nun succeeded who also brought the people into Palaestina and shewing strength and courage far beyond the nature of man obtayned the Country whereby destroying Nations he easily vanquished many Cities seeming inexpugnable vnto all Then therefore all the Countrey vpon the Sea-coast from Sidon euen to the borders of Egypt was called Phoenicia ouer which one long since raigned as all witnesse who writ the ancient History of the Phoenicians here great multitudes of people dwelt the Gergasites Iebusites and others named in the Hebrew Volumes who when they saw the Armie of the strangers to be inexpugnable leauing their Country bounds went into Egypt next adioyning and there increasing in number and posteritie when they found not sufficient and conuenient place for so grat a multitude they entred into Africa where inhabiting very many Cities they possessed all that Coast euen vnto the Pillers of Hercules vsing the halfe Phoenician Tongue and Dialect and built the Towne Tingen in Numidia most strongly fortified in the situation thereof where two Pillers of white stone are erected neere the great Fountayne whereon in the Phoenician Language these Letters are ingrauen Nos sumus Cananaei quos fugauit Iesus Latro. For Iosua in the Hebrew is Iesus This Procopius writeth to which purpose the Historians of the Hebrewes are cited by Genebrand Iosua saith he partly expelled the Canaanites and partly slue them The remnant of these are reported to haue gone into Germany Sclauonia and the next adioyning Countreyes c. Into Seder Olam c. Also And surely in that Age that the whole West was emptie and vnpeopled saue that the Nations of the East came by little and little into the Countreyes thereof it appeareth by the often infusions This Genebrand writeth And Bodinus Method Hist. chap. 9. The Canaanites being cast out of the Land of Palaestina by the Hebrewes went into Illyricum and Pannonia to wit by those migrations and remoues which out of the place before alleadged by Procopius wee vnderstand as Rabbi Dauid Kimchi witnesseth at the end of Abdias The ancient Islander seeme to haue beene ordayned for great frugalitie wherein first their habitations or buildings are briefly to be touched next their food and manner of apparell and lastly the rest of the exercises of their common life For first as touching their habitations the Islanders haue followed the first and most ancient manner of dwelling To wit not by Cities and Townes but as Tacitus speaketh of the Germanes of his time they dwelt asunder as a Field as a Fountayne as a Wood as an Hill or Valley Shoare or Bay of the Sea pleased them Not only imitating here the example of the first Age of the World but also of the latter Age as the people of Athens and Laconia in the beginning dwelt by Villages as they write not together or by Cities and as in the time of Tacitus about the yeere of Christ 120. with the Germanes there was no vse of Mortar nor Tyles whereupon any man may rather judge the like concerning the Northerne World so nor after with the Islanders but they built their houses with Timber and Turffe Nor surely was it momentany worke which lasted but a while nor yet deformed in shew the walls were sometimes made only of Turffe sometimes of rough Stones adding Turffe in stead of Mortar which afterwards they couered with workmanship of plankes as also the raftering it selfe especially in more notable buildings And so you might see the Roofe with the walls before mature old age ouer-growne with greene grasse euery yeere for you must vnderstand that the Roofe and walls were couered with greene Turfe Windowes were made in the Roofe seldome in the walls and certayne Roofes not very high such as is reported the building of houses with the Easterne people was wont to be The Inhabitants had store of Timber cast vpon the shoare by the swelling of the waues of the Sea through the miraculous testimonie of Gods Prouidence considering their Woods at home yeelding plentie as I thinke only of Birches were not sufficient for their huge houses which yet were a great helpe also with those which the Inhabitants as oft as they would fetched out of bordering Norway and peraduenture also out of Groneland for the Islanders sayled yeerely to both a long time Euery one therefore had the houses of their Villages almost joyning together on their ground besides the stalls of their Herds seated some distance from the houses themselues Also certayne piles of fuell not altogether joyning together to auoid the danger of fire peraduenture also certayne store-houses which being solitary might better receiue the Ayre and drying winds Some maintayned their fires with home-growing Wood others with clammie Turfe as I thinke H. Iunius aptly calleth it whereof there are two kindes with vs the one soft and spongie growing vnder the superficies of the Earth which wee call Suâ—rdâ—r Another more thicke and therefore more weightie which peraduenture wee may very well call digged Turfe by the opinion of the same Iunius because it is taken out of the deepe Quarries or Mines digged a great depth out of the Earth And both kindes of Turfe but this much more must bee first baked with the Sunne and winde before it be fit to burne This latter kind we as also some of the Germanes call it Torff the inuentor whereof in the Orchades a certayne Orchadensian Duke is said to be one Einarus the Sonne of Ranguâ—aldus a Norwegian Duke of Mâ—re in the time of Pulcricomus King of Norway who was therefore called Torffeinarus He had a brother called Rolfuo whom Crantzius nameth Rollo who possessed part of France afterwards called Normandie of the Normans or Noruegians The Inhabitants chiefly wanted fewell to expell the
glorious memory confirming this opinion Sir Martin Frobisher also from a Portugall in Guinie receiued intelligence of such a passage he saying he had past it The Pilots of Lisbone are said generally to acknowledge such a thing and the Admirall of D. Garcia Geoffrey Loaisa of Cite-Real in the time of Charles the fifth is reported by the Coast of Baccalaos and Labrador to haue gone to the Moluccas Vasco de Coronado writ to the Emperour that at Cibola he was one hundred and fiftie leagues from the South Sea and a little more from the North. Antonio de Herera the Kings Coronista Maior part of whose worke followeth maketh with vs also in the distances of places by him described But to produce some authority more full I haue here presented Thomas Cowles a Marriner and Master Michael Lecke Merchant and after them a little Treatise ascribed to Master Brigges together with his Map And if any thinke that the Spaniard or Portugall would soone haue discouered such a passage these will answere that it was not for their profit to expose their East or West Indies to English Dutch or others whom they would not haue sharers in those remote treasures by so neere a passage First Thomas Cowles auerreth thus much I Thomas Cowles of Bedmester in the Countie of Somerset Marriner doe acknowledge that six yeares past at my being at Lisbon in the Kingdome of Portugall I did heare one Martin Chacke a Portugall of Lisbon reade a Booke of his owne making which he had set out six yeares before that time in Print in the Portugale tongue declaring that the said Martin Chacke had found twelue yeares now past a way from the Portugall Indies through a gulfe of the New found Land which he thought to be in 59. degrees of the eleuation of the North Pole By meanes that hee being in the said Indies with foure other Shippes of great burden and he himselfe in a small Shippe of fourescore tunnes was driuen from the company of the other foure Shippes with a Westerly winde after which hee past alongst by a great number of Ilands which were in the gulfe of the said New found Land And after hee ouershot the gulfe he set no more sight of any other Land vntill he fell with the Northwest part of Ireland and from thence he tooke his course homewards and by that meanes hee came to Lisbone foure or fiue weekes before the other foure Ships of his company that he was separated from as before said And since the same time I could neuer see any of those Books because the King commanded them to be called in and no more of them to be printed lest in time it would be to their hindrance In witnesse whereof I set to my hand and marke the ninth of Aprill Anno 1579. A Note made by me MICHAEL LOK the elder touching the Strait of Sea commonly called Fretum Anian in the South Sea through the North-west passage of Meta incognita WHen I was at Venice in Aprill 1596. happily arriued there an old man about threescore yeares of age called commonly Iuan de Fuca but named properly Apostolos Valerianos of Nation a Greeke borne in the Hand Cefalonia of profession a Mariner and an ancient Pilot of Shippes This man being come lately out of Spaine arriued first at Ligorno and went thence to Florence in Italie where he found one Iohn Dowglas an Englishman a famous Mariner ready comming for Venice to be Pilot of a Venetian Ship named Ragasona for England in whose company they came both together to Venice And Iohn Dowglas being well acquainted with 〈◊〉 before he gaue me knowledge of this Greeke Pilot and brought him to my speech and in long talke and conference betweene vs in presence of Iohn Dowglas this Greeke Pilot declared in the Italian and Spanish languages thus much in effect as followeth First he said that he had bin in the West Indies of Spaine by the space of fortie yeeres and had sailed to and from many places thereof as Mariner and Pilot in the seruice of the Spaniards Also he said that he was in the Spanish Shippe which in returning from the Ilands Philippinas and China towards Noua Spania was robbed and taken at the Cape California by Captaine Candish Englishman whereby he lost sixtie thousand Duckets of his owne goods Also he said that he was Pilot of three small Ships which the Vizeroy of Mexico sent from Mexico armed with one hundred men Souldiers vnder a Captain Spaniards to discouer the Straits of Anian along the coast of the South-Sea and to fortifie in that Strait to resist the passage and proceedings of the English Nation which were feared to passe through those Straits into the South Sea And that by reason of a mutinie which happened among the Souldiers for the Sodomie of their Captaine that Voyage was ouerthrowne and the Ships returned backe from California coast to Noua Spania without any effect of thing done in that Voyage And that after their returne the Captaine was at Mexico punished by iustice Also he said that shortly after the said Voyage was so ill ended the said Viceroy of Mexico sent him out againe Anno 1592. with a small Carauela and a Pinnace armed with Mariners onely to follow the said Voyage for discouery of the same Straits of Anian and the passage thereof into the Sea which they call the North Sea which is our North-west Sea And that he followed his course in that Voyage West and North-west in the South Sea all alongst the coast of Noua Spania and California and the Indies now called North America all which Voyage hee signified to me in a great Map and a Sea-card of mine owne which I laied before him vntill hee came to the Latitude of fortie seuen degrees and that there finding that the Land trended North and North-east with a broad Inlet of Sea betweene 47. and 48. degrees of Latitude hee entred thereinto sayling therein more then twentie dayes and found that Land trending still sometime North-west and North-east and North and also East and South-eastward and very much broader Sea then was at the said entrance and that hee passed by diuers Ilands in that sayling And that at the entrance of this said Strait there is on the North-west coast thereof a great Hedland or Iland with an exceeding high Pinacle or spired Rocke like a piller thereupon Also he said that he went on Land in diuers places and that he saw some people on Land clad in Beasts skins and that the Land is very fruitfull and rich of gold Siluer Pearle and other things like Noua Spania And also he said that he being entred thus farre into the said Strait and being come into the North Sea already and finding the Sea wide enough euery where and to be about thirtie or fortie leagues wide in the mouth of the Straits where hee entred hee thought he had now well discharged his office and done the thing which he
Counsels of the holy and generall Inquisition and of the supreame Counsell of the Indies for it behoued to place one Counsell of the holy Office in Mexico for the Kingdomes of New Spaine and the rest of the Indies of the North and another in the Citie of the Kings for the Kingdomes of Piru and the adherents which are called the Indies of the South which the authority that the Councels of these Kingdomes haue so that as yet they should not meddle with the cases of the Indians but onely of the Castillanes other Nations that should be found in the Indies and so that the appeals should come to the supreame Counsell that is resident in this Court as it is done in Spaine and in the accomplishing thereof in the yeare 1570. the King Don Phillip the second called the Prudent gaue a generall power to the Towne of Madrid the 16. of August that the Apostolike Inquisitours that should be named for the present and for hereafter against the hereticall peruersnesse Apostacie and the Officers and Ministers necessary for this holy Office which was commanded to be seated in the Cities of Mexico and of the Kings should exercise vse their Offices and royall warrants that Don Martin Euriques and Don Franciscus of Toledo Viceroyes and Captains generall in the Kingdomes of New Spaine and Piru and the Counsels and Iustices Gouernours and other persons should giue all aide and fauour to the holy Officio and the Inquisitors and Officers were nominated as in their owne place shall be spoken more at large THese Catholike Kings most wisely constituted the Supreme Counsell of the Indies that they might helpe them to beare so great a burden as is already the gouernment of that Orbe and the Counsell consisteth in one President and eight or more Counsellors as necessitie requireth with one Atturney Secretaries Clerkes of the Chamber Relators and other Officers and an Office of Accompts where a notice is had of all the goods Royall of those parts And that proceeding might be according to rule and order they declared first that the Counsell should meet three houres euery day in the morning and two in the afternoone three dayes in the weeke that bee no holy dayes and that they should firme the Warrants that should be deliuered for these Kingdoms but that those that were for the Indies should haue the seale Royall and that in those parts it should haue supreme iurisdiction and might make Lawes and Decrees to see and examine whatsoeuer Statutes Constitutions of Prelates Senates Chapters and Conuents of the Religious and of the Vice-royes Courts and Counsels and that in the Indies and in these Kingdoms in matter dependant of them it should bee obeyed that the gouernment of the Indies should bee like this of these Kingdomes and that more in particular the Counsell doe occupie it selfe in the matters of gouernment That in Suites remitted those of the Councell Royall shall come to giue their voyces to that of the Indies and that two voyces shall make a Sentence in suites of 500. Pesos or vnder That there be a second Supplication in a case of 10000. Pesos that they deale not in the repartitions of the Indians in those parts but the Processes well perused in the Courts according to a Law called of Malinas for there it was made they shall come to the Supreme Counsell touching order to be held in matters of seruices that the Counsell doe see them all and in matters of rewards that which the greatest part doth determine shall be done and that in these there be a Supplication and that no expedient suite be seene the third time and that in the matters they doe resolue with breuitie that the charges be giuen to the best deseruing and that they be not giuen to the allied and kinsmen of them of the Counsell neither may such bee Solicitors nor Atturneys in the prouidings of the Offices no price shall be admitted nor that they of the Counsell haue any Indians of repartition and they shall assist in their houses that the Suiters may find them there when they goe not to Counsel and that due secrecy be kept in all things and aboue all that the Counsell haue a particular care of the Conuersion and good Instruction of the Indians and of the spirituall gouernment and that of 600000. Marmediz vpward the appeale shall come to the Counsell that they may appeale from the Sentences in the fiue Cases of naturall death or mayming of a member or other bodily punishment publike shame or racking and the appeales shall come to the Counsell with many other laudable orders which are omitted for breuities sake That the President being a learned man shall haue a voice in matters of Gouernment gratuities and fauours visitations and accompts and not in suits because he may be the more free for the gouernment of the Counsell and being vnlearned he shall haue no voice but in matters of grace gouernment and fauour and that he may assemble the Counsell in his owne house and haue a noate of the businesses and that the Counsellours doe not accompany with the Suitors And because it seemed a necessary thing that one Fiscad or Atturney should assist in Counsell it was commanded he should haue the same stipend that the Counsellours and that they deliuer him the dispatches of the Office that he haue a care to know how that is accomplished which is prouided for the Indies that necessary Papers be giuen him for his Office that he doe see the visitations before Counsell that he haue a book to register all the capitulations that are taken with the King another wherein he may set down the Atturneys Pleas that he delay not the suits that his demands or those that are against him be admitted if the Counsel think it good that he keep a book of that which is concluded for the cases that he haue a care to know the Officers that doe omit to send a relation euery yeere to the Counsell Hauing ordained all that which appertaineth to the Counsell which is the head of this Gouernment with many other orders which are not rehearsed for breuitie they proceeded in ordering all the Prouinces of the Indies in the matters of iustice as neede required and these Catholike Kings desiring the common good of that new world that their subiects that should possesse it hauing a zeale to the seruice of our Lord God good profit ease of the said Subiects to the Peace and quietnesse of the Towns as the King is bound vnto God and to them for to accomplish with the Office that he hath in earth hee thought good to command to place the Courts and Royall Chanceries that as hath beene said are in the Indies with the Statutes and orders that hath beene giuen them that the Ministers may doe their office and iustice be well administred and the Townes obtained the benefit pretended The first Court that was established
and wonderfull secrets to all parts of the World for the which he is to be glorified for euer REader I haue here added this worke for the better and more particular knowledge of the Naturall Historie of the West Indies This Authour Gonzalo Ferdinando de Ouiedo did first write a Summarie to Charles the fifth out of which the most part of this is taken An. 1525. and after that writ his Generall Historie enlarging what he had written before this Summarie and in the diuiding it into three Parts the first of which contayning principally the Spanish acts and Naturall obseruations in the Ilands in twentie Bookes wee haue in Ramusios third Tome of Voyages the second in which bee writ of the Continent of New Spaine and the third of Peru and the Southerne America with aboue foure hundred pictures of the Plants Beasts and other Creatures of those parts were neuer published to the great losse of naturall knowledge of those parts As for the Spanish acts we haue them sufficiently written by others But Acosta and Ouiedo haue best deserued of the studious of Nature that is of the knowledge of God in his workes In which respect I haue added many things omitted by Master Eden and Master Willes in the former publication both examining this and translating the rest from Ramusios Italian edition CHAP. III. Extracts of GONZALO FERDINANDO DE OVIEDO his Summarie and Generall Historie of the Indies Of the mynes of gold and the manner of working in them THis particular of the mynes of Gold is a thing greatly to be noted and I may much better