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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A30860	The late travels of S. Giacomo Baratti, an Italian gentleman, into the remote countries of the Abissins, or of Ethiopia interior wherein you shall find an exact account of the laws, government, religion, discipline, customs, &c. of the Christian people that do inhabit there with many observations which some may improve to the advantage and increase of Trade with them : together with a confirmation of this relation drawn from the writings of Damianus de Goes and Jo. Scaliger, who agree with the author in many particulars / translated by G.D.	Baratti, Giacomo.; G. D.; Góis, Damião de, 1502-1574.; Scaliger, Joseph Juste, 1540-1609.	1670 (1670)	Wing B677; ESTC R11736	63,785	282

honour walks Women are rarely seen amongst the men at Court they have a private place unto which none is admitted but the Abuna and some of the most Religious Persons They have Eunuchs that wait upon them usually Blacks they appear at the Churches but in a place separated from the rest Sometimes when the Emperour will shew his Grandeur and happiness to his Courtiers he sends for his Chief Queen who must appear in all the State and Glory that her Industry or Beauty can produce she is received by the Emperour with some expressions of kindness and then she is admitted to sit down on his right hand for the left is the place of honour in Abassia Once every year he hath a great Feast kept at Court with wonderful expressions of joy it is the day of the Emperours Birth It is the custom that the Neguz should give entertainment to all that will be pleased to accept of his kindness he is the next day after requited with Presents of the most considerable Persons of his Court. This Imperial Court is never fixed in any one place but Marches with the Emperour about 6000 Tents do always pitch about him in such an excellent order that in a moment from the farthermost tent one may come to that of the great Neguz where a strong guard watches about his Person day and night The Souldiers of the Kings guard are very neatly attired and well furnished with Bows and Guns they are mixed at present since the use of Powder was introduced amongst them by the Portugueses Of the Government THe Emperour hath several great Kingdoms that acknowledge his jurisdiction and seven or eight crowned heads that are under him His name is Giam Belul that is Precious Giam Or John a name of the same signification as Illustrious Serenus Excellent c. Titles that we give to our Princes When he writes this is his stile In the name of God the Father Almighty Creator of Heaven and Earth of things visible and invisible in the name of God the Son Jesus Christ who is the same with the Father from the beginning of the world Light of Light true God of true God and in the name of God the Holy Spirit who is also a living God proceeding from the Father This Letter you shall receive from a mighty King whose name the Lions do respect by the grace of God I am call'd Athani Tinghib that is the Incense of the Virgin the son of K. David the son of Solomon the Son of the King by the hand of Mary the Son of Naw according to the flesh the son of S. Peter S. Paul according to grace the beloved of God the Pillar of the Faith who hath taken upon him the name of Abraham Emperour of the Great and upper Ethiopia and of large Kingdoms and dominions King of Xoa of the Cafates of Fatigar of Angote of Baru of Baliganze of Adea of Vangue of Goiame where is Nilus source of Damaraa of Vaguemedri of Ambea of Vagne of Tigremahon of Sabaym the Country of the Queen of Saba of Bamagaes and Supream Lord as far as Nubia that confines upon Egypt c. Many Titles and Kingdoms are heapt together to express his Grandeur at present he enjoys but the Titles alone of many of those Kingdoms whiles others do eat up the reversion eleven or twelve of them do remain faithful to him sometimes the Inhabitants are disturbed by their war-like Neighbours but they could never be subdued by any other Prince for his sake they endure the loss of their Goods Estates Children and oft times they are driven into extream Poverty because they cannot leave their lawful Prince but they must also renounce Religion with him before they can be accepted of by their enemies This consideration ties them fast to the Neguz interest and obliges them to be most faithful unto him notwithstanding all their losses The Government of this Great Prince is partly Arbitrary and partly Subject to the written Laws that are contained in two Volums written as they say by the Apostles themselves The first they call Manida the other they name Abethilis they comprehend the Rules of Government relating to right or wrong they further observe much of the politick Law of Moses which he commanded the Jews In those other occasions of which these Books are silent the Emperours or the Judges pleasure and reason passeth for a Law The first Books called Manida and Abethil are full of most excellent Rules and Statutes Some wise man of that Empire composed them for to direct the Prince in the execution of his Office and that they might receive more credit he caused it to be bruited abroad that these books had been found in the ruines of the Church where St. Lycanon who was sent into Ethiopia by St. Philip the Apostle did teach and that they had been composed by the Disciples of our Saviour assembled together in a general Councel Assoon as this religious lye had been divulged every one was desirous to see and hear the Contents of this Book when they saw therefore that the matter was answerable to the fame of it they began really to credit it so that they do as religiously obey the commands of these Books as the Gospels and the word of God When the Emperour dines or sups some small portion of it is read before him after the Musick which in this country is very pleasant and grateful to the ear more than in any other place out of Italy although the instruments upon which they play be not like ours The Emperour hath one Judge called Bikir over all his dominions to judge of matters of right or wrong under him are the Sudh●drie's provincial Judges that are to give up an account of their actions to him they are often removed at the least complaint and others placed in their rooms It is a great disgrace to receive a bribe they all do follow the dictates of reason in pronouncing their sentences in proportioning the penalties according to the nature and hainousness of the offences These Judges have only a power over the people the Clergy and Monks have other Officers and Superintendants that do judge of their matters Besides these inferiour Judges every other year the grand Marshal or Supream Bikir sends men into several Provinces to hearken after the behaviour and examine the deportment of the Judges If any be found guilty of any crime he is severely punished and shamefully thrust out of his Office with a mark of Infamy that renders him incapable of having any publick employment in this Country Such seldom remain there long for the shame and obloquy of the people forces them to be gone and seek other habitations in a remote Country The Bikir hath also his Lieutenants like unto our Colonels disposed of in all the dominions of grand Neguz each Lieutenant gives him account of all the men he is able to provide for the service of the Prince in case of necessity

in the middle of a large mountain called Amarak where a stately Castle is built encompassed with the River Borohr and fortified with a strong wall There they are kept with the other precious things belonging to the Emperour they never go out unless it be in the Gardens and places of Recreation with which this territory is abundantly furnished and then they never loose the sight of their governours and guard when the Father is dead the chief Officers of the Empire come to this place and unless the eldest be uncapable of the honour they take him to succeed in his Fathers room If there be no Sons the eldest Daughter takes the Scepter During their Fathers life they are kept here as in a Seraglio to learn all exercises proper to their Sex and age They are taught the Hebrew and Arabick tongues humane Philosophy and the Principles of Christian Religion Here is for that purpose a large Library of above ten thousand Volums all in Manuscripts some told me that they had there the most ancient Books of the world written by the Aegyptian Sages in the time of Moses by Phaenicians afterwards and by the Learned of all Ages I saw some in the Library into which I had the leave to enter that were made of the Aegyptian leaf called Papyrus and others made of old Parchment that did bear the marks of antiquity I ask'd the Subdi an Officer that led me in to see the curiosities how they did to preserve the Books so many years from consuming he told me that they do usually transcribe them when the leaves are worn or likely to decay and that for that intent there are twenty three Persons appointed with a good maintenance for them by the former Emperours their imployment is only to transcribe and copy out the books that age threatens to spoil they have not the excellent use of Printing for want of communication with their European brethren Hither are also sent the chief Noblemens sons of the Empire to keep company with the Royal bloud and to receive with them the instructions which this place only affords for here is maintained a Learned Bishop with several inferiour Priests that have the charge of instructing and tutering the Children that are committed to their custody The Bishop is Governor of the Castle and Overseer of the Diocess o● Kingdom of Amara here is his Palace and place of abode he seldom stirs to Court The Emperour visits this place oncea year with his Wives When he is chosen then all his brethren accompany him to his Coronation a great solemnity in this place as well as amongst our Christian Princes afterwards the Males are sent to govern Provinces the Maids are disposed of in Mariage to Noblemen who commonly expect this time as an opportunity to advance themselves by such an alliance The Emperour is first crowned with thorns before he puts on the Imperial Diadem in imitation of our Saviour or to express the troublesome employment that he is to undertake The Abuna puts both upon his head in the place appointed for the devotions of the people in the presence of all the Nobility of the Country At that time the Prisons are opened a thousand slaves are released at the Emperours charge and the poor are relieved actions that become a Christian Emperour besides a great Feast is kept several days with all the splendor that becomes so great a Prince and s● large a Fortune and great Revenue The present Emperou● name is Abraham he is a young man about thirty years of age his Meen is comely and pleasant his body is streight and tall the features of his face are very wel● proportioned so that he passet● for a great Beauty amongst them his eyes are quick and large he i● much delighted with the sport o● hunting the wild Beasts for tha● intent he keeps excellent Horse and great Mastives that are fetch● out of Indostan and Arabia th● chief Officers that are near his Person are his Bishur the Lieutenant General of his Armies the Zoroah the Treasurer and superintendant of his revenues the Bikir the grand Marshal of the Kingdom who is also the supream Judge of Affairs of consequence the Huloh the Secretary of State Diriharvah Neguz the Captain of the Guard or preserver of the great Emperours Person Satyrhab is the Chamberlain of his Houshold the Grashun is the keeper of his Horses several other Officers are in his Court whose names I omit when they come to their Emperour they bow their knee three times to the ground The Embassadours of the Infidels do never receive the honour of speaking to him but they are dealt with by the mediation of some appointed for that purpose The Abuna is much respected at Court what he speaks is received by all as a Law The former Emperour was a man of War but this is a Peace-maker to his own prejudice and that of his Subjects He hath this good quality that he is severe against all vices against Swearing and Drunkenness c. He is fitter to sit upon a peaceable Throne than to govern one that hath so many watchful enemies about it as his hath He is very inquisitive into all Affairs he suffers none to be dispatcht without his knowledge He is not easily over-ruled by Councel but sticks fast to his own opinion and resolution sometimes to his prejudice he is very Religious and a great observer of the Ceremonies of his Church hating all things that appear with the face of Innovation by this means it happens that all about him look so serious in their Religious duties and shew less profaness in their Practises their Princes example encourages them If any be named debauch'd he is certain to be disgrac'd as soon as the fame hath reach'd his Masters ear A great favourite of the Emperour one that attended on him continually was suspected to have some familiarity with anothers Wife the suspicion was blown by some envious persons into the Emperours ear who presently sent for him and dismissed him his service This good severity causeth his Laws to be well obeyed Did this Emperour know as well how to deal with his enemies as he doth know how to govern his Subjects he would be as much feared abroad as he is reverenced at home and all his Neighbours would stand in aw of him I doubt not but the Empire of Ethiopia would be again restored to its former Greatness could he but as well manage a Sword as a Scepter But that weakness is to be attributed to the manner and place of his Education he hath been shut within the narrow limits of a little Territory unto which he did confine his ambition when he was produced in the world his larger fortune did not increase his pretentions but being content to what he then enjoyed the increase was look'd upon as a super fluity besides this manner of Education weakens the spirits that should have a compass and a larger scope to act than a narrow

nothing memorable in this Kingdom but some places where the Inhabitants do pick up golden sand which they refine and sell to the Merchants of Melinde that bring hither their Camels This Country hath no Barley nor Wheat but instead of those grains they have Tafo Daguza seed with which they make a bread very pleasant to the taste but much more sweet than ours It grows in any ground the worst as well as the best nature hath thus provided for all Countries and people a means to supply themselves by their industry if they will make use of it This Country is extream hot and the most unfit for dwelling of any one that I have seen in the Territories of the Neguz the beams of the Sun beat against the sandy ground and meeting there with an obstinate resistance they return back into the face and uncovered part of the body so that it is not possible to walk here abroad about noon by reason of the excessive heat therefore the inhabitants do keep themselves within their Houses from ten of the clock until two In the Houses that are all thatcht and supported with posts it is very cool the Sun-beams have not the power to enter in through the Reeds Of Amara ALthough this Kingdom is directly under the Line there is not a more pleasant place to dwell in all over the world It is full of Mountains and Valleys about twenty leagues in circumference adorned with high Woods and Forrests the ground is extream fruitful the people very civil the Clergy devout the Nobles gallant and brave In the mountains are many little Villages planted in the low ground and in the midst of them is a strong Castle that looks like a Town for the outmost wall contain about two miles in circumference Here the Kings Children are kept with the Emperours as Hostages of their fidelity They are all trained up in several exercises the only inconveniency is that they are here confined to live which it may be to them is no inconveniency for they never see any thing else but these mountains and think the world hath no other place for a dwelling but here The Bishop of Amara a very grave man introduced us into the Castle where the Emperours Children were kept they were then but young the eldest was not above four years of age His countenance was promising we had a sight of the Gardens and Walks full of pleasant Fountains and Rivulets artificially brought into these high places The Walks were covered with a Tree not usual in our Country the branches were twisted one with another in such a manner that no Sun could penetrate them they were entertained always green for at the root of the Trees on both sides of the Walk a little Current of fresh water doth always run that refresheth the roots and preserveth them from the droughth of Summer It is as delicious a place as any I have seen in Europe the Children have the liberty to hunt and divert themselves out of the Walls of this Castle but they are never to go out of the mountains while their Father lives for that purpose a strict guard is kept at the passage where no man can go or come without leave It is both narrow and steepy made with the hand a few persons are able to keep it from all the world in the castle are places appointed for the exercise of the youth and over them they have Masters learned and experienced in all those Sciences and Disciplines that they are to know Here are excellent Astrologers for that is a Science unto which this Country people is addicted They have some here learned in the Arabian and Indian Tongues others that give themselves over to the study of Philosophy and Nature but very few do trouble their brains with Divinity this makes them less notional but more practical for they know no niceties in Cases of Conscience to excuse their actions and inclinations The other Kingdoms are less remarkable only that of Damut and Goiame are full of Mines of Gold The Emperour keeps them with above 6000 men in Arms continually Tegrai and Vangue are mountainous and peopled with wild beasts trees more than with men Xoa is rich and fruitful but in it nothing else remarkable Of the Religion of the Abyssins and of the manner of their Discipline THey do all profess the Christian faith with much zeal the Church of the Queen Candaces whose name they say was Indich first brought this Religion into their Country that was for the most part possessed with the Jewish St. Thomas afterwards went into that Country and there did confirm them in the Christian Religion obliging all the inhabitants by the greatness and number of his Miracles to embrace it Some opposition he met with from the Grandees that had always retained the Pagan superstitions especially in the Kingdom of Damut where there is a mountain that bears yet his name The Heathens subject to the Emperour of Aethiopia had got him into their possession and were resolved to make him suffer for the destruction and neglect of their Idols they had often attempted upon his life but neither Sword nor Poison could injure his Person they sought therefore to drown him in a lake and when that could not procure his death they shut him up in a Tower built in the top of these unpleasant mountains where he remained prisoner until an Angel took him from thence leaving all his keepers dead on the ground and brought him again to the Imperial Court where he complained of the violence and unjustice that had been done unto him which the Emperor going about to revenge raised an Army to seize upon the King of Damut that had consented to the imprisonment of the Apostle He remained here many years until he departed into the Indies where he preached also the Gospel He left behind him many thousand Christians and as they say he brought unto them the two books Abelil and Menda and established here the Discipline that is used amongst them with all the Ceremonies practised They and the Capties of Egypt differ much in point of ceremony but in belief they are Eutycheans as for the most part Some there are that have true and Orthodox opinions of Christ Here is the form of their belief published in writing amongst them by which we may judge of them further WE believe in the Name of the Holy Trinity the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit who are but one Lord three names but one Divinity three faces but one similitude The conjunction of the persons is equal in the Divinity for there is but one Kingdom one Throne one Judge one Charity one Word and one Spirit The word of the Father of the Son and the word of the Holy Ghost and the Son is the same word The word with God and with the holy Spirit and with himself is the son of the Father and from the Father without the least deficiency or division without

him the Abuna of our Church with all the rest of our Ecclesiastical and Civil Magistrates and Superiours but no other We religiously believe that there is a place where the less Regenerate persons do go after this life which is neither Hell nor Heaven what it is and what the souls do suffer in it we are not able to define We believe that none can be saved without the bloud of Jesus Christ that it is sufficient to cleanse us from all our sins without any other assistance and that we are not to trust upon the Merits of the Apostles and Saints that were but sinful men as we were We believe that there shall be a day of Judgement where Christ shall appear in glory to Judge all men that we must all appear before him to give an account of our actions and that after that we shall all either go to hell or heaven the wicked to everlasting burning and the Righteous to eternal bliss Amen This is the faith that the subjects of Precious Giam which we are to maintain until the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ God grant us grace that we may never forsake it notwithstanding all the persecutions and perswasions of the enemies of Christianity This addition was lately made since the Portugueses and other Europeans have travelled into those parts for when some Religious men did endeavour to perswade the Emperour to submit to the See of Rome and joyn with the other Christian Princes in their obedience to the Popes power He would never do it not would never suffer the divulging the opinions which we do embrace in Italy They do believe whatsoever is in their Books called Manda and Abetil as the Gospel it self they do fancy that the Apostles and Disciples being assembled together at Jerusalem did cause them to be written for the benefit of Christianity In them are contained these precepts To fast every Wednesday in remembrance of the wicked resolution of the Jews made upon that day to crucifie Christ To fast every Fryday because on that day Christ was crucified for our sins on these days it is commanded to fast untill the evening To observe forty dayes Lent especially the Passion week and then to feed upon nothing but bread and water To meet together on the Lords day and then to hear the Reading of the holy Writings of the Apostles and Prophets which are to be expounded by some appointed for that purpose To meet also upon the Sabbath-day and then to spend the time in prayer and holy duties in which days it is not permitted to do any servile work The Saturday they keep because God on that day had finished the great Work of the Creation of the world The Lords-day is also set apart for Religious duties because Christ on the first day of the week did rise from the dead Several other days of the year are kept holy some are those that are observed in our Church others are particular days appointed to continue the Memory of some great deliverances and particular favours which that Church and Empire have received They do believe that in their Festival days and in the Sabbath and Lords-day the souls of the damned are released from their torments until the Evening but that they can never come out of that place of darkness Some thoughts they have of Purgatory but not as we in the Catholick Church they do not think that Masses Prayers or any other pious actions can convey any benefit to the miserable souls that are there frying in the subterraneous ovens therefore they never bestow their Estates for the dead but when they are departed they leave them to their fortunes as they do us to ours One thing is very commendable amongst them when any are dead that have left some visible estate they send for the poorest persons of that place offer unto them gifts in the name of the deceased they make a Feast for others better qualified and spend two or three days in Mirth and jollity at the expences of the dead a custom derived from the Scythians who did thus rejoyce when their friends departed out of the world and did celebrate their entrance into it with the effusion of tears or rather this practice is derived from the belief of a Resurrection and the assurance that the party that is dead is free from all the sense of misery and affliction unto which the living are exposed daily They do not believe that Masses can redeem the souls of men from the punishments unto which they are liable by their miscarriages therefore they never see the Priest to huddle up before the Altar any prayers for them nor do the dying persons leave any annual rents for Masses to be said in remembrance of him or to fetch him out of the flames of Purgatory The Sacrament of the Eucharist they do administer sometimes every Sunday or Sabbath-day but as it was anciently practised by the the Christians of Primitive times in both kinds They are not afraid of that inconvenience that the wise men of our latter days have thought upon of profaning the bloud of Christ upon every unhallowed lip or by spilling it on the ground therefore the people do receive with the Priest in a most humble manner almost prostrate to the ground before they take it into their hands they make three bows to express the sacred Trinity of persons and then with lifted up eyes and hands they eat the wafer or the bread and drink of the cup kissing it before they part with it out of their hands They have as much reverence for that Sacrament as we in Italy but they do not think the bread to be Transubstantiated into flesh nor the wine into bloud nor do they pay any respect unto it but only when they do receive it I did enquire of some of them why they did eat it with that reverence seeing they did not fancy it other than our ordinary bread the answer was that it was consecrated to a holy use and that some respect was therefore due unto the Elements of Bread and Wine but when that should not be the most humble posture was most decent for those that received from Almighty God so great a favour as the signs of Christ Crucified They do not preserve either the Bread or Wine upon their Altars that are much like ours to another day nor do they send it to comfort the sick that custom they do not approve of because they may so frequently receive it every where that they do not stand in need of it in so short a time as their sick persons do continue in their crazie estate This custom they have amongst them that when any hath received the Bread and Wine he never ventures to spit all that day but retains all the humidity that flows into his mouth and swallows it for fear of casting to the ground any part of that Cup that was intended for to increase their faith This custom is kept so

and Bloud of Christ in the Sacrament since I am come into Portugal neither do I know wherefore I am esteemed amongst my Christian brethren as a Heathen and an excommunicated person which hath caused me much grief but to him that sees and Judges all things I remit my cause I am not sent by my most mighty Lord the Emperour of Ethiopia to the Bishop of Rome and the most Serene Prince John King of Portugal only to entertain them with disputations but to conclude a firm league and open a correspondency between them not to discourse about humane traditions but to inquire about the errours of Arrius the Prince of Hereticks and know whether the Christians of Europe do joyn with us in opposing his opinions and further that I might know whether it be the custom of the European Christians to assemble in Counsel twice every year about Matters of faith as the Apostles have commanded in their Synodial book the first assembly they order to be met on the day of Pentecosts the second on the tenth of October Besides I am come to know how we agree about the errours of Macedonius of Nestorius and of Eutiches about the last the Council of Calcedone assembled but the Bishops broke up the assembly before any Conclusion retaining their own opinions My Lord the most Mighty Emperour hath-all the books of the General Councel's and is much grieved so are all his subjects for the discords and errours these Tares that the Devil hath sown in the Lords field the Bishop of Rome we have always est comedus the first and most powerful Bishop of the world and were it not for the Mahumetans whose Country being between us do hinder our passage for the great distance of places we should send to his Court very often King Emanuel of blessed Memory did first open a way to us from the Red sea c. Having spoken of these things I will say something of our Emperour of our Patriarch You must know first that our Patriarch is thus solemnly elected by and out of our Monks of Jerusalem that there do dwell at the Sepulchre of our Lord. When the old Patriarch is dead the Emperour dispatches away with all speed an express to the Monks that live at Jerusalem as soon as they have received the news of the death of the Abuna with the Presents that the Emperour sends to our Saviours Sepulchre they proceed to the election of another Abuna whom they chuse by the plurality of voices It is not lawful to pitch upon another for that office but only upon an Inhabitant of Alexandria and upon one whose life is irreproachable When they have chosen him they give unto him his dispatches with the messenger that came to give them notice of the former Abuna's death They go together to Grand Cairo to meet the Egyptian Patriarch that hath there his ordinary residence to the end that he may be acquainted with the election The Patriarch when he approves of the sufficiency of the person for so eminent an office he sends him into Ethiopia with the messenger who must always be according to the ancient custom a Monk of the Order of St. Anthony the Hermite with him this messenger hasten● towards Ethiopia wherewith all expressions of joy and honour they are received of all men Sometimes a year or two passes before this business can be dispatched In the mean while the Neguz disposes of the great Revenue of the Abuna according to his pleasure Now the chief office of an Abuna is to confer Holy Orders none but he can give them or ought to take them away or degrade the Priests He never affects to meddle with the giving of Bishopricks or of Benefices that do belong to the Precious ●iam who may do with them according to his pleasure And when the Patriarch or Abuna is dead the Emperour is the Heir of his Estate which is very great It belongs also to the Patriarch to excommunicate contumacious offenders He never grants any Indulgencies of those penalties that are imposed for grievous faults The Sacraments of the Church are never prohibited to any unless it be for the crime of Murder Our Patriarch is called in our language Abuna he that is at present in this place is called at his baptism Mark a man aged of about 100 years Moreover it is to be noted that we begin the year the first of September which is with us the Eve of St. John Baptists day the rest of the Feast days we keep at the same time that they are kept by the Church of Rome We must not omit that St. Philip the Apostle came into our Country and did there preach the Gospel of our Saviour Christ You must further know the name of our Emperour that it is Precious John or ●iam and no● Priest John as here it is falsly reported for it is written in our language ●iam Belul that is Precius or high John in the Chaldaique Language it is written John E●coe which hath the same interpretation Precious or excellent John He is not to be named Emperour of the Abyssins as Matth. hath written but of the Ethiopians He being an Armenian could not know our affairs perfectly especially those that concern our Religion for that reason he declared many things to King Emanuel of happy Memory which are not so amongst us not out of any design of deceiving him for ●e was a good man but because ●e was well acquainted with our Religion The Empire many times doth ●ot fall to the share of the Eldest Son of the Emperour but to him ●nto whom the Father will give ●● He that now governs is the ●hird Son of the last Emperour ●e hath deserved that honour by ●is piety and respect which he had ●or his Father for when he was ●pon his death-bed he commanded all his Sons one after another ●o sit upon the Imperial Throne which they did he only excepted Far be it from me said he that I ●hould ascend to the Seat of my Lord and Father which pious mo●esty procured him the Empire ●●om his Father his name is David his Empire is very large and contains both Christians and Heathens In it are many Kings and Princes Earls Barons Grandees and much Nobility that is mo 〈…〉 obedient to him Gold and Silver are given and exchanged by weight Amongst us are many Towns and Cities but not such as I have seen in Portugal because Precious Giam doth always live i● a flying Camp and in Tents This Custom is observed that the Nobility might exercise themselves continually in Military Actions for we are surrounded on all with sides the enemies of our faith with whom we have often many Conflicts always or for the most part with success through the goodness of God This is the account Zaga Za●i gives of his own Country his Relation may be consulted by those that desire more satisfaction for brevity sake much of it is omitted Scaliger in the eighth Book