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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A06339	A report of the kingdome of Congo, a region of Africa And of the countries that border rounde about the same. 1. Wherein is also shewed, that the two zones torrida & frigida, are not onely habitable, but inhabited, and very temperate, contrary to the opinion of the old philosophers. 2. That the blacke colour which is in the skinnes of the Ethiopians and Negroes &c. proceedeth not from the sunne. 3. And that the Riuer Nilus springeth not out of the mountains of the Moone, as hath been heretofore beleeued: together with the true cause of the rising and increasing thereof. 4. Besides the description of diuers plants, fishes and beastes, that are found in those countries. Drawen out of the writinges and discourses of Odoardo Lopez a Portingall, by Philippo Pigafetta. Translated out of Italian by Abraham Hartwell.; Relatione del reame di Congo. English	Lopes, Duarte.; Pigafetta, Filippo, 1533-1604.; Hartwell, Abraham, b. 1553.; Rogers, William, b. ca. 1545, engraver. aut	1597 (1597)	STC 16805; ESTC S108820	127,173	219

place they encountred other Lordes that for the same purpose were sent by the King to receiue the Christians who were the messengers and bringers of so great a ioy When they were come within three miles neere to the Cittie all the Court came to entertaine and welcome the Portingalles with all manner of pompe and ioyfulnes and with musicke and singing as in those countreyes is vsed vppon their solemnest feast-daies And so great was the multitude of people which abounded in the streets that there was neyther tree nor hillocke higher then the rest but it was loaden with those that were runne forth and assembled to viewe these strangers which brought vnto them this newe law of their saluation The King himselfe attended them at the gate of his pallace in a Throne of estate erected vpon a high scaffold where hee did publikely receiue them in such manner and sorte as the auncient kinges of that Realme accustomed to doe when any Embassadours came vnto him or when his tributes were paied him or when any other such Royall ceremonies were performed And first of all the Embassador declared the Embassage of the King of Portingall which was expounded and interpreted by the foresaid Priest that was the principall authour of the conuersion of those people After the embassage was thus deliuered the King raysed himselfe out of his seate and standinge vpright vppon his feete did both with his countenaunce and speech shew most euident signes of the great ioy that he had conceyued for the comming of the Christians and so sate downe againe And incontinently all the people with shouting and sounding their trumpets singing and other manifest arguments of reioycing did approue the kinges wordes and shewed their exceeding good liking of this Embassage And further in token of obedience they did three times prostrate themselues vpon the grounde and cast vp their feete according to the vse of those kingdomes thereby allowing and commending the action of their king and most affectionately accepting of the Gospell which was brought vnto them from the Lorde God by the handes of those religious persons Then the king tooke view of all the presentes that were sent him by the King of Portingall and the Vestimentes of the Priestes and the Ornamentes of the Altar and the Crosses and the Tables wherein were depainted the Images of Saintes and the Streamers and the Banners and all the rest and with incredible attention caused the meaning of euery one of them to bee declared vnto him one by one And so withdrewe himselfe and lodged the Embassadour in a pallace made ready of purpose for him and all the rest were placed in other houses of seuerall Lordes where they were furnished with all plentie and ease The day following the King caused all the Portingalles to bee assembled together in priuate where they deuised of the course that was to be taken for the christening of the king and for effecting the full conuersion of the people to the christian faith And after sundry discourses it was resolued and concluded that first of all a Church shoulde be builded to the end that the christening and other ceremonies therevnto belonging might be celebrated therein with the more solemnity and in the meane while the king and the Court should be taught and instructed in the Christian Religion The king presently commaunded that with all speed prouision should be made of all manner of stuffe necessary for this building as Timber Stone Lime and Bricke according to the direction and appoiutment of the Worke-maisters and Masons which for that purpose were brought out of Portingall But the Deuill who neuer ceaseth to crosse all good and holy proceedinges raysed new dissentions and conspiracies and lettes against this promoting of the Christian Faith which in deede began to ouerthrowe and destroy the power that hee had long helde in that Realme and in steed thereof to plant the most healthfull tree of the Crosse and the worship of the Gospell And this hee did by procuring a rebellion among certaine people of the Anzichi and of Anzicana which dwell vpon both the bankes of the Riuer Zaire from the foresaid falles vpwardes to the great Lake and are subiect and belonging to the King of Congo Now this monstrous Riuer being restrained and kept backe by these falles doeth swell there mightily and spreadeth it selfe abroade in a very large and deepe channell In the breadth whereof there are many Islandes some small and some great so that in some of them there may be maintayned about thirtie thousande persons In these Islandes and in other places adioyninge to the riuers thereaboutes did the people make an insurrection and renounced their obedience to the king and slew the Gouernours that hee had sent thether to rule And all this was done by the Deuill of purpose to interrupt the propagation of Christianity which was now begunne and to hinder it by the meanes of this rebellion But the King by the inspiration of God prouided a good remedy for this mischiefe and sent thether his eldest sonne called Mani-Sundi within whose Prouince that countrey lyeth And yet afterwardes the trouble and tumult fell out to be so great daungerous that the king must needes go himselfe in person to pacifie these broyles howbeit hee resolued to be baptised before his going and so was enforced to forbeare the building of the Church of Stone and with all speed in steed thereof to erect one of timber which Church hee in his owne person with the aduice of the Portingalles did accomplish in such manner and sort as it ought to be and therein did receiue the Sacrament of holy Baptisme and was named Don Giouanni and his wife Donna Eleonora after the names of the king and Queene of Portingall and the Church it selfe intituled and dedicated to S. Sauiour But here it is to be noted that all these stirs and rebellion of the people aforesaide arose by the cunning sleight instigation of the Deuill not of the poore soules themselues that dwell in those Islandes of the Great Lake as it is written in the first booke of the histories of the Indies lately set forth in latine For the Lake is distant from the confines of the Cittie of Congo about two hundred miles neyther had the inhabitants thereaboutes any knowledge of Congo but onely by hearesay in those dayes and very little they haue of it as yet at this day And besides that the booke is faultie in the name of that people that rebelled for it calleth them Mundiqueti whereas in deede the Portingalles do rightly call them Anziqueti The same day wherein the king was baptised diuers other Lords following his example were baptised likewise hauing first learned certaine principles of the Christian Fayth And when all this was done the kinge went in person to dispearse the turbulent attemptes of his aduersaries against whom he found the Prince his sonne and

because it is the plainer tonge but the people of Congo do very hardely learne the language of the Anzichi And when I once demaunded what their religion was it was tolde mee they were Gentils and that was all that I could learne of them Chap. 6. Of the East coast of the Kingdome of Congo and the confines thereof THe East Coast of the kingdome of Congo beginneth as we haue tolde you at the meeting of the Riuer Vumba and the Riuer of Zaire and so with a line drawen towardes the South in equall distance from the Riuer Nilus which lyeth on the left hande it taketh vp a great mountaine which is very high not inhabited in the toppes thereof called the mountaine of Christal because there is in it great quantity of Christal both of the mountaine and of the cliffe and of all sorts And then passing on further includeth the hilles that are called Sierras de Sol that is to say the hilles of the Sunne because they are exceeding high And yet it neuer snoweth vpon them neyther doe they beare any thing but are very bare and without any trees at all On the leaft hand there arise other hils called the hilles of Sal-Nitrum because there is in thē great store of that Mineral And so cutting ouer the riuer Berbela that commeth out of the first Lake there endeth the ancient bound of the kingdome of Congo on the East Thus then the east coast of this kingdome is deriued from the meeting of the two foresaid riuers Vumba and Zaire vntill you come to the lake Achelunda and to the Countrey of Malemba contayning the space of sixe hundred miles From this lyne which is drawen in the easterne coast of Congo to the riuer Nilus and to the two Lakes whereof mention shalbe made in conuenient place there is the space of 150. miles of ground wel inhabited and good store of hils which do yeeld sundry mettalles with much linnen and cloth of the Palme tree And seeing wee are now come to this point of this discourse it will be very necessary to declare vnto you the maruellous arte which the people of this countrey and other places thereabouts do vse in making cloathes of sundry sortes as Veluets shorne and vnshorne cloth of Tinue Sattens Taffata Damaskes Sarcenettes and such like not of any silken stuffe for they haue no knowledge of the Silkewormes at all although some of their apparell bee made of silke that is brought thether from our Countreys But they weaue their cloathes aforenamed of the leaues of Palme trees which trees they alwayes keepe vnder and lowe to the grounde euery yeare cutting them and watering them to the ende they may grow smal and tender against the new spring Out of these leaues being cleansed purged after their manner they drawe forth their threedes which are all very fine and dainty and all of one euennesse sauing that those which are longest are best esteemed For of those they weaue their greatest peeces These stuffes they worke of diuers fashions as some with a nappe vpon them like Veluet on both sides and other cloath called Damaskes braunched with leaues and such other thinges the Broccati which are called High and Lowe and are farre more precious then ours are This kinde of cloath no man may weare but the king and such as it pleaseth him The greatest peeces are of these Broccati for they contayne in length fower and fiue spannes and in breadth three and foure spannes and are called Incorimbas by the name of the countrey where it groweth which is about the Riuer Vumba The Veluettes are called Enzachas of the same bignesse and the Damaskes Insulas and the Rasi Maricas and the Zendadi Tangas the Ormesini Engombos Of the lighter sort of these stuffes they haue greater peeces which are wrought by the Anzichi and are sixe spannes long and fiue spannes broade wherewith euery man may apparell himselfe according to his habilitie Besides that they are very thicke and sounde to keepe out the water and yet very light to weare The Portingalles haue lately begun to vse them for tents and boothes which do maruellously resist both water and winde Chap. 7. Of the confines of the kingdome of Congo towardes the South THis Easterne Coast as it is before set downe endeth in the mountain called Serras de Plata that is the mountaines of siluer and there beginneth the fourth and last border of the kingdome of Congo towardes the South that is to say from the foresaide mountaine to the Bay of Cowes on the West contayning in length the space of foure hundred fifty miles And this Southerne line doth parte the kingdome of Angola in the middle and leaueth on the left hand of it the foresaide mountaines of Siluer and further beyond them towardes the South the Kingdome of Matama which is a great kingdome very mighty and absolute of it selfe and sometimes in amity and sometimes at vtter enmitie with the kingdome of Angola The king of Matama is in religion a Gentile and his kingdome stretcheth towardes the South to the riuer Brauagal and neere to the mountains commonly called the Mountaynes of the Moone and towardes the east bordereth on the Westerne bankes of the riuer Bagamidri and so crosseth ouer the riuer Coari This countrey aboundeth in vaultes of Christall and other mettalles and all manner of victuaile and good ayre And although the people thereof their neighbour borderers do trafficke together Yet the King of Matama and the king of Angola doo oftentimes warre one against the other as we told you before And this riuer Bagamidri diuideth the kingdome of Matapa from the kingdome of Monomata which is towards the East and whereof Iohn de Barros doth most largely discourse in the first Chapter of his tenth booke Towardes the sea coast there are diuers Lordes that take vpon them the title of kinges but indeed they are of very base and slender estate Neyther are there any portes or hauens of any account or name in the riuers there And nowe forasmuch as wee haue oftentimes made mention of the kingdome of Angola this will be a very conuenient place for vs to intreate thereof because it hath beene heretofore saide that the king of Angola being in times past but a Gouernour or Deputy vnder the king of Congo although since that tyme he is become a good Christian yet hath he made himselfe a free and an absolute Prince and vsurped all that quarter to his owne iurisdiction which before hee had in regiment and gouernement vnder another And so afterwards in time conquered other countries thereabouts insomuch as he is now growen to bee a great Prince a rich and in power little inferiour to the king of Congo himselfe and therefore eyther payeth tribute or refuseth to pay tribute vnto him euen at his owne good pleasure It came to passe that Don Giouanni the second being king of Portingall

A REPORTE OF THE KINGdome of CONGO a Region of AFRICA And of the Countries that border rounde about the same 1. Wherein is also shewed that the two Zones Torrida Frigida are not onely habitable but inhabited and very temperate contrary to the opinion of the olde Philosophers 2. That the blacke colour which is in the skinnes of the Ethiopians Negroes c. proceedeth not from the Sunne 3. And that the Riuer Nilus springeth not out of the mountains of the Moone as hath beene heretofore beleeued Together with the true cause of the rysing and increase thereof 4. Besides the description of diuers plantes Fishes and Beastes that are founde in those Countries Drawen out of the writinges and discourses of Odoardo Lopes a Portingall by Philippo Pigafetta Translated out of Italian by Abraham Hartwell LONDON Printed by Iohn Wolfe 1597. To the most Gracious and Reuerende Father in God IOHN by the prouidence of God Lord Archbishop of Canterbury Primate and Metropolitane of all Englande and one of the Lordes of her Maiesties most honorable Priuie Councell MOst Reuerend Father my singular good and gracious Lorde In all humble dutie I do offer to your grace this poor and slender present in auspicium nascentis anni which I doe most hartely pray may bee as happie and prosperous both for your health and quiet gouernement as thanks be to God your latter yeares haue beene It is a description of a certaine Region or Kingdome in Africa called Congo whose name is as yet scarce knowen to our quarters of Europe neyther is there any great or solemne mention of it in any bookes that haue beene published of that Third parte of the old World And because this treatise doeth comprehend not onely the nature and disposition of the Moci-Conghi which are the naturall inhabitantes and people of Congo together with all the commodities and trafficke of that Countrey very fitte and pleasaunt to be reade but also the religion which they professed and by what meanes it pleased God to draw them from Paganisme to Christianity I thought good thus to make it knowen to my countreymen of England to the end it might be a president for such valiant English as do earnestly thirst and desire to atchieue the conquest of rude and barbarous Nations that they doo not attempt those actions for commodity of Gold and Siluer and for other transitorie or worldly respectes but that they woulde first seeke the Kingdome of God the saluation of many thousand soules which the common enemie of mankinde still detayneth in ignorance and then all other thinges shall be put in their mouthes aboundantly as may bee seene by the Portingalles in this narration Written it was by one Philippo Pigafetta an Italian and a very good Mathematician from the mouth of one Lopez a Portingal together with two maps the one particular of Congo the other generall of all Africa and especially of the Westerne Coast from 34. degrees beyond the Aequinoctial northwardes downe along to the Cape of Good-Hope in the South and so vpwardes againe on the Easterne Coast by the great Island of Madagascar otherwise called the Isle of S. Laurence til you come to the Isle of Socotora then to the Redde Sea and from Aegypt into the Inland Southwards to the Empire of Presbiter-Iohn I beseech your grace to accept of this my poore trauell and I will not cease to pray to Almightie God according to my dutie that hee will multiply many good years vpon you vnder the happy gouernment of our most gracious soueraigne Lady Queene Elizabeth wherevnto the Church of Englande is bound to say Amen From your Graces house in Lambehith the first of Ianuarie 1597. Your Graces most humble Seruant at commaundement Abraham Hartwell ❧ The Translator to the Reader I Finde it true that Sophocles writeth in his Whipp-bearer Aiax 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Labor labori laborem adfert that is to say Labour doth breede labour vpon labour For after that the translation of the Booke contayning the Warres betweene the Turkes and Persians written by Iohn-Thomas Minadoi was published diuers of my friends haue earnestly moued me to be still doing somewhat and to help our English Nation that they might knowe and vnderstand many things which are common in other languages but vtterly concealed from this poore Island I haue aunswered some of these my friends to their good satisfaction and told them that the weakenesse of my body would not suffer me to sit long that the houres of my leasure were not many vnlesse I should vnduetifully defraude those to whome I am most beholden and bounden of that duty and attendance which I owe vnto them and lastly that I had no great pleasure to learne or informe my selfe of the state of other Nations because I do not as yet sufficiently know the Estate of mine owne Countrey Whereof I am verily perswaded I may iustly auouch that which Vlysses protested of his Ithaca 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Then which poore Countrey can I neuer see any sweeter Among others that made these Motions vnto me one there was who being a curious and a diligent searcher and obseruer of Forreine aduentures and aduenturers as by his good paines appeareth came vnto me to the house of a graue and learned Prelate in Suffolke where I lay in my returne out of Norffolke and there made the like request vnto me and I the like answere vnto him But it would not satisfie him for he sayd it was an answere answerelesse and it should not serue my turne And presently presented me with this Portingall Pilgrime lately come to him out of the Kingdome of Congo and apparrelled in an Italian vesture intreating me very earnestly that I would take him with me and make him English for he could report many pleasant matters that he sawe in his pilgrimage which are indeed vncouth and almost incredible to this part of Europe When I sawe there was no remedie I yeelded and euen as the Poet saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I brought him away with mee But within two houres conference I found him nibling at two most honourable Gentlemen of England whome in plaine tearmes he called Pirates so that I had much adoo to hold my hands from renting of him into many mo peeces then his Cosen Lopez the Doctor was quartered Yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 My second wits stayed me and aduised me that I should peruse all his Report before I would proceede to execution which in deede I did And because I sawe that in all the rest of his behauiour hee conteyned himselfe very well and honestly and that he vsed this lewd speech not altogether exanimo but rather ex vitio gentis of the now-inueterate hatred which the Spanyard and Portingall beare against our Nation I was so bold as to pardon him and so taught him to speake the English toung In which language if you will vouchsafe to heare him hee will tell you many notable

trafficke the same marchaundises which we mentioned before But to returne to the voyage of S. Thomas Departing from thence towardes the South wee found the Cape of Lupo Gonzale which standeth in the altitude of one degree beyonde the Equinoctiall towardes the Pole Antarctike a hundred fiue miles distant from the foresaid Isle And from thence they sayle with land winds creeping stil all along the coast and euery day casting ancre in some safe place either behynde some point or else in some hauen vntill they come to the mouth of the greatest Riuer in Congo called in their tongue Zaire which signifieth in Latine Sapio in English I knowe From whence if ye will go through to the hauen of Loanda yee must saile the length of an hundred and fourescore miles These bee the two voyages by sea that bee vsed from the Islande of San Iacomo which is one of those Islandes that before wee tolde you were the Islandes of Capo verde was but a little while ago first begun to be frequented And nowe it is time to intreate of the kingdome of Congo and all the conditions thereof Chap. 2. Of the temperature of the ayre of the kingdome of Congo and whether it bee very colde or hote whether the men be white or blacke whether are more or lesse blacke they that dwell in the hilles or those that dwell in the playnes Of the winds and the raynes and the snowes in those quarters and of what stature and semblaunce the men of that Countrey are THe Kingdome of Congo in the middle part therof is distant from the Equinoctiall towardes the Pole Antarctike iust where the Cittie called Congo doth lie seuen degrees and two thirdes so that it standeth vnder the Region which auncient writers thought to be vnhabitable and called it Zona Torrida that is to say a Cincture or Girdle of the earth which is burnt by the heat of the Sun wherin they are altogether deceiued For the habitation there is exceeding good the ayre beyonde all credite temperate the winter nothing so rough but is rather like Autumne in this Region of Rome The people vse no furres nor chaunge of apparell they come not neere the fire neither is the colde in the toppes of the Mountaines greater then that which is in the plaines but generally in Winter time the ayre is more hote then it is in sommer by reason of their continual raynes and especially about two houres before after Noone so that it can hardely be endured The men are blacke so are the women and some of them also somewhat inclyning to the colour of the wilde Oliue Their hayre is black curled and some also red The stature of the men is of an indifferent bignes and excepting their blacknes they are very like to the Portingalles The apples of their eies are of diuerse colours blacke and of the colour of the sea Their lips are not thicke as the Nubians and other Negroes are and so likewise their countenaunces are some fat some leane and some betweene both as in our countreyes there are and not as the Negroes of Nubia and Guinea which are very deformed Their nights and their daies doo not greatly differ for in all the whole yeare yee shall not discerne the difference betweene them to bee more then a quarter of an houre The Winter in this countrey to speake at large beginneth at the same time that our Spring here beginneth that is to say when the Sun entreth into the Northren signes in the Moneth of March. And at the same time that we haue our winter whē the Sun entreth into the Southern Signs in the moneth of September then beginneth their sommer In their winter it rayneth 5. monethes almost continually that is to say in April May June July August Of faire daies they haue but a few because the raine falleth so greatly the drops of it are so big as it is a wonder to see These waters doe maruellously supple the grounde which is then very drie by reason of the heate of the Sommer past wherein it neuer rayneth for the space of sixe monethes together and after the ground is full and as it were ingorged with water then do the riuers swell beyond all credite and are so replenished with troubled waters that all the countrey is surrounded by them The windes which blow in these Moones through all this region are the very selfe same that Cesar calleth by a Greeke worde Etesij that is to say Ordinary euery yeare whereby are meant those winds that in the Cearde are noted from the North to the West and from the North to the Northeast These windes doo driue the cloudes to the huge and high mountaines whereupon they rush with very great violence and being there staied of their owne nature they are afterwardes melted into water So that when it is likely to raine you shall see the cloudes standing as it were vpon the toppes of their highest hils And hence ariseth the encreasing and augmentation of the riuers that spring in Aethiopia and especially of Nilus and others that discharge themselues into the east and west Ocean And in the kingdome of Congo and Guinea through which runneth the riuer Nigir so called by the auncient writers and by the newe termed Senega you shall see the saide riuer encrease at the very selfe same time that Nilus doth but in deed carrieth his waters towards the west directly against the Islandes of Capo Verde whereas Nilus runneth by the Isle of Meroe in Egipt towardes the North refreshing and watering all those Regions that are full of scorching heates and wildernesses and deserts Now for as much as in the regions of Congo and Aethiopia it is alwaies wont to rayne euery yeare at a certaine set tyme the swelling and ouerflowing of the riuers there is of no great consideration nor any straunge accident to make accompt of But in the Countries that are farre distant and very drie as in Aegypt where it neuer raineth sauing onely in Alexandria and the territories thereof it is accounted a maruellous matter to see euery yeare so great a quantity of thicke troubled water come vppon them from places so remote at a certaine set tyme without missing which water doth quicken the grounde and ministreth foode both to man and beast And therevpon the auncients did sacrifice to that riuer calling it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the good God as Ptolomy noteth in his fourth booke Yea and some of our Christians at this day doo hold it for a miracle So that without these waters they shoulde perish for hunger because their liues do depende vpon this increase of the water as S. Chrysostome saith Thus these windes called by Cesar Etesij and by the Portugalles Generali do blow with vs in Sommer but with them in winter and carry the cloudes vnto the toppes of those huge mountaines which make them to melt into

to such an excessiue compasse and widenes that it is a wonder as may be seene in the discourse touching the Cape of Good-Hope and all these kingdomes of Congo and the Countreyes there adioyning where there are Lakes of so extraordinarie a bignesse that in the languages of those Regions they are not called Lakes but Seas And thus you see how the Riuer Nilus in the times and seasons before mentioned on the one side doeth runne most furiously from those Countries into the North to water Aegypt and the Riuer Zaire and the Riuer Nigir on the other side Westwarde and Eastwarde and towardes the South other huge and monstrous Riuers which at certaine determined and limited times doo neuer faile to encrease as Nilus doeth And this is the effect of them which is ordinarily seene euery yeare especially in Cairo and ouer all Aegypt where Nilus beginneth to ryse about the ende of Iune and continueth his rising till the twentith of September as I haue seene my selfe But the occasion and cause of this encrease hath beene vntill this present time very secret and obscure and although the ancient writers beginning euen at Homere haue after a sorte and in generall tearmes leaft in writing that Nilus doeth increase by raine yet haue they not so distinctly and plainely discoursed thereof as Signor Odoardo hath done and testified the same by his owne view and knowledge For some there were that haue assigned the cause of this ouerflowing to bee the raine that commeth from the Mountaines of the Moone Others haue attributed it to the snowes that are melted in those Mountaines yet Nilus doth not swell or ryse any thing neere to the Mountaines of the Moone but a great way from them towards the North and besides that the season of winter doeth rather breed Snow then yeeld any heate to melt it And now that I haue with good diligence enquired of Signor Odoardo these matters aboue written vpon such pointes as I had before plotted to my selfe and hee also propounding the rest vnto mee of his owne meere motion like a man of high conceite as in truth he is and satisfying me with such aunsweres as are set downe in this discourse yet I doo assure my selfe that euery man will not rest fully contented and satisfyed herewith especially such as are curious and practised in matters of the worlde and skilfull in the Sciences The Geographer woulde peraduenture desire to vnderstand more and the Phisician and the maister of Mineralles and the Historiographer and the Marchaunt and the Marriner and the Preacher and some others that are different from these in respect of their profession But Signor Odoardo hath promised with as much speed as possible he may to returne to Rome from Congo whether he sayled presently after he had finished this treatise which was in May 1589. with very ample informations and further instructions for the supplying of that which here wanteth touching Nilus and his originall and such other matter In the meane time that little which is contayned in these few leaues is not very little But yet if perhaps there be any thing found therein that may be eyther profitable or straunge or delightfull or fit to passe away the time and to driue away Melancholie let it bee wholly ascribed to the right noble and Reuerend Father my Lorde Antonie Migliore Bishop of San Marco and Commendador of Santo Spirito who was the authour of this worke to be published for the common benefit FINIS A TABLE OF THE CHAPTERS CONtayned in the first Booke of The Report of the Kingdome of Congo THe iourney by Sea from Lisbone to the Kingdome of Congo Chap. I. fol. 1. Of the temperature of the ayre of the kingdome of Congo and whether it bee very colde or hot whether the men bee white or blacke Whether are more or lesse blacke they that dwell in the hilles or those that dwell in the plaines Of the winds and the raines and the snowes in those quarters and of what stature and semblaunce the men of that Countrey are Chapter II. fol. 13. Whether the children which are begotten by Portingalles being of a white skinne and borne in those Countries by the women of Congo be blacke or white or tawney like a wilde Oliue whom the Portingalles call Mulati Chap. III. fol 18. Of the circuite of the kingdome of Congo and of the borders and confines thereof And first of the Westerne Coast. Chap. IIII. fol. 20. Of the North coast of the Kingdome of Congo and the confines thereof Chap. V. fol. 30. Of the East coast of the Kingdome of Congo and the Confines thereof Chap. VI. fol. 38 Of the Confines of the Kingdome of Congo towardes the South Chap. VII fol. 43. Of the circuite of the Kingdome of Congo possessed by the King that now is according to the foure borders aboue described Chap. VIII fol. 58. The sixe Prouinces of the Kingdome of Congo and first of the Prouince of Bamba Chap. IX fol. 60. Of the Prouince of Sogno which is the Countrey of the Riuer Zaire and Loango Chap. X. fol. 94. Of the third Prouince ealled Sundi Chap. XI fol. 96. Of the fourth Prouince called Pango Chap. XII fol. 99. Of the fifth Prouince called Batta Chap. XIII fol. 100. Of the sixt and last Prouince called Pemba Chap. XIIII fol. 104 A Table of the Chapters contayned in the seconde Booke OF the situation of the Royall Cittie of the Kingdome of Congo Chap. 1. fol. 107 Of the Originall beginning of Christendome in the Kingdome of Congo and how the Portingalles obtayned this trafficke Chap. II. fol. 118. Don Iohn the first Christian King being dead Don Alfonso his sonne succeeded Of his warres against his brother Of certaine miracles that were wrought and of the conuersion of those people Chap. III. fol. 133. The death of King Don Alfonso and the succession of Don Piedro How the Island of S. Thomas was first inhabited of the Bishop that was sent thether Other great accidentes that happened by occasion of Religion The death of two Kinges by the conspiracie of the Portingalles and the Lords of Congo How the Kings lineage was quite extinguished The banishment of the Portingals Chap. IIII. fol. 150. The incursions of the people challed Giachas in the Kingdome of Congo Their conditions and weapons And the taking of the Royall Cittie Chap. V. fol. 159. The King of Portingall sendeth ayde and an Embassadour to the King of Congo The knowledge of the Mettall Mines which abound in Congo is denyed the King of Portingall At the same time the King of Congo dispatcheth Embassadours to the King of Spaine to request Priestes of him and what befell vnto them He sendeth diuers proofes of the mettalles The vowe of Odoardo Lopes Chap. VI. fol. 163 Of the Court of the King of Congo Of the apparell of that people before they became Christians and after Of the Kinges Table and manner of his Court Chap. VII fol. 177 Of the

Saint Thomas Isle in Portingall Don Sebastiano was faine to returne into Congo without any Priestes Antonio de gli Oua sent by the Portingall King to be Bishop of S. Thomas aud Congo He is persecuted by the Captain of S. Thomas He is honorablie receyued by the K. of Congo Don Sebastian K. of Portingal ouerthrowen in Africa Don Henrico the Cardinall succeedeth Philip K. of Spaine succeedeth the Cardinall K. Philip sendeth Sebastiano di Costa to Congo to signifie his arriuall to the Crowne of Portingall The King of Congo offereth K. Philip of Spaine the discouery of the Mettall mines in Congo with request for Priestes Costa dyeth by the way and his message knowen by letters that were found The King of Congo sendeth Odoardo Lopez to the King of Spaine to the Pope with letters of credence and instructions The Embasage of Odoardo Lopez to the K. of Spain His Embassage to the Pope Odoardo Lopez at the Islandes of Cape Verde The Isle of Cubagoa The Isle of S. Margarete Cumana or the new kingdom of Granada in the West Indies The ship sunk in the hauen Odoardo Lopez stayeth in Cumana a yeare and a halfe The King of Congo sendeth Don Piedro Antonio and Gaspar Diaz a Portingal with the same Embassage which hee sent by Lopez Don Piedro taken by the English and by misfortune drowned and his sonne with him Gaspar Diaz escaped and arriued in Spaine but returned into Congo without doing any thing at all The blacknes of a mans skinne is not caused by the heat of the sunne Odoardo Lopez sayleth to San Domingo Lopez in a Portingal ship commeth with the fleete to Terzera to S. Lucar to Siuile so into Portingal Lopez goeth to the Spanish Court in Madrill Aluaro King of Congo dieth K. Philip busied about the conquest of England Odoardo Lopez chaungeth his kind of profession Lopez goeth to Rome where he was kindly entertayned by the Pope The vow of Odoardo Lopez to erect a Seminary an Hospitall in Congo The Pope remitteth the whole matter to the K. of Spaine The auncient apparell of the King of Congo and his Courtiers The auncient apparell of the maaner sort Their new kind of apparell The Court of Congo now imitateth the Court of Portingall The custome and lawes of Congo Their manner of assemblies Their instruments of Musicke Their Phisick Their medicine for an Ague Their medicine for the head-ache other griefes of the body is letting of blood Their medicine for the French pocks Their Purgations Curing of woundes The kingdom of Matama R. Brauagul R. Magnice The mountaines of the Moone The Lake Gale Camissa 1. The sweet Riuer The False Cape The Cape of the Needles Another note That the colour of blacke in mens skins doeth not proceed from the heat of the Sunne The Cape of Good-Hope very dangerous This is a Point of the Cape of Good-Hope Why it is called the Cape of Good-Hope Seno Formoso Seno del Lago Riuer of Saint Christopher Terra do Nadal Capo della Pescheria R. Magnice The Kingdome of Buttua The Kingdom of Monomotapa R. Brauagul Store of Gold Mines The originall of the Riuer Magnice Three Riuers runne into Magnice 1. R. Nagoa 2. R. Margues Nilus ariseth not out of the Mountaines of the Moone 3. R. Arroe The R. of Cuama The kingdom of Sofala The commodities of Sofala Gold Iuory and Amber The Inhabitants of Sofala The Empire of Monomotapa full of Gold-Mines Salomons Gold The people of Monomotapa The K. of Monomotapa maintaineth many Armies Left-handed Amazons The situation of the Empire of Monomotapa The kingdom of Angoscia The kingdom of Mozambique R. Meghincate The Island of Mozambique The inhabitants of Mozambique The kingdome of Quiloa The Island of Quiloa the inhabitants thereof The King of Quiloa ouerthrowen by the Portingals and driuen out of the Island The commendation of the Isle of S. Laurence Historia della China Part. 3. Cap. vltimo La grand ' Isola di S. Lorenzo lunga 275. leghe larga 90. id est The great Island of S. Laurence is in length 275. leagues and in breadth 90. leagues The last Chapter of the historie of the Kingdome of China printed in Macao the first Latine booke that euer was printed in China maketh mention of this Island by the name of Madagascar in these words Madagascar trecentas fere leucas comprehendit id ist Madagascar containeth almost 300. leagues The inhabitants of the Isle of Saint Laurence Their weapons Sundry Islands in the channel The kingdom of Mombaza rich in Gold Siluer and Pearle The cittie of Mombaza spoyled as Quiloa was The kingdom of Melinde The tayle of a sheepe in Melinde wayeth commonly 25. or 30. pound Leo Aser affirmeth that he hath seene tayles of Egyptian Sheepe that weighed 50. l. a peece and sometimes 120. l. a peece The women inhabitants of Melinde Three Isles 1. Monsie 2. Zanzibar 3. Pemba The Empire of Mohenemugi The Giaechas or Agagi The Amazones Many good hauens The Cape of Guarda Fuy Diuers Ports on the sea coast towards the Red Sea The Red Sea The two entrances into the redde sea The length of the red sea 1200 miles The Empire of Prete Gianni Bel-Malechi his chiefe Cittie He is very rich A law for apparell His people are Christians A great solemnitie vpon the feast of the Assumption of our Ladie The right name of Prete Gianni The Riuer Nilus Ptolemie disproued Nilus doth not hide him selfe vnder the ground and then arise againe as some say The true spring of Nilus is out of the first Lake The second Lake The people that dwelleth about the second Lake The Island of Meroe The R. Coluez The R. Abagni The R. Saraboe The Isle of Syene The two braunches of Nilus falling into the Mediterranean sea The cause of the encrease of Nilus The seuerall courses of sundrie great Riuers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. The Riuer that falleth from head Hom. Odis 4. The conclusion of this booke