greeue at nothing but you Christians who haue abandoned me In that the knights of Malta onely sent him small succour of powder and shot These Morabites affirme to declare some of their fooleries that when Allé fought he killed ten thousand Christians with one blow of a sworde and that this sword was an hundred cubits long Then there is the foolish and 〈◊〉 sect of Cobtini One of these shewed himselfe not many yeeres sithence in the market places and quarters of Algier mounted on a reed with a bridle and raines of leather giuing the multitude to vnderstand that vpon that horse in one night he rid an hundred leagues and he was for this greatly honored and reuerenced In tract of time there grew amongst the Mahumetans through the vanitie of their law and the incredible variety and difference of opinions great disorders For their sect being not onely wicked and treacherous as we haue declared but also grosse and foolish those that made profession thereof to defend and maintaine it were enforced to make a thousand interpretations and constructions far sometimes from reason and otherwhiles from the expresse words of Mahumet him selfe The Califas endeuoured mightily to reforme this but their prouisions of greatest importance were two For first Moauia this man florished about the yeere of our Lord 770 called an assembly of learned and iudiciall men to establish that which in their sect should be beleeued and to this end he caused all the bookes of Mahumet and his successors to be gathered together But they not agreeing amongst themselues he chose out of them sixe of the most learned and shutting them within an house with the said writings he commaunded them that euery one should make choise of that which seemed best vnto him These men reduced the Mahumetan doctrine into sixe books setting downe the pennaltie of losse of life to them that should otherwise speake or write of the law But because the Arabians gaue their mindes to Philosophie in the vniuersities of Bagdet Fez Maroco and Cordoua and being of piercing and subtile wits they could not but looke into the fopperies of their sect There was added vnto this another prouiso which was a statute that forbad them the studie of Philosophie by meanes of which statute their Vniuersities before most flourishing haue within these fower hundred yeeres daily declined At this day the sects of Mahumetan impietie are distinguished more through the might and power of those nations that follow them then of themselues and the principall nations are fower that is to say Arabians Persians Tartars and Turks The Arabians are most superstitious and zealous The Persians stand more vpon reason and nature The Tartars hold much gentilisine and simplicitie and the Turkes especially in Europe are most of them Libertines and Martialistes The Arabians as they that esteeme it for great glorie that Mahumet was of their nation and buried in Mecca or as others thinke in Medina Talnabi haue laboured with all arte and yet procure to spread their sect ouer the whole world In India they first preuailed with preaching and afterwards with armes Considering that seuen hundred yeeres sithence king Perimal reigning in Malabar they began there to sow this cockle and to bring the Gentiles more easily within their net they tooke and at this daie take their daughters to wife a matter greatly esteemed of them by reason of these mens wealth By this policie and the traffike of spices which yeelded them infinite profite they quickly set foote and fastned it in India They built townes and planted colonies and the first place where they grew to a bodie was Calicut which of a small thing by their concourse and traffike became a mightie citie They drew king Perimal to their sect who at their perswasion resolued to go and end his daies at Mecca and for that purpose he put himselfe onward on the voiage with certaine ships laden with pepper and other precious commodities but a terrible tempest met him in the midst of his course and drowned him in the sea They inhabite in Malabar where two sorts of Arabians or Moores as we may terme them haue more exceedingly increased and preuailed then in any other part of the Indies one is of strangers that arriue there by reason of the traffike of Arabia Cambaia and Persia and the other be those that dayly are borne of a 〈◊〉 father and a mother Gentile or both of father and mother Moores and these who are called Nateani and differ from the other people in person customes and habit make as it were a fourth part of the inhabitants of that countrey From Malabar they went to the Maldiue and Zeilan Here they began to take vpon them the managing of the customs and impositions of cities and townes and by making them greater then in times past they attained to the grace and fauour of the Princes and Lords together with great reputation and authority yea preeminence and superiority ouer the common people and fauouring those who embraced their sect daylie preached and diuulged by the Papassi but holding their hands heauie ouer such as shewed themselues repugnant they incredibly aduanced mahumetisme Afterwards perceiuing themselues strong and mightie both in richesse and followers they seazed on the townes and cities So that at this day they commaund a good part of the Maldiuae and the ports of the most noble iland of Zeilan except that of Columbo where the Portugals haue a fortresse By like stratagem are they become masters of the west part of 〈◊〉 within little 〈◊〉 then these two hundred yeeres first preuailing by trade and commerce then by marriage and affinitie and last of all by armes From hence going forwarde they haue taken into their hands the greatest part of the ports of that large Archipelago of the Luçones Malucos Iauas c. They are Lords of the citie of Sunda in the greater Iaua they enioy the greatest part of the Ilands of Banda and Maluco they raigne in Burneo Gilolo They came once as far as Luçon a most noble Iland and one of the Philippinas had planted therein three colonies On the other side they conquered vpon the firme land first the rich kingdome of Cambaia there established their sect as they did the like in all the places adioining from hence they went to Bengala and became Lords thereof They cut off by little and little from the crowne of Siam the state of Malaca which the Portugals holde at this day as likewise those of Ior and Pam and more then two hundred leagues along the coast Finallie they are entred into the most ample kingdome of China and haue built Moscheas in the same and if the Portugals in India and the Malucos and afterwards the Spaniards in the Philippinas had not met them on the way and with the gospell and armes interrupted their course they would at this instant haue possessed infinite kingdomes of the east yea in this they are so industrious and bould to
briefe iournall of his trauels you may see in the end of his eight booke what he writeth for himselfe Wherefore saith he if it shall please God to vouchsafe me longer life I purpose to describe all the regions of Asia which I haue trauelled to wit Arabia Deserta Arabia Petrea Arabia Felix the Asian part of Egypt Armenia and some part of Tartaria all which countries I sawe and passed through in the time of my youth Likewise I will describe my last voiages from Constantinople to Egypt and from thence vnto Italy c. Besides all which places he had also beene at Tauris in Persia and of his owne countrey and other African regions adioining and remote he was so diligent a traueller that there was no kingdome prouince signorie or citie nor scarcelie any towne village mountaine valley riuer or forrest c. which he left vnuisited And so much the more credite and commendation descrueth this woorthy Historie of his in that it is except the antiquities and certaine other incidents nothing else but a large Itinerarium or Iournal of his African voiages neither describeth he almost any one particular place where himselfe had not sometime beene an eie-witnes But not to forget His conuersion to Christianitie amidst all these his busie and dangerous trauels it pleased the diuine prouidence for the discouery and manifestation of Gods woonderfull works and of his dreadfull and iust iudgements performed in Africa which before the time of Iohn Leo were either vtterly concealed or vnperfectly and fabulously reported both by ancient and late writers to deliuer this author of ours and this present Geographicall Historie into the hands of certaine Italian Pirates about the isle of Gerbi situate in the gulfe of Capes betweene the cities of Tunis and Tripolis in Barbarie Being thus taken the Pirates presented him and his Booke vnto Pope Leo the tenth who esteeming of him as of a most rich and inualuable prize greatly reioiced at his arriuall and gaue him most kinde entertainement and liberall maintenance till such time as he had woone him to be baptized in the name of Christ and to be called Iohn Leo after the Popes owne name And so during his abode in Italy learning the Italian toong he translated this booke thereinto being before written in Arabick Thus much of Iohn Leo. Now let vs acquaint you with the Historie it selfe First therefore from so woorthy an author how could an historie proceed but of speciall woorth and consequence For proofe whereof I appeale vnto the translations thereof into Latine Italian Spanish French English and if I be not deceiued into some other languages which argue a generall 〈◊〉 of the same I appeale also to the grand and most iudiciall Cosmographer Master Iohn Baptista Ramusius sometime Secretarie to the state of Venice who in the Preface to his first volume of voiages so highly commendeth it to learned Fracastoro and placeth it euery word in the very forefront of his discourses as the principal most praise-woorthy of thē all And were renoumed Ortelius aliue I would vnder correction report me to him whether his map of Barbarie and Biledulgerid as also in his last Additament that of the kingdomes of Maroco and Fez were not particularly and from point to point framed out of this present relation which he also in two places at the least preferreth farre before all other histories written of Africa But to leaue the testimonies of others and to come neerer to the matter it selfe like as our prime and peerelesse English Antiquarie master William Camden in his learned Britannia 〈◊〉 exactly described England Scotland Ireland and the isles adiacent the which by Leander for 〈◊〉 by Damianus a Goez briefly for Spaine by Belforest for France by Munster for vpper Germanie by Guiccardini for the Netherlandes and by others for other countries hath beene performed so likewise this our author Iohn Leo in the historie ensuing hath so largely particularly and methodically deciphered the countries of Barbarie Numidia Libya The land of Negros and the hither part of Egypt as I take it neuer any writer either before or since his time hath done For if you shall throughly consider him what kingdome prouince citie towne village mountaine vallie riuer yea what temple college hospitall bath-stoue Inne or what other memorable matter doth he omit So doth he most iudicially describe the temperature of the climate and the nature of the soile as also the dispositions manners rites customes and most ancient pedigrees of the inhabitants togither with the alterations of religion and estate the conquests and ouerthrowes of the Romaines Goths and Arabians and other things by the way right woorthie the obseruation So that the Africans may iustly say to him and the English to master Camden as the prince of Roman oratours did vnto Marcus Varro the learnedst of his nation Nos in patria nostra peregrinantes errantesque tanquam hospites tui libri quasi domum deduxerunt vt possemus aliquando qui vbi essemus agnoscere Tuaetatem patriae tu descriptiones temporum tu sacrorum iura tu domesticam tu bellicam disciplinam tu sedem regionum locorum c. Which may thus be rudely 〈◊〉 Wandring vp and downe like Pilgrimes in our owne natiue soile thy bookes haue as it were led vs the right way home that we might at length acknowledge both who and where we are Thou hast reuealed the antiquitie of our nation the order of times the rites of our religion our manner of gouernment both in peace and warre yea thou hast described the situations of countries and places c. Now as concerning the additions before and after this Geographicall Historie hauing had some spare-howers since it came first vnder the presse I thought good both for the Readers satisfaction and that Iohn Leo might not appeere too solitarie vpon the stage to bestowe a part of them in collecting and digesting the same The chiefe scope of this my enterprize is to make a briefe and cursorie description of all those maine lands and isles of Africa which mine author in his nine bookes hath omitted For he in very deed leaueth vntouched all those parts of the African continent which lie to the south of the fifteene kingdomes of Negros and to the east of Nilus For the manifestation whereof I haue as truely as I could coniecture in the mappe adioined to this booke caused a list or border of small prickes to be engrauen which running westward from the mouth of Nilus to The streights of Gibraltar and from thence southward to the coast of Guinie and then eastward to the banks of Nilus and so northward to the place where it began doth with aduantage include all places treated of by Leo and excludeth the residue which by way of Preface we haue described before the beginning of his African historie Likewise at the latter end I haue put downe certaine relations of the great Princes of Africa and of the Christian
inheritance Canons but priests sonnes haue no such priuilege vnlesse they be ordained by the Abuna They pay no tithes to any churches but the clergie are maintained by great possessions belonging to their churches and monasteries Also when any priest is cited he is conuented before a secular iudge Whereas I saide they sit not in their churches it is to bee vnderstoode that alwaies without the church doore stande a great number of woodden crutches such as lame men vse to goe vpon where euery man taketh his owne and leaneth thereupon all the time of their diuine seruice All their books which they haue in great numbers are written in parchment for paper they haue none and the language wherein they are written named Tigia is all one with the Abassin language but so it was called from the name of the first towne in all that empire which was conuerted to the Christian religion All their churches haue two curtaines one about their great altar with belles within which curtaine none may enter but onely priests also they haue another curtaine stretching through the midst of their church and within that may no man come but such as haue taken holy orders insomuch that many gentlemen and honorable persons take orders vpon them onely that they may haue accesse into their churches The greater part of their monasteries are built vpon high mountaines or in some deepe valley they haue great reuenues and iurisdictions and in many of them they eate no flesh all the yeere long Neither do they spende any store of fish bicause they know not how to take it Vpon the wals of all their churches are painted the pictures of Christ of the blessed virgine Marie of the apostles prophets and angels and in euery one the picture of Saint George a horseback They haue no Roodes neither will they suffer Christ crucified to be painted bicause they say they are not woorthy to behold him in that passion All their priests friers and noblemen continually carrie crosses in their hands but the meaner sort of people carrie them about their neckes Their mooueable feasts namely Easter the feast of Ascension Whitsontide they obserue at the verie same daies and times that we do Likewise as concerning the feasts of Christmas the Circumcision the Epiphanie and other the feasts of the saints they agree whollie with vs though in some other things they varie They haue great store of leprous persons who are not put apart from the rest of the people but liue in company with them and many there are who for charitie and deuotions sake do wash them and heale their wounds They haue a kinde of trumpets but not of the best and likewise certaine drums of brasse which are brought from Cairo and of woode also couered with leather at both endes and cimbals like vnto ours and certaine great basons whereon they make a noise There are flutes in like sort and a kinde of square instruments with strings not much vnlike to an harpe which they call Dauid Mozan that is to say the harpe of Dauid and with these harpes they sounde before the Prete but some what rudely Their horses of the countrey-breed are in number infinite but such small hackney-iades that they doe them little seruice howbeit those that are brought out of Arabia and Egypt are most excellent and beautifull horses and the great horse-masters also in Abassia haue certaine breeds or races of them which being new foled they suffer not to sucke the damme aboue three daies if they be such as they meane to backe betimes but separating them from their dammes they suckle them with kine and by that meanes they prooue most sightly and gallant horses Hitherto Aluarez Thus much I hope may suffice to haue bin spoken concerning the vpper or Inner Ethiopia which containeth the empire of Prete Ianni now sithens we are so far proceeded let vs take also a cursory and briefe surueie of the lower or extreme Ethiopia extending it selfe in forme of a speares point or a wedge as far as thirtie fiue degrees of southerly latitude Of the lower or extreme Ethiopia THis parte of Africa being vtterly vnknowne to Ptolemey and all the ancient writers but in these later times throughly discouered by the Portugales especially along the coast beginneth to the Northwest about the great riuer of Zaire not far from the Equinoctial from whence stretching southward to thirtie fiue degrees and then Northward along the sea-coast on the backside of Africa as far as the very mouth or enterance of the Arabian gulfe it limiteth the south and east frontiers of the Abassin Empire last before described In this part also are many particulars very memorable as namely besides sundry great empires kingdomes The famous mountaines of the moon the mightie riuers of Magnice Cuama and Coauo springing out of the lake Zembre the renowmed cape of good hope and other matters whereof we will intreate in their due places This portion of Africa is diuided into sixe principall partes namely The land of Aian the land of Zanguebar the empire of Mohenemugi the empire of Monomotapa the region of Cafraria the kingdome of Congo Aian the first generall part of Ethiopia the lower THe land of Aian is accounted by the Arabians to be that region which lyeth betweene the narrow entrance into the Red sea and the riuer of Quilimanci being vpon the sea-coast for the most part inhabited by the said Arabians but the inland-partes thereof are peopled with a black nation which are Idolaters It comprehendeth two kingdomes Adel and Adea Adel is a very large kingdome and extendeth from the mouth of the Arabian gulfe to the cape of Guardafu called of olde by Ptolemey Aromata promontorium South and west it bordereth vpon the dominions of Prete Ianni about the kingdome of Fatigar The king of this countrie being a Moore is accounted amongst the Mahumetans a most holy man and very much reuerenced by them because he wageth continuall war with the Christians taking captiue many of the Abassins and sending them to the great Turke and the princes of Arabia of whome he receiueth greate ayde for the maintenance of his warres both of horse and foote The people of Adel are of the colour of an oliue being very warlike notwithstanding that the greatest part of them want weapons Their principall city is called Anar as some are of opinion Vnto this kingdome is subiect the citie of Zeila inhabited by Mooes situate on a sandie and low soile which some suppose to be built in the very same place without the enterance of the Red sea where Ptolemey placed the ancient mart-towne of Aualites This citie is a place of great traffike for hither they bring out of India cloth elephants teeth frankincense pepper golde and other rich merchandize The territorie adioining yeeldeth abundance of honie waxe and great quantitie of oile which they make not of oliues but of a kinde of daintie plums it affourdeth likewise such
this man they say was elect by god and was made equall in knowledge to him Fourtie there are among them called all by the name of Elauted which signifieth in our language a blocke or stocke of a tree out of this number when their Elcoth deceaseth they create another in his roome namely seuentie persons that haue the authoritie of election committed vnto them There are likewise 765. others whose names I doe not well remember who are chosen into the said electors roomes when any of them decease These 765. being bound thereunto by a certaine canon or rule of their order are constrained alwaies to goe vnknowen and they range almost all the world ouer in a most vile and beggerly habite so that a man would take them for mad men and estranged from all sense of humanitie for these lewd miscreants vnder pretence of their religion run like roagues naked and sauage throughout all Africa hauing so little regarde of honestie or shame that they will like brute beastes rauish women in publike places and yet forsooth the grosse common people reuerence them as men of woonderfull holines Great swarmes of these filthie vagabonds you may see in Tunis but many more in Egypt and especially at Alcair whereas in the market called Bain Elcasrain I saw one of these villaines with mine owne eies in the presence of much people deflowre a most beautifull woman as she was comming foorth of the bath which being done the fond people came flocking about the said woman striuing to touch her garment as a most holie thing saying that the adulterer was a man of great sanctitie and that he did not commit the sinne but onely seemed to commit it which when the sillie cuckold her husband vnderstood he shewed himselfe thankfull to his false god with a solemne banket and with liberall giuing of almes The magistrates of the citie would haue punished the adulterer but they were in hazard to be slaine of the people for their labours who as is before said adore these varlets for saints and men of singular holines Other more villanous actes I saw committed by them which I am ashamed to report Of the Caballistes and certaine other sectes LIkewise there is another sort of men which we may fitly call Caballists These fast most streitly neither doe they eate the flesh of any liuing creature but haue certaine meates and garments allotted vnto them they rehearse likewise certaine set-praiers appointed for euery hower of the day and for the night according to the varietie of daies and monethes and they vse to carrie about certaine square tables with characters and numbers engrauen therein They faine themselues to haue daily conference with the angels of whom they learne they say the knowledge of all things They had once a famous doctor of their sect called 〈◊〉 who was author of their canons praiers and square tables Which when I saw me thought their profession had more affinitie with magique then with Cabala Their arte was diuided into eight partes whereof the first was called Elumha Enormita that is the demonstration of light the which contained praiers and fastings The second called Semsul Meharif that is the sunne of sciences contained the foresaid square tables together with their vse and profit The third part they call 〈◊〉 Lasmei Elchusne this part contained a catalogue of those 99. vertues which they say are contained in the names of God which I remember I saw at Rome in the custodie of a certaine Venetian Iew. They haue also a certaine other rule called Suvach that is the rule of heremites the professors and followers whereof inhabite woods and solitarie places neither haue they any other food but such as those wilde deserts wil affoord the conuersation of these heremites no man is able exactly to describe because they are estranged from all humane societie But if I should take vpon me to describe the varietie of Mahumetan sectes I should digresse too farre from my present purpose He that desireth to know more of this matter let him read ouer the booke of Elefacni who discourseth at large of the sectes belonging to the Mahumetan religion the principall whereof are 72. euery one of which defend their opinions to be true and good and such as a man may attaine saluation by At this day you shall finde but two principall sects onely the one of Leshari being dispersed ouer all Africa Egypt Syria Arabia and Turkie the other of Imamia which is authorized throughout the whole kingdome of Persia and in certaine townes of Corasan and this sect the great Sophi of Persia maintaineth insomuch that all Asia had like to been destroied thereabout For whereas before they followed the sect of Leshari the great Sophi by force of armes established his owne of Imamia and yet one onely sect stretcheth ouer all the Mahumetans dominions Of such as search for treasures in Fez. MOreouer in the citie of Fez there are certaine men called Elcanesin who supposing to finde treasure vnder the foundations of old houses doe perpetually search and delue These grosse fellowes vse to resort vnto certaine dennes and caues without the citie-walles certainly perswading themselues that when the Romans were chased out of Africa and driuen into Baetica or Granada in Spaine they hid great abundance of treasure in the bowels of the earth which they could not carrie with them and so enchanted the same by art-magique that it can by no meanes be attained vnto but by the same arte wherefore they seeke vnto inchanters to teach them the arte of digging vp the said treasures Some of them there are that will stedfastly affirme that they sawe gold in this or that caue others that they saw siluer but could not digge it out by reason that they were destitute of perfumes and enchantments fit for the purpose so that being seduced with this vaine opinion and deepely deluing into the earth they turne vpside downe the foundations of houses and sepulchers and sometimes they proceede in this manner ten or twelue daies iourney from Fez yea so fond they are and so besotted that they esteeme those bookes that professe the arte of digging gold as diuine oracles Before my departure from Fez these fantasticall people had chosen them a consul and getting licence of certaine owners to dig their grounds when they had digged as much as they thought good they paid the said owners for all dammages committed Of the Alchymistes of Fez. IN this citie likewise there are great store of Alchymists which are mightily addicted to that vaine practise they are most base fellowes and contaminate themselues with the steam of Sulphur and other stinking smels In the euening they vse to assemble themselues at the great temple where they dispute of their false opinions They haue of their arte of Alchymie many bookes written by learned men amongst which one Geber is of principall account who liued an hundred yeeres after Mahumet and being a Greeke borne is said to haue renounced his
part of the 〈◊〉 wall which the waues of the sea beat vpon In the suburbes are many gardēs replenished with all kind of fruits On the east side of the towne runneth a certaine riuer hauing many mils thereupon and out of this riuer they draw water fit for drinke and for the seruices of the kitchin It hath most beautifull plaines adioining vpon it and especially one called Metteggia which extendeth fortie fiue miles in length and almost thirtie miles in bredth and aboundeth mightily with all kindes of graine This towne for many yeeres was subiect vnto the kingdome of Telensin but hearing that Bugia was also gouerned by a king and being neerer thereunto they submitted themselues vnto the king of Bugia For they saw that the king of Telensin could not sufficiently defend them against their enemies and also that the king of Bugia might doe them great dammage wherefore they offered vnto him a yeerely tribute of their owne accord and yet remained almost free from all exaction But certaine yeeres after the inhabitants of this citie building for themselues gallies began to play the pirates and greatly to molest the foresaid islands Whereupon king Ferdinando prouided a mightie armada hoping thereby to become lorde of the citie Likewise vpon a certaine high rocke standing opposit against the towne he caused a strong forte to be built and that within gun-shot of the citie albeit the citie walles could not be endammaged thereby Wherefore the citizens immediately sent ambassadours into Spaine to craue a league for ten yeeres vpon condition that they should pay certaine yeerely tribute which request was granted by king Ferdinando And so they remained for certaine moneths free from the danger of warre but at length Barbarossa hastening to the siege of Bugia and hauing woon one fort built by the Spaniards determined to encounter another hoping if he could obtaine that also that he should soone conquer the whole kingdome of Bugia Howbeit all matters fell not out according to his expectation for a great part of his soldiers being husbandmen when they perceiued the time of sowing corne to approch without any leaue or licence they forsooke their generall and returned home to the plough-taile And many Turks also did the like so that Barbarossa failing of his purpose was constrained to breake vp the 〈◊〉 Howbeit before his departure he set on fire with his owne handes twelue gallies which lay in a riuer but three miles from Bugia And then with fortie of his soldiers he retired himselfe to the castle of Gegel being from Bugia about sixtie miles distant where he remained for certaine daies In the mean while king Ferdinando deceasing the people of Alger released themselues from paying any more tribute for seeing Barbarossa to be a most valiant warriour and a deadly enemie vnto Christians they sent for him and chose him captaine ouer all their forces who presently encountred the fort but to little effect Afterward this Barbarossa secretly murthered the gouernour of the citie in a certaine bath The said gouernour was prince of the Arabians dwelling on the plaines of Mettegia his name was Selim Etteumi descended of the familie of Telaliba and created gouernour of Alger at the same time when Bugia was taken by the Spanyards this man was slaine by Barbarossa after he had gouerned many yeeres And then Barbarossa vsurped the whole gouernment of the citie vnto himselfe and coined money and this was the first entrance into his great and princely estate At all the foresaid accidents I my selfe was present as I trauelled from Fez to Tunis and was entertained by one that was sent ambassadour from the people of Alger into Spaine from whence he brought three thousand bookes written in the Arabian toong Then I passed on to Bugia where I found Barbarossa besieging the foresaid fort afterward I proceeded to Constantina and next to Tunis In the meane while I heard that Barbarossa was slaine at Tremizen and that his brother called Cairadin succeeded in the gouernment of Alger Then we heard also that the emperour Charles the fift had sent two armies to surprize Alger the first whereof was destroied vpon the plaine of Alger and the second hauing assailed the towne three daies together was partly slaine and partly taken by Barbarossa insomuch that very few escaped backe into Spaine This was done in the yeere of the Hegeira nine hundred twentie two Of the towne of Tegdemt THis ancient towne was built as some thinke by the Romanes and Tegdemt signifieth in the Arabian language Ancient The wall of this towne as a man may coniecture by the foundations thereof was ten miles in circuite There are yet remaining two temples of an exceeding height but they are very ruinous and in many places fallen to the ground This towne when it was possessed by the Mahumetans was maruellous rich and abounded with men of learning and poets It is reported that Idris vncle to the same Idris that founded Fez was once gouernour of this towne and that the gouernment thereof remained to his posteritie almost an hundred and fiftie yeeres Afterward it was destroied in the warres betweene the schismaticall patriarks of Cairaoan in the yeere of the Hegeira 365 but now there are a few ruines onely of this towne to be seene Of the towne of Medua THis towne standing not farre from the borders of Numidia is distant from the Mediterran sea almost an hundred and fowerscore miles and it is situate on a most pleasant and fruitfull plaine and is enuironed with sweete riuers and beautifull gardens The inhabitants are exceeding rich exercising traffique most of all with the Numidians and they are very curious both in their apparell and in the furniture of their houses They are continually molested with the inuasions of the Arabians but because they are almost two hundred miles distant from Telensin they can haue no aide sent them by the king This towne was once subiect vnto the gouernour of Tenez afterward vnto Barbarossa and lastly vnto his brother Neuer was I so sumptuously entertained as in this place for the inhabitants being themselues 〈◊〉 so often as any learned man comes amongst them they entertaine him with great honour and cause him to decide all their controuersies For the space of two moneths while I remained with them I gained aboue two hundred duckats and was so allured with the pleasantnes of the place that had not my dutie enforced me to depart I had remained there all the residue of my life Of the towne of Temendfust THis towne also was built by the Romans vpon the Mediterran sea and is about twelue miles distant from Alger Vnto this towne belongeth a faire hauen where the ships of Alger are safely harboured for they haue no other hauen so commodious This towne was at length destroied by the Goths and the greatest part of the wall of Alger was built with the stones which came from the wall of this towne Of the towne of Teddeles THis towne built by
church of Saint Marke amidst the ruines of Alexandria and in that of Suez vpon the red sea they obey the Patriarke of Alexandria and affirme themselues to be of the faith of Prete Ianni In our daies two Popes haue attempted to reduce them to the vnion of the Romish church Pius the fourth and Gregorie the thirteenth Pius the fourth in the yeere 1563. sent two Iesuit-priests for this purpose to Cairo who staied there almost a yeere but to no purpose and with great danger of life for one of them was appointed to the fire from which he escaped by meanes of a merchant who with eight hundred crownes pacified the Turkes and caused the priest sodainly to flie away But Pope Gregorie entred into this enterprise with more hope for Paulo Mariani a famous Christian merchant was at the same time in Cairo who for his wisedome magnificence knowledge of toongs and long practise in the affaires of the world ioined with woonderfull eloquence and presence of bodie was in great esteeme and reputation not onely among the Christians but also with the Turkes who equally loued him for his liberality and honored him for his valour This man had conference with the Patriarke of Alexandria about the reconciling of his people to the Romish church whereunto the 〈◊〉 not shewing himselfe difficult or hard to be entreated was contented to call by his letters into those parts two priests of the same order who were then with the Maronites in mount Libanus In the meane while the Pope who was aduertised of al this busines taking the matter quickly in hand wrote vnto the two priests appointing one of them to go directlie to Cairo and the other to returne back to Rome Wherefore in the yeere 1582 in the moneth of October one of the said priests arriuing at Cairo was courteouslie receiued by Mariani and afterwards conducted to the Patriarke who also made shew of great ioy and consolation One might likewise perceiue a reasonable disposition in others who had any authority among the Cofti He aduertised the Pope of all who sent a certaine other priest with one breefe to the Patriarke and an other to the Iesuites wherein he exhorted them to go forward and to bring the vnion whereof so assured hope was conceiued to good effect The Patriarke receiued the breefe with great reuerence he kissed it and according to their custome laide it vpon his head and afterwards demanded what it comprehended the which with great feeling and contentment hauing vnderstood within fewe daies he instituted a Synod of some bishops and certaine other principall persons of the nation Heere the said priests hauing declared vnto them vpon how little ground they who at the first receiued the faith from Saint Marke were sequestred from the western church by the authoritie of one heretike tooke much paines afterward in making them capable of the difference that is betweene a nature and an Hypostasis or person to their exceeding great admiration bicause they were in a manner destitute of all learning For the Patriarke euen from his youth had led his life in the monasterie of Saint Macarius farre not onely from the studies of learning but also from the conuersation of men neither appeered there any greater knowledge in the bishops They had 〈◊〉 any booke of the ancient fathers and yet those they had were all dustie and eaten with mothes That where of they made chiefest account was an old volume being torne and rent which they called The confession of the Fathers full of diuers dreames and fables whereof notwithstanding and of some other Arabicke bookes the priests made speciall good vse for the conuincing of them in their errors Also hauing framed a compendium of most necessarie doctrine they caused diuers copies of the same to be drawne and gaue them to the learned of the Cofti to be considered of who wondring at the strangenes of the things propounded vnto them and not knowing how to answer the arguments of the priestes demaunded time to search their owne writings and to see what opinion their predecessors had held as concerning that point In the meane while they came often to the priests and inquired of them the doctrine and forme of speech vsed in the Romish church Whereupon they shewed them how greatly the same church had euer detested heresies and how seuerely it had condemned the impietie of Nestorius and contrariwise highly esteemed the authoritie of Cyrillus Alexandrinus and the decrees of the first Ephesine Councell Neither bicause it confesseth two natures in Christ ioined in one person without confusion doth it therefore inferre two hypostasis or persons In that a nature and a person are not the selfe same things The which may cleerely be vnderstoode by the deepe mysterie of the holy Trinitie wherein we acknowledge one nature and three Hypostasis or persons We auer therfore that there are two natures in Christ one diuine which he hath eternally from his Father the other humane which he tooke temporally from the immaculate wombe of his mother both of them ioined in one hypostasis or person By these and other like demonstrations they cleered the vnderstandings and confirmed the mindes of the Cofti Howbeit all this notwithstanding the Synod being againe assembled wherein were present the Patriarke fiue bishops diuers abbots of monasteries and thirtie other principall persons they plainly answered the priests that they had turned ouer their Annales writings were resolued in no wise to depart from the doctrine and faith of their predecessors This vnlooked-for answer though it greatly troubled and displeased the priests yet were they determined still to continue and to proceed further in the enterprise Whereupon declaring vnto them againe how farre they were by Dioscorus meanes estranged from the doctrine taught in the Nicen Constantinopolitan and first Ephesine councels grounded on the authoritie of holy Scripture and the ancient Fathers and that to disallow of two natures in Christ was no other but to denie that he was neither true God nor man a matter abhominable not only to their eares but euen to their very vnderstādings they preuailed so much as that the matter was yet deferred off to an other moneth Being therefore congregated the third time it seemed that God himselfe furthered this affaire more then vsually for first with common consent they abrogated the law of circumcision and withall after a disputation of sixe howers continuance it was decreed that as concerning the truth of this point the priests were to be beleeued that there were two natures in Christ and that the Cofti though they auoided the name and title of two natures yet denied they not but that Christ was true man and true God Onely they were warie of the two natures for feare of falling by litle litle into two hypostases Thus this busines being brought to so good a passe was by the ambition and obstinacie of one man vtterly crossed and hindred This was the Vicar or Suffragan to the
riuer springing out of the great lake which being so they must quite separate Monomotapa from the same lake * This place both in regard of the name and situation may seeme to haue been Agysimba mentioned by Ptolemey * Mine author here setteth downe too great a number G. B. B. Rel. vn dell Afr. Part. 1. lib. 2. Os Picos fragosos The kingdome of Matama Angola The siluer-mines of Cabambe Quizama Bahia das 〈◊〉 or the baye of Cowes The six prouinces of Congo S. Saluador the chiefe citie of Congo The great 〈◊〉 of Zaire Crocodiles Water-horses The Zabra The elephant The isle and hauen of Loanda Loango Anzichi Of this long pepper read Ramusius vol. 1. fol. 115. pag. 2. The prouinces of Temian Dauma and 〈◊〉 Grana Paradisi The 〈◊〉 of Mina * Pliny calleth them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sierra 〈◊〉 A factorie of the Portugals The isle of elephants A mightie cataract or fall of Senaga 〈◊〉 vol. 1. fol. 99. 〈◊〉 The isle of Camaran Dalaqua Mua 〈◊〉 The isle hauen and citie of Suaquen * Or vermillion Two townes of the Portugales in Socotora The two sisters Isles which are not inhabited Concerning the isles of Mōbaça Quiloa Moçambique read more at large in the discourse of Zanguebar before set downe whereas 〈◊〉 thought it 〈◊〉 to intreat of them being as it were certaine fragments of the maine hauing large territories therof subiect vnto them Plentie of Ambergrise The isles of Ascension * Concerning this isle read more at large in the description of Congo * Or perhaps Pouaçaon which as I coniecture may be all one with Poblacion in Spanish which signifieth a Colonie or towne Seuentie Ingenios in San Tomé This towne was taken by sir Francis Drake 1585. and by sir 〈◊〉 Sherley 1596. * This isle with the principall towne and castles was sacked by the Hollanders in 〈◊〉 Anno 1599. The Pike of Tenerif Madera in Spanish signifieth wood or timber Puerto santo the principall 〈◊〉 whereof was taken by sir Amias Preston 1596. The 〈◊〉 increase of one shee 〈◊〉 * Others diuide it from Asia by the red sea * Non. * 〈◊〉 The 〈◊〉 of Niger * Aethiopia * Habat * Chauz * Tremizen * Iohn 〈◊〉 ouer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 of Negros * Cairo * About the yeere 1526. * Fortè Asia minor * Genesis the 10. v. the 6. Mezraim is accounted the 〈◊〉 of Chus * Gen. 10. 7. * Guadalhabit Tremizen called by the ancient Cosmographers Caesaria or Mauritania Caesariensis Who were the founders of Maroco Aquel Amarig * 〈◊〉 * 〈◊〉 * Cairaoan * Tunis * 〈◊〉 * The Moores of Granada * A 〈◊〉 patriarke Gehoar a slaue by condition conquered all Barbarie Numidia Egypt and Syria Gehoar the first 〈◊〉 of Cairo Ten tribes of Arabians 〈◊〉 Africa 〈◊〉 Rachu a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1526. * 〈◊〉 Traffique to Tombuto * Alger * The Arabians called 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 descended from Ismael the base sonne of Abraham The Arabians called 〈◊〉 descended of Saba The people of Numidia Wooll growing vpon the Palme tree 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 vsed 〈◊〉 victuals Where the Barbarie horses are bred Arabian poems and verses The Arabians offer themselues slaues to any that would releeue their extreme hunger The Arabians of Barca lay their sonnes to pawne vnto the Sicilians for corne The 〈◊〉 and death of the Ring of Tunis his sonne * Trenizen * Maroco and Fez A booke written by Iohn Leo concerning the Mahumetan religion The Africans vsed in times past none other kind of letters but the Roman letters * Perhaps he meaneth the histories of Salust 〈◊〉 Liuius and others The Mahumetan Calisas caused all the bookes of the Persians to be burned The mountaines of Atlas exceeding cold Most woonderfull and terrible snowes The extreme danger of snow which Iohn Leo himselfe escaped * Agadez A strange remedie vsed by the African merchants to quench their thirst A merchant constrained by extreme thirst gaue ten thousand duckats for a cup of water The fruit called Goron Cocos 〈◊〉 Onions The oliues of Africa Raine signifying plentie or 〈◊〉 The pesants and vnlearned people of Africa cunning in Astrologie The yeere of the Arabians and Africans The yeere diuided into two seasons onély vpon the mounain es of Atlas The increase of the riuers of Niger Nilu The French disease When and by what meanes the French 〈◊〉 was brought into Africa Hernia or the disease called 〈◊〉 or the rupture Earth of 〈◊〉 The Moores are a people of great fidelitie The author of this worke his Apologie for the former relation The fruit 〈◊〉 Arga. 〈◊〉 Cauterizing Their manner of entertaining strangers at Tednest Tednest left desolate 〈◊〉 Teculeth destroyed by the Portugals 1514. Hadecchis sacked by the Portugals 1513. Teijeut destroyed by the Portugals The curtesie of the citizens of Tesegdelt towards strangers 〈◊〉 A pestiferous Mahumetan preacher A treatise written by 〈◊〉 Leo concerning the Mahumetan religion A punishment of murther 〈◊〉 of yron Dates which will last but one yeere Great store of whales A whales rib of incredible greatnes Amber Store of sugar Cordouan leather of Maroco Good sale for cloth Gartguessem surprised by the Portugals Store of sugar and of woad Mines of siluer The 〈◊〉 of Homar Essuef * Sidi signifieth a Saint in the Arabian toong The first founder of Maroco Maroco in times past contained aboue 100000. families Mansor the king of Maroco * Obscurum Great store of bookes in olde time to be sold in Maroco The miserable death of Abraham king of Maroco and of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Three golden sphears A great college Excellent spotted marble This king called Mansor was he vnto whom Rasis that famous 〈◊〉 dedicated his Booke The huge dominions of king Mansor The Christians happie 〈◊〉 against the Moores Ibnu Abdul Abdul Malich Ariuer running vnder the ground to Maroco The desolation of Agmet Iohn Leo student at Fez. The 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 Iohn Leo constrained to play the iudge * Or Elmaheli 〈◊〉 and copper 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wars 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Free entertainment for merchants The occasion of the prince of Azafilin his death The prince of Azafi slaine as he was hearing of a Mahumetan sermon 〈◊〉 woon by the Portugals Iohn Leo ten yeeres old at the winning of 〈◊〉 The citie of Tit tributarie vnto the King of Portugall Elmedina left desolate Corne preserued 100. yeers * Or 〈◊〉 Azamur woon by the Portugals The fruit called by the Italians Frutto Africano Great plentic of fish Iohn Leo sent ambassadour from the King of Fez vnto Maroco By what means the townes of Elmadin and 〈◊〉 became subiect vnto the King of Fez. Grapes of maruellous bignes White honey The vncle of 〈◊〉 Leo sent ambassadour to the king of Tombuto The excellent wit towardlinesse of Iohn Leo at 16. yeers of age A most stately and rich present * Read of this Abraham before in the description of the citie of Maroco Ilbernus A notable and effectuall practise to wring more money out of
the 〈◊〉 purses * Or 〈◊〉 being a kinde of garment * Ilbernus These people liue like the Tartars * Or Salt-peter * Habat * Chauz or Cheuz A dangerous seducer The horrible desolation of Temesne English traffique Anfa destroied by the Portugals Iron-mines Why king Mansor built the towne of Rebat vpon the seashore Where king Mansor was buried Iron-mines Lyons and leopards * Or Sidi * Or 〈◊〉 English traffique Sela woon by a captaine of Castilia and recouered forthwith by the king of Fez. A merchant of Genoa The occasion of the bloody wars mooued by Sahid The citie of Fez besieged for seuen yeeres together * This number as I take it should rather be 819. Most cruell and 〈◊〉 lions The Portugals attempting to build a forte within the mouth of the riuer Subu defeated of their purpose and slaine A lamentable slaughter Iohn Leo his 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 Fierce lions Mecnase reduced vnder 〈◊〉 by the king of Fez. Idris the first founder of Fe Idris his 〈◊〉 valour at fifteene yeeres of age * 1526. The number and 〈◊〉 of the Mahumetan 〈◊〉 in Fez. The principall temple of Fez 〈◊〉 Caruven The reuenues of the great temple and how they are bestowed The 〈◊〉 of learning and learned men a principall cause of disorderly base gouernment Iohn Leo in his youth a notarie of an hospitall for two yeeres together * Like vnto our horse-mils The porters of Fez. * 〈◊〉 in his Italian 〈◊〉 calleth it Baioco The gouernour of the shambles in Fez. * In the Italian copie they are called Baiochi * Or 〈◊〉 A 〈◊〉 vsed in Africa how to keepe the princes tribute and merchants goods in securitie Iohn Leo was at Tauris in Persia. The punishment of malefactors in Fez. * Or Baiochi * Or 〈◊〉 A kinde of 〈◊〉 called Cuscusu The marriage of widowes The circumcision of their children 〈◊〉 Christian ceremonies 〈◊〉 among the 〈◊〉 Their funerals Rewards for poets in Fez. Three sorts of diuiners in Fez. An Arabian grammar written by Iohn Leo. Diuination and soothsaying forbidden by the lawe of 〈◊〉 Diuers Mahumetan sects 〈◊〉 sacked by the Tartars 72. principall sectes in the religion of Mahumet A booke written by Iohn 〈◊〉 of the liues of the Arabian philosophers The habitation of lepers in Fez and their gouernour * Or Aburinan The founder of new Fez. * Orturbant Engins for the conueiance of water The manner of choosing officers in the court of Fez. The king of Fez his guard How the king of Fez rideth on progresse * Or kines folkes The king of Fez his 〈◊〉 of warfare A 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hunting of lions vsed by the king of Fez. Tame 〈◊〉 Tame lions A pleasant discourse how king Mansor was entertained by a fisher Read Osorius lib. 2. de rebus gestis Eman. 〈◊〉 this towne The 〈◊〉 of a prouerbe An attempt and defeate of the Portugals * 1562. The taking of Arzilla by the English Arzilla taken by the Portugals Habdulac the last king of the Marin family Read Osorius lib. 5. de rebus gestis Eman. Iohn Leo serued the king of Fez in his wars against Arzilla * Or Boetica Casar Ezzaghir taken by the king of Portugall The entrance of the Moores into Granada * Or çeuta The streits of Gibraltar from Septa but 12. miles broad Septa taken by the Portugals Abu Sahid king of Fez and his sixe sonnes slaine all in one night Threescore thousand Moores slaine * Here seemeth to be an error in the originall Zibibbo A caue or hole that perpetually casteth vp fire Wine that will last fifteene yeeres 〈◊〉 enioyed and reedified by the Spaniards Chasasa taken by the Spaniards Yron-mines * Or Tremisen The great curtesie of Mahumet toward strangers * 1526. Iron-mines Lions leopards and apes A woonderful bridge Porcellan * The beast called Dabah 〈◊〉 and tame serpents * Or Tremizen * Or Oran * Or Mersalcabir 〈◊〉 king of Tremizen restored to his kingdome by the emperour Charles the fift * 1526 Great store of ostriches A ship of great 〈◊〉 The king of Telensin taken prisoner and beheaded * Or Turbant A passage from Europe to Acthiopia through the kingdome of Tremizen Mines of 〈◊〉 A 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oran taken by the Spaniards Mersalcabir surprised by the Spaniards * Perhaps 〈◊〉 Alger become tributarie to the king of Spaine A voyage performed by Iohn 〈◊〉 The citie of Bugia taken by Pedro de Nauarra The hard successe of the king of Tunis his three sonnes Hot baths A fond and senseles 〈◊〉 S. Augustine in times past bishop of Hippo. Great store of corall The fish called 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 * 1526 The building of Cairaoan Tunis subiect vnto Abdul-Mumen and other kings of Maroco * Or perhaps Andaluzia A strange kind of spinning Doble Sugar-Canes * El Mahdia The isle of Sicilie subdued by the gouernour 〈◊〉 The fruit called Habhaziz A riuer 〈◊〉 hot water The lake of lepers The armie of don Ferdinando defeated Gerbi made tributarie vnto Charles the fift by meanes of a knight of the Rhodes Plentie of dates 〈◊〉 taken by a fleete of 〈◊〉 Tripolis surprized by Pedro de Nauarra Iron-mines Most 〈◊〉 saffron The Arabians of Barca most cruell and bloodie theeues * Error The beast called 〈◊〉 The port of Gart 〈◊〉 Copper-mines The strange propertie of the palme or date-tree Indico The flesh of the Ostrich Infinit numbers of Scorpions Mines of lead and antimonie An iron-mine Deadly scorpions Great store of Manna 〈◊〉 mines A whole carouan conducted by a blinde guide who lead them by sent onely as at 〈◊〉 present the Carouans of Maroco are conducted ouer the Libyan deserts to Tombuto The Negros subiect vnto Ioseph king of Maroco Abuacre Izchia This round and white pulse is called Maiz in the west Indies The naturall commodities of Ghinea The Prince of Ghinea kept prisoner by Izchia The prince of Mâ—lli subdued by Izchia Tombuto was conquered by the king of Maroco 1589. from whencâ— he hath for yeerly tribute mightie summes of gold The king of Tombuto his daughters married vnto two rich merchants * 1526. Great scarcitie of salt in Tombuto which commoditie might be supplied by our English merchants to their vnspeakable gaine Reuerence vsed before the king of Tombuto Poysoned arrowes Shels vsed for coine like as in the kingdome of Congo Rich sale for cloth Their maner of sowing 〈◊〉 at the 〈◊〉 of Niger The 〈◊〉 of Guber slaine by Izchia Zingani Agadez tributarie to the king of Tombuto The kings of Zegzeg of Casena and of Cano subdued by Izchia the king of Tombuto Izchia Izchia The king of Zanfara slaine by Izchia and the people made tributarie Gold Izchia The desert of Seu. Fifteene or twentie 〈◊〉 exchanged for one horse A Negro-slaue who hauing slaine his Lord grew to great might and authoritie The riuer of Nilus not naeuigable betweene Nubia and Egypt The rich commodities of Nubia Most strong poyson Zingani Prete 〈◊〉 Bugiha 〈◊〉 450. miles long Gen. 10. 6. * Mesraim
A GEOGRAPHICAL HISTORIE of AFRICA Written in Arabicke and Italian by IOHN LEO a More borne in Granada and brought vp in Barbarie Wherein he hath at large described not onely the qualities situations and true distances of the regions cities townes mountaines riuers and other places throughout all the north and principall partes of Africa but also the descents and families of their kings the causes and euents of their warres with their manners customes religions and ciuile gouernment and many other memorable matters gathered partly out of his owne diligent obseruations and partly out of the ancient records and Chronicles of the Arabians and Mores Before which out of the best ancient and moderne writers is prefixed a generall description of Africa and also a particular treatise of all the maine lands and Isles vndescribed by Iohn Leo. And after the same is annexed a relation of the great Princes and the manifold religions in that part of the world Translated and collected by IOHN PORY lately of Goneuill and Caius College in Cambridge LONDINI Impensis Georg. Bishop 1600 TO THE RIGHT HONORAble sir ROBERT CECIL Knight principall Secretarie to her Maiestie Master of the Court of Wardes and Liueries and one of her Highnes most Honorable priuie Counsell LO heere the first fruits or rather the tender buddes and blossomes of my labours Which least in this their winterly sprouting they might perhaps by some bitter blasts of censure be frost-nipped I humbly recommend to your Honorable protection Most due they are onely to your selfe being for the greatest part nothing else but a large illustration of certaine southern voiages of the English alreadie dedicated to your Honour And at this time especially I thought they would prooue the more acceptable in that the Marocan ambassadour whose Kings dominions are heere most amplie and particularly described hath so lately treated with your Honour concerning matters of that estate Vouchsafe therefore right Honorable according to your accustomed humanitie towards learning to accept of this Geographicall historie in like manner as it pleased your Honour not long since most fauourablie to take in good part those commendable indeuours of my reuerend friend M. Richard Hakluyt who out of his mature iudgement in these studies knowing the excellencie of this storie aboue all others in the same kinde was the onely man that mooued me to translate it At London this three and fortieth most ioifull Coronation-day of her sacred Maiestie 1600. Your Honors alwaies most readie to be commanded IOHN PORY To the Reader GIue me leaue gentle Readers if not to present vnto your knowledge bicause some perhaps may aswel be informed as my selfe yet to call to your remembrance some fewe particulars concerning this Geographicall Historie and Iohn Leo the auther thereof Who albeit by birth a More and by religion for many yeeres a Mahumetan yet if you consider his Parentage Witte Education Learning Emploiments Trauels and his conuersion to Christianitie you shall finde him not altogither vnfit to vndertake such an enterprize nor vnwoorthy to be regarded First therefore his Parentage seemeth not to haue bin ignoble seeing as in his second booke himselfe testifieth an Vncle of his was so Honorable a person and so excellent an Oratour and Poet that he was sent as a principall Ambassadour from the king of Fez to the king of Tombuto And whether this our Author were borne at Granada in Spaine as it is most likely or in some part of Africa certaine it is that in naturall sharpenes and 〈◊〉 of Wit he most liuely resembled those great and classicall authours Pomponius Mela Iustinus Historicus Columella Seneca Quintilian Orosius Prudentius Martial Iuuenal Auicen c. reputed all for Spanish writers as likewise Terentius After Tertullian Saint Augustine Victor Optatus c. knowen to be writers of Africa But amongst great varietie which are to be found in the processe of this not able discourse I will heere lay before your view one onely patterne of his surpassing wit In his second booke therefore if you peruse the description of Mount Tenueues you shall there finde the learned and sweete Arabian verses of Iohn Leo not being then fully sixteene yeeres of age so highly esteemed by the Prince of the same mountaine that in recompence thereof after bountifull entertainment he dismissed him with gifts of great value Neither wanted he the best Education that all Barbarie could affoord For being euen from his tender yeeres trained vp at the Vniuersitie of Fez in Grammar Poetrie Rhetorick Philosophie Historie Cabala Astronomie and other ingenuous sciences and hauing so great acquaintance and conuersation in the kings court how could he choose but prooue in his kinde a most accomplished and absolute man So as I may iustly say if the comparison be tolerable that as Moses was learned in all the wisedome of the Egyptians so likewise was Leo in that of the Arabians and Mores And that he was not meanely but extraordinarily learned let me keepe silence that the admirable fruits of his rare Learning and this Geographicall Historie among the rest may beare record Besides which he wrote an Arabian Grammar highly commended by a great Linguist of Italie who had the sight and examination thereof as likewise a booke of the liues of the Arabian Philosophers and a discourse of the religion of Mahumet with diuers excellent Poems and other monuments of his industrie which are not come to light Now as concerning his Emploiments were they not such as might well beseeme a man of good woorth For to omit how many courts and campes of princes he had frequented did not he as himselfe in his third booke witnesseth personally serue king Mahumet of Fez in his wars against Arzilla And was he not at another time as appeereth out of his second Booke in seruice and honorable place vnder the same king of Fez and sent ambassadour by him to the king of Maroco Yea how often in regard of his singular knowledge and iudgement in the lawes of those countries was he appointed and sometimes constrained at diuers strange cities and townes through which he trauelled to become a iudge and arbiter in matters of greatest moment Moreouer as touching his exceeding great Trauels had he not at the first beene a More and a Mahumetan in religion and most skilfull in the languages and customes of the Arabians and Africans and for the most part trauelled in Carouans or vnder the authoritie safe conduct and commendation of great princes I maruell much how euer he should haue escaped so manie thousands of imminent dangers And all the former notwithstanding I maruel much more how euer he escaped them For how many desolate cold mountaines and huge drie and barren deserts passed he How often was he in hazard to haue beene captiued or to 〈◊〉 had his throte cut by the prouling Arabians and wilde Mores And how hardly manie times escaped he the Lyons greedie mouth and the deuouring iawes of the Crocodile But if you will needes haue a
seuerallie and thinketh Niger to be that which is now called Rio grande This riuer taketh his beginning as some thinke out of a certain desert to the east called Seu or springeth rather out of a lake and after a long race falleth at length into the western Ocean It increaseth also for the space of fortie daies like Nilus and is for so long space decreasing about the verie same time by which inundation it bringeth such fruitfulnes vnto all the land of Negros certain mountaines onely excepted as no place in the world can be imagined more fertile Senaga or Canaga a most notable riuer called as some thinke Baratis by Ptolemey and for the length therof and manifold strange creatures therein contained comparable to Nilus seuereth by his winding chanel the barren and naked soile from the greene and fruitefull Moreouer it maketh a separation betweene nations of sundrie colours for the people on this side are of a dead ash-colour leane and of a small stature but on the farther side they are exceeding blacke of tall and manly stature and very well proportioned howbeit neere vnto the riuer on either side they are of a meane colour complexion and stature betweene both the aboue mentioned It falleth into the sea by two mouthes the principall whereof is about a mile broad vp into the which the sea entreth almost 60. miles It springeth according to Iohn Barros out of two lakes the greater whereof is now called the lake of Gaoga but heretofore by Ptolemey Chelonidae paludes and the lesser Ptolemey calleth Nubaepalus as also out of a riuer named by Ptolemey Ghir This riuer of Senaga hath great variety of strange fishes and other creatures that liue in the water as namely sea-horses crocodiles winged serpents and such like neere vnto it also are great store of Elephants wilde bores lyons and leopards Gambra or Gambea a very great riuer lying betweene Senaga and Niger and esteemed by Sanutus to be that which Ptolemey called Stachir fetcheth his originall from the lake of Libya and from the fountaines which Ptolemey assigneth to the riuer of Niger this riuer in greatnes and depth exceedeth Senaga and hath many vnknowne riuers falling thereinto and bringeth foorth all kindes of liuing creatures that Senaga doth In the midst of this riuer standeth the Isle of Elephants so called in regarde of great numbers of those beasts The riuer Zaire beginneth out of the same lake from whence Nilus springeth this being one of the greatest riuers of all Africa and vtterly vnknowne vnto ancient writers containeth at the mouth eight and twentie miles in bredth hauing a very safe harbour for ships to ride in also there are many and great Islands in the chanell thereof and sundrie riuers do fall thereinto the principall whereof are Vumba Barbela Coanza and Lelunda in briefe this riuer Zaire running through the kingdome of Congo disgorgeth it selfe into the maine Ethiopian sea Out of the same lake which is the very fountaine of Nilus springeth another notable and famous riuer which after a long race toward the south and east is diuided into two branches the northerly branch which is exceeding great for it 〈◊〉 fixe great riuers thereinto and is nauigable for the space of seuen hundred miles being properly called Cuama and the other branch more southerly which is verie great also being named Manich or Magnice or Rio del spirito santo The promontories capes or headlands of Africa be verie many the most famous and principal wherof are The cape of Buena esperança or good hope Cabo verde and Cabo de los corrientes The cape of Buena esperança or good hope is the extreame southerly point of all Africa being a most renowmed and dangerous promontorie which in the yeere one thousand foure hundred nintie seuen was the second time discouered by Vasco da Gama at the commandement of Don Emanuel king of Portugal this cape the mariners were woont to cal the lion of the Ocean and the tempestuous cape by reason of the ruffling and roring of the windes which they found there for the most part very boisterons for the sea thereabout is exceeding rough by reason of the continual fury of the windes neither will any nauigatours touch vpon the cape except they be enforced by meere necessitie Cabo verde or The greene head-land is esteemed by some to be the same which Ptolemey calleth Promontorium Arsinarium is compassed on either side by the riuers of Senega and Gambra Cabo de los corrientes otherwise called the cape of San Sebastian stretcheth foorth it selfe right ouer against the south ende of the great Isle of Madagascar it is a cape well knowne by reason it is so dangerous to double which the Moores durst not passe for a very long time And heere as concerning the strange beasts fishes serpents trees plants and roots of Africa as likewise touching the diseases whereto the African people are most subiect and the varietie of languages excepting the Chaldaean Egyptian Turkish Italian and Spanish toongs which are now and haue beene of ancient times spoken in Africa I refer the Reader to the first and last bookes of Iohn Leo and to other places where they are at large and purposely intreated of Moreouer this part of the worlde is inhabited especially by fiue principall nations to wit by the people called Cafri or Cafates that is to say outlawes or lawlesse by the Abassins the Egyptians the Arabians and the Africans or Moores properly so called which last are of two kinds namely white or tawnie Moores and Negros or blacke Moores Of all which nations some are Gentiles which worship Idols others of the sect of Mahumet some others Christians and some Iewish in religion the greatest part of which people are thought to be descended from Cham the cursed son of Noah except some Arabians of the linage of Sem which afterward passed into Africa Now the Arabians inhabiting Africa are diuided into many seuerall kinds possessing diuers and sundrie habitations and regions for some dwell neere the sea shore which retaine the name of Arabians but others inhabiting the inland are called Baduini There bee likewise infinite swarmes of Arabians which with their wiues and children leade a vagrant and roguish life in the deserts vsing tents in stead of houses these are notable theeues and very troublesome both to their neighbour-inhabitants and also to merchants for which cause trauellers and merchants dare not passe ouer the African deserts alone but onely in Carouans which are great companies of merchants riding and transporting their goods vpon their camels and asses who go very strong and in great numbers for feare of the said theeuish Arabians Ptolemey in his fourth booke of Geography diuideth Africa into twelue regions or prouinces namely Mauritania Tingitana Mauritania Caesariensis Numidia Africa propria Cyrenaica Marmarica Libya propria AEgyptus superior AEgyptus inferior Libya interior AEthiopia sub AEgypto AEthiopia
there are which as men report the inundation of Niger hath left behinde it Neither are the woods of the said regions altogether destitute of Elephants and other strange beastes whereof we will make relation in their due place What naturall impressions and motions the aire of Africa is subiect vnto and what effects ensue thereupon THroughout the greatest part of Barbarie stormie and cold weather begin commonly about the midst of October But in December and Ianuarie the cold groweth somewhat more sharpe in all places howbeit this happeneth in the morning onely but so gently and remissely that no man careth greatly to warme himselfe by the fire Februarie somewhat mitigateth the cold of winter but that so inconstantly that the weather changeth sometime fiue and sometime sixe times in one day In March the north and west windes vsually blowe which cause the trees to be adorned with blossoms In Aprill all fruits attaine to their proper forme and shape insomuch that cherries are commonly ripe about the end of Aprill and the beginning of May_In the midst of May they gather their figs and in mid-Iune their grapes are ripe in many places Likewise their peares their sweete quinces and their damascens attaine vnto sufficient ripenes in the moneths of Iune and Iulie Their figs of Autumne may be gathered in August howbeit they neuer haue so great plentie of figs and peaches as in September By the midst of August they vsually begin to drie their grapes in the sun where of they make reisins Which if they cannot finish in September by reason of vnseasonable weather of their grapes as then vngathered they vse to make wine and must especially in the prouince of Rifa as we will in due place signifie more at large In the midst of October they take in their honie and gather their pomegranates and quinces In Nouember they gather their oliues not climing vp with ladders nor plucking them with their hands according to the custome of Europe for the trees of Mauritania and Caesarea are so tal that no ladder is long ynongh to reach vnto the fruit And therefore their oliues being full ripe they clime the trees beating them off the boughes with certaine long poles albeit they know this kinde of beating to be most hurtfull vnto the saide trees Sometimes they haue great plentie of oliues in Africa and sometimes as great scarcitie Certaine great oliue-trees there are the oliues whereof are eaten ripe by the inhabitants because they are not so fit for oile No yeere falles out to be so vnseasonable but that they haue three monethes in the spring alwaies temperate They begin their spring vpon the fifteenth day of Februarie accounting the eighteenth of May for the ende thereof all which time they haue most pleasant weather But if from the fiue and twentith of Aprill to the fifth of May they haue no raine fall they take it as a signe of ill lucke And the raine-water which falleth all the time aforesaid they call Naisan that is water blessed of God Some store it vp in vessels most religiously keeping it as an holy thing Their summer lasteth till the sixteenth of August all which time they haue most hot and cleere weather Except perhaps some showers of raine fall in Iuly and August which doe so infect the aire that great plague and most pestilent feuers ensue thereupon with which plague whosoeuer is infected most hardly escapeth death Their Autumne they reckon from the 17. of August to the 16. of Nouember hauing commonly in the moneths of August and September not such extreme heate as before Howbeit all the time betweene the 15. of August and the 15. of September is called by them the furnace of the whole yeere for that it bringeth figs quinces and such kinde of fruits to their full maturitie From the 15. of Nouember they begin their winter-season continuing the same till the 14. day of Februarie So soone as winter commeth they begin to till their ground which lieth in the plaines but vpon the mountaines they goe to plough in October The Africans are most certainly perswaded that euery yeere containeth fortie extreme hot daies beginning vpon the 12. of Iune and againe so many daies extreme colde beginning from the 12. of December Their Aequinoctia are vpon the 16. of March and the 16. of September For their Solstitia they account the 16. of Iune and the 16. of December These rules they doe most strictly obserue as well in husbandrie and nauigation as in searching out the houses and true places of the planets and these instructions with other such like they teach their yoong children first of all Many countrie-people and husbandmen there be in Africa who knowing as they say neuer a letter of the booke will notwithstanding most learnedly dispute of Astrologie alleage most profoūd reasons arguments for themselues But whatsoeuer skill they haue in the art of Astrologie they first learned the same of the Latines yea they giue those very names vnto their moneths which the Latines do Moreouer they haue extāt among them a certaine great booke diuided into three volumes which they call The treasurie or storehouse of husbandrie This booke was then translated out of Latine into their toong when Mansor was Lord of Granada In the said Treasurie are all things contained which may seeme in any wise to concerne husbandrie as namely the changes and varietie of times the maner of sowing with a number of such like particulars which I thinke at this day the Latine toong it selfe whereout these things were first translated doth not containe Whatsoeuer either the Africans or the Mahumetans haue which seemeth to appertaine in any wise to their law or religion they make their computation thereof altogether according to the course of the moone Their yeere is diuided into 354. daies for vnto sixe moneths they allot 30. daies and vnto the other sixe but 29 all which being added into one summe doe produce the number aforesaid wherefore their yeere differeth eleuen daies from the yeere of the Latines They haue at diuers times festiuall daies and fasts About the ende of Autumne for all winter and a great part of the spring they are troubled with boisterous windes with haile with terrible thunder and lightening yea then it snoweth much in some places of Barbarie The easterne southerne and southeasterne windes blowing in May and Iune doe very much hurt there for they spoile the corne and hinder the fruit from comming to ripenes Their corne likewise is greatly appaired by snow especially such as falleth in the day-time when it beginneth to flower Vpon the mountaines of Atlas they diuide the yeere into two parts onely for their winter continueth from October to Aprill and from Aprill to October they account it summer neither is there any day throughout the whole yeere wherein the tops of those mountaines are not couered with snowe In Numidia the yeere runneth away very swiftly for they reape their
time they will challenge and prouoke one another foorth of the citie-walles And hauing fought hard all the whole day at night they fall to throwing of stones till at length the citie-officers come vpon them taking some and beating them publiquely throughout the citie Sometimes it falleth 〈◊〉 that the yoong striplings arming themselues and going by night out of the citie range vp and downe the fields and gardens and if the contrarie faction of yoonkers and they meere it is woonderfull what a bloodie skirmish ensueth howbeit they are often most seuerely punished for it Of the African poets IN Fez there are diuers most excellent poets which make verses in their owne mother toong Most of their poems and songs intreat of loue Euery yeere they pen certaine verses in the commendation of Mahumet especially vpon his birth-day for then betimes in the morning they resort vnto the palace of the chiefe iudge or gouernour ascending his tribunall-seate and from thence reading their verses to a great audience of people and hee whose verses are most elegant and pithie is that yeere proclaimed prince of the poets But when as the kings of the Marin-familie prospered they vsed to inuite all the learned men of the citie vnto their palace and honourably entertaining them they commanded each man in their hearing to recite their verses to the commendation of Mahumet and he that was in all mens opinions esteemed the best poet was rewarded by the king with an hundred duckats with an excellent horse with a woman-slaue and with the kings owne robes wherewith he was then apparelled all the rest had fiftie duckats apeece giuen them so that none departed without the kings liberalitie but an hundred and thirtie yeeres are expired since this custome together with the maiestie of the Fessan kingdome decaied A description of the grammar-schooles in Fez. OF schooles in Fez for the instructing of children there are almost two hundred euery one of which is in fashion like a great hall The schoolemasters teach their children to write and read not out of a booke but out of a certaine great table Euery day they expound one sentence of the Alcoran and hauing red quite through they begin it againe repeating it so often til they haue most firmely committed the same to memorie which they doe right well in the space of 7. yeeres Then read they vnto their scholers some part of orthographie howbeit both this and the other parts of Grammar are far more exactly taught in the colleges then in these triuiall schooles The said schoolemasters are allowed a very small stipend but when their boies haue learned some part of the Alcoran they present certaine gifts vnto their master according to each ones abilitie Afterward so soon as any boy hath perfectly learned the whole Alcaron his father inuiteth all his sonnes schoole-fellowes vnto a great banket and his sonne in costly apparell rides through the street vpon a gallant horse which horse and apparell the gouernour of the royall citadell is bound to lend him The rest of his schoole-fellowes being mounted likewise on horse-backe accompany him to the banketing house singing diuers songs to the praise of God and of Mahumet Then are they brought to a most sumptuous banket whereat all the kinsfolkes of the foresaid boyes father are vsually present euery one of whom bestoweth on the schoolemaster some small gift and the boyes father giues him a new sute of apparell The said scholers likewise vse to celebrate a feast vpon the birth-day of Mahumet and then their fathers are bound to send each man a torch vnto the schoole whereupon euery boy carrieth a torch in his hand some of which waigh thirty pound These torches are most curiously made being adorned round about with diuers fruits of waxe which being lighted betimes in the morning doe burne till sun-rise in the meane while certaine singers resound the praises of Mahumet and so soone as the sunne is vp all their solemnitie ceaseth this day vseth to be very gainfull vnto the schoolemasters for they sell the remnant of the waxe vpon the torches for an hundred duckats and sometimes for more None of them paies any rent for his schoole for all their schooles were built many yeeres agoe and were freely bestowed for the training vp of youth Whatsoeuer ornaments or toyes are vpon the 〈◊〉 the schoolemasters diuide them among their scholers and among the singers Both in these common schooles and also in the colleges they haue two daies of recreation euery weeke wherein they neither teach nor studie Of the fortune-tellers and some other artizans in Fez. WE haue said nothing as yet of the leather-dressers who haue diuers mansions by the riuers side paying for euery skin an halfepeny custome which amounteth yeerely almost vnto three hundred duckats Here are likewise chirurgions barbers whom because they are so few I thought not to haue mentioned in this place Now let vs speake of the fortune-tellers and diuiners of whom there is a great number and three kindes For one sort vseth certaine Geomanticall figures Others powring a drop of oile into a viall or glasse of water make the saide water to bee transparent and bright wherein as it were in a mirrour they affirme that they see huge swarmes of diuels that resemble an whole armie some whereof are trauelling some are passing ouer a riuer and others fighting a land-battell whom when the diuiner seeth at quiet he demandeth such questions of them as he is desirous to be resolued of and the diuels giue them answere with beckning or with some gesture of their hands or eies so inconsiderate and damnable is their credulitie in this behalfe The foresaid glasse-viall they will deliuer into childrens hands scarce of eight yeeres old of whom they will aske whether they see this or that diuell Many of the citie are so besotted with these vanities that they spend great summes vpon them The third kinde of diuiners are women-witches which are affirmed to haue familiaritie with diuels some diuels they call red some white and some blacke diuels and when they will tell any mans fortune they perfume themselues with certaine odours saying that then they possesse themselues with that diuell which they called for afterward changing their voice they faine the diuell to speake within them then they which come to enquire ought with great feare trembling aske these vile abominable witches such questions as they meane to propound and lastly offering some fee vnto the diuell they depart But the wiser and honester sort of people call these women Sahaoat which in Latin signifieth Fricatrices because they haue a damnable custome to commit vnlawfull Venerie among themselues which I cannot expresse in any modester termes If faire women come vnto them at any time these abominable witches will burne in lust towardes them no otherwise then lustie yoonkers doe towards yoong maides and will in the diuels behalfe demaunde for a rewarde that they may lie with them and so by
owne religion This Geber his works and all his precepts are full of allegories or darke borrowed speeches Likewise they haue another author that wrote an huge volume of the same arte intituled by the name of Attogrehi this man was secretarie vnto the Soldan of Bagaded of whom we haue written in the liues of the Arabian philosophers Also the songs or articles of the said science were written by one Mugairibi of Granada whereupon a most learned Mamaluch of Damasco wrote a commentarie yet so that a man may much more easily vnderstand the text then the exposition thereof Of Alchymistes here are two sorts whereof the one seeke for the Elissir that is the matter which coloureth brasse and other metals and the other are conuersant about multiplication of the quantities of metals whereby they may conueniently temper the same But their chiefest drift is to coine counterfeit money for which cause you shall see most of them in Fez with their hands cut off Of charmers andinchanters of snakes IN this citie likewise there is a great swarme of base people such as the Italians commonly call Ciurmatori these sing foolish songs and rimes in all the streets of the citie and broching meere trifles with the musicke of drums harpes and citterns they sell vnto the rude people certaine scroules or briefe charmes instead of preseruatiues Vnto these you may adde another kinde of reffuse people of one family and disposition with the former who carrie dauncing apes vp and downe and haue their neckes and armes all entwined with 〈◊〉 snakes These also professe Geomancie and perswade women that they can foretell them their 〈◊〉 Likewise they carrie stone-horses about with them which for a certaine fee they will let others haue to couer their mares I coulde heere reckon vp more sorts of people but let it suffice to haue admonished in this place that the greatest part of the forenamed are people of most base condition and such as beare little good will to strangers albeit there are but a fewe in this citie by reason it is distant more then an hundreth miles from the sea the way thither also being rough and dangerous Their gentle men are very stately and high minded and will haue little or no familiaritie at all with the citizens so likewise the doctors and iudges of principall account will admit but fewe vnto their acquaintance This citie it selfe is most beautifull and right commodiously situate where albeit in winter time the streetes are so mirie that you cannot walke in them without startups yet they let passe such abundance of water out of their conducts that all the filth is washed cleane away Where conducts are wanting they carry all the durt in carts vnto the next part of the riuer A description of the suburbes without the foresaid citie of Fez. WIthout the wals of this citie westward standeth a suburbe containing almost fiue hundreth families the houses whereof are but meane and the inhabitants base as namely driuers of camels water-bearers and cleauers of woode for the kings pallace Yet here you may finde diuers shops and all kinds of artificers Here likewise dwell all the charmers and roguish minstrels before named as also great swarmes of sluttish and filthie harlots In the principall streete of this suburbe you shall finde certaine caues most artificially hewen out of excellent marble wherein the noble men of Fez were woont to lay vp their corne but after that by reason of the warres it was often taken from thence they haue since vsually conueied their corne into new Fez and there stored it vp and from that time to this the marble-caues haue remained desolate It is a woonder to see howe wide and large these caues are for the least of them will containe more then a thousand measures of corne there being aboue an hundreth and fiftie of them in all but now they lie waste and open insomuch that diuers fall into them at vnawares for which cause their brimmes are enuironed with wals Here euery one may play the vintener and the baud so that this suburbe may iustly be called the sinke of Fez. From the twentith hower you shall see none at all in their shops for then euery man runs to the tauerne to disport to spend riotously and to bee drunken Another suburbe there is allotted vnto the lepers of whom there are two hundreth families these leprous persons haue a gouernour which gathereth certaine yeerely reuenues from the noble-men and taketh such care of the saide lepers that they want no necessarie thing He is bound by his office to discharge the citie of all leprous persons and to compell all such as he vnderstandes to be infected with that disease to depart into the foresaide suburbes If any leper chanceth to die without issue part of his goods are emploied to the common benefite of the lepers and part fall to the gouernours share but if he hath any children they enioy his goods Among the lepers also those are placed which are infected with white botches or with any other incurable maladie Next beyond standeth another suburbe inhabited onely with muleters plaisterers and wood-mongers which although it be but little yet containeth it about an hundreth and fiftie families Moreouer vpon the way leading westward from the citie there is another great suburbe of moe then fower hundreth houses howbeit they are low base and the inhabitants are beggerly which neither can nor will dwell among any other people By this suburbe there is a certaine broad plaine which leadeth to the riuer two miles off and extendeth westward almost three miles Vpon this plaine euery weeke there is an exceeding great market of cattell Likewise the shopkeepers of the citie resort hither and sell their wares in tents Also a certaine companie of gentlemen vse to come hither and to diuide a ramme among themselues leauing the head vnto the butcher for his fee but the feete and the skin they sell vnto the wooll-chapmen For those wares that are heere sold they pay so little tribute to the king that it is not woorth the mentioning But this one thing I must in no wise passe ouer in silence namely that I neuer sawe neither in Asia Africa nor Italy a market either more populous or better furnished with wares Not farre from Fez stand certaine high rockes enuironed with a ditch of two miles compasse out of which rockes certaine matter is hewed to make lime withall Neere vnto the saide ditch are many furnaces some whereof are so large that they will containe moe then sixe thousand measures of lime and this lime is made at the costes of the richest citizens in Fez. Westward without the wals of Fez by the riuers side stande about an hundred cottages which are onely inhabited by them that white linnen cloth Hither in the spring and in summer vse the citizens to bring their linnen cloth spreading it vpon the medowes and as often as they see it drie in the sunne casting
most part of the gentlemen of Fez haue vineyards vpon the saide mountaine At the north foote of this mountaine the fields are replenished with all kinde of graine and fruits For all that plaine is watered southward with the riuer Sebu and here the gardiners with certaine artificiall wheeles and engines draw water out of the riuer to moisten their gardens In this plaine are wel-nigh two hundreth acres of ground the reuenues whereof are giuen vnto the kings master of ceremonies howbeit he maketh thereof not aboue fiue hundreth ducates a yeere the tenth part of all which reuenues amounting to three thousand bushels of corne belongeth to the kings prouision Of mount Zarhon THis mountaine beginneth from the plaine of Esais lying ten miles distant from the citie of Fez westward it extendeth thirtie miles and is almost ten miles broad This mountaine is all couered with waste and desert woods being otherwise well stored with oliues In this mountaine there are of sheepe-foldes and castles to the number of fiftie and the inhabitants are very wealthy for it standeth betweene two flourishing cities that is to say Fez on the east and Mecnase on the west The women weaue woollen cloth according to the custome of that place and are adorned with many siluer rings and bracelets The men of this mountaine are most valiant and are much giuen to pursue and take lions whereof they send great store vnto the king of Fez. And the king hunteth the said lions in manner following in a large field there are certaine little cels made being so high that a man may stand vpright in them each one of these cels is shut fast with a little doore and containe within euery of them an armed man who opening the doore presents himselfe to the view of the lion then the lion 〈◊〉 the doores open comes running toward them with great furie but the doores being shut againe he waxeth more furious then before then bring they foorth a bull to combate with the lion who enter a fierce and bloudie conflict wherein if the bull kill the lion that daies sport is at an end but if the lion get the victorie then all the armed men being ordinarily twelue leape foorth of their cels and inuade the lion each one of them hauing a iauelin with a pike of a cubite and an halfe long And if these armed men seeme to bee too hard for the lion the king causeth their number to be diminished but perceiuing them too weake the king with his companie from a certaine high place where he standeth to behold the sport kill the lion with their crossebowes And oftentimes it falleth out that before the lion be slaine some one of the men dies for it the residue being sore wounded The reward of those that encounter the lion is ten duckats apeece and a new garment neither are any admitted vnto this combat but men of redoubted valour and such as come from mount Zelagi but those that take the lions first are inhabitants of mount Zarhon Of Gualili a towne of mount Zarhon THis towne was built by the Romanes vpon the top of the foresaide mountaine what time they were lordes of Granada in south Spaine It is enuironed around with mighty thicke walles made of smoothe and hewen stones The gates are large and high and the fields are manured for the space of sixe miles about howbeit this towne was long sithence destroied by the Africans But afterward when the schismatike Idris came into this region he began to repaire this desolate towne and to replant it so with inhabitants that within short time it grew very populous howbeit after his decease it was neglected by his sonne being wholy addicted as is beforesaid vnto the building of Fez. And yet Idris lieth buried in this towne whose sepulchre is visited with great reuerence almost by all the people of Barbarie for he is as highly esteemed as if he had been some patriarke because he was of the linage of Mahumet At this present there are but two or three houses in all the towne which were there built for the honour and maintenance of the sepulchre The fields adiacent are exceedingly well husbanded and their gardens are most pleasant by reason of two sweet freshets running through them the which diuersly winding themselues about the little hils and vallies doe water all that plaine Of a certaine towne called the palace of Pharao THis towne was founded by the Romans vpon the top of an hill about eight miles distant from Gualili The people of this said mountaine together with some historiographers are most certainly perswaded that this towne was built by Pharao king of Egypt in the time of Moses and tooke the name from the first founder which notwithstanding I thinke to be otherwise for I can read in no approoued author that either Pharao or any other Egyptians euer inhabited these regions But I suppose that this fond opinion was taken out of that booke which one Elcabi wrote concerning the words of Mahumet For the said booke affirmeth from the authoritie of Mahumet that there were fower kings onely that gouerned the whole world two whereof were faithfull and the other two ethnikes the faithfull he 〈◊〉 were Alexander the great and Salomon the sonne of Dauid and the ethnikes were Nimrod and Pharao But I am rather of opinion by the Latine letters which are there engrauen in the walles that the Romanes built this towne About this towne run two small riuers on either side thereof The little hils and vallies adiacent doe greatly abound with oliues Not far from hence are certaine wilde deserts frequented with lions and leopards Of the towne called Pietra Rossa or The red rocke PIetra Rossa is a small towne built by the Romans vpon the side of the foresaid mountaine being so neere the forrest that the lions will come daily into the towne and gather vp bones in the streets yea they are so tame and familiar that neither women nor children are afeard of them The wals of this towne are built very high and of great stones but now they are ruined in many places and the whole towne is diminished into one streete Their fields being ioyned vnto the plaines of Azgara abound with oliues and all kinde of pulse Of the towne of Maghilla MAghilla is a little towne founded of old by the Romans vpon that side of the foresaid hill which looketh toward Fez. About this towne are most fertill fields and greatly enriched with oliues there is a plaine likewise containing many fresh fountaines and well stored with hempe and flaxe Of the castle of Shame THis ancient castle is built at the foote of the said mountaine neer vnto the high way from Fez to Mecnase and it was called by this name because the inhabitants are most shamefully addicted to couetise like vnto all the people thereabouts In old time it is reported that a certaine king passed by whom the inhabitants of the castle inuited to dinner requesting him to
them likewise which was a cause that the merchants of both partes trauelled more securely Of the towne of Gerseluin THis ancient towne was built by the Africans at the foote of one of the foresaid mountaines not farre from the riuer of Ziz. It is enuironed with an impregnable and stately wall the founder whereof was a certaine king of the Marin-familie In regard of the walles and bulwarks it is a most beautifull towne But being once entred thereinto you shall see most base and beggerly houses and scarce any inhabitants dwelling in them and that by the iniurie of certaine Arabians who when they reuolted from the Marin-familie tooke this towne and grieuously oppressed the citizens Their drie and barren fields lie open to the north Vpon the riuer are diuers mils and by the side thereof are many gardens replenished with grapes and peaches which they vse to drie in the sunne and to keepe an whole yeere They haue great scarcitie of cattell which causeth them to liue a most 〈◊〉 life This towne was built by the familie of Zeneta in stead of a fort to the end it might be a place of refuge onely in their iournie to Numidia but afterward it was surprised and vtterly destroied by the familie of Luntuna Here also are great store of such domesticall serpents as we reported to be in the mountaines of Ziz. Here endeth the third booke IOHN LEO HIS FOVRTH BOOKE OF the Historie of Africa and of the memorable things contained therein A description of the kingdome of Telensin THis kingdome beginneth westward from the riuers of Zha Muluia eastward it bordereth vpon The great riuer southward vpon the desert of Numidia and northward vpon the Mediterran sea This region was called by the Romanes Caesaria and was by them inhabited howbeit after the Romanes were expelled it was fullie possessed by the ancient gouernours thereof called Beni Habdulguad and being a generation of the familie of Magraua And it remained vnto them and their successors three hundred yeeres vntill such time as a certaine mightie man called Ghamrazen the sonne of Zeijen tooke possession thereof His posteritie changing at length their ancient name were called Beni Zeijen that is the sonnes of Zeijen and they enioied this kingdome for the space almost of 380. yeeres At length the kings of Fez of the Marin-familie greatly molested them so that those ten kings which succeeded Zeijen were some of them vnfortunate in battell some slaine some taken captiue and others expelled their kingdome and chased to the next mountaines Neither were they free from vexation of the kings of Tunis howbeit the kingdome of Telensin remained still to this familie and they continued in peace for almost an hundred and twentie yeeres being endammaged by no forren power sauing that one Abu Feris king of Tunis and his sonne Hutmen made them to pay tribute for certaine yeeres vnto Tunis till the decease of the said Hutmen This kingdome stretcheth in length from east to west 380. miles but in bredth from north to south that is from the Mediterran sea to the deserts of Numidia not aboue fiue and twentie miles which is the occasion that it is so often oppressed by the Arabians inhabiting the Numidian deserts The kings of Telensin haue alwaies endeuoured by great gifts to gaine the good will and friendship of the Numidians but they could neuer satisfie their insatiable couetice A man shall seldome trauell safely through this kingdome howbeit here are great store of merchants perhaps either because it adioineth to Numidia or else for that the way to the land of Negros lieth through it It hath two most famous frequented hauen-townes the one called Horam and the other Marsa Elcabir whither vse to resort great store of Genoueses and Venetians But afterward both these townes were taken by Don Ferdinando the Catholike king to the great inconuenience of all this kingdome for which cause the king then raigning called Abuchemmeu was expelled his kingdome and put to flight by his owne subiects afterward Abuzeijen was restored to the kingdome who had for certaine yeeres been imprisoned by his nephew Abuchemmeu howbeit he enioied the kingdome but a very short space For he was at length miserably slaine by Barbarossa the Turke who conquered the kingdome of Tremizen by force of war Whereof Abuchemmeu that was expelled by his owne subiects hauing intelligence sent to craue aide of the emperour Charles the fift whereby he hoped to recouer his kingdome Which request being granted he leuied a puissant armie and made warre against Barbarossa and hauing driuen him out he recouered his kingdome and seuerely punished them that had conspired his banishment And then he gaue the Spanish soldiers their pay sent the captaines home with great rewardes and allowed Charles the emperour a large yeerely reuenue so long as he liued After his decease succeeded his brother Habdulla who neglecting the league made before betweene the emperour and his brother and relying vpon Soliman the great Turke refused to pay any more tribute vnto the emperour Charles and hath kept possession of the kingdome till this present The greater part of this region is vntilled drie and barren especially towards the south Howbeit the sea coast is somewhat more fertill The territorie adiacent to the citie of Telensin is full of woods sauing that the westerne part towardes the sea is mountainous Likewise the regions of Tenez and Alger containe mountaines abounding with all kinde of commodities In this part ate but few cities and castles howbeit it is a most fruitfull and blessed place as we will hereafter declare in particular Of the desert of Angad THis barren drie and vntilled desert being vtterly destitute of water and wood is situate vpon the westerne frontire of the kingdome of Telensin and extendeth in length fowerscore and in bredth almost fiftie miles Here are great store of roes deere and ostriches Such merchants as trauell from Fez to Telensin passe ouer this desert not without great danger by reason of certaine Arabians which liue onely vpon theft aud robberie especially in winter when as the soldiers appointed to defend the said desert from those lewd vagabonds doe vsually retire themselues into Numidia Many shepherds there are in this desert who are daily vexed with multitudes of fierce lions which sometime seaze not onely vpon cartell but also vpon men Of the castle of Temzegzet THis castle standing in the same place where the foresaid desert adioineth vnto the territorie of Telensin and built by the Africans vpon a rocke was in times past very strong and often annoied by the people ofFez for it standeth in the high way from Fez to Telensin Through the fields adiacent runneth a certaine riuer called in their language Tefme The said fields adiacent sufficiently abound with all things necessarie for the sustenance of the inhabitants Heretofore being subiect vnto the kings of Telensin it well deserued the name of a citie but since the Arabians got
the Africans vpon the Mediterran sea and being thirtie miles distant from Alger is enuironed with most ancient and strong walles The greatest part of the inhabitants are dyers of cloth and that by reason of the many riuers and streames running through the midst of the same They are of a liberall and ingenuous disposition and can play most of them vpon the citterne and lute Their fields are fertill and abounding with corne Their apparell is very decent the greatest part of them are delighted in fishing and they take such abundance of fishes that they freely giue them to euery bodie which is the cause that there is no fish-market in this towne Of the mountaines contained in the kingdome of Telensin Of the mountaine of Beni Iezneten THis mountaine standeth westward of Telensin almost fiftie miles one side thereof bordering vpon the desert of Garet and the other side vpon the desert of Angad In length it extendeth fiue and twentie and in bredth almost fifteene miles and it is exceeding high and difficult to ascend It hath diuers woods growing vpon it wherein grow great store of Carobs which the inhabitants vse for an ordinarie kinde of foode for they haue great want of barly Here are diuers cottages inhabited with valiant and stout men Vpon the top of this mountaine standeth a strong castle wherein all the principall men of the mountaine dwell amongst whom there are often dissentions for there is none of them all but woulde be sole gouernour of the mountaine I my selfe had conuersation with some of them whom I knew in the king of Fez his court for which cause I was honorably intertained by them The soldiers of this mountaine are almost ten thousand Of mount Matgara THis exceeding high and colde mountaine hath great store of inhabitants and is almost sixe miles distant from Ned Roma The inhabitants are valiant but not very rich for this mountaine yeeldeth nought but barly and Carobs They speake all one language with the people of Ned Roma and are ioined in such league with them that they will often aide one another against the king of Telensin Of mount Gualhasa THis high mountaine standeth nigh vnto the towne of Hunain The inhabitants are sauage rude and vnciuill people and are at continuall warre with the people of Hunain so that oftentimes they haue almost vtterly destroied the towne This mountaine yeeldeth great store of Carobs and but little corne Of mount Agbal THis mountaine is inhabited with people of base condition and subiect to the towne of Oran They all exercise husbandrie and carrie woode vnto Oran While the Moores enioied Oran their state was somewhat better but since the Christians got possession thereof they haue beene driuen to extreame miserie Of mount Beni Guerened THis mountaine being three miles distant from Tremisen is well peopled and aboundeth with all kinde of fruits especially with figges and cherries The inhabitants are some of them colliers some wood-mongers and the residue husbandmen And out of this onely mountaine as I was informed by the king of Telensin his Secretarie there is yeerely collected for tribute the summe of twelue thousand ducats Of mount Magraua THis mountaine extending it selfe fortie miles in length towardes the Mediterran sea is neer vnto the towne of Mustuganin before described The soile is fertile and the inhabitants are valiant and warrelike people and of a liberall and humaine disposition Of mount Beni Abusaid THis mountaine standing not farre from Tenez is inhabited with great multitudes of people which lead a sauage life and are notwithstanding most valiant warriors They haue abundance of honey barly and goats Their waxe and hides they carrie vnto Tenez and there sell the same to the merchants of Europe When as the king of Tremizen his kinsemen were lords of this mountaine the people paied for tribute certaine thousands of ducats Of mount Guanseris THis exceding high mountaine is inhabited with valiant people who being aided by the king of Fez maintained warre against the kingdome of Telensin for aboue three-score yeeres Fruitefull fields they haue and great store of fountains Their soldiers are almost twentie thousand in number whereof 2500. are horsemen By their aide Iahia attained to the gouernment of Tenez but after Tenez began to decay they gaue themselues wholy to robberie and theft Of the mountaines belonging to the state of Alger NEre vnto Alger on the east side and on the west are diuers mountains well stored with inhabitants Free they are from all tribute and rich and exceeding valiant Their corne fields are very fruitefull and they haue great abundance of cattell They are oftentimes at deadly warre togither so that it is dangerous trauailing that way vnlesse it be in a religious mans company Markets they haue and faires vpon these mountaines where nought is to be solde but cattle corne and wooll vnlesse some of the neighbour cities supplie them with merchandise now and then Here endeth the fourth booke IOHN LEO HIS FIFTH BOOKE OF the Historie of Africa and of the memorable things contained therein A description of the kingdomes of Bugia and Tunis WHen as in the former part of this my historie I diuided Barbaria into certaine parts I determined to write of Bugia as of a kingdome by it selfe and I found indeed that not many yeeres ago it was a kingdome For Bugia was subiect to the king of Tunis and albeit for certaine yeeres the king of Telensin was Lord thereof yet was it at length recouered againe by the king of Tunis who committed the gouernment of the city vnto one of his sons both for the tranquillitie of Bugia and also that no discord might happen among his sonnes after his decease He left behinde him three sonnes the eldest whereof was called Habdulhaziz and vnto him he bequeathed the kingdome of Bugia as is aforesaide vnto the second whose name was Hutmen he left the kingdome of Tunis and the third called Hammare he made gouernour of the region of dates This Hammare began foorthwith to wage warre against his brother Hutmen by whom being at length taken in the towne of Asfacos depriued of both his eies he was carried captiue vnto Tunis where he liued many yeeres blinde but his brother Hutmen gouerned the kingdome of Tunis full fortie yeeres The prince of Bugia being most louing and dutifull to his brother raigned for many yeeres with great tianquilitie till at length he was by king Ferdinand of Spaine and by the meanes of one Pedro de Nauarra cast out of his kingdome A description of the great citie of Bugia THis auncient citie of Bugia built as some thinke by the Romans vpon the side of an high mountaine neere vnto the Mediterran sea is enuironed with walles of great height and most stately in regard of their antiquitie The part thereof now peopled containeth aboue eight thousand families but if it were all replenished with buildings it were capeable of more then fower and twentie thousand housholds for it is of a
first Booke of this present discourse we said that Numidia was accounted by the African Cosmographers the basest part of all Africa and there we alleaged certaine reasons for the same purpose we signified also in the second Booke writing of the Prouince of Hea that certaine cities of Numidia stood neere vnto mount Atlas Howbeit Sus Guzula Helchemma and Capes are within the kingdome of Tunis albeit some would haue them situate in Numidia But my selfe following the opinion of Ptolemey suppose Tunis to be a part of Barbarie Being therefore about to describe all the cities and townes of Numidia I will first begin with Tesset which ancient towne built by the Numidians neere vnto the Libyan deserts and enuironed with walles of sunne-dried bricke deserueth scarcely the name of a towne and yet containeth fower hundred families It is compassed round about with sandie plaines sauing that neer vnto the towne grow some store of dates of mill-seed and of barley which the miserable townesmen vse for food They are constrained also to pay large tribute vnto the 〈◊〉 inhabiting the next deserts They exercise traffique in the land of Negroes and in Guzula insomuch that they spend most of their time in forren regions They are of a blacke colour and destitute of all learning The women indeed teach their yoong children the first rudiments of learning but before they can attaine to any perfection they are put to labour and to the plough-tayle The said women are somewhat whiter then other women some of them get their liuing by spinning and carding of wooll and the residue spend their time in idlenes Such as are accounted richest in this region possesse but verie few cattell They till their ground with an horse and a camell which kinde of plowing is obserued throughout all Numidia Of the village of 〈◊〉 THis village situate vpon the Numidian desert neere vnto Libya is inhabited by most miserable and grosse people Here groweth nothing but dates and the inhabitants are at such enmitie with their neighbours that it is dangerous for them to go abroad Howbeit they giue themselues to hunting and take certaine wilde beasts called Elamth and ostriches neither do they eate any other flesh All their goates they reserue for milke And these people also are blacke of colour Of the castles of Ifran FOwer castles there are called by this name built by the Numidians three miles each from other vpon a certaine riuer which in the heat of sommer is destitute of water Neere vnto these castles are certaine fields greatly abounding with dates The inhabitants are verie rich for they haue traffique with the Portugals at the port of Gart Guessem whose wares they 〈◊〉 to Gualata and Tombuto These castles containe great store of inhabitants which make certaine brazen vessels to bee solde in the lande of Negros for they haue copper-mines in sundrie places thereabout Euery castle hath a weekly market but corne and flesh are at an extreme rate there They goe decently apparelled and haue a faire temple to resort vnto and a Iudge also that decideth none but ciuill controuersies for criminall matters they vse to punish with banishment onely Of the castles of Accha THree castles of this name built vpon the Numidian deserts not far from Lybia were in times past well stored with inhabitants but at length by ciuill wars they were vtterly dispeopled Afterward all matters being pacified there were by the meanes of a certaine religious man who gouerned the same people certaine new colonies planted Neither haue the poore inhabitants any thing to do but onely to gather dates Of the Prouince of Dara THis Prouince beginning at mount Atlas extendeth it selfe southward by the deserts of Lybia almost two hundred and fiftie miles and the bredth thereof is verie narrow All the inhabitants dwell vpon a certaine riuer which is called by the name of the Prouince This riuer sometime so ouerfloweth that a man would thinke it to be a sea but in sommer it so diminisheth that any one may passe ouer it on foote If so be it ouerfloweth about the beginning of Aprill it bringeth great plentie vnto the whole region if not there followeth great scarcitie of corne Vpon the banke of this riuer there are sundrie villages and hamlets and diuers castles also which are enuironed with walles made of sunne-dried bricke and mortar All their beames and planchers consist of date-trees being notwithstanding vnfit for the purpose for the wood of date-trees is not solid but flexible and spungie On either side of the said riuer for the space of fiue or sixe miles the fields abound exceedingly with dates which with good keeping will last many yeeres and as here are diuers kindes of dates so they are sold at sundry prices for a bushell of some is woorth a duckat but others wherewith they feede their horses and camels are scarce of a quarter so much value Of date-trees some are male and some are female the male bring foorth flowers onely and the female fruit but the flowers of the female will not open vnlesse the boughes and flowers of the male be ioined vnto them And if they be not ioined the dates will prooue starke naught and containe great stones The inhabitants of Dara liue vpon barlie and other grosse meate neither may they eate any bread but onely vpon festiuall daies Their castles are inhabited by goldsmithes and other artificers and so are all the regions lying in the way from Tombuto to Fez in this prouince also there are three or fower proper townes frequented by merchants and strangers and containing many shops and temples But the principall towne called Beni Sabih and inhabited with most valiant and liberall people is diuided into two parts either part hauing a seuerall captaine or gouernour which gouernours are oftentimes at great dissension and especially when they moisten their arable grounds by reason that they are so skanted of water A merchant they will most courteously entertaine a whole yeere together and then friendly dismissing him they will require nought at his hands but wil accept such liberalitie as he thinkes good to bestow vpon them The said gouernours so often as they fall a skirmishing hire the next Arabians to aide them allowing them daily halfe a duckat for their pay and somtimes more and giuing them their allowance euery day In time of peace they trim their harquebuzes handguns other weapons neither saw I euer to my remembrance more cunning harquebuziers then at this place In this prouince groweth great store of Indico being an herbe like vnto wilde woad and this herbe they exchange with the merchants of Fez and Tremisen for other wares Corne is very scarce among them and is brought thither from Fez and other regions neither haue they any great store of goats or horses vnto whom in stead of prouender they giue dates and a kinde of herbe also which groweth in the kingdome of Naples and is called by the Neapolitans Farfa
on the north Tombuto on the east and the kingdome of Melli on the south In length it containeth almost fiue hundred miles and extendeth two hundred and fiftie miles along the riuer of Niger and bordereth vpon the Ocean sea in the same place where Niger falleth into the saide sea This place exceedingly aboundeth with barlie rice cattell fishes and cotton and their cotton they sell vnto the merchants of Barbarie for cloth of Europe for brazen vessels for armour and other such commodities Their coine is of gold without any stampe or inscription at all they haue certaine iron-money also which they vse about matters of small value some peeces whereof weigh a pound some halfe a pound and some one quarter of a pound In all this kingdome-there is no fruite to be found but onely dates which are brought hither either out of Gualata or Numidia Heere is neither towne nor castle but a certaine great village onely wherein the prince of Ghinea together with his priestes doctors merchants and all the principall men of the region inhabite The walles of their houses are built of chalke and the roofes are couered with strawe the inhabitants are clad in blacke or blew cotton wherewith they couer their heads also but the priests and doctors of their law go apparelled in white cotton This region during the three moneths of Iulie August and September is yeerely enuironed with the ouerflowings of Niger in manner of an Island all which time the merchants of Tombuto conueigh their merchandize hither in certaine Canoas or narrow boats made of one tree which they rowe all the day long but at night they binde them to the shore and lodge themselues vpon the lande This kingdome was subiect in times past vnto a certaine people of Libya and became afterward tributarie vnto king Soni Heli after whom succeeded Soni Heli Izchia who kept the prince of this region prisoner at Gago where togither with a certaine nobleman he miserably died Of the kingdome of Melli. THis region extending it selfe almost three hundred miles along the side of a riuer which fâ—lleth into Niger bordereth northward vpon the region last described southward vpon certaine deserts and drie mountaines westward vpon huge woods and forrests stretching to the Ocean sea shore and eastward vpon the territorie of Gago In this kingdome there is a large and ample village containing to the number of sixe thousand or mo families and called Melli whereof the whole kingdome is so named And here the king hath his place of residence The region it selfe yeeldeth great abundance of corne flesh and cotton Heere are many artificers and merchants in all places and yet the king honorably entertaineth all strangers The inhabitants are rich and haue plentie of wares Heere are great store of temples priests and professours which professours read their lectures onely in the temples bicause they haue no colleges at all The people of this region excell all other Negros in witte ciuilitie and industry and were the first that embraced the law of Mahumet at the same time when the vncle of Ioseph the king of Maroco was their prince and the gouernment remained for a while vnto his posterity at length Izchia subdued the prince of this region and made him his tributarie and so oppressed him with greeuous exactions that he was scarce able to maintaine his family Of the kingdome of Tombuto THis name was in our times as some thinke imposed vpon this kingdome from the name of a certain towne so called which they say king Mense Suleiman founded in the yeere of the Hegeira 610. and it is situate within twelue miles of a certaine branch of Niger all the houses whereof are now changed into cottages built of chalke and couered with thatch Howbeit there is a most stately temple to be seene the wals whereof are made of stone and lime and a princely palace also built by a most excellent workeman of Granada Here are many shops of artificers and merchants and especially of such as weaue linnen and cotton cloth And hither do the Barbarie-merchants bring cloth of Europe All the women of this region except maid-seruants go with their faces couered and sell all necessarie victuals The inhabitants especially strangers there residing are exceeding rich insomuch that the king that now is married both his daughters vnto two rich merchants Here are many wels containing most sweete water and so often as the riuer Niger ouerfloweth they conueigh the water thereof by certaine sluces into the towne Corne cattle milke and butter this region yeeldeth in great abundance but salt is verie scarce heere for it is brought hither by land from Tegaza which is fiue hundred miles distant When I my selfe was here I saw one camels loade of salt sold for 80. ducates The rich king of Tombuto hath many plates and scepters of gold some whereof weigh 1300. poundes and he keepes a magnificent and well furnished court When he trauelleth any whither he rideth vpon a camell which is lead by some of his noblemen and so he doth likewise when hee goeth to warfar and all his souldiers ride vpon horses Whosoeuer will speake vnto this king must first fall downe before his feete then taking vp earth must sprinkle it vpon his owne head shoulders which custom is ordinarily obserued by them that neuer saluted the king before or come as ambassadors from other princes He hath alwaies three thousand horsemen and a great number of footmen that shoot poysoned arrowes attending vpon him They haue often skirmishes with those that refuse to pay tribute and so many as they take they sell vnto the merchants of Tombuto Here are verie few horses bred and the merchants and courtiers keepe certaine little nags which they vse to trauell vpon but their best horses are brought out of Barbarie And the king so soone as he heareth that any merchants are come to towne with horses he commandeth a certaine number to be brought before him and chusing the best horse for himselfe he payeth a most liberall price for him He so deadly hateth all Iewes that he will not admit any into his citie and whatsoeuer Barbarie merchants he vnderstandeth to haue any dealings with the Iewes he presently causeth their goods to be confiscate Here are great store of doctors iudges priests and other learned men that are bountifully maintained at the kings cost and charges And hither are brought diuers manuscripts or written bookes out of Barbarie which are sold for more money then any other merchandize The coine of Tombuto is of gold without any stampe or superscription but in matters of smal value they vse certaine shels brought hither out of the kingdome of Persia fower hundred of which shels are worth a ducate and sixe peeces of their golden coine with two third parts weigh an ounce The inhabitants are people of a gentle and cherefull disposition and spend a great part of the night
getting of their 〈◊〉 that they are free from those violent passions of lust Infants that die before baptisme they name halfe christians because being sanctified onely by the faith of 〈◊〉 parents they are not as yet by baptisme throughly engraffed into the church From meates which the law of Moses accounted vncleane they also do abstaine The heresies of Arrius Macedonius and Nestorius they reiect and condemne The whole church of Ethiopia is gouerned by a patriark called in the Ethiopick language Abuna which signifieth A Father This patriark of theirs is first solemnely created at Ierurasem by the voices of those monkes which keepe the sepulchre of our Lord. Afterward hee is confirmed and sent into Ethiopia by the patriarke of Alexandria The emperour Prete Ianni so often as there is need of a new patriark sendeth an ambassage with many gifts to Ierusalem and requireth a patriark from thence Which patriarke together with a monke of the order of Saint Antony the Hermite being come into Ethiopia is according to an ancient custome receiued with the generall consent congratulation applause and reioycing of all degrees and estates of people To this high function is singled out some one man of singular piety grauity 〈◊〉 and of more ancient yeeres then the rest His speciall duties are to giue holy orders to administer church-discipline and to excommunicate contumaces or obstinate offenders which are for their stubbornnes famished to death But the authoritie of giuing Bishopricks and spirituall benefices the Emperour reserueth to himselfe In Ethiopia there are infinit numbers of priests and of monkes Francis Aluarez saw at one time ordained by the Patriarke two thousand three hundred fiftie sixe priests And the like manner of ordaining or instalment they haue euerie yeere twise It seemeth that those which are chosen into that order are men destitute of learning and liberall artes Vnto their priesthood none is admitted before he be full thirtie yeeres of age It falleth out likewise that during the vacation of the Patriarkship the church hath great want of priests Which vacation is often times prolonged by reason of the continuall wars betweene the Christians and the bordering Mahumetans and Gentiles whereby all passage from Ethiopia to the monks of Ierusalem is quite cut off Hence proceedeth great desolation in that church But with monks all places in this Abassin empire do mightily swarme These do not onely confine themselues in monasteries wherof here are great numbers but also take vpon them offices in the court and intangle themselues in militarie affaires and in buying and selling of merchandize Neither are there anie kinde of people in those easterne parts more conuersant in trade of merchandize then priests 〈◊〉 monkes So that the old said sawe is most truelie verified What ere the world doth put in vre The Monke will intermeddle sure It is 〈◊〉 to be noted that the priests monkes and other ministers of 〈◊〉 Ethiopian church are not maintained by tithes and almes as they are in Europe They haue onelie certaine fieldes and gardens which must be manured by the monkes and clergie themselues To beg ought of the common people they are in no wise permitted vnlesse perhaps some man will of his owne accorde bestowe somewhat in their churches for the exequies of the dead or for some other sacred vses These Ethiopians haue a certaine booke which they suppose to haue beene written by all the Apostles when they were assembled at Ierusalem This booke in their language they call Manda and Abetilis and do beleeue that all thinges therein contained are to be holden for gospel In it amongst other matters are contained certaine penal statutes as for example If a priest be conuicted of Adultery Man-slaughter Robberie or periurie he is to receiue like punishment with other malefactors Likewise that aswell ecclesiasticall as secular persons are to abstaine from comming to church for the space of fower and twentie howers after carnall copulation Some lawes also there are concerning the purification of women after their moneths and their child-birth which bicause we can make but little vse of them I do heere passe ouer in silence One thing there is in this booke very well prouided namely that twise euery yeere there be a Synod assembled in the church of Christ for the handling and discussing of all matters ecclesiasticall These are the principall points of the religion faith and ceremonies of the Ethiopicke church vnder Prete Ianni which hitherto haue come to our knowledge A good part whereofis agreeable vnto the scriptures of the old and new testament And such in very deed they are as represent vnto vs the acknowledgement of one true God and the faith and worship of our onely Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ. But as neuer any church vpon earth was quite voide of blemish so neither is this of Ethiopia free from all staines of errour Which notwithstanding may seeme the lesse strange bicause in Ethiopia there are no schooles nor Seminaries of liberall artes saue only that the priests themselues according to their simple skill traine vp their sonnes vnto such learning as may in time make them capable of priesthood Neither was there euer any man yet that reformed their errors Francis Aluarez reporteth that the Patriarke of this Ethiopick church in a certaine priuate conference did grieuously complaine of all such errours as were there maintained and was most earnestly desirous of a reformation Which desire of his as it is most holy cōmendable so is it by al christiās to be approoued God almightie grant that the Ethiopians may one daie attaine to the accomplishment of this his compassionate well-wishing and may haue a happie reformation of their church For this to desire and praie for is farre more conuenient and Christian-like then to disgrace them with reprochfull words and to bereaue them of the name of Christians Which harde and vnchristian measure Zagazabo the Ethiopian ambassadour reporteth with griefe that he found among the Popish priests of Portugall by whom he was quite restrained from the vse and communion of the 〈◊〉 supper as ifhe had beene a meere Gentile or Anathema It is indeed an errour or rather a great infirmitie that they do as yet retaine and vse some of the Iewish ceremonies But we are 〈◊〉 to impute it to their ignorance of Christian liberty And wheras they permit mariage to their priests it is neither repugnant to the sacred word of God nor to the institution of the Apostles Wherefore it ought not to be disallowed of any Christians Vnlesse they will preferre the decrees of the Pope before the commandement of God established by Christ and his apostles Wherby it may plainly appeere how impiously and sauagely the Priests of Portugall dealt in that especially for this cause they so sharpely inneied against the Ethiopick ambassadour and so vnciuilly entreated him Their yeerely renewing ofbaptisme was at the first brought in by errour and since by ancient vse and tradition hath growen authenticall For in
very deed so great is the force of antiquitie and custome that where they once take roote they can hardly be remooued And it is a woonder that the Ethiopians do so often repeat baptisme when as they cannot be circumcised any more then once But in regard of all these defects what can we better deuise to do then in our daily praiers to wish them mindes better informed and the puritie and integritie of faith which is agreeable vnto gods worde The Ethiopians conceiued exceeding ioy at the first arriuall of the Portugals in their countrie hoping that their mutuall acquaintance and familiaritie would breed a similitude and coniunction as well of their religions as of their affections and mindes But I am verily afraid least the reprochfull and sterne carriage of the Popish priests and monkes towards the Ethiopick ambassadours before mentioned hath more then euer in times past estranged the mindes of that nation from the Christians of Europe Howbeit the singular care and industrie of those two renowmed Princes Iohn the second and Emanuel kings of Portugall is most highly to be extolled and celebrated who by infinit charges emploied vpon their nauigations to The east Indies and to these parts haue opened a way for the European Christians to the southerne church of Ethiopia and for the Ethiopians to this westerne church of Europe Which had not these two woorthie Princes brought to effect we should not so much as haue knowne the name of a Christian church in Ethiopia For thither by the way of Arabia and Egypt in regard of the Arabians and Mahumetans most deadly enmitie to the Christian faith it is so dangerous and difficult to trauell as it seemeth to be quite barred and shut vp Vnlesse therefore ouer the Atlantike Ethiopick and Indian seas the Portugals had thither found a passage by nauigation it had almost beene impossible for any ambassadours or other persons to haue come out of Ethiopia into these westerne parts Thus 〈◊〉 Matthew Dresserus An ambassage sent from Pope Paule the fourth to Claudius the Emperour of Abassia or the higher Ethiopia for planting of the religion and ceremonies of the church of Rome in his dominions which ambassage tooke none effect at all IN the yeere 1555 Iohn the third king of Portugal determined to leaue no meanes vnattempted for the absolute reconciliation of Prete Ianni vnto the church of Rome For though Dauids ambassador had performed obedience to Pope Clement the seuenth on his emperours behalfe yet doubted the king of Portugal as true it was that for want of speedie prosecution those forward beginnings would proue but altogether fruitlesse in that for all this they still embraced the heresies of Dioscorus and Eutiches and depended on the authoritie of the Patriark of Alexandria receiuing their Abuna from him who is the sole arbitrator of all their matters ecclesiasticall the administrer of their sacraments the giuer of orders ouer all Ethiopia master of their ceremonies and Instructer of their faith Whereupon he supposed that he could not do any thing more profitable or necessarie then to send thither a Patriark appointed at Rome who might exercise spirituall authority ouer them as also with him some priests of singular integrity and learning who with their sermons disputations discourses both publike and priuate might reduce those people from their errors and heresies to the trueth and might confirme and strengthen them in the same And vnto this it seemed a wide gate was already open because not many yeeres before Claudius the emperour of Ethiopia receiued great succours from the Portugals against Graadamet king of Zeila who had brought him to an hard point and in a letter written from him to Stephen Gama he called Christopher Gama his brother who died in this war by the reuerend name of a Martyr The king of Portugal therefore hauing imparted this his resolution first with Pope Iulius the third and then with Paul the fourth it was by them concluded to send into Ethiopia thirteene priests men of principall estimation and account aboue others of their qualitie Iohn Nunnes Barretto was made Patriark and there were ioyned vnto him two assisting Bishops Melchior Carnero and Andrea Oiuedo vnder title of the Bishops of Nicea and Hierapolis King Iohn set forth this ambassage not onely with whatsoeuer the voiage it selfe necessarily required but further with all royall preparation and rich presents for Prete Ianni Neuerthelesse the better to lay open an entrance for the Patriarke there was by the kings appointment sent before from the city of Goa Iago Dias and with him Gonsaluo Rodrigo into Ethiopia to discouer the minde of the Neguz and the disposition of his people These two being admitted to the presence of that Prince shewed him the letters of king Iohn wherein he congratulated with him on the behalfe of all Christians for that following the example of his grandfather and father he had embraced the Christian faith and vnion Whereat Claudius was amazed ' as at a thing neuer before thought of And it being demaunded why he had written to the king of Portugal to that effect he excused himselfe by the writer and interpreter of his letter adding thereunto that though hee esteemed that king as his very good brother yet was he neuer minded to swerue one iot from the faith of his predecessors Roderigo for all this was no whit daunted but wrought all meanes to bring Claudius to his opinion But the greatest difficultie against this his busie enterprise was the ignorance of the emperour and the princes of Ethiopia in all the generall Councels and ancient Histories Afterwards perceiuing that the Neguz did not willingly admit him to audience he wrote and diuulged a booke in the Chaldean toong wherein confuting the opinions of the the Abassins he laboured mightily to aduance the authoritie of the Romaine church Which booke raised so great a tumult that the emperour to auoide woorse inconueniences which were likely to ensue was faine quickly to suppresse it Iago Dias perceiuing that he did but loose time the terme of his returne approching tooke his leaue of the Neguz And hauing made knowne in Goa how matters stood it was not thought requisite that the Patriarke should expose his owne person togither with the reputation of the Romaine church vnto so great hazard But rather not wholy to abandon the enterprise they determined to send thither Andrew Ouiedo newe elect bishop of Hierapolis with two or three assistants who with greater authoritie might debate of that which Roderigo alreadie had so vnfruitfully treated of Ouiedo most willingly vndertaking this attempt put himselfe on the voiage with father Emanuel Fernandez and some fewe others When he was come into Abassia he stood in more need of patience then disputation For king Claudius within a fewe moneths after being vanquished and slaine Adamas his brother succeeded who was a great enimie to the sea of Rome This man drew 〈◊〉 and his assistants to the warres with him and