downe their wounds were bound vp they returned home with sowre faces and soare bodies a sufferance surely not inferior to a self-whipping no lesse meritorious no better grounded They haue al of them their Penates or houshold Gods which the chiefe of the Family as the eldest Brother keepes alwayes at his house for which they once a yeere make a Feast but the kindred being assembled eat it vp In Mariage it is the childrens dutie to attend vpon the Parents care who finding in their owne Tribe and as neere as they can in their own Kindred no degree of Consanguinity hindring but brother and sister a fitting wife for their sonne he though of full age submits his consent without seeing her accounting it vnreasonable to recompence his Parents care and trouble in his education with distrust of their proceedings in this point or to imagine his owne iudgement more or their circumspection lesse They giue no portions with their daughters but rather take for the Bridegroome or his Parents must giue Earings Bracelets and other Iewels according to her quality vnto the Bride two or three wearing clothes vnto the mother with some present to the father and then beare the whole charge of the wedding from which large expence it sometimes happens that want keeps many a long time vnmarried vntill their endeuours in the world hath supplyed them with meanes to defray the charge but this not hindring the richer sort they commonly marrie their children very young the husband fiue yeeres of age the wife not aboue three yeeres and many such couples haue I seene put together wherein the Parents conceiue they haue done an act of wonderfull prouidence in disposing of their children in their life time so endearing them to others care if they themselues should leaue them yet this young couple are presently separated vntill the man being 12. or 13. yeeres of age and the woman 10. or 11. they meet againe and become so well acquainted that many are mothers at 12. yeeres of age and some I haue heard no Virgins at nine to proceed of what yeeres soeuer they be whether thus young or full growne they are both in one Palamkeene with most of their friends about them carried about the most publike places of the Towne with Musick Fire-works and the dancing company of the Whoores who before euery great mans house make a stand participating their sports and from those houses receiuing gifts if from them they haue any dependencie or acquaintance then proceed vntill their progresse being ended they returne home where the Bramene attends them and separating them a cloth hung betwixt them he mutters none heares what Orisons whilest the marrying couple are taught to tread vpon one another bare feet so mingling legges and making these first short steps an introduction to their future better acquaintance the feast being finished which lasteth three dayes at the least the Kindred departing the Bride carried backe againe and if shee bee young reserued to more maturity howsoeuer she must backe againe for some time for when she once departeth from her friends she resideth alwayes with her Husband at his Fathers house if he be liuing if not at his eldest brothers if hee himselfe be not eldest for seldome doe brethren deuide themselues but all of them though many liue together in owne Family bringing their gaines whatsoeuer it is vnto the common stocke cherishing with an admired duty their old indigent Parents and liuing together in most commendable vnitie If the husband dieth the wife may not marry againe and which is most vnreasonable not the young ones though neuer knowne of man who happening to be widdowes in their infancy must not onely continue so but be made the drudge to the whole Family not permitted to weare their Iewels good or cleane clothes or vpon occasion to goe abroad at least vpon pleasure this with most of them together with a reuerend respect they beare to the reputation of their house mortifies thē after a strange manner yet some it cānot containe but they flie out forsaking their fathers house brand it with a lasting obloquy by their looser liues keeping themselues at distance for if conueniently their kindred would poyson them Their young children they neither christen circumcise nor vse other ceremony vnto but giuing them different appellations in their infancy which are commonly the names of their Idols they are knowne by them with the addition of their Trade Tribe of some defect or quality most eminent about them They come into the World without much trouble to their mothers for they are vp againe about their businesse in three or foure dayes some the same day they are brought vp with as little charge for many vntill they be seuen or eight yeeres of age foule not a clowt as cheape as they be but being young tumble in the dust and growne stronger walke still starke naked and if they bee foule two or three pales of cold water poured vpon their heads runnes downe their bodies and makes all cleane againe and thus are most children brought vp vntill they bee in some measure capeable to begin to practise in their fathers profession The best mens children may bee better lookt vnto but starke naked vnlesse vpon some Festiuall is the best and generall habit Full growne men and women are deuoutly and ciuilly clothed the women all ouer as you haue heard of the Whoores the men most of them from the middle downwards and on their shoulders a loose white Callico cloth in vse like our Sommer clokes sometimes a coate close to their bodies vnto the middle from thence downwards to their ankles full of cloth like to a paire of bases their haire long as womens bound vp and ouer it a Turbant , in their eares Rings of Gold with small Pearles and about their neckes a chaine of Ginetra or Siluer for few can attaine vnto Gold They are not black but tawny or rather a Wainscot colour some much whiter then other as some wainscot is newer or browner then other but many of them very wel fauoured streight limbde and in their acquaintance and conuersation kind and affable amongst whom our Nation hath during the time of their Residence with them found much good respect and little affront or iniury All Mechanicke persons whereof the multitude consisteth worke in their seuerall Trades for the same salary or little difference The Black-smith and Gold-smith makes Iron nailes and chaines of Gold for three pence a day finding themselues and is great wages to a master workman their seruants are paid with one penny and some lesse the like of all other Trades and persons for wee are serued faithfully and officiously in our houses for a Riall of eight a moneth without allowance of diet and the Porters which carry the Palamkeene haue no more yet out of this all pay somewhat to the Gouernour where they liue or doe his worke gratis from whence
of Iezid and finding himselfe like to die he told Muhammed Sonne of Ali Sonne of Abdalla Son of Abbas that the Empire would come to Abdalla that is Saffah his Sonne and gaue him the Writings of vocation and taught him what course to take Omar Sonne of Abdulaziz Sonne of Merwan obtained the Chalifate the same day Hee tooke away the malediction of Ali of happy memory For the Kings of the house of Ommia from Muaui hitherto were wont to curse him in their Pulpits in the end of all their Prayers Muaui had foretold it should be so swearing By God it shall not be omitted till a little one proue hoary and when it shall be abolished neglect of the Law shall be admitted Omar abolished that Curse reading the Verse which beginneth God commands Iustice and Beneficence and men went out of the Temple saying the Law is neglected He was Chalif two yeeres fiue moneths and foure dayes Hee was Iust Deuout Religious preferring his Religion before worldly things He had a Roome locked wherein they hoped to finde money but found nothing but a garment which hee vsed to put on and a line to beare him vp in his Prayers Sute was made in his time for the Temple in Damascus by the Christians but because their Citie was partly taken by the Sword partly by composition the Church of Saint Iohn was left to the Muslims the rest to the Christians whereof Omar gaue them a Charter together with all the Monasteries and the Temples without the City in Gouta on the Hill and the rest to enioy and vse them without molestation of the Muslims Iezid Sonne of Abdulmelic was created Chalife on the day of Omars death Iezid Sonne of Mahleb rebelled and went to Cufa with many followers but was slaine in battell by the aduerse Army and his head sent to the Chalif Muaui his Sonne succeeded in quarrell went to Basora and by Sea to Cundabil into Sindia But Cundabil forbade him to land and Muslima sent an Armada by Sea vnder Halal which ouerthrew them Omar Sonne of Habir sent and inuaded the Turkes tooke Multahar and pursued their King from Towne to Towne to Ardebil in the Countrey of Aderbigian where was fought a great battell and Gierrah the Commander with many Muslims were slaine Iezid died Anno 105. hauing raigned foure yeeres and one moneth Hee spent much on Wiues Playes and Spectacles Hee had two women Habab and Selam whom hee much affected Habab died and hee kept her till she stunke and when she was buried tooke her vp againe and not long after dyed Hisiam Sonne of Abdulmelic was made Chalife the same day the fiue and twentieth of Siaban Anno 113. Muslima tooke Townes of the Turkes many captiues and rich spoyles Muaui and his brother Suleiman sonnes of Hisiam went one on the right hand the other on the left and Constantine the Roman Emperour met them with an Army which was put to flight by the Muslims and Constantine taken Anno 117. Ali the Grandfather of the Abasian Chalifs dyed leauing two and twenty children Anno 121. Zeid Sonne of Husein Sonne of Ali Sonne of Abutalib sought to make himselfe Emperour and the Citizens of Cufa sware to him But Omar Sonne of Ioseph resisted slue crucified and burned him Muslima inuaded the Romans and tooke Cataman Merwan tooke and wasted Serirdehes and forced the Prince to Tribute Anno 122. dyed Muslima Sonne of Abdulmelic a wise and valiant Prince beyond any of the children of Ommia Anno 125. Hisiam dyed hauing reigned nineteene yeeres seuen monethes and eleuen dayes He will ruled and obserued the things which passed his hands but was couetous enuious and spoyled his Subiects to needlesse expenses He had Curtaines Vests and Wardrobes which none had before him his Vests are said to be six hundred Camels lode hee left a thousand paire of Breeches and ten thousand Shirts He had seuen hundred Vestries But when hee died Walid Sonne of Iezid had not to wrap him in for all his Wardrobes were sealed vp and none permitted to enter so that a seruant of his was fame to shroud him in example worthy wise mens obseruation Anno Mundi 6234. and 162. dayes Anno 120. Abnachaijl in the yeere of Dioclesian 460. was made Patriarch of Alexandria and continued three and twentie yeeres In his time Merwan the Chalife set Abdulmelic Sonne of Moses a Iew turned to Islamisme ouer Egypt who demanded money of the Patriarch and after emprisonment permitted him to begge with his Bishops thorow the Prouinces They returned into Egypt the one and twentieth of the moneth Tuba on which night was so great an Earthquake that many Cities buried their Inhabitants in the ruines and many ships were drowned in the Sea It went through all the East and in one night ruined sixe hundred Cities and killed innumerable men and beasts When the King of Nubia named Ciriacus vnderstood what had happened to the Patriarch hee went toward Egypt with a 100000. blacke horsemen on blacke horses and before hee was entred Abdulmelic the Gouernour sent to the Patriarch to write to the King of Nubia which hee did signifying that the Christians were now in good case and so he returned without battell Cosmas was Alexandrian Patriarch of the Orthodoxe Christians which prayed in the Church of Saint Saba all other Churches beeing vnder the Iacobites till vpon complaint and gifts to Hisiam they got the Temple of the Gospell Thus saith Said Sonne of Batric in his historie and also that the Orthodoxe had beene without a Patriarch ninetie seuen yeeres from the time of Omar the Conquerour till this Cosma which was an vnlearned man not able to write or reade a Needle-man The Iacobites meane while possessed all the Sees in Egypt and Nubia Walid Sonne of Iezid Sonne of Abdulmelic was created Chalife the same day his Vncle Hisiam dyed and was slaine Anno 126. for his manifest infidelitie and impietie his two Sonnes were imprisoned and after slaine He raigned one yeere two moneths and two and twenty dayes He was an excellent Poet but applying all his thoughts to wantonnesse He made him an iron Tombe which in his Pilgrimage hee determined to set vp in Caab Hee tooke with him to Mecca hounds in cages and wine Hee defloured a woman of his in his drunkennesse and promised that shee should pray in the presence of men which she did with her face couered He filled a pond with wine and water and sent for Maabad the Singer to sing whiles hee bathed and dranke therein After Walids death the Regions were embroyled the Chawasirians multiplyed and the Kingdome of the children of Ommia weakned by reason thereof Iezid Sonne of Walid Sonne of Abdulmelic Sonne of Merwan was the twelfth Chalifa of that house Emessa rebelled vpon the death of Walid and put to flight Iezids Army Suleiman Sonne of Hisiam spoyled Naama and went to Damascus the people of Palaestina slue
clensed and a greater Leprosie then Naamans is daily clensed in the Church by the lauer of Regeneration first sanctified to that vse in this streame where the holy Trinitie did first yeeld it selfe in sensible apparition to the world thereby to consecrate that Baptisme whereby wee are consecrated to this blessed Trinitie the Father Sonne and Holy Ghost In which respect Pilgrims in memorie thereof doe still wash themselues in this riuer spotting themselues further I feare by this washing with some myre of superstition I cannot blame this sacred streame if it seeme loth as Plinie sayth to leaue so fertile a Countrey and lingreth as long as it may in lakes by the way not only for that salt Sea or hellish Lake which shutteth vp his guiltlesse waues in perpetual imprisonment but also for those pleasures in the passage the fruits of the earth without exaction freely yeelded as Roses Sage Rue c. of the trees in Oliues Figs Pomegranates Dates and Vines which last the Mahumetan superstition doth not cherish and the Westerne Christians did so husband that one Vine by their arte industrie yeelded three vintages in August Septemb. October The grapes of Eshcol which could lade two men with one cluster were not so famous as the Balme of Gilead which the first Merchants we reade of from that Mart vented to other parts of the world These Balme-trees grew in the Vale of Iericho which being cut yeelded this precious liquor whereof besides the admirable effects in cures other wonders are told by ancient and later Writers too long heere to relate Bellonius will doe it for mee if any list to reade his Obseruation Hee is not of their mind which thinke there is now no true Balsam in the World these in Iudaea being perished but thinketh in Arabia-Foelix it groweth naturally from whence some shrubs he saw in Cairo But I should be too tedious if I should insist on this Argument That instance of such a world of people in such a patch of the world doth sufficiently declare the fertilitie when as Dauid numbred them an eleuen thousand Israelites and of Iuda foure hundred seuentie thousand or as in 2. Sam. 24.9 fiue hundred thousand which drew Sword and yet Beniamin and Leui were not reckoned in this number and in the dayes of Ieroboam Abija King of Iuda brought into the field foure hundred thousand and Ieroboam eight hundred thousand and on this part were slaine in one battell fiue hundred thousand all choice men which Historie cannot bee matched with the like in all Ages and places of the world that a Countrey an hundred and sixtie miles long and not aboue sixtie in bredth should nourish at once or lose in a battell such multitudes not to speake of impotent persons women and children But this multitude by ciuill warres and inuasions of enemies decreased till first the reliques of Israel and after the remnant of Iuda were by the Assyrians and Babylonians led captiue and the Land enioyed her Sabbaths For the Kingdome of Israel consisting of ten Tribes some reckon Simeon also to Iuda because of his portion mixed with Iudaes as Beniamins was adioyning thereto to whom the Leuites like wise and Priests forsaking their Cities and all the religious Israelites annexed themselues forsooke not the house of Dauid onely but the house of the Lord and set them vp Calues Aegyptian superstitions at Dan and Bethel and made Priests for their Idolatrous purpose This their rebellion and apostasie GOD plagued with ciuill dissention and forren hostilitie vntill at last the Assyrians remoued them altogether and repeopled those parts with new Colonies Such is the end of religion which hath not GOD for the beginning but is grounded on humane policie a sandie foundation Iuda could not take warning but prouoking GOD by idolatrous courses at last was carried to Babel and thence after seuentie yeeres returned The historie of these things so fully related in Scripture I should but marre in the telling After this their returne the Land was not as before named after the portions of the seuerall Tribes but was called by a generall name Iudaea and the people Iewes because the Tribe of Iuda had before inhabited those parts or at least the principall of them dilating themselues further as they encreased in number and power But more especially Iudaea was the name of one third part of the Countrey by that name distinguished from the other two Samaria and Galilea which two last are sometimes referred to Phoenicia Galilaea was the most Northerly confining on Libanus and Antilibanus toward the North Phoenicia Westerly Coelosyria on the East and Samaria with Arabia inclosing her Southerly borders Iordan parteth it in the middest It was diuided into the higher and lower Galilee the higher called also Galilee of the Gentiles contayneth the springs of Iordan and those Cities which Salomon gaue to Hiram The lower was also called Galilee of Tiberias that Citie giuing name both to the Lake and Region in which Nazareth was famous and the hill Thabor Samaria is seated betwixt Galilee and Iudaea much lesse then either of them Iudaea is the most Southerly betweene the Mediterranean and Dead Seas Samaria and Idumea Plinie maketh Galilaea a part of it and Peraea another part separated from the rest by Iordan The rest he diuideth into ten Toparchies Ierico Emaus Lidda Ioppe Acrabatena Gophnitica Thamnitica Betholene Tephene Orine in which was Ierusalem farre the fairest of the Cities of the East not of Iudaea alone Herodium with a famous Towne of the same name Hee addeth vnto these the Region of Decapolis so called of the number of the Townes and the Tetrarchies Trachonitis Paneas Abila Arca Ampeloessa Gabe Those ten Townes of Decapolis were Caesarca Philippi Asor Cedes Neptalim Sephet Corozain Capharnaum Bethsaida Iotapata Tiberias and Bethsan otherwise called Scythopolis and before Nysa where Bacchus buried his Nurse But these are parts of those former parts aboue mentioned and so may wee say of the rest sustayning in diuers respects diuers diuisions best fitting to the present polities and little to our purpose Those things which of old were famous in those places are mentioned in the Scripture Those things which since haue beene more remarkable I purpose in the next part of this Worke of Christian Religions to handle and especially the rarities of Ierusalem sometimes the holy Citie and Citie of the great King now a Den of Theeues an habitation of Mahumetans or rather now not at all for this which is now is a new Citie called by the Founder Aelia Capitolina built by Aelius Adrianus who caused the plough to passe through and salt to be sowne in the old as testifying her eternall desolation and fulfilling Christs prophesie to the vtmost not leauing a stone vpon a stone if Titus had not fully accomplished the same before Arias Montanus in his Nehemias affirmeth that Ierusalem was founded
in his Image Male and Female created hee them And he called their name ADAM yet after this is mention of Adams solitarinesse and forming of Eue out of his side that is cutting the female part from the Male and so fitting them to generation Thus doth Leo Hebraus reconcile the Fable of Platoes Androgynus with Moses narration out of which he thinketh it borrowed For as hee telleth that Iupiter in the first forming of mankinde made them such Androgyni with two bodies of two sexes ioyned in the brest diuided for their pride the nauill still remaining as a skarre of the wound then made so with little difference is this their interpretation of Moses §. III. Of the Iewesses Conception and Trauell and of Lilith WHen a Iewish woman is great with Childe and neare her time her chamber is furnished with necessaries and then some holy and deuout man if any such may bee had with Chalke maketh a circular line round in the chamber vpon all the walls and writeth on the doore and within and without on euery wall and about the bed in Hebrew Letters Adam Chaua Chuts Lilith or after the Iewish pronuntiation Lilis that is Adam Eue away hence Lilis Hereby they signifie their desire that if a woman shall bee deliuered of a sonne GOD may one day giue him a wife like to Eue and not a shrew like Lilis This word Lilis is read in the Prophet interpreted a Skritch-Owle but the Iewes seeme to meane by it a diuellish Spectrum in womans shape that vseth to slay or carry away Children which are on the eight day to be Circumcised Elias Leuita writeth that hee hath read that a hundred and twentie yeeres Adam contained himselfe from his wife Eue and in that space there came to him Diuels which conceiued of him whence were ingendred Diuels and Spirits Fairies and Goblins and there were foure mothers or dammes of Diuels Lilith Naemah Ogereth and Machalath Thus is it read in Ben Sira when GOD had made Adam and saw it was not good for him to bee alone hee made him a woman of the earth like vnto him and called her Lilis These disagreed for superioritie not suffering Caesarue priorem Pompeiusue parem Lilis made of the same mould would not be vnderling and Adam would not endure her his equall Lilis seeing no hope of agreement vttered that sacred word IEHOVA with the Cabalisticall interpretation thereof and presently did flie into the Ayre Adam playning his case GOD sent three Angels after her viz. Senoi Sensenoi Sanmangeleph either to bring her backe or to denounce vnto her That a hundred of her Children should dye in a day These ouertooke her ouer the troublesome Sea where one day the Aegyptians should bee drowned and did their message to her shee refusing to obey they threatned her drowning but she besought them to let her alone because shee was created to vexe and kill children on the eight day if they were men if women children on the twentieth day They neuerthelesse forcing her to goe Lilis sware to them That whensoeuer she should finde the name or figure of those Angels written or painted on Schedule Parchment or any thing shee would doe Infants no harme and that she would not refuse that punishment to lose a hundred children in a day And accordingly a hundred of her children or young Diuels dyed in a day And for this cause doe they write these names on a Scroll of Parchment and hang them on their Infants neckes Thus farre Ben Sira In their Chambers alwayes is found such a scroll or painting and the names of the Angels of Health this office they ascribe to them are written ouer the chamber doore In their Booke Brandspiegel Printed at Cracouia 1597. is shewed the authoritie of this Historie collected by their Wise-men out of those words Male and Female created hee them compared with the forming of Eue of a Rib in the next Chapter saying That Lilis the former was diuorced from Adam for her pride which shee conceiued because she was made of earth as well as hee and GOD gaue him another Flesh of his flesh And concerning her R. Moses tels that Samael the Diuell came riding vpon a Serpent which was as bigge as a Camell and cast water vpon her and deceiued her When this Iewesse is in trauell shee must not send for a Christian Mid-wife except no Iewish can bee gotten and then the Iewish women must be very thick about her for feare of negligence or iniurie And if she be happily deliuered of a sonne there is exceeding ioy through all the house and the father presently makes festiuall prouision against the Circumcision on the eight day In the meane time ten persons are inuited neither more nor fewer which are all past thirteene yeeres of age The night after her deliuerie seuen of the inuited parties and some others sometimes meet at the Child-house and make there great cheere and sport all night Dicing Drinking Fabling so to solace the Mother that shee should not grieue too much for the childs Circumcision §. IIII. Of the Iewish manner of Circumcision THe Circumciser is called Mohel who must bee a Iew and a Man and well exercised in that facultie and hee that will performe this office at the beginning giueth money to some poore Iew to be admitted hereunto in his children that after his better experience hee may be vsed of the richer And this Mohel may thence-forwards bee knowne by his thumbes on which he weareth the nayles long and sharpe and narrow-pointed The circumcising Instruments is of stone glasse yron or any matter that will cut commonly sharpe kniues like Rasors amongst the rich Iewes closed in siluer and set with stones Before the Infant be Circumcised he must be washed and wrapped in clouts that in the time of the Circumcision hee may lie cleane for otherwise they might vse no prayers ouer him And if in the time of Circumcision for paine he defileth himselfe the Mohels must suspend his praying till he be washed laid cleane again This is performed commonly in the morning while the child is fasting to preuent much fluxe of bloud In the morning therefore of the eight day all things are made readie First are two seates placed or one so framed that two may sit in the same apart adorned costly with Carpets and that either in the Synagogue or some priuate Parlour If it bee in the Synagogue then the seat is placed neere the holy Arke or Chest where the Booke of the Law is kept Then comes the suretie or God-father for the child and placeth himselfe at the said seat and neere him the Mohel or Circumciser Other Iewes follow them one of which cryeth with a loud voyce That they should bring presently whatsoeuer is needfull for this businesse Then come other Children whereof one bringeth a great Torch in which are lighted twelue waxe Candles to represent the twelue Tribes of Israel after him two
of the Sabbath and in the land of Israel of which you haue heard their rolling opinion before neither will wee roll this stone to our Reader againe CHAP. XX. The Jewes faith and hope touching their Messias §. I. Of the Signes of the comming of their Messias THe Iewes generally beleeue hope and pray for a Messias but such a one whose Kingdome shall bee of this world and who shall to vse the Apostles phrase who were also euen after Christs death and resurrection partakers of this dreame Restore the Kingdome to Israel And because the Scripture speaketh sometimes of the poore contemptible and deiected state of the promised Messias sometimes of the puissance renowne and glory of his Kingdome they therefore frame to their conceits two Messiahs one poore and simple but a mightie warriour whom they call Messias Ben-Ioseph the other Messias Ben-Dauid after the other in time but before him in glory and the true Messias howsoeuer euen this also bee in their opinions but a meere man and one which shall marry and leaue behind him a remayning and raigning posterity The Cabalists according to their transcendent mysteries out of the name Adam which the Hebrewes write without points Adm gather that the soule of Adam by a Metempsychosis passed into Dauid and that of Dauid into Messias which yet lyes hid for the sinnes of the Iewes The ancient Iewes looked for this Messias to bee sent them about that time when Iesus came in the Flesh as that Prophesie which is fathered on Elias testifyeth to wit that the world should bee two thousand yeeres Tohu empty and without law two thousand vnder the Law two thousand vnder the Messias and accordingly Christ Iesus came into the world about the yeere after the Creation 3963. The Iewes reckon 202. yeeres fewer in all their computations then the Christians Vpon this occasion and in regard of the generall expectation of the Messias about that time rose so many Sects and especially that rebellion of Ben-Cochab before spoken of to whom R. Akibha famous for his foure and twenty thousand Disciples gaue testimony and called him Messias the King But this Ben-Cochab the sonne of the Starre Numb 23. was by Adrian as you haue seene besieged taken and executed and was called after Ben-Cozobh the sonne of lying They therefore when as they found no Messias said that the time was deferred because of their sinnes and after denounced Anathema to him that should set downe the time of his comming And being conuinced in their consciences that the Prophesies of this time were already past and accomplished they affirmed in their writings that hee was then borne but did not yet reueale himselfe because of their sinnes R. Salomon Iarchi writeteh that the ancient Iewes thought he was borne on that day in which Ierusalem was last destroyed but vncertaine where he hath lyen hid Some say that he abideth in Paradise tyed by the haire of a womans head so interpreting that of the Canticles The hayre of thy head is as purple The King is tyed in the rafters by rafters meaning Paradise The Talmudists write that hee lay at the gates of Rome among the Lazars and Leapers according to Esay 53. Before he commeth they write that ten notable miracles shall happen to warne them thereof First GOD shall raise vp three Kings which shall make profession of the true Faith but shall indeed betray it and seduce men and cause them to deny GOD. The louers of the Truth shall flee and hide themselues in caues and holes of the earth and these Tyrants shall pursue and slay them Then shall there be no King in Israel as it is written no Pastor no holy men The heauens shall bee shut vp the people shall be made few for these Tyrants which yet by diuine dispensation shall raigne but three months shall impose ten times as much as was before exacted and they which haue not to pay shall lose their heads And from the ends of the earth shall come men blacke and loathsome the dread of whose countenance shall kill men for they haue two heads and seuen eyes sparkling like fire The second Miracle shall bee a great heate of the Sunne causing Feauers Pestilences and other diseases so that the Gentles shall digge themselues graues and there lye and wish for death But the Israelites shall haue this heat to be as wholesome medicine to them so interpreting the Prophet GOD shall make a bloudy dew fall on the earth of which the people and the wicked of the Israelites shall drinke thinking it to be good water and shall die it shall not hurt the iust who shall shine c. Fourthly GOD shall make a wholsome dew to fall whereof the indifferent meaner sinners sicke of the former dew shall drinke and liue Hos 14.6 Fifthly The Sunne shall be darkened thirty dayes and then receiue againe his light whereby many shall embrace Iudaisme Sixthly GOD shall permit the Edomites or Romans to rule ouer all the world but one especially at Rome shall raigne nine moneths ouer all the world wasting large countries laying heauy tributes vpon the Israelites Then shall the Israelites haue no helper as sayth Esai 49.16 But after nine moneths GOD shall send Messias Ben-Ioseph of the children of Ioseph whose name shall be Nehemias the sonne of Husiel Hee shall come with the race of Ephraim Manasse Beniamin and Gad and the Israelites hearing of it shall flocke to him as Ieremie sheweth Conuert yee to the Lord yee rebellious children I will take yee one of a City and two of a Tribe c. This Messias shall ouerthrow the Edomites and slay their King and destroying the Empire shall carrie to Ierusalem holy vessels reserued in the house of Aelian for a treasure The King of Egypt also shall make peace with the Israelite and shall kill the men about Ierusalem Damascus and Ascalon the fame whereof shall affright all the inhabitants of the earth Seuenthly There is at Rome a marble Image of a Virgin not made by mans hand to which shall resort all the wicked of the world and shall incestuously conuerse therewith Hence shall GOD frame an Infant in the same which shall with breach of the marble come foorth This shall bee named Armillus the wicked the same which the Christians call Antichrist of ten elles quantitie of bredth and length a spanne bredth betweene his eyes which shall bee red and deepe in his head his hayre yellow the soles of his feet-greene deformed with two heads Hee shall professe himselfe the Romane Messias and GOD and shall bee accepted of them He shall bid them bring him the Law which hee hath giuen them which they shall bring with their Prayer-booke hee shall cause them to beleeue in him and shall send Ambassadours to Nehemias the sonne of Husiel and to the people of Israel commanding them also to bring him their Law and to acknowledge him for GOD. Then shall Nehemias
is carryed to Church with a long speare borne before him hauing a torch on the top worth a crown more or lesse according to the state of the partie adorned with roses and garlands which with the speare is left a gift to the Church the fees of the Priest all the way they sound on instruments after the sonne followeth the father the kindred and the rest of the friends that sometimes there are a hundred horse at Church they alight and accompany the childe to the Priest which wayteth for them Here one of the friends sitteth downe and on his lap the child is set presently another pulleth off his shooes another holdeth his hands and others his feet and many hold him in talke with words and these are the Gossips The Priest seeing all things readie taketh the end of the skinne of his yard and draweth it out and nippeth it with siluer Pinsers so to mortifie it and cut it off with lesse paine then making him beleeue he will deferre it till the next day he ariseth the other holding him fast and after as if he had forgot somewhat to be done about it with sizzers which he holdeth closely in his hand suddenly cutteth it off and another layeth thereon a certaine powlder to ease the paine and in fiue and twentie dayes they looke to the curing of it laying on it salt and marmalade of Quinces and thence forwards he is called a Musulman But his name is not then giuen him but at his birth and that according to their qualitie Bellonius writes that they must answere the Circumciser to certaine questions somewhat like it seemes to that which in the Baptisme of elder persons is performed by themselues of younger by their Godfathers and therefore they are so old before they bee circumcised Hee also affirmeth that it is neuer done in the Meschit wherein none vncircumcised may enter but in the house The name Mussulman Mussliman or Muslim signifies an Orthodoxe Mahometan as Christian or Catholike with vs Verus Turca saith Bellonius Saluatus or sanae fidei homo after Cantacuzenus After the childe is loosed who to shew himselfe of courage smileth and lifting vp his greatest finger saith those former words of their profession and is againe mounted all the company after a little prayer and offering at the Church with like pompe conueigh him home where is great feasting prouision some feast it three dayes together Amurath circumcised his sonne Mahomet at sixteene yeeres old Vnto which solemnitie many Christian Princes were solemnly inuited who sent thither their Ambassadors with Presents who had there their scaffols prepared for them and furnished according to their states The solemnitie lasted fortie dayes and fortie nights in the great Market-place of Constantinople And to end these solemnities Mahomet the Prince was circumcised not publikely but in his Fathers chamber by Mechmet one of the inferiour Bassaes sometime the Emperour Solymans Barber And it is done of other Turkes also most commonly in the Fathers house not in the Church The woman-women-children about the same age among other women without other solemnity say ouer those words La illah c. and likewise the renegado-Iewes but the Christian renegadoes are carried about the streets of the Cities with much solemnity and many gifts giuen them besides freedome from tribute many blinded by couetousnesse offer themselues to this circumcision But if any for blasphemie against Mahomet or iniurie to a Turke be by force circumcised they haue no such gifts which punishment the Cadilescher by the testimony of two accusing Turkes inflicteth And therefore to preuent the same the Christians obtaine the Grand Seigniors safe conduct that in cases of conscience they may not be iudged of any except they were accused at the Court before the foure Bassaes and the Cadilescher of Constantinople and that by the witnesse of Priests onely which had not in twelue yeeres drunke wine CHAP. XII Of the Sepulchres Funerall-Rites and Opinions touching the Dead among the Turkes NOw if you be wearie of viewing their Temples and their Prayers and other Ceremonies seeme tedious I haue thought fit to present you with another sight and to conclude with that which is the conclusion of all flesh a discourse of their Funerals When a Turke is sicke and like to die his friends visite him and putting him in minde of his sinnes aduise him with a penitent heart to bewayle them Then doe certaine of their Priests or one of his kinsmen read some Psalmes and Prayers And if the pangs of death doe still continue they bring him the Alcoran or Curaam wherein is one Legend called Thebara Echelezi which they read seuen times and if hee shall die of that sicknesse they thinke hee will die before they haue thrice read it and if they see breath still remaine they read another Psalme called Iasinnel Curanil Hecin to the end that the Deuill cause no impediment to his soule When hee is dead they lay him forth in the middest of the house vpon Carpets and place him on his right side with his face towards the South Then doe assemble certaine Priests to buy him who bring with them a string of Beades such as the Papists vse in mumbling and numbring their deuotions being a thousand of them of lignum aloes and there with compasse the bodie and then say to euery one Sababan alla that is God haue mercie on him and turne it about foure or fiue times After this their Priests which are twentie or more carrie the corps into the Garden and lay it on a Table two hands breadth from the ground taking away his shirt and couering his shame with a new cloth made of fine bombast with warme water and sope washing him from top to toe Then do they take two sheets of bombast in which they wrap the corps wetting the same with Rose-water perfumes and odoriferous things and laying him on the Beere couer him quite ouer with his best garments placing his Turbant at the head thereof all bedecked with flowers This done the Priests begin their deuotions and some of the company take vp the Beere carrying the same with the head forwards to the Meschit the kinsmen follow and the women remaine at home weeping and make readie to eate for the Priests When they come to the Church they set him downe without doores and goe and make an end of their seruice After that they carry him forth of the City to the buriall place for it is not lawfull to bury in their Cities Some prouide their Sepulchres in their life time some haue them made after by their friends either in their Gardens or some solitarie place They haue also common buriall places as are our Church-yards wherein are many Tombes of Marble Brick or other matter according to the qualitie of the person If the deceased were a man of high condition his horses are led with his corps and his Tombe is adorned with many Epitaphs And if he were a great
principalitie of the elements to the ayre the Image whereof they worshipped stiling it with the name of Iuno or Venus the Virgin whom the Quires of their Priests worshipped with effeminate voyces and gestures their skin polished and attire fashioned like women Yea their Priests became impure Ganymedes and sustained the Sodomiticall lusts of others in the Temples not shaming but glorying of such deuotions and composing themselues to all delicate lasciuious filthy behauiour and thus wantonly dressed with much minstrelsie call vpon the Goddesse to infuse into them a diuining and propheticall spirit Easily may that Impure spirit finde accesse and entertainment in such impure bodies But the Persians and all the Magi preferre the fire These diuide Iupiter into two powers metamorphosing his nature into both sexes They make the woman with a three formed countenance wound about with monstrous Serpents fit ensignes for the Deuils worship and worship a man which had driuen away kine applying his holies to the power of the Fire him they call Mithra whose blinde deuotions were done in places answerable namely in hidden Caues §. III. Of the same out of Christian and other Authors HESYCHIVS saith that Mithras or the Sun was chiefe god with the Persians and therefore the most religious and inuiolable oath of the King was by Mithra And this is confirmed by Firmicus also who saith that the Persians preferre the Fire before all the other Elements and that they call the same Mithra The reason is because they held as in the beginning of this worke we noted out of Zoroaster that the Sun and all the Stars are celestiall fires They performed their deuotions to the same in dark Caues where they could not see the brightnesse of that light This Hierome calls Mithras Den and Tertullian affirmeth that Mithras Knights or Souldiers were initiated in the same To whatsoeuer god they sacrificed they first called vpon the Fire and poured out their praiers thereto To this Fire they dedicated certaine Chappels or Oratories wherein to keepe it alway burning these were called Pyreia of which Claudian penetralibus Ignem Sacratum rapuere aditis They supposed that it came downe from heauen They worshipped all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whatsoeuer had any resemblance of fire as the Carbuncle stone They obserued differing ceremonies in their Fire tnd Water-deuotions To the Fire they vsed these set words when they added fewell thereto Lord Fire eat They offered wine in a cup which they called Condy. The costly sacrifices of their Kings wee haue alreadie mentioned Plutarch tels that Artaxerxes married his owne daughter Atossa Heraclides addeth his other daughter Amestris And when Atossa was leprous his loue notwithstanding continued and he besought Iuno for her touching the ground with his hands replenishing the way between the Temple and Palace which was sixteene furlongs with offering of gold siluer purple horses Plutarch writeth that Amestris the wife of Xerxes in sacrifice to Pluto for her health buried twelue men quicke in the earth To Mithra saith Photius they offered men women and children And as they tell of Molochs seuen ambries so also is related of Mithra according to the number of the seuen Planets We may further adde from Gramay his Collections out of diuers Authors and from others concerning the Persian Religion that they sometimes obserued the Graecians Deities calling Iupiter Bel Hercules Sandes Venus Anaitis To Iupiter was sacred a Chariot with a beame of gold They Sunne the worshipped by the name of Mithra and Eldictus at Sun-rising and adored also the painted Image thereof They accounted the Horse the Suns peculiar beast and offered vnto him white Horses Ouer Darius his Tabernacle the Image of the Sunne enclosed in the Christall shone forth so that it might bee seene of all The order also of Darius his march when he warred against Alexander had in their first place their Fire which they called Sacred and Eternall carried on siluer Altars Next hereunto the Magi singing their country-Hymnes followed by three hundred sixtie fiue young men so many as their yeere had dayes clothed in bright red then came Iupiters Chariot drawne by white Horses after whom followed a horse of exceeding greatnesse consecrated to the Sun Their riders had white garments and golden rods Likewise both sides of the Kings Chariot were adorned with Images of gold and siluer two being most eminent among them the one of Peace the other of Warre That Souldier which was initiated in Mithraes hollowed orders was first proued by eightie seuerall kindes of punishment and if he continued stedfast he was washed putting on his head a crowne with a sword interposed Chaste Virgins were hollowed the Sunnes Priests or Nuns They worshipped Diana whom they called Nannea as some will haue it in that History of Antiochus They solemnized certaine Feasts the chiefe whereof was that of Mithra Another holy day they called the Destruction of vices in which the Magi killed venemous things and offered and the seruants lorded it fiue dayes together ruling both the Family and their Masters Magophonia they celebrated in memory of the Magi slaine by Darius Histaspis and his Colleagues Of their holy-day Sacaea before is spoken in which some report that the seruants changed offices and garments with the masters Minutius Foelix obiecteth against them their incestuous copulation with their mothers Arnobius derideth their worshipping of Riuers The Christian Fathers and Heathen Authors are plentifull in the narration of the Persian vanities Eusebius citeth a saying of Bardesanes Syrus Among the Persians there was a law to marry their sisters daughters and mothers which custome the Persians obserued also in other Countries and therefore other Nations hating them called them Magussaei of which are many in Egypt Phrygia and Galatia whose posteritie succeedeth them in the same wickednes This name Magussaei is deriued of Magi. §. IIII. Of the Persian Education and Schooles BVt of all other things this is most commendable and admirable which the Persians obserued for learning and practise of vertue if we giue like credite to Xenophon herein as others haue done They had a kinde of publike Schoole called the Free or liberall Market not for the sale of merchandize which kinde of Markets the ancient Persians wanted but the learning of ingenuous liberall and vertuous conditions This was diuided into foure parts one for children till seuenteene yeeres of age the second for youths to seuen and twentie the third for men till fiftie the fourth for old men In this liberall Market or Colledge was a Palace and Iudgement-place Early in the morning the children resort hither here also were the striplings and the riper-aged men daily the old men often The striplings boarded and lodged there except they were married and presented themselues to the Magistrates in Armour Each Court had twelue Prefects according to the number of the Persian Tribes To the children are old graue men appointed likewise
oath cleared himselfe of this odious imputation And yet hee is no lesse suspected of a more monstrous and vnnaturall treacherie against his owne father who is thought to bee poysoned by his meanes that by these bloudie steps hee might ascend to that Throne which now he enioyeth But all this notwithstanding he hath since so subtilly handled the matter that hee is both beloued of his owne and feared of his enemie his subiects sweare and blesse in his name He hath recouered from the Turke both Tauris and other Regions of Seruania and Georgia which the Turke had before taken from the Persians Hee was reported also to haue taken Bagdat but it seemeth not truly Iansonius in his Newes 1610. reporteth of diuers victories obtained by him against the Turke which caused publike Fasts and supplications to be appointed at Constantinople and of the Persian Embassage with rich Presents and holy Reliques to the Emperour at Prage Gotardus Arthus likewise in his Gallobelgicus relateth of Abas his Embassage to Constantinople about a Peace but when his Embassadour returned with Articles whereby the Persian was bound vnder shew of gifts to pay an annuall tribute to the Sultan he therefore put him to death putting out the eyes also and cutting off the hands of the Turkish Embassador which was sent with him Of Bagdat and old Babylon wee haue spoken elsewhere let this be here added out of Balbi that trauelling from Felugia to Bagdat which hee reckoneth a dayes iourney and a halfe one whole dayes iourney thereof was by one side of the ruines of Babylon which hee left on the left hand As for Tauris in the yeere 1514. Selim tooke it as some say on composition which hee brake and carried thence three thousand of the best Artificers to Constantinople Anno 1535. Solymar gaue it for a prey to his souldiers Anno 1515. Osman spoiled it with vncouth and inhumane cruelties whatsoeuer the insulting Conqueror in the vtmost extent of lawlesse lust could inflict or the afflicted condition of the conquered could in the most deiected state of miserie sustaine was there executed Abas in recouerie hereof vsed the Canon an Instrument which before they had to their owne losse scorned The Prince is saith our Author excellent both of composition of bodie and disposition of minde of indifferent stature sterne countenance piercing eyes swart colour his mustachees on the vpper lip long his beard cut close to the chin Hee delights in Hunting and Hawking Running Leaping and trying of Masteries He is an excellent Horse-man and Archer In the morning he vseth to visit his stables of great Horses and hauing there spent most of the forenoone he returnes to his Palace About three of the clocke in the after-noone he goeth to the At-Maiden which is the high street of Hispaan the Citie of his residence round about which are scaffolds for the people to sit and behold the King and his Nobles at their Exercises of Shooting Running Playing at Tennis c. all on horse-backe In this place very often in his owne person he heareth causes and pronounceth sentence executing Iustice seuerely Now that we may mention some of the chiefe Cities of Persia vnder which name I here comprehend as vsually in this Historie their Dominion not as it is measured by the Pens of Geographers but by the Swords of their Princes In Sumachia Master Cartwright saith They saw the ruines of a cruell spectacle which was a Turret erected with Free-stone and Flints in the midst whereof were placed the heads of all the Nobilitie and Gentrie of the Countrie A mile from this Towne was a Nunnerie wherein was buried the bodie of Amaleke Canna the Kings daughter who slew her selfe with a knife for that her father would haue forced her to marrie a Tartarian Prince the Virgins of the Countrey resort hither once a yeere to lament her death Sechi is foure dayes iourney thence not farre from which is Ere 's which because they yeelded to the Turke were by Emir-Hamze vtterly destroyed man woman and child Arasse is the chiefe Citie of Merchandize in all Seruania especially for raw Silks Tauris hath out-liued many deaths and is very rich by reason of continuall Trade nourishing almost two hundred thousand people within her compasse for wals it hath not This was sometime the Seat-Royall and after that Casbin which is situate in a fertile Plaine foure dayes iourney in length wherein are two thousand Villages The buildings are of Bricke dried in the Sunne as in Persia is most vsuall The At-Maidan or chiefe street is foure square almost a mile in circuit Neere to it is Ardouil of chiefe note for beginning of the Sophian Superstition Geilan is foure dayes iourney from Casbin and stands neere to the Caspian Sea Neere to Bachu is a Fountaine of black oyle which serueth all the Countrey to burne in their houses Cassan is well seated and rich in Marchandize but subiect to heat more then other parts of Persia No person is there permitted to be idle Hispaan is thought by some to be Hecatompolis the walls are a dayes iourney about on horsebacke before the greatest now the Royall Citie of the Persians It hath a strong Fort two Seraglio's the walls whereof glister with red Marble and Parget of diuers colours paued all with Mosaique worke all things else combining Maiestie and Louelinesse Magnificence and Beautie The inhabitants as did the ancient Parthians whose chiefe Citie it sometime hath beene buy sell talke and performe all their publike and priuate affaires on horse-backe the Gentlemen neuer goe on foot Sciras is thought to bee Persepolis it is rich of Trade and there is the best Armour made in all the East of Iron and steele cunningly tempered with the iuyce of certaine herbes The Gouernement of this State in Warre and Peace I leaue to others §. VI. An Appendix touching the present Persian King out of Sir ANTHONY SHERLEY HAuing thus followed the currant of Authors in these Relations of Persia there hath since the first Edition been published the Trauels of Sir Anthony Sherley into these parts with Sir Robert Sherley his brother penned by himselfe with some extracts whereof to furnish this Chapter alreadie tedious as with a second seruice after a full stomacke will I hope renue appetite with the varietie so farre fetched and so deare bought howsoeuer before cloyed with fulnes To let passe therefore those worthy Brethren Worthies indeed in this kinde beyond the reach worth of my blurring praise and eclipsing commendations and to come to their Trauell and obseruation Hauing passed not without manifold dangers to Aleppo and thence to Birr and so downe Euphrates by the way they aduentured to see the Campe of Aborisci King of the Arabs inhabiting the desarts of Mesopotamia a poore King with ten or twelue thousand beggerly subiects liuing in tents of blacke haire-cloth well gouerned They came to Bagdat which is wholly on the other side of Tygris
except one Suburb in the Peninsula to which men passe by a bridge of boats euery night dissolued for feare of the Arabs or stormes whence through the bountie of an Italian Merchant Sir Victorio Speciero they escaped for they were not vnsuspected with a Carauan of Persian Pilgrims wich came from Mecca Thirtie dayes they were on the way to the Confines and fifteene from thence to Casbin where they staied a moneth attending the Kings arriuall being in the meane time well vsed vpon conceit that the King would like well of their comming the people otherwise are ill in themselues and onely good by example of their King and strict obedience to him For of the ancient Persians there are few these being the posteritie of those which haue been here seated by the transplantations of Tamerlane and Ismael not to mention any more ancient out of other Countries The King himselfe by our Authors Relation in his vertues and gouernment is as if some Philosopher should discourse of what should be rather then an Historian declare what is as did Xenophon sometimes in his Cyrus Of those imputations of Paricide and ambition not a word His order of attaining the Crowne is thus reported The Persian custome being that onely the elder brother ruleth the rest are made blinde by burning basons hauing otherwise all contentments fit for Princes children when Xa-Tamas was dead without issue his brother so hee calleth him contrary to our former relations and to that of Mirkond the Persian which I more maruell at Xa-Codabent was called Blind to the Kingdome He had issue Sultan Hamzire Mirza the eldest who succeeded him and this present King called Abas The eldest in his fathers life time administred all things which blindnesse made the other vnfit for but Abas at twelue yeeres of age vnder the gouernment of Tutors held the Prouince of Yasde where the loue of the people made him suspected to his Father who secretly resolued his death Abas by his friends hearing it fled to Corasan a Tartar people on the East of Persia both by their religion and dependance Turkish and of themselues otherwise vnquiet and addicted to spoyle This King honoured Abas as his sonne His father soone after dying Sultan Hamzire succeeded who was forced to renew his truce with the Turk by reason of the rebellion of the Turcomans whom by force he subdued beheaded their Princes for his securitie slew twentie thousand of the ablest amongst them for the wars And then wholly bending his thoughts against the Turk was by treason slaine by his Barber His Princes Authors of this fact shared his State amongst them euery one making himselfe Lord of that Prouince which he gouerned vniting their resolutions against Abas whom also the Turke which had his hand in the businesse had vndertaken should bee kept still in Corazan Abas neuerthelesse so wrought that the King of Corazan dismissed him with three thousand horsemen to winne possession of that State which since hath deuoured the Tartars and is growne terrible to the Turke being no lesse in Extent then the Turke hath in Asia and better both peopled gouerned and deuoted to their Soueraigne But it was not easily atchieued In Sistane one of the neerest Prouinces hee was encountred with twenty thousand his troupes cut in pieces himselfe forced to flee to the mountaines where he liued three moneths vnknowen amongst the heardmen flitting vp and downe with tenne or twelue followers Wearie of this life hee determined to shew himselfe in Yasd his quondam Prouince which so well succeeded that numbers come flocking to him and Ferrat Can also a great Prince discontent with the present State no part of which had falne to him hauing at that time no Prouince in his gouernement when the King was slaine resorted to him with his brother and tenne thousand followers They were welcome but hee much more as a great Souldier and a wise Prince With these forces hee ouerthrew his neerest enemies which caused those of Shyras Asphaan Cassan assisted by the Kings of Gheylan and Mazandran to gather mighty forces In the meane time the Turkes armed at Tauris and the Prince of Hamadan hauing called in a strength of the Courdines was marching towards Casbin Thus beset with Armies hee leaueth Ferrat Can with Zulpher his brother and fiue thousand men in Casbin himselfe with the rest of his power marched towards the Can of Hamadan Now did Ferrat Can according to former agreement betweene the King and him professe himselfe altered from the Kings part and writeth to the Rebells offering to ioyne his strength with theirs and to mutinie the Kings Armie also which was lodged in the Mountaynes in shew to keepe the straits indeede to expect the euent Thus the Cans assembled at Casbin and after long deliberation concluded that it was needelesse and not safe to call in the Turkes forces and dispatched a messenger and present to the Bassa of Tauris to reserue his fauour till a time more needfull Hereof Ferrat sent word closely to the King and of a banquet which should bee at his house a few nights after where the Principalls of the Army should meet Hither Abas bid himselfe a guest posting thither with fiue thousand of his best horse which he disposed in the mountaine couered with Ferrats troupe expecting the appointed signe which being giuen late in the night when the whole company was heauie with wine and sleepe the King was receiued into the house with three hundred men where without any vprore he slew seuentie And at the breake of the day the Kings people made as great shouts noyse as if all the Army had bin there whereat the Alarme being giuen all betooke them to their armes repairing to Ferrats lodging to their Princes whose heads laced vpon a string were there presented to them out of a Tarras vpon which the King presently shewed himselfe with Ferrat Can Zulpher hauing his fiue thousand men ready in a troupe in the great place All these things together so amazed them that they thought the Kings pardon a high preferment which he freely granted both them and the succours sent thither by the Kings of Cheylan and Mazandran The reports hereof made Hamadans Armie to vanish and the King tooke order presently by new Cans for the gouernment of those parts Hee led his souldiers to Hisphaan giuing out that the treasures of the Kingdome were there layd vp by the Rebels a good policie to winne it which with as much pretended indignation he rased for fayling of his seeming hopes To satisfie his Souldiers better he led them against the Kings of Gheylan and Mazandran where the entrances by Nature difficult thorow the vnpassable woods and hilles were made easie by the reuolt of those to whom the charge of keeping the Straits was giuen whose liues Abas had before spared at Casbin The successe was the two Kings were slaine and the souldiers enriched with the spoyle of a Countrey exceeding fertile thus subdued
each square taking vp one mile hauing sixe Gates and eight Palaces as the former in which are kept the Grand Cans prouisions And betweene these two wals are many faire Trees and Meadowes stored with many beasts Within this is the Grand Cans Palace the greatest that euer was seene confining with the wall abouesaid on the North and South The matter and forme thereof is of such cost and Art with such appurtenances of pleasure and state as were too long heere to recite Hee for a superstitious feare suggested by his Astrologers of a rebellion which sometime should bee raised against him in Cambalu built a new Citie neere thereunto called Taidu twentie foure miles in compasse and yet not able to receiue the Inhabitants of the old Citie whence hee remoued such as might moue suspicion hither This Citie was built by line in foure squares each whereof contained sixe miles and three gates so streight that vpon the wall of one gate one might see the gate right against it In the midst of the Citie is a great Bell which is rung in the night to warne men to keepe within doores The Great Can hath 12000. Horse-men vnder foure Captaines to his Guard He keepeth Leopards Wolues and Lions to hunt with and with them to take wild Asses Beares Harts c. and one sort of Eagles able to catch Wolues The two Masters of his hunting game had ten thousand men vnder each of them the one part clothed in red the other in skie-colour and when the Emperour hunteth one of these Captaines goeth with his Men and Dogges on the right hand the other on the left compassing a great quantitie of ground that not a Beast can escape them From October to March they are bound daily to send in a thousand head of Beasts and Birds He hath also when hee trauelleth ten thousand Falconers diuided in diuers companies himselfe abiding in a chamber carryed vpon foure Elephants whence he may see the game hauing also his tents pitched for his solace neere thereby None may carry Hawke or Hunting-dog out of his Dominion nor may Hawke or Hunt neere the Court by many daies iourneys nor at all in their times of breeding from March to October But hee that list to be more fully informed herein let him reade M. Paulus and others which haue written of this Argument It is Religion to vs further to suspend our discourse of Religion CHAP. XV. Of the alteration of Religion among the Tartars and of the diuers Sorts Sects and Nations of them now remaining §. I. Of the Precopite or Crimme Tartars AFter so long narration of the Religion of the ancient Tartars and of the Cathayans where their Emperours fixed their abode it followeth to consider of the times following wherein they haue beene diuided both in Policie and Faith Maginus diuideth them into fiue principall sorts which may likewise bee subdiuided into many inferiour branches of Hords The first of these he calleth Tartaria Minor or the lesse which is in Europe betwixt Boristhenes and Tanais comprehending Taurica Chersonesus inhabited by the Precopite Tartars or as Broniouius termeth them Perecopenses of Perecopia a Town and Castle in Taurica they are called also Ossouenses and Crims of two Townes bearing those names These are now subiect to the Turke both in State and Religion hauing some Townes and Mahumetane Temples and Monasteries and Turkish Garrisons and a few Temples and persons Christian of the Armenian Grecian and Westerne profession They liue in their homely Cottages in the Winter but in the Summer wander in their Carts as the other Tartars then whom they are somewhat more ciuill They pay three hundred Christians yeerely to the Turke for tribute of whom their Can since the time of Zelim receiueth a banner and his approbation to the Empire giuing his children or brethren in hostage They elect also an heire apparant to their Empire whom they call Galga and if the Can will preferre his sonne to that dignitie he killeth all his brethren as the Turkes also deale with theirs It should seeme that they deriue their pedigree from Cingis descended if I may coniecture where certaine Historie fayleth of some of the sonnes of Bathy the great Conqueror in those parts of the World Lotchton Can was the first which ruled in Taurica long since Bathy's time They vse the Chaldaean and Arabian Letters they haue their Cadies to administer Religion and Iustice as haue the Turkes They count the Don or Riuer Tanais holy in respect of the commodities which it yeeldeth them These Tartars passing through the confines of Polonia and Podolia to helpe the Turkes in the warres of Hungary the wayes being secured and defended with the Garrisons they vsed a new stratagem to make way by driuing a multitude of Buls before them which contrarie to their expectation affrighted with the Ordnance recoiled vpon their driuers treading them downe and scattering them The Chan when Saint Bathor King of Poland was dead sent his Embassadours to be elected their King affirming that their Pope should be his their Luther his also and for dainties Horse-flesh would content him His suit was reiected with laughter William Bruise a Scot from the relation of Anthony Spinola descended of that Family in Genua and then Embassador from Casghere the Crim-Tartar into Polonia affirmeth diuers things of the Tartarians as namely of threescore and ten diuers Kingdomes of them the names whereof are scarce known to any Tartar differing in language and manners but all agreeing in the Tartarian appellation warring wandring hard and spare diet all sometimes subiect to the Great Can now inferiour in power as the Crims say which know nothing of him but by tradition to the Crim or Precopite These Precopites abhor Drunkennesse punish Adulterie with death steale not from their Countrey-men nor conceale any thing which they find walke not with weapons haue few Lawes the Interpreters of which are their Priests which they greatly reuerence as they doe also those of the Christians if any thing bee not expressed by Law they referre it to that generall Head whereon hang the Law and the Prophets To doe as men would be done to The Sar or Emperour sitteth himselfe in Iudgement with the Galga and Soldans so they call the Princes children and the Chancellour with other Senators whose sentences being first deliuered hee determineth and present execution followeth All mettalls are the Sars prerogatiue except gold which is the Turkes peculiar he hath also the tenths of the spoiles and of euerie Captiue a Chekine and if he be of great estate three He receiueth 5500. Duckets a yeere from the Turke for which hee is bound to warre vpon none but the Muscouite without his leaue He brings into the field 150000. Horse-men leauing at home but one man in a house and when the Circassians and Astracans adioyne their forces two hundred thousand It is paine of death not to come They bring with them three moneths victuall
neuer quite subiected to forraine Soueraightie till the Tartarian Conquest vnder one Tiemor so the Chinois call that great Chan which so continued till the yeere 1368. When one of their Chieftaynes whom they called of the euent Hum-vu that is a floud of weapons expelled the Tartars compelled the Chinois to his subiection The Kingdome passeth by inheritance Some ancient Kings are yet commended for commending the Kingdome to the vertuous succession of some rarer men then their kindred yeelded and sometimes the people rebelling haue dispossessed one and substituted another In this kingdome are no ancient Lawes But the first of any Family which obtayneth the Soueraigntie makes new Lawes at his pleasure which his Successors in that family doe not easily alter That Hum-vu the Conqueror is the founder of their present Lawes either enacting new or confirming the old as he saw good From ignorance of Geographie they esteemed their King Lord of the World and therefore call him Thiencu the sonne of Heauen for they esteeme Heauen the greatest God Yet commonly the people call him Hoamsi that is the greatest Monarch Hum-vu was a great both Warrior and Polititian He ordayned that none of the Kings children should deale in publike functions or affayres of state yet hee made them seeming amends with assignation of most ample reuenues and the title of Guam a Prince or petty King Their reuenue is paid out of the Exchequer to preuent Clients and dependance of Tenants Much complement of reuerence is done them by the Magistrates but no subiection Their Children and Nephewes are honored also but their titles and reuenues still decreasing as they descend further from the Royall stemme till at last no more bee allowed them then may supply their necessitie without trade or worke Like care is had of the Royall daughters marriage and maintenance The Commanders which assisted him in the Conquest hee vouchsafed honourable titles militarie prefectures with other immunities and reuenues still descending to their posteritie who are subiect neuerthelesse to the Citie Magistrates One strange priuiledge of theirs is this The exploits of the head of their family vnder Hum-vu are grauen in an yron plate This continueth with the first borne of that family who thereby may challenge pardon for any man in any crime three sundrie times if hee offer the same to the King Only treason is vnpardonable which depriueth the Traytor and all his posteritie for euer of all dignitie Like honors doe the Kings sonnes or fathers in law enioy and some others who haue well deserued of the State Only the Doctors and Licentiates are admitted to offices of gouernment not preferred by fauour of others or the King himselfe but by the Law and his merits All Magistrates are called Quonfu that is Presidents and as an honourable title Lau ye or Lau sie a Lord or Father The Portugalls stile them Mandarines And although these Magistrates can finish nothing till by Petition they obtayne the Kings confirmation yet he enacteth nothing which they doe not first sollicite And if any priuate man preferre a Petition to the King which seldome happens because there is an Officer appointed to examine them before the King sees them yet the King referres them to that Tribunall whereto they belong This I haue diligently searched and found for certaine that the King himselfe may not giue a summe of money or office to any man vnlesse hee bee first petitioned by some of the Magistrates except in his owne houshold for those gifts are not taken out of the publike treasure but the priuie purse His Customes and Tributes which exceede without controuersie a hundred and fiftie millions yeerely euery house not priuiledged paying tribute are not brought into the Treasurie of the Palace nor may the King spend them after his pleasure but all the money and prouision is brought into the publike Treasuries and Store-houses which are through the Kingdome Out of these a certaine allowance is appointed by Law and nothing more or lesse for the Kings expences his Wiues Children Eunuchs and Family Thence the Magistrates and Souldiers stipends and other officers through the Kingdom are discharged Thence also the publike Edifices of the Palaces of the King and his kinsemen Cities Walls Forts and all prouisions of Warre are mentioned And some yeeres it happens that this huge reuenue will not serue for necessary expences but they are forced to new impositions The ordinary Census or poll-money is three Mazes or halfe Duckets besides the profits of the earth and handicrafts The rest are Customes which in Canton one of the least Prouinces are neere eight millions Vanlie that is now King hath raigned fortie yeeres a man of great wisedome but vicious and tyrannicall Hee vseth his sonne and apparant Heire very hardly and hath indeuoured to make a second sonne which he had by a more beloued wife his successor but was gaine-said by all the Magistrates in the Kingdome those of the Court resigning their robes and hanging them on the Palace walls so that hee was forced to proclaime the eldest Whose mother lately lying on her death-bed the Prince could hardly obtaine his fathers licence to visit her and then attended with two Eunuchs the mother comforted her sonne saying It neuer yet happened that the heire of the kingdome dyed of hunger For the King scarse allowes him necessaries none else daring for feare The King forbad mourning and publike pompe vnto her funeralls The King respects beautie only in choice of his wiues as doe all of the Royall bloud nor doe the great men care to preferre their daughters to the Royall bed For it is little they can doe and much they must suffer euer inclosed in the Palace neuer admitted the sight of their friends who also are not thereby aduanced to further preferments The King hath Officers which make choice of women for him One wife is chiefe and is as it were legitimate the King and Heire apparant marry other nine a little inferior and after them sixe and thirtie others all which enioy the title of wiues to which are added many more Concubines not entituled Wiues or Queenes Those which bring the King sonnes proue most gracious especially the mother of the eldest sonne howsoeuer it fared otherwise in this before mentioned This King was not the sonne of the first wife nor is his Heire The Chinois are a deceitfull and trecherous people and therefore the Kings in this age come not abroad in publike and when in times past they did it they obserued a thousand cautels for safetie the Palace and the streets being all in armes for his guard nor was he scene when thus hee was seene nor the seat knowne in which he was carryed many other being then carryed to preuent intelligence And when hee came into the Tribunall hee appeared from a high window couering his face with an Iuory table in his hand and hauing another table on his head a cubit long halfe so broad so behanged with
for now he had found this signe thereof the Sabbaticall Riuer shewing this Sand in proofe thereof Credit Iudaeus Apella the Iewes beleeue quickly all but the truth especially in Portugall whither he came with this report Many thousand moued by his words remoued their dwellings and selling their substance would needs goe into these parts of Persia by the Sabbaticall Riuer to fixe their habitation there wayting for their promised Messias One and a chiefe of this superstitious Expedition was Amatus Lusitanus a Physician of great note accounted one of the most learned of his Profession and a Writer therein and Iohn Micas a Merchant of great wealth They passed through France Germany Hungary their company like a Snow-ball encreasing as they went with the addition of other Iewes of like credulity When they came to Constantinople there were of them in many Bands or Companies thirty thousand Cabasomi Bassa the Turkish Commander thought to gaine by this occasion and would not suffer them to passe ouer the water into Asia without many hundred thousands of Duckets except they would passe on horse-backe This example was soone both spred and followed of the other Bassaes and Commanders in Asia as they went their wealth and substance being euery where so fleeced that they came into Syria much lessened in numbers in estate miserable and beggerly new Officers euery where as new hungry Flyes lighting on these wretched carkasses so I may call them some they whipped some they empaled some they hanged and burned others Thus were these miserable Pilgrimes wasted and Don Iohn Baltasar was present when Amato aforesaid being dead with this affliction his Physicke bookes were in an Out-cry to be sold at Damasco and because they were in Latine no man would buy them till at last another Iew became Chapman Micas one of the wealthiest men which Europe held dyed poore in an Hospitall at Constantinople And this was the issue of their Pilgrimage to the Sabbaticall streame which they supposed to finde in this Persian Gulfe where wee haue too long holden you the Spectators of this Iewish Tragedie And yet let me intreate your patience a litle longer in considering the occasion of this error We haue elsewhere mentioned this Sabbaticall Riuer now you shall vnderstand that the Iewes generally haue drowned their wits therein Rambam cals it Gozan Genebrard alleageth many R. R. testimonies of it but of all and of all let Eldad Danius his tale which Genebrard hath translated find some fauourable entertainment the rather because one of our Apocryphall Authors seemes to weaue the same webbe which as the worthier person deserueth first examination Esdras therefore so wee suppose him and this is not all his Iewish Fables reporteth that the ten Tribes which Salmanasar led captiue tooke counsell among themselues to leaue the multitude of the Heathen and goe forth into a further Countrey where neuer Mankind dwelt that they might there keepe their statutes which they neuer kept in their owne Lord And they entred into Euphrates by the narrow passages of the Riuer For the most High then shewed signes for them and held still the floud till they were passed ouer For through that Countrey there was a great way to goe namely of a yeere and a halfe and the same Region is called Arsareth Then dwelt they there vntill the latter time And now when they shall begin to come the Highest shall stay the Springs of the streame againe c. Here you see no lesse Miracle then in Iordan or the Red Sea for their passage which seeing it was through Euphrates yee will pardon our Iew for searching it neere this Persian Gulfe especially seeing his good Masters the Rabbins had increased this Tale with the Inclosure of these Iewes from passing againe into our World not by the continuall course of Euphrates as Esdras insinuateth but by the Sabbatising of the Sabbaticall streame which by Eldads description is two hundred cubits ouer full of sands and stones without water making a noyse like thunder as it floweth which by night is heard halfe a dayes Iourney from it On the Sabbath it is continually quiet and still but all that while ariseth thence a flame that none dare enter or come neere by halfe a mile Thus the fire if not the Religion of the Sabbath then detaynes them no lesse then the stony streame on the weeke dayes and what stony heart can refuse them credit Yet doth not hee and Esdras agree of the Inhabitants both deriuing them from the tenne Tribes but Eldad challengeth no lesse antiquitie then from Ieroboam who contending with Rehoboam the godly Catholike Israelites refusing to fight against the house of Dauid chose rather to attempt this Pilgrimage and so passing the Riuer Physon for the Scriptures had forbidden them to meddle with Egypt Ammon or Amalck they went and they went til they came into Ethiopia There did the foure Tribes of Dan Nepthali Gad Aser settle themselues which continually war vpon the seuen Kingdoms of Tusiga Kamtua Koha Mathugia Tacul Bacma and Kacua fie on the simplicity of our Geographers which know not one of these no better then Esdras his Arsareth they haue a King whose name is Huziel Mathiel vnder whom they fight each Tribe three moneths by course The Tribe also of Moses for they imagine his children claue to their Mothers Religion which was a Madianite or Ethiopian is turned to their truth and they all obserue the Talmud the Hebrew Tongue the Ordinances of the Elders and suffer nothing vncleane amongst them Yea no Vtopian State comparable to theirs He tels the like tales of the other Tribes But how came he thence to tell this newes Truely I wonder no lesse then you yet he saith he goe to the Sea forgetting that before he had compassed his Countrey with the Sabbaticall streame and there was taken captiue and by his leanenesse escaping the Canibals else our fat Storie had beene deuoured was sold to a Iew of whom perhaps this forged Tale procured his redemption Howsoeuer the Tradition holds both for these inclosed Iewes and that Sabbaticall streame that it should be sought here-a-wayes or found no where The reciting is sufficient refuting to a reasonable vnderstanding and yet the Iewes are not onely besotted with these their inclosed brethren imagining their Messias may bee amongst them although they know not whether to ascribe this transportation to Salmanaser or to Alexander the Great or to the dayes of Ieroboam but Christians also tell of them about the Pole and they know not where And I haue seene a printed Pamphlet of their comming out of those their Inclosures in our times with the numbers of each Tribe Yea Postellus Boterus and many other deriue the Tartars from them which dreame they which please may reade at large confuted by Master Brerewood It was about the yeere 1238. when Eldad came from thence into Spaine If any lust to haue another Guide for the Sabbaticall streame Master Fullers
this was Salomon an Eunuch according to a Prophesie which they had amongst them that one without a beard should destroy them But captiuity could not much empare their happinesse whose very freedome was misery For they liued in small base cottages exposed to the Summer Sunnes and Winter snowes sleeping except a few of the better sort on the bare ground alway wearing the same garment howsoeuer the season differed and that torne and ragged wanting bread and all other necessaries neither grinding nor boyling that Corne they had Thus miserable were their bodies and their soules more For they had neither feare of God nor reuerence of Men nor respect of pledge nor regard of oath nor peace with any but where feare constrained them They had their women Prophetesses which diuined by their Sacrifices a thing vnlawfull for their Men to attempt Of the numbers of their wiues they bragged that the Christians which had but one wife might feare the losse of their children they which might haue fifty wiues need not misdoubt Issue and Posteritie And yet they were by many wars brought to small numbers and a few Tribes or Families Leo sayth that after the Romanes were expelled the ancient Gouernours called Beni Habdalguad of the Family of Magraua repossessed these parts who were after dipossessed by Ghamrazen Sonne of Zeijen whose Posterity reigned here almost three hundred and eightie yeeres But they were much vexed by the Kings of Fez and Tunis It was in later times called the Kingdome of Telensin or of Tremisen stretching in length from East to West three hundred and eighty miles in breadth not aboue fiue and twenty The Kings could neuer satisfie the Numidians couetise whose friendship they haue with great cost sought It hath two frequented Hauen-townes Oram and Mersalcabir both taken and holden by the Spaniards They were taken in the time of Ferdinando King of Spaine for which cause Abuchemmen the Telensin King was expelled by his owne Subiects and Abuzeijen placed in his roome which he could scarcely warme before he was slaine by Barbarussa the Turke who conquered this Kingdome But Abuchemmen sought to Charles the fift for aide by whose helpe he recouered his Kingdome and payed a Tribute to the Emperour But Habdulla his Successor detayned the Tribute and submitted himselfe vnto Soliman the Great Turke Algier remayned to Barbarussa §. II. Of BARBARVSSA of Algier and the parts adioyning THis Barbarussa or Barbarossa was a meane fellow of base condition who in his youth sold Cheeses in Spain for his liuing by his industry attained to great matters There were of them two Brethren born at Mytilene in Lesbos their Mother a Christian their Father a Renegate Grecian Horucius Barbarussa and this Hariadenus Barbarussa They first stole a Galliot and so committing themselues to Sea by Piracy vnder Camales a Turkish Pirate they grew rich and from one Galley came to haue a Nauie of their owne with which they scoured the Coasts of Barbary At the same time two brethren contended for the Kingdome of Algier one of which requested ayde of Horucius who so helped him against his brother that he helped himselfe to the Kingdome by the murther of the King his Patron and Alley which he did not long enioy being taken and slaine of the Spaniards and his head sent into Spaine But Iris Brother Hariadenus succeeding him became mighty both by Sea and Land to the great dammage both of the Mores and Christians and Soliman moued by his fame sent for him and made him Admirall of all the Turkish Seas and Sea forces vnder whom hee grew dreadfull not to these parts of Barbary alone which he subiected to the Turke but to those Countries of Christendome which are washed with the Mediterran euen Rome it selfe quaking for feare of a second Hannibal who after so many ages should by Sea from Africa auenge the angry Ghost of old Carthage In the yeere 1538. the Pope Emperour and Venetians had with ioynt forces set forth a Nauy of aboue two hundred and fifty Sayle against him but by mutuall discords the wonted aduantage of the Turkes against the Christians they made themselues both sport and spoyle to this Turkish Pyrat The Sea could no longer endure the successe of this Barbarian but mad to see the Christians vnchristian madnesse and vnwilling to submit his proud waues to the base thraldome of this base Turke swelling with indignation conspired with the Neighbour Element which pretended equall quarrell for so often darkening his light and poysoning his breath with those hellish smokes and for vsurping those thunders which had wont to be the ayrie priuiledge of his middle Regions these both agreed in their disagreeing with tempestuous furie to spoile the Spoilers the windes from the Acroceraunian Hills and the Seas on the Dalmatian shore so girt in the Turkes with their equall vnequall siege that twentie thousand of them were captiued and shut vp in Neptunes prisons to become foode to his Familie and the new Conquerors on euery shore made their markets of Turkish commodities and by wracks testified to the Earth that they had wrecked themselues on her and their enemies And yet did Barbarussa recouer himselfe by new forces and hauing won Rhegium came to Ostia where he rode three dayes the Romanes trembling meanewhile and readie to leaue Saint Peter alone to locke out the Turks if they came So much more fortunate were his proceedings then of Haly Bassa who in the fight at Lepanto lost his life and Nauie whereof eightie fell to the Seas share and an hundred and thirtie saile to Don Iohn and his Partners the greatest blow that euer the Turke at Sea receiued and had the greatest Homer to sing it But me thinkes I feele some Cynthius pulling me by the eare and asking if the Pirats haue robbed me of my Religion the most proper subiect of my Discourse Truly that irreligious Crue while they seeke to win other things care not to lose that But this Algier hauing beene of old and still continuing a receptacle of Turkish Rouers could not be passed ouer especially in these Piraticall times without some obseruation being also the gate whereby the Turkish forces first entred into Barbarie Iohn Leo writeth a little otherwise of Barbaussa and Algier The Moores call this Citie Gezeir the Spaniards Algier and of old was called Mesgana of that African Familie which founded it It contayneth about foure thousand Families the buildings very sumptuous Innes Bath-stones and Temples very beautifull euery Occupation hath a seuerall place by it selfe It hath adioyning Playnes very pleasant and fertile one whereof is fiue and fortie miles long and almost thirtie broad For many yeeres it was subiect to the Kingdome of Telensin but hearing that Bugia was gouerned by a King they submitted themselues to him paying him a Tribute otherwise in manner free Then did they build themselues Gallies and molested with Piracies the Spanish Ilands of Majorica Minorica
decked in all pompe to sollicite her kindred to reuenge and goeth formost in the field incouraging them to follow The kindred spareth no bloud to saue their Virgin which the other side striueth to winne holding that a continuall glory to the seuenth generation When a man is killed his Tribe seeketh not reuenge on the murtherer onely but on the first man of the Tribe he meets with The Brebers doe likewise Their women follow them in their battels with a certaine colour in their hand called Hanna which will staine and therefore they throw it vpon such as offer to run out of the field the basest ignominie that can befall them The Larbie and Breber doe differ as much in language as Welsh and English the one is giuen to Husbandry the other very much to Robbery Mully Sidan in these late warres seeing the Larbees also become robbers caused the next Dwarre a Towne of Tents belonging to that Tribe which herein had faulted to bee destroyed Man Woman Child Kine Sheepe and whatsoeuer belongeth to them by his Souldiers But after hee had lost the field in the battell with Muly Sheck they foraged vp to Marocco gates trusting to the strength which that Tribe could make beeing fifteene thousand Horse This Tribe or kindred was called Weled Entid In Africa they are much subiect to the Cough insomuch that on the Fridayes when they are in their Mahumetan Sermons if one fall a coughing another followes and so from hand to hand all take it vp and hold on in that sort till the end of their Sermon no man hearing what hath beene said For their morall conditions Leo thus describeth them as wee haue somewhat mentioned before the inhabitants of the Cities in Barbary are poore and proud irefull and writing all iniuries Marble vntractable and vnfriendly to Strangers simple and credulous of impossibilities The vulgar is ignorant of nature and esteeme all workes thereof diuine and miraculous They are irregular in their life and actions exceedingly subiect to choler speake aloft and proudly and are often at buffets in the streets Thus base is their disposition and no lesse is their estimation with their Lords who make better account of their beasts They haue no chiefe men or Officers to rule or Counsaile them They are ignorant of merchandize being destitute of Bankers and money-changers and euery Merchant is constrained to attend his wares himselfe No people vnder Heauen more couetous few amongst them which for loue of God or man will entertaine a stranger or requite a good turne alwayes encombred with melancholy they addict themselues to no pleasures the reason whereof is their great pouertie and small gaines The Shepheards both in the mountaynes and fields liue a laboursome and miserable life a beastly theeuish ignorant kinde of people neuer repaying any thing committed to them The young Women before they marry may haue their Louers in all filthinesse none of them bestowing her virginitie on her Husband if they bee once married their louers doe no more follow after them but betake them to some others The brutish Father makes this odious loue to his Daughter and the beastly Brother to his whoorish Sister The most of them are neither Mahumetans Iewes nor Christians but without faith and without so much as a shadow of Religion neither making any prayers nor hauing any Churches but liue like beastes And if any hath any smacke of deuotion yet hauing no Law Priest nor any Rule to follow hee is forced to liue like the other Many of them both in Cities and fields are found sauoring of better things both for Arts Merchandize and Deuotion as the same Leo sheweth but thus are the most inclined Now to adde somewhat further of the Mahumetan Religion in Africa Anno 714. as some doe reckon the Saracens by the incitement of Iulius Earle of Suta as in our third booke is related inuaded and conquered Spaine Leo in his fifth booke attributeth this to Muse Gouernour of Africa vnder Qualid the Calipha of Damasco whose next successour depriued Muse and sent Iezul to Cairaoan to succeed in his roome whose posteritie there gouerned till that House was depriued of the Caliphship and the seate thereof remooued from Damasco to Bagdet Then was Elagleb made Lieutenant of Africa and held it with his posteritie after him 170. yeeres After which time El Mahdi an heriticall Calipha dispossessed them Of this El Mahdi and Elcain and their supposed heresies I haue no certaine Historie Certaine it is that the Mahumetanes from the beginning were diuided as appeareth of Idris in our Historie of Fez and more fully in the Catalogue of Mahomets next successours which were the next not in blood but in power So did Bubac or Abubacer challenge it and after him Homar and Ottaman contrary to the Testament of Mahomet who appointed Hali his heyre Muauias also murthered Hali and his sonne to obtaine the Soueraigntie Thus were they diuided about the true successour of their false Prophet which fire is not yet extinct Another diuision was about the interpretation of their Law Abubacer gaue foundation to the Sect Melchia or Melici embraced by the Africans Homar was author of the sect Anesia which the Turkes and Zaharans in Africke receiue Odman or Ottoman left behind him the Banesiae which hath also his followers Hali was head of the Imemia which is followed by the Persians Indians many Arabians and Gelbines of Africa Curio calleth these sects embraced of the Africans Melici and as hee affirmeth Asuphij of the Syrians and Arabians Alambeli of the Persians and Buanifi of the Alexandrians and Assyrians Forreine names can scarcely bee translated but withall are traduced and of diuers diuersly called Of these foure grew threescore and eight Sects of name besides other more obscure Amongst the rest were the Morabites who ledde their liues for the most part in Hermitages and make profession of morall Philosophie with certaine principles differing from the Alcoran One of these was that Moabite which certaine yeeres past shewing Mahomets name imprinted in his brest being done with aqua fortis or some such thing raysed vp a great number of Arabians in Africa and layd siege to Tripolis where being betrayed by his Captaine hee remained the Turkes prisoner who sent his skinne to the Grand Seigenior These Morabites affirme that when Alle or Hali fought he killed ten thousand Christians with one blow of his Sword which they say was an hundred Cubites long One writes that these Moabites deuoted themselues to a solitary life and strict penance for certaine yeeres which being expired by the merits thereof they may after loosen the reynes of their lusts to all impuritie without any impuritie as beeing beyond possibilitie of sinning The like wee haue obserued before of the Indian Gymnosophists and then to enable Nature to vnnaturall degrees of beastly lusts they eate certaine Herbes which may melt the heart in and into those flames for which purpose they vse also in
in which all the Marriageable Virgins are kept and instructed a yeeres space by some old man of best estimation This done they are brought forth well apparelled with Musicke and Dances there the young men make their choice and bargaine with the Father paying also the Old man for his yeeres schooling Sorcerers are beheaded and their bodies cast to the Beasts and Fowles for other offences they are sold and made slaues They weare gold Rings hanging at their Noses weighing twenty or thirtie Crownes these with their Eare-rings and Bracelets are buried with them The Cumbae are not of the ancient Natiues but were barbarous and deuourers of mans flesh continually warring on the former These about the yeere one thousand fiue hundred and fifty wasted all the Countrey and at last seated themselues here driuing the Capi from their habitations If they tooke any chiefe men they deuoured them the meaner they sold for slaues to the Portugals reseruing the younger for Souldiory They would sell them more then Dogge-cheape yea some of the Natiues would sell themselues slaues to auoide this barbarous enemy But now being here setled they are growne more milde and gentle Of these are descended as some thinke the Giachi or Iagges of which we shall speake else-where called by this name in Congo in Angola Gindae in Abassia Gallae in Mombaza Zimbae or Imbiae and here Cumbae and Manes by themselues Imbangolae a Nationlesse Nation breeding without generation and vncertaine of what monstrous humane-inhumane Deuillish Originall §. II. Obseruations of those parts out of CADAMOSTA and other Ancient Nauigators NOw for further particulars of the Guinean Nation we will begin with the Nauigations of former times The people inhabiting on the Riuer Sanaga Aloise di Codimosti a Venetiani calls Azanaghi and saith that when first the Portugals sayled thither their simplicity was such hauing neuer before seene a ship that they tooke the ships for great Birds with white wings out of some strange place comming thither but when they saw them strike sayle they changed their opinion and thought them to be fishes seeing them afarre off but when they saw them the next day so farre off from that place they tooke them for night-goblings or spirits This did he learne of diuers of the Azanaghi slaues in Portugall They hid their faces no lesse then the priuities esteeming the mouth vnmeete to be seene whence they belched such sowre breath They had a kind of Muffler to hide it and part of the nose onely discouering the same at meate Other Gouernours they then had not only more reuerence was done to the most rich A beggerly theeuish lying trecherous Nation as any in the World They aniont their haire euery day with fat of fish for great gallantry whereof they stinke exceedingly And lest you should thinke better of their Eyes then of their Nose their women esteeme it the greatest part of goodly feature to haue large Brests which by Arte and industrious stretching of them they enlarge and some of them haue them hanging to their Nauell Neere vnto those are certaine Negros which suffer not themselues to be seene of any nor to be heard speake but haue excellent Gold which they exchange with other Negros which bring vnto them Salt such as the Minerall Salt of Tagazza and leauing the same they goe away from thence halfe a dayes iourney the Negros come downe in certain Barkes and lay at euery heape of Salt a quantity of Gold and goe their wayes When the Salt-Merchants returne if they like the summe they take it if not they leaue the Gold still with the Salt and goe their wayes and then the other returne and what heapes of Salt they find without Gold they take for their own the other either they leaue more Gold for or els leaue altogether This seemeth hard to beleeue but many of the Arabians and Azanhagi testified it to our Author for truth The Merchants of Melli affirmed to mee that their Prince had once by a plot taken one of them thinking to haue learned the condition of that people but either of â—dlennesse or because hee could not hee neither ate nor spake and within three dayes dyed Their stature they which had taken him affirmed to bee a hand higher then themselues and that their nether lip was thicke and red and so great that it hung downe to their brest and it together with their Gummes bloudie their teeth great and on each side one very large their eyes standing out terrible they were to looke vpon And because they had apprehended this man by their ambushment they returned not in three yeeres but after forced by the need of Salt to cure their diseases whence haply that deformitie proceeded they renued that Traffique To leaue these farre within Land and come to the Riuer Senaga Cadamosto iustly maruelled at the partition which that Riuer caused for on the one side the Inhabitants were well proportioned very blacke and the soyle very fertile on the other side the Inhabitants meagre small swart and the ground barren The people that dwell on the bankes of Niger are called Gilofi The Kings name in my time which was almost an hundred and threescore yeeres since was Zuchali He had thirty Wiues When Richard Rainolds was there 1591. the Kings name was Amar Melik All that Region betwixt Sanaga and Gambea is called by one generall name Gia Lef of which Maffaeus and Barrius write That in an accident of ciuill warres Bemoin came to the King of Portugall for aide and was there royally entertayned and baptized with his followers of which some were of such admirable dexteritie and nimblenesse of bodie that they would leape vpon a Horse as hee galloped and would stand vpright in the Saddle when he ranne fastest and turne themselues about and suddenly sit down and in the same race would take vp stones laid in order on the ground and leape downe and vp at pleasure This Bemoin was shamefully murthered by Peter Vaz the Portugall Generall and the hope of Christianity in those parts disappointed This was Anno 1489. From thence Cadamosto went to Budomel the Prince whereof was had in great respect by his people which when they come into his presence kneele on both their knees and bowing their heads to the ground cast sand ouer their shoulders and on their heads with both hands and then to goe towards him on their knees and when they speake to him cast sand ouer their shoulders still with their head bowed downe the Prince scarcely deigning them a looke or word For euery light offence hee would sell their Wiues and Children He suffered our Authour to goe into his Moschee where his Arabian Chaplaines after their manner mumbled their Mattens ten or twelue times in halfe an houre all the company rising and falling againe to the Earth and kissing it He also heard him willingly confute the Mahumetan and approoue the Christian Faith but said hee thought
Pits with sharpe stakes set vp in them couered with stickes and earth these they made for the Spaniards but in a confused flight fell therein themselues Here the Spaniards built the Towne of Assumption which Herera saith hath foure hundred Spanish housholds and three thousand Mestizas The King of the Scherues attended with twelue thousand men met the Spaniards and gaue them friendly entertainment with dancing musick and feasting The women goe naked and paint themselues as artificially as any of our Painters could doe they weare Carpets of Cotton with the figures of Indian beasts The King asked the Spaniards What they sought who answered Siluer and Gold He then gaue them a siluer Crowne which hee said he had taken in the warres which hee had waged with the Amazones that dwelt two moneths iourney thence Of these Amazones the Indians told the same things that Orellana told of neere that Riuer which hath receiued name of this supposition The Spaniards with some of the Scherues for their Guides set forth for this Amazonian Discouery but were encountred by the way with hote waters in which they waded vp to the waste and so continued diuers dayes till they came to a Nation called Orthuesen who were then infected with a Pestilence caused by famine which famine the Grashoppers had effected two yeeres together eating vp all the fruits which nature or husbandry had prouided for their sustinance Thus these Martiall and Venerean warres of the Spaniards wanted food to hold out further toward the Amazons if there were any such people and that they were not as before I said the warre-like Wiues or haply some gallant Viragoes that by themselues would let the World see what women could doe but yet I cannot subscribe to the rest of their storie But I am wearie of leading you any further in this Discouerie of this great Riuer and the neere Inhabitants seeing little is obserued in our Authour of their Religions Some of these barbarous Nations he sayth hanged vp the hairie skin of their slaine Enemies in their Temples or Houses of deuotion this people is called Iepori To giue you a Catalogue of the names of the Indian Nations that inhabited these parts would be but tedious These Iournies of the Spaniards were to see what Gold and not what Gods the Indians had They passed vp through the Land into Peru Betweene Peru and these more Easterly parts are the Hils Andi or Andes which lift vp their snowie tops vnto the cloudes and reach vnto the Magellane Straits In them inhabit many fierce Nations bordering vpon the Nations of Brasill and Plata The Ciraguans the Viracans the Toui the Varai These last exercise their children vnto Armes betimes vnto them they commit their Captiues for triall of their bloudy forwardnesse and he which at one blow can kill a Captiue is of the greatest hopes and rewarded for his encouragement To this end they name their children Tygre Lion that their names might teach them the like beastly furie At the new full Moone they wound themselues with sharpe bones to inure themselues to things of war They weepe in the entertainment of a friend as the Brasilians doe In seuenteene degrees stands the Spanish Citie of Holy Crosse of the Mountaine The Riuer Vapai in those Valleyes riseth and falleth as Nilus doth There is a Brooke at Holy Crosse of a wonderfull nature it is but little aboue two yards broad and shallow withall not running aboue a league but is drunke vp of the thirstie sands Yet doth this Brooke prouide the Citie water and three sorts of good fish and that in great plenty from the end of February to the end of May. At other times there are few They vse diuers meanes of shauing their heads which they say they learned of one Paicume In the womens lying in the man keeps his bed as is said of the Brasilians More towards the East dwell the Itatini people which call themselues Garay that is Warriours and others Tapuis or Slaues The language of the Varrai is common to all these Nations with the Brasilians that as in the other World Latine Sclauon and Arabike so in that New World the Varay Cuscan and Mexican Language will generally serue a mans turne The Kingdome of Tucuma stretcheth two hundred leagues betweene Chili Brasill Holy Crosse and Paraguay The Spaniards haue therein fiue Colonies It is a plaine Country The Paraguay inhabit along the Riuer so called whereof they take name From Plata Southwards is the great Region of Chica washed on the South East and West by the Sea The Inhabitants are called Patagones §. II. Of Giants and other Nations neere the Straits THe Spaniards which with Magellane first discouered the Straits saw Giants on this Coast of which he carried away one with him to Sea where after for want of sufficient food he died Edward Cliffe that wrote Master Winters Voyage who first of all others returned out of the Straits by the same way homewards because he saw on this Coast men of common stature excepteth against that report of Giants as a Giant-like report exceeding the stature and measure of Truth But besides that some of our owne at another time measured the print of mens feete eighteene inches in the Sands Oliuer Noort in his World compassing Voyage had three of his men slaine by men of admirable stature with long haire not farre from Port Desire about seuen and forty degrees of Southerly latitude and after in the Magellane Straits discomfited a band of Sauages which neither would yeeld nor flee from their wiues and children which were in a Caue iust by till euery man was slaine Foure Boyes the Hollanders carried away one of which learning their Language told them of three Families or Tribes in those parts of ordinary stature and of a fourth which were Giants ten or eleuen foote high which warred vpon the former Sebalt de Weert being detayned fiue moneths in the Straits by foule weather sent his men to fish for their prouision which exceedingly failed them who there were suddenly assayled by seuen Canoas of Giants which they guessed to be so high as is mentioned who being put to flight by their Peeces fled to land and plucked vp Trees in their rude manner barricadoing and fortifying themselues against the further pursuite of the Hollanders who were no lesse glad that they were rid of such company These men both Giants and others went either wholly naked or so clothed as they seemed not to dread the cold which is yet there so violent that besides the Mountaintops alway couered with Snow their very Summer in the middest thereof freeth them not from Ice Yea at that time of the yeere those Hollanders encountred an Iland of Ice in the Sea which the cold Aire had there mounted and maintained in despight of Neptunes rage or the Sunnes volley of shot in his neerest approach The Trees in these parts and the men it seemeth are naturally fortified
cast off the yoke of homage to the Crym conquered diuers Tartarian Princes the Empires of Casan and Astracan 2700. miles downe the Volga from Mosco and by a generall Councell of his Princes Prelates and Nobles was crowned and stiled the Emperour and Great Duke of Volladamiria Muscouia Cazan and Astracan c. His Conquests grew with his yeeres He tooke from the King of Poland the famous Citie of Pollozca the great Citie of Smolensca Doragabus Vasma and many other Townes with much riches and infinite numbers of captiues seuen hundred miles within their confines Lituania and Bela Russia goodly Townes of Trafficke and Countries yeelding Waxe Flaxe Hempe Tallow Hides Corne and Cattell in abundance He grew puissant and proud ouermightie for his next Neighbours and bloudie in all his Conquests When his good Queene Nastacia dyed she was canonized a Saint and to this day worshipped in their Churches By her he had two Sonnes Iuan and Theodore The Emperour after this married one of the Chircas by whom hee had no issue that hee would be knowne of The manner of this Marriage was strange and heathenish which I forbeare out of their owne History to relate By this Marriage hee was much strengthened by the Tartars better Souldiers then the Natiues of whom he made vse to curbe his Princes and Nobles which were discontent with his cruell robbing and incessant murthering of his Nobilitie He set forward with 100000. Horse and 50000. Foot with prouisions of Cannon and Munition towards Liuonia and Swethia kils men women and children in his way to Nouogrod and Plesco the two greatest Townes of Trafficke in all the East with the Narue which three stand triangle wise at the end of the Baltike Sea within the Sound In this last hee built a Castle called Iuan Gorod and caused the eyes of the Architect to bee bored out Thence he enters the Confines of Liuonia sends Knez Iuan Grinscoy to besiege Newhous which was taken with all the Townes in the way to Dorp This also yeelded and the Tartars carried away eight thousand Captiues the Merchandize and Treasure was sent to Nogrod for the Emperours vse He proceedeth deuideth his Army into foure parts ten thousand are appointed to draw the Ordnance ouer the frozen Lakes takes all in his way thirty walled Townes and Castles neere the Easterne Sea within two hundred miles compasse drowning burning rauishing Maydes and Wiues stripping them naked notwithstanding the cold tying them by two and three at their Horse tayles and dragging them some aliue some dead the wayes and streets lying full of carkasses of euery age and sexe These Liuonians are accounted the fairest people in the World Infinite numbers were sent into Russia with infinite treasure Sixe hundred Churches were robbed and destroyed He and his Tartars at last came to Reuell besiegeth and batters it with twentie Cannons The Inhabitants by night make vp the breaches by carrying and casting hote and cold water which froze so thicke that after sixe weekes siege and 20000. Cannon shot spent with losse of 7000. he hasted away the sudden thaw also making him to leaue much of his Artillery behind with former booties baggage and 30000. men in his retiring Enraged with fury for this repulse and losse hee comes backe to the Narue spoyles the Towne of all the Riches and Merchandise kils men women and children and giues the spoyle to his Tartars which bred no small emulation in his Russe Captaines Thence hee marcheth to Plescoue alias Vobsco where he intended to doe the like easily beleeuing those which reported that these two Townes and Nouogrod had practised against him that by their meanes hee had sustayned his losse at Reuel But there met him a Magician Mikula Sweat which that Towne held their Oracle who with bold Imprecations and Exorcismes calling him Bloud-sucker and Deuourer of Christian flesh swore by his Angell that hee should not escape death by a present Thunderbolt if he or any of his did touch the least childs haire in that Citie which God by his Angel did preserue for better purpose then his rapine that therefore he should get him thence before the fierie Cloud of Gods wrath were raysed which he might behold hanging ouer his head it being a very great and darke storme at that instant The Emperour trembling at these words desired Prayers for his deliuerance and forgiuenesse of his cruell thoughts I saw this Impostor a foule creature hee went naked Winter and Summer induring extreame frost and heat His Holinesse could not endure me He did many strange things by Magicall Illusions and was much followed and feared there of Prince and people The Emperour returning to Nouogrod where all his Captiues and Prisoners remayned in exceeding discontent he chargeth it with 30000. Tartars and 10000. Gunners of his Guard who without respect rauished the women and maides robbed and spoyled all that were within it murthered young and old burned the houshold stuffe and Merchandises with Ware-houses of Waxe Flaxe Cordage Tallow Hides Salt Wines Cloth of Gold Silkes Furres all set on fire The Waxe and Tallow melted ran downe the Kennels of the streets together with the bloud of 700000. men women and children as some affirmed besides beasts insomuch that with bloud and carkasses the Riuer Volca was as it were stopped He vanted that this Massacre should exceed those of Niniue and Ierusalem The Citie being thus destroyed and desolate he returned towards Musco and in the way employes his Captaynes to take the people in the Townes and Villages within a hundred miles compasse Gentlemen Peasants Merchants and Monkes old and young with their Families Goods and Cattle to goe and inhabit this ruined Nouogrod exposing them to a new slaughter For many of them dyed with Pestilence and poyson of that infected place which could not bee replenished to any purpose Not long after God empties the Emperours Kingdome and chiefe Cities of his people by Pestilence Famine Fire and Sword and this his crueltie bred such discontent that many practised to destroy him which were still discouered Hee countenanced the Rascalitie and the most desperate Souldiers against the chiefe Nobility Hee setled his Treasures in Mosco and the principall Monasteries Many of the Nobilitie he put to shamefull deaths and tortures and now suspecting his Chercas Tartars also he placed them in his new Conquests of Leefland and Sweathland The Crim Tartar his ancient Enemy inuaded him incited by his Nobilitie as he found out against whom he leuies out of remote Prouinces a huge Army of strangers with his owne hundred thousand horse and fifty thousand foot He discards his Chercas wife and puts her in a Monastery and among many of his owne Subiects chuseth Natalia Daughter to Kneaz Pheodor Bulgaloue a great Commander in his warres who soone after lost his head and his Daughter within a yeere was shorne a Nunne Newes came of his Enemies approch God suffered this wicked
their Gouernour Merwan Sonne of Muhammed rebelled pretending the reuenge of Walid and Iezid gaue him the gouernment of Mesopotamia Armenia Mausil and Aderbigiana on condition to sweare to him which hee did at Harran Iezid dyed that yeere of the Plague hauing raigned fiue moneths His brother Ibrahim prayed for him He diminished the Souldiers stipends was prone to the Sect Cadritica was after digged out of his graue and crucified by Merwan Ibrahim Sonne of Walid his brother was the same day made Chalifa Anno 126. but Anno 127. Merwan sought to get the Empire pretending the reuenge of Walids death and ouerthrew Suleiman which came against him with a hundred and twenty thousand and caused men to sweare to Walids children then remayning in Prison whereupon Suleiman caused them at his returne to Damascus to be killed their names were Hakem and Otsman Vpon pretence that Hakem had said that Merwan should succeed if he and his brother were slaine Merwan was made Chalif and Ibrahim after sixty nine dayes Raigne deposed which liued till Anno 132. and then was slaine He was called Himar-vlgidzira the Asse of Mesopotamia because he could not flee in the time of battell Anno 127. the Emissens rebelled but were ouer-throwne and their wals rased and 600. of their citizens crucified Damascus deposed his Gouernour also and those of Basra created Suleiman Chalifa but Merwan ouerthrew him in battell and slue 30000. of his men At Cufa Abdalla sought the Chalifate but was chased thence to the Mountaines Merwan was slaine as shall after appeare He was a Glutton and when a sheepe came to his hands he could not forbeare but would thrust his hand and sleeue into the sheeps belly and take out the Kidneyes to eate them then to change his garment of such garments greased with the fat of the Kidnies he is said to haue left aboue 10000. Hee was politike valiant magnanimous and prudent But fortune being crosse great spirit and wisdome preuaile not as it is said Fortune approching comes fastned with ten setters but going backe she goeth no chaines can hold her THe first Prince of the children of Abbas was Muhammed Sonne of Ali Sonne of Abdalla Sonne of Abbas in the 100. yeere hee dyed A. 125. and left twelue Sonnes The calling happened to him in Chorasan and succeeded tohis Sonne Ibrahim He sent Abumuslim surnamed Abdurrahman into Corasan and writ to those which followed his Sect to obey him He deliuered the Letters to Suleiman and presently published the vocation of the Hasiemides and tyed a Banner on a staffe or Speare nine cubits long sent from Ibrahim , which they call Tallum And he and all of that Sect put on blacke garments on the day of the grea er Feast And Abumuslim prayed the Prayer of the Feast before Prayer time without conuocation or raysing vp contrary to the course of the children of Ommia Thus Abumuslim encreased and Nasr Gouernour of Chorasan vnder Merwan decreased Hee seeing these beginnings writ to Walid Sonne of Iezid I see 'mongst embers sparkes of coles wo to thee if they burne Wood makes fire flame words doe the same to warres they after turne Sleepes or wakes Ommias Speake I No my mazed verse doth mourne But finding no helpe Nasr fled and Abumuslim spoyled his Army and set Cahtabas ouer the Army who fought many battels with Nasr and slue and tooke thirty thousand of his men Nasr died Anno 131. Merwan tooke Ibrahim and slue him who had before commanded his brother Saffah Abulabbas to goe to Cufa and written to his followers that hee should be Chalifa after him Anno 132. Cahtabas ouerthrew Iezid Gouernour of Irac vnder Merwan and passing ouer Euphrates very early the Riuer being encreased he was drowned and Humid his Sonne commanded the Armie The same yeere at Cufa Muhammed Sonne of Ali the Carsican called the Hasiemites to the Empire The men of Cufa sware to Abumuslimas Son of Halab which was also called Muhammed the Counsellour of Religion The same yeere Saffah and Abugiafar Almansor came to Cufa and had lodgings assigned them by Abumuslimas the Counsellor which concealed the fame forty dayes minding to transferre the Empire to the house of Abutalib Abdalla Saffah Abulabbas Sonne of Muhammed Sonne of Ali Sonne of Abdalla Sonne of Abbas Sonne of Abdulmutalib Sonne of Hasiem was the three and twentieth Chalifa and first of the children of Abbas One saluted him Chalifa and the people sware to him which Abumuslimas seeing saluted him also which Hamid said was done against his will Being inaugurated he ascended the Pulpit in blacke garments and made a speech to the people He sent his Vncle Abdalla against Merwan which put him to flight innumerable numbers of his Souldiers being slain and drowned Abdalla pursued him from place to place and pitched his Tents in Iordan He assembled many of the children of Ommia pretending to take their Oath of Fealty and when aboue eighty of them were together he set a Souldier by each of them with a club in his hand and at a token giuen they were all killed Then did he cause them to be drawne and laid in order and spreading a Carpet ouer them sate thereon with his followers and called for victuals and did eate hearing their grones till they were quite dead Abdalla said For the day of Husein and for nothing else Damascus was forced Walid the Gouernour killed and the Citie put to the spoyle three dayes Merwan fled into Egypt and was there taken and killed by Salih which sent to Saffah his head who therupon fell downe in adoration and gaue ten thousand pieces of Gold to the poore saying Prayse to God which hath deliuered to vs the Asse of Mesopotamia This was done after one hundred and thirty one yeeres and threescore and thirteene dayes of the Hegira 6241. of the yeere of the Sunne and sixty three dayes Abumuslim the Authour of the vocation with others laid wait for Abumuslimas Son of Halal the Counsellor and slue him by command of Saffah because hee sought to rayse the the Abulatabites Saffah promised securitie also to Iezid Sonne of Omar but after sent one to slay him for seeking to preferre to the Empire Abdalla Sonne of Hasen Sonne of Husein Sonne of Ali Sonne of Abutalib Saffah now established set Abugiafar Almansor ouer Aderbigiana Armenia and Mesopotamia Iabiae his brother ouer Mausil his Vncle Dauid ouer Higiaza and Aliaman his Vncle Isa ouer Cufa Sofian ouer Basra Muhammed ouer Persia Mansor ouer India and Sinde Abumuslim ouer Chorasan Abdalla his Vncle ouer Syria and his Vncle Salih ouer Egypt who ruled it by his Lieutenant Abaun Abdalla returning from Ramla to Damascus digged vp the children of Ommia and burned them and to the corpse of Hasiam at Rusaf he gaue a hundred and twenty blowes till his flesh was dispersed which then was gathered together and burned A. 136. Saffah died after he had reigned foure yeeres and nine moneths His brothers Sonne
for whosoeuer could possesse himselfe of any City stiled himselfe King Basra Ahwaz and Wasit were in the hands of Abu-Abdalla the Baridite and his brethren Persia in the hand of Amaduddaulas Sonne of Boia the Dailamite and of Wasmakin brother of Mardawig Mausil Diarreb and Diarbecr in the hands of the children of Hamadan Egypt and Syria in the hand of Muhammed Sonne of Taag The West and Africa vnder Caijm Spaine in the hand of the Sonnes of Ommia Chorasan in the hand of Nasr Sonne of Ahmed the Samanaean Iamam Bahrain and Hagiara in the hand of Taher the Caramite Tabristan and Giorgian in the hand of the Dailans Only Bagdad remayned with the Chalifa and the Sonne of Raijc the tributes were abolished the Kingdome decayed and robberies increased The money was carried into the Treasuries of the Emperours which disposed thereof at their pleasure Arradi went to warre vpon Abuabdalla the Baridite who agreed with him for 36000. pieces of Gold to pay thirty thousand euery moneth Basra was taken by the Sonne of Raijc and Abutaber the Caramite made peace with him on condition to pay him out of Bagdad 120000. pieces of Gold Abubecr tooke also Ahwaz whereupon the Baridite sought helpe of Amaduddaulas who sent his brother Ahmed Mumuddaulas with him to take Ahwaz which he did An. 326. Abuali Sonne of Mucla the Counsellour had his hand cut off and his tongue cut out for counselling Arradi to attach Abubecr and to employ Iacham the Turke when his right hand was to be cut off This hand said he whereby I haue ministred to three Chalifas and wherewith I haue written out the Alcoran is out of like the hand off a Thiefe This Sonne of Mucla was Authour of this excellent writing and first brought the forreigne Writing of Cufa to the vse of the Arabs The Sonne of Bawab added somewhat and brought it to perfection Iahcam the Turke came to Bagdad and tooke it chasing away the Sonne of Raijc which had enioyed the Imperiall Dignity one yeere ten moneths and sixteene dayes Iahcam was vested by Arradi and stiled Emperour of Emperours Anno 327. Iahcam with the Chalifa went against Nasiruddaul and besieged Mausil but was forced to accept fiue hundred thousand pieces of Gold to haste backe to Bagdad where Abubecr had renewed some broyles with whom he compounded and gaue him the way of Euphrates the Prouince of Kinnasrin and Awasim That yeere they againe went on Pilgrimage by the way of Euphrates which from the yeere 319. the Caramites had hindred Abutaher now for fiue and twenty thousand pieces of Gold promising not to molest them An. 328. Abubecr tooke Emissa ouerthrew in battell Muhammed Sonne of Taag Prince of Egypt and Syria but was againe depriued of his victory by his Souldiers ouerhasting to the spoyle at last hee got all Syria except Ramla which remayned with the Sonne of Taag on condition to pay Abubecr 140000. pieces of Gold yeerely An. 329. dyed Arradi of the Dropsie and immoderate lust He was the last of the Chalifas which preached on Fridayes which did penance with the Penitents disposed of monies armies gifts had seruants and Kitchins They which succeeded after him vntill Muctafi had nothing in Irac and other Prouinces but the title He reigned six yeeres ten moneths and ten dayes Ibrahim Abu-Ishac Moctafi Billa Sonne of Muctadir was created Chalifa the day of his brothers death but held only the bare title Iacham in hunting was killed and Moctafi committed the administration of the Kingdome to Cutelin and eighty dayes after to Abubecr Son of Raijc An. 330. the Baradites sought to possesse Bagdad Moctafi fled to Mausil with Abubecr Saifuddaulus ministred vnto them as did also Hasen Abuhammed Nasiruddaulas which title Moctafi then gaue him Hee sent his brother Ali Abulhasen against the Baridites who expelled them from Bagdad and tooke the Citie Nasirruddaulas slue Abubecr and succeeded in the gouernment His brother Ali being victorious was stiled Saifuddaulas A. 332. Nasiruddaulas with his brother returned from Bagdad to Mausil and Buzun the Turke possessed Bagdad and administration with the title of Emperour of Emperours who deposed Moctafi from the Chalifate which now was growne to a title hauing also the honour to haue their names stamped on Coynes and to pray in Pulpits Mustacfi which was made his Successor put out his eyes hauing reigned three yeeres and eleuen moneths Abdalla Mbulcasim Austacfi Billa Sonne of Muctafi was the 22. Abasian Chalifa and in all the 43. He vested Buzun The same yeere 333. Saifuddaulas tooke Aleppo and Damascus Cafur was sent out of Egypt against him and when their Armies were pitched ouer against each other Saifuddaulas men on a Friday said It is not lawfull to fight to day and dispersed themselues Cafur tooke the occasion and wanne the field with all the baggage Saifuddaulas recouering his forces in another battell ouerthrew him After that hee preuailed against Abubecr Achsijd Sonne of Taag the King of Egypt and a Peace was concluded betwixt them a Ditch made to bound both Kingdomes Anno 334. Muazzudaulas Sonne of Boia possessed Bagdad and Mustacfi vested him tooke his Oath of Fealty and gaue him a Banner Chaine and Bracelets with the hinder part of his house his name to be stamped on Money and commanded him to pray for him or in hu steed in Pulpits He also gaue him that title of Muazzadaulas and his eldest brother Ali Amaduddaulas and Abuali the middlemost brother Rucnudaulas Muazzadaulas minding to depose Mustacfi went in and kissed the ground before him and a seate was brought on which hee sate Presently came in two men which when hee offered his hand to kisse plucked him off his bed his eyes were put out and his Palace spoyled Hee ruled one yeere foure moneths and two dayes Fadlus Abulcasim Mutius Lilla Sonne of Muctadir was the foure and fortieth Chalif created An. 334. Abubecr Achsijd King of Egypt and Syria dyed The Fargans called their Kings Achsijd as the Romans Caesar and the Persians Cosroes Hee had foure hundred thousand Souldiers eight thousand Mamlukes which were his Guard None of his Familiars knew where he slept when he was in campe by his close conuaying himselfe into others Tents His Son Muhammed Abuhur succeeded Cafur ruling all a Negro whom his Father had bought for eighteene pieces of Gold Abulcasim Caijm Prince of Cairawan died and his Sonne Ismael Abutaher Almansor Billa succeeded in the Chalifate who died An. 341. hauing ruled seuen yeeres his Sonne Maabad succeeding which was the first Chalifa of Egypt An. 347. Muazzadaulas wanne Mausil and all Diarreb Nasiruddanla fled and after compounded with him An. 349 Abuhur dyed his brother Ali succeeded but Cafur ruled all and Ali dying An. 355. he became King of Egypt and Syria where hee reigned till An. 358. Saifuddaulas died An. 356. hauing reigned in Aleppo one and twentie yeeres He was learned and had great confluence of learned
the History a learned and mightie Prince God haue mercy on him An. 311. Abutaher the Caramite Sonne of Abusaid grew powerfull and professed to know secrets Hee assaulted Basra with 107000. men tooke it slue all the Townesmen burned the Temple enioyed the spoyles An. 312. hee set on the Pilgrimes as they returned in Nahar and ouerthrew them in a great battell taking their Generall Abulhigia Gouernour of Mausil Diarreb Dainawar and Giebal with the goods and most of the women and children leauing the rest without prouision so that most of them dyed with thirst and wandering Hee was then nineteene yeeres old and got a Million of Gold and baggage worth as much more He set Abuhigia free and many Captiues and sent to Muctadir to giue him Basra and Ahwaz which he refused but honoured and vested his Messenger An. 313. Abutaher tooke Cufa slue and captiued the Inhabitants He tooke there foure thousand coloured clothes and three thousand Camels with innumerable spoyles An. 314. the Romans tooke Malatia An. 315. the Dailamites began to be of note whose first King was Wahsihudan whose Seate was Staristan His Sonne Hasan succeeded Hee warred with Husein the Fatimite surnamed Nasirulhac but Ali brother of Hasan slue him and was slaine himselfe by Muhammed father in law to Hasan and chased his Sonne Mahadi which succeeded him This Muhammed became King of the Dailams Mahadi fled to Asfar who hauing taken Razwin and Georgian sent Mardawig his Generall against Muhammed who counselled him to get into his hands the Kingdome of Asfar his Master which he did possessing the Dominions of Raija Karwin Abhar Giorgian and Tabristan Then went Mardawig to Hamadan took it slue the men rauished the women Muctadir sent Haron with an army against him An. 319. which Mardawig put to flight and then possessed Isfahan After this Mahcan and Mardawig warred on each other and Ali Abulhasen Amadudaulas Sonne of Boia was one of Mahcans Souldier These warres continued An. 321. and 322. and Mardawig got the better and tooke Amida and Tabristan Amadudaulas left Mahcan and serued Mardawig who set him ouer Margia where being setled he arose against Mardawig tooke Isfahan with a great Army and after that Argian and all Persia Muctadir sent Ioseph against Abutaher the Caramite but Ioseph was taken and his forces broken He sent another Army which returned without doing any thing They were afraid at Bagdad lest hee should haue comne thither and for ioy of his returning Muctadir his mother and Ali his Counsellour gaue God thankes and distributed fifty thousand pieces of Gold to the poore An. 316. the Caramite tooke Rahab and forced Karkisia to buy their peace He built a house at Hagiara and increased in strength An. 317. Muctadir was deposed and Kahir Billa succeeded by the meanes of Maunas Generall of his forces which tooke Muctadir and imprisoned him and caused him to resigne The Souldiers tooke from his mother 600000. pieces of Gold But the Souldiers soone after mutined and slue Baruc the Captaine of the Guard made the Sonne of Mucla the Counsellor runne away and Muctadir repossessed his place His brother Cahir he kissed betwixt the eyes saying there is no fault in thee and Cahir answered God God is in my soule O Emperour of the faithfull Muctadir sware he would not hurt him Abutahar this yeere assaulted Mecca and slue the Pilgrimes in the Temple on the eight of Dulhiggia plucked vp the blacke stone and the couer of the Well Zemzem and wasted the Temple He carried the blacke stone to his Citie which remayned with them twelue yeeres lacking one day and was rendred An. 339. Iahcam had offered for it fiue thousand pieces of Gold which thye refused An. 320. Muctadir was slaine by Maunas in battell hauing reigned foure and twenty yeeres eleuen moneths and fourteene dayes Hee was much giuen to fasting and almes but much ruled by women one of whom Iamec would sit in iudgement None had enioyed the place so long In his time ceassed the Pilgrimage when the blacke stone was carried away He is said to haue giuen away aboue seuenty Millions of Gold He gaue also to the men the Iewels of the Chalifate and the treasures which his Ancestors neuer thought to giue and most of the Gemmes to women oyntment also and Ciuet A.M. 6424. and sixty foure dayes being past Hee forbade to take tribute of Bishops Monkes and poore men whom the author of the vocation had freed An. 314. the Emperour with a thousand ships intended to inuade Egypt but by tempest three hundred were lost and the rest returned An. 317. such a multitude of Locusts came into Egypt that the Sun-beames could not come at the ground and they consumed Vines Fruits and Corne Muhammed Abulmansor Kahir Billa was the fortieth Chalifa and the nineteenth of the Abbasides created after his brothers death at Bagdad Hee tortured Muctadirs mother for her money hanging her by the heeles her vrine running ouer her bodie and she denying knowledge of more money after which shee dyed Anno 322. hee was deposed hauing reigned one yeere sixe moneths and seuen dayes and Ahmed Sonne of Muctadir was created which remayned in the Imperiall Tower till Mutaki cast him forth A. 333. after which on a Friday in the Temple he begged almes saying I was sometimes your Chalifa now I am one of your poore Ahmed Abulabbas Arradi Billa was the twentieth of the Abbasides Anno 322. dyed Abdalla Abu-Muhammed Mahadi which reigned at Cairawan hauing ruled foure and twenty yeeres three moneths and sixe dayes Caijm his Sonne succeeded Boia was a poore fisherman some say descended from Ardsijr King of Persia From Adam to him were a hundred Generations He had three Sonnes Ali Abulhasen Hasen Abuali and Ahmed Abulhasen which serued the Souldiers We haue before shewed how Ali Abulhasen Amaduddaulas serued Mardawig tooke Isfahan and Hamadan He tooke Cazerun and increased in power After that Letters came from Cahir wherein he offered to Mardawig Raija Narcab Zangion and Abhar on condition to leaue Isfahan from which Wasmakin brother of Mardawig had driuen Amaduddaulas which he accepted but hearing of Cahirs deposition detayned it still Anno 323. Mardawig was slaine by his Seruants in the Bath and so God deliuered the Muslims from Mardawig a man vniust bold and addicted they say to Paganisme Abutaher the same yeere spoyled the Pilgrimes The same yeere Hasen Abu-Muhammed Nasiraddaulas Sonne of Abdalla gaue to his brother Ali Abulhasen Saifuddaulas Maijafarikin Diarbecr Abubecr subdued Egypt and possessed it together with Syria An. 324. Aradi made Muhammed Sonne of Raijc his Counsellor and Emperour of Emperours and committed to him the administration of the Kingdome and commanded him to preach in his steed in the Pulpit and gaue him a banner From that time the dignitie of a Counsellour grew out of vse at Bagdad and continued but a name the power remayning with the Emperour or Commander An. 325. There were many Princes