Towne called Taslizea The 20. we came to Nouibazar The 21. we parted froÌ„ thence trauailing stil in a countrey very ill inhabited lying in y e fields The 22. we passed within sight of Nicea The 23. we passed in sight of another towne called Circui and about those places wee began to leaue the mountaines and to enter into a very faire and fertile countrey but as euill inhabited as the other or worse The 27. we came to Sophia where wee stayed three daâ—es being our Ianizaries home and by good chance we lay in a Marchants house of Ragusa that came in company with vs from Nouibazar and also wee had in company euer since wee came from Focea a Turke which was a very good fellow and he kept company with vs till we came very neere Constantinople The first of September we came to Philippopoli which seemeth to be an ancient towne and standeth vpon the riuer of Stanuch The 4. we came to Andrinopoli a very great and ancient towne which standeth in a very large and champion countrey and there the great Turks mother doth lye being a place where the Emperous of the Turkes were wont to lye very much The 5. we lay in one of the great Cauarzaras that were built by Mahomet Bassha with so many goodly commodities The 6. we lay in another of them The 8. we came to Siliueri which by report was the last towne that remained Christian. The 9. of September wee arriued at the great and most stately Citie of Constantinople which for the situation and proude â—eate thereof for the beautifull and commodious hauen and for the great and sumptuous buildings of their Temples which they call Moschea is to be preferred before all the Cities of Europe And there the Emperour of the Turkes then liuing whose name was Amurat kept his Court and residence in a marueilous goodly place with diuers gardens and houses of pleasure which is at the least two English miles in compasse and the three parts thereof ioyne vpon the sea and on the Northeast part of the Citie on the other side of the water ouer against the Citie is the Towne of Pera where the most part of the Christians dolye And there also wee did lye And on the North part of the â—aide Towne is the Arsenal where the Galies are built and doe râ—maine And on the Southside is all the Ordinance artilerie and houses of munition Note that by the way as wee came from Ragusa to Constantinople wee left on our right hand the Countreys of Albania and Macedonia and on the left hande the countreys of Bosnia Bulgaria and the riuer of Danubius The 14. of September was the Turkes Beyram that is one of their chiefest feastes The 15. we went to the blacke Sea called Pontus Euxinus and there vpon a rocke we sawe a piller of white Marble that was set vp by Pompeius and from thence wee passed to the other side of the water vpon the shore of Asia and there we dined The 25. we departed from Constantinople The 29. we came to an ancient Towne called Cherchisea that is to say fourtie Churches which in the olde time was a very great City now full of scattered buildings The 4. of October wee came to Prouaz one dayes iourney distant from Varna vpon the Blacke Sea The 9. we came to Saxi vpon the riuer of Danubius The 10. we passed the said riuer which in that place is about a mile ouer and then we entred into the countrey of Bogdania they are Christians but subiects to the Turke The 12. we came to Palsin vpon the riuer Prut The 14. wee came to Yas the principall Towne of Bogdania where Peter the Vayuoda prince of that Countrey keepeth his residence of whom wee receiued great courtesie and of the gentlemen of his Court And he caused vs to be safe conducted through his said Countrey and conueyed without coste The 17. we came to Stepanitze The 19. we came to Zotschen which is the last towne of Bogdania vpon the riuer of Niester that parteth the said countrey from Podolia The 20. we passed the riuer of Nyester and came to Camyenetz in the countrey of Podoliâ— subiect to the king of Poland this is one of the strongest Townes by nature and situation that can be seene The 21. we came to Skala The 22. to Slothone or Sloczow The 24. to Leopolis which is in Russia alba and so is the most part of the countrey betwixt Camyenetz and it And it is a towne very well built well gouerned full of trafique and plentifull and there we stayed fiue dayes The 30. we baited at Grodecz and that night at Vilna The 31. we dined at Mostiska and that night at Rodmena The first of Nouember in the morning before day wee passed without the Towne of Iaroslaw where they say is one of the greatest faires in all Poland and chiefly of horses and that night to Rosdnoska The second to dinner at Lanczut at night to Retsboâ— The thirde to Sendxizow at night to sarnow and that night wee mette with the Palatine Laski The fourth to Vonuez and that night to Brytska The fifth to Kuhena The 6. to Cracouia the principall Citie of all Poland at which time the King was gone to Lituania for he doeth make his residence one yeere in Poland and the other in Lituania Cracouia standeth on the riuer of Vistula The 9. wee departed from Cracouia and that night wee came to a village hard by a Towne called Ilkusch where the leade Mines are The 10. wee passed by a Towne called Slawkow where there are also leade Mines and baited that day at Bendzin which is the last towne of Poland towards Silesia and there is a toll Note that all the Countreys of Poland Russia alba Podolia Bogdania and diuers other Countreys adioyning vnto them doe consume no other salt but such as is digged in Sorstyn mountaine neere to Cracouia which is as hard as any stone it is very good and goeth further then any other salt That night we lay at Bitom which is the first Towne of Silesia The 12. we passed by a great towne called Strelitz and that night we lay at Oppelen vpon the riuer of Odera The 13. we passed by Schurgasse and that night wee lay without the towne of Brigk for wee coulde not bee suffered to come in by reason of the plague which was in those partes in diuers Townes The 14. wee passed by Olaw and that night wee came to the Citie of Breslaw which is a faire towne great well built and well seated vpon the riuer of Odera The 16. we baited at Neumargâ— The 17. wee passed by Lignizt and by Hayn and that night to Buntzel The 18. wee passed by Naumburg through Gorlitz vpon the riuer of Neiss and that night lay without
redinesse his armie to the number of three hundreth sayles purposing for to send them against Rhodes if mortalitie had not happened in his hoâ—t and he afterwarde by the will of our lorde was surprised and taken with death wherefore he being in the latter ende of his dayes as some Turkes and false christian men that were at this siege shewed me did charge by his testament or caused to charge his sonne now being great Turke that after his death hee should make his two first enterprises the one against Bellegrado in Hungarie and the other against Rhodes for to get him honour and to set his Countries and subiectes in rest and suretie The which fatherly motion easilie entered into him and was imprinted in the heart and yoong will of the sayde Solyman his sonne the which soone after the death of his father put in effect the first enterprise and raised an huge hoste both by water and by land and went himselfe in person against Bellegrado a right strong place in Hungarie And after that hee had besieged it the space of two moneths or thereabout for fault of ordinance and vitailes it was yeelded to him by composition the eight day of September in the yeere of our lord one thousand fiue hundred twentie and one The sayd Solyman hauing this victory being swollen and raised in pride and vaineglory turned his heart agaynst Rhodes Neuerthelesse he not ignorant of the strength of it and considering the qualities of the people that were within it of whom he should be well receiued as his predecessours had bene aforetimes doubted much and knew not how to furnish his enterprise For his capitaines and Bashas turned him from it as much as they might by many reasons they knowing the force of it saue onely Mustofa Basha his brother in lawe the which counselled and put him in minde to goe thither Finally hee purposed entirely to haue it by treason or by force And also for the same cause and purpose his father in his dayes had sent a Iewe physician into Rhodes as a spie to haue the better knowledge of it the sayd Solyman was informed that he was there yet wherfore he sent him worde that he should abide there still for the same cause And gaue in charge to one of the chiefe men in Sio to send vnto the sayd Iewe all things needefull to maintaine him And the same Iewe wrote to him of Sio vnder priuie wordes all that was done in Rhodes to giue knowledge thereof to the great Turke and the better to hide his treason the sayde Iewe made himselfe to bee baptised And to bee the more named to be expert in Physike he did some faire cures to such as were diseased whereby he began to bee well trusted and came in fauour with many substantiall folkes of the towne Among all other things whereof hee aduertised the great Turke one was of a wall that was taken downe for to be new builded at the bulwarke of Auuergne certifying him that if hee came hastely with his hoste hee might easilie and at vnawares surprise the towne in such estate as it was at that time Many other aduertisements and warnings hee shewed the Turke which shall bee declared hereafter But beside his aduertisement the sayd great Turke stirred and prouoked by a false traitour a Portingale knight of ours that time Chanceller of the sayd holy Religion a man of great authoritie dignitie and vnderstanding and one of the principall lordes of the counsell of the same named Sir Andrew de Merall by little and little was mooued and kindled to the sayd enterprise of treason whereof was no maruell for it was a great hope and comfort to haue such a person for him that knew all the estate and rule of the religion and of the towne And for to declare the occasions of the cursed and vnhappy will of the said traitor that had bene occasion of so great losse and damage and shall be more at the length if the diuine power set not to his hand And here it is manifestly to bee vnderstood of all men that after the death of the noble and right prudent lord Fabrice of Cacetto great master of Rhodes the sayd Sir Andrew enflamed with ambition and couetousnesse to bee great master and seeing himselfe deceiued of his hope by the election made the two and twentieth day of Ianuary of the right reuerend and illustrate lord Philip de Villiers Lisleadam before him from that time hee tooke so great enuie and desperation enmitie and euill will not onely against the sayde lord but against all the holy religion that hee set all his studie and purpose to betray and sell his religion and the citie of Rhodes to the cursed misbeleeuers forgetting the great honours and goodnesse that hee hath had of the religion and hoped to receiue with many other particuler pleasures that the sayd lord master had done to him But the deuill vnkindnesse and wickednesse had so blinded the eyes of his thought that hee in no wise could refraine him but at euery purpose that was spoken afore him hee was short and might not dissemble And one day among other hee sayde before many knights that hee would that his soule were at the deuill and that Rhodes and the religion were lost And many other foolish and dishonest purposes and wordes hee vttered whereat none tooke heed nor thought that hee had the courage to doe that thing that hee hath done Howbeit obstinate as Iudas hee put in execution his cursed will for soone after that the tidings of the election was sent Westward to the sayde noble lord the sayd de Merall did send a Turke prisoner of his to Constantinople vnder shadowe to fetch his ransome By whom hee aduertised the great Turke and his counsell of the maner and degree of Rhodes and in what state and condicion the towne was in of all maner of things at that time and what might happen of it prouoking and stirring him to come with a great hoste to besiege the towne And after the comming of the sayd reuerend lord great master he gaue other aduise to the great Turke shewing him that hee could neuer haue better time to come seeing that the great master was new come and part of the wall taken downe and that all Rhodes was in trouble by occasion of some Italian knights rebels agaynst the lord great master of the which rebellion he was causer the better to bring his cursed mind to passe and also gaue the sayde great Turke knowledge that all Christian princes were busie warring each vpon other and that he should not doubt but if the rebellion lasted among them the towne should be his without faile as it is seene by experience And for lacke of succours of euery part and especially of such as might easily haue holpen vs beyng our neighbours with their gallies and men of warre wherefore it is now in the handes of the enemies of the christian faith The which
vpon paine of one hundred bastonadoes wee were then also cruelly manackled in such sort that we could not put our handes the length of one foote asunder the one from the other and euery night they searched our chaines three times to see if they were fast riueted Wee continued fight with the Carmosell three houres and then wee tooke it and lost but two of our men in that fight but there were slaine of the Greekes fiue and foureteene were cruelly hurt and they that were sound were presently made slaues and chained to the oares and within fifteene dayes after we returned againe into Tripolis and then wee were put to all maner of slauerie I was put to hewe stones and other to cary stones and some to draw the Cart with earth and some to make morter and some to draw stones for at that time the Turkes builded a church And thus we were put to all kinde of slauerie that was to be done And in the time of our being there the Moores that are the husbandmen of the countrey rebelled against the king because he would haue constrained them to pay greater tribute then heretofore they had done so that the Souldiours of Tripolis marched foorth of the towne to haue ioyned battell against the Moores for their rebellion and the King sent with them foure pieces of Ordinance which were drawen by the captiues twentie miles into the Countrey after them and at the sight thereof the Moores fled and then the Captaines returned backe againe Then I and certaine Christians more were sent twelue miles into the countrey with a Cart to lode timber and we returned againe the same day Nowe the king had 18. captiues which three times a weeke went to fetch wood thirtie miles from the towne and on a time he appointed me for one of the 18. and wee departed at eight of the clocke in the night and vpon the way as wee rode vpon the camels I demaunded of one of our company who did direct vs the way he sayd that there was a Moore in our company which was our guide and I demaunded of them how Tripolis and the wood bare one off the other and hee said East Northeast and West Southwest And at midnight or neere thereabouts as I was riding vpon my camel I fell asleepe and the guide and all the rest rode away from me not thinking but I had bene among them When I awooke and finding my selfe alone durst not call nor hallow for feare least the wilde Moores should heare me because they holde this opinion that in killing a Christian they do God good seruice and musing with my selfe what were best for me to do if I should doe foorth and the wilde Moores should hap to meete with mee they would kill mee and on the other side if I should returne backe to Tripolis without any wood or company I should be most miserably vsed therefore of two euils rather I had to goe foorth to the loosing of my life then to turne backe and trust to their mercie fearing to bee vsed as before I had seene others for vnderstanding by some of my company before howe Tripolis and the saide wood did lie one off another by the North starre I went forth at aduenture and as God would haue it I came right to the place where they were euen about an houre before day there altogether wee rested and gaue our camels prouender and assoone as the day appeared we rode all into the wood and I seeing no wood there but a sticke here and a sticke there about the bignesse of a mans arme growing in the sand it caused mee to marueile how so many camels should be loden in that place The wood was Iuniper we needed no axe nor edge toole to cut it but pluckt it vp by strength of hands rootes and all which a man might easily do and so gathered it together a little at one place and so at another and laded our camels and came home about seuen of the clocke that night folowing because I fell lame and my camel was tired I left my wood in the way There was in Tripolis that time a Venetian whose name was Benedetto Venetiano and seuenteene captiues more of his company which ranne away from Tripolis in a boate and came in sight of an Island called Malta which lieth fourtie leagues from Tripolis right North and being within a mile of the shoare very faire weather one of their company said In dispetto de dio adesso venio a pilliar terra which is as much to say In the despite of God I shall now fetch the shoare and presently there arose a mighty storme with thunder and raine and the wind at North their boate being very small so that they were inforced to beare vp roome and to sheare right afore the winde ouer against the coast of Barbarie from whence they came and rowing vp and downe the coast their victuals being spent the 21. day after their departure they were inforced through the want of food to come ashoare thinking to haue stolne some sheepe but the Moores of the countrey very craftily perceiuing their intent gathered togethâ—r a threescore horsemen and hid themselues behinde a sandie hill and when the Christians were come all a shoare and past vp halfe a mile into the countrey the Moores rode betwixt them and their boate and some of them pursued the Christians and so they were all taken and brought to Tripolis from whence they had before escaped and presently the king commaunded that the foresaide Benedetto with one more of his company should lose their eares and the rest should be most cruelly beaten which was presently done This king had a sonne which was a ruler in an Island called Gerbi whereunto arriued an English shippe called the Greene Dragon of the which was Master one M. Blonket who hauing a very vnhappy boy in that shippe and vnderstanding that whosoeuer would turne Turke should be well enterteined of the kings sonne this boy did runne a shoare and voluntarily turned Turke Shortly after the kings sonne came to Tripolis to visite his father and seeing our company hee greatly fancied Richard Burges our Purser and Iames Smith they were both yong men therefore he was very desirous to haue them to turne Turkes but they would not yeeld to his desire saying We are your fathers slaues and as slaues wee will serue him Then his father the king sent for them and asked them if they would turne Turkes And they saide If it please your highnesse Christians we were borne and so we will remaine and beseeched the king that they might not bee inforced thereunto The king had there before in his house a sonne of a yeoman of our Queenes guard whom the kings sonne had inforced to turne Turke his name was Iohn Nelson him the king caused to be brought to these yong men and then said vnto them Wil not you beare this your countreyman company and be
Turke as hee is And they saide that they would not yeeld thereunto during life But it fell out that within a moneth after the kings sonne went home to Gerbi againe being sixe score miles from Tripolis and caried our two foresaid yong men with him which were Richard Burges and Iames Smith and after their departure from vs they sent vs a letter signifying that there was no violence shewed vnto them as yet but within three dayes after they were violenâ—ly vsed for that the kings sonne demaunded of them againe if that they would turne Turke Then answered Richard Burges a Christian I am and so I will remaine Then the kings sonne very angerly said vnto him By Mahomet thou shalt presently be made Turke Then called he for his men and commanded them to make him Turke and they did so and circumcised him and would haue had him speake the wordes that thereunto belonged but he answered them stoutly that he would not and although they had put on him the habite of a Turke yet sayd he A Christian I was borne and so I will remaine though you force me to doe otherwise And then he called for the other and commaunded him to be made Turke perforce also but he was very strong for it was so much as eight of the kings sonnes men could doe to holde him so in the ende they circumcised him and made him Turke Now to passe ouer a litle and so to shewe â—he maner of our deliuerance out of that miserable captiuitie In May aforesaid shortly after our apprehension I wrote a letter into England vnto my father dwelling in Eauistoke in Deuonshire signifying vnto him the whole estate of our calamities and I wrote also to Constantinople to the English Embassadour both which letters were faithfully deliuered But when my father had receiued my letter and vnderstood the trueth of our mishap and the occasion thereof and what had happened to the offenders he certified the right honourable the earle of Bedford thereof who in short space acquainted her highnesse with the whole cause thereof and her Maiestie like a most mercifull princesse tendering her Subiects presently tooke order for our deliuerance Whereupon the right worshipful sir Edward Osborne knight directed his letters with all speed to the English Embassadour in Constantinople to procure our deliuery and he obteined the great Turkes Commission and sent it foorthwith to Tripolis by one Master Edward Barton together with a Iustice of the great Turkes and one souldiour and another Turke and a Greeke which was his interpretour which could speake besides Greeke Turkish Italian Spanish and English And when they came to Tripolis they were well interteined And the first night they did lie in a Captaines house in the towne all our company that were in Tripolis came that night for ioy to Master Barton and the other Commissioners to see them Then master Barton said vnto vs welcome my good countreymen and louingly interteined vs and at our departure from him he gaue vs two shillings and said Serue God for to morrow I hope you shall be as free as euer you were We all gaue him thankes and so departed The next day in the morning very early the King hauing intelligence of their comming sent word to the keeper that none of the Englishmen meaning our company should goe to worke Then he sent for Master Barton and the other Commissioners and demaunded of the saide Master Barton his message the Iustice answered that the great Turke his Souereigne had sent them vnto him signifying that he was informed that a certaine English shippe called the Iesus was by him the saide king confiscated about twelue moneths since and nowe my saide Souereigne hath here sent his especiall commission by vs vnto you for the deliuerance of the saide shippe and goods and also the free libertie and deliuerance of the Englishmen of the same shippe whom you haue taken and kept in captiuitie And further the same Iustice saide I am authorized by my said soueraigne the great Turke to see it done And therefore I commaund you by vertue of this commission presently to make restitution of the premisses or the value thereof and so did the Iustices deliuer vnto the King the great Turkes commission to the effect aforesaide which commission the king with all obedience receiued and after the perusing of the same he foorthwith commanded all the English captiues to be brought before him and then willed the keeper to strike off all our yrons which done the king said You Englishmen for that you did offend the lawes of this place by the same lawes therefore some of your company were condemned to die as you knowe and you to bee perpetuall captiues during your liues notwithstanding seeing it hath pleased my soueraigne lord the great Turke to pardon your said offences and to giue you your freedome and libertie beholde here I make deliuery of you to this English Gentleman so hee deliuered vs all that were there being thirteene in number to Master Barton who required also those two yong men which the Kings sonne had taken with him Then the king answered that it was against their lawe to deliuer them for that they were turned Turkes and touching the ship and goods the king said that he had solde her but would make restitution of the value and as much of the goods as came vnto his hands and so the king arose and went to dinner and commaunded a Iew to goe with Master Barton and the other commissioners to shew them their lodging which was a house prouided and appointed them by the said king And because I had the Italian Spanish tongues by which their most trafique in that countrey is Master Barton made me his Cater to buy his victuals for him and his company and deliuered me money needfull for the same Thus were wee set at libertie the 28. day of April 1585. Nowe to returne to the kings plagues and punishments which Almighty God at his will and pleasure sendeth vpon men in the sight of the worlde and likewise of the plagues that befell his children and others aforesaide First when wee were made bondmen being the second day of May 1584. the king had 300. captiues and before the moneth was expired there died of them of the plague 150. And whereas there were 26. men of our company of whom two were hanged and one died the same day that wee were made bondslaues that present moneth there died nine more of our company of the plague and other two were forced to turne Turkes as before is rehearsed and on the fourth day of Iune next following the king lost 150. camels which were taken from him by the wilde Moores and on the 28. day of the saide moneth of Iune one Geffrey Maltese a renegado of Malta ranne away to his countrey and stole a Brigandine which the king had builded for to take the Christians withall and caried with him twelue Christians more which were
de monte The 17 a darke drowsie day this was the first night that I tooke the North starre The 26 a temperate day with litle winde and we were in 12 degrees and 13 minutes of latitude The 30 we met a great sea out of the Northwest The 6 of Iune we found it as temperate as if we had beene in England yet we were within the height of the sunne for it was declined 23 degrees and 26 minuts to the Northward and we had 15 degrees of latitude The 8 faire and temperate as in England here we met with a counter sea out of the Southborde The 15 a faire temperate day the winde variable here we had 18 degrees and fiftie nine minutes The 12 of Iuly in 30 degrees of latitude we met with great store of rockweed which did stick together like clusters of grapes and this continued with vs vntill the 17 of the said moneth and then we saw no more at which 17 day we were in two and thirtie degrees sixe and fortie minutes of latitude The 25 at sixe of the clocke in the morning we had sight of the Isle of Pike it bare North and by East from vs we being 15 leagues off The 27 we spake with the poste of London and she told vs good newes of England The nine and twentieth we had sight of the Island of Cueruo and the 30 we saw the Island of Flores The 27 of August in 41 degrees of latitude we saw 9 saile of Britons and three of them followed vs vntill noone and then gaue vs ouer The 30 we had sight of Cape â—inisterre The eight of September at night wee put into Plimouth sound and road in Causon bay all night The 9 we put into Catwater and there stayed vntill the 28 of September by reason of want of men and sicknesse The nine and twentieth we set sayle from Plimouth and arriued at London the second of October 1589. The commodities that we caried in this voyage were cloth both linnen wollen yron worke of sundry sorts Manillios or bracelets of copper glasse beades and corrall The commodities that we brought home were pepper and Elephants teeth oyle of palme cloth made of Cotton wooll very curiously wouen and cloth made of the barke of palme trees Their money is pretie white shels for golde and siluer we saw none They haue also great store of cotton growing their bread is a kind of roots they call it Inamia and when it is well sodden I would leaue our bread to eat of it it is pleasant in eating and light of digestion the roote thereof is as bigge as a mans arme Our men vpon fish-dayes had rather eate the rootes with oyle and vineger then to eate good stockfish There are great store of palme trees out of the which they gather great store of wine which wine is white and very pleasant we should buy two gallons of it for 20 shels They haue good store of sope and it smelleth like beaten violets Also many pretie fine mats and baskets that they make and spoones of Elephants teeth very curiously wrought with diuers proportions of foules and beasts made vpon them There is vpon the coast wonderfull great lightning and thunder in so much as I neuer hard the like in no Countrey for it would make the decke or hatches tremble vnder our feete and before we were well acquainted with it we were fearefull but God be thanked we had no harme The people are very gentle and louing and they goe naked both men and women vntill they be married and then they goe couered from the middle downe to the knees They would bring our men earthen pottes of the quantitie of two gallons full of hony and hony combes for 100 shelles They would also bring great store of Oranges and Plantans which is a fruit that groweth vpon a tree and is very like vnto a Cucumber but very pleasant in eating It hath pleased God of his merceifull goodnesse to giue me the knowledge how to preserue fresh water with little cost which did serue vs sixe moneths at the sea when we came into Plimmouth it was much wondered at of the principal men of the towne who said that there was not sweeter water in any spring in Plimouth Thus both God prouide for his creatures vnto whom be praise now and for euermore Amen The voiage set forth by M. Iohn Newton and M. Iohn Bird marchants of London to the kindome and Citie of Benin in Africa with a ship called the Richard of Arundell and a pinnesse in the yere 1588. briefely set downe in this letter following written by the chiefe Factor in the voyage to the foresaid Marchants at the time of the ships first arriuall at Plimouth WOrshipful Sirs the discourse of our whole proceeding in this voyage wil aske more time and a person in better health then I am at this present so that I trust you will pardon me till my comming vp to you in the meane time let this suffice Whereas we departed in the moneth of December from the coast of England with your good ship the Richard of Arundell and the pinnesse we held on our direct course towards our appointed port and the 14 day of Februarie following we arriued in the hauen of Benin where we found not water enough to carry the ship ouer the barre so that we left her without in the road and with the pinnesse ship boat into which we had put the chiefest of our marchaÌ„dise we went vp the riuer to a place called Goto where we arriued the 20 of February the foresaid Goto being the neerest place that we could come to by water to go for Benin From thence we presently sent Negroes to the king to certifie him of our arriuall and of the cause of our comming thither who returned to vs againe the 22 day with a noble man in their company to bring vs vp to the Citie and with 200 Negroes to carrie out commodities hereupon the 23 day we deliuered our marchandize to the kings Factor the 25 day we came to the great Citie of Benin where we were well intertained The sixe twenty day we went to the Court to haue spoken with the king which by reason of a solemne feast then kept amongst them we could not doe but yet we spake with his Veadore or chiefe man that hath the dealing with the Christians and we conferred with him concerning our trading who answered vs that we should haue all things to our desire both in pepper and Elephants teeth The first of March we were admitted to the kings presence and he made vs the like courteous answere for our traffike the next day we went againe to the Court where the foresaid Veadore shewed vs one basket of greene pepper and another of dry in the stalkes wee desired to haue it plucked from the stalks and made cleane who answered that it would aske time but yet in
This was Bake of Ratciâ—ste who with the barke called the Roe robbed certaine Gâ—ecians in the Lâ—uant The description of Augusta in Germanie Venice The number of â—â—wes in Vâ—nice The excesse of the women of Venice His embarking at Venice for Ierusalem Cyprus Missagh Ioppa The Basha of Ioppa Rama Troopes of theeuish Arabians â—is arriuall in the sight of Ierusalem The monuments in and about Ierusalem S. Helens chapell His departure from Ierusalem Tripolis in Syria Salina Missagh a town in Cyprus Candie Zante Istria Mustasa interpâ—es M. Wil. Hareborne sent ambassador to the Turke A request for the preferring of Mustafa Beg. Supply of the want of oile Leo Asricamâ—â— lib. 8. Leo Africanus lib 4. This may be learned at Alget Ianuary the fourteenth C. Vincente C. Santa Maria. Tariffa Velez Malaga C. de Gates C. de Palos Denia Formentera Cabrera February the first Mallorca The shippes men goe on land at Porto de Sant Pedro. The Ambassadour betrayed February the sixth The English men are surprised The Spaniards come to the sea side to speake with the captaine The Spaniards come a game to parse The Ambassadour writeth to the Viceroy The ninth of February The ship Susan prepareth to defend herselfe The effect of the Viceroys letter in the Captaine of the Susan The eâ—â—ect of the Ambassadors answere Galata Sardinia Fauagniana Cisimbri Pantalaria Sicilia C. Passaro Poâ—to de Contâ— in Cephalonia Zante Prodeno Sapientia Modon C. Maâ—apan Cerigo C. Malio Menelaus â—ellapola Both Miloâ— Fâ—lcâ—nara Antâ—milâ— Fermeniâ— Zâ—â— Negroponte Andri Psaâ—a Sarafo Sigraâ— port in Metelin Porto Delfin The city of Chio. A By. Ermin or Customer Baberno Tenedo Maure Galâ—poli Marmora Araâ—â—ia Silauria Ponte grande Ponte picola Ponte S. Stephano The arriuall of the Susan at Constantinople The Ambassadour giueth a present to the great Basâ—a A man halfe naked goeth before y e great Basâ—a The Ambassadours entertainment with the Bassas Santa Sophia A discription of their church The ship commeth to the custome house The Ambassador presenteth the Admirall Vchali The Susan goeth from the Custome house The Admirall departeth to the sea The Ambassadoâ—rs repaire to the great Turke court The entertainment at dinner of the Ambassadours men The Turke is presented with a rich present An English ship sunke by two gallies of Alger The money of Alger The custome The waights The measure The surest lodging for a christian This is another officer Other smal customs you pay besides which may be at two in the huÌ„dred and for â—onsullage you pay two in the hundred Cairo three daies iourney from Alexandria by land The Inuentorie of our ships and goods sunke and taken by the gallies of Alger Man doth purpose and God doth dispose A new master chosen The new master died The Iesus arriued in Tripolis Another ship of Bristow came to Tripolis A conspiracie practised by the French Factor to deceiue a Turkish marchant of 450 crowns The beginning of their troubles and occasion of all their miserie The Englishmen araigned Master Dier condemned to be hanged ouer a bulwarke A Frenchman turned Turke in hope of his life and afterward was hanged Euery fiue men allowed but two pence of bread a day The Turkes builded a church The Christians sent 3. times a weeke 30. miles to fetch wood Eighteene captiues run away from Tripolis The iudgement of God vpon blasâ—â—eâ—â—ers The Greene Dragon The Kings sonne had a captiue that was sonne to one of the Queenes Maiesties guard that was forced to turne Turke The first motion for those Englishmens deliuerie The Englishmen released The plagues and punishments that happened to the King and his people The king lost 150. Camels taken by the wilde Moores Two Englishmen shipped to Constantinople with M. Barton The souldiers of Tripolis kil the King Two Gallies of Venice tooke the king of Tripolie his galley and killed the kings sonne and all the Turkes in it and released all the Christians being in number 150. Edoardo Baron Mahumed Beg. Hamburâ— Brunswig Halberstat Eisleben Copper Mines Iena Great wood of firre trees Bamberg Nurenberg Augspurg The borders of Italy Venice Ragusa Seruia Chierâ—isa Or Fochia Nouibazar Or Nissa Sophia Phâ—lippopoli Andrinopoliâ— Siliueri Constantinople Pompeys piller Prouaâ— Vâ—rna Or Moldania Paâ—sin vpon the riuer of Prut Yas Soâ—sâ—hen Nyester a riuer Camyenetâ— Skala Leopolis or Leunpurg Grodecz Vilna Iaroslaw Lanczut Cracouia Leade Minesâ— Bendzâ—n Salt digged out of mountaines in Poland Bitom Oppelen Schurgasse Brigk Breslaw Magdeburg Lunenberg Hamborg Fontecho signifieth an house of trafique aâ— the Sulyard Bichier Rossetto 1566. The descriptâ—on oâ— Cairo Olde Thebes Pieces of dry wood in stead of torches The mountaine of pardons Grida a port neere Mecca The Portugals greatly feared in the Red sea Forty or fifty rich ships arriue yerely at Grida | 〈◊〉 A fathomâ— Caesar Fredericke trauelled eighteene yeeres in the East Indies The authours going froÌ„ Venice to Cyprus and Tripoly The riuer Euphrates Feluchia a small city on Euphrates Mosul The Arabian theeues are in number like to Ants. The olde Babylon hath great trade w t marchants 〈◊〉 A bridge made of boats These bricks be in thicknes six or seuen inches and a foot a halfe square This hole whereour coÌ„meth this pitch is most true and the water pitch runneth into the valley or Iland where the pitch resteth the water runneth into the riuer Euphrates and it maketh all the riuer to be as it were bâ—ackish with the smell of pitch and brimstone Zizarij an ancient people At the castle of Corna the riuer Euphrates and Tygris do meet Ormus is the barrennest Iland in all the world Carichij an Iland in y e gulfe of Persia. Ormus is alwayes replenished with abundance of victuall and yet there is none that groweth in the Iland Great trade of merchandise in Ormus The election of the king of Ormus A priuilege for Marchants Diu. Cambaietta Marchants that trauell to the Indies must cary their prouision of houshold with theÌ„ Great â—â—oâ—e of men of warre and rouers oâ— the coast of Cambaia A maruellous â—oâ—d delight in women Tana an Iland whereoâ— Odoricus writeth pag 41. Great ordinance made in pieces and â—et seruiceable The chiefe place the Portugals haue in the Indies A very good sale for horses A most vnkind wicked treasoÌ„ against their prince this they haue for giuing credit to strangers rather then to their owne natiue people The sacking in the city An excellent good policy to intrap men A discription of the burning place Feasting and dancing when they should mourne Mourning when they should reioyce The cause why the women do so burâ—e themselues Penegonde Men ride on bullocksâ— and trauell with thâ—m on the way The marchandise that come in and out to Bezeneger euery yere The apparell of those people Their Winter is our Summer Foure small fortes of the Portugals Bettell is a very profitable herbe in that countrey Enimies to the king of Portugall
ouercome and all their nobles in the armie except seuen were slaine And for this cause when they purposing to inuade anie region are threatned by the inhabitants thereof to be slaine they doe to this day answere in old time also our whole number besides being slaine we remayned but seuen of vs aliue and yet notwithstanding we are now growen vnto a great multitude thinke not therefore to daunt vs with such brags But Chingis and the residue that remained aliue fled home into their countrey And hauing breathed him a little he prepared himselfe to warre and went forth against the people called Huyri These men were Christians of the sect of Nestorius And these also the Mongals ouercame and receiued letters or learning from them for before that time they had not the arte of writing and nowe they call it the hand or letters of the Mongals Immediately after hee marched against the countrey of Saruyur and of the Karanites and against the land of Hudirat all which he vanquished Then returned he home into his owne countrey and breathed himselfe Afterward assembling his warlike troupes they marched with one accord against the Kythayans and waging warre with them a long time they conquered a great part of their land and shut vp their Emperour into his greatest citie which citie they had so long time besieged that they began to want necessary prouision for their armie And when they had no victuals to feede vpon Chingis Cham commaunded his souldiers that they should eate euery tenth man of the companie But thâ—y of the citie tought manfully against them with engines dartes and arrowes and when stones wanted they threw siluer and especially melted siluer for the same citie abounded with great riches Also when the Mongals had fought a long time and could not preuayle by warre they made a great trench vnderneath the ground from the armie vnto the middest of the citie and there issuing foorth they fought against the citizens and the remnant also without the walles fought in like manner At last breaking open the gates of the citie they entred and putting the Emperour with many other to the sworde they tooke possession thereof and conueighed away the golde siluer aâ—d all the riches therein And hauing appointed certaine deputies ouer the countrey they returned home into their owne lande This is the first time when the Emperour of the Kythayans being vanquished Chingis Cham obtayned the Empire But some parte of the countrey because it lyeth within the sea they could by no meanes conquere vnto this day The men of Kytay are Pagans hauing a speciall kinde of writing by themselues and as it is reported the Scriptures of the olde and newe Testament They haue also recorded in hystories the liues of their forefathers and they haue Eremites and certaine houses made after the manner of our Churches which in those dayes they greatly resorted vnto They say that they haue diuers Saints also and they worship one God They adore and reuerence CHRIST IESVS our Lorde and beleeue the article of eternall life but are not baptized They doe also honourably esteeme and reuerence our Sciptures They loue Christians and bestowe much almes and are a very courteous and gentle people They haue no beardes and they agree partly with the Mongals in the disposition of their countenance In all occupations which men practise there are not better artificers in the whole worlde Their countrey is exceeding rich in corne wine golde silke and other commodities Of their warre against India maior and minor Chap. 10. ANd when the Mongals with their emperour Chingis Cham had a while rested themselues after the foresayd victorie they diuided their armies For the Emperour sent one of his sonnes named Thossut whom also they called Can that is to say Emperour with an armie against the people of Comania whom he vanquished with much warre and afterward returned into his owne country But he sent his other sonne with an armie against the Indians who also subdued India minor These Indians are the blacke Saracens which are also called AEthiopians But here the armie marched forward to fight against Christians dwelling in India maior Which the King of that countrey hearing who is commonly called Presbiter Iohn gathered his souldiers together and came foorth against them And making mens images of copper he set each of them vpon a saddle on horsebacke and put fire within them and placed a man with a paire of bellowes on the horse backe behinde euery image And so with many horses and images in such sorte furnished they marched on to fight against the Mongals or Tartars And comming neare vnto the place of the battell they first of all sent those horses in order one after another But the men that sate behind laide I wote not what vpon the fire within the images and blew strongly with their bellowes Whereupon it came to passe that the men and the horses were burnt with wilde fire and the ayre was darkened with smoake Then the Indians cast dartes vpon the Tartars of whom many were wounded and slain And so they expelled them out of their dominions with great confusion neither did we heare that euer they returned thither againe How being repelled by monstrous men shapen like dogs they ouercame the people of Burithabeth Chap. 11. BUt returning through the deserts they came into a certaine countrey wherin as it was reported vnto vs in the Emperours court by certaine clergie men of Russia and others who were long time among them and that by strong and stedfast affirmation they found certaine monsters resembling women who being asked by many interpreters where the men of that land were they answered that whatsoeuer women were borne there were indued with the shape of mankinde but the males were like vnto dogges And delaying the time in that countrey they met with the said dogges on the other side of the riuer And in the midst of sharpe winter they cast themselues into the water Afterward they wallowed in the dust vpon the maine land and so the dust being mingled with water was frozen to their backes and hauing often times so done the ice being strongly frozen vpon them with great fury they came to fight against the Tartars And when the Tartars threwe their dartes or shot their arrowes among them they rebounded backe againe as if they had â—ighted vpon stones And the rest oâ— their weapons coulde by no meanes hurt them Howbeit the Dogges made an assault vpon the Tartars and wounding some of them with their teeth and slaying others at length they draue them out of their countries And thereupon they haue a Prouerbe of the same matter as yet rife among them which they speake in iesting sorte one to another My father or my brother was slaine of Dogges The women which they tooke they brought into their owne countrey who remayned there till their dying day And in traueiling homewardes the sayd
the court of Sartach which was the space of two moneths we neuer lay in house or tent but alwaies vnder the starry canopy in the open aire or vnder our carts Neither yet saw we any village nor any mention of building where a village had bin but the graues of the Comanians in great abundance The same euening our guide which had conducted vs gaue vs some Cosmos After I had drunke thereof I sweat most extreamly for the nouelty and strangenes because I neuer dranke of it before Notwithstanding me thought it wasâ— very sauory as indeed it was Of the court of Scacatai and how the Christians drinke no Cosmos Chap. 12. ON the morrowe after we met with the â—artes of Scacatai laden with houses and me thought that a mighty citie came to meete me I woÌ„dered also at the great multitude of huge droues of oxen horses and at the flockes of sheepe I could see but a fewe men that guided all these matters wherupon I inquired how many men he had vnder him they told me that he had not aboue 500. in all the one halfe of which number we were come past as they lay in another lodging Then the seruant which was our guide told me that I must present somwhat vnto Scacatay so he caused vs to stay going himselfe before to giue notice of our comming By this time it was past three of the clocke and they vnladed their houses nere vnto a certain water And there came vnto vs his interpreter who being aduertised by vs that wee were neuer there before demanded some of our victuals we yeelded vnto his request Also he required of vs some garment for a reward because he was to interpret our sayings vnto his master Howbeit we excused our selues as well as wee could Then he asked vs what we would present vnto his Lord And we tooke a flagon of wine filled a maund with bisket a platter with apples other fruits But he was not contented therewith because we brought him not some rich garment Notwithstanding we entred so into his presence with feare and bashfulnes He sate vpon his bed holding a citron in his hand and his wife sate by him who as I verily thinke had cut and pared her nose betweene the eyes that she might seeme to be more flat and saddle-nosed for she had left her selfe no nose at all in that place hauing annointed the very same place with a black ointment and her eye browes also which sight seemed most vgly in our eies Then I rehearsed vnto him the same wordes which I had spoken in other places before For it stoode vs in hand to vse one and the same speech in all places For we were wel forewarned of this circumstance by some which had been amongst the Tartars that we should neuer varie in our tale Then I besought him that he would vouchsafe to accept that small gifte at our hands excusing my selfe that I was a Monke and that it was against our profâ—ssion to possesse gold or siluer or precious garments and therefore that I had not any such thing to giue him howbeit he should receiue some part of our victuals in stead of a blessing Hereupon he caused our present to be receiued and immediately distributed the same among his men who were mette together sor the same purpose to drinke and make merrie I deliuered also vnto him the Emperor of Constaâ—tinople his letters this was eight dayes after the feast of Ascension who sent them forthwith to Soldaia to haue them interpreted there for they were written in Greeke and he had none about him that was skilfull in the Greeke tongue He asked vs also whether we would drink any Cosmos that is to say mares milke For those that are Christians among them as namely the Russians Grecians and Alanians who keep their own law very strictly wil in no case drinke thereof yea they accompt themselues no Christians after they haue once drunke of it their priests reconcile them vnto the Church as if they had renounced the Christian faith I gaue him answere that we had as yet sufficient of our owne to drinke and that when our drinke failed vs we must be constrained to drink such as should be giuen vnto vs. He enquired also what was contained in our letters which your Maiestie sent vnto Sartach I answered that they were sealed vp and that there was nothing conteined in them but good and friendly wordes And he asked what wordes wee would deliuer vnto Sartach I answered the words of Christian faith He asked again what these words were For he was very desirous to heare theÌ„ Then I expouÌ„ded vnto him as well as I could by mine interpreter who had no wit nor any vtterance oâ— speech the Apostles creed Which after he had heard holding his peace he shooke his head Then hee assigned vnto vs two men who shoulde giue attendance vpon our selues vpon our horses and vpon our Oxen. And hee caused vs to ride in his companie till the messenger whome hee had sent for the interpretation of the Emperours letters was returned And so wee traueiled in his companie till the morowe after Pentecost Howe the Alanians came vnto vs on Pentecost or Whitson euen Chap. 13. VPon the euen of Pentecost there came vnto vs certaine Alanians who are there called Acias being Christians after the maner of the Grecians vsing greeke bookes and Grecian priests howbeit they are not schismatiques as the Grecians are but without acceptioÌ„ of persons they honour al ChristiaÌ„s And they brought vnto vs sodden flesh requesting vs to eat of their meat and to pray for one of their company being dead Then I sayd because it was the euen of so great and so solemne a feast day that we would not eate any flesh for that time And I expounded vnto them the solemnitie of the sayd feast whereat they greatly reioyced for they were ignorant of all things appertayning to Christian religion except only the name of Christ. They and many other Christians both Russians and Hungarians demanded of vs whether they might be saued or no because they were constrained to drinke Cosmos to eate the dead carkases of such things as were sâ—aine by the Saracens and other infidels Which euen the Greeke Russian priests themselues also esteeme as things strangled or offered vnto idoles because they were ignorant of the times of fasting neither could they haue obseruâ—d them albeit they had knowen them Then instructed I them aswell as I could and strengthened them in the faith As for the flesh which they had brought we reserued it vntill the feast day For there was nothing to be sold among the Tartars for gold siluer but only for cloth and garments of the which kind of marchandise wee had none at all When our seruants offered them any coine called Ypeâ—pera they rubbed it with their fingers and put it vnto their noses to try by the
The sonnes of Vulodimir were Vuiseslaus Isoslaus Iaroslaus Suatopolcus Borissus Glebus Stoslaus Vulzeuolodus Stanislaus Sudislaus and Podius who died in his childhood Amongst the residue all Russia was diuided by their father who not being contented with their portions but inuading each other were most of them slaine by their mutuall contentions Borissus and Glebus in regard of their holy conuersation were registred for Saints whose feasts are euery yeere celebrated with great solemnitie vpon the twelfth of Nouember At length Iaroslaus only got the Souereigne authoritie into his owne hands and left behind him foure sonnes Vvlodimir Isoslauus Weceslauus and Vuszeuolodus The foresaid Vulodimir sonne of Iaroslaus kept his residence at the ancient citie of Kiow standing vpon the riuer of Boristhenes and after diuers conflicts with his kinsmen hauing subdued all the prouinces vnto himselfe was called Monomachos that is the onely champoin This man for I thinke it not amisse to report those things which their owne Manuscript Chronicles make mention of waged warre against Constantine the Emperour of Constantinople and when he had wasted ouerrun Thracia being returned home with great and rich spoyles and making preparation for new wars Constantine sent Neophytus the Metropolitane of Ephesus and two Bishops with the gouernour of Antiochia and Eustaphius the Abbat of Ierusalem to present rich and magnificent gifts vnto him as namely part of the crosse of our Sauiour Christ a crowne of gold a drinking cup curiously made of Sardonyx stone a cloake set all ouer with precious stones and a golden chaine commaunded them to salute him by the name of Czar which name as it may be prooued by many arguments signifieth a king and not an Emperour and concluded a most inuiolable league of amity and friend ship with him The foresayd Vulodimir begate Vuszeuolodus the second This Vuszeuolodus lefte eight sonnes behind him Miscislaus Isoslaus Stoslaus Teropolcus Weceslaus Romanus Georgius and Andrew The sonnes of George were Roseslaus Andrew Basilius and Demetrius Demetrius begat George who in the yere 1237. was slaine by one Bathy a Tartarian duke which Bathy wasted Moscouia and subdued the same vnto himselfe Since which time the Russians were tributary to the Tartars and were gouerned by such dukes as they pleased to set ouer them Howbeit the Tartars so greatly abused that authoritie that when they sent their ambassadours vnto the prince of Moscouie he was constrained to goe forth and meete with them and as Herbortus Fulstinius in his Polonian historie reporteth to offer them a bason full of mares milk and if they had spilt any whit thereof vpon their horses maines to licke it off with his toung and hauing conducted them into his princely court to stand bareheaded before them while they sate downe and with all reuerence to giue eare and attendance vnto them But by what meanes they shooke off at the length this yoake of seruitude I will forth with declare About the same time almost all Polonia and the dukedome of Silesia were ouerrun by the Tartars with fire and sword Who hauing burnt Presâ—a the chiefe citie of Silesia being come before the citie of Legnitz they fought there a most cruel and bloody field wherin was slain duke Henrie himselfe being sonne vnto the most holy and deuout lady Heduice with many others whose monuments and graues be as yet extant in sundry places and with an infinite multitude of common souldiers insomuch that the Tartars filled nine great sackes with the eares of them which they had slaine The Tartars to the end they might obtaine the victorie presented vnto the view of our souldiers the portrature of a mans head placed by arte magique vpon a banner wherein the letter X. was painted which being shaken and mooued vp and downe breathed foorth a most loathsome stench strooke such a terrour into the hearts of our men that being as it were astonished with the snaky visage of Medusa they were vtterly daunted and dismayed From thence Bathy and his company with the same bloodthirstie intent marched into Hungarie and had almost slaine king Bela the fourth who together with his sonne escaping by slight did scarcely ridde themselues out of the enemies hand And when the whole world almost was exceedingly terrified at the cruell inuasions of this most barbarous nation at length Pope Innocentius the fourth sending ambassadours vnto Bathy obtained peace for fiue yeeres but to forsake his heathenish superstitions and to become a Christian hee would by no meanes bee perswaded For he was by the instigation of the Saracens infected with deuilish opinions of Mahomet as being more agreeable vnto his barbarous rudenes which euen vnto this day the Tartars do maintaine like as the prophane Turkes also This Bathy had a sonne called Tamerlan whome the Moscouites call Temirkutla who likewise as it is recorded in histories attained vnto great renoume For he caried about with him in a cage Baiazet the Turkish Emperour being fettered in golden chaines and made him a laughing stocke vnto all men Let vs now returne vnto the Russians George being slaine Iaroslaus his brother succeeded in his roome and left behinde him three sonnes Theodorus Alexander and Andreas Daniel the sonne of Alexander first established his royall seate in the citie of Mosco and magnificently building the castle which before time had bene obscure he tooke vpon him the title of the great Duke of Russia He had fiue sonnes namely George Alexander Borissus Ophonias and Iohn This Iohn succeeded his father and because he continually caried a scrippe about with him to bestow almes he was sirnamed Kaleta which word signifieth a scrippe His sonnes were Simeon Iohn and Andrew He gaue vnto his sonne Simeon the prouinces of Vvlodimiria and Moscouia which Simeon deceasing without issue his brother Iohn succeeded who begate a sonne called Demetrius This Demerius had seuen sonnes namely Daniel Basilius George Andrew Peter Iohn Constantine Basilius reigned after his fathers death This maÌ„ dishinheriting his sonne which was called after his owne name because he suspected his mother of adulterie at his death surrendred his Dukedome vnto his brother George who kept his nephewe a long time in prison Howbeit at his death though himselfe had two sonnes namely Andrew and Demetrius yet being stricken perhaps with remorse of conscience he bestowed the Dukedome vpon his nephew Basilius Against whom his two cousins bearing a grudge waged warre and at length hauing taken him by a wyly stratageme they put out his eyes Notwithstanding the Boiarens for so the Moscouites call their nobles continued their duetifull alleageance vnto this their blinde Duke whom for his blindnes they called Cziemnox that is to say darke or darkened He left a sonne behinde him called Iuan Vasilowich who brought the Russian common wealth being before his time but obscure vnto great excellencie and renowme Who that he might the better get all the superiority into his owne hands put to death so many
and get the charitie of well disposed people But being at libertie they get nothing The poore is very innumerable and liue most miserably for I haue seene them eate the pickle of Hearring and other stinking fish nor the fish cannot be so stinking nor rotten but they will eate it and praise it to be more wholesome then other fish or fresh meate In mine opinion there be no such people vnder the sunne for their hardnesse of liuing Well I will leaue them in this poynt and will in part declare their Religion They doe obserue the lawe of the Greekes with such excesse of superstition as the like hath not bene heard of They haue no grauen images in their Churches but all painted to the intent they will not breake the commandement but to their painted images they vse such idolatrie that the like was neuer heard of in England They will neither worship nor honour any image that is made forth of their owne countrey For their owne images say they haue pictures to declare what they be and howe they be of God and so be not ours They say Looke how the Painter of Caruer hath made them so we doe worship them and they worship none before they be Christened They say we be but halfe Christians because we obserue not part of the olde law with the Turks Therefore they call themselues more holy then vs. They haue none other learning but their mother tongue nor will suffer no other in their countrey among them All their seruice in Churches is in their mother tongue They haue the olde and newe Testament which are daily read among them and yet their superstition is no lesse For when the Priests doe reade they haue such tricks in their reading that no man can vnderstand them nor no man giueth eare to them For all the while the Priest readeth the people sit downe and one talke with another But when the Priest is at seruice no man sitteth but gagle and ducke like so many Geese And as for their prayers they haue but little skill but vse to say As bodi pomele As much to say Lord haue mercy vpon me For the tenth man within the land cannot say the Pater noster And as for the Creede no man may be so bolde as to meddle therewith but in the Church for they say it shoulde not bee spoken of but in the Churches Speake to them of the Cōmandements and they wil say they were giuen to Moses in the law which Christ hath nowe abrogated by his precious death and passion therefore say they we obserue little or none thereof And I doe beleeue them For if they were examined of their Lawe and Commaundements together they shoulde agree but in fewe poynts They haue the Sacrament of the Lords Supper in both kindes and more ceremonies then wee haue They present them in a dish in both kindes together and carrie them rounde about the Church vpon the Priestes head and so doe minister at all such times as any shall require They bee great offerers of Candles and sometimes of money which wee call in England Soule pense with more ceremonies then I am able to declare They haue foure Lents in the yeere whereof our Lent is the greatest Looke as we doe begin on the Wednesday so they doe on the Munday before And the weeke before that they call The Butter weeke And in that weeke they eate nothing but Butter and milke Howbeit I beleeue there bee in no other countrey the like people for drunkennesse The next Lent is called Saint Peters Lent and beginneth alwayes the Munday next after Trinitie sunday and endeth on Saint Peters euen If they should breake that fast their beliefe is that they should not come in at heauen gates And when any of them die they haue a testimoniall with them in the Coffin that when the soule commeth to heauen gates it may deliuer the same to Saint Peter which declareth that the partie is a true and holy Russian The third Lent beginneth fifteene dayes before the later Lady day and endeth on our Lady Eeuen The fourth Lent beginneth on Saint Martins day and endeth on Christmas Eeuen which Lent is fasted for Saint Philip Saint Peter Saint Nicholas and Saint Clement For they foure be the principall and greatest Saints in that countrey In these Lents they eate neither Butter Egges Milke nor Cheese but they are very straitely kept with Fish Cabbages and Rootes And out of their Lents they obserue truely the Wednesdayes and Fridayes throughout the yeere and on the Saturday they doe eate flesh Furthermore they haue a great number of Religious men which are blacke Monks and they eate no flesh throughout the yeere but fish milke and Butter By their order they should eate no fresh-fish and in their Lents they eate nothing but Coleworts Cabbages salt Cowcumbers with other rootes as Radish and such like Their drinke is like our peny Ale and is called Quass They haue seruice daily in their Churches and vse to goe to seruice two houres before day and that is ended by day light At nine of the clocke they goe to Masse that ended to dinner and after that to seruice againe and then to supper You shall vnderstand that at euery dinner and supper they haue declared the exposition of the Gospel that day but howe they wrest and twine the Scripture and that together by report it is wonderfull As for whoredome and drunkennesse there be none such liuing and for extortion they be the most abhominable vnder the sunne Nowe iudge of their holinesse They haue twise as much land as the Duke himselfe hath but yet hee is reasonable eeuen with them as thus When they take bribes of any of the poore and simple he hath it by an order When the Abbot of any of of their houses dieth then the Duke hath all his goods moueable and vnmoueable so that the successour buieth all at the Dukes hands and by this meane they be the best Fermers the Duke hath Thus with their Religion I make an ende trusting hereafter to know it better To the right worshipfull and my singular good Vncle Master Christopher Frothingham giue these Sir Reade and correct For great is the defect The Testimonie of M. Richard Eden in his Decades concerning the Booke following AND whereas saith he I haue before made mention howe Moscouie was in our time discouered by Richard Chanceler in his voyage toward Cathay by the direction and information of M. Sebastian Cabota who long before had this secret in his minde I shall not neede here to describe that voyage forasmuch as the same is largely and faithfully written in the Latine tongue by that learned yong man Clement Adams schoolemaster to the Queenes henshmen as he receiued it at the mouth of the said Richard Chanceler The newe Nauigation and discouerie of the kingdome of Moscouia by the Northeast in the yeere 1553 Enterprised by Sir Hugh Willoughbie knight and perfourmed by Richard Chancelor
the shotte of arrowes and the theeues also incamped within an arrowe shotte of vs but they were betwixt vs and the water which was to our great discomfort because neither we nor our camels had drunke in 2. dayes before Thus keeping good watch when halfe the night was spent the Prince of the theeues sent a messenger halfe way vnto vs requiring to talke with our Captaine in their tongue the Carauan Basha who answered the messenger I will not depart from my companie to goe into the halfe way to talke with thee but if that thy Prince with all his companie will sweare by our Lawe to keepe the truce then will I send a man to talke with thee or els not Which the Prince vnderstanding as well himselfe as his company swore so loude that we might all heare And then we sent one of our company reputed a holy man to talke with the same messenger The message was pronounced aloude in this order Our Prince demaundeth of the Carauan Basha and of all you that be Bussarmans that is to say circumcised not desiring your bloods that you deliuer into his hands as many Caphars that is vnbeleeuers meaning vs the Christians as are among you with their goods and in so doing hee will suffer you to depart with your goods in quietnesse and on the contrary you shall be handled with no lesse cruelty then the Caphars if hee ouercome you as he doubteth not To the which our Carauan Basha answered that he had no Christians in his company nor other strangers but two Turkes which were of their Law and although hee had hee would rather die then deliuer them and that we were not afraide of his threatnings and that should he know when day appeared And so passing in talke the theeues contrary to their othe caried our holy man away to their Prince crying with a lowde voyce in token of victory Ollo ollo Wherewith we were much discomforted fearing that that holy man would betray vs but he being cruelly handled and much examined would not to death confesse anything which was to vs preiudiciall neither touching vs nor yet what men they had staine and wounded of ours the day before When the night was spent in the morning we prepared our selues to battel againe which the theeues perceiuing required to fall to agreement asked much of vs And to be briefe the most part of onr companie being loth to go to battel againe and hauing litle to loose safecoÌ„duct to passe we were compelled to agree and to giue the theeues 20 ninths that is to say 20 times 9 seuerall things and a camell to cary away the same which being receiued the theeues departed into the wildernes to their old habitation and we went on our way forward And that night came to the riuer Oxus where we refreshed our selues hauing bene 3. dayes without water and drinke and carried there all the next day making mery with our slaine horses and camels and then departed from that place for feare of meeting with the said theeues againe or such like we left the high way which went along the said riuer and passed through a wildernes of sand and trauelled 4 dayes in the same before we came to water and then came to a wel the water being very brackish and we then as before were in neede of water and of other victuals being forced to kill our horses and camels to eate In this wildernes also we had almost fallen into the hands of theeues for one night being at rest there came certaine scoutes and caried away certaine of our men which lay a litle separated from the Carauan wherewith there was a great shoute and crie and we immediatly laded our camels and departed being about midnight and very darke and droue sore till we came to the riuer Oxus againe and then we feared nothing being walled with the said riuer whether it was for that we had gotten the water or for that the same theeues were far from vs when the scouts discouered vs we knowe not but we escaped that danger So vpon the 23 day of December wee arriued 〈◊〉 tâ—ie of Boghar in the lande of Bactria This Boghar is situated in the lowest part of all the land walled about with a high wall of earth with diuers gates into the same it is diuided into 3 partitions whereof two parts are the kings and the 3 part is for Marchants and markets and euery science hath their dwelling and market by themselues The Citie is very great and the houses for the most part of earth but there are also many houses temples and monuments of stone sumptuously builded and gilt and specially bathstoues so artificially built that the like thereof is not in the world the maner whereof is too long to rehearse There is a little riuer running through the middest of the said Citie but the water there of is most vnholsome for it breedeth sometimes in men that drinke thereof and especially in them that be not there borne a worme of aâ—ell long which lyeth commonly in the legge betwixt the flesh and the skinne and is plucke out about the ancle with great art and cunning the Surgeons being much practised therein and if shee breake in plucking out the partie dieth and euery day she commeth out about an inch which is rolled vp and so worketh till she be all out And yet it is there forbidden to drinke any other thing then water mares milke and whosoeuer is found to breake that law is whipped and beaten most cruelly through the open markets and there are officers appointed for the seme who haue authoritie to goe into any mans house to search if he haue either Aquauitae wine or brage and finding the same doe breake the vessels spoile the drinke and punish the masters of the house most cruelly yea and many times if they perceiue but by the breath of a man that he hath drunke without further examination he shall not escape their hands There is a Metropolitane in this Boghar who causeth this law to bee so streightly kept and he is more obeyed then the king and will depose the king and place another at his will and pleasure as he did by this king that raigned at our being there and his predecessour by the meanes of the sayd Metropolitan for he betrayed him and in the night slewe him in his chamber who was a Prince that loued all Christians well This Countrey of Boghar was sometime subiect to the Persians do now speake the Persian tongue but yet now it is a kingdome of it selfe and hath most cruel warres continually with the sayd Persians about their religion although they be all Mahometists One occasion of their wars is for that the Persians will not cut the haire of their vpper lips as the Bogharians and all â—ther Tarâ—ars doe which they accompt great sinne and cal them Caphars that is vnbeleeuers as they doe the Christians The
Caspian sea and from thence by the countreis of Russie or Moscouia by riuers euen vnto the citie of Yeraslaue and from thence by land 180. miles to Vologda and from thence againe all by water euen vnto England The merchandises which be had out of Persia for the returne of wares are silke of all sortes of colours both raw and wrought Also all maner of spices and drugs pearles precious stones likewise carpets of diuers sortes with diuers other rich merchandises It was told me of them that came last from Persia that there is more silke brought into some one city of Persia then is of cloth brought into the city of London Also that one village of Armenia named Gilgat doeth carie yeerely fiue hundred and sometime a thousand mules laden with silke to Halepo in Soria of Turkie being 4. dayes iourney from Tripoli where the Uenetians haue their continuall abiding and send from thence silks which they returne for English karsies and other clothes into all partes of Christendome The maner how the Christians become Busormen and forsake their religion I Haue noted here before that if any Christian wil become a Busorman that is oue that hath forsaken his faith and be a Mahumetan of their religion they giue him many gifts and sometime also a liuing The maner is that when the deuill is entred into his heart to forsake his faith he resorteth to the Soltan or gouernor of the towne to whom hee maketh protestation of his diuelish purpose The gouernour appointeth him a horse and one to ride before him on another horse bearing a sword in his hand and the Busorman bearing an arrow in his hand and rideth in the citie cursing his father and mother and if euer after he returne to his owne religion he is guiltie of death as is signified by the sword borne before him A yong man a seruant of one of our merchāts because he would not abide the correction of his master for his faults was minded to forsake his faith But as God would he fell suddenly sicke and died before he gaue himselfe to the deuill If he had become a Busorman he had greatly troubled the merchants for if he would then haue said that halfe their goods had bene his they would haue giuen credite vnto him For the auoiding of which inconuenience it was granted in the priuileges that no Busorman c. as there appeareth In Persia in diuers places oxen and kine beare the tents and houshold stuffe of the poore men of the countrey which haue neither camels nor horses Of the tree which beareth Bombasin cotton or Gossampine IN Persia is great abundance of Bombasin cotton very fine this groweth on a certaine litle tree or brier not past the height of a mans waste or litle more the tree hath a slender stalke like vnto a brier or to a carnation gillifloure with very many branches bearing on euery branch a fruit or rather a cod growing in round forme containing in it the cotton and when this bud or cod commeth to the bignes of a walnut it openeth and sheweth foorth the cotton which groweth still in bignes vntill it be like a fleece of wooll as big as a mans fist and beginneth to be loose and then they gather it as it were the ripe fruite The seeds of these trees are as big as peason and are blacke and somewhat flat and not round they sowe them in plowed ground where they grow in the fields in great abundance in many countries in Persia and diuers other regions The writing of the Persians ARthur Edwards shewed me a letter of the Sophie written in their letters backward subsigned with the hands both of the Sophy his Secretarie The Sophies subscription was onely one word his name I suppose was Shaugh written in golden letters vpon red paper The whole letter was also written on the same piece of red paper being long narow about y e length of a foote and not past three inches broad The priuate signet of the Sophie was a round printed marke about the bignes of a roial onely printed vpon the same paper without any ware or other seale the letter seem so mishapen and disordered that a man would thinke it were somwhat scribled in maner at aduentures Yet they say that almost euery letter with his pricke or circumflexe signifieth a whole word Insomuch that in a piece of paper as big as a mans hand their writing doeth containe as much as doeth ours almost in a sheet of paper The fift voiage into Persia made by M. Thomas Banister and master Geofrey Ducket Agents for the Moscouie companie begun from England in the yeere 1568. and continuing to the yeere 1574. following Written by P.I. from the mouth of M. Lionel Plumtree VPon the 3. day of Iuly 1568. they embarked themselues at Yeraslaue being accompanied with Lionel Plumtree and some 12. English men more in a Barke called the Thomas Bonauenture of the burden of 70. tunnes taking also along with them of Russes to the number of 40. for their vse and imploiments It fell out in the way before they came to Astracan by 40. miles that the Nagaian Tartars being a kind of thieuish and cruel people made an assault vpon them with 18. boates of theirs each of them being armed some with swords some with speares and some others with bowes and arrowes and the whole number of them they discouered to be about 300. men They for their parts although they could haue wished a quiet voyage and iourney without blowes and violence yet not willing to be spoiled with such Barbarians as they were began to defend themselues against their assault by meanes whereof a very terrible fierce fight folowed and continued hot sharpe for two houres wherein our men so wel plaied their parts with their caliuers that they forced the Tartars to flee with the losse of 120. of them as they were afterwards enformed by a Russe prisoner which escaped from the Nagaians and came to them to Astracan at which towne they arriued the 20. of August In this towne of Astracan they were somwhat hindered of their iourney and staied the space of sixe weekes by reason of a great army of 70000. Turkes and Tartars which came thither vpon the instigation of the great Turke hoping either to haue surprised it suddenly or by continuance of siege to win the same But in the end by reason that the winter approched as also because they had receiued newes of a great expedition which the Emperour of Russia was in prouiding for the defence of the said place they were constrained to raise their siege to leaue the town as they found it Upon their departure our men had oportunitie to proceed on their voyage and vsing the occasion they left Astracan and came to Bilbil towards the end of October from whence they went to Shauaran where as they lodged in their tentes they were greatly molested with strange troopes of
commodities they came at last to Shauaran againe where their ship was in harbour and then they shipt all their goods and embarked themselues also setting sayle the eight day of May in the yeere 1573. intending to fetch Astracan By reason of the varietie of the windes and dangerous flats of the Caspian sea they beat it vp and downe some 20. dayes And the 28. day riding at anker vpon the flats certaine Russe Cassaks which are outlawes or banished men hauing intelligence of their being there and of the great wealth that they had with them came to them with diuers boates vnder the colour of friendship and entred their ship but immediately they tooke their hatchets slew diuers of the Russes that were of the ship vpon the hatches Whereupon master Ducket Lionell Plumtree William Smith the master a man of singular valure and Amos Riall being vnder the Spardecke did so well behaue themselues that they skowred the hatches and slew 14. of the Cassaks gunners and hurt and wounded about 30. more being of them al in number 150. at the least armed with caliuers and other weapons fit for so villanous a purpose M. Ducket notwithstanding and the rest aforesaid receiued diuers wounds from the enemie and were so hurt and withall so oppressed with the multitude and force of them that they were at last constrained to make an agreement with the Cassaks by rendring the ship into their hands hauing receiued first their othes sworne by their crucifixes not to do any further harme to their persons Thus the shippe being taken and all the English grieuously hurt the Cassaks immediately discharged the ship of them putting them all into the ship boate with two or three Persian targets full of horse flesh and swines flesh without further victuals or reliefe they being in that case made the best hast they could to get to Astracan and being come to the towne master Ducket made great sute to the captaine to haue men and boates set out for the rescuing and recouering of the ship if it were possible who immediately sent out his sonne with fortie boates and fiue hundred men to pursue the Pirats and by good hap came to the place where they rid at anker with the ship but by reason of their foolishnes in striking vp their drums before they were come neere them the Cassaks discouering the boats cut their gabâ—es and put out to sea whereupon the boats not being able to folow them returned againe to Astracan After which 60. boats more were sent out to pursue them againe the second time that second army came to a place where they found many of those Cassaks and slew them and found out the places where they had hid certaine parcels of their goods in the earth in the chests of the ship all which they recouered againe for the English merchants to the value of 5000. li. of 30. or 40. thousand pound but all the rest the Cassaks in the ship had caried away In the same place they found further diuers of the Cassaks which the Englishmen had slaine buried in the earth and wrapt some in fortie or fifty yards of Sattin and Taffataes and some in Turkie carpets cut spoiled by those villanous Pirats of whom afterwards as many as could be taken by the Persians who entirely loued the English merchants were put to most cruell torments in all places according to their deserts But our men being thus spoyled of their goods and wounded in their bodies remained about two moneths at Astracan for their better recouerie hauing gotten some reasonable strength they then prouided boates and went vp the riuer of Volga to Cazan with such goods as they had recouered from the Cassaks From Cazan they went towards Yeraslaue but in the way the ice intercepted them about the beginning of October where suddenly in the night they were taken with a cruell and vehement frost and there withall the waters so congeled that their boates were crushed and cut in sunder with the ice whereby they sustained both a further danger of life and losse of goods but as much as they could preserue with much adoe they conueyed ouer land iu fleds to Vologda and from thence sent much of it to Saint Nicholas to be laden in the ships for England But Master Ducket Lionel Plumtree and Amos Riall went with some parcels to the Mosko and there sold certaine quantities of it to the Emperour who pitying the mightie losse that they had sustained by his owne rebellious people and subiects bought himselfe as much as hee liked and payed present money for the same So that Winter being spent out in Mosko and such wares prouided by them as serued for England they departed to Saint Nicholas and there embarked in the moneth of August and hauing endured a very terrible passage in nine weekes and three dayes with some hardnesse of victuals contrary and furious windes and other sea accidents they arriued at London in the moneth of October one thousand fiue hundred seuentie and foure and so made an ende of an vnfortunate voyage which if it had pleased God to prosper that all things had come home as safely as they were carefully prouided and painfully laboured for it had proued the richest voiage and most profitable returne of commoditie that had euer bene vndertaken by English merchants who notwithstanding all misfortunes lost nothing of their principall aduenture but onely the interest and gaine that might haue risen by the vse of their stocke in the meane time Further obseruations concerning the state of Persia taken in the foresayd fift voyage into those partes and written by M. Geffrey Ducket one of the Agents emploied in the same SHamaky is the fairest towne in all Media and the chiefest commoditie of that countrey is rawe silke the greatest plentie thereof is at a towne three dayes iourney from Shamaky called Arash and within 3. dayes iourney of Arash is a countrey named Grosin whose inhabitants are Christians are thought to be they which are otherwise called Georgians there is also much silke to be sold. The chiefe towne of that countrey is called Zegham from whence is caried yeerely into Persia an incredible quantitie of Hasell nuts all of one sort and goodnesse and as good and thin shaled as are our Filberds Of these are caried yeerely the quantitie of 4000. Camels laden Of the name of the Sophy of Persia why he is called the Shaugh and of other customes THe king of Persia whom here we call the great Sophy is not there so called but is called the Shaugh It were there dangerous to cal him by the name of Sophy because that Sophy in the Persian tongue is a begger it were as much as to call him The great begger He lieth at a towne called Casbin which is situate in a goodly fertile valley of 3. or 4. daies iourny in length The towne is but euil builded and for the most part all of
bricke not hardened with fire but only dried at the sunne as is the most part of the building of all Persia. The king hath not come out of the compasse of his owne house in 33. or 34. yeeres whereof the cause is not knowen but as they say it is vpon a superstition of certaine prophesies to which they are greatly addicted he is now about 80. yeeres of age and very lusty And to keepe him the more lusty he hath 4. wiues alwayes and about 300. concubines and once in the yeere he hath all the faire maidens and wiues that may be found a great way about brought vnto him whom he diligently peruseth feeling them in all parts taking such as he liketh and putting away some of them which he hath kept before with them that he putteth away he gratifieth some such as hath done him the best seruice And if hee chance to take any mans wife her husband is very glad thereof and in recompense of her oftentimes he giueth the husband one of his old store whom he thankfully receiueth If any stranger being a Christian shall come before him he must put on a new paire of shooes made in that countrey and from the place where he entreth there is digged as it were a causey all the way vntil he come to the place where he shal talke with the kingâ— who standeth alwayes aboue in a gallerie when he talketh with any strangers and when the stranger is departed then is the causey cast downe and the ground made euen againe Of the religion of the Persians THeir religion is all one with the Turkes sauing that they differ who was â—he right successor of Mahumet The Turkes say that it was one Homer and his sonne Vsman But the Persians say that it was one Mortus Ali which they would prooue in this maner They say there was a counsell called to decide the matter who should be the successor and after they had called vpon Mahumet to reueale vnto them his will and pleasure therein there câ—me among them a litle Lizard who declared that it was Mahumets pleasure that Mortus Ali should be his successor This Mortus Ali was a valiant man and slew Homer the Turkes prophet He had a sword that hee fought withall with the which hee conquered all his enemies and killed as many as he stroke When Mortus Ali died there came a holy prophet who gaue them warning that shortly there would come a white Camell vpon the which he charged them to lay the body and sword of Mortus Ali and to suffer the Camel to cary it whither he would The which being performed the said white camell caried the sword body of Mortus Ali vnto the sea side and the camell going a good way into the sea was with the body sword of Mortus Ali taken vp into heauen for whose return they haue long looked in Persia. And for this cause the king alwayes keepeth a horse ready sadled for him and also of late kept for him one of his owne daughters to be his wife but she died in the yere of our Lord 1573. And they say furthermore y t if he come not shortly they shal be of our beliefe much like the Iewes looking for their Messias to come reigne â—mong them like a worldly king for euer and deliuer them from the captiuitie which they are now in among the Christians Turkes and Gentiles The Shaugh or king of Persia is nothing in strength power comparable vnto the Turke for although he hath a great Dominion yet is it nothing to be compared with the Turks neither hath he any great Ordinance or gunnes or harquebusses Notwithstanding his eldest sonne Ismael about 25. yeeres past fought a great battell with the Turke and slew of his armie about an hundreth thousand men who after his returne was by his father cast into prison and there continueth vntil this day for his father the Shaugh had him in suspicion that he would haue put him downe and haue taken the regiment vnto himselfe Their opinion of Christ is that he was an holy man and a great Prophet but not like vnto Mahumet saying that Mahumet was the last prophet by whom all things were finished was therefore the greatest To prooue that Christ was not Gods sonne they say that God had neuer wife and therefore could haue no sonne or children They go on pilgrimage from the furthest part of Persia vnto Mecha in Arabia and by the way they visite also the sepulchre of Christ at Ierusalem which they now call Couch Kaly The most part of spices which commeth into Persia is brought from the Island of Ormus situate in the gulfe of Persia called Sinus Persicus betweene the maine land of Persia and Arabia c. The Portingals touch at Ormus both in their voyage to East India and homeward againe and from thence bring all such spices as are occupied in Persia and the regions thereabout for of pepper they bring very small quantitie and that at a very deare price The Turkes oftentimes bring pepper from Mecha in Arabia which they sell as good cheape as that which is brought from Ormus Silkes are brought from no place but are wrought all in their owne countrey Ormus is within two miles of the maine land of Persia and the Portingals fetch their fresh water there for the which they pay tribute to the Shaugh or king of Persia. Within Persia they haue neither gold nor siluer mines yet haue they coined money both of gold and siluer and also other small moneys of copper There is brought into Persia an incredible summe of Dutch dollars which for the most part are there imploied in raw silke They haue few bookes and lesse learning and are for the most part very brutish in all kind of good sciences sauing in some kind of silke works and in such things as pertaine to the furniture of horses in the which they are passing good Their lawes are as in their religion wicked and detestable And if any man offend the prince he punisheth it extremely not onely in the person that offendeth but also in his children and in as many as are of his kin Theft and murther are often punished yet none otherwise then pleaseth him that is ruler in the place where the offence is committed and as the partie offending is able to make friends or with money to redeeme his offence There is oftentimes great mutinie among the people in great Townes which of Mortus Ali his sonnes was greatest insomuch that sometimes in the towne two or three thousand people are together by the eares for the same as I haue seene in the towne of Shamaky and Ardouil and also in the great City of Teueris where I haue seene a man comming from fighting in a brauerie bringing in his hand foure or fiue mens heads carying them by the haire of the head for although they shaue their heads most commonly
factors to come aboord the shippe The 29. day their goods were vnladen and carried to the Bashaes garden where he made choyce of such things as he liked taking for custome of euery fiue twenty karsies or whatsoeuer one or after the rate of foure for the hundred The factors after his choyce made determined to send a part of the rest of the goods to Bachu for the speedier making sale thereof for which cause they obtained the Bashaes letter to the captaine of Bachu written very fauourably in their behoofe and thereupon was laden and sent in a small boat of that countrey in merchandize to the value very neere of one thousand pound sterling videlicet one hundreth pieces of karsies seuen broad clothes two barrels of cochenelio two barrels of tinne foure barrels of shaffe There went with the same of the companies seruants William Winckle Robert Golding and Richard Relfe with two Russies whereof one was an interpretor besides foure barkemen They departed from Derbent with the said barke the 19. of Iuly and arriued at Bildih the 25. day their passage and carriage of their goods to Bachu was chargeable although their sales when they came thither were small they had great friendship shewed them of the captaine of Bachu as well for the Bashaes letter as also for the factors sakes who had dealt friendly with him as before is declared Robert Golding desirous to vnderstand what might be done at Shamaky which is a daies iourney from Bachu went thither from whence returning he was set on by theeues and was shot into the knâ—e with an arrow who had very hardly escaped with his life goods but that by good hap he killed one of the theeues horses with his caliuer and shot a Turke thorow both cheâ—ks with a dag On the sixt day of August the factors being aduertised at Derbent that their ship was so rotten weake that it was doubfull she would not carry them backe to Astracan did therupon agree and bargen at that place with an Armenian whose name was Iacob for a barke called a Busse being of burden about 35. tunnes which came that yere from Astracan and was at that instant riding at an Island called Zere about three or foure leagues beyond or to the Eastwardes of Bildih which barke for their more safety they ment to haue with them in their returne to Astracan and therupon wrote vnto Wincoll and the rest at Bachu that they should receiue the same Busse and lade in her their goods at Bildih to be returned to Derbent and to discharge their fiâ—st boate which was obseruâ—d by them accordingly When all their goods were laden aboord the sayd Busse at Bildih and being ready to haue departed thence for Derbent there arose a great storme with the winde out of the sea by force whereof the cables and halsers were broken and their vessell put a shoare and broken to pieces against the rockes euery of them â—hat were in her saued their liues and part of the goods But there was a Carobia or cheste wherein were dollers and golde which they had receiued for the commodities of the company which they sold at Bachu which at the taking out of the Busse fell by the barkes side into the water amongst the rockes and so was lost The packes of cloth which they could not well take out of the Busse were also lost other things that were more profitable they saued The 18. of August the Factors receiued from the Basha 500. Batmans of raw silke parcell of the bargaine made with him who bade them come the next day for the rest of the bargaine The 19. day the Factors went to the Basha according to his appointment but that day they could not speake with him but it was deliuered them as from him that they should looke and consider whether any thing were due vnto him or not which grieued the Factors and thereupon M. Turnebull answered that their heads all that they had were at the Bashaes pleasure But then it was answered there was no such matter in it but that they should cast vp their reckonings to see how it stood betweene them The 20. day they cast vp their reckonings The 21. they went to haue spoken with the Basha but were denied audience The 22. day they heard newes by a Busse that came from Astracan that Arthur Edwards whom the Factors left at Astracan with the moâ—tie of the goods was dead who departed this life the of The 23. day the Factors receiued more from the Basha 500. Batmans of silke The 4. of September newes was brought to Derbent that Golding comming from Shamaky was set on by theeues Turkes and had hurt one of them The 5. Tobias Atkins the gunners boy died of the flure who was buried the 6. day 2. miles to the Southward of the Castle of Derbent where the Armenian Christians do vsually bury their dead About the 20. of September newes came to Derbent that the Busse which they had bought of Iacob the Armenian as before was cast away at Bildih but they receiued no certaine newes in writing from any of our people The 26. of September was laden aboord the ship 40. bales of silke From the 26. till the 2. of October they tooke into the ship bread water and other necessary prouision for their seashore the said 2. day of October the Factors were commanded vpon the suddaine to auoide their house and get them with their prouision out of the towne Whereupon they were constrained to remoue and carry their things to the sea side against the ship and remained there all the night The cause of this sudden auoyding them out of the towne as afterwards they perceiued was for that the Basha had receiued newes of a supplie with treasure that the Turke had sent which was then neare at hand comming toward him The 3. day of October all things were brought from the shoare aboord the ship and that day the Factors went to the Basha to take their leaue of him vnto whom they recommended those the Companies seruants c. which they had sent to Bachu making accompt to leaue them behinde in the Countrey who caused their names to be written and promised they should want nothing nor be iniuried of any After this leaue taken the Factors went aboord purposing presently to haue set saile and departed towards Astracan the winde seruing well for that purpose at South Southeast And as they were readie to set saile there came against the ship a man who weued whereupon the boate was sent a shoare to him who was an Armenian sent from William Wincoll with his writing tables wherein the said Wincoll had written briefly the mishap of the losse of the Busse and that they were comming from Bildih towardes Derbent they and such things as they saued with a small boate forced to put a shoare in a place by the sea side called the Armenian village Whereupon the Factors caused
in either of the Bishops seats there is a free schoole founded by the liberality and pietie of that most renoumed King of Denmarke Christian the third and afterward the sonne following the godly steppes of his most Christian father the said Free schooles by Lord Friderick the second our most religious King being called vp to his heauenly countrey in the yeare 1588 haue beene encreased and furthered which at this day also doe prosper and flourish by the fauour and authoritie of the most gracious King and our Prince Christian the fourth wherein the youth of our Islande being instructed in the rudiments of liberall artes and sacred diuinitie are trained vp to knowledge and true godlinesse that from hence ministers of Churches may proceede We are come at length in the register of the Bishops of Island downe to this present day wherein the forenamed excellent men Gudbrandus Thorlacius and Otto Enerus the one at Holen and the other at Schalholt are Bishops of our Cathedrall Churches both of which men that it would please God long to preserue vnto his Church in health and life for the glorie of his most holy name we all doe earnestly and with feruent prayers beseech him The second section They inhabite for the most part in caues or hollowe places within the sides of mountaines And againe They haue many houses and Churches built with the bones of fishes and Whales Againe Many of them also to auoide the extremitie of colde doe keepe themselues close in their caues euen as the people of Africa doe to auoyde the heate of the sunne Also Munster sayth Many in Island at this day build their houses with the ribbes and bones of Whales HEre the second member taketh his beginning concerning the course of life and the manners of the inhabitants And first of all what buildings or houses they doe vse namely according to Munster Krantzius Frisius c. Holes and caues of mountaines But although in gorgeous buildings and such other worldly braueries there is very litle helpe to the attayning of a life truely happie notwithstanding wee can not in this place conceale the truth and we plainely affirme that Cosmographers and Historiographers also doe erre in this point For such habitations as they write to be common vnto the whole nation are but in verie fewe places and are either sheepe-cots for shepheards or cottages and receptacles for fishermen at that time of the yeere onely when they goe a fishing and the others stande in neede to watch their flocke But for their houses themselues and the very dwelling places of men the Islanders haue had them built from auncient time stately and sumptuously enough according to the condition of the Countrey with timber stones and turfes vntill such time as traffike and exchange of wares beganne to cease betweene them and the Noruagians who were wont to supply them with timber and for that cause nowe our houses beginne to decay whenas neither we haue woods conuenient for building nor yet there are nowe a dayes as there were in olde time trees cast vpon our shores by the benefite of the sea which may in any sort relieue vs neither doe outlandish Merchants succour our necessities whereupon many of our meanest countrey villages are much decayed from their auncient integritie some whereof be fallen to the ground and others bee very ruinous Notwithstanding there be many farmes and villages which I cannot easily reckon vp the buildings whereof doe resemble that auncient excellencie the houses being very large both in breadth and length and for the most part in height also As for example farmes or granges which conteine chambers in them more then fiftie cubites in length tenne in breadth and twentie in height And so other roomes as a parler a stoue a butterie c. answering in proportion vnto the former I could here name mâ—ny of our countrie buildings both large and wide neither ilfauoured in shewe nor base in regarde of their workemanship and costly firmenesse or strength with certaine Churches also or religious houses built of timber onely aâ—cording to auncient and artificiall seemelinesse and beautie as the Cathedrall Church of Holen hauing a bodie the fiue pillars whereof on both sides be foure elnes high and about fiue elnes thicke as also beames and weather-bourdes and the rest of the roofe proportionally answering to this lower building Our most gracious King Lord Frederick whose memory is most sacred vnto vs in the yere 1588. did most liberally bestow timber for the reedifying of this body being cast downe in the yere 1584. by an horrible tempest But the Church it selfe doth manifestly exceed the body thereof in all quantity also the inner part of the Church which is commonly called the quier is somwhat lesse both then the middle part of the Church and also then the bodie The Church of Schalholt was farre greater as I haue heard in olde time then this our Cathedrall which hauing now beene twise burnt is brought to a lesser scantling Likewise there be some other Churches of our Iland although not matching yet resembling the auncient magnificence of these But here the matter seemeth not to require that I should runne into a long description of these things For as wee doe not greatly extoll our houses and buildings so are we nothing ashamed of them because being content with our pouertie we render vnto Christ immortall prayse who despiseth not to be receiued of vs vnder a base roofe and contemneth not our temples and houses which Munster Krantzius and Frisius doe not truely affirme to be built of fishes and Whales bones more then the marble vaults the painted walles the square pauementes and such like ornamentes of Churches and houses in other countries The third section They and their cattell vse all one house all one foode or victuals all one state here Krantzius hath it lodging Also They liue onely by feeding of cattell and sometimes by taking of fishes THese be the things together with those that followe which Krantzius hath champed and put into Munsters mouth so that Munster shall not neede so much as once to chewe them which may appeare by comparing them both together For Munster as hee swallowed these reproches taking them out of Krantzius his preface vpon Norway so he casteth vp the verie same morsels vndigested and rawe against our nation in his fourth booke of Cosmographie cap. 8. Those things which haue beene hitherto although they haue sufficiently grieued vs yet will we let them seeme more tollerable but this most malitious deuise and those which follow we cannot easily brooke It is our part therefore in this place also to auouch the trueth and to turne the leasing vpon the authors owne head House c. First that which they say concerning the same common house as also liuing and state with our cattell we plainely affirme to be false and erronious not onely the truth it selfe being our witnesse if any man would make triall but
English knight against the Moores of Alger to Barbary and to Spaine 67 40 The voyage of Henrie Earle of Derby after Duke of Hereford and lastly Henry the fourth king of England with an army of Englishmen to Tunis in Barbary 69 41 The trauailes and memorable victories of Iohn Hawkwood Englishman in diuerse places of Italy in the reigne of Richard the second 70 42 The voyage of Lord Iohn of Holland Earle of Huntington brother by the mother to K. Richard the second to Ierusalem and S. Katherins mount Anno 1394. 70 43 The voyage of Thomas Lord Mowbrey duke of Norfolke to Ierusalem in the yeere of our Lord 1399. 70 44 The voyage of the bishop of Winchester to Ierusalem Anno 1417. 71 45 A voyage intended by king Henry the fourth to the holy land against the Saracens and Infidels Anno 1413. 71. 72 46 A voyage made with two ships called The holy Crosse and The Matthew Gunson to the Isles of Candia and Chio about the yeere 1534. 98 47 Another voyage vnto Candia and Chio made by the foresayd ship called The Matthewâ— Gunson Anno 1535. 98 48 The voyage of the valiant Esquire M. Peter Read to Tunis in Barbarie 1538 recorded in his Epitaph 99 49 The voyage of Sir Thomas Chaloner to Alger with the Emperour Charles the fift Anno 1541. 99 50 The voyage of M. Roger Bodenâ—am with the great barke Aucher to Candia and Chio Anno 1550. 99 51 The voyage of M. Iohn Lok to Ierusalem Anno 1553. 101 52 The voyage of Iohn Foxe to the Streit of Gibraltar in a ship called The three halfe-moones Anno 1563. And his worthy enterprize in deliuering 266 Christians from the captiuitie of the Turkes at Alexandria Anno 1577. 131.132 53 The voyage of M. Laurence Aldersey to the cities of Ierusalem and Tripolis in the yeere 1581. 150 54 The voyage of The Susan of London to Constantinople wherein M. William Hareborne was sent first Ambassadour vnto Zuldan Murad Can the great Turke Anno 1582. 165 55 The voyage of a ship called The Iesus to Tripolis in Barbary Anno 1583. 184 56 The voyage of M. Henry Austel by Venice to Ragusa and thence ouer-land to Constantinople and from thence through Moldauia Polonia Silesia and Germany into England Anno 1586. 194 57 The voyage of Master Cesar Frederick into the east India and beyonde the Indies Anno 1563. 213 58 The long dangerous and memorable voyage of M. Ralph Fitch marchant of London by the way of Tripolis in Syria to Ormuz to Goa in the East India to Cambaia to the riuer of Ganges to Bengala to Bacola to Chonderi to Pegu to Siam c. begunne in the yeere 1583 and ended in the yeere 1591. 250 59 The voyage of M. Iohn Eldred to Tripolis in Syria by sea and from thence by land and riuer to Babylon and Balsara Anno 1583. 268 60 The voyage of M. Iohn Euesham by sea into AEgypt Anno 1586. 281 61 The voyage of M. Laurence Aldersey to the cities of Alexandria and Cairo in Aegypt Anno 1586. 282 62 The voyage of fiue marchants ships of London into Turkie and their valiant fight in their returne with 11 gallies and two frigats of the king of Spaine at Pantalarea within the Streits of Gibraltar Anno 1586. 285 63 The voyage of Master William Hareborne ouer-land from Constantinople to London Anno 1588. 289 64 A description of a voyage to Constantinople and Syria begun the 21 of March 1593 and ended the ninth of August 1595 wherein is shewed the manner of deliuering the second present by M. Edward Barton her Maiesties ambassadour which was sent from her Maiestie to Sultan Murad Can the Emperour of Turkie 33 The Ambassages Letters Priuileges Discourses Aduertisements and other obseruations depending vpon the Voyages contayned in the first part of this second Volume 1 A Testimony that the Britons were in Italy and Greece with the Cimbrians and Gauls before the incarnation of Christ. pag. 1 2 A testimony that certain Englishmen were of the guard of the Emperour of Constantinople in the time of Iohn the sonne of Alexius Comnenus 17 3 A great supply of money sent to the Holy land by King Henry the second 18 4 A letter written from Manuel the Emperour of Constantinople vnto Henry the second King of England Ann. 1177 wherein mention is made that certaine of king Henries noblemen and subiects were present with the sayd Emperour in a battel against the Soldan of Iconium 18 5 A note drawen out of a very auncient booke in the custodie of the right Wor. M. Thomas Tilney Esquire touching Sir Fredericke Tilney his ancester knighted for his valour at Acon in the Holyland by king Richard the first 29 6 A large contribution to the succour of the holy land made by king Iohn king of England Anno 1201. 30 7 The comming of Baldwin the Emperour of Constantinople into England An. 1247. 31 8 A testimony concerning Anthony Beck bishop of Duresme that he was elected Patriarke of Ierusalem and confirmed by Clement the 5 bishop of Rome Anno 1305. 39 9 The comming of Lyon king of Armenia into England Anno 1â—86 to make a treaty of peace betweene Richard the second king of England and the French king 67 10 The comming of the Emperour of Constantinople into England to desire the ayde of king Henry the fourth against the Turkes Anno 1400. 70 11 A relation of the siege and taking of the citie of Rhodes by Sultan Soliman the great Turke Wherein honorable mention is made of diuers valiant English knights Anno 1522. 72 12 An ambassage from Don Ferdinando brother to the Emperour Charles the fift vnto King Henry the eight crauing his ayde against Soliman the great Turke An. 1527. 95 13 The antiquitie of the trade of English marchants vnto the remote parts of the Leuant seas Anno 1511 1512 c. 96 14 A letter of Henry the eight king of England to Iohn the third king of Portugale for a Portugale ship fraighted at Chio with the goods of Iohn Gresham William Lok and others and wrongfully vnladen in Portugale Anno 1531. 96 15 The maner of the entring of Soliman the great Turke with his army into Alepo in Syria as hee was marching toward Persia agaiâ—st the great Sophi Anno 1553. 112 16 A note of the presents that were giuen at the same time in Alepo to the Grand Signor and the names of the presenters 113 17 The safe conduct granted by Sultan Soliman the great Turke to M. Anthony Ienkinson at Alepo in Syria Anno 1553. 114 18 A discourse of the trade to Chio written by Gaspar Campion in the yeere 1569. 114 19 A letter of the sayd Gaspar Campion to M. William Winter in the yeare 1569. 116 20 A briefe description of the Isle of Cyprus 119 21 A report of the siege and taking of Famagusta the strongest citie in al Cyprus by Mustafa Bassa Generall of the great Turkes army Anno 1571. 121 22 The
of hope of his life and safetie The Saracens seeing and knowing this his banner that part of them which enuironed the Citie by water made towards him with twentie Gallies and thirteene shippes which they commonly cal Cazh seeking to inclose the Kings shippe But by Gods helpe the billowes of the Sea swelling and raging against them and the Kings shippe gliding and passing through the waues with an easie and nimble course arriued suddenly in the hatten of Ioppa the enemies frustrated of their purpose and sixe of the Saracens were hurt and wounded by shot out of the Kings shippe So that the King entering into the Citie and nowe appearing in safetie in all their sightes the spirits of all them that mourned for him and vntil then lamented as though hee had bene dead reuiued because that the head and King of the Christians and prince of Ierusalem was yet aliue and come againe vnto them in perfect health ¶ Mention made of one Hardine of England one of the chiefest personages and a leader among other of two hundred saile of ships of Christians that landed at Ioppa in the yeere of our Lord God 1102. CHronicon Hierosolymitanum libro 9. cap. 11. Interea dum haec obsidio ageretur 200. naues Christianorum nauigio Ioppen appulsae sunt vt adorarent in Hierusalem Horum Bernardus Witrazh de terra Galatiae Hardinus de Anglia Otho de Roges Hadewerck vnus de praepotentibus Wesifalorum primi ductores fuisse referuntur c. Erat autem tertia feria Iulij mensis quando hae Christianorum copiae Deo protegente huc nauigio angustiatis obsessis ad opem collatae sunt Sarracenorum autem turmae videntes quia Christianorum virtus audacter facie ad faciem vicino sibi hospitio proximè iungebatur media nocte oâ—biincumbente amotis tentorijs amplius milliari subtractae consederunt dum luce exorta consilium inirent vtrum Ascalonem redirent aut ciues Iaphet crebris assultibus vexarent The same in English VVHile the Sarazens continued their siege against Ioppa two hundred saile of Christian ships arriued at Ioppa that they might performe their deuotions at Hierusalem The chiefe men and leaders of these Christians are reported to haue bene Bernard Witrazh of the land of Galatia Hardine of England Otho of Roges Haderwerck one of the chiefe noble men of Westphalia c. This Christian power through Gods speciall prouision arriued here for the succour and reliefe of the distressed besieged Christians in Ioppa the third day of Iuly 1102. and in the second yeere of Baldwine king of Ierusalem Whereupon the multitude of the Sarazens seeing that the Christian power ioyned themselues boldly close by them euen face to face in a lodging hard by them the very next night at midnight remooued their tents and pitched them more then a mile off that they might the next morning bee aduised whether they should returne to Ascalon or by often assaults vexe the citizens of Iaphet Chronicon Hierosolymitanum eodem libro 9. cap. 12. continueth this historie of these two hundreth saile of ships and sheweth how by their prowesse chiefly the multitude of the Sarazens were in short space vanquished and ouerthrowen The words are these Ab ipso verò die terriae feriae dum sic in superbia elatione suae multitudinis immobiles Saraceni persisterent multis armorum terroribus Christianum populum vexarent sexta feria appropinquance Rex Baldwinus in tubis cornibus a Iaphet egrediens in manu robusta equitum peditum virtutem illorum crudeli bello est aggressus magnis hinc hinc clamoribus intonantes Christiani quoque qui nauigio appulsi sunt horribili pariter clamore cum Rege Baldwino graui strepitu vociferantes Babylonios vehementi pugna sunt aggressi saeuissimis atque mortiferis plagis eos affligentes donec bello fatigati vltra vim non sustinentes fugam versus Ascalonem inierunt Alij verò ab insecutoribus eripi existimantes marâ— se credentes intolerabili procellarum fluctuatione absorpti sunt Et sic ciuitas Ioppe cum habitatoribus suis liberata est Ceciderunt hac die tria millia Sarracenorum Christianorum verò pauci perijsse inuenti sunt The same in English YEt notwithstanding after the said third day of Iuly the Sarazens persisted high minded and insolent by reason of their great multitude and much annoied the Christian people with their many forceable and terrible weapons whereupon on the sixt day of Iuly early in the morning king Baldwine issued out of Iaphet his trumpets and cornets yeelding a great and lowd sound and with a very strong armie as well of horsemen as footemen who on euery side making great shoutes and outcries with fierce and sharpe battell set on the maine power of their enemies The Christians also who arriued in the nauie rearing great clamours and noyses with loud voices and shoutings in horrible wise together with king Baldwine assaulted likewise with strong battell the Babylonians and afflicted them with most sore and deadly wounds vntill the Sarazens being wearied with fighting nor able longer to endure and hold out against the valure of the Christians fled towards Ascalon And other of them hoping to escape from them that pursued them lept into the sea and were swalowed vp in the waues thereof And so the citie of Ioppa with the inhabitants thereof were freed of their enemies There were slaine this day three thousand Sarazens and but a few of the Christians perished ¶ A Fleete of Englishmen Danes and Flemmings arriued at Ioppa in the Holy land the seuenth yeere of Baldwine the second king of Hierusalem Written in the beginning of the tenth booke of the Chronicle of Hierusalem in the 8. yeere of Henry the first of England Cap. 1. AT the same time also in the seuenth yeere of the raigne of Baldwine the Catholike king of Hierusalem a very great warrelike Fleete of the Catholike nation of England to the number of about seueÌ„ thousand hauing with them more men of warre of the kingdom of Denmarke of Flanders and of Antwerpe arriued with ships which they call Busses at the hauen of the citie of Iaphet determining there to make their abode vntill they hauing obtained the kings licence and safe conduct might safely worship at Hierusalem Of which nauie the chiefest and best spoken repairing to the king spake to him in this maner Christ preserue the Kings life and prosper his kingdome from day to day Wee being men and souldiours of Christian profession haue through the helpe of God sayled hither through mightie and large seas from the farre countreys of England Flanders and Denmarke to worship at Ierusalem and to visit the sepulchre of our Lord. And therefore we are assembled to intreat your clemency touching the matter that by your fauour and safe conduct we may peaceably goe vp to Ierusalem and worship there and so returne Chap. 2. THe king fauourably hearing their whole
aliue which being once knowen in the citie of Achon as it was a great discomfort to them so it was a great helpe to the Christians for winning the citie The next day aster which was the seuenth of Iune king Richard came to Achon which at that time had bene long besieged by the Christians After whose comming it was not long but the Pagans within the citie seeing their wals to be vndermined and towers ouerthrowen were driuen by composition to escape with life and limme to surrender the citie to the two kings Another great helpe to the Christians in winning the citie was this In the said city of Achon there was a secret Christian among the Saracens who in time of the siege thereof vsed at sundry times to cast ouer the wals into the campe of the Christians certaine bils written in Hebrue Greeke and Latine wherein he disclosed to the Christians from time to time the doings and counsels of the enemies aduertising them how and what way they should worke and what to beware and alwayes his letters began thus In nomine Patris Filij Spiritus sancti Amen By reason whereof the Christians were much aduantaged in their proceedings but this was a great heauines vnto them that neither he would vtter his name nor when the citie was got did they euer vnderstand who he was To make of a long siege a short narration Upon the twelfth day of Iuly the yeere aforesaid the Princes and Captaines of the Pagans vpon agreement resorted to the tent of the Templaries to commune with the two kings touching peace and giuing vp of their citie the forme of which peace was thus 1 That the Kings should haue the citie of Achon freely and fully deliuered vnto them with all which was therein 2 That 500. captiues of the Christians should be restored to them which were in Achon 3 That the holy crosse should be to them rendred and a thousand Christian captiues with two hundreth horsemen whosoeuer they themselues would chose out of all them which were in the power of the Saladine 4 That they would giue vnto the Kings two hundreth thousand Bysants so that they themselues should remaine as pledges in the Kings hands for the performance hereof that if in fortie daies the aforesayd couenauts were not accomplished they should abide the Kings mercie touching life and limme These couenants being agreed vpon the Kings sent their souldiers and seruants into the citie to take a hundreth of the richest best of the city to close them vp in towers vnder strong keeping the residue they committed to be kept in houses and in streetes ministring vnto them according to their necessities to whom notwithstanding this they premitted that so many of them as would be baptized and receiue the faith of Christ should be free to goe whither they would wherupon many there were of the Pagans which for feare of death pretended to be baptized but afterward so soone as they could reuolted againe to the Saladine for the which it was afterward commauded by the Kings that none of them should be baptized against their wils The thirteenth day of the said moneth of Iuly King Philip of France and king Richard after they had obteined the possession of Achon deuided betweene them all things therein conteined as well the people as golde and siluer with all other furniture whatsoeuer was remaining in the citie who in deuiding the spoyle were so good caruers to themselues that the Knights and Barons had but litle to their share whereupon they began to shâ—w themselues somewhat discontented which being knowen of the kings they sent them answere that their wils should be satisfied The twentieth day of Iuly king Richard speaking with the French King desired him that they two with their armies would binde themselues by othe to remaine there stil in the land of Ierusalem the space of 3. yeeres for the winning and recouering againe of those countreys but he sayd he would sweare no such othe and so the next day after king Richard with his wife and sister entred into the citie of Achon and there placed himselfe in the kings pallace The French king remayning in the houses of the Templaries where he continued till the end of that moneth About the beginning of the moneth of August Philip the French king after that he and King Richard had made agreement betweene Guido Conradus the Marques about the kingdome of Ierusalem went from Achon to Tyrus notwithstanding king Richard all the Princes of the Christian armie with great intreatie desired him to tary shewing what a shame it were for him to come so farre and now to leaue vndone that for which he came and on the 3. day of August departed from Tyrus leauing the halfe part of the Citie of Achon in the hands of the aforesayd Conradus Marques After his departure the Pagans refused to keepe their couenants made who neither would restore the holy Crosse nor the money nor their captiues sending word to king Richard that if he beheaded the pledges left with him at Achon they would choppe off the heads of such captiues of the Christians as were in their hands Shortly after this the Saladine sending great gifts to king Richard requested the time limited for beheading of the captiues to be proroged but the king refused to take his gifts and to graunt his request whereupon the Saladine caused all the Christian captiues within his possession forthwith to be beheaded which was the 28. of August which albeit king Richard vnderstood yet would not he preuent the time before limitted for the execution of his prisoners being the 20. day of August vpon which day he caused the prisoners of the Saracens openly in the sight of the Saladines armie to loose their heads the number of whom came to two thousand and fiue hundreth saue onely that certaine of the principal of them he reserued for purposes and considerations especially to make exchange for the holy Crosse and certaine other of the Christian captiues After this king Richard purposed to besâ—â—ge the Citie of Ioppe where by the way betwene Achon and Ioppe neere to a towne called Assur Saladine with a great multitude of his Saracens came fiercely against the kings rereward but through Gods mercifull grace in the same battell the kings warriers acquited themselues so well that the Saladine was put to flight whom the Christians pursued the space of 3. miles he lost that same day many of his Nobles Captaines in such sort as it was thought that the Saladine was not put to such confusion 40. yeres before and but one Christian Captaine called Iames Auernus in that conâ—lict was ouerthrowen From thence king Richard proceeding further went to Ioppe and then to Ascalon where he found first the citie of Ioppe forsaken of the Saracens who durst not abide the kings comming Ascalon the Saladine threw downe to the ground likewise forsooke the whole land
marching forward till they came to a castle named Castrum peregrinorum situate vpon the sea coast and taried there that night and the next day they returned againe toward Acra In the meane season the king of Ierusalem sent vnto the noble men of Cyprus desiring them to come with speed to ayd the Christians but they would not come saying they would keepe their owne land and go no further Then prince Edward sent vnto them desiring that at hiâ—â—equest they would come and ioyne in ayd with him who immediatly thereupon came vnto him with great preparation furniture for the warres saying that at his commandement they were bound to do no lesse for that his predecessors were sometimes the gouernors of that their land and that they ought alwayes to shew their fidelity to the kings of England Then the Christians being herewith animated made a third voyage or roadâ— and came as farre as the fort called Vincula sancti Petri and to S. Georgius and when they had slain certaine there not finding any to make resistance against them they reâ—ired againe from whence they came when thus the fame of prince Edward grew amongst his enemies and that they began to stand in doubt of him they deuised among themselues how by some pollicy they might circumuent him and betray him Whereupon the prince and admirall of Ioppa sent vnto him faining himselfe vnder great deceit willing to become a Christian and that he would draw with him a great number besides so that they might be honorably entertained and vsed of the Christians This talke pleased the prince well and perswaded him to finish the thing he had so well begun by writing againe who also by the same messenger sent and wrote backe vnto him diuers times about the sâ—me matter whereby no mistrust should spring This messenger sayth mine author was one ex caute nutritis one of the stony hearted that neither feared God nor dreaded death The fift time when this messenger came and was of the princes sâ—ruants searched according to the maner and custome what weapon and armour he had about him as also his purse that not so much as a knife could be seene about him he was had vp into the princes chamber and after his reuerence done he pulled out certaine letters which he deliuered the prince from his lord as he had done others before This was about eight dayes after Whitsuntide vpon a Tuesday somewhat before night at which time the prince was layed vpon his bed bare headed in his ierkin for the great heat and intemperature of the weather When the prince had read the letters it appeared by them that vpon the Saturday next following his lord would be there ready to accomplish all that he had written and promised The report of these newes by the prince to the standers by liked them well who drew somewhat backe to consult thereof amongst themselues In the meane time the mâ—ssenger kneeling and making his obeisance to the prince questioning further with him put his hand to his belt as though he would haue pulled out sâ—me secret letters and suddenly he pulled out an inuenomed knife thinking to haue stroken the prince into the belly therewith as he lay but the price lifting vp his hand to defend the blow was striken a great wound into the arme and being abouâ— to fetch another stroke at him the prince againe with his foot tooke him such a blow that he feld him to the ground with that the prince gate him by the hand and with such violence wrasted the knife from him that he hurt himselfe therewith on the forehead and immediatly thrust the same into the belly of the messenger and striker and slew him The princes seruants being in the next chamber not farre off hearing the bussing came with great haste running in and finding the messenger lying dead in the floore one of them tooke vp a stoole and beat out his braines whereat the prince was wroth for that he stroke a dead man and one that was killed before But the rumour of this accident as it was strange so it went soone thorowout all the Court and from thence among the common people for which they were very heauy and greatly discouraged To him came also the Captaine of the Temple and brought him a costly and precious drinke against poison least the venime of the knife should penetrate the liuely blood and in blaming wise sayd vnto him did I not tell your Grace before of the deceit and subtilty of this people Notwithstanding sayd he let your Grace take a good heart you shall not die of this wound my life for yours But straight way the Surgions and Physicians were sent for and the prince was dressed and within few dayes after the wound began to putrifie and the flesh to looke dead and blacke whereupon they that were about the prince began to mutter among themselues and were very sad and heauy Which thing he himself perceiuing said vnto them why mutter you thus among your selues what see you in me can I not be healed tell me the trueth be ye not afrayd Whereupon one sayd vnto him and it like your Grace you may be healed we mistrust not but yet it will be very painfull for you to suffer May suffering sayd he againe restore health yea sayth the other on paine of losing my head Then sayd the prince I commit my selfe vnto you doe with me what you thinke good Then sayd one of the Physicians is there any of your Nobles in whom your Grace reposeth special trust to whom the prince answered Yea naming certeine of the Noble men that stood about him Then sayd the Physician to the two whom the prince first named the Lord Edmund and the lord Iohn Voisie And doe you also faithfully loue your Lord and Prince Who answered both Yea vndoubtedly Then sayth he take you away this gentlewoman and lady meaning his wife and let her not see her lord and husband till such time as I will you thereunto Whereupon they tooke her from the princes presence crying out and wringing her hands Then sayd they vnto her Be you contented good Lady Madame it is better that one woman should weepe a little while then that all the realme of England should weepe a great season Then on the morrow they cut out all the dead and inuenimed flesh out of the princes arme and threw it from them and sayd vnto him how cheereth your Grace we promise you within these fifteene dayes you shall shew your selfe abroad if God permit vpon your horsebacke whole and well as euer you were And according to the promise he made the prince it came to passe to the no little comfort and admiration of all his subiects When the great Souldan heard hereof and that the prince was yet aliue he could scarsely beleeue the same and sending vnto him three of his Nobles and Princes excused himselfe by them calling his god to witnesse
countrey dogs and therefore they are hunted with dogs because cats are not able to incounter them Moreouer in the same countrey euery man hath a bundle of great boughs standing in a water-pot before his doore which bundle is as great as a piller and it will not wither so long as water is applied thereunto with many other nouelties and strange things the relation whereof would breed great delight How peper is had and where it groweth MOreouer that it may be manifest how peper is had it is to be vnderstood that it groweth in a certaine kingdome whereat I my selfe arriued being called Minibar and it is not so plentifull in any other part of the worlde as it is there For the wood wherein it growes conceineth in circuit 18. dayes iourney And in the said wood or forrest there are two cities one called Flandrina and the other Cyncilim In Flandrina both Iewes and Christians doe inhabite betweene whom there is often contention and warre howbeit the Christians ouercome the Iewes at all times In the foresaid wood pepper is had after this maner first it groweth in leaues like vnto pot-hearbs which they plant neere vnto great trees as we do our vines and they bring forth pepper in clusters as our vines doe yeeld grapes but being ripe they are of a greene colour and are gathered as we gather grapes and then the graines are layed in the Sunne to be dried and being dried are put into earthen vessels and thus is pepper made and kept Now in the same wood there be many riuers wherein are great store of Crocodiles and of other serpents which the inhabitants thereabout do burne vp with straw and with other dry fewel and so they go to gather their pepper without danger At the South end of the said forrest stands the city of Polumbrum which aboundeth with marchandize of all kinds All the inhabitants of that countrey do worship a liuing ore as their god whom they put to labour for sixe yeres and in the seuenth yere they cause him to rest from al his worke placing him in a solemne and publique place and calling him an holy beast Moreouer they vse this foolish ceremonie Euery morning they take two basons either of siluer or of gold and with one they receiue the vrine of the ore and with the other his dung With the vrine they wash their face their eyes and all their fiue senses Of the dung they put into both their eyes then they annoint the bals of their checks therewith and thirdly their breast and then thâ—y say that they are sanctified for all that day And as the people doe euen so doe their King and Queene This people worshippeth also a dead idole which from the nauel vpward resembleth a man and from the nauel downeward an oxe The very same Idol deliuers oracles vnto them and sometimes requireth the blood of fourtie virgins for his hire And therefore the men of that region do consecrate their daughters and their sonnes vnto their idols euen as Christians do their children vnto some Religion or Saint in heauen Likewise they sacrifice their sonnes and their daughters and so much people is put to death before the said Idol by reason of that accursed ceremony Also many other hainous and abominable villanies doeth that brutish beastly people commit and I sawe many moe strange things among them which I meane not here to insert Another most vile custome the foresaide nation doeth reâ—aine for when any man dieth they burne his dead corps to ashes and if his wife suruiueth him her they burne quicke because say they she shall accompany her husband in his tilthe and husbandry when he is come into a new world Howbeit the said wife hauing children by her husband may if she will remaine still aliue with them without shame or reproch notwithstanding for the most part they all of them make choice to be burnt w t their husbands Now albeit the wife dieth before her husband that law bindeth not the husband to any such incoÌ„uenience but he may mary another wife also Likewise y e said nation hath another strange custome in that their women drink wine but their men do not Also the women haue the lids brows of their eyes beards shauen but the men haue not with many other base filthy fashions which the said women do vse contrary to the nature of their â—exe FroÌ„ that kingdom I traueiled 10. daies iourney vnto another kingdom called Mobar which containeth many cities Within a certaine church of the same countrâ—y the body of S. Thomas the Apostle is interred the very same church being full of idols and in 15. houses round about the said Church there dwell certaine priests who are Nestorians that is to say false and bad Christians and schismatiques Of a strange and vncouth idole and of certaine customes and ceremonies IN the said kingdome of Mobar there is a wonderfull strang idole being made after the shape and resemblance of a man as big as the image of our Christopher consisting all of most pure and glittering gold And about the neck thereof hangeth a silke riband ful of most rich precious stones some one of which is of more value then a whole kingdome The house of this idol is all of beaten gold namely the roofe the pauement and the sieling of the wall within and wâ—thout Unto this idol the Indians go on pilgrimage as we do vnto S. Peter Some go with halters about their necks some with their hands bound behind them some other with kniues sticking on their armes or legs and if after their peregrination the flesh of their wounded arme festereth or corrupteth they esteeme that limme to be holy thinke that their God is wel pleased with them Neare vnto the temple of that idol is a lake made by the hands of men in an open common place whereinto the pilgrimes cast gold siluer precious stones for the honour of the idol and the repairing of his temple And therfore when any thing is to be adorned or mended they go vnto this lake taking vp the treasure which was cast in Moreouer at euery yerely feast of the making or repairing of the said idol the king and queene with the whole multitude of the people all the pilgrimes assemble themselues placing the said idol in a most stately rich chariot they cary him out of their temple with songs with all kind of musical harmonie a great company of virgins go procession-wise two and two in a rank singing before him Many pilgrims also put themselues vnder the chariot wheeles to the end that their false god may go ouer them and al they ouer whom the chariot runneth are crushed in pieces diuided asunder in the midst and slaine right out Yea in doing this they think themselues to die most holily securely in the seruice of their god And by this meanes euery yere there
for then his soule should suffer great torments neither could I by any meanes remooue them from that errour Many other nouelties and strange things there bee in this countrey which no man would credite vnles he saw them with his owne eyes Howbeit I before almighty God do here make relation of nothing but of that only whereof I am as sure as a man may be sure Concerning the foresaid islands I inquired of diuers wel-experienced persons who al of them as it were with one consent answered me saying That this India contained 4400. islands vnder it or within it in which islands there are sixtie and foure crowned kings and they say moreouer that the greater part of those islands are wel inhabited And here I conclude coÌ„cerning that part of India Of the vpper India and of the prouince of Mancy FIrst of al therefore hauing traueled many dayes iourney vpoÌ„ the Ocean-sea toward the East at length I arriued at a certaine great prouince called Mancy being in Latine named India Concerning this India I inquired of Christians of Saracens of Idolaters and of al such as bare any office vnder the great Can. Who all of them with one consent answered that this prouince of Mancy hath mo then 2000. great cities within the precincts thereof that if aboundeth with all plenty of victuals as namely with bread wine rise flesh and fish All the men of this prouince be artificers marchants who though they be in neuer so extreme penurie so long as they can helpe themselues by the labor of their hands wil neuer beg almes of any man The men of this prouince are of a faire and comely personage but somewhat pale hauing their heads shauen but a litle but the women are the most beautiful vnder the sunne The first city of y e said India which I came vnto is called Ceuskalon which being a daies iourney distant froÌ„ the sea stands vpon a riuer the water whereof nere vnto the mouth where it exonerateth it selfe into the sea doth ouâ—rflow the land for the space of 12. daies iourney All the inhabitants of this India are worshippers of idols The foresaid city of Ceuskalon hath such an huge nauy belonging thereunto that no man whould beleeue it vnlesse he should see it In this city I saw 300. li. of good new ginger sold for lesse then a groat There are the greatest and the fairest greese most plenty of them to be sold in al the whole world as I suppose they are as white as milke and haue a bone vpon the crowne of their heads as bigge as an egge being of the colour of blood vnder their throat they haue a skin or bag hanging downe halfe a foot They are exceeding fat wel sold. Also they haue ducks and hens in that country one as big as two of ours There be moÌ„strous great serpents likewise which are taken by the inhabitants eaten whereupon a solemne feast among them without serpents is nought set by and to be briefe in this city there are al kinds of victuals in great abundance From thence I passed by many cities at length I came vnto a city named Caitan wherin y e friers Minorites haue two places of aboad vnto the which I transported the bones of the dead friers which suffred martyrdom for the faith of Christ as it is aboue mentioned In this city there is abundance of al kind of victuals very cheap The said city is as big as two of Bononia in it are many monasteries of religious persons al which do worship idols I my selfe was in one of those Monasteries it was told me that there were in it iii. M. religious men hauing xi M. idols and one of y e said idols which seemed vnto me but litle in regard of the rest was as big as our Christopher These religious men euery day do feed their idol-gods wherupon at a certaine time I went to behold the banquet and indeed those things which they brought vnto them were good to eat fuming hote insomuch that the steame of the smoke thereof ascended vp vnto their idols they said that their gods were refreshed with the smoke howbeit all the meat they conueyed away eating it vp their owne selues and so they fed their dumb gods with the smoke onâ—ly Of the citie Fuco TRaueling more eastward I came vnto a city named Fuco which conteineth 30. miles in circuit wherin be exceeding great faire cocks and al their hens are as white as the very snow hauing wol in stead of feathers like vnto sheep It is a most stately beautiful city standeth vpon the sea Then I went 18. daies iourney on further passed by many prouinces cities and in the way I went ouer a certain great mountaine vpon y e one side whereof I beheld al liuing creatures to be as black as a cole the men and women on that side differed somwhat in maner of liuing froÌ„ others howbeit on the other side of the said hil euery liuing thing was snow-white the inhabitants in their maner of liuing were altogether vnlike vnto others There all maried women cary in token that they haue husbands a great trunke of horne vpon their heads From thence I traueiled 18. dayes iourney further and came vnto a certaine great riuer and entered also into a city whereunto belongeth a mighty bridge to passe the said riuer And mine hoste with whom I soiourned being desirous to shew me some sport said vnto me Sir if you will see any fish taken goe with me Then hee led me vnto the foresaid bridge carying in his armes with him certaine diue-doppers or water-foules bound vnto a company of poles and about euery one of their necks he tied a threed least they should eat the fish as fast as they tooke them and he caried 3. great baskets with him also then loosed he the diue-doppers from the poles which presently went into the water within lesse then the space of one houre caught as many fishes as filled the 3. baskets which being full mine hoste vntyed the threeds from about their neckes and entering the second time into the riuer they fed themselues with fish and being satisfied they returned and suffered themselues to be bound vnto the saide poles as they were before And when I did eate of those fishes me thought they were exceeding good Trauailing thence many dayes iourneys at length I arriued at another city called Canasia which signifieth in our language the city of heauen Neuer in all my life did I see so great a citie for it conteineth in circuit an hundreth miles nâ—ithâ—â— sawe I any plot thereof which was not throughly inhabited yea I sawe many houses of tenne or twelue stories high one aboue another It hath mightie large suburbs containing more people then the citie it selfe Also it hath twelue principall gates and about the distance of eight miles in the high
to yeeld the towne Notwithstanding he sayd the people had ordained two men among them for to goe to the great Turke to speake of their particular doings and to haue some suretie of their persons wiues and children to the ende that it were not done to them as to those of Bellegrado The sayd Acmek led the three ambassadours toward the great Turke And when they were entered into the pauillion the sayde messire Passin made the report of his ambassade to the sayd lord and sayd that the great master yeelded him the towne vnder the promise made by his Imperiall maiestie with the treatie promised Of the which promise hee held him sure and certaine and that hee would doe no lesse howbeit the people had required him to giue them licence to goe to his maiestie for to aske some request of him Then the two citizens besought the great Turke that he would for suretie remooue his campe from the towne to the ende that they should haue no maner of harme to their bodies nor goods and that they that would goe should goe and that they that would abide still might be well entreated The great Turke answered by his interpreter to messire Passin that hee accepted the towne and promised agayne vpon his faith and on his honour to the lord great master that he would performe that he had promised and sent to him by the same Passin that he should not doubt of the contrary and if he had not ships ynough for to carie his people and their goods that hee would let them haue of his and that he would deliuer the artillerie that was woont to be in the ships of y e Religion And as touching the request of the people he sayd that he would remooue the campe and that they that would abide might abide and they should bee well entreated and should pay no tribute in fiue yeeres and their children should not be touched and who so would goe within the sayd space of fiue yeeres they should goe in good time These wordes ended our ambassadours tooke leaue of him when they were departed they spake againe with the sayd Acmek Basha for to haue a letter of the contents of the promise of the sayd lord And by his commandement the sayd letter was made where by he promised to let go the great master with all his knights strangers and men of the towne that would go with their goods without hauing displeasure of any of his people of the campe or by the wayes When the letter was made it was deliuered to messire Passin And as touching withdrawing of the campe the sayd Basha promised againe that he would do it since the great lord would so howbeit he remooued but from the trenches and some of his people went a litle way off And the sayd Basha demaunded in the Turkes behalfe that they should send to him in hostage foure and twentie knights whereof two should bee of the great Crosse and two and twentie citizens And the sayd lord should send onely a captaine with three or foure hundred Ianissaries for to keepe the towne when the campe were withdrawen And so it was done and beside this hee gaue twelue dayes respite to the lord great master to prepare him and depart out of Rhodes And in conclusion all this done our ambassadours returned and made the report to the reuerend great master of all that they had done and practised with the great Turke and the sayd Basha and gaue him the letter for to goe surely Then the great master with his counsell ordained the foure and twentie persons and other of the towne When they were readie they went to the campe where they were well intreated foure dayes During this time Ferra Basha passed frō the maine land to the campe with foure and twentie or fiue and twentie thousand Ianissaries which by the commaundement of the great Turke was gone vpon the borders of the countreis of the Sophie For the Turke seeing the people of the campe discouraged and willing no more to goe to the assaults sent to the sayde Basha to come to Rhodes with his people which would haue withstood vs sore as fresh men And it was the worke of God and a wonderfull myracle that they came after that the appointment was made for if they had come afore it is to be supposed that the deed had gone otherwise and there had bene many strokes giuen but I beleeue that the ende should haue bene pitious for vs but God would not that the Turke should haue victory vpon vs as hee might haue had seeing the great aduauntage that he had in all things but he blinded him and would not that he should know his might And on the other part it may be said and marueiled how it was possible alway to haue ouercome our enemies in all assaults skirmishes and at the end to loose the towne it was the will of God that so hath pleased for some cause to vs vnknowen It is to bee thought that lacke of men and gunshot and the enemies so farre within the towne and ready to enter at other places with the treasons haue caused the towne to be lost Two or three dayes after the comming of the sayd Basha his Ianissaries and other of the campe entred into the Towne which was on Christmas day within the time giuen to vs and then the Turkes word was broken if it were his will or not I cannot tell Neuerthelesse there was no sword drawen and in that respect promise was kept But they made pillage and entered by force into the houses of the castle and tooke all that they might and would After that they had ransacked the houses they entered into the churches and pilled all that they found and brake the images And there was no crucifix nor figure of our lady nor of other saints that were left whole Then with great inhumanitie they went into the hospitall of poore and sicke folke called the Fermorie and tooke all the siluer vessell that the sicke folke were serued with and raised them out of their beds and droue them away some with great strokes and staues and some were cast downe from the galleries When these hounds had done that acte they went to the church of saint Iohn and tooke downe the tombes of the great masters and sought if there were any treasure hid in them and they forced certaine women and maidens And all they that were christened and had bene Turkes afore were they men women or children and children that the sayd men had made christians they led into Turkie which thing is of greater importance then any of the other The morrow after Christmas day the reuerend lord great master went to the great Turkes pauillion for to visite him and to be better assured of his promise the which lord he made to be wel gratiously receiued And he signified vnto him by his interpreter that the case so happened to him was a thing vsuall and common as to
this kingdome and haue kept and enioyed the same almost this hundred yeeres Now this great Turke called Sultan Selim in the right of the Soldan of AEgypt whom his grandfather called also Sultan Selim conquered pretendeth a right title vnto it and now as you may vnderstand by reading of this short Treatise hath by conquest obtained the same Whom I pray the euerliuing God if it be his holy will shortly to root out from thence To the Reader I Am not ignorant gentle Reader how hard a matter it is for any one man to write that which should please and satisfie all persons we being commonly of so diuers opinions and contrary iudgements againe Tully affirmeth it to be a very difficult thing to finde out any matter which in his owne kinde may be in all respects perfect Wherefore I trust by your owne iudgement I ought of reason to be the sooner pardoned my translation being precisely tied to mine authours meaning if any thing heerein besides be thought to be wanting I haue learned by the way how comberous a thing it is to turne the selfesame matter out of the Italian language into our countrey speech But who so doeth what he possiâ—ly can is bound to no more And I now at the request of others who put me in minde that I was not onely borne vnto my selfe haue accomplished that in the ende which I promised and was required With what paine and diligence I referre me to them which are skilfull in the Italian tongue or may the better iudge if it please them to trie the same casting aside this exampler I speake it not arrogantly I take God to witnesse but mens painefull trauels ought not lightly to be condemned nor surely at any time are woont to be of the learned or discreet By whose gentle acceptation if these my present doings be now supported I will perswade my selfe that I haue reaped sufficient fruit of my trauell Vnto whome with all my heart I wish prosperous successe in all their affaires Ann. Dom. 1572. W. M. In Turchas precatio SVmme Deus succurre tuis miseresce tuorum Et subeat gentis te noua cura tuae Quem das tantorum fiâ—em Rex magne laborum In nos vibrabit tela quoúsque Sathan Antè Rhodum mox inde Chium nunc denique Cyprian Turcharum cepit sanguinolenta manus Mustafa foedifragus partes grassatur in omnes Et Veneta Cypriam strage cruentat humum Nec finem imponit sceleri mollitùe furorem Nec nisi potato sanguine pastus abit Qualis quae nunquam nisi plena tuménsque cruore Sanguisuga obsessam mittit hirudo cutem Torturam sequitur tortura cruorque cruorem Et caedem admissam caedis alîus amor Saeuit inops animi nec vel se temperat ipse Vel manus indomitum nostra domare potest At tu magne Pater tumidum disperde Tyrannum Nec sine mactare semper ouile tuum Exulet hoc monstrum ne sanguine terra redundet Excutiántque nouum Cypria regna iugum Et quòd Christicolae foedus pepigere Monarchae Id faustum nobis omnibus esse velis Tupugna illorum pugnas bella secundes Captiuósque tibi subde per arma Scythas Sic tua per totum fundetur gloria mundum Vnus sic Christus fiet vna fides Gulielmus Malim The true report of all the successe of Famagusta made by the Earle Nestor Martiningo vnto the renowmed Prince the Duke of Venice THe sixteenth day of February 1571 the fleet which had brought the ayde vnto Famagusta departed from thence whereas were found in all the army but foure thousand footmen eight hundred of them chosen souldiers and three thousand accounting the Citizens and other of the Uillages the rest two hundred in number were souldiers of Albania Aâ—ter the arriuall of the which succour the fortification of the City went more diligently forward of all hands then it did before the whole garison the Grecian Citizens inhabiting the Towne the Gouernours and Captaines not withdrawing themselues from any kinde of labour for the better incouragement and good example of others both night and day searching the watch to the intent with more carefull heed taking they might beware of their enemies against whom they made no sally out of the City to skirmish but very seldome especially to vnderstand when they might learne the intent of the enemies Whilest we made this diligent prouision within the Citie the Turks without made no lesse preparation of all things necessary fit to batter the fortresse withall as in bringing out of Caramania and Syria with all speed by the Sea many woollpacks a grâ—at â—â—antitie of wood and timber diuers pieces of artillery engins and other things expedient for their purpose At the beginning of April Halli Basha landed there with fourscore gallies or thereabout in his company who brought thither that which of our enemies was desired who soone aâ—ter departing from thence and leauing behinde him thirty gallies which continually transported souldiours munition fresh victuals and other necessaries besides a great number of Caramusalins or Brigandines great Hulkes called Maones and large broad vessels termed of them Palandrie which continually passed to and fro betweene Cyprus and Syria and other places thereabout which they did with great speed standing in feare of the Christan army And about the middest of the same moneth the Turkes caused to be brought out of the Citie of Nicosia which they had woone a little before fifteene pieces of artillery and raising their army from whence they were before making ditches and trenches necessary incamped themselues in gardens and toward the West part of Famagusta neere a place called Precipola The fiue and twentieth day of the same moneth they raised vp mounts to plant their artillery vpon and caused trenches to be made for harquebuzers one very nigh another approching still very neere the Citie in such order as was almost impossible to stay the same fortie thousand of their Pioners continually labouring there the most part of all the night The intent of the enemie being then knowen and in what part of the Citie he minded most to plant his battery we tooke diligent heed on the other part to repaire and fortifie all places necessary within For the which cause wee placed a great watch in that way which was couered with a counterscharfe and in the sallies of their priuy Posterâ—es for the defence of the said counterscharfe there were new flanckerâ— made also Trauerses called Butterisses made vpon the Cortaine with one trench of Turâ—es two foot high and broad the which was made on that side of the wall of the Citie which was already battered with the shot of the Turkes with certaine loope holes for our Harquebuzers by the which they defended the counterscharfe Two noble personages Bragadino and Baglione personally tooke this charge on them by the which meanes the Christian affaires passed in very good order All the bread for our
Giambelat Bey the Sangiaccho of Tripolis the Begliarbei of Greece the Bassa of Sciuassi and of Marasco Ferca Framburaro the Sangiaccho of Antipo Soliman Bey three Sangiacchos of Arabia Mustafa Bey generall of the Uenturers Fergat gouernour of Malathia the Framburaro of Diuerie the Sangiaccho of Arabia and other Sangiacchos of lesser credite with the number of fourescore thousand persons besides as by the muster made by his Commission might well appeare The Framburaro which was at Rhodes was appointed and left gouernour at Famagusta and the report was that there should bee left in all the Island of Cyprus twentie thousand persons with two thousand horses many of the which I saw being very leane and euill appoynted for seruice It seemeth also a thing not impertinent to the matter to signifie to you how I by the especiall grace of God was deliuered out of their cruel hands I hauing paied within two fortie dayes all the which time I was slaue fiue hundred Zechins for my ransome to him whose prisoner I was by the meanes of the Consul for the French merchants a ligier then at Tripolis who a litle before came from Tripolis in Syria vnto Cyprus into the Turkes campe Yet for all that I had paied this summe of money to him hee would not so set me at libertie but fed mee vp still with faire wordes and promised mee that hee would first bring mee vnto his gouernement which abutted vpon a piece of the famous riuer of Euphrates and afterward dismisse me The which malice and falsehood of his I perceiuing determined with my selfe to giue him the slip and to flee so I waiting my time and repairing often to the Citie at length met with a small Fisher boate of the which a poore Grecian was Owner and master with whom in one night with two onely dares and a small saile made of two shirts I passed ouer from Cyprus vnto Tripolis being a very great danger of drowning whereas I remained in couert in the house of certaine Christians vntill the fiue and twentie of September at what time I departed from thence in a little French shippe called Santa Victor which came into these partes and as wee rode wee touched at a part of Cyprus Westward called Capo delle Garte where as I came on land and talking with certaine of the inhabitants of the Uillages who were then by chaunce a Hauking demaunded of them how they were intreated of the Turkes and after what sort the Island was tilled to the which they answered that they could not possiblie bee in worse pickle then they were at that present not enioying that quietly which was their owne being made villaines and slaues and almost alwayes carying away the Bastonados so that now they sayd they knew by triall too perfectly the pleasant and peaceable gouernment of the Christians wishing and praying God that they might shortly returne And concerning the tillage of the Island they made answere moreouer that no part of it was plowed or laboured sauing onely that mountaine which was towards the West and that because they were litle troubled with the crueltie of the Turkes but as for the plaine and East part of the Island there was small seede sowen therein but became in a maner desert there being left but few inhabitants and lesse store of cattell there Afterward wee departing from thence arriued in Candia I for my part being clothed in sackecloth whereas soone after by the great curtesie of the right honourable Signior Latino Orsino I was new apparelled accordingly friendly welcommed and my necessitie relieued From whence I shortly after sayling in a Cypriottes ship thankes be to almightie God arriued in this Citie in health and â—m safely come home now at the honorable feete of your highnesse The Captains of the Christians slaine in Famagusta THe lord Estor Baglione The lord Aluigi Martinengo The lord Federico Baglione The knight of Asta Uicegouernor The capitaine Dauid Noce Master of the Campe. The capitaine Meani of Perugia Serieant Maior The earle Sigismond of Casoldo The earle Francesco of Lobi of Cremona The captaine Francesco Troncauilla The captaine Hannibal Adamo of Fermo The captaine Scipio of the citie of Castello The captaine Charles Ragonasco of Cremona The captaine Francesco Siraco The captaine Roberto Maluezzo The captaine Caesar of Aduersa The captaine Bernardin of Agubio The captaine Francesco Bugon of Verona The captaine Iames of Fabiano The captaine Sebastian del Sole of Florence The captaine Hector of Brescia the successour to the captaine Caesar of Aduersa The captaine Flaminio of Florence successor vnto Sebastian del Sole The captaine Erasmus of Fermo successor to the captaine of Cernole The captaine Bartholomew of Cernole The captaine Iohn Battista of Riuarole The captaine Iohn Francesco of Venice The names of Christians made slaues THe Earle Herocles Martinengo with Iulius Caesar Ghelfo a Souldiour of Bressa The earle Nestor Martinengo which fled The captaine Marco Criuellatore The lord Herocles Malatesta The captaine Peter Conte of Montalberto The captaine Horatio of Veletri The captaine Aluigi Pezano The Conte Iames of Corbara The captaine Iohn of Istria The captaine Soldatelli of Agubio The captaine Iohn of Ascoli The captaine Antonie of the same towne The captaine Sebastian of the same towne The captaine Salgano of the citie of Castello The captaine Marcheso of Fermo The captaine Iohn Antonio of Piacenza The captaine Carletto Naldo The captaine Lorenzo Fornaretti The captaine Barnardo of Brescia The captaine Barnardino Coco The captaine Simon Bagnese successour to the captaine Dauid Noce The captaine Tiberio Ceruto successor vnto Conte Sigismond The captaine Ioseph of Lanciano successour vnto captaine Francesco Troncauilla The captaine Morgante successor to captain Hannibal The Lieutenant successour vnto the captaine Scipio The Standerdbearer successour to captaine Roberto The captaine Ottauio of Rimini successour to the captaine Francesco Bugon The captaine Mario de Fabiano successour to captaine Iacomo The captaine Francesco of Venice successour vnto captaine Antonio The captaine Matteo of Capua The captaine Iohn Maria of Verona The captaine Mancino The Fortifiers Iohn Marmori slaine The knight Maggio slaue Turkish Captaines at Famagusta MVstafa Generall The Bassa of Aleppo The Bassa of Natolia slaine Musafer Bassa of Nicosia The Bassa of Caramania The Aga of the Giannizers Giambelat Bey The Sangiaccho of Tripolis slaine The Begliarbei of Greece The Bassa of Sciuassi and Marasco Ferca Framburaro The Sangiaccho of Antipo slaine Soliman Bey slaine Three Sangiacchos of Arabia slaine Mustafa Bey General of the Venturers slain Fergat ruler of Malathia slaine The Framburaro of Diuerie slaine The woorthy enterprise of Iohn Foxe an English man in deliuering 266. Christians out of the captiuitie of the Turkes at Alexandria the 3. of Ianuarie 1577. AMong our merchants here in England it is a common voiage to traffike into Spaine whereunto a ship being called The three halfe Moones manned with 38. men and well fensed with munitions
the better to encounter their enemies withall and hauing wind tide set from Portsmouth 1563. and bended her iourney toward Siuill a citie in Spaine intending there to trafique with them And falling neere the Streights they perceiued thēselues to be beset round with eight gallies of the Turkes in such wise that there was no way for thē to flie or escape away but that either they must yeeld or els be sunke Which the owner perceiuing manfully encouraged his company exhorting them valiantly to shew their manhood shewing them that God was their God and not their enemies requesting them also not to faint in seeing such a heape of their enemies ready to deuour them putting them in mind also that if it were Gods pleasure to giue them into their enemies hands it was not they y t ought to shew one displeasant looke or countenance there against but to take it patiently not to prescribe a day and time for their deliuerance as the citizens of Bethulia did but to put themselues vnder his mercy And againe if it were his mind and good will to shew his mighty power by thē if their enemies were ten times so many they were not able to stand in their hands putting them likewise in mind of the old and ancient woorthinesse of their countreymen who in the hardest extremities haue alwayes most preuailed and gone away conquerors yea and where it hath bene almost impossible Such quoth he hath bene the valiantnesse of our countreymen and such hath bene the mightie power of our God With other like incouragements exhorting them to behaue themselues manfully they fell all on their knees making their prayers briefly vnto God who being all risen vp againe perceiued their enemies by their signes and defiances bent to the spoyle whose mercy was nothing els but crueltie whereupon euery man tooke him to his weapon Then stood vp one Groue the master being a comely man with his sword and target holding them vp in defiance agaynst his enemies So likewise stood vp the Owner the Masters mate Boateswaine Purser and euery man well appointed Nowe likewise sounded vp the drums trumpets and flutes which would haue encouraged any man had he neuer so litle heart or courage in him Then taketh him to his charge Iohn Foxe the gunner in the disposing of his pieces in order to the best effect and sending his bullets towards the Turkes who likewise bestowed their pieces thrise as fast toward the Christians But shortly they drew neere so that the bowmen fel to their charge in sending forth their arrowes so thicke amongst the Gallies also in doubling their shot so sore vpon the gallies that there were twise so many of the Turkes slaine as the number of the Christians were in all But the Turks discharged twise as fast against the Christians so long that the ship was very sore stricken bruised vnder water Which the Turkes perceiuing made the more haste to come aboord the Shippe which ere they could doe many a Turke bought it deerely with the losse of their liues Yet was all in vaine and boorded they were where they found so hote a skirmish that it had bene better they had not medled with the feast For the Englishmen shewed themselues men in deed in working manfully with their browne bils and halbardes where the owner master boateswaine and their company stoode to it so lustily that the Turkes were halfe dismaied But chiefly the boateswaine shewed himself valiant aboue the rest for he fared amongst the Turkes like a wood Lion for there was none of them that either could or durst stand in his face till at the last there came a shot from the Turkes which brake his whistle asunder and smote him on the brest so that he fell downe bidding them farewell to be of good comfort encouraging them likewise to winne praise by death rather then to liue captiues in misery and shame Which they hearing in deed intended to haue done as it appeared by their skirmish but the prease and store of the Turkes was so great that they were not able long to endure but were so ouerpressed that they could not wield their weapons by reason whereof they must needs be taken which none of them intended to haue bene but rather to haue died except onely the masters mate who shrunke from the skirmish like a notable coward esteeming neither the valure of his name nor accounting of the present example of his fellowes nor hauing respect to the miseries whereunto he should be put But in fine so it was that the Turks were victors whereof they had no great cause to reioyce or triumph Then would it haue grieued any hard heart to see these Infidels so violently intreating the Christians not hauing any respect of their manhood which they had tasted of nor yet respecting their owne state how they might haue met with such a bootie as might haue giuen them the ouerthrow but no remorse hereof or any thing els doth bridle their fierce and tiramious dealing but that the Christians must needs to the gallies to serue in new offices and they were no sooner in them but their garments were pulled ouer their eares and torne from their backes and they set to the oares I will make no mention of their miseries being now vnder their enemies raging stripes I thinke there is no man wil iudge their fare good or their bodies vnloden of stripes and not pestered with too much heate and also with too much cold but I will goe to my purpose which is to shew the ende of those being in meere miserie which continually doe call on God with a stedfast hope that he will deliuer them and with a sure faith that he can doe it Nigh to the citie of Alexandria being a hauen towne and vnder the dominion of the Turkes there is a roade being made very fensible with strong wals whereinto the Turkes doe customably bring their gallies on shoare euery yeere in the winter season and there doe trimme them and lay them vp against the spring time In which road there is a prison wherein the captiues such prisoners as serue in the gallies are put for all that time vntill the seas be calme and passable for the gallies euery prisoner being most grieuously laden with irons on their legges to their great paine and sore disabling of them to any labour taking Into which prison were these Christians put and fast warded all the Winter season But ere it was long the Master and the Owner by meanes of friends were redeemed the rest abiding still by the miserie while that they were all through reason of their ill vsage and worse fare miserably starued sauing one Iohn Fox who as some men can abide harder and more miserie then other some can so can some likewise make more shift and worke more deuises to helpe their state and liuing then other some can doe being somewhat skilfull in the craft of a Barbour by
for a good intent so did Saul saue the fattest Oxen to offer vnto the Lord and they to serue their owne turne But neither did Saul scape the wrath of God therefore neither had these that thing which they desired so and did thirst after Such is Gods iustice He that they put their trust in to deliuer them from the tyrannous hands of their enemies he I say could supply their want of necessaries Nowe these â—ight being armed with such weapons as they thought well of thinking themselues sufficient champions to encounter a stranger enemie and comming vnto the prison Fox opened the gates and doores thereof and called forth all the prisoners whom he set some to ramming vp the gate some to the dressing vp of a certaine gallie which was the best in all the roade and was called the captaine of Alexandria whereinto some caried mastes sailes oares and other such furniture as doth belong vnto a gallie At the prison were certaine warders whom Iohn Fox and his companie slewe in the killing of whom there were eight more of the Turkes which perceiued them and got them to the toppe of the prison vnto whom Iohn Fox and his company were faine to come by ladders where they found a hot skirmish For some of them were there slaine some wounded and some but scarred and not hurt As Iohn Fox was thrise shot through his apparell and not hurt Peter Vnticaro and the other two that had armed them with the duckats were slaine as not able to weild themselues being so pestered with the weight and vneasie carying of the wicked and prophane treasure and also diuerse Christians were aswell hurt about that skirmish as Turkes slaine Amongst the Turkes was one thrust thorowe who let vs not say that it was ill fortune fell off from the toppe of the prison wall and made such a lowing that the inhabitants thereabout as here and there scattering stoode a house or two came and dawed him so that they vnderstood the case how that the prisoners were paying their ransomes wherewith they raised both Alexandria which lay on the west side of the roade and a Castle which was at the Cities end next to the roade and also an other Fortresse which lay on the Northside of the roade so that nowe they had no way to escape but one which by mans reason the two holdes lying so vpon the mouth of the roade might seeme impossible to be a way for them So was the red sea impossible for the Israelites to passe through the hils and rockes lay so on the one side and their enemies compassed them on the other So was it impossible that the wals of Iericho should fall downe being neither vndermined nor yet rammed at with engines nor yet any mans wisedome pollicie or helpe set or put thereunto Such impossibilities can our God make possible He that helde the Lyons iawes from renting Daniel asundeâ— yea or yet from once touching him to his hurt can not he hold the roring canons of this hellish force He that kept the fiers rage in the hot burning Ouen from the three children that praised his name can not he keepe the fiers flaming blasles from among his elect Now is the roade fraught with lustie souldiers laborers and mariners who are faine to stand to their tackling in setting to euery man his hand some to the carying in of victuals some munitions some oares and some one thing some another but most are keeping their enemie from the wall of the road But to be short there was no time mispent no man idle nor any mans labour ill bestowed or in vaine So that in short time this gally was ready trimmed vp Whereinto euery man leaped in all haste hoyssing vp the sayles lustily yeelding themselues to his mercie and grace in whose hands are both winde and weather Now is this gally on flote and out of the safetie of the roade now haue the two Castles full power vpon the gally now is there no remedy but to sinke how can it be auoided The canons let flie from both sides and the gally is euen in the middest and betweene them both What man can deuise to saue it there is no man but would thinke it must needes be sunke There was not one of them that feared the shotte which went thundring round about their eares nor yet were once scarred or touched with fiue forty shot which came from the Castles Here did God hold foorth his buckler he shieldeth now this gally and hath tried their faith to the vttermost Now commeth his speciall helpe yea euen when man thinks them past all helpe then commeth he himselfe downe from heauen with his mightie power then is his present remedie most readie prest For they saile away being not once touched with the glaunce of a shot and are quickly out of the Turkish canons reach Then might they see them comming downe by heapes to the water side in companies like vnto swarmes of bees making shew to come after them with gallies in bustling themselues to dresse vp the gallies which would be a swift peece of worke for them to doe for that they had neither oares mastes sailes gables nor any thing else ready in any gally But yet they are carying them into them some into one gally and some into another so that being such a confusion amongst them without any certaine guide it were a thing impossible to ouertake them beside that there was no man that would take charge of a gally the weather was so rough and there was such an amasednes amongst them And verely I thinke their God was amased thereat it could not be but he must blush for shame he can speake neuer a word for dulnes much lesse can he helpe them in such an extremitie Well howsoeuer it is he is very much to blame to suffer them to receiue such a gibe But howsoeuer their God behaued himselfe our God shewed himselfe a God indeede and that he was the onely liuing God for the seas were swift vnder his faithfull which made the enemies agast to behold them a skilfuller Pilot leades them and their mariners bestirre them lustily but the Turkes had neither mariners Pilot nor any skilfull Master that was in a readinesse at this pinch When the Christians were safe out of the enemies coast Iohn Fox called to them all willing them to be thankfull vnto almighty God for their deliuerie and most humbly to fall downe vpon their knees beseeching him to aide them vnto their friends land and not to bring them into an other daunger sirh hee had most mightily deliuered them from so great a thraldome and bondage Thus when euery man had made his petition they fell straight way to their labour with the eares in helping one another when they were wearied and with great labour stewing to come to some Christian land as neere as they could gesse by the starres But the windes were so diuers one while driuing them this way another while
that way that they were now in a newe maze thinking that God had forsaken them and left them to a greater danger And forasmuch as there were no victuals now left in the gally it might haue beene a cause to them if they had beene the Israelites to haue murmured against their God but they knew how that their God who had deliuered them out of AEgypt was such a louing and mercifull God as that hee would not suffer them to be conformded in whom he had wrought so great a wonder but what calamitie soeuer they sustained they knew it was but for their further triall and also in putting them in mind of their farther miserie to cause them not to triumph and glory in themselues therefore Hauing I say no victuals in the gally it might seeme that one miserie continually fel vpon an others neck but to be briefe the famine grew to be so great that in 28 dayes wherein they were on the sea there died eight persons to the astonishment of all the rest So it fell out that vpon the 29 day after they set from Alexandria they fell on the Isle of Candie and landed at Gallipoli where they were made much of by the Abbot and Monks there who caused them to stay there while they were well refreshed and eased They kept there the sworde wherewith Iohn Fox had killed the keeper esteeming it as a most precious iewell and hung it vp for a monument When they thought good hauing leaue to depart from thence they sayled along the coast till they arriued at Tarento where they solde their gallie and deuided it euery man hauing a part thereof The Turkes receiuing so shamefull a foile at their hand pursued the Christians and scoured the seas where they could imagine that they had bent their course And the Christians had departed from thence on the one day in the morning and seuen gallies of the Turkes came thither that night as it was certified by those who followed Fox and his companie fearing least they should haue bene met with And then they came a foote to Naples where they departed a sunder euery man taking him to his next way home From whence Iohn Fox tooke his iourney vnto Rome where he was well entertayned of an Englishman who presented his worthy deede vnto the Pope who rewarded him liberally and gaue him his letters vnto the king of Spaine where he was very well entertained of him there who for this his most worthy enterprise gaue him in fee twentie pence a day From whence being desirous to come into his owne countrie he came thither at such time as he conueniently could which was in the yeere of our Lorde God 1579. Who being come into England went vnto the Court and shewed all his trauell vnto the Councell who considering of the state of this man in that hee had spent and lost a great part of his youth in thraldome and bondage extended to him their liberalitie to helpe to maintaine him now in age to their right honour and to the incouragement of all true hearted Christians The copie of the certificate for Iohn Fox and his companie made by the Prior and the brethren of Gallipoli where they first landed VVE the Prior and Fathers of the Couent of the Amerciates of the city of Gallipoli of the order of Preachers doe testifie that vpon the 29 of Ianuary last past 1577 there came in to the said citie a certaine gally from Alexandria taken from the Turkes with two hundreth fiftie and eight Christians whereof was principal Master Iohn Fox an Englishman a gunner and one of the chiefest that did accomplish that great worke whereby so many Christians haue recouered their liberties In token and remembrance whereof vpon our earnest request to the same Iohn Fox he hath left here an olde sworde wherewith he slewe the keeper of the prison which sword we doe as a monument and memoriall of so worthy a deede hang vp in the chiefe place of our Couent house And for because all things aforesaid are such as we will testifie to be true as they are orderly passed and haue therefore good credite that so much as is aboue expressed is true and for the more faith thereof we the Prior and Fathers aforesaide haue ratified and subscribed these presents Geuen in Gallipoly the third of Februarie 1577. I Frier Vincent Barba Prior of the same place confirme the premisses as they are aboue written I Frier Albert Damaro of Gallipoly Subprior confirme as much I Frier Anthony Celleler of Gallipoly confirme as aforesaid I Frier Bartlemew of Gallipoly confirme as aboue said I Frier Francis of Gallipoly confirme as much The Bishop of Rome his letters in the behalfe of Iohn Fox BE it knowen vnto all men to whom this writing shall come that the bringer hereof Iohn Fox Englishman a Gunner after he had serued captiue in the Turkes gallies by the space of foureteene yeeres at length thorough God his helpe taking good oportunitie the third of Ianuarie last past slew the keeper of the prison whom he first stroke on the face together with foure and twentie other Turkes by the assistance of his fellow prisoners and with 266. Christians of whose libertie he was the author launched from Alexandria and from thence arriued first at Gallipoly in Candie and afterwardes at Tarento in Apulia the written testimony and credite of which things as also of others the same Iohn Fox hath in publike tables from Naples Vpon Easter eue he came to Rome and is now determined to take his iourney to the Spanish Court hoping there to obtaine some reliefe toward his liuing wherefore the poore distressed man humbly beseecheth and we in his behalfe do in the bowels of Christ desire you that taking compassion of his former captiuitie and present penurie you doe not onely suffer him freely to passe throughout all your cities and townes but also succour him with your charitable almes the reward whereof you shall hereafter most assuredly receiue which we hope you will afford to him whom with tender affection of pitie wee commende vnto you At Rome the 20 of Aprill 1577. Thomas Grolos Englishman Bishop of Astraphen Richard Silleum Prior Angliae Andreas Ludouicus Register to our Soueraigne Lord the Pope which for the greater credit of the premises haue set my seale to these presents At Rome the day and yeere aboue written Mauricius Clement the gouernour and keeper of the English Hospitall in the citie The King of Spaine his letters to the Lieutenant for the placing of Iohn Fox in the office of a Gunner TO the illustrious Prince Vespasian Gonsaga Colonna our Lieutenant and Captaine Generall of our Realme of Valentia Hauing consideration that Iohn Fox Englishman hath serued vs and was one of the most principall which tooke away from the Turkes a certaine gallie which they haue brought to Tarento wherein were two hundred fiftie and eight Christian captiues we licence him to practise and giue him
time without the consent of the Gouernour for the time being and the more part of the said Company And further wee of our more ample and abundant grace meere motion and certaine knowledge haue graunted and by these patenâ—s for vs our heires and successors doe graunt to the saide Edward Thomas Richard and William their executors and administrators that they the saide Edward Thomas Richard and Willam their executors and administrators and the said person and persons by them the said Edward and Richard to be nominated or appointed as afore is said together with such two other persons as wee our heires or successors from time to time during the sayd terme shall nominate shall haue the whole trade and trafique and the whole entire onely libertie vse and priuilege of trading and trafiquing and vsing feate of marchandise into and from the said dominions of the said Grand Signior and euery of them And when there shall be no such persons so nominated or appointed by vs our heires or successors that then the said Edward Osborne Thomas Smith Richard Staper and William Garret their executors and administrators and such persons by them so to be appointed shall haue the saide whole trade and trafique and the whole entire and onely libertie vse and priuilege of trading and trafiquing aforesaid And that they the said Edward Thomas Richard and William their executors administrators and also al such as shal so be nominated or appointed to be partners or aduenturers in the said trade according to such agreement as is abouesaid and euery of them their seruants factors and deputies shal haue ful and free authoritie libertie facultie licence and power to trade and trafique into and from all and euery the saide dominions of the saide Grand Signior and into and from all places where by occasion of the said trade they shall happen to arriue or come whether they be Christians Turkes Gentiles or other and into and from all Seas riuers ports regions territories dominions coastes and places with their ships barks pinâ—esses and other vessels and with such mariners and men as they will lead with them or send for the said trade as they shall thinke good at their owne proper cost and expenses any law statute vsage or matter whatsoeuer to the contrary notwithstanding And that it shal be lawful for the said Edward Thomas Richard and William and to the persons aforesaid and to and for the mariners and seamen to bee vsed and employed in the said trade and voyage to set and place in the tops of their ships and others vessels the armes of England with the red crosse ouer the same as heretofore they haue vsed the red crosse any matter or thing to the contrary notwithstanding And we of our further royal fauor and of our especiall grace certaine knowledge and meere motion haue graunted and by these presents doe graunt to the said Edward Osbâ—rne Thomas Smith Richard Staper and William Garret their executors and administrators by these presents that the said lands territories and dominions of the said Grand Signior or any of them shall not be visited frequented nor haunted by way of marchandise by any other our subiects during the said terme contrary to the true meaning of these patents And by vertue of our high prerogatiue royall which wee will not haue argued or brought in question we straightly charge and commaund and prohibite for vs our heires and successours all our subiects of what degree or qualitie soeuer they be that none of them directly or indirectlâ— do visite haunt frequent or trade trafique or aduenture by way of marchandise into or from any of the Dominions of the sayde Grand Signior or other places abouesayde by water or by lande other then the said Edward Thomas Richard and William their executours or administrators or such as shal be admitted and nominated as is aforesaide without expresse licence agreement and consent of the said Gouernour and company or the more part of them whereof the said Gouernour alwayes to be one vpon paine of our high indignation and of forfeiâ—nre and losse as well of the ship and shippes with the furniture thereof as also of the goods marchandizes and things whatsoeuer they be of those our Subiects which shall attempt or presume to saile trafique or aduenture to or from any the dominions or places abouesaid contrary to the prohibition aforesaid the one halfe of the same forfeiture to be to the vse of vs our heires successors and the other halfe to the vse of the said Edward Thomas Richard and William and the said companie and further to suffer imprisonment during our pleasure and such other punishment as to vs for so high contempt shal seeme meete and conuenient And further of our grace speciall certaine knowledge and meere motion we haue condescended and graunted and by these patents for vs our heires and successors doe condescend and grant to the said Edward Thomas Richard William their executors and administrators that we our heires successors during the said terme will not grant liberty licence or power to any person or persons whatsoeuer contrary to the tenor of these our letters patents to saile passe trade or trafique into or from the said dominions of the said Grand Signior or any of them without the coÌ„sent of the said Edward Thomas Richard William and such as shal be named or appointed as afore is said or the most of them And that if at any time hereafter during the said terme y e said Edward Thomas Richard and William or the suruiuors of them shal admit or nominate any of our subiects to be partners aduenturers in the said trade to the number of 12. or vnder as afore is said that then we our heires and successors at the instance and petition of the said Edward Thomas Richard and William or the suruiuors of them in our Chauncerie to be made and vpon the sight of these presents will grant and make to the said Edward Thomas Richard and William or to the suruiuors of them and to such persons as so shall be nominated or appointed by their speciall names surnames additions as is aforesaid new letters patents vnder the great seale of England in due forme of law with like agreement clauses prohibitions prouisoes and articles mutatis mutandis as in these our letters patents are conteined for and during the residue of the said terme of seuen yeres then remaining vnexpired And that the sight of these presents shal be sufficient warrant to the Lord Chancellour or Lord keeper of the great seale for the time being for the making sealing and passing of such new letters patents without further writ or warrant for the same to be required had or obtained And the said Edward Osburne Thomas Smith and Richard Staper and William Garret and such others as shal be so nominated and appointed as is aforesaid to be of their trade or companie shall yeerely during 6. of the last yeres of
ground if a stranger meete one of them he will surely thinke by the state that she goeth with that he meeteth a Lady I departed from this Citie of Venice vpon Midsommer day being the foure and twentieth of Iune and thinking that the ship would the next day depart I stayed and lay a shippeboord all night and we were made beleeue from time to time that we should this day and that day depart but we caried still till the fourteenth of Iuly and then with scant winde wee set sayle and sayled that day and that night not aboue fiftie Italian miles and vpon the sixteene day at night the winde turned flat contrary so that the Master knewe not what to doe and about the fift houre of the night which we reckon to be about one of the clocke after midnight the Pilot descried a saile and at last perceiued it to be a Gallie of the Turkes whereupon we were in great feare The Master being a wise fellowe and a good sayler beganne to deuise howe to escape the danger and to loose litle of our way and while both he and all of vs were in our dumps God sent vs a merry gale of winde that we ranne threescore and tenne leagues before it was twelue a clocke the next day and in sixe dayes after we were seuen leagues past Zante And vpon Munday morning being the three and twentie of the same moneth we came in the sight of Candia which day the winde came contrary with great blasts and stormes vntill the eight and twentie of the same moneth in which time the Mariners cried out vpon me because I was an Englishman sayd I was no good Christian and wished that I were in the middest of the Sea saying that they and the shippe were the worse for me I answered truely it may well be for I thinke my selfe the worst creature in the worlde and consider you your selues also as I doe my selfe and then vse your discretion The Frier preached and the sermon being done I was demaunded whether I did vnderstand him I answered yea and tolde the Frier himselfe thus you saide in your sermon that we were not all good Christians or else it were not possible for vs to haue such weather to which I answered be you well assured that we are not indeede all good Christians for there are in the ship some that hold very vnchristian opinions so for that time I satisfied him although they said that I would not see when they said the procession and honoured their images and prayed to our Lady and S. Marke There was also a Gentleman an Italian which was a passenger in the ship and he tolde me what they said of me because I would not sing Salue Regina and Aue Maria as they did I told them that they that praied to so many or sought helpe of any other then of God the Father or of Iesus Christ his onely sonne goe a wrong way to worke and robbed God of his honour and wrought their owne destructions All this was told the Friers but I heard nothing of it in three daies after and then at euening prayer they sent the purser about with the image of our Lady to euery one to kisse I perceiuing it went another way from him and would not see it yet at last he fetched his course about so that he came to me offered it to me as he did to others but I refused it whereupon there was a great stirre the patron and all the friers were told of it and euery one saide I was a Lutheran and so called me but two of the friers that were of greatest authoritie seemed to beare mee better good will then the rest and trauelled to the patron in my behalfe and made all well againe The second day of August we arriued in Cyprus at a towne called Missagh the people there be very rude and like beasts and no better they eat their meat sitting vpon the ground with their legges a crosse like tailors their beds for the most part be hard stones but yet some of them haue faire mattraces to lie vpon Upon thursday the eight of August we came to Ioppa in a small barke which we hired betwixt Missagh and Salina and could not be suffered to come on land till noone the next day and then we were permitted by the great Basha who sate vpon the top of a hill to see vs sent away Being come on land we might not enter into any house for victuals but were to content our selues with our owne prouision and that which we bought to carie with vs was taken from vs. I had a paire of stirrops which I bought at Venice to serue me in my iourney and trying to make them fit for me when the Basha saw me vp before the rest of the companie he sent one to dismount me and to strike me whereupon I turned me to the Basha and made a long legge saying Grand mercie Signior and after a while we were horsed vpon litle asses and sent away with about fiftie light horsemen to be our conduct through the wildernesse called Deserta foelix who made vs good sport by the way with their pikes gunnes and fauchins That day being S. Laurence day we came to Rama which is tenne Italian miles from Ioppa and there we stayed that night and payed to the captaine of the castell euery man a chekin which is seuen shillings and two pence sterling So then we had a new gard of souldiers and left the other The house we lodged in at Rama had a doore so low to enter into that I was faine to creepe in as it were vpon my knees within it are three roomes to lodge trauellers that come that way there are no beds except a man buy a mat and lay it on the ground that is all the prouision without stooles or benches to sit vpon Our victuals were brought vs out of the towne as hennes egges bread great store of fruite as pomgranates figges grapes oringes and such like and drinke we drue out of the well The towne it selfe is so ruinated that I take it rather to be a heape of stones then a towne Then the next morning we thought to haue gone away but we could not be permitted that day so we stayed there till two of the clocke the next morning and then with a fresh gard of souldiers we departed toward Ierusalem We had not ridde fiue English miles but we were incountered with a great number of the Arabians who stayed vs and would not suffer vs to passe till they had somewhat so it cost vs for all our gard aboue twentie shillings a man betwixt Ioppa and Ierusalem These Arabians troubled vs oftentimes Our Truchman that payed the money for vs was striken downe and had his head broken because he would not giue them as much as they asked and they that should haue rescued both him and vs stood still
loro per il tempo che restarano qua siportorno da fideli Catholici Christiani che sua sanctita habbia trouato bono il saluo condutto del gran Turko a loro concesso per il timor della armata Tuâ—kesca di altri vaselli de mimici inherendo alla volonta di sua sanctitá massime per che hauera de andare passare per diuersi lochi tanto lontani come Ingilterra Flandra tutti parti di ponente in altroue a noi ha parso farle le presente nostre lettere patente come fidele conuersatore nostro accio piu securamente sensa obstaculo possa andare ritornare quando li parera con detta naue o con alire a loro bennista Per tanto donque tutti ciascun di voi sudetti affectuosamente pregamo che per qual si voglia de vostra iurisditione alla quale detto magnifico Giouani Keale Dauid Filly a nome quo supra con la naue marinari de detti loro principali o altricaschera nauigare passare venire sicuramente alla libera sensa alcuno disturbo o altro impedimento li lasciate facciate lasciare stare passare tornare quando li parera partire talmente che per amore contemplatione nostra il detto magnifico Giouanni Keale a nome quo supra con le naue marinari mercantia non habbi difficulta fastidio ritentione alcuna anzi se gli dia ogni agintâ— fauore cosa degnadi voi giusta a noi gratissima de recompensaruila con vguale maggior seruitio quando dall ' occasione ne saremo rechiesti Et finalmente commandammo a tutti qual si voglia relligiosi frati de nostra relligione di qual si voglia coÌ„ditione grado stato che siano a tutti riceuitori procuratori nostri in tutti qual si voglia priorati nostri deputati deputandi in vertu di santa obedientia atutti nostri vassalli alla giurisditione di nostra relligione soggetti che in tale per tale tenghino reputino il detto magnifico Giouanni Keale a nome vt supra naue marinari mercantia sensa permittere che nel detto suo viaggio o in alcun altro luogo sia molestato o in qual si voglia manera impedito anzi tutte lecose sue negotij loro sian da voi agâ—outati continuamente fauoriti In cuius rei testimonium Bâ—lla nostra magistralis in cera nigra praesentibus est impressa Datae Melitae in conuentu nostro die duodecimo Mensis Iulij 1582. The same in English FRier Hugo of Loubeux Verdala by the grace of God master of the holy house the hospital of S. Iohn at Ierusalem and an humble keeper of the poore of Iesus Christ to all euery prince ecclesiastical secular archbishops bishops Dukes Marqueses Barons Capteines Uicelords Maiors Castellanes Admirals and whatsoeuer patrons of Gallies or other greater shippes and gouernors of cities potentates and magistrates and other officers and persons whatsoeuer of what dignitie degree state and condition soeuer they be dwelling in all places and landes greeting We make it knowne and in the word of truth do witnesse that in the moneth of May last past our gallies came on the voyage from Barbarie where hauing commandement to succour a little ship of the Christians which was driuen ouer into that part being arriued vpon this Iland on the West part they found one English ship vnder the charge of the worshipfull Iohn Keele and Dauid Fillie master and our men willing to know what ship it was they seemed to put themselues in order for their defence doubting that the said our gallies were of the enemies therefore one mariner attempted contrary to the will of the worshipfull Iohn Keele and Dauid Fillie maister and had shot off a piece of artillerie against one of the said gallies and because she would not strike amaine her sayle according to the will of the saide worshipfull Iohn Keele and Dauid Fillie master the said ship was brought backe againe vnto the present port of Malta according to the order of the reuerend generall of the said gallies and in being there maister Inquisitor staid it by authoritie of the holy office and in that behalfe by the holinesse of our Lord pope Gregorie the thirteenth in the end was licenced to depart on her voyage They therefore the said worshipfull Iohn Keele and Dauid Fillie in the name and behalfe of the worshipfull master Eward Osborne Alderman and Richard Staper English marchants of the noble citie of London haue humbly besought together with Thomas Wilkinson the purser pilots master and mariners that we would giue our letters patents and safe conducts that they might goe and returne when they shall see opportunitie with their goods and merchandizes at their pleasure whereupon the thing seeming vnto vs iust and that it might be for the prosite of our religion and of these strangers by the tenor of these presents we haue granted the same to them yet with the conditions here under written viz. That euery time the said marchants of the said ship or with any other shall not bring such marchandize as is forbidden and that by sufficient proofe and letters testâ—moniall it appeareth that they are free from the infections of the plague they may victuall themselues with all necessarie victuals and traffike with vs and in this Iland and dominion and afterwarde may depart and follow their voyage whither they will into the Leuant or else where as all other vessels and especially of France and other nations do and sell and buy whatsoeuer marchandize they shal thinke good Item that they may bring powder for cannon and harquebush saltpeâ—ter cole of Newcastle plates of lattin tinne steele yron coÌ„mon karsies white course canuas to make saile for the gallies balies of yron for shot fine milstones trees masts for gallies litle and others and in conclusion hauing seene that they for the time of their abode here did behaue themselues like faithfull and catholike Christians that his holines hath allowed the safeconduct of the great Turke to them granted for feare of the Turkish armie and other vessels of the enemie submitting our selues to the pleasures of his holinesse and especially because our people haue occasion to passe by diuers places so farre off as England Flanders and all parts Westwards and in other places we haue vouchsafed to make these our letters patents as our faithfull assistant so as more surely and without let they may go and returne when they shall thinke good with the said ship or with others at their pleasure We therefore pray all and euery of your subiects effectually that by what part soeuer of your iurisdiction vnto the which the said worshipfull Iohn Keele and Dauid Fillie by name abouesaid with the ship and mariners of the said principall place or
Constantinople there the Marchant and the Pilot landed At this bridge is an house of the great Turkes with a faire Garden belonging vnto it neere the which is a point called Ponta S. Stephano and there the shippe ankered that day The 26 day the ship came to â—â—e seuen Towers and the 27 we came neerer The 29 there came three gallies to bring vs vp further and when the shippe came against the great Turks palace we shot off all our ordinance to the number of foure and thirty pieces Then landed our Ambassadour and then we discharged foure and twenty pieces who was receiued with more then fifty or threescore men on horsebacke The ninth of April he presented the great Bassa with siâ—e clothes foure cannes of siluer double gilt and one piece of fine holland and to three other Bassas that is to say the second Bassa which is a gelded man and his name is Mahomet Bassa to the third who maried the great Turks sister and to the fourth whom they call Abraham Bassa to euery one of these he gaue foure clothes Now before the great Bassa and Abraham Bassa at their returne from the Court and as we thinke at other times but at that time for a certaine there came a man in maner of a foole who gaue a great shout three or foure times crying very hollowly the place rebounded with the sound and this man say they is a prophet of Mahomet his armes and legges naked on his feet he did weare woodden pattens of two sorts in his hand a flagge or streamer set on a short speare painted he carried a mat and bottels and other trumpery at his backe and sometimes vnder his arme on his head he had a cappe of white Camels haire flat like an helmet written about with letters and about his head a linnen rowle Other seruingmen there were with the sayd Bassas with red attire on their heads much like French hoods but the long flappe somewhat smaller towardes the end with scuffes or plates of mettall like vnto the chape of an ancient arming sword standing on their foreheads like other Ianisaries These Bassas entertained vs as followeth First they brought vs into a hall there to stand on one side and our Ambassadour and gentlemen on the other side who sate them downe on a bench couered with carpets the Ambassadour in the midst on his left hand sate our gentlemen and on his right hand the Turkes next to the doore where their master goeth in and out the common sort of Turkes stayed in the Court yard not suffered to come neere vs. When our Ambassadour had sitten halfe an houre the Bassas who sate by themselues in an inner small roome sent for him to whom the Ambassadour and his gentlemen went they all kissed his hand and presently returned the Ambassadour onely excepted who stayed there and a Turks chaus with him with the Ambassadour and his gentlemen went in also so many of our men as there were presents to cary in but these neither kissed his hand nor taried After this I went to visit the church of Santa Sophia which was the chiefe church when it was the Christians and now is the chiefe see and church of primacie of this Turke present before I entred I was willed to put off my shoes to the end I should not prophane their church I being a Christian. The pillers on both sides of the church are very costly and rich their Pulpets seemely and handsome two are common to preach in the third reserued onely for their Paschall The ground is couered with Mats and the walles hanged with Tapistry They haue also Lamps in their churches one in the middle of the church of exceeding greatnesse and another in another part of the church of cleane golde or double gilded full as bigge as a barrel Round about the church there is a gallery builded vpon rich and stately pillers That day I was in both the chappels in one of the which lieth the Turkes father and fiue of his sonnes in tombes right costly with their turbents very white and cleane shifted as they say euery Friday they be not on their heads but stand on mouldes made for that purpose At the endes ouer and about their tombes are belts like girdles beset with iewels In the other chappell are foure other of his sonnes and one daughter in like order In the first chappell is a thing foure foot high couered with greene beset with mother of pearle very richly This is a relique of Mahomet and standeth on the left side of the head of the great Turks tombe These chappels haue their floores couered and their walles hanged with Tapistrie of great price I could value the couering and hangings of one of the chappels at no lesse then fiue hundred poundes besides their lamps hanging richly gilded These chappels haue their roofes curiously wrought with rich stone and gilded And there lie the bookes of their Lawes for euery man to reade The 11 day of April the shippe came to the Key of the Custome house The 16 the Ambassadour and we his men went to the Captaine Bassa who is Admirall of the seas his name is Vchali he would not receiue vs into his house but into his gallie to deliuer our present which was as followeth Foure pieces of cloth and two siluer pots gilt grauen The poope or sterne of his gally was gilded both within and without and vnder his feet and where he sate was all couered with very rich Tapistry Our Ambassadour and his gentlemen kissed his hand and then the gentlemen were commanded out and our Ambassadour sate downe by him on his left hand and the chaus stood before him Our men might walke in the gally fore and after some of vs caried and some went out againe The gally had seuen pieces of brasse in her prowe small and great she had thirty bankes or oares on either side and at euery banke or oare seuen men to rowe The 18 day the shippe went from the Key And 21 the Admirall tooke his leaue of the great Turke being bound to the Sea with sixe and thirty gallies very fairely beautified with gilding and painting and beset with flags and streamers all the which gallies discharged their ordinance and we for his farewell gaue him one and twenty pieces Then he went to his house with his gallies and the 22 he went to the Sea and the Castle that standeth in the water gaue him foureteene or sixteene pieces and when he came against the Turks Seraglio he shot off all his caliuers and his great pieces and so hee went his way The 24 our Ambassadour went to the Court whose entertainement with the order thereof followeth When wee came first on â—and there was way made for vs by two or three Bassaes and diuers chauses on horsebacke with their men on foot to accompany our Ambassadour to the Court. Also they brought horses for him
the kings captiues Afterward about the tenth day of Iuly next following the king road foorth vpon the greatest and fairest mare that might be seene as white as any swanne hee had not ridden fourtie paces from his house but on a sudden the same mare fell downe vnder him starke dead and I with sixe more were commaunded to burie her skinne shoes and all which we did And about three moneths after our deliuerie Master Barton with all the residue of his company departed from Tripolie to Zante in a vessell called a Settea of one Marcus Segoorus who dwelt in Zante and after our arriuall at Zante wee remained fifteene dayes there aboorde our vessell before wee coulde haue Platego that is leaue to come a shoare because the plague was in that place from whence wee came and about three dayes after we came a shoare thither came another Settea of Marseils bound for Constantinople Then did Master Barton and his company with two more of our company shippe themselues as passengers in the same Settea and went to Constantinople But the other nine of vs that remained in Zante about three moneths after shipt our selues in a shippe of the said Marcus Segoorus which came to Zante and runs bound for England In which three moneths the souldiers of Tripolie killed the said king And then the Kings sonne according to the custome there went to Constantinople to surrender vp all his fathers treasure goods captiues and concubines vnto the great Turke and tooke with him our saide Purser Richard Burges and Iames Smith and also the other two Englishmen which he the said kings sonne had inforced to become Turkes as is aforesayd And they the said Englishmen finding now some opportunitie concluded with the Christian captiues which were going with them vnto Constantinople being in number about one hundred and fiftie to kill the kings sonne and all the Turkes which were aboorde of the Galley and priuily the saide Englishmen conueyed vnto the saide Christian captiues weapons for that purpose And when they came into the maine Sea towarde Constantinople vpon the faithfull promise of the sayde Christian captiues these foure Englishmen lept suddenly into the Crossia that is into the middest of the Galley where the canon lieth and with their swordes drawne did fight against all the foresaid Turkes and for want of helpe of the saide Christian captiues who falsly brake their promises the said Master Blonkets boy was killed and the sayde Iames Smith and our Pursser Richard Burges and the other Englishmen were taken and bound into chaines to be hanged at their arriuall in Constantinople and as the Lordes will was about two dayes after passing through the gulfe of Venice at an Island called Cephalonia they met with two of the duke of Venice his Gallies which tooke that Galley and killed the kings sonne and his mother and all the Turkes that were there in number 150. and they saued the Christian captiues and would haue killed the two Englishmen because they were circumcised and become Turkes had not the other Christian captiues excused them saying that they were inforced to be Turkes by the kings sonne and shewed the Venetians also how they did enterprise at sea to fight against all the Turks and that their two fellowes were slaine in that fight Then the Venetians saued them and they with all the residue of the said captiues had their libertie which were in number 150. or there abouts and the saide Gallie and all the Turkes treasure was confiscated to the vse of the state of Venice And from thence our two Englishmen traueiled homeward by land and in this meane time we had one more of our company which died in Zante and afterward the other eight shipped themselues at Zante in a shippe of the said Marcus Segorus which was bound for England and before we departed thence there arriued the Assension and the George Bonauenture of London in Cephalonia in a harbour there called Arrogostoria whose Marchants agreed with the Marchants of our shippe and so laded al the marchandise of our shippe into the said ships of London who tooke vs eight in as passengers and so we came home and within two moneths after our arriuall at London our said Purser Richard Burges and his fellow-rame home also for the which we are bound to praise Almightie God during our liues and as duetie bindeth vs to pray for the preseruation of our most gracious Queene for the great care her Maiestie had ouer vs her poore Subiects in seeking and procuring of our deliuerance aforesaide and also for her honourable priuie Counsell and I especiall for the prosperitie and good estate of the house of the late deceased the right honourable the Earle of Bedford whose honour I must confesse most diligently at the suite of my father now departed traueiled herein for the which I rest continually bounden to him whose soule I doubt not but is already in the heauens in ioy with the Almightie vnto which place he vouchsafe to bring vs all that for our sinnes suffered most vile and shameful death vpon the Crosse there to liue perpetually world without ende Amen The Queenes letters to the Turke 1584. for the restitution of the shippe called the Iesus and the English captiues detained in Tripolie in Barbarie and for certaine other prisoners in Argier ELIZABETHA Deiter maximi vnici coeli terreque conditoris gratia Angliae Franciae Hiberniae Regina fidei Christianae contra omnes omnium inter Christianos degentium ChristÃque nomen falsò profitentium idololatrias inuictissima potentissima defensatrix augustissimo inuictissimóque principi Zultan Murad Can Musulmanici regni dominatori potentissimo imperijque Orientis Monarchae supra omnes soli supremo salutem multos cum summa rerum optimarum affluentia foelices fortunatos annos Augustissime potentissime Imperator biennio iam peracto ad Caesaream vestram Maiestatem scripsimus vt dilectus noster famulus Guilrelmus Harebornus vir ornatissimus pro legato nostro Constantinopoli alijsque Musulmanici imperij ditionibus sublimi vestra authoritate reciperetur simuletiam Angli subditi nostri commercium mercaturam in omnibus illis prouincijs exerceant non minùs liberè quà m Galli Poloni Veneti Germani caeterÃque vestri confoederati qui varias Orientis partes peragrant operam nauantes vt mutuis commercijs coniungatur Oriens cum Occidente Quae priuilegia cum nostris subditis Anglis inuictissima vestra Maiestas literis diplomate suo liberalissimè indulserit facere non potuimus quin quas maximas animus noster capere potest gratias eo nomine ageremus sperantes fore vt haec instiâ—uta commerciorum ratio maximas vtilitates commoda vtrinque tam in imperij vestri ditiones quà m regni nostri prouincias secum adferat Id vt planè fiat cùm nuper subditi nostri nonnulli Tripoli in Barbaria Argellae ab eius loci incolis voluÌ„tatem vestram
because a litle point or corner thereof toucheth the firme lande and therefore may be called Peninsula that is to say almost an Iland Hereupon are builded many houses of the Iewes in respect of the aire This Peninsula is situate betweene two very good ports one of them being much more safe then the other called The old port into the which only the vessels of Barbarie and the sixe Gallies of the Grand Signior deputed for the guard of Alexandria doe enter And this port hath vpon the right hand at the mouth or enterance thereof a castle of small importance and guarded but with fifteene men or thereabouts On the other side of this Iland is the other called The new port which name is not vnfitly giuen vnto it for that in all mens iudgement in times past there hath not beene water there because in the midst of this port where the water is very deepe there are discouered and found great sepulchres and other buildings out of the which are dayly digged with engines Iaspar and Porphyrie stones of great value of the which great store are sent to Constantinople for the ornament of the Mesquitas or Turkish Temples and of other buildings of the Grand Signior Into this port enter all such vessels as traffique to this place This port hath on ech side a castle whereof that vpon the Peninsula is called Faâ—aone vpon the toppe whereof euery night there is a light set in a great lanterne for direction of the ships and for the guard thereof are appointed 200 Ianizaries the other on the other side is but a litle castle kept by 18 men It is certaine that this hauen of Alexandria is one of the chiefest hauens in the world for hither come to traffique people of euery Nation and all sorts of vessels which goe round about the citie It is more inhabited by strangers marchants and Christians then by men of the countrey which are but a few in number Within the citie are fiue Fontechi that is to say one of the Frenchmen where the Consul is resident this is the fairest and most commodious of all the rest Of the other foure two belong to the Venetians one to the Raguseans and the fourth to the Genoueses And all strangers which come to traffique there except the Venetians are vnder the French Consull It is also to be vnderstood that all the Christians dwell within their Fontechi and euery euening at the going downe of the sunne they which are appointed for that office goe about and shut all the gates of the saide Fontechi outward and the Christians shut the same within and so likewise they doe on the Friday which is the Moores and the Turkes Sabboth till their deuotions be expired And by this meanes all parties are secure and voide of feare for in so doing the Christians may sleepe quietly and not feare robbing and the Moores neede not doubt whiles they sleepe or pray that the Christians should make any tumult as in times past hath happened Of the coast of Alexandria ON the side towardes Barbarie along the sea-coast for a great space there is founde neither hold nor any thing worthy of mention but on the other side towards Syria 13 miles from Alexandria standeth a litle castle called Bichier kept by fiftie Turkes which castle is very olde and weake and hath a port which in times past was good but at this present is vtterly decayed and full of sand so that the vessels which come thither dare not come neere the shoare but ride far off into the sea Fortie miles further is Rossetto which is a litle towne without walles and is situate vpon the banke of Nilus three miles from the sea at which place many times they build ships and other vessels for gouernement whereof is appointed a Saniacbey without any other guard it is a place of traffique and the inhabitants are very rich but naughtie varlâ—ts and traytours Further downe along the sea-side and the riuer baâ—ke is another litle castle like vnto the aboue sayde and because the Moores beleeue that Mecca will in short time be conquered by the Christians they holde opinion that the same being lost shall be renued in this place of Rossetto namely that all their prayers vowes and pilgrimages shall be transported to Rossetto as the religious order of Saint Iohn of the Rhodes is translated thence to Malta Further forwarde thirtie miles standes another castle of small importance called Brulles kept continually by fourtie Turkes which hath a good and secure port in forme like to a very great lake or ponde wherein is taken great quantitie of fish which they salt and the marchants of Candie and Cyprus come thither to lade the same and it is greatly esteemed especially of the Candioâ—s who hauing great abundance of wine aduenture abroad to seeke meate fitte for the taste of the sayd wine Distant from Brulles fiue and thirtie miles there is another castle like vnto the aboue sayd kept by an Aga with fourtie men or thereabout More within the laâ—de by the riuers side is Damiata an auncient citie enuironed with walles contayning fiue miles in circuit and but of small strength For the gouernemâ—nt of this place is a Sanjaco with all his housholde and no other companie This citie is very large delightfull and pleasant abounding with gardens and faire fountaines Other fortie miles further is Latma a castle of very small importance and kept as other with fortie Turkes vnder an Aga. In this place is no port but a roade very daungerous and without other habitation Passing this place we enter â—udea But because our intent is to reason simply of the voyage to Mâ—cca we will proceede no further this way but returning to our first way let it suffice to say that â—rom Alexandria to Cairo are two hundred miles in which way I finde nothing woorthie of memorie Of the mightie Citie of Cairo CAiro containeth in circuit eighteene miles being so inhabited and replenished with people that almost it cannot receiue more and therâ—fore they haue begunne to builde nâ—we houses without the citie and about the walles In Cairo are people of all Nations as Christians Armenians Abexins Turkes Moores Iewes Indians Medians Persians Arabians and other sortes of people which resort thither by reason of the great traffique This citie is gouerned by a Basha which ministreth iustice together with the Cadie throughout the whole kingdome Also there are two and twentie Saniackes whose office is onely to ouersee and guarde the kingdome for euery good respect There are also seuen thousand Turkes in pay to wit three thousand Ianizaries and foure thousand horsemen The rest of the people in Cairo are for the most part marchants which goe and come and the remnant are Moores and other base people About two miles from Cairo there is another little Cairo called The olde Cairo which containeth in circuit litle more then tenne miles and the better halfe is not inhabitedâ— but
him vnder water so that he was neuer after seene And for this cause they haue made in sundry places certaine hedges as bankes within the water so that betwixt the hedge and banke of the riuer there remaineth so much water that the women washing may take water without danger at their pleasure This countrey is so fruitfull that it causeth the women as also other creatures to bring foorth one two and oft-times three at a birth Fiue miles southwarde of Cairo is a place called Matarea where the balme is refined and therefore some will say that the trees which beare the balme growe in the said place wherein they are deceiued for the sayde trees growe two dayes iourney from Mecca in a place called Bedrihone which yeeldeth balme in great plenty but saluage wilde and without vertue and therefore the Moores carying the same within litle chests from Bedrihone to Matarea where the trees being replanted be it by vertue of the soyle or the water aire or any other thing whatsoeuer it sufficeth that here they beare the true balme and licour so much in these dayes esteemed of In this place of Matarea there are certaine little houses with most goodly gardens and a chappell of antiquity where the very Moores themselues affirme that the mother of the blessed Christ fleeing from the fury of wicked Herode there saued her selfe with the childe wherein that saying of the Prophet was fulfilled Ex AEgypto vocaâ—i silium meum The which Chappell in the yeare of our Lorde one thousand fiue hundred and foure the Magnifico Daniel Barbaro first Consull of that place went to visite and caused it to be renued and reedified so that in these dayes there resort thither many Christians who oftentimes bring with them a Priest to say masse there Also about an Harquebuz-shotte from Matarea is a spire of great height like to that at Rome and more beautifull to beholde Neere vnto the olde Cairo are yet twelue storehouses of great antiquitie but now very much decayed and these till late dayes serued to keepe corne for behoofe of the kingdome concerning which many are of opinion that the founder hereof was Ioseph the sonne of Iacob for consideration of the seuen deare yeeres Also passing higher vp by the banke of Nilus there is to bee seene a fayre Citie ouerflowed with water the which at such time as Nilus floweth lyeth vnder water but when the water returneth to the marke there plainely appeare princely palaces and stately pillars being of some called Thebes where they say that Pharao was resident Moreouer three dayes iourney higher vp are two great images of speckled marble all whole and some what sunke into the earth being things wonderfull to consider of for the nose of either is two spaâ—nes and an halfe long and the space from one eare to the other conteineth tenne spannes the bodies being correspondent to their heads and grauen in excellent proportion so that they are shapes of maruellous hugenesse and these they call The wife and The daughter of Pharao Of the patriarke of Greece IN Cairo are two Patriarkes one of the Greekes and another of the Iacobites The Greeke Patriarke called Gioechni being about the age of one hundred and thirteene yeeres was a very good and holy man They say that when Soldan Gauri of Egypt reigned there was done this miracle following this good patriarke being enuied at by the Iewes of the countrey for none other cause but for his good workes and holy life it happened I say that being in disputation with certaine of the Hebrewes in presence of the Sultan and reasoning of their lawe and faith it was sayd vnto him by one of these Miscreants sith thou beleeuest in the faith of Christ take and drinke this potion which I will giue thee and if thy Christ be true Messias and true God he will sayd he deliuer thee from daunger To whom the auncient patriarke answered that he was content whereupon that cursed Iewe brought him a cuppe of the most venemous and deadly poyson that could be found which the holy Patriarke hauing perceiued said In the name of the father of the sonne and of the holy Ghost and hauing so sayde he dranke it quite vp which done he tooke a droppe of pure water putting it into that very cup and gaue it vnto the Iewe saying vnto him I in the name of my Christ haue drunke thy poyson and therefore in the name of thy expected Messias drinke this water of mine within thine owne cuppe Whereupon the Iewe tooke the cup out of the hand of the Patriarke and hauing drunke the water within halfe an houre burst a sunder And the Patriarke had none other hurt saue that he became somewhat pale in sight and so remained euer after And this miracle which meriteth to be called no lesse was done to the great commendation of the holy Patriarke in the presence of a thousand persons and namely of the Soldan of Egypt who seeing the despight of the Iewes vnto their owne cost and confusion compelled them to make the conduct which with so many engines commeth into the castle from Nilus aboue mentioned And this triumphant Patriarke not long since was aliue and in perfect health which God continue long time Of the preparation of the Carouan to goe to Mecca AS touching the Carouan which goeth to Mecca it is to be vnderstoode that the Mahumetans obserue a kinde of lent continuing one whole moone and being a moueable ceremonie which sometimes falleth high sometimes lowe in the yeere called in their tongue Ramazan and their feast is called Bairam During this time of lent all they which intende to goe vnto Mecca resort vnto Cairo because that twentie dayes after the feast the Carouan is readie to depart on the voyage and thither resort a great multitude of people from Asia Grecia and Barbaria to goe on this voyage some mooued by deuotion and some for traffiques sake and some to passe away the time Nowe within fewe dayes after the feast they which goe on the voyage depart out of the citie two leagues vnto a place called Birca where they expect the Captaine of the Carouan This place hath a great pond caused by the inundation of Nilus and so made that the camels and other beastes may drinke therein whereof namely of Mules Camels and Dromedaries there are at least fortie thousand and the persons which followe the Carouan euerie yeere are about fiftie thousand fewe more or lesse according to the times Moreouer euery three yeeres they renue the Captaine of the Carouan called in the Arabian tongue Amarilla Haggi that is the Captaine of the Pilgrimes to whom the Grand Signior giueth euery voiage eighteene purses conteyning each of them sixe hundred twentie and fiue ducates of golde and these be for the behoofe of the Carouan and also to doe almes vnto the needfull pilgrimes This Captaine besides other seruingmen which follow him hath also foâ—re Chausi to serue him Likewise he hath
MEdina is a little city of great antiquity containing in circuit not aboue two miles hauing therein but one castle which is olde and weake guarded by an Aga with fifty pieces of artillery but not very good The houses thereof are faire and well situated built of lime and stone and in the midst of the city stands a foure square Mosquita not so great as that of Mecca but more goodly rich and sumptuous in building Within the same in a corner thereof is a tombe built vpon foure pillers with a vault as if it were vnder a pauement which bindeth all the foure pillers together The tombe is so high that it farre exceedeth in heighth the Mosquita being couered with lead and the top all inamelled with golde with an halfe moone vpon the top and within the pauement it is all very artificially wrought with golde Below there are round about very great staires of yron ascending vp vntill the midst of the pillers and in the very midst thereof is buried the body of Mahomet and not in a chest of yron cleauing to the adamant as many affirme that know not the trueth thereof Moreouer ouer the body they haue built a tombe of speckled stone a brace and an halfe high and ouer the same another of Legmame fouresquare in maner of apyramis After this round about the sepulture there hangeth a curtaine of silke which letteth the sight of those without that they cannot see the sepulture Beyond this in the same Mosquita are other two sepulchres couered with greene cloth and in the one of them is buried Fatma the daughter of Mahomet and Alli is buried in the other who was the husband of the sayd Fatma The attendants vpon these sepulchres are fifty eunuches white and tawny neither is it granted to any of them to enter within the tombe sauing to three white eunuches the oldest and best of credit vnto whom it is lawfull to enter but twise in the day to light the lamps and to doe other seruices All the other eunuchs attend without to the seruice of the Mosquita and the other two sepulchres of Fatma and Alli where euery one may go and touch at his pleasure and take of the earth for deuotion as many do Of things without the City WIthout the city and on euery side are most faire gardens with many fountaines of most sweet water infinite pondes abundance of fruit with much honest liuing so that this place is very pleasant and delightfull This city hath three gates one of which is an hospitall caused to be built by Cassachi called the Rose who was wife to Sultan Soliman grandfather to this emperour The sayd hospitall hath nought els woorthy mention saue that it is fairely built and hath large reuenues belonging thereunto and nourisheth many poore people A mile from the city are certaine houses whereof they affirme one to be the same where Mahumet in his life-time dwelt This house hath on euery side very many faire date trees amongst which there are two which grow out of one stocke exceeding high and these they say their Prophet graffed with his owne hand the fruit thereof is alwayes sent to Constantinople to be presented vnto the Grand Signior and is sayd to be that blessed fruit of the Prophet Here vnto the date trees is a faire fountaine of cleere and sweet water the which by a conduct pipe is brought into the city of Medina Also there is a little Mosquita wherein three places are counted holy and greatly reuerenced the first they affirme that their Prophet made his first prayer in after he knew God the second is that whither he went when he would see the holy house of Abraham where when he sate downe to that intent they say the mountaines opened from the toppe to the bottome to shew him the house and after closed againe as before the third holy place is in the midst of the sayd Mosquita whereis a tombe made of lime and stone fouresquare and full of sand wherein they say was buried that blessed camell which Mahumet was alwayes woont to ride vpon On the other side of the city are other tombes of holy Mahumetans and euery one of them hath a tombe built vpon foure pillers amongst which three were the companions of Mahumet to wit Abubacar Ottoman and Omar all which are visited of the pilgrims as holy places The offering of the vestures vnto the sepulchres THe Carouan being come to Medina two houres before day and resting there till the euening the captaine then with his company and other pilgrims setteth forward with the greatest pompe possible and taking with him the vesture which is made in maner of a pyramis with many other of golde and silke departeth going thorow the midst of the city vntill he come to the Mosquita where hauing praied he presenteth vnto the tâ—mbe of his prophet where the eunuchs receiuing hands are ready the vesture for the sayd tombe and certaine eunuchs entring in take away the old vesture and lay on the new burning the olde one and diuiding the golde thereof into equall portions After this are presented other vestures for the ornament of the Mosquita Also the people without deliuer vnto the eunuchs ech man somewhat to touch the tombe therewith which they keepe as a relique with great deuotion This ceremony being ended the captaine resteth in Medina two dayes to the end the pilgrims may finish their deuotion and ceremonies and after they depart to Iambor A good dayes iourney thence is a steepe mountaine ouer which is no passage sauing by one narrow path called Demir Capi which was in times past called the yron gate Of this gate the Mahumetans say that Ally the companion and sonne in law of Mahumet being here pursued by many Christians and comming vnto this mountaine not seeing any way whereby to flee drew out his sword and striking the said mountaine diuided it in sunder and passing thorow saued his life on the other side Moreouer this Alli among the Persians is had in greater reuerence then Mahumet who affirme that the sayd Alli hath done greater things and more miraculous then Mahumet and therefore they esteeme him for God almighty his fellow But to returne to our matter the captaine with the carouan within two dayes after returneth for Cairo and comming to Ezlem findeth there a captaine with threescore horses come thither to bring refreshments to the said captaine of the pilgrimage as also to sell vnto the pilgrims some victuals From thence they set forward and comming to Birca within two leagues of Cairo there is the master of the house of the Bassha of Cairo with all his horsemen come thither to receiue him with a sumptuous and costly banket made at the cost of the Basha for the captaine and his retinue who after he is well refreshed departeth toward the castle of Cairo to salute the Basha who receiuing him with great ioy and gladnesse in token of good wil presenteth him with a garment of
of Pepper and then she goeth to Cochin to take in the rest and from thence to Cao Comori is seuentie and two miles and there endeth the coast of the Indies and alongst this coast neere to the water side and also to Cao Comori downe to the lowe land of Chilao which is about two hundred miles the people there are as it were all turned to the Christian faith there are also Churches of the Friers of S. Pauls order which Friers doe very much good in those places in turning the people and in conuerting them and take great paines in instructing them in the law of Christ. The fishing for Pearles THe Sea that lieth betweene the coast which descendeth from Cao Comori to the lowe land of Chilao and the Iland Zeilan they call the fishing of Pearles which fishing they make euery yeere beginning in March or Aprill and it lasteth fiftie dayes but they doe not fishe euery yeere in one place but one yeere in one place and another yeere in another place of the same sea When the time of this fishing draweth neere then they send very good Diuers that goe to discouer where the greatest heapes of Oisters bee vnder water and right agaynst that place where greatest store of Oisters bee there they make or plant a village with houses and a Bazaro all of stone which standeth as long as the fishing time lasteth and it is furnished with all things necessarie and nowe and then it is neere vnto places that are inhabited and other times farre off according to the place where they fishe The Fishermen are all Christians of the countrey and who so will may goe to fishing paying a certaine dutie to the king of Portugall and to the Churches of the Friers of Saint Paule which are in that coast All the while that they are fishing there are three or foure Fostes armed to defend the Fishermen from Rouers It was my chance to bee there one time in my passage and I saw the order that they vsed in fishing which is this There are three or foure Barkes that make consort together which are like to our litle Pilot boates and a litle lesse there goe seuen or eight men in a boate and I haue seene in a morning a great number of them goe out and anker in fifteene or eighteene fadome of water which is the Ordinarie depth of all that coast When they are at anker they cast a rope into the Sea and at the ende of the rope they make fast a great stone and then there is readie a man that hath his nose and his eares well stopped and annointed with oyle and a basket about his necke or vnder his left arme then hee goeth downe by the rope to the bottome of the Sea and as fast as he can hee filleth the basket and when it is full he shaketh the rope and his fellowes that are in the Barke hale him vp with the basket and in such wise they goe one by one vntill they haue laden their barke with oysters and at euening they come to the village and then euery company maketh their mountaine or heape of oysters one distant from another in such wise that you shall see a great long rowe of mountaines or heapes of oysters and they are not touched vntill such time as the fishing bee ended and at the ende of the fishing euery companie sitteth round about their mountaine or heape of oysters and fall to opening of them which they may easilie doe because they bee dead drie and brittle and if euery oyster had pearles in them it would bee a very good purchase but there are very many that haue no pearles in them when the fishing is ended then they see whether it bee a good gathering or a badde there are certaine expert in the pearles whom they call Chitini which set and make the price of pearles according to their carratts beautie and goodnesse making foure sortes of them The first sort bee the round pearles and they be called Aia of Portugale because the Portugales doe buy them The second forte which are not round are called Aia of Bengala The third sort which are not so good as the second they call Aia of Canara that is to say the kingdome of Bezeneger The fourth and last sort which are the least and worst sort are called Aia of Cambaia Thus the price being set there are merchants of euery countrey which are readie with their money in their handes so that in a fewe dayes all is bought vp at the prises set according to the goodnesse and caracts of the pearles In this Sea of the fishing of pearles is an Iland called Manar which is inhabited by Christians of the countrey which first were Gentiles and haue a small hold of the Portugales being situate ouer agaynst Zeilan and betweene these two Ilands there is a chanell but not very big and hath but a small depth therein by reason whereof there cannot any great shippe passe that way but small ships and with the increase of the water which is at the change or the full of the Moone and yet for all this they must vnlade them and put their goods into small vessels to lighten them before they can passe that way for feare of Sholdes that lie in the chanell and after lade them into their shippes to goe for the Indies and thisâ— doe all small shippes that passe that way but those shippes that goe for the Indies Eastwardes passe by the coast of Coromandel on the other side by the land of Chilao which is betweene the firme land and the Iland Manor and going from the Indies to the coast of Coromandel they loose some shippes but they bee emptie because that the shippes that passe that way discharge their goods at an Iland called Peripatane and there land their goods into small flat bottomed boates which drawe litle water and are called Tane and can run ouer euery Shold without either danger or losse of any thing for that they tarrie in Peripatane vntill such time as it bee faire weather Before they depart to passe the Sholdes the small shippes and flat bottomed boates goe together in companie and when they haue sailed sixe and thirtie miles they arriue at the place where the Sholdesare and at that place the windes blowe so forciblie that they are forced to goe thorowe not hauing any other refuge to saue themselues The flat bottomed boates goe safe thorow where as the small shippes if they misse the aforesayd chanell sticke fast on the Sholdes and by this meanes many are lost and comming backe from the Indies they goe not that way but passe by the chanell of Manar as is abouesayd whose chanell is Oazie and if the shippes sticke fast it is great chance if there be any danger at all The reason why this chanell is not more sure to goe thither is because the windes that raigne or blowe betweene Zeilan and Manar make the chanell so shalow with water that
onely Italians which dayly traffique ouer land and vse continuall trade going and comming that way The voyage of M. Iohn Eldred to Trypolis in Syria by sea and from thence by land and riuer to Babylon and Balsara 1583. I Departed out of London in the ship called the Tiger in the company of M. Iohn Newbery M. Ralph Fitch and sixe or seuen other honest marchants vpon Shroue munday 1583 and arriued in Tripolis of Syria the first day of May next insuing at our landing we went on Maying vpon S. Georges Iland a place where Christians dying aboord the ships are woont to be buried In this city our English marchants haue a Consull and our nation abide together in one house with him called Fondeghi Ingles builded of stone square in maner like a Cloister euery man hath his seuerall chamber as it is the vse of all other Christians of seuerall nations This towne standeth vnder a part of the mountaine of Libanus two English miles distant from the port on the side of which port trending in forme of an halfe Moone stand fiue blocke houses or small forts wherein is some very good artillery and the forts are kept with about an hundred Ianisaries Right before this towne from the seaward is a banke of mouing sand which gathereth and increaseth with the Westerne winds in such sort that according to an olde prophesie among them this banke is like to swallow vp ouerwhelme the towne for euery yere it increaseth and eateth vp many gardens although they vse all policy to diminish the same and to make it firme ground The city is about the bignesse of Bistow and walled about though the walles be of no great force The chiefe strength of the place is in a Citadell which standeth on the South side within the walles and ouerlooketh the whole towne and is strongly kept with two hundred Ianisaries and good artillery A riuer passeth thorow the midst of the city where with they water their gardens and mulbery trees on which there grow abundance of silke wormes wherewith they make great quantity of very white silke which is the chiefest naturall commodity to be found in and about this place This rode is more frequented with Christian marchants to wit Uenetians Genouois Florentines Marsilians Sicilians Raguses and lately with English men then any other port of the Turks dominions From Tripolis I departed the 14 of May with a carauan passing three dayes ouer the ridge of mount Libanus at the end whereof we arriued in a city called Hammah which standeth on a goodly plaine replenished with corne cotton wooll On these mountaines which we passed grow great quantity of gall trees which are somewhat like our okes but lesser and more crooked on the best tree a man shall not finde aboue a pound of galles This towne of Hammah is fallen and falleth more and more to decay and at this day there is scarse one halfe of the wall standing which hath bene very strong and faire but because it cost many mens liues to win it the Turke will not haue it repaired and hath written in the Arabian tongue ouer the castle gate which standeth in the midst of the towne these words Cursed be the father and the sonne that shall lay their hands to the repairing hereof Refreshing our selues one day here we passed forward with camels three dayes more vntill we came to Aleppo where we arriued the 21 of May. This is the greatest place of traffique for a dry towne that is in all those parts for hither resort Iewes Tartarians Persians Armenians Egyptians Indians and many sorts of Christians and inioy freedome of their consciences and bring thither many kinds of rich marchandises In the middest of this towne also standeth a goodly castle raised on high with a garison of foure or fiue hundred Ianisaries Within some miles round about are goodly gardens and vineyards and trees which beare goodly fruit neere vnto the riuers side which is but small the walles are about three English miles in compasse but the suburbs are almost as much more The towne is greatly peopled We departed from thence with our camels the last of May with M. Iohn Newbery and his company and came to Birrah in three dayes being a small towne situated vpon the riuer Euphrates where it beginneth first to take his name being here gathered into one chanell whereas before it commeth downe in manifolde branches and therefore is called by the people of the countrey by a name which signifieth a thousand heads Here is plenty of victuals wherof we all furnished our selues for a long iourney downe the aforesayd riuer And according to the maner of those that trauell downe by water we prepared a small barke for the conueyance of our selues and of our goods These boats are flat bottomed because the riuer is shallow in many places and when men trauell in the moneth of Iuly August and September the water being then at the lowest they are constrained to cary with them a spare boat or two to lighten their owne boats if they chance to fall on the sholds We were eight and twenty dayes vpon the water betweene Birrah and Felugia where we disimbarked our selues and our goods Euery night after the Sun setteth we tie our barke to a stake go on land to gather sticks and set on our pot with rice or brused wheat and hauing supped the marchants lie aboord the barke and the mariners vpon the shores side as nere as they can vnto the same In many places vpon the riuers side we met with troops of Arabians of whom we bought milke butter egges and lambs and gaue them in barter for they care not for money glasses combes corall amber to hang about their armes and necks and for churned milke we gaue them bread and pomgranat peeles wherewith they vse to tanne their goats skinnes which they churne withall Their haire apparell and colour are altogether like to those vagabond Egyptians which heretofore haue gone about in England Their women all without exception weare a great round ring in one of their nostrels of golde siluer or yron according to their ability and about their armes and smalles of their legs they haue hoops of golde siluer or yron All of them aswel women and children as men are very great swimmers and often times swimming they brought vs milke to our barke in vessels vpon their heads These people are very theeuish which I proued to my cost for they stole a casket of mine with things of good value in the same from vnder my mans head as he was asleepe and therefore trauellers keepe good watch as they passe downe the riuer Euphrates at Birrah is about the breadth of the Thames at Lambeth and in some places narrower in some broader it runneth very swiftly almost as fast as the riuer of Trent it hath diuers sorts of fish in it but all are scaled some
backe to Cochin and if they cannot fetch Cochin they returne to Malacca The monson from Goa to the Moluccaes The ships depart about the 10 or 15 of May which time being past the shippes can not passe ouer the barre of Goa for the cause abouesaid The monson of the ships of the Moluccaes arriuall in Goa The ships which come from the Moluccaes arriue vpon the bar of Goa about the 15 of April The monsons of the Portingall ships for the Indies The ships which come from Portugall depart thence ordinarily betwixt the tenth fifteenth of March comming the straight way during the moneth of Iuly to the coast of Melinde and Mosambique and from thence goe straight for Goa and if in the moneth of Iuly they should not be at the coast of Melinde they can in no wise that yeere fetch Melinde but returne to the Isle of Saint Helena and so are not able that time being past to fetch the coast of India and to come straight for Goa Therefore as is abouesaid they returne to the Island of Saint Helena and if they cannot make the said Island then they runne as lost vpon the coast of Guinea but if the said ships be arriued in time vpon the coast of Melinde they set forwardes for Goa and if by the fifteenth of September they cannot fetch Goa they then goe for Cochin but if they see they cannot fetch Cochin they returne to Mosambique to winter there vpon the sayd coast Albeit in the yeere of our Lord 1580 there arriued the ship called San Lorenzo being wonderfull sore sea-beaten the eight of October which was accounted as a myracle for that the like had not bene seene before The monson from India for Portugall The shippes depart from Cochin betweene the fifteenth and last of Ianuary going on till they haue sight of Capo de buona speranza and the Isle of Saint Helena which Islande is about the midway being in sixteene degrees to the South And it is a litle Island being fruitfull of all things which a man can imagine with great store of fruit and this Island is a great succour to the shipping which returne for Portugall And not long since the said Island was found by the Portugales and was discouered by a shippe that came from the Indies in a great storme in which they found such abundance of wilde beastes and boares and all sort of fruite that by meanes thereof that poore ship which had beene foure moneths at sea refreshed themselues both with water and meate very well and this Island they called S. Helena because it was discouered vpon S. Helens day And vndoubtedly this Island is a great succour and so great an ayde to the ships of Portugall that many would surely perish if that helpe wanted And therefore the king of Portugall caused a Church to be made there for deuotion of S. Helena where there are onely resident Eremits and all other are forbidden to inhabite there by the kings commaundement to the ende that the ships may be the more sufficiently furnished with victuals because the ships which come froÌ„ India come but slenderly victualled because there groweth no corne there neither make they any wine but the ships which come from Portugall to the Indies touch not in the sayd Island because they set out being sufficiently furnished with bread and water from Portugall for eight moneths voyage Any other people then the two Eremites abouesaid cannot inhabite this Island except some sicke man that may be set there a shore to remaine in the Eremites companie for his helpe and recouery The monson from Goa to Mosambique The ships depart betwixt the 10 and 15 of Ianuarie The monson from Mosambique to Goa The ships depart betweene the 8 and last of August and arriue in Chaul or Goa in the moneth of October till the 15 of Nouember The monson from Ormus to Bengala The ships depart betwixt the 15 and 20 of Iune and goe to winter at Teue and depart thence about the 15 of August for Bengala The voyage passed by sea into Aegypt by Iohn Euesham Gentleman Anno 1586. THe 5 of December 1586 we departed from Grauesend in the Tâ—ger of London wherein was Master vnder God for the voyage Robert Rickman and the 21. day at night we came to the Isle of Wight departing from thence in the morning following we had a faire winde so that on the 27 day wee came in sight of the rocke of Lisbone and so sayling along we came in sight of the South Cape the 29 of the same and on the morrowe with a Westerly winde we entred the straights and the second of Ianuary being as high as Cape de Gate we departed from our fleete towards Argier And the 4 day we arriued at the port of Argier aforesaid where we staied till the first of March At which time we set saile towardes a place called Tunis to the Eastward of Argier 100 leagues where we arriued the 8 of the same This Tunis is a small citie vp 12 miles from the sea and at the port or rode where shipping doe ride is a castle or fort called Goletta sometimes in the handes of the Christians but now of the Turkes at which place we remained till the third of Aprill at which time wee set saile towardes Alexandria and hauing sometime faire windes sometime contrary we passed on the 12 day betweene Sicilia and Malta where neere adioyning hath beene the fort and holde of the knights of the Rhodes and so the 19 day we fell with the Isle of Candy and from thence to Alexandria where we arriued the 27 of April and there continued till the 5 of October The said citie of Alexandria is an old thing decayed or ruinated hauing bene a faire and great citie neere two miles in length being all vauted vnderneath for prouision of fresh water which water commeth thither but once euery yeere out of one of the foure riuers of paradise as it is termed called Nilus which in September floweth neere eighteene foote vpright higher then his accustomed manner and so the banke being cut as it were a sluce about thirty miles from Alexandria at a towne called Rossetto it doth so come to the saide Citie with such aboundance that barkes of twelue tunne doe come vpon the same water which water doth fill all the vaâ—ts cesternes and wels in the said Citie with very good water and doth so continue good till the next yeere following for they haue there very litle raine or none at all yet haue they exceeding great dewes Also they haue very good corne and very plentifull all the Countrey is very hot especially in the moneths of August September and October Also within the saide Citie there is a pillar of Marble called by the Turkes King Pharaoes needle it is foure square euery square is twelue foote and it is in height 90 foote Also there is without the wals of the said Citie about twentie score
they were come within 3. English miles of the towne and made after them in all possible haste and although they saw that they were farre out of their reach yet in a vaine fury and foolish pride they shot off their Ordinance and made a stirre in the Sea as if they had bene in the midst of them which vanitie of theirs ministred to our men notable matter of pleasure and mirth seeing men to fight with shadowes and to take so great paines to so small purpose But thus it pleased God to deride and delude all the forces of the proud Spanish king which he had prouided of purpose to distresse the English who notwithstanding passed through both his Armies in the one little hurt and in the other nothing touched to the glory of his immortall Name the honour of our Prince and Countrey and the iust commendation of ech mans seruice performed in that voyage The returne of Master VVilliam Harborne from Constantinople ouer land to London 1588. I Departed from Constantinople with 30. persons of my suit and family the 3. of August Passing through the Countries of Thracia now called Romania the great Valachia Moldauia where ariuing the 5. of September I was according to the Grand Signior his commandement very courteously interteined by Peter his positiue prince a Greeke by profession with whom was concluded that her Maiesties subiects there trafiquing should pay but three vpon the hundreth which as well his owne Subiects as all other nations answere whose letters to her Maiestie be extant Whence I proceeded into Poland where the high Chanceler sent for mee the 27. of the same moneth And after most honorable intertainment imparted with me in secret maner the late passed and present occurrents of that kingdome also he writ to her Maiestie Thence I hasted vnto Elbing where the 12. of October I was most friendly welcomed by the Senate of that City whom I finde and iudge to be faithfully deuoted to her Maiesties seruice whose letters likewise vnto the same were presented me No lesse at Dantzik the 27. of that moneth I was courteously receiued by one of the Buroughmasters accompanied with two others of the Senate a Ciuil doctor their Secretarie After going through the land of Pomer I rested one day at Stetin where for that y â— duke was absent nothing ensued At Rostoke I passed through the Citie without any stay and at Wismar receiued like friendly greeting as in the other places but at Lubeck for that I came late and departed early in the morning I was not visited At Hamburg the 19. of Nouember and at Stoad the ninth of December in like maner I was saluted by a Boroughmaster and the Secretarie and in all these places they presented mee sundry sorts of their best wine and fresh fish euery of them with a long discourse congratulating in the names of their whole Senate her Maiesties victory ouer the Spaniard and my safe returne concluding with offer of their ready seruice to her future disposing Yet the Dantziks after my departure thence caused the Marchants to pay custome for the goods they brought with them in my company which none other towne neither Infidels nor Christians on y â— way euer demanded And notwithstanding the premisses I was most certainly informed of sundry of our nation there resident that most of the Hanse-towns vpon the sea coasts especially Dantzik Lubeck and Hamborough haue laden and were shipping for Spaine great prouision of corne cables ropes powder saltpeter hargubusses armour iron leade copper and all other munition seruing for the warre Whereupon I gather their fained courtesie proceeded rather for feare then of any good affection vnto her Maiesties seruice Elbing and Stoad onely excepted which of duetie for their commoditie I esteemed well affected The priuilege of Peter the Prince of Moldauia graunted to the English Marchants PEtrus Dei gratia princeps Valachiae Moldauiae significamus praesentibus vniuersis singulis quorum interest ac intererit quòd cum magnifico domino Guilielmo Hareborne oratore Serenissimae ac potentissimae dominae dominae Elizabethae Dei gratia Angliae Franciae ac Hiberniae Reginae apud Serenissimum ac potentissimum Turcarum Imperatorem hanc constitutionem fecerimus Nimirùm vt dehinc sue Serenitatis subditis omnibusqúe mercatoribus integrum sit hìc in prouincia nostra commorandi conuersandi mercandi vendendi contrahendÃque imo omnia exercendi quae mercaturae ac vitae humanae societas vÃusqúe requirit sine vlla alicuius contradictione aut inhibitione saluo ac integro tamen iure Telonij nostri hocest vt a singulis rebus centum ducatorum pretij tres numerent Quod ratum ac fitmum constitutione nostra haberi volumus In cuius rei firmius testimonium sigillum nostrum appressum est Actum in castris nostris die 27. mensis Augusti anno Domini 1588. The same in English PEter by the grace of God prince of Valachia and Moldauia we signifie by these presents to all and singuler persons whom it doth or shall concerne that we haue made this agreement with the worthy gentleman William Hareborne Ambassador of the right high and mighty prince the Lady Elizabeth by the grace of God Queene of England France and Ireland with the most puissant and mightie Emperour of the Turkes To witte that fromhencefoorth it shal be lawfull for her highnesse subiects and all her Marchants to remaine conuerse buy sel bargaine and exercise all such things as the trade of marchandise and humane societie and vse requireth without any hinderance or let the right of our Custome alwayes reserued That is that they pay three ducats vpon all such things as amount to the price of one hundred ducats Which by this our ordinance we command to be surely and firmely obserued For the more assured testimony whereof our seale is hereunto annexed Giuen in our Campe the 27. of the moneth of August in the yeere of our Lord 1588. A briefe extract specifying the certaine dayly paiments answered quarterly in time of peace by the Grand Signior out of his Treasurie to the Officers of his Seraglio or Court successiuely in degrees collected in a yeerely totall summe as followeth FOr his owne diet euery day one thousand and one aspers according to a former custome receiued from his auncestors notwithstanding that otherwise his diurnall expence is very much and not certainly knowen which summe maketh sterling money by the yere two thousand one hundred 92. pounds three shillings eight pence The fiue and fourtie thousand Ianizaries dispersed in sundry places of his dominions at sixe aspers the day amounteth by the yeere to fiue hundreth fourescore and eleuen thousand and three hundreth pounds The Azamoglans tribute children farre surmount that number for that they are collected from among the Christians from whom betweene the yeeres of sixe and twelue they are pulled away yeerely perforce whereof I suppose those in seruice may be equall in number
and onely libertie vse and priuiledge of trading and traffiking and vsing feate of marchandise by and through the Leuant seas otherwise called the Mediterran seas into and from the sayd dominions of the Grand Signor and dominions of the state of Venice and by and through the sayd Grand Signiors dominions to and from such other places in the East Indies discouered as aforesayd And that they the sayd Gouernour and companie of marchants of the Leuant and euery particular and seuerall person of that companie their and euery one of their seruants factors and deputies shall haue full and free authoritie libertie facultie licence and power to trade and trafficke by and through the sayd Leuant seas into and from all and euery the sayd dominions of the sayde Grand Signor and the dominions of the state of Venice and the sayde Indies and into and from all places where by occasion of the sayd trade they shall happen to arriue or come whither they be Christians Turkes Gentiles or others And by and through the sayd Leuant seas into and from all other seas riuers portes regions territories dominions coastes and places with their ships barkes pinases and other vessels and with such mariners and men as they will leade or haue with them or sende for the sayde trade as they shall thinke good at their owne proper costes and expenses And for that the shippes sayling into the sayde Countreyes must take their due and proper times to proceede in these voyages which otherwise as wee well perceiue can not be performed in the rest of the yeere following Therefore we of our speciall grace certaine knowledge and meere motion for vs our heyres and successors doe graunt to and with the sayd Gouernour and companie of Marchantes of the Leuant that foure good shippes well furnished with ordinance and other munition for their defence and two hundred marriners English men to guide and sayle in the same foure shippes at all times during the sayde twelue yeeres shall quietly bee permitted and suffered to depart and goe in the sayde voyages according to the purport of these presents without any stay or contradiction by vs our heyres and successors or by the Lorde high Admirall or any other officer or subiect of vs our heires or successours in any wise Any restraint lawe statuâ—e vsage or matter whatsoeuer to the contrarie notwithstanding Prouided neuerthelesse that if wee shall at any time within the sayde twelue yeeres haue iust cause to arme our Nauie in warrelike manner in defence of our Realme or for offence of our enemies and that it shall be founde needefull and conuenient for vs to ioyne to our Nauie the shippes of our subiects to be also armed for warres to such number as cannot bee supplied if the sayd foure shippes should be permitted to depart as aboue is mentioned then vpon knowledge giuen by vs or our Admirall to the sayde Gouernour or companie about the fifteenth day of the moneth of March or three monethes before the saide companie shall beginne to make readie the same foure shippes that we may not spare the sayd foure ships and the marriners requisite for them to be out of our Realme during the time that our Nauie shall be vpon the seas that then the sayde compâ—nie shall forbeare to send such foure shippes for their trade of marchandise vntill that we shall retake our sayd Nauie from the sayd seruice And further our will and pleasure is and wee doe by these presentes graunt that it shall be lawfull to and for the sayd Gouernour and companie of Marchantes of the Leuant to haue and vse in and about the affaires of the sayde companie a common seale for matters concerning the sayde companie and trade And that also it shall be lawfull for the Marchants Mariners and Sea-men which shall be vsed and imployed in the sayde trade and voyage to set and place in the toppes of their ships or other vessels the Armes of England with the redde-crosse in white ouer the same as heretofore they haue vsed And we of our further Royall fauour and of our especiall grace certaine knowledge and meere motion haue graunted and by these presents for vs our heyres and successors doe graunt to the sayd Gouernour and companie of Marchants of the Leuant that the sayde landes territories and dominions of the sayde Grand Signor or the dominions of the Signiorie of Venice or any of them within the sayde Leuant or Mediterran seas shall not be visited frequented or haunted by the sayde Leuant sea by way of marchandize by any other our subiects during the saide terme of twelue yeeres contrarie to the true meaning of these presentes And by vertue of our prerogatiue Royall which wee will not in that behalfe haue argued or brought in question wee straightly charge commaunde and prohibite for vs our heyres and successours all our subiects of what degree or qualitie soeuer they bee that none of them directly or indirectly doe visite haunt frequent trade trafike or aduenture by way of marchandise into or from any of the sayd dominions of the sayd Grand Signor or the dominions of the saide Segniorie of Venice by or through the sayde Leuant sea other then the sayd Gouernour and companie of marchants of the Leuant and such particular persons as be or shall be of that companie their factors agents seruants and assignes And further for that wee plainely vnderstande that the States and Gouernours of the citie and Segniorie of Venice haue of late time set and raysed a newe impost and charge ouer and besides their auncient impost custome and charge of and vpou all manner of marchandize of our Realme brought into their dominions and also of and vpon all marchandise caried or laden from their sayd Countrey or dominions by our subiects or in the ships or bottoms of any of our subiectes to the great and intollerable charge and hinderance of our sayd subiects trading thither wee therefore minding the redresse thereof doe also by these presents for vs our heires and successors further straightly prohibite and forbid not onely the subiects of the sayde State and Segniorie of Venice but also of all other Nations or Countries whatsoeuer other then the sayd Gouernour and companie of marchants of the Leuant and such onely as be or shall be of that companie their factors agents seruantes and assignes That they or any of them during the sayde terme of twelue yeeres shall bring or cause to be brought into this our Realme of Englande or any part thereof anie manner of small fruites called corrants being the raysins of Corinth or wine of Candie vnlesse it be by and with the licence consent and agreement of the sayde Gouernour and companie in writing vnder their sayd common seale first had and obteyned vpon paine vnto euery such person and persons that shall trade and traffike into any the sayde dominions of the State and Segniorie of Venice by sea or that shall bring or cause to be brought into our saide
at the ende of this discourse hereunto annexed which letter and present with one from the grand Signor was sent by M. Edward Bushell and M. William Aldridge ouer-land the 20 of March who passed through Vâ—lachia and Moldauia so through Poland where Michael prince of Valachia and Aron Voiuoda prince of Moldauia receiuing letters from the ambassador entertained theÌ„ with al curtesie through whose meanes by the great fauour which his lordship had with the grand Signior they had not long before both of them bene aduanced to their princely â—ignities Hee likewise presented Sigala the Admirall of the Seas with Abâ—im Bassa who maried the great Turkes daughter and all the other Uizirs with diuers pieces of plate fine English cloth other costly things the particulars whereof to auoid tediousnesse I omit All the presents thus ended the ship shooting ten pieces of ordinance at the Seraglio point as a last farewell departed on her iourney for England the first of Nouember my selfe continuing in Constantinople vntill the last of Iuly after This yere in the spring there was great preparation for the Hungarian wars and the great Turke threatened to goe himselfe in person but like Hellogabalus his affections being more seruiceable to Venus then to Mars he stayed at home Yet a great army was dispatched this yere who as they came out of Asia to goe for Hungary did so pester the streets of Constantinople for the space of two moneths in the spring time as scarse either Christian or Iew could without danger of losing his money passe vp and downe the city What insolencies murders and robberies were committed not onely vpon Christians but also vpon Turks I omit to write and I pray God in England the like may neuer be seene and yet I could wish that such amongst vs as haue inioyed the Gospel with such great and admirable peace and prosperity vnder her Maiesties gouernment this forty yeeres and haue not all this time brought forth better fruits of obedience to God and thankfulnesse to her Maiesty were there but a short time to beholde the miserable condition both of Christians and othere liuing vnder such an infidell prince who not onely are wrapped in most palpable grosse ignorance of mind but are cleane without the meanes of the true knowledge of God I doubt not but the sight hereof if they be not cleane void of grace would stirre them vp to more thankefulnesse to God that euer they were borne in so happy a time and vnder so wise and godly a prince professing the true religion of Christ. The number of souldiours which went to the warres of Hungary this yere were 470000 as by the particulars giuen by the Admirall to the Ambassadour hereunder do appeare Although all these were appointed and supposed to goe yet the victories which the Christians in the spring had against the Turks strooke such a terrour in many of the Turkish souldiours as by report diuers vpon the way thither left their Captaines and stole away The number of Turkish souldiers which were appointed to goe into Hungary against the Christian Emperour May 1594. SInan Bassa generall with the Saniacke masould that is out of office with the other Saniackâ— in office or of degree 40000. Achmigi that is Aduenturers 50000. The Agha or Captaine with his Ianisaries and his Giebegies 20000. The Beglerbeg of Graecia with all his Saniacks 40000. The company of Spaheis or horsemen 10000â— The company of Silitari 6000. The company of Sagbulue and of Solbulue both together 8000. The Bassa of Belgrad 80000. The Bassa of Temiswâ—r 80000. The Bassa of Bosna 80000. The Bassa of Buda 80000. The Saniack of Gersech 80000. Out of Asia The Bassa of Caramania 120000. The Bassa of Laras 120000. The Bassa of Damasco 120000. The Bassa of Suas 120000. The Bassa of Van or Nan. 120000. The Bassa of Vsdrum 120000. Of Tartars there be about 100000. Thus you may see that the great Turke maketh warre with no small numbers And in anno 1597 when Sultan Mahâ—met himselfe went in person into Hungary if a man may beleeue reports he had an army of .600000 For the city of Constantinople you shall vnderstand that it is matchable with any city in Europe aswell in bignesse as for the pleasant situation thereof and commodious traffike and bringing of all maner of necessary prouision of victuals and whatsoeuer els mans life for the sustentation thereof shall require being seated vpon a promontory looking toward Pontus Euxinus vpon the Northeast and to Proponâ—s on the Southwest by which two seas by shipping is brought great store of all maner of victuals The city it selfe in forme representeth a triangular figure the sea washing the walles vpon two sides thereof the other side faceth the continent of Thracia the grand Signiors seraglio standeth vpon that point which looketh into the sea being cut off from the city by a wall so that y e wall of his pallace conteineth in circuit about two English miles the seuen towers spoken of before stand at another corner Constantines olde pallace to the North at the third corner The city hath a threefolde wall about it the innermost very high the next lower then that and the third a countermure and is in circuit about ten English miles it hath foure and twenty gates and when the empire was remooued out of the West into the East it was inriched with many spoiles of olde Rome by Vespasian and other emperours hauing many monuments and pillars in it worthy the obseruation amongst the rest in the midst of Constantinople standeth one of white marble called Vespasians pillar of 38 or 40 yards high which hath from the base to the top proportions of men in armour fighting on horsebacke it is likewise adorned with diuers goodly buildings stately Mesquitas whereof the biggest is Sultan Solimans a great warriour which liued in the time of Charles the fifth but the fairest is Santa Sophia which in the time of the Christian emperours was the chiefe cathedrall church and is still in greatest account with the great Turke it is built round like other Greekish churches the pauements and walles be all of marble it hath beneath 44 pillars of diuers coloured marble of admirable heigth and bignesse which stand vpon great round feet of brasse much greater then the pillars and of a great heigth some ten yards distant from the wall from which vnto these pillars is a great gallery built which goeth round about the church and vpon the outside of the gallery stand 66 marble pillars which beare vp the round roofe being the top of the church it hath three pulpits or preaching places and about 2000 lampes brought in by the Turke Likewise vpon one side in the top is the picture of Christ with the 12 Apostles but their faces are defaced with two or three ancient tombs of Christians to the West sticketh an arrow in the toppe of the church which as the
then dogges would wage them against a grayhound or spaniell and he who woon the wager should euer after holde them as his proper goods and chattels to do with them as he listed being Christians aswell as themselues if they may deserue so good a name As they behaued themselues most vnchristianly toward their brethren so and much more vngodly which I should haue put in the first place did they towards God for as though they were too great standing on foot or kneeling to serue God they would come riding on horsebacke into the church to heare their masse which church now is made a publike basistane or market place for the Turkes to sell commodities in but beholde the iudgement of the righteous God who payeth the sinner measure for measure The Turkes the yeere before the ouerthrowe giuen them at Lepanto by Don Iohn tooke Cyprus These mighty Nimrods fled some into holes some into mountaines to hide themselues whereupon the Turkes made generall proclamation that if they would all come in and yeeld themselues they would restore them to their former reuenues and dignities who not mistrusting the mischieuous pretense of the Turkes assembled together to make themselues knowen whom after the Turkes had in possession they as the Lords executioners put them with their wiues and children all to the sword pretending thereby to cut off all future rebellion so that at this day is not one of the noble race knowen aliue in the Iland onely two or three remaine in Venice but of litle wealth which in the time of the warres escaped After we had stayed in this Iland some thirty dayes we set saile in the foresayd shippe being about the burthen of 900 tunnes hauing in her passingers of diuers nations as Tartars Persians Iewes and sundry Christians Amongst all which I had often conference with a Iew who by reason of his many yeeres education at Saset a place in Iudea neere Ierusalem where they study the Rabbines with some other arts as they thinke good as also for his trauels into Persia and Ormus he seemed to be of good experience in matters abroad who related vnto me such conference as he had with a Bamane at Ormus being one of the Indians inhabiting the countrey of Cambaia This Baniane being a Gentile had skill in Astronomie as many of that nation haue who by his books written in his owne tongue and Characters could tell the time of Eclipses both of Sunne and Moone with the Change and Full and by iudgement in Astrologie gaue answere to any question demanded Being asked concerning his opinion in religion what he thought of God He made answere that they held no other god but the sun to which planet they pray both at the rising and setting as I haue seene sundry doe in Aleppo his reason was drawen from the effects which it worketh in giuing light to the moone other starres and causing all things to grow and encrease vpon the earth answere was made that it did mooue with the rest as the wheeles of a clocke and therefore of force must haue a moouer Likewise in the Eclipse being darkened it is manifestly prooued that it is not god for God is altogether goodnesse and brightnesse which can neither be darkened nor receiue detriment or hurt but the Sun receiueth both in the Eclipse as it is apparant to which hee could not answere but so they had receiued from their ancestors that it was without beginning or ende as in any Orbicular or round body neither beginning or end could be found He likewise saydâ— that there were other Gentiles in y e Indies which worship the moone as chiefe and their reason is The moone when she riseth goeth with thousands of starres accompanied like a king and therefore is chiefe but the Sunne goeth alone and therefore not so great Against whom the Banianes reason that it is not true because the Moone and starres receiue their light from the Sunne neither doth the Sunne vouchsafe them his company but when he lift and therefore like a mighty prince goeth alone yet they acknowledge the Moone as Queene or Uiceroy Law they hold none but onely seuen precepts which they say were giuen them from their father Noe not knowing Abraham or any other First to honor father and mother secondly not to steale thirdly not to commit adultery fourthly not to kill any thing liuing fiftly not to eate any thing liuing sixtly not to cut their haire seuenthly to go barefoot in their churches These they hold most strictly by no meanes will breake them but he that breaketh one is punished with twenty stripes but for the greatest fault they will kill none neither by a short death nor a long onely he is kept some time in prison with very little meat and hath at the most not aboue twenty or fiue twenty stripes In the yere they haue 16 feasts and then they go to their church where is pictured in a broad table the Sun as we vse to paint it the face of a man with beames round about not hauing any thing els in it At their feast they spot their faces in diuers parts with saffron all yellow and so walke vp and downe the streets and this they doe as a custome They hold there shal be a resurrection and all shall come to iudgâ—ment but the account shal be most streight insomuch that but one of 10000 shal be receiued to fauor and those shall liue againe in this world in great happinesse the rest shal be tormented And because they will escape this iudgement when any man dieth he and his wife be both burnt together euen to ashes and then they are throwen into a riuer and so dispersed as though they had neuer bene If the wife will not burne with her dead husband shee is holden euer after as a whore And by this meanes they hope to escape the iudgement to come As for the soule that goeth to the place from whence it came but where the place is they know not That the body should not be made againe they reason w t the phylosophers saying that of nothing nothing can be made not knowing that God made the whole world and their god the Sun of nothing but beholding the course of nature that nothing is made but by a meanes as by the seed of a man is made another and by corne cast into the ground there commeth vp new corne so say they man cannot be made except some part of him be left and therefore they burne the whole for if he were buried in the earth they say there is a small bone in the necke which would neuer be consumed or if he were eaten by a beast that bone would not consume but of that bone would come another man and then the soule being restored againe he should come into iudgement whereas now the body being destroyed the soule shall not be iudged for their opinion is that both body and soule must be vnited
together as they haue sinned together to receiue iudgement and therfore the soule alone cannot Their seuen precepts which they keepe so strictly are not for any hope of reward they haue after this life but onely that they may be blessed in this world for they thinke that he which breaketh them shall haue ill successe in all his businesse They say the three chiefe religions in the world be of the Christians Iewes Turks yet but one of them true but being in doubt which is the truest of the three they will be of none for they hold that all these three shall be iudged and but few of them which be of the true shall be saued the examination shall be so straight and therefore as I haue sayd before to preuent this iudgement they burne their bodies to ashes They say these three religions haue too many precepts to keepe them all wel therfore wonderful hard it wil be to make account because so few doe obserue all their religion aright And thus passing the time for the space of three moneths in this sea voyage we arriued at Venice the tenth of Iune and after I had seene Padua with other English men I came the ordinary way ouer the Alpes by Augusta Noremberg and so for England where to the praise of God I safely arriued the ninth of August 1595. A letter written by the most high and mighty Empresse the wife of the Grand Signior Sultan Murad Can to the Queenes Maiesty of England in the yeere of our Lord 1594. IL principio del ragionamento nostro sia scrittura perfetta nelle quatro parte del mondo in nome di quello che ha creato indifferentemente tante infinite creature che non haueâ—ano anima ni persona di quello che fagirar gli noue cieli che la terra sette volte vna sopra l' altra fa firmar Signor Re senza vicere che non ha comparacion alla sua creatione ne opera vno senza precio adorato incomparabilmente l' altissimo Dio creatore che non ha similitudine si â—ome e descrito dalli propheti ala cui grandessa non si arriue alla perfettione sua compiuta non si oppone quel omnipotente creatore cooperatore alla grandessa del quale inchinano tutti li propheti fra quali il maggior che ha ottenuâ—o gracia horto del paradiso ragi dal sole amato del altissimo Dio è Mahomet Mustaffa al qual suoi adherenti imitatori sia perpetua pace alla cui sepultura odorifera si fa ogni honore Quello che è imperator de sette climati delle quatro parti del mondo inuincibile Re di Graecia Agiamia Vngeria Tartaria Valachia Rossia Turchia Arabia Bagdet Caramania Abessis Giouasir Siruan Barbaria Algieri Franchia Coruacia Belgrado c. sempre felicissimo de dodeci Auoli possessor della corona della stirpe di Adam fin bora Imperator figliolo del ' Imperatore conseruato de la diuina prouidenza Re di ognâ— dignita honore Sultan Murat cha Il Signor Dio sempre augmentile sue forzze padre di quello a cui aspettala corona imperiale horto cypresso mirabile degno della sediâ— regale vero herede del comando imperiale dignissimo Mehemet Can filiol de Sultan Murat Can che dio compisca lâ— suoi dissegni alunga li suoi giorni feliâ—i Dalla parte della madre del qual si scâ—â—ue la presente alla serenissima gloriosissima fra le prudentissime Donne eletta fra li triomfâ—nti soâ—toâ—il standardo di Iesu Christo potentissima ricâ—hissiâ—aregiâ—râ—â—â— al mondo singularissima fra il feminil sesso la serenissima Regina d' Ingilterraâ— che â—egue â—e vestigie de Maria virgine il fine della quale sia con bene perfettione secondo il suâ— desidâ—â—â—oâ— Le mando vna salutâ—â—ion di pace cosi honorata che non basta tutta la copia di rosignoli con le lâ—romusiche ariuare non che con quosta carta l' amore singulare che e conciputo fra noi esimiâ—â—â—a â—n horto di Vccelli vagi che il Signor Diola faci degna di saluacione il fine suo siâ— tale che in questo mondo nel ' futuro sia con pace Doppo comparsi li suoi honorati presenti da la sedia de la Serenita vostra sapera che sono capitati in vna hora che ogni punto e stato vna consolation dâ— lungo tempo per occasione del Ambassadore di vostra serenita venuto alla felice porta del Imperatore contanto nostro contento quanto si posso desiderare con quello vna lettera di vostra serenetà châ— ci estata presentata dalli nostri Eunuchi con gran honore la carta de la quale odoraua di camfora ambracano â—â—inchiostro di musco perfetto quella peruenuta in nostro mano tutta la continenza di essa a parte ho ascolâ—ato intentamente Quello che hora si conuiene e â—he correspondente alla nostra affecione in tutto quello che si aspetta alle cose attenente alli paesi che sono sotto il commando di vostra serenità lei non manchi dâ— sempre tenermi dato noticia che in tutto quello che li occorerà Io possi compiacerla de quello che fra le nostre serenità e conueniente accioche quelle cose che si interprenderano habino il desiderato buon finâ— perche Io saro sempre ricordeuole al altissimo Imperatore delle occorenze di vostra serenita per che sia in ogni occasione compiaciâ—ta La pace sia con vostra serenita câ—n quelli che seguitano dreâ—amente la via di Dio. Sâ—ritta all primi dell luna di Rabie Liâ—ol anno del profeâ—a 1002 di Iesu 1594. The same in English LEt the beginning of our discourse be a perfect writing in the foure parts of the world in the name of him which hath indifferently created such infinite numbers of creatures which had neither soule nor body and of him which mooueth the nine heauens and stablisheth the earth seuen times one aboue another which is Lord and king without any deputy who hath no comparison to his creation and worke and is one inestimable worshipped without all comparison the most high God the creator which hath nothing like vnto him according as he is described by the Prophets to whose power no man can attaine and whose absolute perfection no man may controll and that omnipotent creatour and fellow-worker to whose Maiesty all the Prophets submit themselues among whom the greatest and which hath obtained greatest fauour the garden of Paradise the beame of the Sunne the beloued of the most high God is Mahomet Mustaffa to whom and to his adherents and followers be perpetuall peace to whose
the Queenes Maiestie my Mistresse and that hee had sent them to attend vpon me it being his pleasure that I should tarie there on shoare fiue or sixe dayes for my refreshing So being mounted vpon the Iennet they conducted mee through the Towne into a faire fielde vpon the Sea-side where was a tent prouided for mee and all the ground spread wâ—th Turkie carpets and the Castle discharged a peale of ordinance and all things necessarie were brought into my tent where I both tooâ—e my table and lodging and had other conuenient tents for my seruants The souldiers enuironed the tents and watched about vs day and night as long as I lay there although I sought my speedier dispatch On the Wednesday towards night I tooke my horse and traueiled ten miles to the first place of water that we could finde and there pitched our tents till the next morning and so traueiled till ten of the clocke and then pitched our tents till foure and so traueiled as long as day light would suffer about 26 miles that day The next day being Friday I traueiled in like order but eight and twentie miles at the most and by a Riuer being about sixe miles within sight of the Citie of Marocco we pitched our tents Immediatly after came all our English marchants and the French on horsebacke to meete me and before night there came an Alcayde from the king with fiftie men diuers mules laden with victuall and banker for my supperâ— declaring vnto me how glad the king shewed himsâ—lfe to heare of the Queenes Maiestie and that his pleasure was I should be receiued into his countrey as neuer any Christian the like and desired to knowe what time the next day I would come into his citie because he would that all the Christians as also his nobilitie should meete me and willed Iohn Bampton to be with him early in the morning which he did About seuen of the clocke being accompanied with the French and English marchants and a great number of souldiers I passâ—d towards the citie and by that time I had traueiled 2 miles there met me all the Christians of the Spaniards and Portugals to receiue me which I knowe was more by the kings commandement then of any good wils of themselues for some of them although they speake me faire hung downe their heads like dogs and especially the Portugales and I countenanced them accordingly So I passed on till I came within two English miles of the Citie and then Iohn Bampton returned shewing me that the king was so glad of my comming that hee could not deuise to doe too much to shewe the good will that hee did owe to the Queenes Maiestie and her Realme His counsellers met me without the gates and at the entrie of the gates his footmen guard were placed on both sides of my horse and so brought me to the kings palace The king sate in his chaire with his Counsell about him as well the Moores as the Elchies and according to his order giuen vnto me before I there declared my message in Spanish and made deliuerie of the Queenes Maiesties letters and all that I spake at that present in Spanish hee caused one of his Elâ—hies to declare the same to the Moores present in the Larbe tongue Which done he answered me againe in Spanish yeelding to the Queenes Maiestie great thankes and offering himselfe and his countrey to bee at her Graces commaundâ—ment and then commaunded certaine of his Counsellers to conduct mee to my lodging not being farre from the Court. The house was faire after the fashion of that countrey being daily well furnished with al kind of victuall at the kings charge The same night he sent for mee to the Court and I had conference with him about the space of two houres where I throughly declared the charge committed vnto mee from her Maiestie finding him conformable willing to pleasure and not to vrge her Maiestie with any demaundes more then conueniently shee might willingly consent vnto hee knowing that out of his countrey the Realme of England might be better serued with lackes then hee in comparison from vs. Further he gaue me to vnderstand that the king of Spaine had sent vnto him for a licence that an Ambassadour of his might come into his countrey and had made great meanes that if the Queenes maiesty of England sent any vnto him that he would not giue him any credit or intertainment albeit said he I know what the king of Spaine is and what the Queene of England and her Realme is for I neither like of him nor of his religion being so gouerned by the Inquisition that he can doe nothing of himselfe Therefore when he commeth vpon the licence which I haue granted he shall well see how litle account I will make of him and Spaine and how greatly I will extoll you for the Queenes maiestie of England He shall not come to my presence as you haue done and shall dayly for I minde to accept of you as my companion and one of my house whereas he shall attend twentie dayes after he hath done his message After the end of this speech I deliuered Sir Thomas Greshams letters when as he tooke me by the hand and led me downe a long court to a palace where there ranne a faire fountaine of water and there sitting himselfe in a chaire he commanded me to sit downe in another and there called for such simple Musicians as he had Then I presented him with a great base Lute which he most thankfully accepted and then he was desirous to heare of the Musicians and I tolde him that there was great care had to prouide them and that I did not doubt but vpon my returne they should come with the first ship He is willing to giue them good intertainment with prouision of victuall and to let them liue according to their law and conscience wherein he vrgeth none to the contrary I finde him to be one that liâ—eth greatly in the feare of God being well exercised in the Scriptures as well in the olde Testament as also in the New and he beareth a greater affection to our Nation then to others because of our religion which forbiddeth worship of Idols and the Moores called him the Christian king The same night being the first of Iune I continued with him till twelue of the clocke and he seemed to haue so good liking of me that he tooke from his girdle a short dagger being set with 200 stones rubies and turkies and did bestow it vpon me and so I being conducted returned to my lodging for that time The next day because he knew it to be Sunday our Sabboth day he did let me rest But on the munday in the afternoone he sent for me and I had conference with him againe and musicke Likewise on the tuesday by three of the clocke he sent for me into his garden finding him layd vpon a
into their sleeues then preach they in publique a sermon vnto the people declaring what they mind to doe with the great good liking of all such as doe heare them for euery body wondreth at such a kinde of holinesse Then take they hookes to cut downe briars and thornes that might hinder them in their way to heauen and so embarke themselues in a new vessell tying great stones about their neckes armes â—oines thighes and feete thus they launching out into the maine Sea be either drowned there their shippe bouged for that purpose or els doe cast themselues ouer-boord headlong into the Sea The emptie barke is out of hand set a fire for honours sake by their friends that folow them in another boat of their owne thinking it blasphemie that any mortall creature should afterward once touch the barke that had bene so religiousâ—y halowed Truly when we went to Meaco eight dayes before we came to the I le of Hiu at Fore towne sixe men and two women so died To all such as die so the people erecteth a Chappell and to each of them a pillar and a pole made of Pineaple for a perpetuall monument hanging vp many shreds of paper in stickes all the roofe ouer with many verses set downe in the walles in commendation of that blessed company Wherefore vnto this place both day and night many come very superstitiously in pilgrimage It happened euen then as Aloisius Almeida and I went to christen a childe wee traueiled that way at what time foure or fiue olde women came foorth out of the aforesayd chappell with beades in their handes for in this point also the deuill counterfaiteth Christianitie who partly scorned at vs for follie partly frowned and taunted at our small deuotion for passing by that holy monument without any reuerence or worship done thereunto at all It remaineth now we speake two or three wordes of those Sermons the Bonzii are woont to make not so many as ours in number but assuredly very well prouided for The Pulpit is erected in a great temple with a silke Canopie ouer it therein standeth a costly seate before the seate a table with a bell and a booke At the houre of Sermon each secâ— of the Iapans resorteth to their owne doctors in diuers Temples Up goeth the doctor into the Pulpit and being set downe after that hee hath lordlike looked him about signifieth silence with his bell and so readeth a fewe wordes of that booke we spake of the which he expoundeth afterward more at large These preachers be for the most part eloquent and apt to drawe with their speach the mindes of their hearers Wherefore to this ende chieflie such is their greedinesse tendeth all their talke that the people bee brought vnder the colour of godlinesse to enrich their monasteries promising to each one so much the more happinesse in the life to come how much the greater costes and charges they bee at in Church matters and obsequies notwithstanding this multitude of superstitious Sects and companies and the diuersitice thereof amongst themselues yet in this principally all their Superintendents doe trauell so to perswade their Nouices in their owne tales and lies that they thinke nothing els trueth nothing els sure to come by euerlasting saluation nothing els woorth the hearing Whereunto they adde other subtleties as in going grauitie in countenance apparell and in all outward shew comelinesse Whereby the Iapans mindes are so nousâ—ed in wicked opinions doe conceiue thereby such trust and hope of euerlasting saluation that not onely at home but also abroad in euery corner of the towne continually almost they run ouer their beades humbly asking of Amida and Xaca wealth honour good health and euerlasting ioyes Thus then deare brethren may you thinke how greatly they need the helpe of God that either doe bring the Gospell into this countrey or receiuing it brought vnto them doe forsake idolatrie and ioine themselues with Christ being assaulted by so many snares of the deuill troubled with the daily dissuasions of their Bonzii and finally so iniuriously so hardly so sharpely vexed of their kinred and friends that except the grace of God obtained by the sacrifices and prayers of the Catholique church doe helpe vs it cannot be chosen but that the faith and constancie of many if not of all in these first beginnings of our churches will greatly be put in ieopardie So much the more it standeth you vpon that so earnestly long for the health of soules to commend specially these Iapanish flocks vnto our Lord. We came to Sacaio the eight and twentie day of Ianuary Aloisius Almeida first for businesse but afterward let by sicknesse staied there some while but I parting the next day from thence came thirteene leagues off to Meaco the last of Ianuarie Of my comming all the Christians tooke great comfort but specially Gaspar Vilela who in 6 yeres had seen none of our companie at Meaco his yeeres are not yet fortie but his gray haires shew him to be seuentie so vehemently is his litle body afflicted and worne with extreme cold Hee speaketh Iapanish so skilâ—ully after the phrase of Meaco the which for the renowne of this people and royal seat of the king is best accounted of that hee doeth both confesse and preach in that language Certaine godly bookes also he hath done into that speach not omitting to translate other as laisure suffreth him To make an ende our Lord for his goodnesse vouchsafe to preserue vs all continually and to giue vs ayde both rightly to interprete his will and well to doe the same From Meaco the 19 of February 1565. Other such like matter is handled both in other his letters and also in the Epistles written by his companions to be seene at large in the aforesaid volume Amongst the rest this seemed in my iudgement one of the principall and therefore the rather I tooke vpon me to do it into English Of the Iles beyond Iapan in the way from China to the Moluccas AMongst other Iles in the Asian sea betwixt Cantan a Chinish hauen in Cathaio the Moluccas much spoâ—en of in the Indian histories and painted out in Maps Ainan and Santianum are very famous Ainan standeth 19 degrees on this side of the Equinoctiall line nere China from whence the Chinish nation haue their prouision for shipping and other necessaries râ—quisite for their Nauie There staied Balthasar Gagus a great traueiler 5 moneths who describeth that place after this maner Ainan is a goodly countrey ful of Indian fruits all kind of victuals besides great store of it wels and pearle well inhabited the townes built of stone the people rude in conditions apparelled in diuers coloured rugs with two oâ—e hornes as it were made of fine cypres hanging downe about their eares and a paire of sharpe cyzers at their foreheads The cause wherefore they go in such attire I could not vnderstand except it bee for that they do counterfeit the deuil in the
there had bene great trade of people to make traine But by such things as there we found wee knew that they were not Christians of Europe that had vsed that trade in fine by searching with our boat we found small hope to passe any farther that way and therefore recouered the sea and coasted the shore towards the South and in so doing for it was too late to search towards the North we found another great inlet neere 40 leagues broad where the water eutred in with violent swiftnesse this we also thought might be a passage for no doubt the North partes of America are all Islands by ought that I could perceiue therein but because I was alone in a small barke of thirtie tunnes and the yeere spent I entred not into the same for it was now the seuenth of September but coasting the shore towardes the South wee saw an incredible number of birds hauing diuers fishermen aboord our barke they all concluded that there was a great skull of fish we being vnprouided of fishing furniture with a long spike nayle made a hooke and fastened the same to one of our sounding lines before the baite was changed we cooke more then fortie great Cods the fish swimming so abundantly thicke about our barke as is incredible to bee reported of which with a small portion of salt that we had we preserued some thirtie couple or thereaboutes and so returned for England And hauing reported to M. Secretarie Walsingham the whole successe of this attempt he commanded me to present vnto the most honourable Lord high Treasurour of England some part of that fish which when his Lordship saw heard at large the relation of this second attempt I receiued fauourable countenance from his honour aduising me to prosecute the action of which his Lordship conceiued a very good opinion The next yere although diuers of the aduenturers fell from the Action as all the Westerne marchants and most of those in London yet some of the aduenturers both honorable worshipfull continued their willing fauor and charge so that by this meanes the next yeâ—e two shippes were appointed for the fishing and one pinnesse for the discouerie Departing from Darmouth through Gods mercifull fauour I arriued at the place of fishing and there according to my direction I left the two ships to follow that busines taking their faithful promise not to depart vntill my returne vnto them which should be in the fiue of August and so in the barke I proceeded for the discouerie but after my departure in sixeteene dayes the two shippes had finished their voyage and so presently departed for England without regard of their promise my selfe not distrusting any such hard measure proceeded for the discouerie and followed my course in the free and open sea betweene North and Northwest to the latitude of 67 degrees and there I might see America West from me and Gronland which I called Desolation East then when I saw the land of both sides I began to distrust it would prooue but a gulfe notwithstanding desirous to know the full certainty I proceeded and in 68 degrees the passage enlarged so that I could not see the Westerne shore thus I continued to the latitude of 73 degrees in a great sea free from yee coasting the Westerne shore of Desolation the people came continually rowing out vnto me in their Canoas twenty forty and one hundred at a time and would giue me fishes dryed Salmon Salmon peale Cod Caplin Lumpe Stone-base and such like besides diuers kinds of birds as Partâ—ige Fesant Guls Sea birds and other kindes of flesh I still laboured by signes to know from them what they knew of any sea toward the North they still made singes of a great sea as we vnderstood them theÌ„ I departed from that coastâ— thinking to discouer the North parts of America after I had sailed towards the West 40 leagues I fel vpon a great banke of yce the winde being North and blew much I was constrained to coast the same toward the South not seeing any shore West from me neither was there any yce towards the North but a great sea free large very salt and blew of an vnsearcheable depth So coasting towards the South I came to the place where I left the ships to fish but found them not Then being forsaken left in this distresse referring my self to the mercifull prouidence of God I shaped my course for England vnhoped for of any God alone releeuing me I arriued at Dartmouth By this last discouery it seemed most manifest that the passage was free without impediment toward the North but by reason of the Spanish fleet vnfortunate time of M. Secretaries death the voyage was omitted neuer sithens attempted The cause why I vse this particluar relation of all my proceedings for this discouery is to stay this obiection why hath not Dauis discouered this passage being thrise that wayes imploied How far I proceeded in what forme this discouery lieth doth appeare vpon the Globe which M. Sanderson to his very great charge hath published for the which he deserueth great fauor commendations The discouerie of the Isles of Frisland Iseland Engroneland Estotilaud Drogeo and Icaria made by two brethren namely M. Nicholas Zeno and M. Antonio his brother Gathered out their letters by M. Francisco Marcolino TN the yere of our Lord 1200 there was in the Citie of Venice a famous Gentleman named Messer Marino Zeno who for his great vertue and singular wisedome was called and elected gouernour in certaine common wealths of Italy in the administration whereof he bore himselfe so discretly that he was beloued of all men and his name greatly reuerenced of those that neuer knew or saw his person And amongst sundry his worthy workes this is recorded of him that he pacified certaine grieuous ciuile dissentions that arose among the citizens of Verona whereas otherwise if by his graue aduise and great diligence they had not bene preuented the matter was likely to breake out into hot broyles of warre He was the first Podesta or Ruler that the Common wealth of Venice appointed in Constantinople in the yeere 1205 when our state had rule thereof with the French Barons This Gentleman had a sonne named Messer Pietro who was the father of the Duke Rinieri which Duke dying without issue made his heire M. Andrea the sonne of M. Marco his brother This M. Andrea was Captaine Generall and Procurator a man of great reputation for many rare partes that were in in him He had a sonne M. Rinieri a worthy Senatour and prudent Counsellour of whom descended M. Pietro Captaine Generall of the league of the Christians against the Turkes who was called Dragon for that in his shield in stead of a Manfrone which was his armes at the first he bare a Dragon He was father to M. Carlo II grande the famous Procurator and Captaine generall against the Genowayes in those cruell warres
à magno ostendit sua vela COLVMBO Haeâ— neque vicina nimiùm frigescit ab arcto Sole nec immodico in steriles torretur arenas Frigus aestatem iusto moderamine seruat Siue leues auras grati spiracula coeli Seu diae telluris opes munera curas Pone agete digno tua sceptra in honore meoquâ— Iunge salutarem propius cum littore dextram Sit mihi fas aliquam per â—esperare quietem Vicinoque bono laetum illucescere Solem. Quòd si consilijs superûm fatisque negatum est Durare immensum magna infortunia tempus Quòd si de immerita iustum est ceruice reuelli Ignarum imperij dominum populique regendi Quòd si nulla vnquam potuit superesse potestas Ni pia flexilibus pareret clementia frenis Obsequium A miti quae sita potentia CYRO Amissa est saeuae soboli Parcendo subegit Tot reges MACEDVM virtus tot postera sensim Abscidit a parto tandem inclementia regno Et quod ROMVLEIS creuit sub patribus olim Imperium dirisemper minuêre NERONES A report of the voyage and successe thereof attempted in the yeere of our Lord 1583 by sir Humfrey Gilbert knight with other gentlemen assisting him in that action intended to discouer and to plant Christian inhabitants in place conuenient vpon those large and ample countreys extended Northward from the cape of Florida lying vnder very temperate Climes esteemed fertile and rich in Minerals yet not in the actuall possession of any Christian prince written by M. Edward Haies gentleman and principall actour in the same voyage who alone continued vnto the end and by Gods speciall assistance returned home with his retinue safe and entire MAny voyages haue bene pretended yet hitherto neuer any thorowly accomplished by our nation of exact discouery into the bowels of those maine ample and vast countreys extended infinitely into the North from 30 degrees or rather from 25 degrees of Septentrionall latitude neither hath a right way bene taken of planting a Christian habitation and regiment vpon the same as well may appeare both by the little we yet do actually possesse therein by our ignorance of the riches and secrets wiâ—hâ—n those lands which vnto this day we knâ—w chiefly by the trauell and report of other nations and most of the French who albeit they can not challenge such right and interest vnto the sayd countreys as we neither these many yeeres haue had oâ—portunity nor meanes so great to discouâ—r and to plant being veâ—ed with the calamities of iâ—testâ—â—e warres as we haue had by the inestimable benefit of our long and happy peace yet haue they both waies performed more and had long since attained a sure possession and setled gouernment of many prouinces in â—hose Northerly parts of America if their many attempts into those forren and remote lands had not bene impeached their garboils at home The first discouery of these coasts neuer heard of â—efore was well begun by Iohn Cabot the father and Sebastian his sonne an Englishman borne who were the first finders out of all that great tract of land stretching from the cape â—f Florida vnto those Islands which wâ— now call the Newfoundland all which they brought and anâ—eâ—rd vnto the crowne of England Since when if with like diligence the seaâ—ch of inland countreys had bene follâ—wed as the discouery vpon the coast and out-parts therof was performed by those two men no doubt her Maiesties territories and reuenue had bene mightily inlarged and aduanced by this day And which is more the seed of Christian râ—ligion had bene fowed amongst those pagans which by this time might haue brought foorth a most plâ—ntifull haruest and copious congregation of Christians which must be the chiefe intent of such as shall make any attempt that way or els whatsoeuer is builded vpon othâ—r foundation shall neuer obtaine happy successe nor continuance And although we can not precisely iudge which onely belongeth to God what haue bene the humouâ—s of men stirred vp to great attempts of discouering and planting in those remote countreys yet the euents do shew that either Gods cause hath not bene chiefly preferred by them or els God hath not permitted so abundant grace as the light of his word and knowledge of him to be yet reuealed vnto those infidels before the appointed time But most aâ—â—uredly â—he only cause of religion hitherto hath kept backe and will also bring forward at the time assâ—â—neâ— by God an effectuall and compleat discouery possession â—â— Christians both of those ample countreys and the riches within them hithâ—rto concealed â—hereof notwithstanding Gâ—d in his wisdome hath permitted to be reuealed frâ—m tiâ—e to time a certaine oâ—scure and mâ—sty knowledâ—e by little and little to allure the mindes of men that way which els will be dull enough in the zeale of his cause and thereby to prepare vs vnto a readinesse for the execution of his wâ—ll against the due tâ—me ordâ—inedâ— of calling those pagans vnto Christâ—anity In the meane while â—t behâ—oueth euery man of great calling in whom is any instinct of inclination vnto this atâ—â—mpâ— to â—â—amine his owne motions which is the same proceed of ambitâ—on or auarice hâ— may assure himselfe it commeth not of God and therefore can not haue câ—nfidence of Gods protection and assistance against the â—iolence els irresistable both oâ— sea and infinite perils vpâ—n the land wâ—om God yet may vse an instrument to further his cause and glory some way but not to build vpon so bad a foundatâ—on Othâ—rwâ—se if hâ—s motiues be dâ—riued from a bertuous heroycall minde preferring chiâ—fly the honour oâ— Godâ— compassâ—on of poore infidels captiued by the deuill tyrannizing in most woonderfull and dreadfull maner ouer their bodies and soules aduancement of his honest and well disposed countreymen willing to accompany him in such honourable actions reliefe of sundry pâ—ople wâ—thin this realme distressed all these be honorable purposes imitating the naâ—ure of the muâ—â—ficenâ— God wheâ—with he is well pleased who will assist such an actour beyond â—xpectation of man And thâ— samâ— who feeleth this inclination in himselfe by all likelihood may hope or rather confidently râ—pose in the preordinance of God that in this last age of the world or â—ikely neuer the time is câ—mpleat of receiuing also these Gentiles into his mâ—rcy and that God will râ—ise him an instrumeâ—t to â—ffâ—ct the same it seeming probable by euent of precedent attempts made by the Spanyards and French sundry times that the countreys lyâ—ng North oâ— Florida God hath reserued the same to be reduced vnto Christian ciuility by the English nation For not long after that Christopher Columbus had discouered the Islands and continent â—f thâ— Wesâ— Indies for Spaine Iohn and Sebastian Cabot made discouery also of the rest from Florida Nortâ—wards to the behoofe of England And whensoâ—uer afterwards the Spanyards very prosperous in all their Southerne discoueries did
be taken in warre should be seruants or slaues And that strangers should not bee driuen away from the place or Countrey whereunto they doe come If it were so then I demaund in what age and by what Law is the same forbidden or denied since For who doubteth but that it is lawfull of Christians to vse trade and traffique with Infidels or Sauages carrying thither such commodities as they want and bringing from thence some part of their plentie A thing so commonly and generally practised both in these our dayes and in times past beyond the memorie of man both by Christians and Infidels that it needeth no further proofe And for asmuch as the vse of trade and traffique be it neuer so profitable ought not to be preferred before the planting of Christian faith I will therefore somewhat intreate of planting without which Christian Religion can take no roote be the Preachers neuer so carefull and diligent which I meane to diuide into two sortes The first when Christians by the good liking and willing assent of the Sauages are admitted by them to quiet possession The second when Christians being vniustly repulsed doe seeke to attaine and mantâ—ine the right for which they doe come And though in regard of the establishment of Christian Religion eyther of both may be lawfully and iustly exercised Whereof many examples may be found as well in the time of Moyses and Iosua and other Rulers before the birth of Christ as of many vertuous Emperours and Kings sithence his incarnation yeâ— doe I wish that before the second be puâ— in practise a proofe may be made of the first sauing that for their safâ—â—ie as well against the Sauages as all other forreigne enemies they should first welâ— and strongly fortifie themselues which bring done then by all fayre speeches and euery other good meanes of peâ—swasion to seeke to â—â—ke away all occassions of offence As letting them to vnderstand how they came not to their hurt but for their good and to no other ende but to dwell peaceably amongst them and to trade and traffique with them for their owne commoditie without molesting or grâ—â—uing them any way which must not be 〈◊〉 by wordes onely but also by deedes For albeit to maintaine right and repell iniury be a iust cause of warre yâ—â— must there heâ—â—of be heedefull care had that whâ—reas the Sauages be fearefull by 〈◊〉 and fond othâ—rwâ—se the Christians should doe their best endeuour to take away such feare as may growe vnto them by reason of their strange apparell Armour and weapon or such like by quiet and peaceable conuersation and â—etting them liue in securitie and keeping a measure of blamâ—lesse defence with as litâ—le discommoditie to the Sauages as may bee for this kinde of warre would be onely defensiue â—â—d not offensiue And queâ—â—ionlesse there is great hope and likelyhoode that by this kinde of meanes we should bring to passe all effects to our desired purposes Considering thâ—t all creatures by constitution of nature are rendred more tractable and easier wonne for all assayes by courtesiâ— and mildnesse thâ—â— by crueltie or roughnesse and therefore being a principle taught vs by naturall reason it is first to be puâ—â—â— vre For albeit as yet the Christians are not so throughly â—urnished with the perfectnesse of their language eyther to expresse their mindes to them or againe to conceiue the Sâ—uages intent Yâ—t for the present opportunitie suâ—h policie may be vsed by friendly signes and courteous tokens towards them as the Sauages may easily perceiue were their â—ences neuer so grosse an assured friendship to be offered them and that they are encountered with such a â—ation as brings them benefite commoditie peace tranquilitie and safetie To further this and to accomplish it in deedes there must bee presented vnto them gratis some kindes of our pettie marchanâ—izes and trifles As looking glasses Belles Beades Bracelets Chaines or colâ—ers of Bewgle Chrystall Amber â—et or Glasse c. For such be the things though to vs of small value yet accounted by them of high price and estimation and soonest will induce their Barbarous â—atures to a liking and a mutuall societie with vs. Moreouer it shall be requisite eyther by speeche if it be possible either by some other certaine meanes to signifie vnto them that once league of friendship with all louing conuersation being admitted betweene the Christians and them that then the Christians from thence forth will alwayes be ready with force of Armes to assist and defend tâ—em in their iust quarrels from all inuasioâ—s spayles and oppressions offered them â—y any Tyrants Aduersaries or their next borderers and a benefite is so much the more to be esteemed by how much the person vpon whom it is bestowed standeth in neede thereof For it appeareth by the relation of a Countryman of ours namely Dauid Ingram who trauelled in those countries â—i Moneths and more That the Sauages generally for the most part are at continuall warres with their next adioyning neighbours and especially the Cannibals being a cruell kinde of people whose foode is maâ—â— flesh and hâ—ue teeth lâ—ke dogges and doe pursue them with rauenous mindes to eate their flesh and deuoure them And it is not to be doubted but that the Christians may in this case iustly and lawfully ayde the Sauages against the Cannibals So that it is very likely that by this meanes we shall not only mightily stirre and inflame their â—ude mindes gladly to embrace the louing company of the Christians proffering vnto them both commodities succour and kindnesse But â—lso by their franke consents shall easâ—ly enioy such competent quantity of Land as euery way shall be correspondent to the Christians expectation and contentation considering the great abuâ—dance that they haue of â—and and how small account they make thereof taking no other fruites thereby then such as the ground of it selfe doeth â—â—turally yeelde And thus much concerning the first sort of planting which as I assuredly hope so I most heartily pray may take effect and place But if after these good and fayre meanes vsed the Sauages neuerthelesse will not bee herewithall satisfied but barbarously will goe about to practise violence eyther in repelling the Christians from their Ports safelandings or in withstanding them afterwards to enioy the rights for which both painfully and lawfully they haue aduentured themselues thither Then in such a case I holde it no breach of equitie for the Christians to defend themselues to pursue reuenge with force and to doe whatsoeuer is necessarie for the aâ—teâ—â—ing of their safetie For it is allowable by all Lawes in such distresses to resist violence with violence And for their more securitie to increase their strength by building of Forts for auoyding the extremitie of iniurious dealing Wherein if also they shal not be suffered in reasonable quietnesse to continue there is no barre as I iudge but that in stoute assemblies the Christians may issue out and by strong hand pursue
their enemies subdue them take possession of their Townes Cities or Uillages and in auoyding murtherous tyrannie to vse the Law of Armes as in like case among all Nations at this day is vsed and most especially to the ende they may with securitie holde their lawfull possession lest happily after the departure of the Christians such Sauages as haue bene conuerted should afterwards through compulsion and enforcement of their wicked Rulers returne to their horrible idolatrie as did the children of Israel after the decease of Ioshua and continue their wicked custome of most vnnaturall sacrificing of humane creatures And in so doing doubtlesse the Christians shall no whit at all transgresse the bonds of equitie or ciuilitie forasmuch as in former ages yea before the incarnation of Christ the like hath bene done by sundry Kings and Princes Gouernours of the children of Israel chiefly in respect to begin their planting for the establishment of Gods worde as also since the Natiuitie of Christ mightie and puissant Emperours and Kings haue performed the like I say to plant possesse and subdue For proofe whereof I will alledge you examples of both kindes Wee reade in the olde Testament how that after Noes flood was ceased restauration of mankinde began onely of those fewe of Noes children and familie as were by God preelected to bee saued in the Arke with him whose sâ—ede in processe of time was multiplyed to infinite numbers of Nations which in diuers sortes diuided themselues to sundry quarters of the earth And forasmuch as all their posteritie being mightâ—ly encreased followed not the perfect life of Noe their predecessour God chose out of the multitude a peculiar people to himselfe to whom afterwardes being vnder the gouernment of Moyses in Mount Sinay hee made a graunt to inherite the Land of Canaan called the Land of promise with all the other rich and fertile Countries next adioyning thereunto Neuerthelesse before they came to possession thereof hauing bene afflicted with many grieuous punishments and plagues for their sinnes they fell in despayre to enioy the same But being encouraged and comforted by their Rulers men of God they proceeded arming themselues with all patience to suffer whatsoeuer it should please God to send and at last attaining to the Land they were encountered with great numbers of strong people and mighty Kings Notwithstanding Iosua their Leader replenished with the Spirite of God being assured of the iustnesse of his quarell gathered the chiefe strength of the children of Israel together to the number of 40000. with whom he safely passed huge riuer Iordan and hauing before sent priuie spies for the discouerie of the famous citie Ierico to vnderstand the certaintie of the Citizens estate he forthwith came thither and enuironed it round about with his whole power the space of seuen dayes In which respite perceiuing none of the Gentiles disposed to yeeld or call for mercie he then commanded as God before had appointed that both the citie Ierico should be burned yea and all the inhabitants as well olde as young with all their cattell should be destroyed onely excepted Rahab her kindred and familie because shee before had hid secretly the messengers of Iosua that were sent thither as spies As for all their golde siluer precious stones or vessels of brasse they were reserued and consecrated to the Lords treasurie In like maner he burned the citie Hay slew the inhabitants thereof and hanged vp their King But for so much as the Gebionites fearing the like euent sent Ambassadours vnto Iosua to intreate for grace sauour and peace hee commaunded that all their liues should bee saued and that they should be admitted to the company of the children of Israel Yet vnderstanding afterwards they wrought this by a policie he vsed them as drudges to hewe wood and to carie water and other necessaries for his people Thus beganne this valiant Captaine his conquest which he pursued and neuer left till hee had subdued all the Hethites Amorites Cananites Peresites Heuites and Iebusites with all their princes and Kings being thirtie and one in number diuers other strange nations besides whose lands dominions he wholy diuided among Gods people After that Iosua was deceased Iuda was constituted Lord ouer the armie who receiuing like charge from God pursued the proceedings of the holy captaine Iosua and vtterly vanquished many Gentiles Idolaters and aduersaries to the children of Israel with all such Rulers or Kings as withstoode him and namely Adonibezek the most cruell tyrant whose thumbes and great toes he caused to be cut off for so much as hee had done the like before vnto seuentie Kings whom being his prisoners he forced to gather vp their victuals vnderneath his table In this God shewed his iustice to reuenge tyrannie We reade likewise that Gedeon a most puissant and noble warriour so behaued himselfe in following the worthy acts of Iosua and Iuda that in short time he not only deliuered the children of Israel from the hands of the multitude of the fierce Madianites but also sâ—bdued them and their Tyrants whose landes he caused Gods people to possesse and inherite I could recite diuers other places out of the Scripture which aptly may be applyed hereunto were it not I doe indeuour my selfe by all meanes to be briefe Now in like maner will I alledge some fewe Inductions out of the autenticall writings of the Ecclesiasticall Historiographers all tending to the like argument And first to begin withall we doe trade That after our Sauiour Iesus Christ had suffered his passion the Apostles being inspired with the holy Ghost and the knowledge of all strange languages did immediatly disperse themselues to sundry parts of the world to the preaching of the Gospel Yet not in so generall a maner but that there remayned some farre remote Countries vnvisited by them among the which it is reported that India the great called the vttermost India as yet had receiued no light of the word But it came to passe that one Metrodorus a very learned and wise Philosopher in that age being desirous to search our vnknowen lanâ—s did first discouer the same finding it wonderfull populous and rich which vpon his returne being published and for certaine vnderstood there was another graue Philosopher of Tyrus called Meropius being a Christian who did resolue himselfe following the example of Metrodorus to trauaile thither and in a short time assisted but with a fewe in a small Uessel arriued there hauing in his company two yong youths Edesius and Frumentius whom being his schollers he had throughly instructed both in liberall Sciences and christian Religion Now after that Meropius some while staying there had as hee thought sufficient vnderstanding of the Indians whose estate He determined to depart and to bring notice thereof vnto the Emperour whom he meant to exhort to the conquest of the same But by misfortune he was preuented for being in the middest of his course
on the Sea homeward a sore tempest arose and perforce droue him backe againe to an vnknowen Port of the sayd land where he by the most cruell barbarous Indians on the sudden was slaine with all his company except the two young schollers aforesayde whom the barbarous Indians by reason they were of comely stature and beautifull personages tooke and forthwith presented them to their King and Queene which both being very well liked of the King courteously entreated and ordeined Edesius to be his Butler and Frumentius his Secretarie and in few yeeres by reason of their learning and ciuill gouernment they were had in great fauour honour and estimation with the Princes But the King departing this life left the Queene his wife with her yong sonne to gouerne and gaue free scope and libertie to the two Christians at their best pleasure to passe to their natiue soyles allowing them all necessaries for the same Yet the Queene who highly fauoured them was very sorowfull they should depart and therefore most earnestly intreated them to tarie and assist her in the gouernment of her people till such time as her young sonne grewe to ripe yeeres which request they fulfilled And Frumentius excelling Edesius farre in all wisedome ruled both the Queene and her subiects at his discretion whereby he tooke occasion to put in practice priuily that the foundation of Christian religion might be planted in the hearts of such as with whom he thought his perswasion might best preuaile and that soonest would giue eare vnto him which being brought to passe accordingly hee then with his fellow Edesius tooke leaue of the Queene to returne to his natiue countrey And so soone as he was arriued there he reuealed to the Emperour Constantine the effect of all those euents who both commending his deedes and wholy allowing thereof by the aduise and good liking of Athanasius then Bishop of Alexandria did arme and set forth a conuenient power for the ayde of Frumentius in this his so godly a purpose And by this meanes came the Emperour afterwards by faire promises and by force of armes together vnto the possession of all the Indians countrey The author of this storie Ruffinus receiued the trueth hereof from the very mouth of Edesius companion to Frumentius Moreouer Eusebius in his Historie Ecclesiasticall in precise termes and in diuers places maketh mention how Constantine the great not onely enlarged his Empire by the subduing of his next neighbours but also endeuoured by all meanes to subiect all such remote Barbarous and Heathen nations as then inhabited the foure quaters of the worlde For as it is written the Emperour throughly ayded with a puissant armie of valiant souldiers whom he had before perswaded to Christian religion in proper person himselfe came euen vnto this our country of England then called the Island of Britaines bending from him full West which he wholy conquered made tributarie and setled therein Christian faith and left behinde him such Rulers thereof as to his wisedome seemed best From thence hee turned his force towardes the North coast of the world and there vtterly subdued the rude and cruell Nation of the Scythians whereof part by friendly perswasions part by maine strength hee reduced the whole to Christian faith Afterwards he determined with himselfe to search out what strange people inhabited in the vttermost parts of the South And with great hazard and labour making his iourney thither at last became victour ouer them all euen to the countrey of the Blemmyans and the remote AEthiopians that now are the people of Presbyter Iohn who yet till this day continue and beare the name of Christians In the East likewise what Nation soeuer at that time he could haue notice of he easily wonne and brought in subiection to the Empire So that to conclude there was no region in any part of the world the inhabitants whereof being Gentiles though vnknowen vnto him but in time he ouercame and vanquished This worthy beginning of Constantine doth his sonnes succeeding his â—oâ—me and also diuers other Emperours afterward to their vttermost endeuour followed and continued which all the bookes of Eusebius more at large set foorth Theodoretus likewise in his Ecclesiasticall historie maketh mention how Theodosius the vertuous Emperour imployed earnestly all his time as well in conquering the Gentiles to the knowledge of the holy Gospel vtterly subuerting their prophane Temples and abominable Idolatry as also in extinguishing of such vsurping tyrants as with Paganisme withstood the planting of Christian religion After whose decease his sonnes Honorius and Arcadius were created Emperours the one of the East the other of the West who with all stout godlinesse most carefully imitated the fore steps of their Father eyther in enlarging their territories or increasing the christian flocke Moreouer it is reported by the sayd authors that Theodosius iunior the Emperour no whit inferiour in vertuous life to any of the aboue named Princes with great studie and zeale pursued and proÌ„secuted the Gentiles subdued their tyrants and countries and vtterly destroyed all their idolatry conuerting their soules to acknowledge their onely Messias and Creator and their Countries to the enlargement of the Empire To be briefe who so listeth to read Eusebius Pamphilus Socrates Scholasticus Theodoritus Hermia Sozomen and Euagrius Scholasticus which all were most sage Ecclesiasticall writers shall finde great store of examples of the worthy liues of sundry Emperours tending all to the confirmation of my former speeches And for like examples of later time yea euen in the memorie of man I shall not neede to recite any other then the conquest made of the West and East Indies by the Kings of Spaine and Portugall whereof there is particular mention made in the last Chapter of this booke Herein haue I vsed more copy of examples then otherwise I would haue done sauing that I haue bene in place where this maner of planting the Christian faith hath bene thought of some to be scarce lawfull yea such as doe take vpon them to be more then meanely learned To these examples could I ioyne many moe but whosoeuer is not satisfied with these fewe may satisfie himselfe in reading at large the Authors last aboue recited Thus haue I as I trust prooued that we may iustly trade and traffique with the Sauages and lawfully plant and inhabite their Countries The third Chapter doeth shew the lawfull title which the Queenes most excellent Maiestie hath vnto those Countries which through the ayde of Almighty God are meant to be inhabited ANd it is very euident that the planting there shal in time right amply enlarge her Maiesties Territories and Dominions or I might rather say restore her to her Highnesse ancient right and interest in those Countries into the which a noble and worthy personage lineally descended from the blood royall borne in Wales named Madockap Owen Gwyneth departing from the coast of England about the yeere of our
lesse to the glorie of God then that action of the Spanyardes For as you may read in the very last wordes of the relation of Newe Mezico extant nowe in English the maine land where your last Colonie meane to seate themselues is replenished with many thousands of Indians Which are of better wittes then those of Mexico and Peru as hath bene found by those that haue had some triall of them whereby it may bee gathered that they will easily embrace the Gospell forsaking their idolatrie wherein as this present for the most part they are wrapped and intangled A wise Philosopher noting the sundry desires of diuers men writeth that if an oxe bee put into a medowe hee will seeke to fill his bellie with grasse if a Storke bee cast in shee will seeke for Snakes if you turne in a Hound he will seeke to start an Hare So sundry men entring into these discoueries propose vnto themselues seuerall endes Some seeke authoritie and places of commandement others experience by seeing of the worlde the most part worldly and transitorie gaine and that often times by dishonest and vnlawfull meanes the fewest number the glorie of God and the sauing of the soules of the poore and blinded infidels Yet because diuers honest and well disposed persons are entred already into this your businesse and that I know you meane hereafter to sende some such good Churchmen thither as may truely say with the Apostle to the Sauages Wee seeke not yours but you I conceiue great comfort of the successe of this your action hoping that the Lorde whose power is wont to bee perfected in weakenesse will blesse the feeble foundations of your building Onely bee you of a valiant courage and faint not as the Lorde sayd vnto Iosue exhorting him to proceede on forward in the conquest of the land of promise and remember that priuate men haue happily wielded and waded through as great enterprises as this with lesser meanes then those which God in his mercie hath bountifully bestowed vpon you to the singuler good as I assure my selfe of this our Common wealth wherein you liue Hereof we haue examples domesticall and forreine Remember I pray you what you find in the beginning of the Chronicle of the conquest of Ireland newly dedicated vnto your selfe Read you not that Richard Strangbow the decayed earle of Chepstow in Monmuthshire being in no great fauour of his soueraigne passed ouer into that Island in the yere 1171. and accompanied only with certain of his priuate friends had in short space such prosperous successe that he opened the way for king Henry the second to the speedy subiection of all that warlike nation to this crowne of England The like conquest of Brasilia and annexing the same to the kingdome of Portugall was first begun by meane and priuate men as Don Antonio de Castillio Ambassadour here for that realme and by office keeper of all the records and monuments of their discoueries assured me in this city in the yere 1581. Now if the greatnes of the maine of Virginia and the large extension therof especially to the West should make you thinke that the subduing of it were a matter of more difficulty then the conquest of Ireland first I answere that as the late experience of that skilfull pilote and Captaine M. Iohn Dauis to the Northwest toward which his discouery your selfe haue thrise contributed with the forwardest hath shewed a great part to be maine sea where before was thought to be maine land so for my part I am fully perswaded by Ortelius late reformation of Culuacan and the gulfe of California that the land on the backe part of Virginia extendeth nothing so far westward as is put downe in the Maps of those parts Moreouer it is not to be denied but that one hundred men will do more now among the naked and vnarmed people in Virginia then one thousand were able then to do in Ireland against that armed and warlike nation in those daies I say further that these two yeres last experience hath plainly shewed that we may spare 10000. able men without any misse And these are as many as the kingdome of Portugal had euer in all their garrisons of the Açores Madera Arguin Cape verde Guinea Brasill Mozambique Melinde Zocotora Ormus Diu Goa Malaca the Malucos and Macao vpon the coast of China Yea this I say by the cōfession of singuler expert men of their own nation whose names I suppresse for certain causes which haue bene personally in the East Indies haue assured me that their kings had neuer aboue ten thousand natural borne Portugals their slaues excepted out of their kingdome remaining in all the aforesaid territories Which also this present yeere I saw confirmed in a secrete extract of the particular estate of that kingdome and of euery gouernement and office subiect to the same with the seueral pensions thereunto belonging Seeing therefore we are so farre from want of people that retyring daily home out of the Lowe Countreys they go idle vp and down in swarms for lack of honest intertainment I see no fitter place to employ some part of the better sort of them trained vp thus long in seruice then in the inward partes of the firme of Virginia against such stubborne Sauages as shal refuse obedience to her Maiestie And doubtlesse many of our men will bee glad and faine to accept this condition when as by the reading of this present treatie they shal vnderstand the fertilitie and riches of the regions confining so neere vpon yours the great commodities and goodnesse wherof you haue bin contented to suffer to come to light In the meane season I humbly commend my selfe and this my translation vnto you and your selfe and all those which vnder you haue taken this enterprise in hand to the grace and good blessing of the Almighty which is able to build farther and to finish the good worke which in these our dayes he hath begun by your most Christian and charitable endeuour From London the 1. of May 1587. Your L. humble at commandement R. HAKLVYT The Preface of M. Rene Laudonniere THere are two things which according to mine opinion haue bene the principall causes in consideration whereof aswell they of ancient times as those of our age haue bene induced to trauell into farre and remote regions The first hath beene the naturall desire which wee haue to search out the commodities to liue happily plentifully and at ease be it whither one abandon his naturall Countrey altogether to dwell in a better or bee it that men make voyages thither there to search out and bring from thence such things as are there to be found and are in greatest estistimation and in most request in our Countreys The second cause hath bene the multitude of people too fruitefull in generation which being no longer able to dwell in their natiue soyles haue entred vpon their neighbours limites and oftentimes passing further
like things which I had giuen him for such purposes The sayde Indians departed very well pleased and said that whensoeuer hee would send for them ther and many others would come to doe whatsoeuer he would command them The entrance being thus prepared Frier Marco and his companion with the Negro and other slaues and Indians which I had giuen him went forward on their voyage 10. or 12. dayes after And because I had likewise aduertisement of a certaine Prouince called Topira situate in the mountainesâ— and had appoynted the gouernour Vazquez de Coronado that he should vse meanes to learne the state thereof he supposing this to be a matter of great moment determined himselfe to goe and search it hauing agreed with the sayd Frier that he should returne by that part of the mountaine to meete with him in a certaine valley called Valle de los Coraçones beeing 120. leagues distant from Culiacan The gouernour trauelling into this Prouince as I haue written in my former letters found great scarcity of victuals there and the mountaines so craggy that he could finde no way to passe forward and was inforced to returne home to Saint Michael so that aswell in chusing of the entrance as in not being able to finde the way it seemeth vnto all men that God would shut vp the gate to all those which by strengh of humane force haue gone about to attempt this enterprise and hath reueâ—led it to a poore and bare-footed Frier And so the Frier beganne to enter into the Land who because he found his entrance so well prepared was very well receiued and because he wrote the whole successe of his voyage according to the instruction which I had giuen him to undertake the same I wil not write any more at large but send your Maiestie this copy of all such things as he obserued in the same A relation of the reuerend father Frier Marco de Niça touching his discouery of the kingdome of Ceuola or Cibola situate about 30. degrees of latitude to the North of Nueua Espanna Chap. I. Frier Marco de Niça departeth from Saint Michael in the Prouince of Culiacan standing in 24. degrees of Northerly latitude and comming to the Towne of Petatlan receiued many courtesies of the Indians there Departing from thence he had information of many Islands and of a great countrey inhabited with ciuil people he commeth to Vacupa where during his aboad he heard newes of Ceuola and of the state of the 7. Cities and of other prouinces of the rich Islands of perles which extend north ward vpon the coast I Frier Marco de Niça of the order of S. Francis for the execution of the instruction of the right honourable lord Don Antonio de Mendoça Uice-roy and captaine Generall for the Emperors Maiestie in New Spaine departed from the towne of S. Michael in the prouince of Culiacan on Friday the 7. of March in the yeare 1539â— hauing for my companion Frier Honoratus and carying with me Stephan a Negro belonging to Andrew Dorantez and certaine of those Indians which the sayde lord Uice-roy had made free and bought for this purpose whom Francis Vazquez de Coronado gouernour of Nueua Galicia deliuered me and with many other Indians and Petatlan and of the towne called Cuchillo which is some 50. leagues from Petatlan who came to the valley of Culiacan shewing themselues to bee exceeding glad because they were certified by the Indians which had bin set free whom the said gouernour had sent before to aduertise them of their libertie that none of them from thence forth should be made slaues and that no man should inuade them nor vse them badly signifying vnto them that the Emperors Maiesty had willed and commanded that it should be so With the foresaid company I went on my voyage vntill I came to the towne of Petatlan finding all the way great intertainment and prouision of victuals with roses flowres and other such things and bowers which they made for me of chalke and boughs platted together in all pleces where there were no houses In this towne of Petatlan I rested 3. dayes because my companion Honoratus fell so sicke that I was constrained to leaue him there behinde Then according to my said instruction I followed my iourney as the holy Ghost did leaue me without any merit of mine hauing in my company the said Stephan the Negro of Dorantez and certaine of the Indians which had bin set at liberty and many of the people of the countrey which gaue me great intertainment and welcome in all places where I came and made mee bowers of trees giuing me such victuals as they had although they were but small because as they said it had not rained there in 3 yeres and because the Indians of this countrey sought meanes rather to hide themselues then to sowe corne sor feare of the Christians of the towne of S. Michael which were wont to make in-roades euen to that place and to warre vpon them and to cary them away captiues In all this way which may be about 25 or 30. leagus from that part of Petatlan I saw nothing worthy the noting saue that there came to seeke me certaine Indians from the Island where Fernando Cortez the Marques of the valley had bin of whom I was informed that it was an island not firme land as some suppose it to be They came to y t firme land vpon certaine rafts of wood and from the maine to the island is but halfe a league by sea litle more or lesse Likewise certaine Indians of another island greater then this came to visit me which island is farther off of whom I was informed that there were 30. other smal islands which were inhabited but had smal store of victuals sauing 2. which haue Maiz or corne of the country These Indians had about their necks many great shels which were mother of Pearle I shewed them pearles which I carryed with me for a shew and they told me that there were in the Islands great store of them and those very great howbeit I saw none of them I followed my voyage through a desert of 4. dayes iourney hauing in my company both the Indians of the islands those of the mountaines which I had passed and at the end of this desert I found other Indians which maruelled to see me because they had no knowledge of any Christians hauing no traffike nor conuersation with those Indians which I had passed in regard of the great desert which was between them These Indians intermed me exceeding courteously gaue me great store of victuals sought to touch my garmeÌ„ts and called me Hayoâ—a which in their language signifieth A man come from heauen These Indians I aduertised by my interpreter according to my instructions in the knowledge of our Lord God in heauen of the Emperor In these countries in all places els by all wayes nd meanes possible I sought information where
the Generall seemed not willing to returne but to proceed on his voyage and in fine it was resolued that seeing both the ships could not proceede forward as well because they had lost their necessary furnitures as also that the Santa Agatha had neede of calking because she receiued much water and was the worst furnished of the twaine that shee should returne backe to aduertize the Marques of our successe in this voyage and what hindred our proceeding and in what case wee stoode and howe wee were bereft of our necessary furniture And because the Trinitie was the swifter ship and better appointed then the other it was concluded that it should be prouided in the best maner that might be that the General should proceed on his iourney in her with such coÌ„panie as he should make choise of and that the rest should returne at their good leisure Wherefore vpon this determination we went vnder a point of this Island because it was a fit place to câ—â—ene the ship in recouering the same we spent Wednesday Thursday and Friday till noone and yet for all that wee could not wel double it vntil Easter day about noone Here we ankered very neere the shore and in a valley we found very excellent fresh water wherof we made no smal account here stayed all the Easter-holidayes to set our selues about the furnishing vp of the Trinity and after the worke was taken in hand by the two Masters which were very sufficient calkers one of which was Iuan Castiliano chiefe Pilot and the other Peruccio de Bermes they finished the same so well in fiue dayes as it was wonderfull for no man could perceiue how any droppe of water could enter into any of the seames Afterward they mended the other ship from Saturday till Munday during which time all those were shriuen that had not confessed and receiued the communion and it was resolued by charge of the confessors that all those seale-skins which they had taken from the Indians should bee restored againe and the Generall gaue charge to Francis Preciado to restore them all charging him on his conscience so to doe Thus they gathered them together and deliuered them into the hands of the fathers to bee kept vntill they returned to the place where they were to restore them After this maner on Munday before noone we tooke our leaues of the Generall Francis Vlloa and of the people that stayed with him who at our departure shed no small number of teares and we chose for our captaine in the Santa Agueda master Iuan Castiliano the chiefe pilot as well of the ship as of vs all and set saile the same day being the fift of April hauing our boat tied at our sterne till we came ouer against the cottages whence wee had taken the seale-skins From the countrey of the Christians and the port of Colima we were now distant some three hundreth leagues which is the first port where wee determined to touch at And hauing sailed a league from the Trinitie the captaine Iuan Castiliano commanded vs to salute them with three pieces of great Ordinance and she answered vs with other three and afterward we answered one another with two shot apiece We sailed on Munday Tewsday til noon with contrary wind in sight of the Island and at noone we had a fresh gale in the poupe which brought vs ouer against the cottages of the Indians where we tooke away those seal-skins there certain souldiers mariners with the father frier Antony de Melo leapt on shore with the boat carying the skins with them flung them into the sayd cottages out of which they were taken and so returned to their ship This day the weather calmed wereupon we were driuen to cast anker fearing that we should foorthwith be distressed for want of victuals if we should stay there any long time but God which is the true helper prouided better for vs then we deserued or imagined for as we rode here after midnight the Wednesday following before ten of the clocke wee had a fauourable gale of winde from the Southeast which put vs into the sea whither being driuen wee had the wind at Northwest so good and constant that in siâ—e dayes it brought vs to the cape of the point of the port of Santa Cruz for which so great blessing of God we gaue vnto him infinite thankes And here we began to allow our selues a greater proportion of victuals then wee had done before for wee had eaten very sparingly for feare lest our victuals would faile vs. Before we came to this point of the hauen of Santa Cruz by sixe or seuen leagues we saw on shore between certaine valleys diuers great smokes And hauing passed the point of this port our captaine thought it good to laâ—ch foorth into the maine Ocean yet although we ran a swift course aboue 500 whalâ—s came athwart of vs in 2 or 3 skulles within one houres space which were so huge as it was wonderfull and some of them came so neere vnto the ship that they swam vnder the same from one side to another whereupon we were in great feare lest they should doe vs some hurt but they could not because the ship had a prosperous and good winde and made much way whereby it could receiue no harme although they touched and strooke the same Among these Islands are such abundance of those weedes that if at any time wee were inforced to sayle ouer them they hindred the course of our ships They growe fourteene or fifteene fadome deepe vnder the water their tops reaching foure or fiue fadome aboue the water They are of the colour of yellow waxe their stalke groweth great proportionably This weede is much more beautifull then it is set foorth and no maruell for the naturall painter and creator thereof is most excellent This relation was taken out of that which Francis Preciado brought with him After this ship the Santa Agueda departed from the Generall Vlloa and returned backe the 5 of April she arriued in the port of Sant Iago de buena esperança the 18 of the said moneth and after she had stayed there foure or fiue dayes she departed for Acapulco howbeit vntil this present seuenteenth of May in the yeere 1540â— I haue heard no tidings nor newes of her Moreouer after the departure of the Santa Agueda for Nueua Espanna the General Francis Vlloa in the ship called the Trinitie proceeding on his dicouery coasted the land vntill he came to a point called Cabo del Enganno standing in thirty degrees and a halfe of Northerly latitude and then returned backe to Newspaine because he found the winds very contrary and his victuals failed him The relation of the nauigation and discouery which Captaine Fernando Alarchon made by the order of the right honourable Lord Don Antonio de Mendoça Vizeroy of New Spaine dated in Colima an hauen of New Spaine Chap. 1.
that she was called Guatuzaca and that thereabout were many lords which in their life death vsed the like orders which they of Ceuola did which had their dwelling in the summer with painted mantles and in the winter dwelt in houses of wood of 2. or 3. lofts hie and that he had seene all these things sauing the old woman And when againe I began to aske him more questions he would not answere me saying that he was weariâ— of me and many of those Indians comming aboue me they said among themselus Let vs marke him well that we may knowe him when he commeth backe againe The Monday following the riuer was beset with people like to them and I began to request the old man to tell me what people wâ—re in that countrey which told me he thought I would soone forget them and here he reckoned vp vnto me a great number of lords and people at the least 200. And discoursing with him of their armour he said that some of them had certaine very large targets of lether aboue two fingers thicke I asked him of what beasts skinne they made them and he described vnto me a very great beast like vnto an Oxe but longer by a great handfull with broad feete the legs as bigge as the thigh of a man and the head seuen handfuls long the forehead of three spannes and the eyes bigger then ones fiâ—t and the hornes of the length of a mans leg out of which grew sharpe poynts an hand full long the forfeete and hinderfecte aboue seuen handfuls bigge with a wreâ—hâ—d tayle but very great and holding vp his armes aboue his head he said the beast was higher then that After this hee gaue mee information of another olde woman which dwelt towaâ—d the sea side I spent this day in giuing crosses to those people as I had done vnto the former This old man that was with me leapâ— on â—hore fell in conference with another which that day had often called him and here both of them vsed many gestures in their speach moouing their armes and poynting at me Therefore I sent mine interpreter out willing him to drawe neere vnto them and listen wâ—â—t they said and within a while I called him and asked him whereof they talked and he sayd that he which made those gestures said vnto the other that in Ceuola there were othâ—rs like vnto vs with beards and that they said they were Christians and that both of them sayd that we were all of one companyâ— and that it were a good deede to kill vs that those others might haue no knowledge of vs lest they might come to doe them harme and that the old man answered him this is the sonne of the Sunne our lord he doth vs good and wil not enter into our houses although we request him therevnto he will take away nothing of ours he wil meddle with none of our women and that to be short he had spoken many other things in my commendation and fauour and for all thâ—s the other stedfastly affirmed that we were all one and that the old man said Let vs goe vnto him and aske him whether he be a Christian as the other be or els the sonne of the Sunne and thâ— old man came vnto me and sayd In the countrey of Ceuola whereof you spake vnto me doe other men like vnto you â—well Then I began to make as though I wondred and answered him that it was impossible and they assured me that it was true and that two men had seene them whâ—ch came from thence which reported that they had things which did shoote fire and swords as we had I asked them whether they had seene them with their owne eyes and they answered no but that certaine of their companions had seene them Then he asked mee â—hether I were the sonne oâ— the Sunne I answered him yea They said that those Christians of Ceuola said so likewise And I answered them that it might well be Then they asked mee if those Christians of Ceuola came ioyne themselues with me whether I would ioyne with them and I answered them thaâ— they needed not to feare any whit at all for if they were the sonnes of the Sunne as they said they must needes be my brethren and would vse towards all men the like loue and courtesie which I vsâ—d whereupon hereat they seemed to be somewhat satisfied Chap. 7. It is tolde him that they are ten dayes iourney distant from Ceuola and that there be Christians there which make warre against the lords of that countrey Of the Sodomie which those Indians vse with foure yong men appoynted for that seruice which weare womens appâ—rel Seeing they could not send newes of their being there to them of Ceuola they went backe againe downe the riuer to their ships THen I prâ—yed them to tel me how many dayes that kingdom of Ceuola which they spake of was diâ—tant from that riuer and that man answered that there was the space of tenne dayes iourney withâ—ut hâ—ritation and that he made none accompt of the rest of the way because there wâ—re people 〈…〉 found Upon this aduertisement I was desirous to certifie Captaine Francis Vazquez of my being there and imparted my mind with my souldiers among whom I found none that was willing to goe thither although I offered them many rewards in your lordships name onely one Negro slaue though with an euil wil offred himselfe vnto me to go thither but I looked for the comming of those two Indians which they told me of and herewithall we went on our way vp the riuer against the streame in such sort as we had done before Here that olde man shewed me as a strange thing a sonne of his clad in womans apparel exercising their office I asked him how many there were of these among them and he told me there were foure that when any of them died there was a search made of all the women with child which were in the country and that the first sonne which was borne of them was appoynted to doe that duetie belonging vnto women and that the women clad him in their apparell saying that seeing he was to doe that which belonged to them he should weare their apparel these yong men may not hauâ— carnall copulation with any woman but all the yong men of the countrey which are to marrie may company with thâ—m These men receiue no kind of reward for this incestous act of the people of that countrâ—â— because they haue libertie to take whatsoeuer they find in any house for their food I saw likewise certaine women whâ—ch liued dishonestly among men and I asked the old man whether they were married who answered me noe but they were common women which liued aparâ— from the married women I came at length after these discourses to pray them to sâ—nd for those Indians which they said had bin at Ceuola they told me that they were
eight dayes iourney distant from that place but that notwithstanding there was one among them which was their companion and which had spoken with them as he mâ—t them on the way when they went to see the kingdome of Ceuola and that they told him that he were not best to goe any farther for he should find there â— fierce nation like vs and of the same qualities and making which had fought much with the people of Ceuola because they had killed a Negro of their company saying Wherefore haue yee killed him what did he to you did he take any bread from you or do you any other wrong and such like speach And they said moreouer that these people were called Christians which dwelt in a great house that many of them had oxen like those of Ceuola and other litle blacke beasts with wooll and hornes that some of them had beasts which they rode vpoÌ„ which ran very swiftly that one day before their departure from sunne rising vntill sunne sâ—tting these Christians were all day in comming thither all of them lodged in that place where others had lodged that these two met with two Christians which asked them whence they were whether they had fields sowen with corne and they told them that they dwelt in a farre country and that they had corne and that then they gaue each of them a litle cap and they gaue them another to cary to their other companions which they promisâ—d to do departed quickly When I vnderstood this I spoke againe with my company to see if any one of them would go thither but I found them vnwilling as at the first and they laid against me greater incoÌ„ueniences Then I called the old man to see if he would giue me any people to goe with me victuals to trauel through that wildernes but he laid before me many inconueniences dangers which I might incurre in that voyage shewing me the danger that there was in passing by a lord of Cumana which threatned to make warre vpon them because his people had entred into the others countrey to take a stagge and that I shoulâ— not therefore depart thence without seeing him punished And when I replied that in any wise I must needes goe to Ceuola he willed me to surcease from that purpose for they looked that that lord without al doubt would come to annoy them that therefore they could not leaue their countrey naked to goe with me and that it would be better that I would make an end of that warre betweene them and that then I might haue their company to Ceuola And vpon this point we grew to such variance that we began to grow into choler and in a rage he would haue gone out of the boat but I stayed him and with gentle speeches began to pacifie him seeing that it imported mee much to haue him my friend but for all my courtesies which I shewed him I could not alter him from his mind wherein he stil remained obstinate In this meane while I sent a man away vnto my ships to giue them knowledge of the iourney that I had determined to make After this I prayed the old man that he would fetch him backe againe because I had determined that seeing I saw no meanes to be able to go to Ceuola because I would stay no longer among those people because they should not discouer me and likewise because I meant in person to visit my ships with determination to returne againe vp the riuer carying with me other companions leaue there some which I had sicke and telling the olde man and the rest that I would returne and leauing them satisfied the best I could although they alwayes said that I went away for feare I returned downe the riuer and that way which I had gone against the streame vp the riuer in 15. dayes and an halfe I made in my returne in 2. dayes and an halfe because the streame was great and very swift In this wise going downe the riuer much people came to the banks saying Sir wherefore doe you leaue vs what discourtesie hath bin done vnto you did you not say that you would remayne continually with vs and be our Lord And turne backe againe if any man aboue the riuer hath done you any wrong we will goe with our weapons with you and kill him and such like words ful of loue kindnes Chap. 8. When they came to their shippes the Captaine named that coast La Campanna de la Cruz and builded a Chapel vnto our Lady and called the riuer El Rio de Buena Guia and returned vp the same againe when he came to Quicona and Coama the Lords of those places vsed him very courteously VPon mine arriuall at my ships I found all my people in health although very heauie for my long stay and because the current had fretted fower of their cables and that they had lost two ankers which were recouered After we had brought our ships together I caused them to bring theÌ„ into a good harbour to giue the carena to the shippe called Sanct Peter to mend all things that were needfull And here assembling all my company together I opened vnto them what knowledge I had receiued of Francis Vasquez and how it might be that in those sixeteene dayes space which I was in sayling vp the riuer he might peraduenture haue some knowlâ—dge of me and that I was minded to returne vp the riuer once againe to try if I could finde any meanes to ioyne my selfe with him and although some spake against my determination I caused al my boates to bee made ready because the ships had no need of them I caused one of them to be filled with wares of exchange with corne and other seedes with hennes cockes of Castile and departed vp the riuer leauâ—ng order that in that prouince called Campanna de la Cruz they should build an Oraâ—oâ—iâ— or Chapell and called it the Chappell of our Lady de la Buena Guia and that they should call this riuer Rio de Buena Guia because that is your Lordships Deuise I carried with me Nicolas Zamorano Pilote mayor to take the height of the pole And I departed on tuesday the fourteenth of September on wednesday I came vnto the first dwellings of the first Indians which came running to hinder my passage supposing that we had bene other people for we caâ—ied with vs a fifer a drummer and I was clad in other apparell then I went in before when they saw me fiâ—st of all and when they knew me they stayed though I could not grow vnto perfect friendship with thâ—m whereupon I gaue them some of those seedes which I brought with mee teaching them how thâ—y should sow them and after I had sayled 3 leagues my first interpretour came euen to my boat to seeke me with great ioy of whom I demanded wherefore he had left me
there are among them eight or nine friers of the Order of Saint Augustine who haue there a Monastery Within three dayes after we departed from this place and came to a city called Guaxutla where there is another Monastery of friers of the same Order there dwell in this towne about twelue Spanyards From this place forwards beginneth a prouince called Guastecan which is all plaine grounds without any hilles The first towne we came vnto is called Tancuylabo in which there dwell many Indians high of stature hauing all their bodies painted with blew and weare their haire long downe to their knees tied as women vse to doe with their haire-laces When they goe out of their doores they cary with them their bowes and arrowes being very great archers going for the most part naked In those countreys they take neither golde nor siluer for exchange of any thing but onely Salt which they greatly esteeme and vse it for a principall medicine for certaine wormes which breed in their lips and in their gummes After nine dayes trauell from this place we came to a towne called Tampice which is a port towne vpon the sea wherein theâ—e dwell I thinke forty Christians of which number whilest were abode there the Indians killed foureteene as they were gathering of Salt which is all the trade that they haue in this place it standeth vpon the entrie of the riuer of Panuco which is a mighty great riuer and were it not for a sand that lieth at the mouth of it ships of fiue hundred tunne might goe vp into it aboue three score leagues From hence we went to Panuco foureteene leagues from Tampice which in times past had bene a goodly city where the king of Spaine had his gouernour but by reason that the Indians there destroyed the Christians it lieth in a maner waste conteining in it not aboue tenne Christians with a priest In this towne I fell sicke where I lay one and forty dayes hauing no other sustenance then fruit and water which water I sent for aboue sixe leagues off within the countrey Here I remained till my companion came to me which had departed from me another way reteining in my company onely a slaue which I brought with me from Mexico And the last day in Easter weeke my companion came to me finding me in a very weake state by reason of the vnholesomenesse of the place Notwithstanding my weakenesse I being set on an horse and an Indian behinde mee to holde mee wee went forward on our voyage all that day till night The next day in the morning we passed ouer the riuer in a canoa and being on the other side I went my selfe before alone and by reason there met many wayes traled by the wilde beasts I lost my way and so trauelled thorow a great wood about two leagues and at length fell into the hands of certaine wilde Indians which were there in certaine cottages made of straw who seeing me came out to the number of twenty of them with their bowes and arrowes and spake vnto mee in their language which I vnderstood not and so I made signes vnto them to helpe mee from my horse which they did by commandement of their lord which was there with them and lighted downe They caried me vnder one of their cottages and layed me vpon a mat on the ground and perceiuing that I could not vnderstand them they brought vnto mee a little Indian wench of Mexico of fifteene or sixteene yeeres of age whom they commanded to aske me in her language from whence I came and for what intent I was câ—me among them for sayth she doest thou not know Christian how that these people will kill and eat thee To whom I answered let them doe with me what they will heere now I am Shee replied saying thou mayest thanke God thou art leane for they feare thou hast the pocks otherwise they would eate thee So I presented to the king a little wine which I had with me in a bottle which he esteemed aboue any treasure for for wine they will sell their wiues and children Afterwards the wench asked me what I would haue and whether I would eat any thing I answered that I desired a little water to drinke for that the countrey is very hote and shee brought me a great Venice glasse gilded full of water And maruelling at the glasse I demanded how they câ—me by it She tolde me that the Casique brought it from Shallapa a great towne distant 30 leagues from this place on the hilles whereas dwelt certeine Christians and certeine friers of the Order of S. Augustine which this Casique with his people on a night slew and burning the friers monasterie among other things reserued this glasse and from thence also brought me Hauing now bene conuersaâ—t with them about three or foure houres they bid her aske me if I would goe my way I answered her that I desired nothing els So the Casique caused two of his Indians to leade me forward in my way going before me with their bowes and arrowes naked the space of three leagues till they brought me into an high way and then making a signe vnto me they signified that in short time I should come to a towne where Christians inhabited which was called S. Iago de los valles standing in plaine fields walled about with a mud â—all the number of the Christians that dwelt therein were not abâ—ue foure or fiue and twenty vnto which the king of Spaine giueth Indians and townes to keepe the countreys subiect vnto him Heâ—re the Christians haue their mâ—ghty mules which they cary for all the parts of the Indies and into Peru for that all their merchandize are caried by this meanes by land In this towne aforesayd I found my company which I had lost before who made no other account oâ— me but that I had beene slaine and the Christians there likewise maruelled to heare that I came from those kinde of Indians aliue which was a thing neuer seene nor heard of before for they take a great pride in killing a Christian and to weare any part of him where he hath any haire growing hanging it about their necks and so are accounted for valiant men In this towne I remained eighteene dayes till I recouered my health and in the meane space there came one Don Francisco de Pago whom the viceroy Don Henrico Manriques had sent for captaine generall to open and discouer a certeine way from the sea side to the mines of Sacatecas which were from this place 160 leagues for to transport their merchandize by that way leauing the way by Mexico which is seuen or eight weeks trauell So this captaine tooke me and my company with the rest of his souldiers to the number of forty which he had brought with him and fiue hundred Indians which we tooke â—ut of two towns in this prouince called Tanchipa and Tamaclipa
all good archers and naked men and went thence to the riuer de las Palmas which is of great bignesse parting the kingdome of Noua Hispania and Florida and going still along by this riuer the space of three dayes seeking passage to passe ouer and finding none we were at length inforced to cut timber to make a balsa or raft which when we had mate we sate on it the Indians swimming in the water and thrusting it before them to the other side Within thirty dayes after trauelling thorow wâ—ods hilles and mountaines we came to the mines of Sacatecas which are the richest mines in all the Indies and from thence they fetch most siluer at which mines there dwelt aboue three hundred Christians and there our captaine gaue vs leaue to depart So we came to the valley of S. Michael toward Mexico and from thence to Pueblo nouo and from that place to the prouince of Mechuacan after which name the chiefest city of that place is called where there dwelles a bishop and aboue an hundred Spanyards in it it aboundeth with all kind of Spanish fruits and hath woods full of nut trees and wild vines Heere are many mines of copper and great store of cattell It lieth 60 leagues from Mexico whither we came within foure dayes after The Indians of this countrey are very mighty and big men Afterwards I returned another way to the prouince of Sonsonate by Vera cruz and so to Rio Aluarado and from thence to the prouince of Campeche which lieth on the South side of the bay of Mexico the chiefe towne of this prouince is called Merida in which is a bishop and almost 100 Spanyards The Indians of this prouince pay all their tribute in mantles of cotton wooll and cacao There is no port in all this prouince for a ship of 100 tun to ride in but onely in the riuer of Tabasco by which riuer this city of Merida standeth The chiefest merchandize which they lade there in small frigats is a certeine wood called campeche wherewith they vse to die as also hides and annile By this there lieth the prouince of Iucatan nere the Honduras by the North sea coast where there is also another bishop and a towne likewise named Iucatan where there dwell a few Spanyards They haue no force at all in all this coast to defend themselues withall saue only that the land is low and there is no port to receiue any shipping vnlesse they be frigats which cary from thence to the port of S. Iohn de Vllua waâ—e cacao hony and also mantles of cotton wool whereof they make there great store and of which kind of merchandize there is great trade thence to Mexico of the same also they pay their tribute to the king The king hath tribute brought him yerely out of the Indies into Spaine betweene nine and ten millions of gold and siluer for he receiueth of euery Indian which is subiect vnto him excepting those which do belong to the Incommenderos which are the children of those Spanyards who first conquered the land to whom the king gaue and granted the gouernment of the cities and townes subdued for three liues twelue reals of plate and a hannege of maiz which is a wheat of the countrey fiue of them making a quarter of English measure and of euery widow woman he hath sixe reals halfe a hannege of maiz And so if any Indian haue twenty children in his house he payeth for euery one of them being aboue fifteene yeres old after that rate This Wheat being duely brought to the gouernour of euery prouince and city is fold in Mexico by the kings gouernours there euery yeere so that the money receiued for it is put into the kings Treasurie there and so is yeerely caried from thence into Spaine Of the Spanyards which are owners of the mines of gold and siluer he receiueth the fift part of it which he calleth his quintas which being taken out of the heape there is his armes set on it for otherwise it may not be brought out of the land into Spaine vnder paine of death The marke of siluer which is eight ounces when it commeth out of the mines not hauing the kings seale vpon it is woorth three and forty reals of plate and so it is current and when they will bring it for Spaine they cary it to the kings Treasure house where his seale is set vpon it and so it is raised in value thereby to threescore and foure reals of plate and so the king hath for his custome of euery marke of plate one and twentie reals From the yere of 1570 which was the yeere that the Popes buls came into the Indies as is afore mentioned he hath receiued both of the Indians which are tributaries vnto him and also of all others belonging to the Incommenderos of euery one being aboue twelue yeeres of age foure reals of euery bull Also they cary other pardons with them into the Indies for such as he dead although an hundred yeres before the Spanyards came into the countrey which pardons the friers in their preachings perswaded the poore Indians to take telling them that with giuing foure reals of plate for a Masse they would deliuer their soules out of purgatory Of the Christians likewise dwelling there he hath fourteene reals for euery bull and there be certeine buls brought thither for the Christians besides the former which serue for pardoning all such faults wherein they haue trespassed either against the king by keeping backe his customes or one against another by any other iniury for euery hundred crownes whereof a mans conscience doth accuse him that he hath deceiued the king or any other he must giue ten for a bull and so after that rate for euery hundred which he hath any way stollen and so is pardoned the fault The reuenue of his buls after this maner yeeldeth vnto his treasury yeerely aboue three millions of gold as I haue bene credibly informed although of late both the Spanyards and Indians do refuse to take the buls for that they perceiue he doth make a yeerely custome of it onely ech Indian taketh one pardon for all his householde whereas in former time euery Indian vsed to take one for euery person in his house and teareth the same into small pieces and giueth to euery one of his householde a little piece saying thus they need now no more seeing in that which they bought the yeere before they had aboue ten thousand yeres pardon These pieces they sticke vp in the wall of the houses where they lie Both the Christians Indians are weary with these infinite taxes and customes which of late he hath imposed vpon them more then in the yeeres before so as the people of both sorts did rebell twise in the time that I was among them and would haue set vp another king of themselues for which cause
for two more of their fleete were much spoyled by the storme which they had In these sixeteene shippes Pedro Sarmiento was sent to bee gouernour in the streites and had assigned vnto him 500 men to stay there with him and hee carried with him all kinde of â—â—rificers to make him forts and other necessaries with great store of ordinance and other munition This fleete because it was late did winter on the coast of Brasil in the riuer of Ienero and from thence they went when the winter was past and about the height of 42 degrees they had a sudden storme so that Diego Flores beat it vp and downe 22 dayes in which time hee lost one of the best ships he had which had in her 300 men and 20 women that went to inhabit the Streits and in this ship also was most part of the munition which should haue bene left in the Streits so in the end the storme grew to bee so great that the ships were not able to endure it any longer but were put backe vnto an Island called Santa Catelina and there he sound a barke wherein were some fryers going for the riuer of Plate which friers told him of two great English ships and a pinnesse which had taken them but tooke nothing from them nor did the many harme but onely asked them for the king of Spaines ships Hereupon Diego Flores knowing that these English ships would goe for the Streits determined to goe thither although it was in the moneth of Februarie and choosing 10 ships of the 1â— that were left hee left two ships which were not in case to goe to sea at the Island and into the other three ships which were old and shaken with the storme hee put all the women and sicke men in all the fleete and sent them to the riuer of Ienero and he with the other 10 returned againe for the Streits The three ships in which the sicke men and women were went to Brasil and there they found within the por of S. Vincent the two ships before mentioned They woulde haue had the English men to haue gone out of the harbour and thereupon they fell to fight and because that these three ships were weake with the storme and the men that they had were the worst in all the fleete the Englishmen easily put them to the worst and sunke one of them and might haue sunke another if the Englishmen would but they minded not the destruction of any man for that is the greatest vertue that can be in a man that when hee may doe hurt yet he will not doe it So the Englishmen wâ—nt from this port to Spirito Santo where they had victuals for their merchandise and so they went backe for England without doing of any harme in the Countrey The cause why these English shippes vnder the conduct of M. Fenton went not to the streits I know not but some say that they were put backe by foule weather other some say that it was for feare of the kings ships But the pinnesse of these two ships went from them in which was Captaine Iohn Drake the cause why they parted I know not but the pinnesse came into the riuer of Plate and within fiue leagues of Seale Island not farre from the place where the Earle of Cumberlands shippes did take in fresh water shee was cast away vpon a leâ—ge of rockes but the men were saued in their boat which were in number 18 who went ashore on the North side and went a dayes iourney into the land and met with the Sauages which are no men-â—aters but take all the Christians that they can and make them slaues But the Englishmen fought with them and the Sauages flew 5 of them and tooke 13 aliue which were with the Sauages about 15 moneths But the Master of the pinnesse whose name was Richard Faireweather being not willing to indure the misery that hee was in and hauing knowledge that there was a towne of Christians on the other side of the riuer he in a night called Iohn Drake and another yong man which was with them and tooke a very little Canoa which had but two oares so passed to the other side of the riuer which is about 19 leagues broade and were three dayes before they could get ouer without meat and comming to land they hit vpon an highway that went towards the Christians and seeing the footing of horses they followed it and at last came to an house where there was corne sowed and there they met with Indians seruants vnto the Spaniards which gaue them meate and clothes to couer them for they were all naked and one of the Indians went to the towne and told them of the Englishmen so the Captaine sent foure horsemen who brought them to the towne behind them This Captaine clothed them and prouided lodging for them and Iohn Drake dieted at the Captaines table and they were all very well intreated the Captaine purposing to send them for Spaine But the Uiceroy of Peru hauing newes hereof sent for them and so Iohn Drake was sent to him but the other two were kept there because they were married in the countrey so that I know no more of their affaires Upon this comming of the Englishmen there were pâ—epared 50 horsemen to goe ouer the riuer to secke the rest of the Englishmen and also certaine Spaniards that were among the savage people but I am not certaine whether they went forward or not A ruttier which declareth the situation of the coast of Brasil from the Isle of Santa Catelina vnto the mouth of the riuer of Plata and all along vp within the sayd riuer and what armes and mouthes it hath to enter into it as farre as it is nauigable â—ith small barks FRom the Isle of Santa Catelina which is in 28 degrees of Southerly latitude vnto Rio Grande is fortie leagues This riuer by another name is called Ygai The Island of Santa Catelina is sixe leagues in length it hath two small Islands on the North side betweene the maine land and it and on the South side it hath a shoald of rockes which lyeth hidden very neere vnto the poynt of the Isâ—e You are to passe betweene the firme land and the poynt of the Isle From Santa Catelina to the hauen of Biaça which by another name is called la Laguna are twelue leagues it is a good hauen within but you must stay the full sea to enter into it because it hath shoaldes in the mouth and it may be knowen by a small Island which lyeth a league into the sea which is called La Isla de Reparo that is The Island of succour or defence and you must ride there to search the chanell From this harbour vnto the riuer before named there is no hauen for a ship to harbour it selfe And Râ—o Grande hath many shoalds in the mouth thereof It â—s a riuer that none but very
great English ships and a pinnesse that had taken them but tooke nothing from them nor did them any harme but onely asked them for the king of Spaines ships Now Diego Flores supposing that these English ships would go to the streights was himselfe determined to go to the streights also though it was in the moneth of February and choosing tenne shippes of the fifteene that were left he sent three of the residue that were old aâ—d shaken with the storme wherein he put all the women and sicke men that were in the fleete backe againe to the riuer of Ienero leauing the other two shippes which were not able to brooke the sea at the foresayd Island and so himselfe with the sayd ten ships returned againe for the streights Now the three ships wherein the sicke men and the women were embarked came to the port of Sant Vincent where finding the two foresayd English ships and vrging them to auoide the harbour the English entred combat with them and by reason that these three ships were weakened with former tempests and were manned with the refuse of all the Spanish flâ—ete the Englishmeu easily put them to the worst and sunke one of them and might also haue sunke another if they had bene so minded but they desired not the destruction of any man and doubtlesse it is the greatest valour that any man can shew that when hee may doe hurte he will not Hereupon the Englishmen departed from this porte vnto Espirito Santo where they had victuals for their merchandize and so they returned home to England without doing any harme in the countrey The cause why these English captaines went not to the streights I know not some say that they were put backe by foule weather others suppose that it was for feare of the kings ships but the pinnesse that belonged to these shippes wherein Iohn Drake went as captaine departed from them the cause why hee did so is vnknowen but this pinnesse entred the riuer of Plate and within fiue leaguas of Seale-island not farre from the place where the Erle of Cumberlands ships tooke in fresh water it was cast away vpon a ledge of rockes but the men were all saued in the boate Who being eighteene in number went on shore vpon the Northside of the Island and passing tenne dayes iourney vp into the lande they met with certaine Saluage people which are no man-eaters but take all the Christians that they can get and make them their slaues howbeit the Englishmen fought with them and being too fewe in number fiue of them were slaine and the other thirteene taken prisoners who remained with the Saluages about fifteene moneths But the Master of the pinnesse called Richard Faireweather being loth any longer to indure that miserie wherein hee was and hauing knowledge of a towne of Christians on the other side of the riuer called on a night Iohn Drake and another yoong man which was with them and tooke a Canoa being very little and hauing but two oares and passed therewith on the other side of the riuer which is full nine leagues broade and being three dayes before they could get ouer they were much pined for lacke of meate But comming to land they hit vpon an high way that went towards the Christians and spying the footing of horses they followed it and at last came to an house neere vnto the which corne was sowed And there they met with Indians that were seruants to the Spaniards who gaue them foode and clothes to couer them withall for they were all naked And one of the sayd Indians went to the towne and caried newes of the Englishmen whereupon the captaine of the towne sent our foure horsemen which brought them to the towne behinde them and the sayd captaine clothed them and prouided lodging for them and Iohn Drake sate at the captaines owne table and hee intreated them all very well thinking to send them for Spaine But the Uiceroy of Peru hearing this newes sent for them and they sent him Iohn Drake but the other two they kept because they were maried in the countrey Thus much concerning their affaires Upon these newes also there were prepared fifty horsemen to goe ouer the riuer both to seeke the rest of the Englishmen and certaine Spaniardes which were amongst those Saluage people but I am not assured whether they went forward or no. Nowe let vs returne to Diego Flores who passing from the Island of Santa Catelina towards the streights of Magellan in the middle of February and comming to the height of the riuer of Plate sent the gouernour of Chili with three ships vp the riuer to Buenos Ayres that hee might from thence passe ouerland to Chili Of these three ships two were lost but the men and prouisions were saued and the third returned for Spaine Then Diego Flores with the other seuen ships proceeded on to the latitude of 52. degrees whereas the mouth of the Streights beginneth but because it was the ende of March which there is the latter ende of summer the countrey was so full of snow and withall there arose such a sudden storme that he could not set Sarmiento and his men on shore but was constrained the second time to returne vnto the riuer of Ienero vpon the coast of Brasil where he heard newes of the English ships by the two Spanish ships that escaped from them Upon which newes he left his lieutenant Diego de Ribera and Pedro Sarmiento that they might the next yeere returne for the streights And so Diego Flores himselfe with foure ships which were yet remaining vnto him and other foure which the king sent to succour him set forth to seeke the Englishmen but hauing runne along all the coast of Brasil hee could not finde them because they were gone directly for England Whereupon shaping his course vnto a port called Paraiua and finding there fiue French ships he burnt three and tooke two and the fort also which the Frenchmen had built and put Spaniardes therein but the Frenchmen fledde into the mountaines to the Saluages This done hee returned for Spaine In the meane season his Lieutenant Diego de Ribera and Pedro Sarmiento had the next yeere so good fortune that they arriued safely in the streights with all their ships and set on shore foure hundreth men but because the ships boate could not land being once laden they ran that ship which had all the victuals and munition in her on shore in a bay and as the water did ebbe they tooke all things out of her This being done Diego de Ribera left Sarmiento with foure hundreth men thirtie women and a ship with victuals for eight moneths and with the other three shippes hee returned hauing remained in the Streights but eight dayes Nowe Pedro Sarmiento built a towne at the mouth of the Sreights on the North side placing therein an hundreth and fiftie men and from thence he went by land and sent the ship
monitions and reasons of the false traitor being vnderstood and pondered by the great Turke and his counsell it was considered of them not to loose so good occasion and time Wherefore hee made most extreme diligence to rigge and apparell many ships vessels of diuers sorts as galliasses gallies pallandres fustâ—s and brigantines to the number of 350. sailes and moe When the prisoner that the sayd de Merall did send into Turkie had done his câ—mmission hee returned into Rhodes whereof euery man had maruell And many folkes deemâ—d â—uil of his comming againe as of a thing vnaccustomed but none durst say any thing seeing the sayd de Merall of so great authoritie and dignitie and he cherished the sayd prisoner more then he was woont â—o doe Therefore belike hee had well done his message and had brought good tidings to the damnable and shamefull mind of â—he sayd traitor de Merall How the great Turke caused the passages to be kept that none should beare tidings of his hoste to Rhodes THe great Turke intending with great diligence to make readie his hoste both by sea and by land the better to come to his purpose and to take the towne vnwarily as hee was aduertised thought to keepe his doings as secret as hee might and commaunded that none of his subiects should goe to Rhodes for any maner of thing And likewise he tooke all the barkes and brigantines out of the hauens and portes in those coastes because they should giue no knowledge of his armie And also hee made the passages by land to bee kept that none should passe Howbeit so great apparell of an armie could not bee long kept close for the spies which the lord great master had sent into Turkie brought tidings to the castle of saint Peter and to Rhodes of all that was sayd and done in Turkie Neuerthelesse the sayd lord gaue no great credence to all that was brought and told because that many yeeres before the predecessours of the great Turke had made great armies and alway it was sayd that they went to Rhodes the which came to none effect And it was holden for a mocke and a by-word in many places that the Turke would goe to besiege Rhodes And for this reason doubt was had of this last armie and some thought that it should haue gone into Cyprus or to Cataro a land of the lordship of Venice Howbeit the great master not willing to bee taken vnwarily but the meane while as carefull and diligent for the wealth of his towne his people vnderstanding these tidings of the Turkes armie did all his diligence to repaire and strengthen the towne Amongst all other things to build vp and raise the bulwarke of Auuergne and to cleanse and make deeper the ditches And the more to cause the workemen to haste them in their businesse they sayd lord ouersawe them twice or thrise euery day How the lord great master counselled with the lordes for prouision for the towne THen the sayd reuerend lord thought to furnish and store the towne with more vitailes for the sustenance thereof and for the same many times hee spake with the lordes that had the handling and rule of the treasurie and of the expenses thereof in his absence and since his comming That is to wit with the great Commander Gabriel de pommerolles lieutenant of the sayd lord The Turcoplier Sir Iohn Bourgh of the English nation and the Chanceller Sir Andrew de Meral of whom is spoken afore and of his vntruth agaynst his religion The which three lordes sayd that hee should take no thought for it for the towne was well stored with vitailes for a great while and that there was wheate ynough till new came in Notwithstanding it were good to haue more or the siege were laide afore the towne and therefore it were behoouefull to send for wheate and other necessaries into the West for succours of the towne and at that time to puruey for euery thing Of the prouision for vitailes and ordinance of warre AS touching the store and ordinance of warre the sayd lordes affirmed that there was ynough for a yeere and more whereof the contrary was found for it failed a moneth or the citie was yeelded It is of trueth that there was great store and to haue lasted longer then it did But it was needfull to spend largely at the first comming of the enemies to keepe them from comming neere and from bringing earth to the ditches sides as they did And moreouer you are to consider the great number of them and their power that was spred round about the towne giuing vs so many assaults and skirmishes in so many places as they did and by the space of sire whole moneths day and night assailing vs that much ordinance and store was wasted to withstand them in all points And if it failed it was no maruell Howbeit the noble lord great master prouided speedily for it and sent Brigantines to Lango to the castle of saint Peter and to the castels of his isle Feraclous and Lyndo for to bring powder and saltpeter to strength the towne but it suffised not And for to speake of the purueiance of vitailes it was aduised by the lord great master and his three lords that it was time to send some ships for wheat to places thereabout before the Turks hoste were come thither And for this purpose was appointed a ship named the Gallienge whose captaine hight Brambois otherwise called Wolfe of the Almaine nation an expert man of the sea the which made so good diligence that within a moneth he performed his voiage and brought good store of wheat from Naples and Romania which did vs great comfort How a Brigantine was sent to Candie for wine and of diuers ships that came to helpe the towne AFter this a motion was made to make prouision of wine for the towne for the men of Candie durst not saile for to bring wine to Rhodes as they were woont to doe for feare of the Turkes hoste and also they of the towne would send no ship into Candie fearing to be taken and enclosed with the sayd hoste by the way Howbeit some merchants of the towne were willing to haue aduentured themselues in a good ship of the religion named the Mary for to haue laden her with wine in Candie But they could not agree with the three lordes of the treasure and their let was but for a little thing and all the cause came of the sayd traitour de Merall faining the wealth of the treasure for he intended another thing and brake this good and profitable enterprise and will of the sayd merchants seeing that it was hurtfull to the Turke whose part the said traitour held in his diuelish heart that notwithstanding the reuerend lord great master that in all things from the beginning to the ende hath alway shewed his good will and with all diligence and right that might bee requisite to a soueraigne captaine and head of warre
ships as gallies galliasses and fusts and passed one after another before the towne and hauen of Rhodes three miles off and came to shore in a place nigh to land called Perambolin sixe miles from the towne In the which place the sayd hoste abode from that time to the end of that vnhappy siege The number and names of the vessels that came to besiege Rhodes THe number of the ships were these 30 galliasses 103 gallies aswell bastards as subtill mahonnets 15 taffours 20 fusts 64 great ships sixe or seuen gallions 30 galleres beside the nauy that waited for Christian men if any came to succour vs. These were the vessels that came at the first to lay the siege And sith that the sayd host came out of Perambolin there came from Syria 20 other sailes aswell gallies as fusts And many other ships came sith and ioyned with the sayd army in the time of the sayd siege And it was sayd that there were 400 sailes and moe The same day that part of the host came to the sayd place the reuerend lord great master ordeined a great brigandine to send into the West to certifie our holy father the pope and the Christian princes how the Turks army was afore Rhodes And in the sayd vessell he sent two knights one a French man named Sir Claude dansoyuille called Villiers and Sir Loys de Sidonia a Spaniard and they went to the pope and to the emperour After the comming of the Turks nauy into the sayd place it was 14 or 15 dayes or they set any ordinance on land great or small or any quantity of men came on shore whereof we marueiled And it was tolde vs by some that came out of the campe and also by the spies that the lord great master had sent abroad arayed as Turks that they abode the commandement of their great lord vntill the hoste by land were come into the campe Howbeit there came some number for to view the towne but they went pâ—iuily for the ordinance of the towne shot without cease All this while the gallies and galliasses went and came to land bringing vitaile and people At the which ships passing nigh the town were shot many strokes with bombards which made some slaughter of our enemies and when the most part of them was past they began to set ordinance on the land with great diligence Then the lord great master departed from his palace and lodged him nigh a church called The victory because that place was most to be doubted and also that at the other siege the great businesse and assault was there How the lord great master made his petition before the image of S. Iohn and offered him the keyes of the towne THe day before were made many predications and sermons and the last was in the church of S. Iohn Baptist. When the sermon was done a pontificall Masse was celebrate with all solemnities and all the reliques taken downe and the lord great master and all his knights with great deuotions and reuerence heard it And when the Masse was ended the lord great master made a pitious oration or prayer before Saint Iohn Baptist his protectour and aboue all other words which were too long to tell he besought him meekly that it would please him to take the keyes of that miserable city The which keyes he presented and layed vpon the altar before the image beseeching S. Iohn to take the keeping and protection thereof and of all the religion as by his grace he had giuen to him vnworthy the gouerning vnto that day and by his holy grace to defend them from the great power of the enemies that had besieged them How the women slaues would haue set fire in the towne THe eight day of Iuly it was knowen that the Turkish women being slaues and seruaunts in many houses of the towne had appointed to set fire in their masters houses at the first assault that should be made to the end that the men should leaue their posterns defenses to go and saue their houses and goods And it was found that a woman of Marchopora being a slaue was first moouer thereof the which was taken and put to execution The same day some of our men went out for to skirmish with the Turkes and many of them were slaine with shot of our artillerie and of our men but one How the Turkes layd their artillerie about the towne and of the maner and quantitie of their pieces and gunshot THe 18. day of Iuly for the beginning and first day they set vp a mantellet vnder the which they put three or foure meane pieces as sacres wherâ—with they shot against the posterns of England and Prouence But the mantellet was soone broken and cast downe and their pieces destroyed with the shot of the wall and they that shot them were most part slaine As this first mantellet was broken by the great and innumerable people that they had they set all their ordinance on land and caried it to the places where it should be bent or nigh thereby And the 29. day of the same moneth they set vp two other mantellets One beside a church of saine Cosme and Damian and another toward the West And from these mantellets they shot great pieces as Culuerings double gunnes and great bombards agaynst the wals of England and Spaine to the which mantellets the ordinance of the towne gaue many great strokes and often brake them And the more to grieue the towne and to feare vs they set vp many other mantellets in diuers places almost round about the towne and they were reckoned foure score the which number was well lessened by the great quantitie of strokes of artillerie shot out of the towne from many places The artillerie of the Turkes was such as followeth FIrst there were sixe great gunnes cannons perriers of brasse that shot a stone of three foote and a halfe also there were 15. pieces of iron that shot stones of fiue or sixe spannes about Also there were 14. great bombards that shot stones of eleuen spans about Also there were twelue basiliskes whereof they shot but with 8. that is to weet foure shot agaynst the posterns of England and Spaine and two against the gate of Italy the other two shot sometime against Saint Nicholas tower Also there were 15. double gunnes casting bullets as basiliskes The meane shot as sacres and pasuolans were in great number The handgunshot was innumerable and incredible Also there were twelue potgunnes of brasse that shot vpward where of eight were set behind the church of S. Cosme and Damian and two at saint Iohn de la Fonâ—aine toward the port of Italy and the other two afore the gate of Auuergne the which were shot night and day and there were three sorts of them whereof the greatest were of sixe or seuen spannes about And the sayd stones were cast into the towne to make murder of people which is a thing very inhumane and fearefull which
maner of shooting is little vsed amongst christian men Howbeit by euident myracle thanked be God the sayd pieces did no great harme and slew not past 24. or 25. persons and the most part women and children and they began to shoot with the said pieces from the 19. day of the â—ame moneth vnto the end of August it was accounted that they shot 2000. times more or lesse Then the enemies were warned by the Iewe that wrote letters to them of all that was done and sayd in the towne that the sayd potgunnes did no harme wherefore they were angry for they thought that they had slaine the third part of our people and they were counselled by him to leaue that shooâ—ing for it was but time lost and pouder wasted and then they shot no more with them It is of a trueth that they shot with the sayd potgunnes 12. or 15. times with bullets of brasse or copper full of wild fire and when they were in the ayre they flamed foorth and in falling on the ground they brake and the fire came out and did some harme But at the last wee knew the malice thereof and the people was warie from comming neere to them and therefore they did hurt no more folke How the captaine Gabriel Martiningo came to the succor of Rhodes and all the slaues were in danger to be slaine THe 24. day of the same moneth a brigantine arriued that was sent afore into Candie wherein came a worthy captaine named Gabriel Martiningo with two other captains And there went to receiue him messieur prou Iohn prior of S. Giles and the prior of Nauarre Then after his honourable receiuing as to him well appertained they brought him before the lord great master that louingly receiued him and he was gladly seene and welcommed of the people as a man that was named very wise and ingenious in feats of warre Then came a Spaniard renâ—gado from the host that gaue vs warning of all that was done in the field and of the approching by the trenches that our enemies made And in likewise there arose a great noise in the towne that the slaues Turks that wrought for vs in the diches had slaine their keepers and would haue fled which was not so Neuerthelesse the rumour was great and they rang alarme wherefore the sayd slaues comming to prison as it was ordeined in al the alarmes were met of the people which in great anger put them to death so that there were slain an hundred moe the same day And if the lord great master had not commanded that none should hurt them they had bene all slaine and there were fifteene hundreth of them which slaues did great seruice in time of the siege for they laboured dayly to make our defences and to cast earth out of the ditches and in all works they were necessary at our needs How the great Turke arriued in person before Rhodes THe 25 day of the sayd moneth many of our men went out for to skinnish in the field and made great murder of Turks and in likewise did our artillery And it is to be noted that the 28 day of the same moneth the great Turke in person passed le Fisco a hauen in the maine land with a galley and a fust and arriued about noone where his army lay the which day may be called vnhappie for Rhodes For his comming his presence and continuall abiding in the fielde is and hath beene cause of the victorie that he hath had When the gallie that he came in was arriued all the other shippes of the hoste hanged banners aloft in their toppes and on their sayle yerdes Soone after that the Turke was arriued he went to land and mounted on his horse and râ—de to his pauilion which was in a high place called Megalandra foure or fiue miles fro the towne out of the danger of the gunne shot And on the morow as it was reported to vs hee came to a Church nigh the towne called Saint Steuen for to viewe the Towne and fortresses whereas they had set vp mantellets for to lay their ordinance THe last day of Iuly one of our brigandines went out with a good company of men arayed as Turkes and some of them could speake Turkish and went by night to lande through the Turkes hoste and demaunded if there were any that would passe ouer into Turkie that they should haste them to come The Turkes weening that they had beene of Turkie there entred a 12. persons the which were carried to Rhodes by whom we knew what they did in the campe The first day of August the Captaine Gabriel Martiningo was made knight of the order of the religion by the lord great Master and was made the first auncient of the Italian nation of the first baliage or priorie that should be vacant And in the meane season the religion should giue him twelue hundred ducates for pension euery yeere and the same day he was receiued to the Councell in the roome of a baylife The fift day of the sayd moneth our master gunner was slaine with a gunne which was great losse for vs at that time The 15. day of the sayd moneth was knowen and taken for a traitor Messire Iohn Baptista the physicion aforesayd which confessed his euill and diuelish doings and had his head striken of Of the marueilous mounts that the Turks made afore the towne and how the capitaines were ordered in the trenches AFter the comming of the great Turke the enemies began to shoote with ordinance of another sort then they did before and specially with harquebushes and handguns and also to make their trenches and approches And also they did more diligence then afore to bring y e earth nigh the towne with spades and pickares And it is to weet that they mooued the earth from halfe a mile off and there were shot out of the towne innumerable strokes with ordinance against the sayd earth and innumerable quantitie of people hid behind the sayd earth were slaine Neuerthelesse they neuer left â—â—rking till they had brought it to the brimmes of the ditches and when it was there they raiâ—eâ— it higher and higher in strengthning it behind And in conclusion the sayd earth was higher then the wals of the towne by 10. or 12. foote and it seemed a hill And it was agaynst the gate of Auuergne and Spaine and beat our men that were at the gates bulwarks in such wise that none durst be seene till certaine defelices and repaires were made of plankes and boards to couer our people and keepe them from the shot And at the gate of Italy was made such another heape and in none other part When the trenches were thus made to the ditches the enemies made holes in the wals of the ditch outward wherethorow they shot infinitely with handgunnes at our men aswell on the walles as on the bulwarks and slew many of them Then the basshas and captaines entred into the trenches ech to
Turks report Sultan Mahomet shot when he first tooke the city Neere adioyning be two chapels of marble where lie buâ—ied most of the emperours with their children sultanas The 16 of Iuly accompanied with some other of our nation we went by water to the Blacke sea being 16 miles distant froÌ„ Constantinople the sea al the way thither being little broader then the Thames both sides of the shore are beautified with faire goodly buildings At the mouth of this Bosphorus lieth a rocke some fourescore yards from the maine land wherevpon standeth a white marble pillar called Pompeys pillar the shadow whereof was 23 foote long at nine of the clocke in the forenoone ouer against it is a turret of stone vpon the maine land 120 steps high hauing a great glasse-lanthorne in the toppe foure yards in diamiter and three in heigth with a great copper pan in the midst to holde oile with twenty lights in it and it serueth to giue passage into this straight in the night to such ships as come from all parts of those seas to Constantinople it is continually kept by a Turke who to y e end hath pay of the grand Signior And thus hauing spent eleuen moneths in Constantinople accompanied with a chause carying certaine mandates from the grand Signior to the Bassa of Aleppo for the kinde vsage of our nation in those parts the 30 of Iuly I tooke passage in a Turkish carmosale or shippe bound for Sidon and passing thorow PropoÌ„tis hauing Salimbria with Heraclia most pleasantly situated on the right hand and Proconesus now called Marmora on the left we came to Gallipoly and so by Hellespont betweene the two castles before named called Sestos and Abydos famous for the passages made there both by Xerxes and great Alexanderâ— the one into Thracia the other into Asia and so by the Sigean Promontory now called Cape Ianiâ—zary at the mouth of Hellespont vpon Asia side where Troy stood where are yet ruines of olde walles to be seene with two hils rising in a piramidall forme not vnlikely to be the tombs of Achilles and Aiax From thence we sailed along hauing Tenedos and Lemnos on the right hand and the Troian fields on the left at length we came to Mitylen and Sio long time inhabited by the Genoueses but now vnder the Turke The Iland is beautified with goodly buildings and pleasant gardens and aboundeth with fruits wine and the gum masticke From thence sailing alongst the gulfe of Ephesus with Nicaria on the right hand Samos and Smirna on the left we came to Patmos where S. Iohn wrote the Reuelation The Iland is but small not aboue fiue miles in compasse the chiefe thing it yeeldeth is corn it hath a port for shipping and in it is 〈…〉 of Greekish Caloiâ—roâ— From thence by Cos now called Lango where Hipocrates was borne passing many other Ilands and rocks we arriued at Rhodes one of the strongest and fairest cities of the East here we stayed three or foure dayes and by reason of a By which went in the ship to Paphos in Cyprus who vsed me with all kindnesse I went about the city and tooke the view of all which city is still with all the houses and walles thereof maintained in the same order as they tooke it from the Rhodian knights Ouer the doores of many of the housesâ— which be strongly built of stone do remaine vndefaced the armes of England France Spaine and many other Christian knights as though the Turkes in the view thereof gloried in the taking of all Christendome whose armes there they beholde From thence we sailed to Paphos an olde ruinous towne standing vpon the Westerne part of Cyprus where S. Paul in the Acts conuerted the gouernor Departing hence we came to Sidon by the Turks called Saytosa within tenne or twelue miles of the place where Tirus stood which now being eaten in by the sea is as Ezekiel prophesied a place for the spreading out of a net Sidon is situated in a small bay at the foot of mount Libanus vpon the side of an hill looking to the North it is walled about with a castle nigh to the sea and one toward the land which is ruinated but the walle thereof standeth Some halfe mile vp toward the mountaine be certaine ruines of buildings with marble pillars remaining heere for three dayes we were kindly entertained of the captaine of the castle and in a small barke we sailed from hence along the shore to Tripoli so to Alexandretta where the 24 of August we arriued From thence with a Uenetian carauan we went by land to Aleppo passing by Antioch which is seated vpon the side of an hill whose walles still stand with 360 turrets vpon them and neere a very greaâ— plaine which beareth the name of the city thorow which runneth the riuer Orontes in Scripture called Farfar In Aleppo I stayed vntill February following in this city as at a mart meete many nations out of Asia with the people of Europe hauing continuall traffike and interchangeable course of marchandise one with another the state and trade of which place because it is so well knowen to most of our nation I â—mitte to write of The 27 of February I departed from Aleppo and the fifth of March imbarked my selfe at Alexandretta in a great ship of Venice called the Nana Ferra to come for Englandâ— The 14 we put into Salino in Cyprus where the ship staying many dayes to lade cotton wooll and other commodities in the meane time accompanied with M. William Barret my countrey man the master of the ship a Greeke and others we tooke occasion to see Nicosia the chiefe city of this Iland which was some twenty miles froÌ„ this place which is situated at the foot of an hill to the East is a great plaine extending it selfe in a great length from the North to the South it is walled about but of no such strength as Famagusta another city in this Iland neere the Sea side whose walles are cut out of the maine rocke In this city be many sumptuous and goodly buildings of stone but vninhabited the cause whereof doth giue me iust occasion to shew you of a rare iudgement of God vpon the owners sometime of these houses as I was credibly informed by a Cipriot a marchant of good wealth in this city Before it came in subiection to the Turks while it was vnder the Uenetians there were many barons and noble men of the Cipriots who partly by vsurping more superiority ouer the common people then they ought and partly through their great reuenues which yeerely came in by their cotton wooll and wines grew so insolent and proud and withall so impiously wicked as that they would at their pleasure command both the wiues and children of their pooreÌ„ tenants to serue their vncleane lusts holding them in such slauery as though they had beene no better