course to dis-arm them totally and disabled them of sixteen thousand good horses for which he promised good payment and mounted on them so many musqueteers with red caps thus securing the Arabians and blocking up all avenues that they might not come upon his back By this means having raised an Army of sixty thousand horse he advanced to Alcassour or Alcasquinir about fifteen leagues from Arache with his Brother Muley Hamet Don Sebastian on the other side appeared there with about sixteen or eighteen thousand horse and foot Portuguese Castillians Italians and Germans On the 4. of August the battaile was given wherein the King of Portugall was slain and his Army wholly defeated Mahomet flying to Arzille to save himself was drowned fording the River of Mucazen which runs by Arache though bravely mounted Above twelve thousand Christians fell there besides many prisoners amongst whom were â—00 women and 200. sucking infants I was my self at this fight with about threescore Marseillians more whereof few came off Malouco dyed of sicknesse in his time of triumph and his young Brother Muly Hamet succeeded whose race continues to this day I saw the body of the King of Portugall carried away in a chest filled with unslack'd lime to preserve it begged of King Muley Hamet by Andrietto Gasparo Corse his great favourite who sent it to Lisbone for which the King of Spain sent him a rich present in recompense and interred it in the Church of Belen 'T is true I understood since by some Portuguese slaves that this was the body of a Swisse and that the King being beaten from his Horse escaped and indeed some years after one appeared who said he was the King of Portugal and shewed severall testimonies but howsoever he was executed in Spain as an Impostor after so many who described this battle at large and faithfully I will content my self to say onely what I saw Thus then the whole Portuguese Cavalry being landed drew up in two squadrons Don John of Cordoua Commander in chief of the one advanced towards Alcassar where the Moores attack'd them severall times and standing obstinately to their pikes broke their ranks but the Christians falling on with their pistols Azimut their Commander in chief was slain then the rest made no great resistance so as the Moores not used to this sort of arms fell into disorder and fled which put such vanity in the Christians that they lay in the field in hope to take Alcassar five leagues from Arache being both between two Rivers a league distant one from another Don Sebastian to prevent surprizall by night surrounded his Army with waggons carts baggage utensils barrels and all the train of Artillery Don Aluaro Perez led the Van with five hundred horse and twelve hundred Landsquenets guarded on the right with the River on the left with pikes barely armed with a corslet and a thousand Musqueteers in the head who marched the faster to get at some distance from the Army to provoke the Moores to fall upon them with hope of being releived by ten thousand Arabians under the command of Armabachi then with the Portuguese who suspended to declare themselves for hazarding their fortunes wives and children they knew not how for they had intelligence how the King of Fez had drained their Countrey and blocked up the avenues to hinder relief coming to his Nephew Hereupon they made a stand resolving not to declare themselves advertising Soliman the son of Armabachi that they would stand Neuters till time should advise them what to do under the conduct of Amet Sarran a prudent Commander who had engaged to Malouco that he would be ready at his command But Courco Abrahin who led five thousand Moorish horse being young and gallant ambitious to do something of noble sent to Sarran that if he would second him he would give battaile but Sarran answered 't was no policy to attack an Army well rang'd and defended with Artillery without more possibility so that day he did nothing onely four Moores well mounted made a bravado I went along with one Hercules a Cannoneer and John Sassello a Marseillian to view the Portuguese Army which was a noble prospect all we disliked was the burthensome number of women and children The 13. of July Aluarez about day break spied Courco Abrahin with his five thousand Moores and with a grand stratagem drew them under shot of all his Musqueteers and five field-pieces that made a great slaughter These Moores were all defeated and their Leader slain to the great glory of Don Aluarez and Captain Balliotin Commander of the Lansquenets Don Sebastian view'd all the combat with exceeding delight embraced Aluarez returning with victory and gave him a rich Rubie in a Jewel set round vvith diamonds which he tied himself in his hat and to Banastarin and to Baliotin Captains of the Lansquenets and Arquebusiers to each a rich Diamond The Moorish King gave likewise to Alvarez his Cimeterre of an excellent temper and a scabbard of great price Of these five thousand horse not above three hundred escaped of Christians there dyed not above twenty and fifty wounded Malouco hearing of this defeat was exceedingly troubled and blam'd Sarran that he came not in with relief Hereupon he draws his Army towards the Sea side but the French Embassadour advised him rather to take course with the Arabians who had engaged to bring in to Mahomet fifty thousand horse and to fall upon them before they got into a body He accepted the Councell and marched against them and put the country of Loyassan and others to fire and sword The Arabians submitted and promised him all obedience but he being cautious and fearing their perfidiousnesse took all their horses and left the men for the next harvest so with dexterity he prevented that danger Thence he returned towards the Sea-coast and began already to be ill disposed which proceeded from excessive constipation or Melancholy from the beginning of his sicknesse he never came on horse-back but went ever in his Littar He was a benigne and courteous Prince affectionate to his friends without state or distance speaking affably to them and rendring salutes with great civility But on the other side he was cruell to his enemies in justice rigorous but chiefly to such as injured the Sutlers as to a boy who putting his hand into a pannier stole three dates the Sutler complaining he caused three of his fingers to be cut off Some who had intention to turn to Mahomet he made them be rammed into a Cannon and fire set to it The fourth of August at that time when the prodigious Planet menaced Portugal and Marocca the King of Portugal having made his prayers and received a benediction from the Bishop of Conimbria mounted on a white horse caparison'd with gold and green of about five and twenty years of age with something a rising nose a good stature his lip a little hanging went through all the Army to animate and encourage the
is there the best of the world This Island was discovered by Fernand Bereyta a Portuguese and Aristotle sayes that Alexander conquered this Isle in his return from the India's and peopled it with Grecians purposely to plant aloes Before Portugall had here any Interest the Indians trade both of spices and other precious commodities came from Malaca by Ormus and Aden and from thence by Caravanes to the Leuante some by the Persick Sea Balsera and the mouth of Euphrates thence through Armenia into Trebisonde by the Majorka sea into Tartaria or by Damas Barut or Aleppo where the Venetians the Genovais and the Catalonians fetched them others by the red Sea the Grand Caire and Alexandria as we have already said others by the rivers Indus and Oxus from thence thorough Caspia into our Western regions but they have taken another road round Africa which is kept to this very day CHAP. X. Of the Island and Kingdom of Ormus of the King and his Government of the trade there and of his severall Conquests HAving sayled thorough the Arabick Gulfe and those Coasts we returned to Aden where we spent some dayes trading and exchanging our commodies then we embarked our selves for Ormus to pay custome for some Persian horses we had shipt with us because they pay no tax thorough the cheifest part of the Indies taking a Cartaco or passe which the severall Governors upon demand are bound to give Thus sayling from Aden by the Coast of Arabia and the Cape Taratque Rosolgate and Moncadon or Moalandaon unto the mouth of the Persick Gulfe or the Streight of Bazora at length we arrived at Ormus The name of a Town an Island and Kingdome winding to and fro into the Continent of Persia and Arabia In Ormus we lodged with a Portuguais who took state upon him his man still carrying after him a guilt sword and a dagger with a silver cup to drink in scorning to touch anothers yet nevertheless he kept an Inn common to all passengers The Town of Ormus is scituate in an Isle in the 26 or 27 th degree 9 miles distant from Persia thirty from Arabia the Isle is between 35 and 40 miles compass wholly barren the Town is faire and hath a strong Fort begirt with high walls and eight turrets in the forme of Castles one halfe of the Town is incompast with the sea and hath foure large cisterns or conduits of fresh water brought in pipes from the Continent The Inhabitants are some Christians some Mahometans and others Idolaters There Reigned a Potent King here for 300 yeares since this state was established 'T was in the Raigne of Ceyfadin that Alphonsus Albuquerque reduced both the King and Country to the obedience of the King of Portugall and ever since the Kings of Ormus were tributary to that King who yet meddles not with his Lawes and Rights the native King hath vast Revenues both in the Island and in the Continent of Persia and Arabia He is onely sworne to keepe league and fidelity with Portugall and the Vice-Roy acknowledges him honours him and visits him frequently in his Palace The Isle onely at this day payes tribute to the Portugais The King lives most splendidly and magnificently amongst his Subjects The confines of his State towards the north are the Kingdom of Dori toward Persia and reaches unto the Cape of Rosolgate at the very Gulph from thence unto the Cape Moncadon containing the Isles called Gedri from a great river that runs into another named Dale that separates Persia from Carmania or Chirmania In the Gulph is Baharen an Isle famous for the fishing of the rarest and most pretious Oriental pearls where the Portugais have a Factor the Inhabitants of Ormus are very voluptuous walking the streets they have carryed after them a Cuppe or Box full of Araca a dainty very delicious and much used amongst the Indians They have little Cabans in the Sea covered with boughs and leaves where they refresh and shelter themselves against the wind Abrazador so named by the Portugais which blowes in the afternoon This wind is so subtle and stirres up so small a dust that it choaks people and if a stranger be ignorant of the custom of the countrey he is in very great danger the people are courteous and ready to advertize strangers Their greatest inconvenience is the scarcity of fresh water which they fetch nine or ten mile out of the firm land They have two or three wells nearer at hand five or six miles from the town in a place called Terrabaguen The Isle hath two good Havens one in the East the other in the West the others are not secure There is near the Town a sulpher Myne and a little salt-hill of the like goodnesse to that of Cardonne in Catalonia from which they draw great profit it is used in many places and the Prince receives a Gabel out of it in the town of Ormus there is a Mart of all commodities from the Indies Persia Arabia and Aethiopia in which places the Indians trade as well as Persians Levantins Turkes Abyssins Venetians Portugais and others the Caravane or Casile arrives here twice a year by land from Aleppo the first in April the second in September From Aleppo they travell through Babylon to Balsora guarded by the Janissaries from thence to Ormus They travel seven or eight thousand in a company at Aleppo there are English French and Venetian Consuls From hence they trade in spices perfumes pearles precious stones Carpets Silks Chamlets horses conserves and several sorts of sweet meats We came hither opportunely to see the Creation or Election of their new King which is performed with many ceremonies to which the Viceroy of Portugal contributes great summes for the Honour and State of his Master A Prince of the Royal Mahometan Blood is elected and sworne to maintain his kingdom under the King of Portugals obedience and although all his Lands and Lordships are scituate in the Continent of Persia and Arabia where no Christian can reach them yet neverthelesse the King is sworne to this Fealty and obedience by the Viceroy that delivers him his Scepter in the Fort and accompanies him with a great train and magnificence into his Royal Palace where having made his submission and obeysance takes his leave and returns unto his Citadell This King amongst other things is sworne never to hold a great Assembly without giving notice to the Viceroy and thus they live peacefully and keep a good correspondence some yeares since the King of Persia by the help of the English and Hollander hath regained Ormus and reduced it to his obedience as formerly CHAP. XI Of Persia her confines and provinces Of Babylon and the Lake of Pitch LEaving Ormus we resolved to travel through all Persia before we begun our East-Indian voyage as we first had designed 'T was occasioned by a Merchant I have already spoken of having travelled to and
of a league distant for the most part full of vessels that yield great commerce The Inhabitants are partly Gentiles partly Mahometans but much civilized of complection between fair and brown of good statures and dispositions both Sexes The town is invironed with many good Barroughs that reach unto Decan some five leagues off the town is strongly wall'd and frequented by Jewes who drive a great trade and inhabited by all nations she is tributary to the King of Marsingue they are carried in littars by Cammels of horses they have very few we served our selves sometimes with oxen which they harnise and ride they eat bread made of Rice which is more savory then wheaten there grows no grain but the Country beares most excellent fruit their drink is wine of dates About 3. Musket shot from the town there is an Isle named Amadiva which hath a large haven on the continent side inhabited by Moores and abounding in pastures and cattle The inhabitants are the Portugaises mortal and irreconcilable enemies but their Island being small not above 8. leagues about they are not capable to trouble them The town is rich and is called Centacola subject to the King of Baticola there are some Jews amongst them that may easily be distinguisht by the complexion the Moores be tawny the Jews clearer women use waters and other washes that make them very beautiful and they are held the prettiest of all the East the fairest are Jews and they very chaste and strangers can only obtain to visit them in certain assemblies of fair girles but they go meanly clad contrary to the customes of all other towns they sing certain songs like K. Davids Psalms gracefully pronouncing their words and mingling instrumental musick with their vocal and thus they entertain their gallants They refuse no present is made them but if you offer none they are never a whit displeased The doores of those places of Assemblies are alwayes open there they keep their Synagogues every one professes his Religion at liberty in the middle of this Isle is a Lake called Vecharin which breeds good store of fish of severall sorts but causes the ayre to be a little unwholesome to those are not accustomed to the Clymate from thence fish is transported into diverse places for a sort of good lasting fish They have great store of poultry which they feed with grosse rice called Jeracoly Baticola hath lost much of her trade since the Portuguais took Goa for according to the Chafa's or the Clark of the Customes account the Revenew is half diminished which keeps the Princes far in the Continent for fear of being surprised by the Portugais who wage open warr with them exacting great ransomes for the liberty of the prisoners they take neverthelesse the Portugais trade much amongst them endeavouring to draw them to an alliance but they are not so soon driven out of their fears and jealousies those of Baticola say they formerly inhabited Sian in this Kingdome is the Town of Onor that furnishes all the Countrey with rice From Baticola we came to Cananor Mosiri a great Town unwalled under the subjection of a particular King where the Portugais have two Forts and is inhabited by many new Christians who observe the rules and precepts of our Religion stricter then the old ones the Portugais have built about their Fort many dwellings for Merchants and others which make up a Burrough called Cananon where they trade securely and when the Indians have a mind to trade with them they must have the Vice-Roy of Goa's Cartaco yet the Portuguais never kept so good intelligence with the Natives as to prevent many dissentions and disorders as is often seen in other places as at Pegu and Calicut which occasioned the ruine of the Castle and the death of many Christians which the Portugais have since sufficiently revenged for they are of a very cruell nature and revengefull for which reason they maintain a fleet well armed at sea to resist those of Portugall who wage a warr against the Indians not alwayes to their success It happened on a time to Don Alanso De Comera to pursue with two men of warr a Mahometan Frigate richly laden and bound from some part of the India's for Gaza a sea Town in Arabia There were many families with the goods they had gathered in many years abode there making homewards accidentally falling into the hands of this Portugais they hoised saile and thinking themselves too weak offered a composition to the value of two hundred duckats Don Alonso eager and covetous of the prey which he held himself sure of gave her a broad side with many great shots and boarded her she reduced to desperation put her self in a posture of defence and resolved to sell both life and liberty at a deare rate and the very women spared them not so their Alonso got nothing but blowes but lost an eye and many of his men and thus was forced to retreate and the Frigat by a favourable wind got away without any losse this shewes the damage presumption brings with it and that the Portugais are not unjustly accused of vanity and folly which often costs them deare and makes them hated by the Indians as it hapned to them at Calicut where the peoples rage was so raised against them that in an instant they demolished them a fair Castle not leaving one stone upon another and whoever could present the King with any of the ruines was rewarded which hath caused the spilling of much blood amongst them The King of Coulan hath often besieged their Forts but after long Warres they now enjoy a peace The King of Cananor is very potent and elected out of the Princes of the blood as at Ormus He can send 100000. men into the field armed with targets and swords they wear red bonnets turned up on one side and go almost naked the third part of them are Naires or Gentlemen very resolute and valiant they weare red hats and are not niggards of their lives in their Princes service The Portugais have a strong Castle on the side of the Town and another on the sea side both well provided with Amunition and Artillery and have done them good service having often been assaulted by the Naires very gallant Persons Many of them are since Baptized and grown so devout that if they hear the Ave Maria bell though they are in their Coaches or Litters they are set on ground and say certain prayers on both their knees At Cananor they have a quarry of a stone called Azazimit which is much esteemed amongst the Indians and hath many vertues it cures feavers stops fluxes and causes digestion and is a preservative against poyson they use it in their cures against the pox and it is very neere as Soveraigne as that famous Eastern wine that if a man be so rotten as to fall in peeces yet bathed therein for one month he will infallibly be cured This Countrey produces
this great Saint and amongst the Panaims many are devout unto him It was revealed to one he was not in the true way and that he should go into Aethiopia towards Albana to be instructed in the true faith which he did accordingly and was baptized and by his piety and holy life succeeded in the charge of Albuna The Christians of this place do yet retain some of the instructions left them by Saint Thomas but are very ignorant of the principle Articles of faith they do not understand prayer and there is great difficulty to reduce them to the right way they have left the Idolatries they yearly practised sacrificing yearly to this S. at Coulan a youth either slave or Freeman voluntarily offering himself When a person of quality desires to dye in honour of this Saint he makes it his request to the King he instantly referres it to his Councel They considering of the importance of the person and the service he may do his country present another request that he may not be permitted to dye for the use the State can make of him the last being granted four of the chief of the Councel are deputed to apprehend him and bring him before the King who embraced him and shewes him that both the State and himself stand in need of him and that 't was necessary to preserve him and promise him in marriage one of his favourites making him many rich presents he is easily altered by the Kings perswasions acknowledges many thanks for those great favours and returns with his new bride very well pleased and contented I have heard of many more ridiculous superstitions which are at present totally abolished The Town of Calamine or Meliapur since Santhome is a good haven town on the coast of Coromandel 53. degrees from the Gulph Bengale subjected to the King of Bisnegar or Narsingue They relate many miracles wrought by the intercession of this Saint a certain Princesse of Narsingue daughter to King Zamaluco or Nizamaluco was shut up by her husband King of Narsingue in a fair and rich Seraglio she was faire vertuous and discreet and reputed a Christian before her marriage she was sought for by another Prince her neighbour after three years imprisonment in this stately Palace upon a time the guards through some illusion saw at a window the lively image of the Prince her first lover the place being extremely well fenced begirt with double ditches almost impossible for any person to make surreptitious entrance the guard was much astonished the King her husband being made acquainted moved with anger and jealousie accused the Princesse of adultery and condemned her to drink off a glasse of poyson no excuses her modest innocence could make prevailing she begged of her husband she might dye neare unto Saint Thomas his shryne 't was granted and she immediately led to the place of execution where a fire was kindled to consume her body she cloathed all in white her hair hanging over her eares covered almost all her body took the golden bowle and made her prayer to God and Saint Thomas to vouchsafe to grant her mercy and to discover her innocency which done she drunk the poyson and threw her self into the fire where without the least harme either to her person or cloathes she remained upon her knees continuing her prayers to almighty God untill all the wood was consumed she safely came out of it to the great astonishment and admiration of all the admiring spectators and being helped into her litter was carried to Narsingue brought into her chamber and was never since in the power of the King her husband she spent the remainder of her dayes recluse in great abstinence and austerity There are many Christians in Meliapur and some Churches as Saint Paul belonging to the society Saint Bartholomew Saint Thomas the most honoured and reverenced in the Indies The ships arriving here of the Christians Idolaters and Mahometans too give great charities in honour of this Saint From Paleacate and other places they come hither on pilgrimage The Portuguese that inhabit here are imployed in making Indian or earthen vessels diversely and prettily painted they do it with the juyce of a root called Saya and the more you wash them the livelyer the colours appear There is a good harbour and great trading they resort hither from all parts of the Indies The people of Sandanes exchange their Nutmegs for that earthen ware and other commodities are brought from Malaca and Goa They trade much in Clove-Gilliflowers which are cheap But before I leave Bisnegar you shall hear what I learnt at a town called Sigistan or Sagistan near that country being upon a time in one of the Inhabitants houses who are very civill and courteous and much taken with our conversation By chance I spyed the picture of a Bear playing with a young girle and inquiring the meaning thereof a most prodigious story if true which I question much was related me A Prince named Ismahan that raigned many Moones for so they reckon their years in the Province of Bozari since Sigistan going a hunting took a female Beare and her cub that followed her which he preserved till on a time one of the Lords servants bitten by the Dam killed her then the cub was kept alone run up and down the house and in time grew tame This Prince had a daughter about eight yeares of age that delighted much to play with the Cub fed him with her own hands the young Bear was continually at her heeles The young Lady Agarida was her name fell sick the Bear lay under her bed and refused all food that came not from her own hand she recovering continued her care in keeping of him sweet and clean teaching him many tricks which he readily learnt and most dexterously performed The Lady-Mother one day perceiving the Bear to pull up her daughters coats to lick her feet angry to see such familiarities and carresses commanded a servant to beat Sagistan for so was the Bear named the beast of an immense growth though but 15. months old flew upon the man armed with a cudgel onely very furiously and strangled him and another servant came to help him upon the place this set a strange Alarum through the house all running headlong to kill the beast that made a most strange slaughter and got into the wood and of three years there was no tidings of him The unfortunate Lady Agarida took a walk by a little Rivers side accompanied with many Ladyes more The Bear suddenly appeared soon scattered the company snatched up Agarida in his pawes and made away with her so swiftly 't was impossible to rescue her nor could she be found for any search they made The Bear carried her to a remote and obscure cave where he kept her many years and stole another girle to attend her These two women made a shift to get food and other commodities and have since related strange
Lances of for Horse-men as the Mores use and of the strongest they make Chests or boxes for they never break of others they make hoops barrels and halfe barrels to keep their drink or water in There are of them of an incredible size In this country as well as throughout the Indies they bear a great respect to the Image of the blessed Virgin and to the memory of Saint Thomas who hath wrought many miracles in the country He raised from death to life a brother of the King of Granganor who became christian thereupon and built a Church upon the side of a little hill near the Sea dedicated to that Saint and left great revenues thereunto which are continued to this day but are very ill deserved They say that the same King of Granganor and another brother named Abanachacon and that the King of Pegu desired S. Thomas to vouchsafe him a visit who promised to become a Christian upon condition he might enjoy all his women which as he alledged he could not live without by the frequent prayers and intercession of this Saint his concupiscence was wholly allayed and asswaged and in a vision this King thought himself dipped in a pond by three celestial vertues to cleanse him of all filth and sensuality from thence lifted up into heaven and made partaker of the heavenly glory and received knowledge of his salvation and was baptized by St. Thomas and by his good prayers obtained of God Almighty that his tomb built of transparent marble should be ever full of that water wherein he was purified that shortly after this King ended his dayes wounded in a battle he fought to assist a Brother of his against King Sangiscan The Bramins who at present have the possession of this Church where stands this Tomb say that his body is covered over with water to this very day which is seen through the transparency of the marble at the light of three bright-burning lamps and that this Tomb is four fathom height raised from the ground This they relate of it And I remember I have seen at Arles in Rolands Chappel in the Church of St. Honoretus an ancient Marble monument replete with water which increases and diminishes according to the motions of the Moon and let the air be never so hot or dry yet at full Moon the Tomb is full of water They relate as much of another in the Church of St. Severinus in the Suburbs of Bourdeaux a German Lord visiting this wonder assured me he had seen the like in Austria as at Verona in St. Zeno's Church the sepulture of Pepin King of Italy Son of Carolus Magnus is seen full of water many things are naturally known to rise and fall according to the course of the Moon as the ebbe and flow of the Sea stones plants and animals They hold that St. Thomas as I have already said was martyred at Granganor by a Huntsman making his offerings to Oysima their three-headed Idol who shot the Saint with an arrow aiming at some wild beast much more they relate of this glorious Saint which they hold by tradition although the ancient testimonies have left us little of his memory The Ecclesiastical History saith that his body was translated from Meliapur or Calamina to Edesse from thence to Ortuna in Pouilla The Christians that are in the Indies who stile themselves of St. Thomas and say they are instructed from Father to Son by that Saint are Nestorians and infected with many more heresies for to this day they are instructed by the Syrian hereticks Those Indian Kings rely much upon Magicians and Conjurers the King of Pegu maintains one in his Court to foretell what he desires to know he was called Bongi or Bonze as their sacrificators are called a bruitish man addicted to all sorts of vices and abominations yet he is the Kings minion He carries ever in his hand a very keen hanger like a Turkish Cymeter onely more bow'd dressed in two Monkeys skins which he wears the one before the other behind hung all over with bells to the weight of fifty pounds which make a hideous noyse upon a time the King taking the air in a chariot spied one of his choicest Ladies at a window he sent for her to take the air upon the lake in a barge or Gondola covered and richly adorned they were no sooner both in but a sudden and dangerous storm arose from the west that overcast and clouded the skies The King presently called to his Bongi to clear the air the Conjurer immediately made a hole in the ground wherein he urined and using strange Conjurations many Devils came forth of the earth making a most horrid and fearfull din and howling scattered the clouds and tempest the King made with all speed to his Palace putting no great confidence in his Duma for fear of being overturned The Enchanter full of mirth and vanity threatned with his Cymiter the tempestuous winds jumping and leaping incessantly he made a confused noyse with his bels and mad-man like ran to the Kings Palace-gate where he skipped and leaped until he frightned and scared away all the birds and tame beasts that were kept in the Park 'T was the same Magician who as I have already said treating of the Maldives undertook to bring birds and beasts out of the inchanted Isle of Pallouis and was soundly beaten for his rash undertaking and brought back onely with life enough to witnesse his shame The great Cham of Tartary entertaines of those Magicians and puts great confidence in them but more of them hereafter As throughout Arabia they obey the Seque or Sequemir in spirituals so do they in the Kingdom of Pegu their Abedale of a Sect called Abedali and there are of them at Malabar They are Santons or Hermites otherwise called Jogues and by the Mahometans Marabouts A people that observe a religious poverty holding property in nothing of austere life and as the Guzarates never feed on any animated creature Though ready to perish with hunger they ask nothing but the people furnish them abundantly with all necessaries If any one have rob'd murther'd or committed other crime he presently repairs to his Charif who supplies the place of principal Abedale confesses entirely what he hath done and the other enjoyns a punishment and penance according to discretion Though he perpetrated all the iniquities on earth if his Superiour give him absolution no man can further question him or call him to account Sometimes they punish with death as it happened to one Vldarin a Native who in a savage quarrel having killed and privately buried his Brother under a tree confessed it to his Charif who caused him to take up the dead body and seeing it so cruelly dealt with condemned him living to be buried together with the dead Another time he caused another to be cast into a pond for that he had denied their Duma These people have abundance of zealous
the filth out of town and when he muttered or grumbled he gave him the cudgel soundly so as he got his Master a livelyhood who was a poor man newly come out of slavery We often met upon the way with several of these savage beasts but we never met with any so safe as are the Lyons who will not rise at the approach of men be they never so few They seem to look for nothing from passengers but if they are sought for and assaulted they defend themselves in a furious manner and are light and strong runners One day as we went from Casubi to Transiana with a numerous convoy of all nations Moores Gentiles Malabates and others because there is no other travailing through these forests repleat with such beasts and every water and river swimming with Crocodiles or Caymans a youth who waited on de la Courb in his chamber a Frenchman one of our company of a daring spirit had a desire to shoot at a Lyon he had spy'd for which purpose he left the way some twenty paces and had with him an Indian called Talmassac a person of courage likewise a Bramin advised them as soon as they had given fire to make all haste with the best speed of their horses for fear of mischief The Lyon lay along under a tree and though he received two shots at the same instant one in the head the other in the left shoulder notwithstanding finding himself wounded he sprung so vigorously after them that though they made good haste he overtook one of them in going two hundred paces and caught his horse by the Crouper which he killed like lightning though his strength was spent Poor Talmassac was so astonied with a blow he gave with his head on the side that he fell sick and we were fain to send him back to Casubi in a Palanquin or Litter with four Camalous or Porters yet for a further mischief he was stript by the way The Naires with leave of the hunters took the Lyon and presented it to the King of Transiana who admired his growth having teeth great and thick as a pullets egge The King recompensed Talmassac with another horse in lieu of that he had lost which was looked upon as a great liberality for the esteem they make of horses in that country and our Frenchman had a gown of razed cloth of gold and the King caused us all to be treated and entertained in his Palace enquiring diverse things of Sieur de la Courbe amongst others the state of our King and because I understood something of the country language I was called to the conference and I know not if he were pleased with my discourse but he called one of his grooms of his chamber to bring him a handful of gold which he gave me telling me if I would stay with him he would give me every Moon as much and that I should have care of his person for the Sieur de la Courbe had intimated to him that I applyed my self to Physick I made him an humble reverence and acknowledgement saying I was of such a humour I should never serve Princes for their money but I should be sufficiently satisfied with the honour to be near his Majesty he was exceedingly pleased with my answer saying the French are the flower of the world and I am delighted with your conversation Afterwards he shewed us two Culverins given him by a Captain of Diepe well wrought and upon either of them a Dragon for Armes The Sieur de la Courbe presented him with a steel sword of Damis which he had gotten in the Indies a thing the Prince highly prized and instantly taking a ring off his finger with three rich Rubies would have given it him but the Sieur would not receive it rendring thanks and saying 't were a great indiscretion in him to acccept of such a rarity that was worth a thousand times more then his present and that it was a full satisfaction and ample recompence that his Majesty would vouchsafe to accept so poor a thing with many more respects and compliments which gained the Kings esteem much more saying 't was apparent there was something of great amongst the Christians because their discourse was more elegant and polite then the ordinary language of other Merchants and if he would stay at Court he would conferre upon him any office in his Palace he should like of and would tender him as his brother the Sieur rendring his acknowledgement with reverence and submission In brief we were obligingly treated by this Prince on whom we waited to chases which is a thing truly royal and magnificent In this country there is another kinde of savage beast exceeding fierce that indifferently falls on all things come before her She hath four teeth that cut like a razor About the size of a midling oxe a head like a Bear and a taile like a hogge These beasts are naturally black they hunt them for their hydes which are of admirable strength to resist blows the flesh is good and spends like Pork though it be something red This chase is exceeding dangerous and some alwayes perish for she flyes most furiously on the first that attempts her and failes not to strangle him though a hundred should come to his rescue if they kill her not at the first stroake She is exceeding licorous of a fruit they call Coeoma which is of excellent taste and great refreshment so as in Summer 't is much sought after for one shall no sooner eat of it but he perceives an entire refreshment nay a chilness if he eat a quantity The Indians make hollowes in great trees near this fruit and hide themselves within to wait for this beast and kill her when she comes to feed but when she findes her selfe surprized She enters into such rage that she tears up the tree for spight There are so many other sorts of savage beasts that it were too troublesome to rehearse them all They have divers birds of delicate plumage whereof they make divers works the most quaint and lively in the world and birds so great they will take a calf up into the ayre They have Griffins which in my opinion are no other then that they call a Tofon of white plumage and reddish under the belly but they have not four feet as our Painters draw them but two only long and great as likewise Tallons like a Falcon but large and exceeding strong the beake like an Eagle but much thicker they are cruel creatures They have here likewise those we call the birds of Paradise the Irico they cut the feet off and sell them so to Merchants as I said in another place They have abundance of Turkies and wild ones that go in flocks as Peacocks white Partridges and other birds and fowles of divers kinds CHAP. XXXVI Of Transiana the valour of their women THe Town of Transiana which is likewise the name of the kingdome lying
Deserts of Goran towards Ethiopia there are people in abundance and a party of Giloses who come thither by reason of a sedition and a party from Zenega who came thither by reason that a daughter of the king of Azangues being married to the King of Gambra finding she was no maid repudiated her whereof arose great warres amongst them The people of Temesne say they were the Founders of Marocca they use a finer language then others which they call Aquela Marig that is the noble language the other kingdomes of Africa speaking but a rude language in comparison Another called Sigay which goes in the kingdomes of Galatas Tombut and Guinée Meli Gago different from the rest another at Juber which cannot be written because of the gutturall pronunciation and goes as far as Cana and Casena Again at Hea Gangara Borne they use other languages At Sena Terga Gueziga and Lenta they expresse themselves well something like the African and pronounce in the throat but distinctly They are much contented to see a stranger learn their language I was acquainted with a Physician learned in all these Languages as likewise in Latine Greeke and Italian and French reasonable well One night being in bed in the same Chamber with him and Captain Thomas Martin on a suddain enters a Moor mine Host having brought him in with a slave carrying a Torch cover'd from head to foot with woollen cloth who saluted us in French seeing him so black I blessed my self taking him for a devill whereat he laughed bidding me I should not be afraid for there was no danger He kissed his hand and took mine with many kindnesses and expressions that he could not have slept if he had not seen me entreating me to come to him on the morrow to communicate to me a matter of importance Asking how he came so perfect in our tongue he told me he was once servant to one Charbi at Marseills that he had had businesse with my father whom he named and my brother that he had been a slave 9 years then redeemed himself On the morrow he was with us at our first stirring and we took a walk together and then he invited us to dinner to his house which was very noble I demanded of him how a person of such quality had remained so long in slavery he told me that for five years his ransom being a thousand duckets was lost He had four horses in his stable his lodging chamber was gilt and had many other very fair rooms He had one wife only and he would never marry other but would live like a Christian His wife was fair in perfection He gave me high commendations to his wife that she might be courteous to me and she was therefore very civill to us He shewed us all his house and a fair Library of well-bound books and shewed me how the Africans had been Lords of a great part of the world shewing me a Book titled Albazer full of curiosities and histories of the renowned Africans as Hannibal Massinissa Septimus Severus Emperour and many other Kings Princes and Bishops as St. Augustine and others I asked him why he followed not the Law of so many holy Bishops He told me he was not so far divided and that in their Alcoran Mahomet confesses that Jesus Christ was greater than he that he met him in the sixth heaven and humbled himself to him beseeching him to pray to God for him which he never did to other Prophets who all beg of Mahomet to pray to God for them So as this man wanted nothing of a Christian but Baptisme and told us that having paid his ransom if his Master Churbi the Consul had not pressed him to marry a young widow whom he dearly lov'd he had willingly become Christian He was a man very upright wise and vertuous and if he would marry other wives of the chiefest in Town he might have plenty He told me as a secret that the Governour of Arzille who was in heart of the Spanish opinion would have given his daughter in marriage if he would have become Christian he had likewise a particular affection for Christians This is that Arzille which in the year 1421. was conquered by Cordoue the Moor which Don Alphonso King of Portugal regained from him But to return to Marocca I shall speak of what I have often seen in Mountains of Ziz that is how the people have a familiarity with serpents and very infants will play with them The Mahometans having it by precept of Law to kill none of these pernicious creatures insomuch as I was once reproved by one of them for throwing a stone at a toad Being departed from Sequeline we crossed the Mountains of Ziz which takes beginning at the skirts of Mezetazu towards the West and terminates at Telde towards Numidia The Arabians call it Segelmesse which are fifteen Mountains where these Serpentine people inhabit which the people call Zanaga who keep company with serpents and have their gardens full of toads 'T is true there are amongst them Magicians of divers kinds whereof some can charm these reptile Creatures as in the Indies they charm the Caymanes and Tiburons that these fish-monsters devour not them who fish for pearls they call these Magicians Malurman In these Mountains of Ziz there are other Magicians who boast they can cure all diseases them they call Mahazin and are in great esteem Another sort called Zairan conjure tempests lightenings hails and other Meteors which are hurtfull to fruits I remember I there saw a Magician who perceiving a horrid tempest approaching in a thick black cloud which would quite destroy their Seytume or olives then in flower he made a hole in the ground and with certain words urined in it which diverted the storm to another part yet they have another sort they call Machabell who say they can cure all diseases in cattle Others called Sadahachar who have power over devils and can compell them to any place they command them They have alwaies one amongst them and they call them white devils Others very skilfull in Geomancy who can shew spirits in a bright bason like a looking-glasse which represents what is desired Others they have that cause beasts or men to languish and die but this last sort is not onely amongst Infidels I have seen them likewise amongst Christians For being once at Seville in Spain I knew a Flemish Limner excellent in his art who languisht by this means betwitch'd by a famous strumpet called Segnora Maria de Villara who would have served a Comrade of his in like sort with certain biskets wherewith she entertained him whereof one was charm'd and the other not but he suspecting some villany cunningly conveyed it to her own plate and took another Afterwards she doubting nothing gave him one to present to his wife with a curious purse But he returning home made triall on a dog who immediately fell to howling and dyed Mean while the Bisket which
of souldiers her faire Structures many sword knife-cuttlers other expert Artists in steele who give a delicate temper with muske and Amber-greese There I saw a Marseillian Cutler who spent near a hundred Zequins in forging one blade which was by many admired I met him ten yeares after at Paris he told me he sold the same blade to Collo Dornano for three hundered crownes Damas is scituate in a faire plaine her soyle well watered and fruitfull with plenty of Gardens and Orchards round about her she is surrounded with two mountains the one called Amon the other Sahanir There are many grots and caves as 't is said formerly inhabited by the Christians in time of persecution there is one can contain 4000. persons and without doubt are fairer and larger than those at present to be seen at Saragosa in Sicily towards the East there is a lake 7. or 8. leagues about through which run two sweet streams the one called Aman or Amma which runs by the foot of the wall towards the South the other Farfar and threds through the middle of the Town she is also adorned with many fountains the water being brought by pipes from Chrysoran The houses are built of the Moresco modell with galleries do almost cover the whole streets as at Aleppo The Town is strong and begirt with good ditches well flank'd and man'd in time of war A Bassa or Governour keeps it for the Turk who hath a strong life-guard of horse The Suburbs are greater and more populous than the Town There are twenty thousand Mulberry planters for the trade of silk and an infinite number of cutlers and other Artists in steel and iron On the East there stands a Tower where you may yet see the Flour de luces the arms of France which must have been set there when the French were Lords of the Holy land there in a little enclosure is to be seen Zacharies tomb Father to St. John Baptist a place of great veneration the Mahometans themselves celebrating the feast day with solemn rejoycings they yet shew the place where S. Paul persecuting Christians fell from his horse and the place of his imprisonment and where he was let down in a basket They shew you the place where 't is said Cain killed his Brother Abel There is an Alablaster mine affords them great store of fair vessels and other peices From thence commonly are set forth the Caravans or land convoys for Medina and Meca and to many other places of Arabia and the east The Towne is farr fairer without then within by reason of the commodious scituation and beautifull aspect but the streets are not so well contrived the Market place or Baiar is ample and faire built with Piatzza's as at Bolonia most of the houses in Town are served with fountains derived from Chrysorrhoas the graffs are planted with Mulbery trees There is a Citadell said to be built by a Florentine Renegado who then commanded it While we staid at Damas one day walking the Market place we saw an Executioner surrounded with a great crowd of people upon a tall horse and dragging a Malefactor tyed with a rope by the leggs to the place of Execution and enquiring the reason of this Justice we were told he was a Christian and had killed a judge of the Country This poore sufferer as we since understood by attestations and letters he carried about him in a box was a Frenchman and born in Saintonge his name was Roubie returning from Jerusalem where he received the Cross from the hands of the Patriarch and passing thorough this Town met a judge who according to the insolent custome of the sworne enemies to Christians with one blow struck Roubie at his feet which for the present he seemed to take very patiently dissembling the affront with resolution nevertheless when opportunity should serve cruelly to revenge it he absented himself for three whole yeares and in that time having perfected himselfe in the Turkish Language disguised in the habit of a Dervis a sort of Religious in great esteeme amongst them he weares a Cimitere by his side and a dagger hanging at his girdle to see the commands of their Prophet Nabi strictly observed this supposed Dervis begirt with his hanger returned to Damas and assisted dayly in Court the judge his enemy whose diligence to justice was held a good Omen this he practised for three whole years and more not omitting one audience in all that time dayly expecting an opportunity to revenge himselfe Upon a time hearing the judge give Sentence against an Orphan who was sued for some inheritance suddenly stept up to him and with a mortall wound on the forehead laid him dead at his feete took his place and said that the judgement newly pronounced against the Orphan was unjust and that it was fit to repeate the Evidence which without the least interruption in respect to the supposeâ— Dervis was immediately done by Councill on both sides and a Herauld openly declared that he thought it Justice the Orphan should enjoy one moity of the land in question this was spoken to the satisfaction of the Auditory but especially of the Dervis who gave his opinion and approbation in few words and at the same instant judgement was pronounced to the great content of those were cast by the former sentence his body was carried home to his house and the Murtherer highly commended for his great act of Justice Reubie satisfied in his revenge by degrees retired himself to Tripoli where by misfortune being reproached by a certain countrey-man of his who had seen him in the habit he inconsiderately confest it and the reason that moved him so to do and some Turks hearing of it they presently caused him to be apprehended and upon search found uncircumcised he was brought back to Dama where he was thus arraigned and executed and his body cast to the dogs to be devoured Not farre from Damas and the Jordan springs is the town of Philippa whence the woman was that our Saviour cur'd of the flux Belinas sometime Dan Paneas or Caesarea it lyes not far from Libanus and between her and Gallilean or Tiberiade Sea is a great vale where is a Lake swell'd with the snow that falls from the Mount Libanus through this Lake runs the Jordan and is called Es-mal-maron formerly the waters of Merac there did Joshuah overthrow the Kings of Chananee the Lake is in Summer almost drye and from thence unto Jope is a very fruitful country called Charon Towards the Tiberiade Sea there is another vale very hollow between two hills where the Sun is hardly ever seen This hill rises not far from the Sea side and reaches to Sidon or Sayette and of the other side they both reach the Arabian hills near Damas and there lyes the Country formerly called Palmyrena CHAP. III. Of the Deserts of Arabia of Spirits or Apparitions there of the Sea
as oranges citrons melons figs raisins there are good store of cattle especially those great goats of whose hair Camelots fine as any silk are made which hair is very long white soft and delicate whereof they make stuffs so fine they look like white linnen which they traffick in and sell at dear rates They have here likewise the finest and best Lacca of the world produced from minute insects like Bees which feed on a red gum that issues out of a tree like a cherry tree which the more purgative it is the finer and more delicate they render the Lacca There are some who practice no other trade than to take it immediately upon the production and laying it upon little Tables cleanse it then put it up in small pots of various colours not above half an ounce in a pot which by reason of the excellency they sell dear and call it Laca d' Alaca whereof the most excellent colours are made for Limners Of this is likewise made Spanish hard wax The Island abounds in cattle pasturage fish of all sorts pure spring waters which make their gardens flourish They have also of the best ginger notwithstanding not much esteemed by reason that for the too much moysture 't will not last long Here is likewise great store of the wood called Santall red white and citron colour store of Ebony and the most exquisite Rose wood also another sort of wood called Sorba much like Brasill but makes a very deep dye also an herb called Lagarozo that in perfect ripenesse makes a most excellent crimson and being put in cotton cloth the more 't is washed the more lively it becomes The Inhabitants of this Island are great Libertines partly Moors partly Christians each living according to his custome without either confusion or disorder The Mahometan Prince is gracious obliges much his Subjects wears the Turkish fashions with many rich jewels and is honourably attended Those of the Continent speak of this Town by way of proverb Sarbayt Dalca which signifies Dalascian Asses because of those beasts they have the best in the world which do them marvellous good service and are better to travel the deserts than any other beasts they have In Persia I have known them sold at a hundred duckets a piece and more because they are good travellers and of little expense they will go thirty miles a day without any wearinesse The King's Father that ruled this Countrey in the time of my travels there had a fish of a marvellous bignesse which he called Caymans Caymans is a kind of Lezard or Crocodile in the Indies he kept this fish in a Pond near the Sea side and delighted much to feed him with his own hand the fish being very mansuete he bred it of a young one but 't was grown so large 't would come out of the water alone three hundred paces on land As we were sailing in the Arabick Sea in company of many Merchants of several Nations and Religions there arose a dispute touching the diversity of Religions one holding as our Deists and Atheists this day do that all Religions were indifferent and sufficient and that all persons acknowledging a God should infallibly be saved mis-calling the Christians and blaming them for having good opinions of themselves and bad of others to whom a Christian discreetly and learnedly replyed shewing the purity of our religion and that a Christian dying in mortal sin would be damned as well as Turk or Infidel at this the Masters mate offered presumptuously to perswade us that we were all abused and that Duma governed the Universe another acknowledged no other divinity but nature to this our Abyssin presently replyed that Duma had been a servant to the great and onely God but thorough pride from an angel of light was cast into the depth of hell where he remains a fiend and hath no power but by Gods permission after many other discourses as we were sailing towards Guardufu the weather grew very cloudy and we perceived far enough from us a thing like unto a thick black smoak dropt into the Sea one of our company a Grecian of the Isle of Chio drew his sword and having said a Prayer or two and made the sign of the crosse left not hacking and hewing upon the hatches until he had cut out three or four pieces which action set the company a laughing yet we perceived it to dissipate and remove that smoak from the ship the horrible thunder and lightning which presently followed strook us all with terrour for my part I prayed heartily and the tempest so hugely encreased that nothing but lamentations and groans were heard among us bidding adieu to this world some were maimed for this Monster or whirling smoak run in the shape of a baloon from rope to rope and up the masts of the ship exceeding swiftly surrounded with a sparkling fire making a most hideous noyse that astonisht us all and tore and mangled the sailes into a thousand pieces some Indian Gentlemen defended themselves from this terrible thing with their cimeters running up and down and bearing one another down many were killed and hurt some hid themselves under hatches others like madmen threw themselves into the water our poor Christian received a great blow upon the head and all in a gore of blood and upon his knees read St. Johns Gospel and immediately the Spirit vanished having haunted us an hour and a half we were all ready to yield up the Ghost my companion was so bruised that he wore his arm in a scarf for two months after with a bruise black as pitch we all testified our astonishment by our silence gazing upon one another struck with amazement to see so many dead corps lye of all sides of us at length by Gods permission we landed for which mercy we yielded our humble thanks we could not find the man that held there was neither God nor Devil our Masters mate was strucken lame of a leg and thigh which remained black many dayes after yet without sense of the least pain amongst the rest a young man of our company told me he was in great fear during the tempest because of his guilty conscience that venting his commodities in a certain Town we had made some short stay in a Moorish dame under pretence of buying musk and pretending she would shew it her husband left a pearl of extraordinary bignesse with him in pawn she immediately returned asking the price of the whole parcell which was five duckets at the lowest she took him at his word and bade him follow her home for his money which he did and there she detained and treated him for three dayes together Thus those Country Ladies seek their servants and especially strangers of whom they are very amorous Near the Cape Guardufu is the Isle Socotora famous for amber-greece and gum called Dragons blood and for the plant that produces aloes which
fro through very many towns and countries of Persia I could not so exactly remark the dayes journies nor the distances order or proceed of the voyage by reason of my youth I will content my self to discover a view of the country as faithfully and exactly as my memory will serve And first I will affirm that Persia called Azemia Azimir and Farsi is a vast Empire extending from the confines of Turky towards Armenia betwixt the River Tigris and the Persick or Elcatiff Sea The Caspien or the Bachu the Indian and the river Chesel anciently Jaxartes Westward 't is bounded by the Turkish Empire Eastward it lyes upon the kingdome of Samarcant the Empire of the Grand Mogul and Cambaye Northward upon the Caspian Sea Southward upon the great Indian Sea towards the desert Carmania and Guzarate This Empire containes many great Provinces or rather kingdomes and a great number of fair and flourishing Towns and Cities having ever continued famous since the first settlement under the Grand Cyrus two thousand two hundred years since untill it was possessed by the Grecians and Parthians and since she returned unto the natural Persians about the year of Grace two hundred they kept it many ages untill about foure hundred years since the Sarasins and Mahometans obtained it and have kept it ever since by many changes and diverse races of Kings and Lords Arabians Sarasins Parthians Turks and natural Persians and by the last settlement of the Sophyes not many yeares since The chiefest Provinces are Sequel pech formerly Susiania Chirmania or Carmania Struan or Media Corozan Zagathay or Hircania and the Bactriane Jex or Parthia Guzerat or Gedrosia then Arac Podel Iselbas Sigestan Sablestan Chabul Candahar and others The chiefest rivers are the Euphrates or Aforat the Tigris Araxes or Arasse Oxus and others Euphrates hath upon her banks many fair towns as Babylon where inhabit a great number of Christians as likewise at Mazestan Astmosia Artasara Tunisse perbent and elsewhere who freely exercise their religion being tributary to the Prince Northward are the famous town of Giett six days journy from Solstania Saban Comer Cozan Egex Jelli Sengan Maluchia Scio Mesen Ere Then towards the Persick gulph stands Guerdi upon the river Bindinimar or Bindamach and going up the river you discover Marous Viegan Maain Sana in Media are Tauris Rip Sidan Estrana Barbariben Bacchat Madranelli Samachi and others then the Royal townes of Soltania Espahan Casbin Siras without reckoning many other towns upon the river Benmir called by the Russes Bragadet where they trade much in cloth of gold silver and silk Thither they repair from all parts of the world for that trade as from the Indies Aethiopia Arabia Aegypt Turkie Tartary and other countries which yields a great profit to the Sophy of Persia We ran through most of these towns making but short stayes but better profit of our small commodities Babylon or Bagdet so famous and formerly the eye and marvail of all the Eastern towns scituate upon the great Euphrates Erat and Aforat which was fifty miles about there is nothing remaining at this day of that ancient town but the ruines since a total destruction given her by the Sarazens about 900. years since and instead of her upon the other side of the Euphrates some four leagues distant upon the current of the Tigris and Euphrates is built the town of Bagded or at this day the new Babylon whither the remains of the ancient were transported into a town formerly named Seleucia by the Califf Almanzor or Elmantzur It lyes Northward upon Armenia Westward upon the desert Arabia upon the happy Southward and Eastward upon Persia the Tigris washes her walls upon the other side is a pleasant village with a bridge of boats rising and falling with the flow and ebbe in this Burrough is the Fair kept and here inhabit most of the Merchants who trade freely The town is large and full of Merchants well rounded both with walls gardens and Arable land There was a strong Castle well provided with Artillery where a Bassa then Lieutenant General for the Turk lived but since the Persian regained it of the Turk having ever been subject to the Persian untill it was reduced by Soliman the magnicent who caused himself to be crown'd King by the Califf living there at this present day but without any power retaining the name onely and some rights to receive and crown the Emperours of Assyria There goes from this town monethly Caravaneâ— to all parts of the world In lieu of floats they transport their commodities down the river upon goat skins blown then they load the skins upon Camels for service again at need They say that the tower of Babel so much spoken of stood in a plain some two leagues off that she was three thousand paces about and that her foundation is onely at this day seen upon a hill covered with her ruines a Merchant that had seen the place related unto me that the Tower was built with a clay or earth so strongly cimented that endeavouring to take up a piece he could not and that there was a bed or course of that earth first laid then another of reeds platted like a matte not at all decayed but strong beyond imagination He told me he had passed over the lake of pitch proceeding from a great precipice which they trade withall into diverse places and that the great town of Nineve and the walls of Babylon were built with this Bitumen they burn of it in Holland instead of Turf for it casts a great light this lake or river of pitch is between Babylon and another town called Nane whence springs this pitch distilling out of a rock in several clefts and so plentifully especially at the full of the Moon that it is both strange and terrible from thence those springs disgorge themselves into this lake of their own composing Marriners thereabouts make use of it to calk their ships The inhabitants believe it to be Hels mouth 'T is the Bitumen or soft sulphurous mould so much spoken of by the ancients which they made use of and do to this very day instead of chalk I remember I have seen the like in Albema a Region in the Indies which the Inhabitants and neighbours thereunto burn in Torches which yields so black thick and ill-sented a smoak that the very birds flying over are giddyed therewith and fall down dead In Cuba an Isle in the West-Indies is such pitch towards the Cape Magdalen in the country of Aute and Province of Apalihen which Bituminous liquor flows upon the water with such a stink that often ships lost in their road by means of the sent retrive their way Euphrates and Tigris incorporate near Babylon and both run into the Persick sea near Balsora a town of great trade fifteen miles distant from the main sea The Town of Bagded or Babylon is divided into four quarters Precincts or
strength and importance of the place drawing both hatred and envy from the Indians The King of Cambaye and other neighbouring Kings indeavoured to recover it by meer strength but all in vain for the gallant opposition and defence of the Portugall hath kept them masters of it to this day The Indians had some reason for what they did for from thence depended the whole Trade of the Kingdom and adjacent Countreyes and the Portuguais keep all that Countrey in subjection from Diu to Goa and the Cape Comarin 270. leagues in length The chiefest part of the East is furnished with commodities from hence a place very rich well peopled and full of good Townes and of great trade In the adjacent parts to Diu upon the Continent are the Kingdomes of Circan and Reytenbura where stands the Royall Town of Ardanat then Campanell capitall Town of Cambaye stands beyond the River Indus and the Townes of Albiran Casdar Masura Sudustan Abedit all great Townes rich and well traded and inhabited by many Merchants Gentills Mores Jewes and Christians in this Town Malefactors are put to death by poyson only and not by the sword Beyond the River Araba stand many fair Townes viz. Savadir Barca Bermen Patenisir a fair haven where divers of the rarest and richest Carpets of the World are made in silke and figured which are transported to Bengale Malaco and Pegu and other places there are also made Calicoes stained of divers colours which is the chiefest and ordinary cloathing the Natives use and there is brought of it into all parts of the world Halfe a dayes journey from Batenisir stands Diu upon a creek of land separate by a river from the Continent there are paid great Customes upon all sorts of commodities which brings in a great profit to the Inhabitants the King of Spain having the least share in it and what he hath imployed to the maintenance of the Garrisons most of those payments fall to the Officers and receivers shares who agree very well with the Vice-Roy The King is often of a mind to quit the Countrey but his Councill is not of the same opinion the Countrey being too considerable to their Prince for strength and reputation and besides 't would indanger the losse of Christianity that is so hopefully rooted in those parts for the Turkes assault them often and took and sack't the Castle of Diu twice and had reduced the rest of the Town but for the help of three ships that came into their assistance from Cochin that preserved the rest and beat the Turks out of what they had already got The Portuguais in defence of them and the Nations have built two strong Forts the one in the sea the other that commands all passages by Land but the Natives having often fallen upon them to their own losse are now the Spaniards good friends according unto Articles and Agreements made between them The Inhabitants of Cambaye are strict observers of many superstitious customs they will not eat with a Christian although they visit them often if you touch their meat they think themselves polluted and this they have from the Guzerates in which they are more rigidly superstitious than the Jews themselves Those of any quality eat upon silken carpets diversly colour'd and to preserve their silks serve the dishes upon green leaves they are temperate in their diet and drink of severall sorts of liquors and they mingle some Areca to them all a fruit very common in the India's it is also held very wholesom preserves them and cures them of several diseases it preserves the teeth strangely for the Inhabitants are never troubled with any pains or aches in them women are there in very great esteem especially the great Ladies who never stir out of their houses some delight themselves never to see day light and are served all by candle light The whole Countrey is inhabited by Gentills and Guzerates The justest the most reasonable and religious of the East according to the ancient Pythagorean rule they never feed upon any living Creature whatever their chiefest food is rice white and black milk cheese garden stuffe and the like they do wrong to no persons nay they spare the bloud and lives of their mortallest enemies the Countrey towards Rasigut produces great store of Turkey stones of Storax Cornelians red and white This Kingdom extends it self towards South-east and the Sea Southward Westward it buts upon Guzerate Eastward are the lands of Mandao and Paleucate and Northward it reaches unto Sangan Dulcinde and the Territories of the Grand Mogull Through this kingdom runs the famous River of Indus called Indus Inder or Schind and hath given her name to the whole Countrey and chiefly to Indostan and other neighbouring Countries which make up the India citerior her head springs forth of the Mountain Caucasus Paropamisus called at this day Naugracot and Vssonte and taking her course thorough many great Kingdoms is swel'd by many great Rivers that lose themselves in her and at last discharges her self into the Indian Sea at two several mouths near unto the Town of Cambaye Cambaye is a large and flourishing Town seated upon a River called by the Inhabitants Amondoua and separates the Provinces of Guzerate and Cambaye both making one Kingdom This Town stands a league from the Sea and about the same distance from the River Indus which affords her a haven in two places the chiefest is in a corner of the Town Northward and is so narrow that in case of necessity the ships may be chained in the harbour the ships come and go with the ebbe and flow and are often very numerous and 't is to be noted that the tides are weakest at the full of the Moon which is wonderfull and contrary to ours the reason thereof is not yet found out by any Naturalist The same happens in Pegu as we shall speak of hereafter This Town is one of the richest of the Orient built very stately at the Italian model and the passages leading to her strengthened by many forts The Portuguais have often endeavoured to possesse themselves of it being plentifully furnisht with all things necessary to mankind and here are most excellent fruits Here Diu provides her self with what she wants at home Cambaye and she being Confederates she produces the best Turbith Galanga Nardus Assa foetida and other drugs is rich in silks cottons rice and all sorts of seeds and abounds in precious stones and Jewels The Prince that governs is a Mahometan gives liberty of conscience to all his Subjects to the Christians Jews Idolaters his guard consists of 2000. horse and 3000 foot armed with bows and cimeters He keeps fifty Elephants taught to reverence him dayly and are sumptuously trapped and caparisoned upon dayes of publick shews or festivals their stable well and neatly furnished painted and well set forth and are fed in silver vessels and their grooms or Governours dresse them with great respect and humility
Myraboian-Citterns a most excellent fruit and very common amongst them their leaves are like unto our prune leaves they preserve of them and use them often there growes the tree of Ebony which growes to the bignesse of an olive tree the leaves like unto sage but as smooth as Mastick leaves and the blossomes like white roses the wood is black and very hard when 't is dry and seasoned they have great store of trees that bear Areca those of Malaca call it Faoufell the Portugais Araguerou in other places 't is called Pinan the leafe is of the bignesse of a palm leafe the stalk is full of strings which are very usefull the nut or fruit is huskt up when the husk pills off the nut hangs upon the tree of an orange colour and is very juycy and savoury and the vertue of Succory cold and dry and hath another quality astringent the shell or nut is not of the bignesse of the other palm fruit but lesse as the peach and ovale nothing like a nutmeg being mingled with white and red streaks and of this fruit the Areca is made excellent against the tooth-ach they have abundance of other palm-trees that bear Dates CHAP. XVIII Of the Kingdom and Samorin of Calicut of the Natives of that Countrey and of their horrible superstitions FRom Cananor to Calicut in the 9. degree although the ancients hold it in the 2. Before our arrivall three upon a Sunday morning drawing towards the East before Sun rising we heard a Marriner cry out Jasan Jasan Malabar but we were not so near it as he thought for they were the mountains of Calicut which are discovered afar off for we put into the haven not till night Calicut is a great Town one of the fairest richest and of the greatest commerce of all the India's some will have it anciently called Barygaze yet the Mores hold she hath been built many years since and that six hundred years agone Asarama Perimel was Emperour of Malabar and the Natives reckon upon the years since his reign which is their most famous Callander He kept his Court at Coulan where was the chiefest trade of spices and gave the Countrey of Calicut to the Arabians who frequented it very much for commerce they made this King a Mahometan who went through devotion to end his dayes at Meka distributing his estate to divers Lords leaving them the Title of Kings as of Cananor Coulan and others Calicut fell unto a Nephew of his named Samorin which signifies soveraign Emperour over all the rest in temporall affairs as he of Coulan was chief in Spiritualls surnamed Cobritin viz. high Pontife of the Bramins Samorin built this Town the Metropolitan of Calicut inhabited by the Meres where was the greatest trade of groceries since removed by the Portugais to Cochin The Prince is an Idolater at this present although the Town be peopled by all Religions Gentils Mahometans Jewes and Christians The building is very good though the houses are very low because they stand upon an ill foundation the Sea water appearing if you dig but a little depth yet they have by art and industry raised the Temples and Pallaces whereof there are four Royal ones inhabited by the Kings wives and concubines there stands one of them without the Town fair to the sight and high Their Temples are so too and built round the first of that form I saw in those parts they adore the Devil and put his picture upon their coin in most horrid postures They put two Demons embracing with cloven or cocks feet at one side on the other a certain Character which signifies think upon this people The King is impiously devout and every Wednesday performs a most strange adoration of Satan he is pictured sitting in a chair with a Crown upon his head in the middle of many little Devils most strangely and terribly represented after the King hath offered him incenses he prostrates himself on the ground in sign of submission then begins his prophane prayers then he stretches himself at length upon a rich carpet leaning his head upon his left arm thus he dines inviting the Devil to his repast four Bramins assist him in this impious sacrifice and hearken very attentively to the discourse or Sermon the King makes during his dinner representing to them the service they owe to their Idol they answer him not in words at that time but give him Betel and Areca mingled together which he drinks without touching the cup according to their superstitious custom because that day his mouth is sacred and filled with the praises of Sathan when he hath ended his repast the meat he leaves is carried into a garden near at hand to be devoured by Crows that there expect it in so great numbers that they hardly get two bits a piece Calicut I conceive is as big as Millan but not so well built nor ordered The Strangers and Merchants are upon their arrivall put to a great inconvenience to buy houses to dwell in which troubled us very much being forced at our departure to leave it for half it cost us you buy women for your service and put them off again but not without some losse The Port is a pretty way distant from the Town there is but one channell which the ships cannot reach by a mile and a half by reason of the shelves of sand and therefore they use flat bottoms which do great services upon the River The King keeps a frigate or pinnace called Jonques for his pleasure which he treats the Ladies in as the Venetians do in their Gondola's all the houses in the Towne are covered with palm-leaves the Kings onely excepted that are tyled because no private person may have means to fortifie himself the town is very subject to fires and therefore the houses are built farre asunder 'T is surrounded with pleasant fields and pastures but they never eat beef they are so superstitious esteeming them holy and sacred cattle that their Dume hath appointed them to cultivate the land onely which makes them hard to be bought and sold this superstition is only publickly observed for some of the Bramins treated us with beef who borrowed a christian Cook and entertained us with a whole calf the head and intrals stewed and the rest rosted as we use He feasted us because one of the company had cured him of a certain disease and refused any reward and thus they do like the Turkes who abstain from wine in publick but drink it privately neverthelesse these Bramins have the devil pictured open mouthed red and flaming ready to devoure the law-breaker and when they have offended the sacrifice to him a white cock which is derived from a very ancient and superstitious Idolotry of the Pagan who offered a white cock to Hercules to the night to Aesculapius and to Annubis thus the devil renews these old superstitions and appears visibly unto them some believing him to be God some a
the West Indians at Carthagene and Caramel call Jerac which signifies white and laid in the sun becomes as black as the other and though a little different yet hath great vertue and is like a young beane but something longer the grain is inclosed in a little cod as the beane This sort of tree beares no leaves the others which are the ordinary sort beare many both long and large They use it much to heate them and put it in their pottage resting my self one day over a store-house which was full I never felt the like heate The other druggs made in the Territories of Cochin are sold to the Portugais only But to save their pay they passe merchandizes in exchanga 'T is true that every buyer payes some small earnest for if their dealing were discovered their goods would be wholly confiscated to the King and sometime the very ships themselves When the Portugais have bought at certain rates if the Mores offer more the former bargain is void which to prevent the King orders certain punishments to keep them in awe The Prince though not very potent yet can draw three-score thousand men into the field The Town of Cochin is built upon a faire river a mile remote from the sea There is another place called Cochin joyning to the sea which belonging to the Portugueses there are many Christians who to enjoy the priviledges of the City and to be exempted from payments are married there all other Christians pay foure Per Cent. at both the Cochins which are a mile distant one from the other There are many Christians married of severall Nations and Sects as Italians English French Germans Christians of the Girdle of St. Thomas who passe for Portuguesses and are all Merchants The commodities pay severall customes as for the sugars brought from Bengalo the strangers pay eight Per Cent. those married upon the place are freed There are many Amuchies Gentlemen wearing swords and bucklers who upon all occasions expose themselves gallantly to death for the safety of their Prince Their wives are in common and the Natives lend them one another when they enter any house they leave their swords and bucklers at the doore and no man dare enter while another is within All ships bound for Portugall are prepared for Sea in the moneths of December and January from thence they sayle to Coulan 72 miles from Colchin where they have a noble Fort in the Territories of the King of Coulan from thence to the Cape Comori unto the lower part of Chiloa or Chilao about 200. miles near wholly converted by the Fathers of the society of St. Paul at Goa who have built many fair Churches they had made a greater progresse in Calicut had they not been hindred by the malice of the Moors mortall enemies to the Christians since they caused the Cittadell built by the Portuguais to be demolished The Harbour at new Cochin is very large but very rocky The Town is full of fair Churches Monasteries Hospitalls and Colledges The River that waters the soyle is pleasant and large and helps to make up a good haven where ships ride safe On the North is a pretty Isle where the Bishops pallace is of most stately edifice and although many Gentiles inhabit there yet nothing but Christianity is practised amongst them and who ever will idolatrize must remove to old Cochin which stands upon the River joyned with a long row of houses like a Suburb There is great commerce from all parts of the Indies The greatest inconvenience to the vessels is that sometimes they must lie three or four months or more at the mouth of the River because the entrance is filled with sand that choakes her passage which happens from May to September when fall great raines which raise a Sea wind called by the West-Indians Toumacaut which by the help of the flouds blows and bears down those shelves of sand which do dissipate and are spent in the sea Thus 't is almost with all Towns that stand upon Rivers as I observed at Jenibaron in the harbour of the Isle of St. Laurence which carries after this manner all the sand into the Sea and then hath one of the surest havens in the world But before I leave the coast of Cochin and Malabar you must know that the fleet of Portugall once laden at Cochin doth not return to Goa but sailes strait for Portugall passing through Maldiue and all the Armado's Fleets and other vessels whatsoever that come from the South and the Western parts of Goa at 36. leagues from thence are at their journeys end having reached the Cape of Ramos where in sign of joy they pitch their flags and standarts and draw forth their whole artillery as being safe and free from Pirates because in that nook is divided the coast of Malabar from the kingdom of Tacara or Dealcan The like rejoycements make the Fleets that come from the North-side when they reach an Isle thirty six miles from Goa called Quemada Don Sancho Sapatero a Portuguese Captain met not with the like successe who as I have since heard being arrived at the Isle fired some guns in sign of joy and set a plume of feathers upon his mast a certain Captain and Pirate born at Rochelle named Boudard having cast Anchor at Cananor laid wait for a hulk laden with pepper then at Cochin expecting fair weather to put out to Sea for Portugall meeting with another ship bound for Achez for lading was advertized of Don Sancho's passing here which occasioned the Rocheller to expect him with all security pretending to be a Merchant of that Countrey and at his first meeting with Sapatero he gave him a broad-side killed five of his marriners and burnt his plume which so terrified the Captain that his courage being lost he took down his colours and craving his life offered the Rocheller what he had in his ship Here the Rocheller came off magnanimously for having power to enslave him and his and to seize his ship he contented himself seeing the list of goods to take one of the ships laden with certain pieces of cannon and ammunition out of the other ships releasing Capt. Sancho with the rest of his company which much revived him and the more because the prize of those commodities belonged to certain Jewish Portuguese Merchants he thought to bear no losse himself since Boudart took nothing out of his ship but two pieces of cannon and some ammunition with a present of some of the Country rarities But he was much deceived for arrived at Goa he was called in question and the loss appearing to have proceeded through his slender forecast and small courage he being far stronger than his enemies it was ordered that the three ships should equally partake in the losse since they were all preserved from Lisboe and he for the fault he had carelesly committed was forbidden ever to wear feather under pain of forfeiting a 1000.
the River the town is ill built The ayr is good on Coromandel side and is divided but by a little streight not much longer then Gibraltar but more dangerous because the waves raise banks of sand which make it the more dangerous for vessels of great burthen forced to enter the Isle on the other side called Betala or the pearl-fishing Zeilan is held to be the ancient Taprobane and others with more reason say she was anciently called Sumatra however this Isle hath ever been potent formerly governed by one King of the race of the Sun or at least from thence he pretended himself descended This King was dethroned by one of Jafanapatan and since the country hath been divided into several kingdomes The Portuguais warred with the King of Jafanapatan who overthrown was constrained to deliver up the Isle of Manar which they fortified and inhabit to this day the Christians were grievously oppressed by the Badages their neighbours barbarous people great thieves but the Portuguese subdued them at last In this invasion the Portuguese amongst other things took that famous Idol made of the tooth of a Monkey adored by all the Indians of those parts and enriched with Jewels The King of Pegu so highly esteemed it that he sent yearly Ambassadours thither to take the print of it upon Amber Musk and other perfumes which he had great reverence unto and since it was taken he offered to redeem it at a great rate but they christian-like chose rather to destroy that Idolatry then to reap a profit thereby and so they burnt it and from it there came a most stinking and black smoak They relate many fables of that white Monky named Hanimam that he had been a God expelled heaven for some fault committed and Metamorphosed into a Monkey coming from the land of Badages or thence into Ceitan where after his death he was adored and his tooth kept as a relique The sea between the Cape Comori the lower Chilao and the Isle Zelan was called Pescaria Delle Perse a place of pearl-fishing which lasts about 50. days and at the point where they begin to fish upon a sudden many Cabbins and Booths are erected to last during the fishing onely then they that can dyne and fill their bagges with oysters and by a rope tyed about their middle are pulled up again and every fisher makes his own heap The seasons are not alwayes favourable alike some more some lesse and some seasons very dangerous by reason of several fishes that devour the fishers and other fishes will crop off a thigh or arme of a man as close and even as a hangar and those the Portugais call Poccaspada this fish hath two rowes of teeth very sharp and long and therefore to prevent the danger they have Magicians that charme the fishes upon a time a fisher-man ready to be devoured by a fish had his mouth open and within two fingers of reaching him suddenly the Wisard who was present cryed out Veruas which signifies come out or charm and the fish left him and the man having a sword in his hand struck a blow or two and the fish swam away leaving the Sea dy'd with his blood At night when they go to rest they dissolve their charmes because no one should venture to fish There are certain Commissioners to set a rate upon the pearle according to the season and there are of fine sorts of pearls some like stars others half stars others called Pedrati which are much esteemed and divided into five parts The Merchants stand in order to buy them The Portugese have those of greatest price which they call Quercos the Bengalians the seconds the Canaranians the thirds the Cambayans have the smallest and the last which are of little worth fall to the Jewes there which they polish for deceit It is a gallant sight to see so many Merchants together and so many heaps of pearles before every Cabbin which within few dayes are all pull'd down The best pearl is fished in the Channel of Setin near to Zeilan where they use flat-bottome boats called Tune because they have little bottome some are gotten at the other side of Chilao between Manar and the Continent There is no pearl to be found in all the East except in this place and at Baharem in the Persick gulph and the Isle Aynan near China those taken at Baharem are bigger but they are taken here in greater number The whole Coast of Malabar from Comori fifty leagues in length or thereabouts inhabited by people called Paravians is much frequented for this fishing where fifty or three score thousand Merchants resort to that purpose The Paravians are Christians and were instructed by St. Francis Ilaverius and live under the protection of the Portuguesse who have protected them from the Tyranny of the Mahometans their neighbours South-west of the Isle of Zeilan are the Maldives many in number dangerous to Saylers for the shelves of sand and rocks I will say no more of them because my knowledge is but small besides they have amply and exactly been described by others but I will say something of a wonderfull Isle on the Coast of Malduce Southward some ten degrees remote from the Line and called Patovi or Polovis now deserte though formerly inhabited and flourishing which as I learnt since at Pegu was Governed by a Prince called Argiac a Potent King of many Ilands and Kingdomes he having many children by severall wives gave this Island to one of the gallantest amongst them called Abdenac for his portion with several Treasures this Abdenac was possest of it peaceably for five yeares space his elder brother called Argiac after their Father and King of Achez in Sumatra refused him the share of Treasure his father had left him the other enraged craved the assistance of the King of Bengala who furnished him with ships with which he invaded his brother burnt his Townes and put to death most part of his followers but received a mortall wound himself and returning into his Island with the Treasures he had regained of his brother and finding himself near death distributed his wealth and bequeathed his Island to be inherited by his Duma or evill spirit intreating him to preserve it till the day of Judgement and that he then hoped to return into the World This Will made he dyed and had no other sepulchre then the bowells of his Alliance and Friends according to the Custome of that Countrey where in many places they eat the dead flesh of their Kindered and near Relations perswading themselves the Soule to be sooner at rest then if they permitted the corpes to putrifie and to be consumed by the wormes and that there could be no Sepulchre so Honourable as the bowells of a deare friend This Island falling to the devils share he became so turbulent that from the very time he took possession the Island was not
she with her children disrobed in like manner went to the Palace gate and there seated themselves on the ground by him with each a great stone on their head The Queen espying them from her window in this deplorable condition moved with compassion shewed them to the King who gave order they should be bidden to revest themselves go back to their lodgings and there attend his further pleasure so they did trembling with expectation of the consequence Many advised Abdalami to make escape and his wife her self was of that opinion but he would not be perswaded his services raising him a confidence of the Kings clemency Now moreover to compleat his calamity when the King began to relent the suits and supplications which came on all sides in his behalf one of the principal persons in the Court called Isman charges him with a new crime complaining to the King that he had seduced debauched a daughter of his for which he craves justice which suspended the Kings clemency resolving to examine the truth of the matter which proved in fine to be but a meer supposall For it was most true that Abdalami being a Prince of an amiable form and beauty and of high esteem for his valour this Lords daughter had so impetuous a Love-passion for him that she fell sick to death and Abdalamies Lady visiting her as a friend observed she fell on weeping as oft as she beheld her whereupon one day she importuned to know the reason conjuring her to speak freely if she had in any thing offended her protesting she was ready to make her as ample satisfaction as she could desire The poor Lady confounded with shame was sometime before she could form her answer but at length love taking place of Virgin-modesty she ingenuously confessed the eause of her distemper with such abundance of tears sighs and supplications of pardon for the affront she offered her that the other was moved to such tendernesse she promised her notwithanding one so near and dear to her as a husband was aimed at neverthelesse in pity of her violent passion which deserved some pardon she would contribute what was possible to her reliefe hereupon the young Lady told her how she had presented by her bond-maid a chain of pearl and rubies to her husband with request that he would wear them for her sake which he accepted as well for the value of the thing as for that the slave was a gay and pretty girle to whom he gave a pair of pendants of Fauser diamonds of an Olive figure but for the Mistresse he returned her a bare meagar thanks without further acknowledgement which the slave notwithstanding dissembled making her Mistresse believe he had a strong affection for her and for love of her wore her favour and so this slave treated her with these fictions in hope to give some remission to the violence of her passion and t was she who first embarked her in these amorous follies The Lady was amazed at these passages and remembred the chain because her husband had given it to her self without acquainting her where he had it Now being desirous to invert some cure for her malady though a most perfect reciprocal affection animated both her husband and self notwithstanding compassion forced her inclinations to offer her a nights concubitation with her husband which so reviv'd this Damsells heart that immediately she arose from her bed and in few dayes was perfectly recover'd To compasse this without her husbands discovery she consulted both with the daughter and the Lady her Mother who was likewise of the Party so as returning home she told her husband she found some unusuall distemper in the state of health and entreated him he would forbear her enjoyments for some nights which expir'd Abdalami passionate for her commpany she to heighten his flame shewed some unwillingness till pressing her with importunity she consented for the ensuing night upon condition that for that night he should not speak a word to her Being thus agreed she gives the Lady notice to be ready at the houre appointed so being conveyed into the wives roome she conceived with child without the husbands knowledge of the juggle Meanwhile time making the Father perceive the growth of his daughter and understanding by her acknowledgment whose act it was fired with rage accompanied with his Allies and Relations without delay he repaires to the King with a violent complaint of this injury as I said before Hereupon Tahachi enters into a deep consideration of these two Persons whereof the one was his Kinsman and of high deserts for his services the other was Lord of the Province of Essen between Dafila and Ganfilira below Barnagasso heretofore tributary to the great Negus but being not inclined to be a Christian himself nor be subject to a Christian King had put himself voluntarily under the dominion of Tahachi an Infidel In conclusion the King resolved to have the matter examined and to pronounce Justice as the cause merited And hereupon notice was given to Abdalami of the accusation wherein being conscious of his own innocence he was much satisfied that the Kings anger lay on that side and conferring with his Lady told her he admired the impudence of that Lord to accuse him of a a thing he was so ignorant of and much more at the insolency of his daughter that laid two bastards to his charge The Lady smiled as who should say it may be true whereupon as he was about to make oaths and protestations to the contrary she acknowledged and related the whole to him and how the businesse was brought to passe by her invention whereat he was strangely amazed admiring his Ladies goodnesse that was so charitable to her own injury In this conjuncture the King gave licence to Lord Isman to take revenge of Abdalami in what sort he could under his assured grace so he now layes wait for all occasions to effect it and to surprise him on the water as he went to take the Ayre for the town of Zanzibar or Zanguebar is compleatly encircled with water which runs both within and without and almost every inhabitant hath his Almady or flat boat wherein they recreate upon the Lake But Abdalami whether advertised or suspecting it stood upon his constant guard so as passing one day upon the water before the windowes of the Palace-royall that the King might have the prospect if any one attacked him Isman comes up with his boats to assault his enemy who was not unprovided then there succeeded a fierce combat between them where Abdalami did miracles in his own defence so effectually that he put the adverse barks to flight to the extraordinary delight of the King In the mean while Princesse Abasinda waits upon the Queen and recounts to her the plain truth of the mystery which being told the King he sent to Isman to let him know that if the case were found such as he apprehended he would lay the head of
company being composed of persons of divers interests according to their affaires there arose some dispute but at last 't was determined we should go by Gayuelle whither we had seven long dayes journey to avoyd the danger of robbers who are very infestuous to those parts as also the Tigars whereof there is store throughout all Ethiopia and so at length gaine Zuama or Bagamidri where we left our vessels and part of our goods Then we travailed along the river through diverse wild and disinhabited places being ever ready upon our guard for robbers that might way-lay us to ransack what we had and so crossing Areal and Chaussabir two Provinces we met with Heardsmen of exceeding bignesse who kept tame goats which furnished us with milk and cheese and venison as much as we would have for a small quantity of salt in exchange being of opinion we had given them something of high price Not long after we beheld Gazuelle and other small Townes where the greater part are Christians though they hold something of Judaism as I said before As we thought to go take our dinner at Moradar about a league from Almina a stormy wind under a cloak of thick black clouds pursued us at the heels which made us keep near our boats that if the rain should surprize us we might have shelter at hand At the instant two men and a Priest in a gray habit accosted us the Priest with his hat in his hand saluted us in Italian saying he was of Cagliari in Sardaignia and that 't was his desire to return for his Countrey whence he came into Ethiopia with a Roman Bishop who passed to the other world at Magadeli and understanding of some Italians that were travailing through Ethiopia for Egypt he had sought us out to be admitted into our company intending to take ship at Alexandria and steer the course for Italy and so for Rome The two men that were with him gave us high commendations of him assuring us he would pay well for his passage for that the Bishop had left him threescore Doublons for his voyage We made little answer but at the same time two Noblemen overtaking us in Palanquins or Littars born by slaves on their shoulders this Priest made to them and asked an alms and one of them gave him a piece of silver then presently returned to us and as familiarly as we had been acquainted all dayes of our life told us by asking one could loose nothing but the deniall At length we came to Moradar where we stayed our boats as we had often done since the losse of Monsieur de la Courbs man in hope to find the body for he had rich things about him Being at our Inne we smelt a strong sent and found 't was some musk cats this Priest carried with him which he would have trucked with us for other commodities but we were loth to be troubled with such unwholsome things There they brought us to table a dish of raw flesh well seasoned with salt and spices which was of delicate taste and an excellent meat After dinner we observed certain people looking stedfastly in a bright shining bason and asking the reason they told us they were looking to see a troop of Devils that were going to a battail that was presently to be fought We replyed if it might be without danger we should be very glad to participate with them and would content them with a piece of money which they accepted of and the Sieur de la Courb gave them what we promised Hereupon one of them cast a kind of grease upon a chafing dish of burning coals which flamed and went out again and there arose a thick smoak then they perfumed the bason and oyled it with a sort of oyl and in an instant a formidable darknesse involved us and we saw passing in the air as it were great swarms of knats not being able to discern directly what likenesse they were of we desired the Magician he would stay them and ask these Demons or hags whither they went with such celerity then renewing the fumigations and muttering I know not what incantations betwixt the teeth we saw as 't were swarms of Ants which removing on his command in imagination we saw the form of a body covered with linnen without being able to distinguish more but this Phantasme drawing near us such horrour seized us that for my part the hair of my head so started up that it threw my cap on the ground and strait a most loathsom stink as 't were of carrion filled the room this thing gabbled something which the Magician understood and told us he learnt by these demons there was a battaile at hand to be fought by the king of Barma and thither they were travelling to receive the souls of the slaughtered that they had crossed a Sea of darknesse and horrour and the confines of a land where the Sun never shone nor Creature lived and things of the like kind which this man related At last all vanished leaving a scene of such lovely trees that from thence-forward we were bewitched with no such unlucky ambition to see Diabolicall delusions But to our businesse after many daies travaile we arrived at Bagamidri where we learnt the rest of our Company who would not come along with us stayed for us at Zambera or Zambre a gentile Town upon the lake of Zuame We were thirteen dayes travelling this shore where we found many villages or hamlets but few good dwellings from Zets to Casera which are the best Towns 't is three dayes journey and from Abiari which is the Bishoprick of St. Abiblicano three more and to Cafata four we had extraordinary rains all this way which neverthelesse hindered not our journey We made five dayes from Cafate to Girat and two to Gisara in the Province of Ambian from thence in six dayes we reached to Samodera a very neat Town betwixt two Rivers and in two and a half to Cosiana where we found the Princesse of Bilibranos with eight Almadies in whose Company we reached in three dayes to Cabestane in two more to Cabesera and in a day and a halfe to Ambadara or Ambadora From thence we went to Albias or Albian a small Town but full stocked with people here we lodged at a Dragoyan merchants house who was married there and he let us want for nothing At this Town in the River were abundance of tame ducks and a number of displumed geese as likewise most part of the ducks were the rest frizeled which caused a laughter amongst us to see these poor birds so ill apparelled which some of the Town observing and amongst them some of the Consuls or Magistrates themselves called the Abiari they told us when these should come to our table they would bring us a double pleasure both in eating and sleeping and at last we understood 't was usual to pull their fowle alive to stuffe their beds with the feathers making little cases
those brought from Persia and Arabia which they esteem the best of the world They affect to go handsomely apparelled wearing two corner'd hats of Chamlet lin'd with cloth of cotton or silk their garments long their doublets and hose of the Mariners cut like them of Goa The women are decently dressed in silk their face open with little round bonnets exquisitely wrought at the crown whereof which is slit comes out a lock of their hair deck'd with gemmes of pearls they wear abundance especially the Nobility others wear a vaile of linnen over their face They have an hearb they call Amatura which makes the best Carnation and Nacar dye in the world and being washed becomes an excellent crimson which never loses colour The town in prospect may be aptly said like Tauris Directly over against it on the other side the river stand two other towns and a spacious Village The kingdome of Saba is stor'd with many other good towns as Madrara Ambadarae or Ambadora Mathida or Machada Betmaria Madraneli or Manadelli and others of great trade the people Christians of devotion enough but with some mixture of Judaisme They worship Saints but above all the blessed Virgin and when the Angelical salutation or Ave Maria is rung the Prince if he be on horse-back descends to say the prayer on his knees otherwise he should be mulcted They have a Legend of a Paralitick who being on horse-back and hearing the Bell ring without excuse presently alighted and was cured whereupon he became a Monk of S. Abiblicanus giving all his wealth to the poor 'T is death to blaspheme the name of God or the blessed Virgin and all both men and women as they are generally addicted to labour while they work sing pious songs to cheer them Curtesans and publick Harlots are there expressely prohibited and severely punished A Shoomaker seeing one who was very beautiful for lewdnesse led to punishment took her to wife and saved her for which he had a general applause of all men and she ever after lived vertuously and modestly during her matrimony They bear great honour to the Crosse and salute it on their knees as oft as they finde one on the high way insomuch as one shall scarce see a Crosse without divers kneeling about it When a Church Chappel or Oratory is to be erected they ring the Gadapi which means the bell of charity the bell made of baked clay and the clapper of wood which calls them together and a Calsena declares the necessity of the structure to which they make a general voluntary contribution I have seen the very principal Ladies along the river carry two and two the necessaries to it as Stones Lime Sand and other materials which some will carry on their heads The Princesse her self leads the way on such occasions and all the other Ladies follow her example The men likewise do their parts and in certain stations stand religious persons with musical instruments to recreate the Lady-taskers on the other side 't is the Princes part to provide fruits and other refreshments for them with tables set here and there furnished with all sorts of diet and wine of honey in large hornes for they seldom use other wine except some of Dates wine of the vine being forbidden by Law to all whatsoever In this town is the Church of S. Mary of Sion of which I spoke before which they will have to be the first in Christendom built by the Queen of Saba wherein they deceive themselves there being more probability 't was the Queen Candace or some other after her for in the dayes of Salomon and long after there was no Temple but that of Jerusalem whither they resorted from all parts to the services and sacrifices at certain solemn feasts There are 300. Debeteres or Cannons belonging to this Church There is likewise a stately Palace for the Tribunal Justice called the Macabate where they judge the Processe and Appeal to Tigray whereon they depend the Province being tributary to the kingdome of Tigray The Town of Saba or Soba is properly upon that Nile which comes from Zaire for the other branch called Tecassin or Tagazzi descends from the Lake Baretna in high Ethiopia and they joyn about Ermita From Saba before we went aboard we had a desire to go see the Town of Caraman the Seigniory whereof confines upon Gianamora or Gianamara towards the East and North towards the South upon the Kingdom of Cauas and on the West upon the Province of Sieto which touches upon Nubia Here is a Church dedicated to the sacred Virgin which is one of the most famous in the country for that by exquisite artifice 't is cut out of the natural rock Candaces Eunuch is said to be the Founder of it Within we saw thirteen Domes or Niches excellently wrought with fine columns and drawing near the Altar in one of the Niches the picture of the Virgin with her infant Jesus crowned and a crescent at his feet then in the middle of the Church the figure of a Bird signifying the Holy Ghost without any either image or figure in the whole Church The Niches made Seats for the Priests in representation of the thirteen Apostles They have many Sects amongst them The chiefe Prelate wore a long garment close girt to him at which is fastened a picket capouch The man shewed much gravity and Majesty and stood amazed when he saw us on our knees before the image of the Virgin whereof he desired to know the reason But as there were but few amongst them of the ancient religion so omit they not to sing the Prime the third the sixt and other Canonical houres singing the Psalmes standing Interjecting many sentences and prophane ceremonies They much rejoyced at our devotion to the blessed Virgin and began to cry out with great joy Anderi behold people of the farthest point of the world of our religion then shewing them our Primmers with some pictures in them they could not contain from kissing our garments welcoming us with such profound humility that in tendernesse we melted tears The Prince of the place having heard of us and that we were entertained by these Priests conceived well of us and imagined we were Priests travailing towards Saba in Meroe to visit the chaire of a holy Prophet of the great God Magoura which they hold to be the Chaire Saint John Baptist preached in by them called Nabi Asista and the Robe King David danced in before the Ark preserved as a venerable Relick with a ring presented as they say by Salomon to the Queen of Saba a very splendid one and seems like a burning coale Now being lodged in the Priests apartment he entertained us with excellent fare variety and well-dressed but the first dish seemed strange to us for 't was flesh raw seasoned with spices 't was of no ill taste but rather procuring appetite then we were served with all sorts of good meat At this feast many came to
is Georgian a town inhabited by Georgian Christians who have licence with flying banners from the Turk to visit the Sepulcher at Jerusalem without paying Toles or Imposts as others do They recount a miracle upon these people when they were once persecuted by an Infidell King Almighty God covered the enemies with a continual darknesse whereby they were delivered upon which subject the Arabian great Poet and Historian wrote some verses But I have heard others say 't is the same that happened to the countrey of Georgiane or Albania in Asia the greater in a part thereof called Bonhainson where the Christians were pursued by Saure King of Persia a Mahometan and being reduced to save themselves by flight he invironed them with his forces in which extremities they had recourse to their prayers and an obscurity came over the King and all his whereby the Christians had means to save themselves Some say that a darknesse ever since continued in that part of the countrey and that no man dare come upon the ground and that the cries of men and neighing of horses are continually to be heard without knowing any ground for it Having staid one day in the Town of Georgian or Georgia on the other side we passed in two dayes to the town of Erir thence to Cosia then repassing Nile we came to Pemin the first Town of high Egypt Here they are all Moores but yet people of conscience and very courteous to us Thence we went to complement the Sultan or Governour of the Town of Almona and to have his passe because we were to enter into a Countrey all Infidels and subject to the Grand Sinior The Sultan favoured us with many testimonies of affection and sent by a Frigot to the other side of Nile to a garden in the Town of Tima for fruit for us amongst others Peaches of extraordinary size without stones but not so sweet nor good as ours in Europe Thence in two daies we came to Grandole a very Mercantile Town and in two dayes more to Manucat a great Town of about a thousand fires but about a league from thence there is one more large and fair called Bazuelle or Bazielle which was heretofore esteemed the Suburbs of Caire Here are the most sumptuous Mosquees of all Egypt which they call Gemit Azore or Hamore where the Mahometans go to render their vows with diverse offerings and hold this Mosquee was erected in the honour of a holy woman called Nacisse kinswoman to the false Prophet Mahomet people of a most austere life within they give entertainment to divers sorts of Marabuts or hermites who are there to do penance They recount many fabulous miracles amongst others one of the resurrection of a dead person pretended in the time of Soudan Saladin who had a servant called Aliaze married to a fair and rich young maid but she behav'd her self so ill towards him that her love was fixed on another object wherefore in despair he complained to the Cherif or Priest of the Mosquee This Cherif bade him be of comfort and advised him for some dayes to conceale himself to see how his wife would take it In the mean while the Cherif visited his wife and enquired most earnestly of her husband telling her if he were dead or lost through her occasion she was damn'd without hope being troubled hereat she told him she had not seen him of fifteen or sixteen dayes and that she was much afflicted for his absence but that she would make a vow to God and the Prophet if she could have him again she would be more dutifull to him At the same time by fortune there was taken up the body of a young man who was drowned in Nile so disfigured that he could not be known The Cherif taking this opportunity and having conferred with her husband they concluded to take his body and cloathing it in a suit of his and putting his ring on his finger lay him in the Mosquee covered with a cloth and say 't was the corps of this womans husband which was done and the woman hearing the news went presently and knowing the cloaths and the ring fell into a most passionate lamentation whereupon the Priest to comfort her told her that on condition she would make a 9. dayes visit in the Mosquee the most blessed Prophet would restore her husband to life and told her something of a certain vision he had while he said the office of the dead In brief with subtlety and authority he so prevailed with her that in the morning she went to the Mosquee to make her prayers and sacrifice to this purpose upon the Tomb where the Cherif the night before had hidden her husband and then the egregious Priest pronounc'd his conjurations over the dead that in the name of the great God their Prophet and Saint he should rise and comfort his disconsolate relict which was no sooner said but the good fellow began to stir and cryed out behold I am here then the Cherif rejoycing opened the monument and out marches the husband who embrac'd his wife overcome with joy for so great a miracle which was blown immediately through the world and ever since this Mosquee hath been devoutly frequented where every one makes their vows to obtain their wishes and these are the goodly miracles of Mahomet CHAP. XX. Of Grand Caire of Balm of Egypt of Nile of Crocodiles and the particulars of Egypt HAving had a view of Bazuelle and the stately Mosquee which in perfection of architecture is not notwithstanding to be compared with our Churches of the better structure we came in four hours to the great Caire First we arrived at Bebelot or Bebelloch which is but a Burrough or Suburbs of 20000. fires then one league further to another called James Talon or Gemeth Tailon thence to another called Garafa or Charafa joyning upon the Grand Caire and at length to the people of Bebzuailac or Bulac This great Town treads upon the ruines of the ancient Babylon and Memphis the residence first of the Pharoes kings of Egypt then of the first Saracine Emperours and the last Soudans and Califes of Babylon of Caire distinct from the Babylon of Chaldea who in our histories are called the Soudans and Califes of Balda or of Baudas or Bandas the same as Bagded The Town of Caire or Alcayr writes six hundred yeares erection the first stone laid by a slave of Calife Elcaine by name Gehoar or Chetiq where the Califes of Egypt fixt their siege whilst they maintained another at Bagded and one at Cairoan a hundred miles from Thunis This Towne having been long under the Soudans was as at last in the year 1517. taken by the Turks who extirpated the Empire of the Mamelues 'T is seated upon a good place of the Nile and known by four principall divisions One stands upon a rising or eminent place the other along the Nile more low where some say Memphis was heretofore and there Nile composes a sweet
from a mountain of sand of excessive height I saw since near the Town of Lima or of Rois in Poru which exalting to an extraordinary height amongst many other hills never alters or diminishes for any wind or storm that can assault it a thing much admired by all men and for this the Indians adore it as divine but of this we shall with Gods leave speak in another tract of a voyage to the West-Indies But returning to the sands of Egypt 't is thence the greatest part of Mummy or flesh buried and rosted in the sand is gotten which the wind uncovering the next passenger brings to town for trade it being very medicinable Here you see a dead man is often more serviceable to the living then the living themselves yet some approve not of the physick But howsoever embalmed flesh is prefer'd before it for the Aromatick drugs the Egyptians used for preservation of dead bodies wherein they were at great charge and study whether for their hope of resurrection or for the opinion of some Philosophers that soules should so long live after departure as the bodies remain intire and incorrupt for which cause they seasoned and embalmed them with Bitumen Salt Frankincense Myrrhe and other Aromaticks and bodies thus embalmed and preserved for many ages by the Arabians are called Mummies To proceed the land of Egypt is highly renowned for a very potent and wealthy kingdom where some say heretofore have been reckoned 20. thousand wall'd towns to entertain the infinite multitude of Inhabitants she had in those dayes but now there remaines but little of all this The first Kings of the world were their Rulers from whom they derive their lines of so many thousand fabulous years Their first and kings were called in the Scripture by the generall name of Pharoes then the Persians became their Masters afterwards the Greeks then at last the Romans till the Saracins got them under their Califes and Soudans and the Turks for this last age The ayre is good and temperate the soyle fertile and abounding in all commodities but so plentiful of corn that 't was held the Granary of Rome in her chiefest glory in medals of antiquity Egypt was still figur'd with ears of corn The country about Caire they call Sabida heretofore Sais and Egypt taken together Chibib in Heibrew Mitfraim by the name of the son of Chus who first possessed it thence the Arabians at this day call it Mesre The region called Delta from the triangular form is the fertile part of it because 't is water'd and cut through by seven branches or armes of Nile This country is exceeding fertile throughout but the rest from Caire to Ethiopia is not so but only along the Nile for three or four leagues on each side where the river flows the rest is sandy parched and waste except some places where the river comes in channels which they say were heretofore the work of Joseph son of Jacob. CHAP. XXI Of the Town of Alexandria the Isle of Malta and the Authours return to Marseils WE staid some dayes at Grand Caire where in the advance of my voyage I staid many moneths but before I go away I will tell you how we met there with a brother of my companion Guillen Cassis whom he had so basely abused at our coming from Meca as I said in another place when he cheated him of seven Cammels under colour to go to traffick in the red sea and Ethiopia and we passed into Arabia the happy to Persia the East Indies and Affrica where in all we were forth in our travailes six years and a halfe But as soon as he perceived at a distance his brother Marat he got slily into a company that his brother might not take notice of him at length he passed by us with a fixed eye but said nothing no one thinking of him for my part I knew him not yet me thought I had seen him before till at last I called him to mind and told the whole story to our company who condemned it for an unworthy action In fine the good fellow by this means scap'd a bad encounter Being departed from Grand Caire we went to embarke in our Almadies which staid for us at Boulac which is the Rendezvous of all Merchants Christians and others who are bound for Alexandria Thence we came in a day and a half to Auas where we met with my friend who had made all speed for fear of his brother From Auas we came in a day and a half to Rousette called by the natives Raschill a town by the ancients called Metilis or Canapus upon an arm of Nile called Heraclettick which Historians call Rexi At Roussetta we sold our Almadies and imbarked by night in a Germe and the next day were in Alexandria Alexandria is a town half ruinate of little pleasure a most remarkable example of the inconstancy of worldly things that this town should now be brought to so lacerate a condition that was for many ages one of the most ample fair populous rich and flourishing towns of the world chiefly renowned for excellent and commodious scituation for her Founder Alexander the great for having been the Seat-royall of the Ptolomiâ—s for her so famous and frequented Haven for her proud buildings amongst the rest Pharoes tower one of the wonders of the world for her Academy renowned for all Sciences for being the mother of so many famous Philosophers great Doctors and holy Patriarcks who kept the christian faith so long flourishing in those parts briefly for so many ornaments of art and nature from which glory she fell after she was taken with the rest of the country by the Sarasins and their third Calife Homar so as after this consternation she never recovered any thing of her pristine splendour But she remains a good Haven and a good landing place for all Merchandizes of the Levant and Indies where all Levantine Merchants Africans and Europians come to traffick Heretofore the Romans afterwards the Ptolemies made it the greatest Mart in the world by the means of the sea and Nile drawing thither all sorts of drugs spices and other Arabian commodities from India by the red sea then by land to Nile and so to Alexandria Since again under the Soudans this course was continued where the Venetians and all Europians fetched their spices till the Portuguese found out another way as we said in another place I will say no more either of this town or Caire as places sufficiently understood in these parts by the ample relations of divers accurate travailers only I shall observe that in this town when the Nile flowes they preserve sweet water in their Cesterns and make Channels to water their gardens There is resident a Consul for the French Nation Le sieur de Rhode was then the person who shewed us much kindnesse and much admired our tedious and painful peregrination He had his wife there with him by whom he had two twin daughters
Senior Bashaws and such have magnificent Palaces painted with gold and azure after the Persian Her Founder Constantine the Great dismantled Rome and all the Province of the Empire to adorn this his new City which in imitation of ancient Rome he seated on seven hills afterwards Justinian erected the magnificent Church of our Saviour or S. Sophia of circular Modell by which pattern the Sarasins built their Temple or Mosque at Meca though there be much difference betwixt them that at Meca being only brick building supported with abundance of Pillars Constantinople hath within nothing graceful but the Princes Seraglioes the Mosques Hospitalls and the Bashaws Palaces built by the art and industry of their slaves as heretofore at Rome likewise these Bashaws for the greatest part are Renegado-Christians or Christians children of more elegancy then the naturall Turk the most avaricious people of the world who without mony afford not the least civility imaginable Constantinople is scituate on a Promotory environed on all sides except the West with the Sea with a Gulph or Channell on the North and Port Pera or Galata secured with a chain as Malta is Pera is as 't were a Suburbs beguirt with Walls raised in Anastasius the Emperours time who fortified it Within the circumference there are four good Ports besides this On the Land side 't is double wall'd with good ditches equall'd slankard and rampar'd no work of the Turks notwithstanding but the ancient Christians who possessed it and since repaired by them 'T is of triangular form one point towards the West the other two declining with falls and windings towards the sea on the South side From some houses in Pera one may take a view of the scite and precinct of it and perceive how it opens it self into three Angles the one towards the Port of the Islands a second to the River Port and the third points upon the Grand Siniors Seraglio which takes up the side of the hill that embosoms the Gulph towards Pera the height whereof is a shelter to the vessels that ride on that side and here the Sultans and Sultanesses Gardens are The Seraglio is of a noble and delightfull Fabrick for it hath both land and sea for prospect which from the Mount surveyes the champain There are long ridings adjacent enclosed with high walls and beautifyed with columns of discolour'd marble and tall trees ranked in walkes Within the Seraglio is the Temple of S. Sophia since the demolishment of a number of goodly Churches made their Mosque having left none for the Greek Christian service but those of S. Peter S. Thomas S. Theodoret Saint Luke S. Lazarus Saint John and S. Sebastian now in the Patriarcks hands where Christians celebrate with permission The Turks practice a Religion in Part and countenance meerly without regard to law either divine or humane relying for their faith upon others without further indagation and conditionally that their Prophet were not mistaken Their principal care is the manage of their affaires to be esteemed wise and enjoy the pleasures of the world They esteem Christians far short of them yet notwithstanding they allow Christ to be born of a Virgin that he was a great Prophet and the Breath of the mighty God There have risen amongst them some Sectaries who held him a greater Prophet then Mahomet but some being so bold as to publish it were dragg'd by the heels had their brains beaten out and were made food for dogs The prohibition to dispute of their law they observe exactly for manifesting the impertinence and absurdity of it and for the diverse interpretations of their Alcaron which would intangle them in a thousand confusions They place their Paradise intirely in sensual pleasure as in gustfull and delicate meat and drink in fair women and the like and doubt not salvation if they abstain from wine and swines flesh Their Talismansat and Cadileschers their Doctors preach them this wholesome doctrine telling them the Paradise promised to Christians where there is neither meat nor drink is for poor and wretched creatures in theirs they make good cheer so carnal and below spirit are these people The Priests must be a little learned in the course of the Sun and Moon for the knowledge of their Feasts and New-Moons they go daily upon the steeple of their Mosque and proclaim the hours of prayer to God and their Prophet They have Religious of several orders some like men in desperation counterfeiting the ideot others dissembling simplicity others that most frantickly torment themselves to death women who ring themselves with wire as we do Mares but of this I have said sufficiently in my Treatise of Persia The Mufti is their Grand Patriarck who decides all differences in Religion and disputes amongst the Priests and the Grand Sinior himself cannot wave his sentence who owes him such respect that he rises from his seat to receive him when he makes a visit to him and seats him by him The determination of civill and criminal causes is committed to the Soubassi or Gadilescher Basha Armin or Arcair This Mufti as of the line of Mahomet weares a green Turbith the Emir wears it also not for holinesse but for authority These Emir are egregious Hypocrites as are the Deruis who wear the Cimeterre and under colour of executing divine Justice commit a thousand murders in the country There are others who go in troops and coming to a Village beg almes upon their knees which Turks give them liberally and they eat it in the place neverthesse having done for all this charity all they can meet alone they omit not to pillage and murther During my stay at Constantinople there died Basha Zabahim a person of worthy repute according to his law Being departed his death was notified to all the people who came in a multitude and wept for him and according to custome he was interred without the town Persons of such quality at their decease ever bequeath to pious uses as to the foundation of an Hospitall or Mosque or the like officers clad in duskish course rugs give notice to the people to pray for the soule of this pious Lord His nearest kindred covered with fine white linnen from head to foot go to the house and attend at the gate no man entring in but the Master Such as are more remote are only vail'd over the face with a fine cloth which hangs down to the girdle They are known by their wailings and lamentations which they duplicate when they come together Then come forth all the Domesticks in gray Ash-coloured cloth next come twelve horses with clothes of the like drawing on the ground the leaders clothed with the same These horses seem to weep and by intermissions to sigh and sobbe which they are brought to by rubbing their nostrils with a certain drugge while the people thinking them to weep really accompany them with tears and lamentations Then follow four in gray with four banners trailing on the ground then
must be the dog or Medusa's head Six Poles with the Indians The Zodiack St. Basil in Exameron The Earth square with the Chinesses The opinion of the Gâ—eek Philosophy of the forme of the Earth Antripodes by whom not believed Virgill Bishop of Strasbourg Sinabo Drogomania may be Dragoian or Turcomania Deserts of Tartary Persian Asses Serpents good meat fierâ—e dogs Volmous This must be the great Mogor A History of an Incubus Phlegon Trallianus The adventures of Amador a Painter Maps of Africa defective The extent of Africa See Pliny l. 5. c. 1. of the Cavarianâ— of Affrick Leon of Africa lib. 1. cap. 11. Majesty of the King of Tombut Africans who adore the Sun The Empire of the Abissins The prodigious greatnesse of Africa The division of Africa Read Andrew Corsals letter of this Island A Topography of the Island S. Laurence Chreumain or Indian Safron Garcias l. 1. c. 39. Igname or Inhame a root The occupations of the Inhabitants of Madagascar Birds of Paradice Crocodils and the manner how to take them Janiharou a Town and River Isles of Theives The Coco tree The root Joguia Belugara Windes which preserve bodies incorruptible Lib. 11. c. 2. Christians in Bâ—lugara The town of Monbaze A merry passage see the like story in the first part The manner how they receive Embassadors Melinde Town and Kingdom Melons of excellency The Prince of Mâ—linde a gâ—ave Justiciar Quiloa Zanguefar Zanzebar The river Humes Mozambique Salomons gold Zinguebar Abassins The Isle Zunan The lake Zaflan Magnice a river Zaire and Zembre Rivers in Suama Divers rivers in Couama Goldmines Alvarez testifies that in the mines of Chaxumo there are stones of 64 fathoms six in breadth and three height The author changes the design of his first voyage The courtesie of savages The Abifsins imprint a Crosse on their flesh Suguelane agisimba Monopotapa Mines of salt Madrogan the chief town of Monopotapa Subjects zealous to their Prince Lions skins Land Tortoises The extent of the Abissins country Manzua Câ—dignus others Kingdomes Tributes paid to Preste John Ethiopia double The Abissins religion See Aluarez ch 41. The reverence they bear to sacred places Causes of the flowing of Nile Abba Licanus who some say baptized Candace the Queen Aluarez ch 14 Amazons People black and white Aranuhi A hundred weight Calscenas Pâ—este Jâ—hns messengers Aluaca 141. Aua. c 8. Betudete a grear officer Al. c. 69. Tabuto the altar stone Ariates The triumphall entrance of the Negus into Barra Ganfrila and Drafrila Al. calls it Gauete Mongibir Romarins Christians Strange prostitution of wives See Al. cap. 58. and 59. This is Domine miserere nobis Aluarez cals them Debiteres The cannons of Ethiopia Of this Abraham See Al. ca. 54. Israelites is as much as Princes of the blood-royal or officers descended from those Jews who came thither in the daies of Salomon Al. c. 61. 138. Alu. saith the Priests Cannons are single Monkes married Instituted since Al. time who speaks not of them Look Al. Gâ—es Godagne and the modern relations of the Jesuites Abiblicains Bilibranos the name of a Monastery Dragoyan or Doragila in sum See Mark Pol. l. 3. â— 17 Or Zabano as the Persians call them See the first part c. 37. which must be Medusa's head or the dog or one of Orion Al. sayes they call it Berenegus c 46. Sabalete a river Al. ca. 52. Saba called Sabin by Al. c. 41. May be the Monastery of Abba Gariman Bernusse a sort of African cloth Tamatan Lacque sanguine colour for Painters The same we read in the History of Ganfredi See if this may be in S Aug. l. 18. c. 18. De civitate Dei See Leon. Afr. l. 8. Truebalm Pe Mar. in his Lega babil l. 3. who sayes 't is in the year 1502 this plant was lost See Monardes Hieroglyphicks Mummie Alexandria Seques Sbelus heretofore Syrtes Ermin a Judge Leon. Abr. l. 3. Mahazin Zaira The Turks Religion Turkâ—sh justice A descriptiâ—n of the Seraglio Bashaw Abrahor the master of horse A History The fortunate Island A violent tempest Aroucaneâ— Cuba an Island Espaniola Magana The History of Bibical King Biblical The Isles of the Antilles Canibals hunt men and women Cruelty of the Spaniards Indians aversion to the Spaniard Coast of Mexico Admirable windes The Torrid Zone A mystical fruit Three regions of America South America The frozen Sea Bacalao Codfish Military dogs Unfortunate love A prodigious lightning French hanged in Florida The temperature of Mexico The Ancient Mexicans People of Mexica A stratagem The Mexicans sacrifices The Mexicans Idoâ— The Mexican year month Chicora The Mexican wheel Ceremonies and Prayers Their dances Burning Mountains A History of a covetous Priest Montezama King of Mexica Ferdinand Cortez conquered Mexica Spanish vanity A tree yielding all necessaries Fruit used for mony Jucataen Panama The extent of Peru. Qâ—ito Casio Plata A wind of the use of rain Munkeys Temper of Peru. Mines in Potossi Earthquakes A discovery Amazonâ—â— Strange beasts Birds of prodigious greatness Tabala Plumes in use A good bargain Fish of Mexico Mines of silver Mines of gold and silver The manner of their working in the Mine Quicksilver Pearle-fishing Men divers Emeralds enemies of incontinency Peru by whom discovered By whom civilized Calander of Peru. Incas or Kings of Peru. Presage of the Spaniards arrivall Cruelty revenged The strait of Magellan Paragows Chica a Countrey Wingless birds The river Orellanâ— Brasile Brasile by whom discovered In 1533. Villegagnon Customes of the Brasilians Brasilians man-eaters Prisoners of War Savages indued with reason