much for this worthy and ever renowned Knight whose prayse and fame I cannot too much celebrate The Turkes have no Bels in their Churches neither the use of a clocke nor numbring of houres but they have high round Steeples for they contrafact and contradict all the formes of Christians when they goe to pray they are all called together by the voice of crying men who go upon the bartizings of their Steeples shouting and crying with a shrill voice Lailla Eillalla Mahomet Rezul allah that is God is a great God and Mahomet is his Prophet or otherwise there is but one God In Constantinople and all other places of Turkie I ever saw three Sabbaths together in one Weeke The Friday for the Turks the Saturday for Iews and the Sunday for Christians but the Turks Sabbath is worst kept of all for they will not spare to doe any labour on their Holy Day They have meetings at their publick Prayers every day five sâ—verall times the first is before the rising of the Sun The second is a little before midday The third is at three of the clock in the afternoon The fourth is at the Sun-setting Summer and Winter Fifthly the last houre of Prayer is alwayes two or three houres within night Many of them will watch till that time and not sleep and others sleeping will awake at the voice of the Cryer and go to Church In signe of reverence and in a superstitious devotion before they go into their Mosquees they wash themselves in a Lavotoio beginning at the privy members next their mouthes faces feet and hands And entring they incline their heads downwards to the earth and falling on their knees doe kisse the ground three times Then the Talasumany which is the chiefe Priest mounteth upon a high stone where hee maketh many Orations to Mahomet and the rest to assist him continue a long time shaking their heads as though they were out of all their naturall understanding repeating oft this word Haylamo Haylamo and after that will sigh grievously saying Houpek And somtimes will abruptly sing the Psalmes of David in the Arabick tongue but to no sense nor veritie of the Scriptures And at their devotion they will not tolerate any women in their company lest they should withdraw their minds and affections from their present zeale But the men observe their turns and times and the women theirs going always when they goe either of them alone to their devotion The like custome but not after the same manner have I seen observed among the Protestants in Transilvania Hungaria Moravia Bohemia and Silesia who when they come to Church on the Sabbath day there is a Taffata Curtaine drawne from the pulpit to the Church wall over against it The men sitting on the right hand of the preacher the women on the left whose eyes and faces cannot see other during Divine Service save only the Minister that over-toppeth both sides and truly me thought it was a very modest and necessary observation The Turks are generally circumcised after the manner of the Iews but not after eight dayes but after eight yeares The Church-men are called Hadach Casseis or Darvises who weare on their heads green Shashes to make distinction between them and others for they are accounted to be of Mahomets Kindred They hold all mad men in great reverence as Prophets or Saints and if they intend any far journy private purposes or otherwise before they go to battaile they come to crave counsell of these Santones to know if they shall prosper or not in their attempts And whatsoever answer these Bedlem prophets give it is holden to be so credible as if an Oracle had spoken it The Turkish priests are for the most part Moores whom they account to be a base people in respect of themselves calling them Totseks Their principall Church Governour is called Mufti Whose definitive sentence in Law or Religion is penetrable and absolutely valiant Neither abaseth hee himselfe to sit in the Divano nor affordeth more reverence to the Emperour than he to him The other sort of Church-men are the Naipi or young Doctors the Caddi whereof there is two or three in every City to judge the offences the Calsi or Readers and the Mudressi which use to oversee the Caddeis in their Office They were all formerly Idolatrous Pagans and were fast initiated in Mahometanisme when they got the Sovereigntie of the Persian Scepter by the great Battaile and fortunate conduct of Tangrolipix in overthrowing Mahomet a Saracenicall Sultan of Persia who inthronized himselfe in the Persian Chaire of Estate Anno 1030. This prerogative Title of Mufti was first intitled Caliph whose residence was in Babylon and wholly supream over the Mahometans But the Aegyptians after the death of Mot adi Bila withdrew themselves from this Babylonian obedience and chused one of their owne to whom the Moores of Barbary submitted themselves But now since Bagdat or Babylon hath been recovered by the Persians about foure yeares ago their Mahometanicall Mufti or Caliph that then was resident there is now retired to Constantinople where he sitteth in a more securer place thinking rather to follow the Grandeur of the Turke than the broken Estate of the Persian whence I may truly say hee is Fortunes Page that favoureth them most who have most favourers This unwealdy body having two heads began to decline for Allan a Tartarian Captaine starved Mustatzem the last divided Babylonian Caliph to death and rooted â—ut all his posterity And then Sarancon the first Turkish King in Aegypt brained the last Aegyptian Caliph with his Mace leaving none of the Issue or Kindred surviving The Office of the Caliph is now executed in Turkie under the name Mufti or high Priest All Turkes do detest the colour of blacke and thinke those that weare it shall never enter into Paradise But the colour of greatest request among them is greene wherewith if any Christian be apparrelled he shall be sure of Bastinadoes and other punishments Neither may he use the name of their Prophet Mahomet in his mouth under the paine of a cruell censure to be inflicted upon him whom they so much adore and honour This Mahomet was borne Anno Dom. 591. in Itraripia a beggarly Village in Arabia whose father whs Abdillas an Ismaelite and his mother Cadiges a Iew both different in Religion and also of diverse Countries In his youth he was partly taught the Iudaicall Law and partly the superstition of the Gentiles Many alleadge his parentage was never knowne being so base untill his riper yeares bewrayed the same I also learned that his Parents dyed whilst he was a young child and was turned over to his Uncle who afterward sold him to one Abdeminoples a Merchant in Palestina And he after a little time having remarked his ready and prompt wit sent him downe to Aegypt to be a Factor in his Merchandise where by his dissimulate behaviour he crept in favour with Christians Iewes
of the Drusians who being the off-spring of the Christians which under the Conduct of Godfrey Duke of Bulloine descended into these parts do still maintain their liberty against the Turkes The Signior whereof being threatned by the Great Turke fled to Cosmus Duke of Florence Anno 1612 leaving his two Sonnes behinde him the eldest to keepe Sydon and the yonger to remayn in a strong Fortresse on the West end of Mount Libanus The eâ—der brother forthwith yielded to the Great Turke the Signory of his Lands but the younger would never do it and so retaineth absolutely the Countrey of Libanus to this day making himselfe thereupon a mountainous Monarchall Prince Tyrus which is miserably brought to ruine Acre or Acon that hath yet some indifferent trade of Merchandize called formerly Ptolomeis Caipha called commonly Castello Pellegrino which hath nothing but the remnants of an ancient Abbey Caesarea who reserveth but onely the memory of ruines for there is no Hospitality in it except it be to savage Moores Ioppa or Iaphta is a Sea-port of small Barks but the decayed Towne containeth not one dwelling House save onely a high Tower which defendeth the Port from Cursares Here Ionah took ship to flie from God Here Peter raised Tabitha or Dorcas from death to life and where he lodging at the House of Simon the Tanner was in a Vision taught the conversion of the Gentiles And Baruti famous for so many Christian Armies that have besieged it is now composed of 800 fire-houses Lying Northeast of Sydon under Mount Libanus formerly called Iulia Foelix nigh unto which as fabulous stories report Saint George delivered the Kings Daughter by killing the Dragon It is also thought to be within Canaan standing in the Frontier of Phoenicia and is the bâ—st inhabited place of all the Holy Land Sydon and Ierâ—salem excepted Saturday morning before the break of day setting forward from Lydda through the curling playnes of fat-fac'd Palestine scarcely were wee well advanced in our way till wee were beset with more then three hundred Arabs who sent us from shrubby heights an unexpected shoure of Arrows to the great annoyance of all our Company For if it had not beene that our Souldiers shot off their Gunnes on a sudden and stood manly also to it with their Bows and Arrows for our defence wee had then miserably in the midst of their ravenous fury perished But the nature of the Arabs is not unlike to the Iackals For when any of them heare the shot of a Harquebuse they presently turn back with such speed as if the Fiends of the infernall Court were broken loose at their heels In that momentany conflict on our side there were killed nine Women five Men and about thirty persons deadly wounded which to our worthy Armenian Captayne and to the rest of our Heathnish Conductors bred no small griefe the mourning noyse among the multitude beeing also wondrous pittifull Till bright day came we stayed still in that same place expecting the dangerous mutability of our austere fortune and at our departure thence wee buried the slayne people in deep graves whereby Iackals should not open up their graves to eate their Corpes for such is the nature of these cruell beasts that they onely love to live on mans flesh these ravenous beasts as is thought are ingendred of a Foxe and a Wolfe Proceeding in our journy we entred about two of the clocke in the afternoone in the hilly Countrey of Iudea having two of their courses to Ierusalem which is about twenty English miles leaving Rhama on our right hand which contayneth some two hundred dwelling houses of one story high and ten miles distant from Ioppa from which it lyeth in the way to Ierusalem Here remayneth the Dragoman a Christian who receiveth and conveyeth the Pilgrimes to Ierusalem which land at Ioppa each Pilgrime paying seven Chickens of gold is furnished with an Asse to ride on all the way tributes at going and comming being discharged by their Conductor to whom they resigne this tributary mony Rhama is a Town inhabited by Christians Arabs and Moores not blacke Moores as the Affricans be but they are called Mori which are a kinde of Aegyptians and not naturally black but Sunne-burnt with the parching heate The whole Territory of Canaan is inhabited with these Moors some Turkes civill Arabs and a few Christians and scattered Iews The Arabians are for the most part Thieves and Robbers the Moores cruell and uncivill haâ—ing Christians to the Death the Turkes are the ill best of all the three yet all sworne enemies to Christ. But when they know how to make any gaine by strangers O what a dissimulate ostentation shall appeare in these detestable Villains whose out-sides onely they seem to affect but intirely the in-sides of their purses and that is their ayme and forcible end wherefore they both toile with all and conduct strangers through many perils as eminent to themselves as accessary unto our inevitable destinies Time discussing all and money over-mastering time for Coine is the thing they must have though necessity sometimes may not spare it About foure of the clock before night wee arrived at Berah called of old Beersheba being eleven miles distant from Ierusalem Having a little reposed there giving our Camels Mules and Asses some provender but could get nothing for our selves from these despightfull Moores for what we carried with us was all spent except a little Water Wee embraced our Mountainous way as cheerfully as wee could for wee were exceeding faint and travelled that day above forty three miles whereby we might arrive at Ierusalem before the Gates were shut sustaining great drought burning heate pinching hunger and not a few other the like inconveniences And now about halfe way betweene Berah and Ierusalem I and two Armenians advancing our way a flight shot before the Company Wee I say unhappily rancountred with foure Moorish fellows driving before them six Asses loaden with roots and shrubs of Wood to burne who seeing us they thought alone layd hands upon us robbed us of our pocket monies whereat I resisting one of them pulled forth a broad knife and holding me by the Beard thought to have cut my throate if it had not beene for one of his fellowes who swiftly stayed him Well they leave us and following their Beasts our Soulâ—iers instantly appeared unto us whereupon we shouting the Moores fled to the Rocks and our foot Souldiers following apprehended two of the chiefest and brought them to the Captaine One of which had my money which I presently received backe againe but mine associates money was with them that escaped the Captaine and Ianisaries meane while carried the two Moores along with them thinking to execute them at Ierusalem But their friends and neighbours following fast on Horse-backe and on foote relieved them from the Caravan restoring back again the two Armenians money Whereat all the Moores were exceding glad and wee no ways discontented for if they had
encreasing and stablishing of trafficke out of which should flow the Royall advantages And the reason why they keepe their subjects poore and frustrate themselves of great profits is onely to weaken and enfeeble them whereby they should not have wherewith to move insurrection or rebellion against them And on the other part the Greeks are as unwiling to be industrious in Arts Trafficke or Cultivage seeing what they possesse is not their owne but is taken from them at all occasions with tyranny oppression For what gaines the sower if another reape the profit So in the Ottomans estate there be great Forrests and desartuous Countries proceeding of the scarcity of people to inhabit there the multitudes being drawn from Asia to strengthen the frontiers of his dominions in Europe And besides there is another reason of the dispopulosity of these parts to wit when the Great Turkes Army is to march to a farre Country to make warres then must their vulgar subdued peasants perhaps twenty or thirty thousands go along with them to carry their victuals and all manner of provision being taken from the plough are constrained to this servitude and notwithstanding the halfe of them never returne againe Partly because of the change of food and aire and partly because of their long travels and insupportable service both in heate and cold And to these of the first reason there is an other perpendicular cause to wit that the whole commerce of all commodiites in Turkey is in the hands of Iewes and Christians to wit Ragusans Venetians English French and Flemmings who so warily manage their businesse that they enjoy the most profits of any trading there dissappointing the Turkes owne subiects of their due and ordinary trafficke The last and most principall reason is which is a great deale of more importance than his Revenues to wit the great number of his Timars for the Turkish Emperours being immediate Maisters of the lands they ouercome they divide the same in Timars or commandements leaving little or nothing at all to the ancient Inhabitants they dispose upon these proportions to valorous Souldiers that have done good service And with this condition that they maintaine and have alwayes in readinesse Horses for the warres which is an excellent good order for the preservation of his Empire for if these Timariots were not rewarded with such absolute possessions of parcell grounds the state of his power would suddenly runne to ruine for the profit of which lands maintaining themselues their horses and their families maketh them the more willing to concur in the infallible service of their Emperour These Timars or grounds entertain through all his Dominions about two hundred and fifty thousand horses that are ever in readinesse to march at the first advertisement without any charge to the great Signior being bound to maintaine themselues in during the warres And yet these Timariots and their horses cannot yearely be maintained under the value of ten Millions of Gold The consideration whereof makes me astonished when I recall the relation of some ragged Authors who dare compare the great Turkes Revenues unto our petty Princes of Christendome This establishment of Timars and the by past election of Azamglians or young children to bee made Ianisaries haue been the two strong Foundations that supported so inviolably the Turkes Empire The Roman Emperours for a long time vsed the selfe same manner for the assuring of their persons and estate in election of yong males to be their guard They were called the Pretorian Army and this taxation of children was the first thing that moved the Flemmings to revolt against the Romanes As for the Turkish Cavalrie they sustaine two important effects first they keepe under awe and subjection the great Turks subiects who otherwise perhaps wold teuolt And next they are ordained for any dependant interprise for field Garrisons yea and the principall finewes of the warres and yet the election of the grand Signior lieth most in the hands of the Ianizaries who cannot perfectly say hee is Emperour before they confirme him in his Throne The Turkes have three things in their Armies which are very fearefull to wit the infinite number of men great Discipline and force of Munition And for Discipline they are not onely gouerned with great silence and obedience but they are ruled also with signes of the eye and being tractable they are tied to main condusements And although their multitudes have often bred confusion to them so that little Armies have broke and overcome them yet in their flight they are so cautulous that a small number can do them no absolute violence nor finall overthrow for as they assail so they flie without feare The first Residence of the Turkish Emperour after his comming from Aegypt was at Priusa in Bythinia thence it was transported to Andreanople and then to Constantinople where it abideth to this day Besides all his great Bassaws in Europe which are eight one in Buda in Hungary another in Moldavia the third in Dacia the fourth at Bagaviliezza in Bosna c. He hath also in Affrick a Bassaw in Algier another in Tuneis the third in Tripolis and the fourth in Aegypt c. And in Asia major and minor to wit one in Aleppo of Syria one in Damascus another at Balsera the fourth at Mecha in Arabia foelix the fift in Carmania the sixt in Cyprus the seventh in the Rhodes the eighth at Arzeron in Armenia major the ninth and tenth at Teslis Vpan on the Frontiers of Gurgestan and Persia c. For Arsenals hee hath foure for Sea to wit one at Perah or Galata containing a hundred thirty and three Galleys The second at Gallipoli of twenty Galleys The third Arsenall is at Savezza upon the Red Sea consisting of twenty five Galleys And the fourth is at Belsara in Arabia foelix towards the Persian Gulfe depending of fifteene Galleys which are kept there to afflict the Portugals remaining in the Isle of Ormus and other parts adjacent there The Turks have a custome when they are Masters of any Province to extermine all the native Nobilitie chiefly those of the blood Royall of the Country And neverthelesse they permit to all and every one of theirs to live and follow his own Religion as hee pleaseth without violence or constraint Amongst the Turkes there is no Gentilitie nor Nobilitie but are all as ignoble and inferiour members to one mayne body the Great Turke lineally descending of the House of Ottoman whose magnificence puissance and power is such that the most eloquent tongue cannot sufficiently declare His thousands of Ianizaries Shouses and others daily attending him which are the nerves and sinews of the Warlike bodie of his whole Monarchy and Imperiall Estate His hundreds besides his Queene of Concubines hourely maintained by his means and monethly renewed His Armies Bashawes Emeeres Vizier-bashawes Sanzacks Garrisons and forces here and there dispersed amongst his Dominions would be impossible for mee briefly to relate
of the reformed Order 〈◊〉 S. Francis for begetting fifteene young Noble Nunnes â—ith child and all within one yeare he being also their â—â—ther Confessor Whereat I sprung forward through 〈◊〉 throng and my friend followed me and came just to 〈◊〉 pillar as the halfe of his body and right arme fell flatâ—â—gs in the fire the Frier was forty sixe yeares old and had bin Confessor of thâ—t 〈◊〉 of 〈…〉 yeares Most of thâ—se young Nunnes were Senators daughters and two of them were onely come in to learne vertue and yet fell in the midst of vice These fifteene with Child were all recald 〈…〉 their fathers Pallaces the Lady Prioresse and the rest of her 〈◊〉 crew were banished for ever from the precincts of Venice The Monastery was razed to the ground their Rents were allowed to be bestowed upon poore families and distressed age and their Church 〈◊〉 bee converted to an Hospitall Most part of all which M. 〈◊〉 and I saw before ever we either eate dranke or â—ooke our lodging in Venice And I cannot forget how after all this wee being in hungred and also 〈◊〉 tumbled in by chance All 〈…〉 the greatest 〈◊〉 in all Venice neere to which the Friars bones were 〈◊〉 burning And calling for a Chamber wee were nobly and richly served After dinner they laid up our budgets and our burthens and abroad went we to see the 〈◊〉 Night come wee sup'd and sup'd alone the 〈…〉 I begun to remarke the grandeur of the Inne and 〈◊〉 was time that we were gone I demanded our 〈◊〉 what was to pay hee answered Vn sâ—udo all 〈◊〉 par 〈◊〉 ripasto a Crowne the dyet for each of us being ten Iuleâ—s or five shillings 〈◊〉 Mr. Arthur looked uppon me and I laugh'd 〈…〉 a word our dinner 〈…〉 foure Crownes whereat my companion being discontented â—ad the Divell be in the Friars ballocks for wee had paid soundly for his Leachery many like deaths 〈…〉 causes and worser have I seene in all my three 〈◊〉 if time could permit me to 〈◊〉 them But from this thou mayst play the learned Geometrician till 〈◊〉 findest more and opportunity give thee occasion Cingitur urbs Venetum pelago ditissima nummis This Towne most rich to dare the Maine is shut In Neptunes bosome and sea-streeted cuâ— Venice is a Garden of riches and wordly pleasures the chiefe flowre of Common-weales and the perfect mirrâ—ur of civill and politicke Governement This sequestrat City is situate in the bosome of Neptune and divided from the world with a part of his maine body which invironeth the Iland The Common-weâ—lth of Venice containeth Marcha del Trevisa which lyeth in Lombardy containing these Cities Trevisa Padua Vincenza Verona Briscâ—a the second City for bignesse and beauty in all Lombardy Berâ—â—mo Chizza and Rovigno Friuli formerly called Foâ—â—m Iulij lyeth in the straight betweene the East end of the â—lpes and the sea Adriaticke in length fifty in breadth forty miles It hath beene often subject to the vicissitude of â—ortune The chiefe towne is Treista in the bottome of 〈◊〉 gulfe and Palma lately built by the Venetians 158â— â—eing the most impregnable and best fortified towne in â—â—aly Furili was a Dukedome founded by the Lombards 〈◊〉 the beginning of the Venetian Common-wealth Afterâ—ard Luitprandus one of the Dukes envying the encrease of the dominion of Venice made war against them which ended in the losse of his owne country The rest bee Istria a part of Dalmatia the Ilands of Candy Corfue Zante â—ephalonia Serigo Tino Valdi Campare Lesina and oâ—her of lesser note The Venetians howsoever of old they have bin great â—arriers they are now more desirous to keepe then inâ—arge their Dominions and that by presents and money rather than by the sword of true valour so that whatsoever they loose by battell it is observed they recover againe by treaties The Venetians are said to have discended of the Hennets in Asia lesser who assisting the Trojans and Troy being lost their King Pterilimene slaine they fled away with Antenor and ariving in this part of Italy seated themselves till the report of the Hunnes designe against Italy made them avoyding the storme before it fell to draw into these Ilands and Marishes where now it standeth It was first founded and begun Anno. 411. March 25. being distant from the maine land five miles and defended against the fury of the sea by the banke extending to fifty miles in length through which in eight places there is passage broken for small boates but no way for vessels of any burthen save at Malamucco and the Castle of Lio Yea and so dangerous that there is neither out-going nor in-comming without a Pylot which maketh the City unconquerable This City is seven miles in compasse and from so base an abject beginning it is growne as it were to bee the chiefe bulwarke of Europe The Duke of this Adriaticke Queene espouseth the sea every Ascension day by casting a golden ring into it Which stuâ—titious ceremony by Pope Alexander the third was granted when hee fled to Venice for succour being persecuted by Fredericke Barbarossa And the Venetians vanquishing Otho the Emperours sonne restored the Pope and for a reward was honoured with this espousall The length of the Territory of Venice in Lombardy lying along the foote and South side of the Alpes amounteth to sixe score five miles the breadth whereof in the planâ—re is narrow but stripeth larger among the hills and lakes and very populous The applauding Italian saith that Europe is the head of the World Italy the face of Europe and Venice the eye of Italy and indeed it is the strongest and most active part of that powerfull body Whereby it would appeare that in the last subversion of the latter Monarchy the Romane Genius made a Pythagoricall transmigration into Venicâ— whose peace hath procured the plenty and whose Warres the peace of Christendome The Lawes of this City permit not the younger sonnes of the best Gentry to marry least the number increasing should deminish the dignity yet neverthelesse they permit them unlawfull pleasures and for their sakes allow publicke stewes The Iewes here and in Rome weare red and yellow hats for notice sake to distinguish them from others which necessary custome would to God were enjoyned to all the Papists here in England so should we easily discerne them from the true Christians And finally to discourse upon the provision of their magnificent Arsenall Artillery Munition and Armor the devision of streetes with channels the innumerable bridges of stone and timber their accustomable kind of living apparrell curtesies and conventions and finally the glory of Gallants Galâ—eries Gallies Galleasses and Galliouns were a thing impossible for me briefly to relate Wherefore since the situation thereof and the decorements of their beautifull Palaces are so well knowne and their generall Customes by the better sort I desist concluding thus this incomparable mansion is the onely Paragon of all Cities in
gulfe from all Christian invasions was the onely and urgent cause that moved the Venetians to wage Warre with Ferdinando then Duke of Grasse and now Emperour Anno Domini 1616. And besieged Gradisca to their no small disadvantage both of charges and losse of men for the Towne being strongly fortified with walles and munition and â—000 Socks within to defend it would often at the neare approaching of the enemy make a salley forth on horse and foote giving many miserable overthrowes to the Assailants to the which detriments for twenty dayes space I was a testator being after my returne from Affricke in my second travells as 〈◊〉 I was going for Hungary Moldavia Valecchia and Transilvania taking this Country in my way And one morning at the breake of day I saw 800. Scoks issuing out of Towne make bloody havocke of 3000. of the Venetian army This part of Croatia is exceeding fertile abounâ—ing in cornes wines bestiall and pastorage though then by lawlesse and turbulent souldiers it was miserably defaced The whole number of these Scoks that are able to carâ—y Armes bee not above sixe thousand men they are wonderfull kinde to strangers which to me in no small measure was extended and that by the better sort their Captaines and Commanders and onely for the affinity of Scoki and Scoti although I dare sweare there is little or none at all betwixt the two Nations Having passed Carnaro wee sayled close by the I le Sanâ—â—go called formerly Illrides this Isle is of circuit foure â—â—ore and of length thirty miles Our fresh water waxâ—â—g scant and the winds falling out contrary to our expeâ—â—ation wee sought into Valdogosto in the Isle of Osero â—hich is a safe haven for ships and Gallies This Osero â—as firstnamed Asphorus and then Absirtides of a Capâ—â—â—ne Absertus who came from Colchis accompanied â—ith many people to bring backe Media to her carefull â—â—ther whose purpose being frustrated staied still and â—â—habited this land A fit opportunity obtained upon the â—â—ghth day we arrived in the roade of Zara in Dalmatia 〈◊〉 there the Carmoesalo stayed and I was exposed to seeke â—â—ssage for Ragusa By the way I recall the great kindnesse of that Dalâ—atian Master for offering my condition I found him â—â—ore then courteous and would have no more but a â—â—lfe of that which was his bargaine at Venice Besides this hee also entertained me three dayes with a most bountifull and kind acceptance My solitary travelling he oft bewailed wishing me to desist and never attempt such a voyage but I giving him absolute and constant answers appeased his imagined sorrow True it is that ignorance and sloth make every thing terrible unto us and we will not because we dare not and dare not because we will not This makes us submit our selves to any thing that doth either flatter or threaten us and some like sottish weakelings that give the reines of their government into the hands of their Wives or Servants thinking then they buy their peace when they sell it thus doe they grow upon us I meane ignorance and sloth and by composition not force become masters of the place being just so strong as we are weake And as contrary newes delivered at one time maketh one to heare with joy and remember with sorrow even so an unresolved man in high and heroicke designes though seeming forward is distracted heere set one feare there and rent asunder every where with the flashing frights of desperation But a constant resolution can couragiously support all things Vbicunque homo est ibi beneficio locuâ— est And congratulating this Skippers courtesie I bad farewell to his counsell Zara is the Cappitoll City of Dalmatia called of old Iadara The inhabitants are governed by a Camarlingo or Chamberlaine in the behalfe of Venice The walles whereof are strongly rampired with earth surpassing the tops of the stone-worke and fortified also with high Bulwarkes and planted Canons on elevated Rampires of earth which are above forty Cubits higher than the Walles and Bulwarkes standing in the foure severall corners of the City There lye continually in it a great Garrison of Souldiers to defend the Towne and Citizens who are maintained by the Duke of Venice for hee is Signior thereof They have indured many invasions of the Turkes especially in the yeare one thousand five hundred and seventy when for the space of foureteene moneths they were daily molested and besieged but the victory fell ever to the Christians if the Turkes could win this place they might easily command the Adreaticall Seas in regard of that faire Haven which is there to receive Ships and Gallies which maketh the Venetians not a little fearefull because of their safeguard Yet they licentiate the neighbouring Infidels to Trafficke with them but when they enter the gates they must deliver their weapons to the Corporall of the Squadron company neither may they stay within all night under the paine of imprisonment Dalmatia was called so of Mauritius the Emperour The foure principall Provinces whereof are these Atheos Sexebico Spalleto and Tragurio A part of which belongeth to Venice another part to the arch Duke of Austria and a third unto the Turkes Zara is distance from Venice two hundred miles When the wandring night was chased from the inferiour Ilands by the recoursing day and the Sunne had imparted his brightnesse to our under neighbours and our dreames ready to possesse the Theater of the fancy the wearisome creatures of the world declining to their rest and under shadow of the pale Lady of the night even then from Zara I imbarked in a small Frigot bound for Lesina with five Slavonian Marriners who sometimes sailed and sometimes rowed with Oares in our way we past by the I le of Brazza which is of no great quantity but fertile enough for the inhabitants and kept by a Gentleman of Venice It lyeth in the mouth of the gulfe Nareâ—to that divideth Dalmatia from Slavonia many fondly conceive that these two Kingdomes are all one but I hold the contrary opinion both by experience and by ancient Authors having passed Capo di Costa which is the beginning of Slavonia I saw upon my right hand a round Rocke of a great height in forme of a Piramide being cognominated by Easterne Mariners Pomo anciently Salyro for the good Faulcons that are bred therein It standeth in the middest of the Gulfe betweene Slavonia and Italy and not habitable A little beyond that Rocke I saw the three Iles Tremiti the chiefest whereof is called Teucria but they are vulgarly called the Iles of Diomedes who was King of Etolia They are right opposite to mount Gargano now called Saint Angelo and distant from the maine land of Apulia in Italy above nine miles This Mount Saint Angelo standeth in Apulia bending in the Sea with a large promontore it is in compasse ninety miles Neare to this Mountaine was that great battell fought betweene Hâ—niball and the Romanes the overthrow fell
to the Romanes under the conduct of Paulus Aemilius and other Consuls of whom were slaine forty two thousand and seven hundred and if Haniball had followed this victory hee had easily that day subdued the Common-wealth of Rome which made Maharball Captaine of his Horse-men rebuke him thus Vincerescis Hanniball victoria uti nescis Thou canst o'recome thy foes in bloody fight But can not use the victory aright The like said Casar of Pompey when hee lost the first Battell they fought at Pharsalia in Greece O Pompey Pompey If thou hadst knowne how to have used the victory as thou hadst it thou mightest have beene this day Lord of the whole World So to our lamentable memory may that last battell bee Recorded fought in Hungary betweene the Turkes and Christians of whom Maximilian Duke of Isbrugh this present Emperours Vncle was Generall who having had a nocturnall victory and the Infidels put to the flight they remaining in the Campe more busie about the spoyles then their owne safety the Turkes returned againe before day the Christians being disordered with booties and the ravening of their whores they put them all to the edge of the sword O miserable confusion Little better might I speake of the battell of Lepanto being abus'd even in the using of it and that glorious victory no ways followed as good fortune had given them an awfull opportunity for Don Iohn of Austria their Generall had a greater mind to feaze upon the I le of Corfu and to robbe Venice of her liberty then to prosecute with vengeance the brave beginning of so notable a victory and yet his treachery was discover'd and by the Venetian Generall speedily disappointed to his eternall shame both wayes The poore Slavonians being fatigated in their hunger-starving Boate â—ith extraordinary paines for wee had three dayes calme which is not usually seene in these Seas were enforced to repose all night at the barren I le of St. Andrew This I le is of circuit foure miles but not inhabited the excessive raine that fell in the evening made us goe on shoare to seeke the coverture of some rocke which found wee lay all night on hard stones and with hungry bellies for our provision was spent The breach of day giving comfort to our distressed bodies with favourable windes at the Garbo e ponente we set forward and about mid-day wee arrived in the port of Lesina of which the Ile taketh the name This I le of Lesina is of circuite a hundred and fifty miles and is the biggest Iland in the Adriatick Sea It is exceeding fertile and yeeldeth all things plentifully that is requisite for the sustenance of man The City is unwalled and of no great quantity but they have a strong fortresse which defendeth the Towne the Haven and the vessels in the Roade The Governour who was a Venetian after hee had enquired of my intended voyage most courteously invited me three times to his Table in the time of my five dayes staying there and at the last meeting hee reported the story of a marvellous mis-shapen creature borne in the Iland asking if I would goe thither to see it wherewith when I perfectly understood the matter I was contented the Gentleman honoured me also with his company and a horse to ride on where when we came the Captaine called for the Father of that Monster to bring him forth before us Which unnaturall Child being brought I was amazed in that sight to behold the deformity of Nature for below the middle part there was but one body and above the middle there was two living soules each one separated from another with severall members Their heads were both of one bignesse but different in Phisnomy the belly of the one joyned with the posterior part of the other and their faces looked both one way as if the one had carried the other on his backe and often before our eyes hee that was behind would lay his hands about the necke of the foremost Their eyes were exceeding bigge and their hands greater than an infant of three times their age The excrements of both Creatures issued forth at one place and their thighes and legges of a great grouth not semblable to their age being but sixe and thirty dayes old and their feet were proportionably made like to the foote of a Cammell round and cloven in the middest They received their food with an insatiable desire and continually mourned with a pittifull noise that sorrowfull man told us that when one slept the other awaked which was a strange disagreement in Nature The Mother of them bought dearely that birth with the losse of her owne life as her Husband reported unspeakable was that torment she endured in that woefull wrestling paine I was also informed afterwards that this one or â—ther twofold wretch lived but a short while after we saw them Leaving this monstrous shapen Monster to the owne strange and almost incredible Nativity we returned to Lesina But by the way of our back-comming I remember that worthy Gentleman who shewed me the ruines of an old house where the noble King Demetrius was borne and after I had yielded my bounden and dutifull thankes unto his generous minde I hired a Fisher-boat to goe over to Clissa being twelve miles distant This I le of Clissa is of length twenty and of circuit threescore miles It is beautified with two profitable Sea-ports and under the Signiory of Venice There are indifferent good commodities therein upon the South side of this Iland lyeth the Ile Pelagusa a rocky and barren place Departing from thence in a Carmoesalo bound to Raguâ—â— we sailed by three Isles Brisca Placa Igezi And when we entred in the Gulfe of Cataro wee fetched up the sight of the I le Melida called of old Meligna Before we could attaine unto the Haven wherein our purpose was to stay all night we were assailed on a suddain with a deadly strome Insomuch that every swallowing wave threatned our death and bred in our breasts an intermingled sorrow of feare and hope And yet hard by us and within a mile to the ley-ward a Barbarian Man of War of Tuneis carrying two tyre of Ordnance and 200. men seiz'd upon a Carmosale of Venice at the first shot she being loaden with Maluasia and Muscadine and come from Candy and had us also in chase till night divided our contrary designes The winds becomming favourable and our double desired safety enjoyed both because of the Sea-storme and of the stormy Pyrat we set forward in the Gulfe of Cataro and sayled by the I le Cursola In this I le I saw a walled Towne called Curzola which hath two strong Fortresses to guard it It is both commodious for the trafficke of Merchandise they have and also for the fine wood that groweth there whereof the Venetian ships and Gallies are made An Iland no lesse pleasant than profitable and the two Governours thereof are changed every eighteene Moneths by the
our unexpected safety and buried the dead Christians in a Greekish Church-yard and the Iewes were interred by the sea side This Bay of Largastolo is two miles in length being invironed with two little Mountaines upon the one of these two standeth a strong Fortresse which defendeth the passage of the narrow Gulfe It was here that the Christian Gallies assembled in the yeare 1571. when they came to abate the rage of the great Turks Armado which at that time lay in Peterasso in the firme land of Greece and right opposite to them and had made conquest the yeare before of noble Cyprus from the Venetians The I le of Cephalonia was formerly called Ithaca and greatly renowned because it was the heretable Kingdome of the worthy Vlysses who excelled all other Greekes in Eloquence and subtility of wit Secondly by Stâ—abo it was named Dâ—lichi And thirdly by ancient Authoâ— Cephalonia of Cephalo who was Captaine of the Army of Cleobas Anfrittion The which Anfrittion a Theban Captaine having conquered the Iland and slaine in battell â—terelaus King of Teleboas for so then was the Iland called gave it in a gift of government to Cephalo This Câ—phalo was a noble man of Athens who being one day at hunting killed his owne wife Procris with an Arrow in stead of his prey whereupon he flying to Amphitrion and the other pittying his case resigned this Isle to him of whom it taketh denomination Cephalonia lyeth in the mouth of the gulfe Lepanto opposite to a part of Aetolia and Acarâ—ania in the firme land It is in circuit 156. and in length 48. miles The Land it selfe is full of Mountaines yet exceeding fertile yielding Maluasâ—â—â— Muskadine â—ino Leatiâ—o Raysins Olives Figges Honey sweet-water Pine Molberry Date and Cypre-trees and all other â—orts of fruits in abundance The commodity of which redounds yearely to the Venetians for the are Signiors thereof Leaving this weather beaten Carâ—oesalo laid up to a full sea I tooke purpose to travaile through the Iland in the first dayes journey I past by many fine Villages and pleasant fields especially the Vale Alessandro where the Greekes told me their Ancestors were vanquished in Battell by the Macedoniah Conquerour They also shewed me on the top of Mount Gargasso the ruines of that Temple which had beene of old dedicated to Iupiter and upon the second day I hired two Fisher men in a little Boat to carry me over to Zante being twenty five miles distant Here in Zante a Greekish Chyrurgion undertooke the â—uring of my arme performed condition within time The I le of Zante was called Zacinthus because so was called the sonne of Dardanus who reigned there And by some Hyria It hath a City of a great length bordering along the sea side the chiefe seat and I le and named Zante over the doore of whose Praetorium or Judgement Hall are inscribed these Verses Hiclocus odit amat punit conservat honorat Nequitiam pacem crimina iura probos This place hates loves chastens conserves rewards Vice peace fellony lawes vertuous regards And on the top of a Hill about the Towne standeth a large and strong Fortresse not unlike the Castle of Milaine wherein the Providitore dwelleth who governeth the Iland This City is subject yearely to fearefull Earthquakes especially in the Months of October and November which oftentimes subvert their houses and themselves bringing deadly destruction on all This I le produceth good store of Rasini di Corintho commonly called Currants Olives Pomgranats Cytrones Orenges Lemmons Grenadiers and Mellones and is in compasse 68. Miles being distant from the Promontore of Morea some 16. miles The Ilanders are Greeks a kinde of subtle people and great dissemblers but the Signiory thereof belongeth to Venice And if it were not for that great provision of corne which is daily transported from the firme land of Peleponesus to them the inhabitants in short time would famish It was credibly told me here by the better sort that this little I le maketh yearely besides Oyle and Wine onely of Currants 160000. Chickins paying yearely over and above for custome 22000. Piasters every Chicken of Gold being nine shillings English and every Piaster being white money sixe shillings A rent or summe of money which these silly Ilanders could never afford they being not above 60. yeares agoe but a base beggarly people and an obscure place if it were not here in England of late for some liquorous lips who forsooth can hardly digest bread pasties broth and verbi gratia Bagge-puddings without these Currants And as these Rascall Greeks becomming proud of late with this levish expence contemne justly this sensuall prodigality I have heard them often demand the English in a filthy derision what they did with such Leprous stuffe and if they carried them home to feed their Swine and Hogs withall A question indeed worthy of such a female traffick the inference of which I suspend There is no other Nation save this thus addicted to that miserable I le Bidding farewell to Zante I imbarked in a Frigato going to Peterasso in Morea which of old was called Peloponesus And by the way in the Gulfe Lepanto which divideth Etolia and Morea The chiefest City in Etolia is called Lepanto From thence West-ward by the Sea side is Delphos famous for the Oracle of Apollo wee sailed by the Iles Echinidi but by the Moderne Writers Curzolari where the Christians obtained the victory against the Turkes for there did they fight after this manner In the yeare 1571. and the sixth of October Don Iohn of Austria generall for the Spanish Gallies Marco Antonio Colonna for Pope Pio Quinto and Sebastiano Venieco for the Venetian Army convented altogether in Largostolo at Cephalonia having of all 208. Gallies sixe Galleasses and 25. Frigots After a most resolute deliberation these three Generals went with a valiant courage to incounter with the Turkish Armado on the Sunday Morning the seventh of October who in the end through the helpe of Christ obtained a glorious Victory In that fight there was taken and drowned 180. of Turkish Gallies and there escaped about the number of sixe hundred and fifty ships Gallies Galeots and other Vessells There was fifteene thousand Turkes killed and foure thousand taken prisoners besides 4000. peeces of Ordnance and twelve thousand Christians delivered from their slavish bondage In all the Christians losed but eleven Gallies 5000. slain At their returne to Largostola after this victorious battell the three Generalls divided innumerable spoyles to their well-deserving Captains and worthy souldiers And notwithstanding Don Iohn led that Armado yet ambition led him who in the midst of that famous victory conceived a treacherous designe to seize upon the Castles of Corfu under shew of the Venetian colours which being discovered and he disappointed died for displeasure in his returne to Messina in Sicilia where his Statue standeth to this day After my arrivall in Peterasso the Metropolitan of Pelopenesus
standeth the hill Olympus on which Hercules did institute the Olympian games which institution was of long time the Grecian Epoche from whence they reckoned their time Macedon is now called by the Turkes Calethiros signifying a mighty warlike Nation Macedonia containing Thessaly Achaia and Myrmidon lieth as a center to them having Achaia to the East Thessalia to the South Mirmidonia bordering with Aetolia to the West And a part of Hoemus whence it was called Haemonia and some of â—isia superior to the North it was also called Amathia from Amathus once King thereof and then Macedonia from the King Macedo The chiefe Cities are Andorista Andesso Sydra Sederaspen where the mines of gold and silver be which enrich the Turk so monthly receiving thence sometimes 18000 24000 30000 Ducats And Pellia where Alexander the Great was born Bajazet the first wonne this Country from the Constantinopolitans About this City of Salonica is the most fertile and populous Country in all Greece Greece of all Kingdomes in Europe hath been most famous and highly renowned for many noble respects yet most subject to the vicissitude of Fortune than any other who changing Gold for Brasse and loathing their owne Princes suffered many Tyrants to rule over them scourging their folly with their fall and curing a festered soare with a poysoned playster whence succeeded a dismall discord which beginning when the State of Greece was at the highest did not expire till it fell to the lowest ebbe sticking fast in the hands of a grievous desolation which former times if a man would retrospectively measure he might easily finde and not without admiration how the mighty power of the divine Majesty doth sway the moments of things and sorteth them in peremptory manner to strange and unlooked for effects making reason blinde policie astonished strength feeble valour dastardly turning love into hatred fear into fury boldnesse into trembling and in the circuit of one minute making the Conquerour a conquered person Greece now tearmed by the Turks Rum Ili the Roman Country was first called Helles next Grecia of Grecus who was once King thereof The Greekes of all other Gentiles were the first converted Christians and are wonderfull devout in their professed Religion The Priests weare the haire of their heads hanging over their shoulders These that be the most sincere religious men abstain always from eating of flesh or fish contenting themselves with water herbs and bread They differ much in Ceremonies and principles of Religion from the Papists and the computation of their Kalender is as ours They have foure Patriarks who governe the affaires of their Church and also any civill dissentions which happen amongst them viz. one in Constantinople another in Antiochia the third in Alexandria and the fourth in Ierusalem It is not needfull for me to penetrate further in the condition of their estate because it is no part of my intent in this Treatise In a word they are wholy degenerate from their Ancestors in valour vertue and learning Universities they have none and civill behaviour is quite lost formerly in derision they tearmed all other Nations Barbarians A name now most fit for themselves being the greatest dissembling lyers inconstant and uncivill people of all other Christians in the world By the way I must give the Kings Kingdomes a caveat here concerning vagabonding Greeks and their counterfeit Testimonials True it is there is no such matter as these lying Rascals report unto you concerning their Fathers their Wives and Children taken Captives by the Turke O damnable invention How can the Turke prey upon his owne Subjects under whom they have as great Liberiy save only the use of Bels as we have under our Princes the tithe of their Male children being absolutely abrogated by Achmet this Amuraths Father and the halfe also of their Female Dowry at Marriges And farre lesse for Religion can they be banished or deprived of their Benefices as some false and dissembling fellowes under the Title of Bishops make you beleeve There being a free Liberty of Conscience for all kinds of Religion through all his Dominions as well for us free borne Frankes as for them and much more them the Greeks Armenians Syriacks Amoronits Copties Georgians or any other Orientall sort of Christians And therefore look to it that you be no more gulled golding them so fast as you have done lest for your paines you prove greater Asses than they do Knaves In Salonica I found a Germo bound for Tenedos in which I imbarked As we sayled along the Thessalonian 〈◊〉 I saw the two topped hill Pernassus which is of a wondrous height whose tops even kisse the Clâ—uds Mons hic cervicibus petit arduus astraduobus Nomine Pernassus super at que cacumine montes Through thickest clouds Pernassus bends his hight Whose double tops do kisse the Stars so bright Here it was said the nine Muses haunted but as for the Fountain Helicon I leave that to be searched and seen by the imagination of Poets for if it had beene objected to my sight like an insatiable Drunkard I should have drunk up the streams of Poësie to have enlarged my dry poeticall Sun scorch'd vein The Mountaine it selfe is somewhat steepe and sterile especially the two tops the one whereof is dry and sandy signifying that Poets are alwayes poore and needie The other top is barren and rockie resembling the ingratitude of wretched and niggardly Patrons the vale between the tops is pleasant and profitable denoting the fruitfull and delightfull soile which painfull Poets the Muses Plow-men so industriously manure A little more Eastward as we fetcht up the coast of Achaia the Master of the Vessell shewed mee a ruinous Village and Castle where hee said the admired Citie of Thebes had been Whose former glory who can truly write of for as the earth when shee is disrobed of her budding and fructifying trees and of her amiable verdure which is her onely grace and garment royall is like a naked table wherein nothing is painted even so is Thebes and her past Triumph defac'd and bereft of her lusty and young Gentlemen as if the spring-tide had been taken from the yeare But what shall I say to know the cause of such like things they are so secret and mysticall being the most remote objects to which our understanding may aspire that wee may easily be deceived by disguised and pretended reasons whilst we seek for the true and essentiall causes for to report things that are done is easie because the eie and the tongue may dispatch it but to discover and unfold the causes of things requireth braine soul and the best progresse of Nature And as there is no evill without excuse nor no pretence without some colour of reason nor wiles wanting to malicious and wrangling wits Even so was there occasion sought for what from Athens and what from Greece whereby the peace and happinesse of Thebes might be dissolved and discord raised to
from the old walls where when they entered they made a wonderfull massacre of poor afflicted Christians without sparing any of the Roman kinde either male or female In the mercilesse fury of these infernall Imps the Emperour Constantine was killed whose head being cut off was carried upon the point of a Lance through all the City and Campe of the Turkes to the great disgrace and ignominy of Christianity His Empresse Daughters and other Ladies after they were abused in their bodies were put to death in a most cruell and terrible manner By this overthrow of Constantinople this Mahomet took twelve Kingdoms and two hundred Cities from the Christians which is a lamentable losse of such an illustrious Empire Thus was that Imperiall Citie lost in the yeare 1453 May 29 when it had remained under the government of Christians 1198 yeares It is now the chief abode of the great Turk Sultan Achmet the fifteenth Grand Cham of the line of Ottoman who was then about twenty three years of age whose sonne Osman since and after his death was murdered by the Ianizaries being 14 years of age after his return to Constantinople from Podolia in Poland And in his place his Uncle Mustapha made Emperour whose weaknesse and unworthinesse being eft-soons discovered he was displaced and Amurath Osmans brother made Grand Signior who presently raigneth and not without great feare of his Ianizaries and Timariots who twice in three yeeres have lately made insurrection against him This Emperour Achmet who was alive when I was there was more given to Venery then Martiality which gave a greater advantage to the Persians in their defensive wars Concerning the Empire wee may observe some fatall contrarieties in one and the same name For Philip the Father of Alexander laid the first foundation of the Macedonian Monarchy and Philip the Father of Perseus ruined it So was this Town built by a Constantine the sonne of Helena a Gregory being Patriarch and was lost by a Constantine the sonne of a Helena a Gregory being also Patriarch The Turks have a Prophesie that as it was wonne by a Mahomet so it shall be lost by a Mahomet The form or situation of this Citie is like unto a Triangle the South part whereof and the East part are invironed with Hellespontus and Bosporus Thraicus and the North part adjoyning to the firme land It is in compasse about the walls esteemed to be 18 miles in one of these triangled points being the Southeast part and at the joyning of Bosphore and Hellespont standeth the Palace of the Great Turke called Seralia and the Forrest wherein he hunteth which is two miles in length The speciall object of Antiquitie I saw within this City was the incomparable Church of Saint Sophia whose ornaments and hallowed Vessels were innumerable in the time of Iustinian the Emperour who first builded it but now converted to a Mosque and consecrated to Mahomet after a diabolicall manner I saw also the famous Hyppodrome and the Theater whereon the people stood when the Emperours used to run their Horses and make their Princely shows on solemne dayes which is now altogether decaid There is a great Columne in that same place in the which all these things memorable that have bin done in this Hyppodrome are superficially carved Upon the West corner of the City there is a strong Fortresse fortified with seven great Towers and well furnished with Munition called by Turks Iadileke In this Prison are Bassawes and Subbassawes imprisoned and also great men of Christians if any offence be committed Their place of Exchange is called Bezastan wherein all sorts of commodities are to be sold as Sattins Silkes Velvets Cloth of Silver and Gold and the most exquisitely wrought Hand-kerchiefes that can be found in the world with infinite other commodities the relation of which would be tedious I have seene men and women as usually sold here in Markets as Horses and other beasts are with us The most part of which are Hungarians Transilvaniaus Carindians Istrians and Dalmatian Captives and of other places besides which they can overcome Whom if no compassionable Christian will buy or relieve then must they either turne Turke or be addicted to perpetuall slavery Here I remember of a charitable deed done for a sinfull end and thus it was A Ship of Marseilles called the great Dolphin lying here forty dayes at the Galata the Master Gunner named Monsieur Nerack and I falling in familiar acquaintance upon a time he told me secretly that he would gladly for Conscience and Merits sake redeeme some poore Christian slave from Turkish Captivity To the which I applauded his advice and told him the next Friday following I would assist him to so worthy an action Friday comes and he and I went for Constantinople where the Market of the slaves being ready we spent two houres in viewing and reviewing five hundred Males and Females At last I pointed him to have bought an old man or woman but his minde was contrary set shewing me that he would buy some virgin or young widdow to save their bodies unde floured with Infidels The price of a virgin was too deare for him being a hundred Duckets and widdows were farre under and at an easier rate When wee did visit and search them that wee were mindfull to buy they were strip'd stark naked before our eyes where the sweetest face the youngest age and whitest skin was in greatest value and request The Iews sold them for they had bought them from the Turkes At last we fell upon a Dalmatian widdow whose pitifull looks and sprinkling teares strook my soule almost to death for compassion whereupon I grew earnest for her reliefe and hee yielding to my advice shee is bought and delivered unto him the man being 60 yeares of age and her price 36 Duckets We leave the Market and came over again to Galata where hee and I tooke a Chamber for her and leaving them there the next morning I returned early suspecting greatly the dissembling devotion of the Gunner to be nought but luxurious lust and so it proved I knocked at the Chamber doore that hee had newly locked and taken the key with him to the ship for he had tarried with her all that night and she answering me with teares told mee all the manner of his usage wishing her selfe to be again in her former captivity whereupon I went a shipboord to him and in my griefe I swore that if hee abused her any more after that manner and not returned to her distresse her Christian liberty I would first make it knowne to his Master the Captaine of the Ship and then to the French Ambassadour for hee was mindfull also his lust being satisfied to have sold her over againe to some other At which threatning the old Pallyard became so fearfull that he entred in a reasonable condition with mee and the Ship departing thence sixe dayes there after he freely resigned to me her life her
liberty and freedome which being done and he gone under my hand before divers Greekes I subscribed her libertie and hired her in the same Taverne for a yeare taking nothing from her for as little had she to give me except many blessings and thankefull prayers This French Gunner was a Papist and here you may behold the dregs of his devotion and what seven nights leachery cost him you may cast up the reckoning of 36 Duckets In Constantinople there have happened many fearefull fires which often have consumed to ashes the most part of the rarest Monuments there and the beauty of infinite Palaces as Zonoras the Constantinopolitan Historiographer in his Histories mentioneth And now lately in the yeare 1607. October 14. there were burned above 3000. houses of which I saw a number of ruines as yet unrepaired It is subject also to divers Earth-quakes which have often subverted the Towers Houses Churches and Walles of the City to the ground Especially in the yeare 1509 in the raigne of Bajazeth the ninth Emperour of the Turkes in which time more then 13000. persons were all smothered and dead and laid up in heapes unburied And commonly every third yeare the pestilence is exceeding great in that City and after such an odious manner that those who are infected before they die have the halfe of their one side rot and fall away so that you may easily discerne the whole intrailes of their bowels It is not licentiated here nor else where in all Turkie that any Christian should enter in their Moskies or Churches without the conduct of a Ianizary the tryall whereof I had when I viewed that glorious and great Church of Sancta Sophia once the beauty and ornament of all Europe and is now the chiefe place to which the Great Turke or Emperour goeth every Fryday their Sabbâ—th day to do his devotion being accompanied with 3000 Ianizaries besides Bashawes Chawses and Hagars Truly I may say of Constantinople as I said once of the World in the Lamentado of my second Pilgrimage A painted Whoore the mask of deadly sin Sweet fair without and stinking foul within For indeed outwardly it hath the fairest shew and inwardly in the streets being narrow and most part covered the filthiest and deformed buildings in the world the reason of its beauty is because being situate on moderate prospective heights the universall tectures a far off yield a delectable shew the covertures being erected like the backe of a Coach after the Italian fashion with gutterd tile But being entred within there is nothing but a stinking deformity and a lothsome contrived place without either internall domestick furniture or externall decorements of Fabricks palatiatly extended Notwithstanding that for its situation the delicious wines and fruits the temperate climate the fertile circumjacent fields and for the Sea Hellespont and pleasant Asia on the other side it may truly be called the Paradice of the earth Perah is over against Constantinople called of old Cornubizantii but by the Turkes Galata being both a quarter of a mile distant and the Thraick Bosphore dividing the two It is the place at which Christian Ships touch and where the Ambassadours of Christendome lie The number of the Christian Ambassadours that then lay there and now do were these first the Roman Emperours then the French thirdly the English fourthly the Venetian and lastly the Holland Ambassadours with whom often for discourses I was familiar although with Noble Sir Thomas Glover I was still domestick for twelve weeks whose Secretary for that time was my Countriman Mr. Iames Rollock who now as I take it is resident in Striveling he was the last Scotsman I saw till my returne to Malta after my departure from Constantinople From thence I went to the black Sea but commonly Mare Euxinum where I saw Pompeyes Pillar of Marble standing neer the shoare upon a rocky Island and not far from thence is a Lanthorne higher then any Steeple whereon there is a pan full of liquour that burneth every night to give warning unto ships how neer they come the shore It is not much unlike these Lanthornes of Ligorne and Genua The water of this Sea is never a whit blacker then other Seas but it is called blacke in respect of the dangerous events in darke and tempestuous nights which happen there and because of the Rockes and Sands which lye a great way from the main shore upon which many vessels many times are cast away The blacke Sea is not farre from Galata for I both went and returned in one day being forty miles out and in For I went by boate and not by land through the pleasant Euripus that runneth between the Euxine Sea and Hellespont And by the way I cannot but regrate the great losse Sir Thomas Glover received by the Duke of Moldavia who chargeably entertained him two yeares in his house and furnished him with great monies and other necessaries fit for his eminency This Duke or Prince of Bugdonia was derpaved of his Principalities by Achmet and fled hither to the Christian Ambassadours for reliefe To whom when all the rest had refus'd acceptance only Noble Sir Thomas received him maintaining him and seriously wrought with the Grand Signior and his Counsell to have had him restored againe to his Lands but could not prevaile In the end Sir Thomas Glovers five yeares time of Ambassadry being expired and the Duke hearing privately that Sir Paul Pinder was to come in his place as indeed he came too soone this Moldavian Prince stole earely away in the morning over to Constantinople and long ere midday turn'd Turke and was circumcised contenting himselfe onely for all his great Dukedome with a Palace and a yearely pension of twelve thousand Chickens of Gold during his life Which when we heard the Ambassadour and we were all amazed and discontented He was indebted to the Ambassadour above 15 thousand Chickens of Gold yet ere my leaving Galata I went twice over with Sir Thomas and saw him and found him attended with a number of Turkes who when he saw me took me kindly by the hand for wee had bin two moneths familiar in the Ambassadors house before The English Ambassador within halfe a yeare recovered the halfe of his moneys the other halfe he was forced to forgoe for divers importunate respects Nay I must say one thing more of this Knight hee relieved more slaves from the Galleys payd their ransomes and sent them home freely to their Christian stations and kept a better house than any Ambassadour did that ever lay at Constantinople or ever shall to the worlds end His mother was a Polonian who comming from Dansick to London was delivered of him upon the Sea Afterward he was brought up at Constantinople from a boy and spoke and wrot the Slavonian Tongue perfectly And thence returning for London he was the first Ambassadour King Iames of blessed Memory sent â—o Constantinople after his comming to the Crowne of England And thus
had murdered his Master and Prince and lastly was ratified by Paleologus whose some Constantine about 14 yeares thereafter had his head stâ—uck off his Wife and Daughters put to cruell death his Empire quite subverted in the losse of twelve Kingdomes and 200 Cities being the just judgements of God upon the some for the fathers sake who assigned such an ambitious charge unto that perverst Papalitie After which predominant Titles and falsified power what long controversies and disputes were between the Pope and the Councels of Carthage Chalcedon Ephesus Alexandria and Nice This Papall prerogative begun with bloud and murder continueth in bloud and massacres and doubtlesse in the end shall perish and be confounded with bloud and abominable destruction And what great debate was of old by the Roman Emperours in abolishing out of their Churches the Images and Idols of Stone Iron and Timber c. that for ma ny hundred years they were not suffered to be seen And at the beginning of the Papality and a long time after the Emperours prohibit them and divers Popes have confirmed and approved the same Yet succeeding Popes and the Empire being divided in East and West introducted again the dregs of their old Heathenish and Roman Idolatry and yet they will not be content with the bare name of Images but they impose a sirname or epithite of sanctitie termimg them holy Images Truly I may say if it were not for these Images and superstitious Idolatries they assigne to them the Turks had long ago beene converted to the Christian Faith I have seen somtimes 2000 Turks travelling to Mecha in Pilgrimage which is in Arabia foelix where many in a superstitious devotion having seen the Tombe of Mahomet are never desirous to see the vanities of the World again For in a frantick piety they cause a Smith to pull forth their eys And these men are called afterward Hoggeis that is Holy-men whom the Turks much honour and regard and are always led about from Towne to Towne by mens hands and fed and regarded like unto Princes or like the Capuchins that scourge themselves on good Friday met and homaged at every passing street with prayers gifts and adorations Some write that Mahomet in his youth was a Souldier under the conduct of Heraclins who implâ—ying certâ—ine Arabians in an expedition to Persla not onely denied them their wages but told them that that was not to be given for Dogs which was provided for the Roman Souldiers Hence some mutinies arising in the Army he with certaine Arabians his Cuntry men by faction seperated themselves and revolted Whereupon Mahomet encouraging them in their defection was chosen their Captain and so for a certaine time they continued rebellious Runnagates Theeves and Robbers of all people The subtlety of this dissembler was admirable who knowing that he was destitute of heavenly gifts to work miracles feign'd that God sent him with the sword He also promised at the end of a thousand yeares to returne and bring them to Paradice but he hath falsified his promise for the time is expired fortie yares agoe And they imagining that he is either diseased or become lame in his journey have ascribed to him another thousand yeares to come But long may their wicked and faithlesse generation gape before he come untill such time that in a generall convocation they be partakers of his endlesse damnation in Hell unlesse it please the Lord in his mercy to convert them before that time Mahomet chiefly prohibiteth in his Alcoran the eating of Swines flesh and drinking of Wine which indeed the best sort do but the baser kind are daily drunkards Their common drinke is Sherpet composed of water Honey and Sugar which is exceeding delectable in the taste And the usuall courtesie they bestow on their friends who visit them is a Cup of Coffa made of a kind of seed called Coava and of a blackish colour which they drinke so hot as possible they can and it is good to expell the crudity of raw meates and hearbes so much by them frequented And that those cannot attain to this liquour must be contented with the cooling streames of water It is incident to Turkes which have not the generosity of mind to temper felicity to be glutted with the superfluous fruites of doubtfull prosperity Neither have they a patient resolution to withstand adversity nor hope to expect the better alteration of time But by an infused malice in their wicked spirits when they are any way calamited will with importunate compulsion cause the poor slavish subiected Christians surrender all they have the halfe or so forth somtimes with strokes menacings and somtimes death it selfe which plainly doth demonstrate their excessive cruelty and the poore Christians inevitable misery And yea being complained upon they are severely punished or else put to death for committing of such unallowed Ryots being expresly against the Imperiall Law of the Turke concerning the quietnesse and liberty of the Christians I have often heard Turkes brawle one with another most vilely but I never saw or heard that they either in private or publicke quarrels durst strike one another neither dare they for feare of severe punishment imposed to such quarrellers But they will injure and strike Christians who dare not say it is a misse or strike again It is a common thing with them to kill their seruants for a very small offence and when they have done throw them like Dogs in a Ditch And oftentimes if not so will lay them downe on their backes hoysing up their heeles bind their feete together and fasten them to a post and with a cudgell give them three or foure hundred blows on the soles of their feete whereupon peraduenture some ever go lame after Their servants are bought and sold like bruit beasts in Markets neither can these miserable drudges ever recover liberty except they buy themselves free either by one means or other Their wives are not far from the like servitude for the men by the Alcoran are admitted to marry as many women as they will or their ability can keep And if it shall happen that any one of these women I mean either Wife or Concubine proftituteth her selfe to an other man besides her Husband then may he by authority binde her hands and feet hang a stone about her neck and cast her into a River which by them is usually done in the night But when these Infidels please to abuse poore Christian women against their Husbands will they little regard the transgression of the Christian Law who as well defloure their Daughters as their Wives yet the devout Mahometans never meddle with them accounting themselves damned to copulate as they think with the off-spring of Dogs The Turks generally when they commit any copulation with Christians or their owne sexe they wash themselves in a South running Fountaine before the Sun rising thinking thereby to wash away their sins If a Turke should happen to kill another
Turke his punishment is thus after he is adjudged to death he is brought forth to the Market place and a blocke being brought hither of foure foot high the malefactor is stript naked and then laid thereupon with his belly downward they draw in his middle together so small with running cords that they strike his body a two with one blow his hinder parts they cast to be eaten by hungry Dogs kept for the same purpose and the fore-quarters and head they throw into a grievous fire made there for the same end and this is the punishment for man-slaughter But for murder or treason he is more cruelly used for being convicted and condemned he is brought forth before the people where in the street there is an exceeding high Stripad erâ—cted much like to a May-pole which tree from the root till it almost come to the top it all set about full of long sharpe iron pikes and their points upward the villain being strip'd naked and his hands bound backward they binde a strong rope about his shoulders and cleavings And then hoysing him up to the pillow or top of the tree they let the rope flee loose whence down he fals with a rattle among the iron pikes hanging either by the buttocks by the brests by the sides or shoulders and there sticking fast in the aire he hangeth till his very bones rot and fall down and his body be devoured being quick with ravenous Eagles kept to prey upon his carcasse for the same purpose But now I come to their Nuptiall Rites their custome and manner of Marriage is thus If a man affecteth a yong maid hee buyeth her of her parents and giveth a good summe of money for her and after shee is bought he enrols her name in the Cadies Booke witnessing shee is his bound wife bought of her father Lo this is all the form of their Marriage This being done the father of the woman sendeth houshold-stuffe home with the Bride which is carried through the streets on Mulets or Camels backs the two new married folks marching before are conveyed with musique their owne acquaintance and friends unto his house The Turkes in generall whensoever they loath or dislike their wives use to sell them in Markets or otherwise bestow them on their men-slaves And although their affection were never so great towards them yet they never eat together for commonly the women stand and serve their Husbands at meate and after that that eate a part by themselves secretly without admission of any mankinde in their company if they be above fourteen years of age They go seldome abroad unlesse it be each Thursday at night when they goe to the Graves to mourne for the dead always covering their faces very modestly with white or black Maskes which are never uncevered till they return to their Houses Many other Ceremonies they have which would be too prolix for mee to recite And notwithstanding of all this externall gravity amongst these hirelings yet there are in Constantinople above 40000 Brothel-houses Turqueski as Libertines in any of which if a Christian especially Francks be apprehended hee must either turne Turke or Slave all his life But the women by policie apply a counterpoyson to this severity for they accustomably come to the Chambers of their Benefactors and well-willers or other places appointed secretly where so they learne either a French Syncopa or an Italian Bergamasko As for the great Turkes Concubines they are of number eight hundred being the most part Emeeres Bashawes and Timariots daughters The third and inmost part of the Seraglia is allotted for their Residence being well attended at all times with numbers of Ennuchs and other gelded officers Every morning they are ranked in a great Hall and set on high and open seats where when hee commeth and selecting the youngest and fairest hee toucheth her with a Rod and immediately shee followeth him into his Cabine of Leachery where if any action be done shee receiveth from the Head-Clerke her approbation thereupon which ever afterwards serveth her for a conditionall Dowry to her Marriage with much honour and reputation besides And if any of them conceive and the childe borne it is suddenly dispatched from this life The oldest hundreth every first Friday of the moneth are turned out and another new hundred come in to make good the number Their entry and issue is alwayes at one of the posterne gates of the Parke toward the Sea side and joyning nigh to their Palace Whence crossing Bosphore in an appointed Barge they both go and come in one day from and too the Galata which I my selfe did see three severall times The oldest and last hundred that are every moneth dismissed they depart from the Galata home to their Parents and severall Countries rejoycing that they were counted worthy to be chosen and entertained to be their Emperours Concubines The custome of the great Turke is every Friday being their Sabbath day after their Service and Dinner to run at the Glove in an open place before all the people with some Hagars or young striplings that accompany him who have the Glove hanging as high on a stick as we have the Ring with us And truly of all the Turkish Emperours that ever were this Achmet was the most gentle and favourable to Christians who rather for his bounty and tendernesse might have beene intitulated the Christian Emperour then the Pagan King for hee disanulled all the exactions that had been inflicted by his predecessors upon his tributary Christian subjects and cancelled the custome or tithe of their Male children abrogating also that imposition on their Female Dowries The Lent of the Turkes is called Byrham which continueth the space of a moneth once in the yeare In all which time from the Sunne rising to his setting they neither eat nor drinke And at their prayers especially in this fasting they use often to reiterate these words Hue hue hue that is he he he alone is God or There is but one onely supreme Power which they doe in derision of Christians who as they say adore three Gods They have also 〈◊〉 sinister opinion that at the day of Iudgement when Mahomet shall appeare there shall bee three displayed Banners under the which all good people shall be conducted to paradise the one of Moses under the which the children of Israel shall be the second of Iesus under which Christians shall bee The third of Mahomet under the which shall be the Arabs Turks and Musilmans All which they think shall be elevated to severall honours and they in promotion shall bee discerned from the rest by Chambers made of resplendant light which God will give them wherein they shall have banquetings feastings dancing and the best melody can be devised and that they shall spend their times with amorous Virgins whose mansion shall be neer by the men never exceeding the age of thirty yeers and the Virgins fifteen and both shall have their
on all sides counting it an opprobrious thing to see any uncover his head they weare their beards long as a signe of gravity for they esteeme them to be wise men who have long beards The women are of a low stature thick and round of growth going seldome abroad unlesse it be each thursday at night when they go to mourn upon the graves of their dead friends and then they are modestly masked they are fearefull and shamefac'd abroad but lascivious within doors and pleasing in matters of incontinency and they are accounâ—ed most beautifull who have the blackest browes the widest mouths and the greatest eyes The other Turkes which are borne in Asia Major and Aegypt I speake not of the Moores of Barbary are of a great stature tauny cruell a barbarous and uncivill people The better sort use the Salavonian tongue the vulgar speake the Turkish language which being originally the Tartarian speech they borrow from the Persian their words of state from the Arabicke their words of Religion from the Grecians their termes of warre and from the Italian their words and titles of navigation The puissance of the great Turke is admirable yet the most part of his Kingdomes in Asia are not well inhabited neither populous but these parts which border with Christians are strongly fortified with Castles people and munition If Christian Princes could concord and consult together it were an easie thing in one yeare to subdue the Turkes and root out their very names from the earth yea moreover I am certified that there are more Christians even slaves and subjects to the great Turke which do inhabit his dominions then might overthrow and conquer these Infidells if they had worthy Captaines Governours and furniture of Armes without the helpe of any Christian Prince of Christendome And yet again I think it not amisse to discourse more particularly of the Turkish manners of their riches and of their forces of warres and the manner of their conducements The Turkes being naturally discended of the Scythians of Tartars are of the second stature of man and robust of nature circumspect and couragious in all their attempts and no way given to industry or labour but are wonderfull avaritious and covetous of money above all the nations of the World They never observe their promises unlesse it be with advantage and are naturally prone to deceive strangers changing their conditionall bargains as time giveth occasion to their liking They are humble one to another but especially to their superiours before whom they doe not onely great homage but also keepe great silence and are wonderfull coy during the time of their presence They are extreamly inclined to all sorts of lascivious luxury and generally addicted besides all their sensuall and incestuous lusts unto Sodomy which they account as a daynty to digest all their other libidinous pleasures They hold that every one hath the houre of his death wrot on his fore brow and that none can escape the good or evill houre predestinated for them This ridiculous errour makes them so bold and desperate yea and often to runne headlong in the most inevitable dangers They are not much given to domesticke pastimes as Chesse Cards Dice and Tables but abroad and in travell they are exceeding kind disposers of their meate and drinke to any stranger without exception The better sort of their women are sumptuously attired and adorned with pearles and precious stones and some of them are accustomed to turn their hands and hair into a red colour but especially the nayls of their hands and feet and are wont to go to bathe themselves in Stoves twice a week as well as men The true Turks weare on their heads white Turbants save a few that are esteem'd to be of Mahometâ—s Kindred and they weare greene Shashes being most part of them Priests the better part of the Turkes in Asia care not for fish but these Turks which remayne in Europe love Fish better then Flesh especially at Constantinople or Stambolda where the best Fishes and most abundance of them are taken that be in the World and that in the blacke Sea They are ever desirous to seeke advantage on their neighbours which if they cannot by force they will under colour of truce accomplish it with perfidiousnesse And if their enterprises find no happy event they are never a whit ashamed to take the flight yet are they generally good Souldiers and well taught in Martiall discipline Their Armies in marching or camping notwithstanding infinite multitudes keepe modesty and silence and are extreamly obedient unto their Captaines and Commanders When the great Signior is abroad with his Army at Warres the Turkes at home within Townes use great praiers and fasting for him and them They ingeniously describe the victories of their Ancestors and joyfully sing them in Rimes and Songs thinking thereby that fashion in recalling the valiant deedes of their Predecessours to be the onely meanes to encourage their souldiers to be hardy resolute and desperate in all their enterprises They are not given to contemplation nor study of Letters or Arts yet they have divers faire Schooles where the publicke Lecture of their legall Lawes are professed and Mahometanisme to the intent that Children being elected to be brought up there for a time may be instructed to be profitable expounders of their Alcoran and judicious Judges for the government of the Common-wealth It is â—eldome and rarely seene that a Turke will speake with a woman in the streets nay not so much as in their Mosquees one to be in sight of another and yet they are Lords and Masters of their Wives and Concubines from whom they receive as great respect service and honour as from their bond and bought slaves Now as concerning his riches the chiefest three parts of Commerce of all kind of merchandise and abounding in silver and gold in all the Turkes dominions as well in Asia and Affrick as Europe are these Constantinople in Thracia of Europe Aleppo in Syria of Asia major and Grand Cairo in Aegypt of Affrick for these are the three Magezines of the whole Empire that draw the whole riches money and trafficke to them of all the Imperiall Provinces It is thought that ordinarily and annually the Rent of the great Turke amounteth to sixteen Millions of Gold notwithstanding that some do make it lesser But because it is so hard to judge of any Monarchs Rents being like the infinite concavities of the earth sending and receiving so innumerable wayes their streames of riches I 'le desist from any other instances And yet the great Turks revenues are no way answerable to his great and large Dominions The causes arising hereupon are many of whom I will select three or foure of the chiefest reasons First the Turkes being more given to armes to conquer to destroy and ruine and to consume the wealth of the people they overcome leaving them destitute of nuriture rather then any way to give course for their
and inresolute defence could resist Here in this Country of Cilicia was Saint Paul borne in the now decayed Town of Tharsus who for antiquity will not succumbe to any City of Natolia being as yet the Mistris of that Province though neither for worth nor wealth All ancient things by Time revolve in nought As if their Founders had no founding wrought But thoâ— torn Tharsus brooks a glorious name For that great Saint who in thee had his frame So may Cilicians joy the Christian sort That from their bounds rose such a mighty Fort. Twelve dayes was I between Rhodes and Limisso in Cyprus where arrived I received more gracious demonstrations from the Islanders then I could hope for or wish being far beyond my merit or expectation onely contenting my curiosity with a quiet minde I red ounded thanks for my imbraced courtesies The people are generally strong and nimble of great civility hospitality to their neighbours and exceedingly affectionated to strangers The second day after my arrivall I took with me an Interpreter and went to see Nicosia which is placed in the midst of the Kingdome But in my journy thither extream was the heat and thirst I endured both in respect of the season and also want of water And although I had with me sufficiencie of wine yet durst I drinke none thereof being so strong and withall had a taste of pitch and that is because they have no Barrels but great Jars made of earth wherein their Wine is put And these Jars are all inclosed within the ground save onely their mouthes which stand alwayes open like to a Source or Cistern whose insides are all interlarded with pitch to preserve the earthen Vessels unbroke asunder in regard of the forcible Wine yet making the taste thereof unpleasant to liquorous lips and turneth the Wine too heady for the brain in digestion which for health groweth difficult to strangers and to themselves a swallowing up of diseases To cherish life and blood the health of Man Give me a Tâ—ast plung'd in a double Kan And spic'd with Ginger for the wrestling Grape Makes Man become from Man a sottish Ape Nicosia is the principall City of Cyprus and is invironed with Mountains like unto Florence in Aetruria wherein the Beglerbeg remaineth The second is Famogusta the chief strength and Sea-port in it Seliâ—a Lemisso Paphos and Fontana Morosa are the other foure speciall Towns in the Island This Isle of Cyprus was of old called Achametide Amatusa and by some Marchara that is happy It is of length extending from East to West 210 large 60 and of circuit 600 miles It yieldeth infinite canes of Sugar Cotton-wooll Oile Honey Cornes Turpentine Allom Verdegreece Grograms store of Metals and Salt besides all other sorts of fruit and commodities in abundance It was also named Cerastis because it butted toward the East with one horn and lastly Cyprus from the abundance of Cypresse trees there growing This Island was consecrated to Venus wherein Paphos shee was greatly honoured termed hence Dea Cypri Festa dies Veneris tota celeberrima Cypro Venerat ipsa suis aderat Venus au reâ— festis Venus feast day through Cyprus hallowed came Whose feasts her presence dignified the same Cyprus lyeth in the Gulfe betweene Cilicia and Syria having Aegypt to the West Syria to the South Cilicia to the East and the Pamphylian Sea to the North It hath foure chief Capes or Head-lands first Westward the Promontory of Acanias modernly Capo di santo Epifanio to the South the Promontory Phaeâ—ria now Capo Bianco to the East Pedasia modernly Capo di Graeco to the North the high foreland Cramenion now Capo di Cormathita these foure are the chiefest Promontores of the Island and Cape di S. Andrea in the furthest point Eastward toward Cilicia Diodore and Pliny say that anciently it contained nine Kingdomes and fifteene good Townes Ceraâ—â—a now Selina was built by Cyrus who subdued the nine petty Kings of this Isle Nicosia is situate in the bottome or plain of Massara and thirty foure miles from Famogusta and the Towne of Famogusta was formerly named Salamus I was informed by some of sound experience here that this Kingdome containeth about eight hundred and forty Villages besides the sixe capitall Towns two whereof are nothing inferiour for greatnesse and populosity to the best Townes in Candy Sycily or Greece The chiefest and highest mountaines in this Isle is by the Cypriots called Trohodos it is of height eight and of compasse forty eight miles whereon there are a number of Religious Monasteries the people whereof are called Colieros and live under the order of Saint Basile There is aboundance here of Coriander seede with medicinable Rubarbe and Turpentine Here are also mines of Gold in it of Chrysocole of Calthante of Allome Iron and exceeding good Copper And besides these mines there are divers precious stones found in this Isle as Emeraulds Diamonds Christall Corall red and white and the admirable stone Amiante whereof they make Linnen cloth that will not burne being cast into the fire but serveth to make it neate and white The greatest imperfection of this Isle is scarcity of water and too much plenty of scorching heat and fabulous grounds The inhabitants are very civill courteous and affable and notwithstanding of their delicious and delicate fare they are much subject to Melancholy of a Robust Nature and good Warriours if they might carry Armes It is recorded that in the time of Constantine the Great this Isle was all utterly abandoned of the Inhatants and that because it did not raine for the space of sixe and thirty yeares After which time and to replant this Region againe the chiefest Colonies came from Aegypt Iudea Syria Cilicia Pamphylia Thracia and certaine Territories of Greece And it is thought in the yeares 1163 after that Guy of Lusingham the last Christian King of Ierusalem had lost the Holy Land a number of French men stayed and inhabited here of whom sprung the greatest Race of the Cyprian Gentility and so from them are descended the greatest Families of the Phoenician Sydonians modernely Drusians though ill divided and worse declined yet they are sprung both from one Originall the distraction arising from Conscience of Religion the one a Christian the other a Turke The three Isles of Cyprus Candy and Sicily are the onely Monarchall Queenes of the Mediterranean Seas and semblable to other in fertilitie length breadth and circuit save onely Candy that is somewhat more narrow then the other two and also more Hilly and sassinous yet for Oiles and Wines she is the Mother of both the other Sicily being for Grain and Silks the Empresse of all and Cyprus for Sugar and Cotton-wooll a darling sister to both onely Sicily being the most civill Isle and nobly Gentilitate the Cypriots indifferently good and the Candiots the most ruvid of all The chiefe Rivers are Teneo and Pedesco Cyprus was first by Teucer made a
where the Showse strook off his head putting it in a Box to carry it with him for Constantinople The dead corps were carried to Aleppo and honorably buried for I was an eye witnesse to that Funeral Feast And immediatly therafter the Showse by Proclamation and power from the Emperour fully possessed the sonne in his Fathers Lands Offices Bassawship and the authoritie of all the Easterne Syria part of Mesopotamia and the Assyrian Countrey for this Bassaw of Aleppo is the greatest in commandement and power of all the other Bassaws in the Turkes Dominions except the Bassa or Beglerbeg of Damascus and yet the former in Hereditary power farre exceedeth the other being a free Emeer and thereupon a Prince borne The force of his commandement reacheth to eighteene Sanzacks and thirty thousand Timariots besides Ianizaries and other inferiour Souldiers which would make up as many more This City is called in the Scriptures Aram-Sobab 2 Samuel 8. 3. and Aleppo of Alep which signifieth milk whereof there is a great plenty here There are Pigeons brought up here after an incredible manner who will flie betwene Aleppo and Babylon being thirty dayes journey distant in forty eight houres carrying letters and newes which are tied about their neckes to Merchants of both Townes and from one to another who onely are imployed in the time of hasty and needfull intendments their education to this tractable expedition is admirable the flights and arrivals of which I have often seene in the time of my wintering in Aleppo which was the second Winter after my departure from Christendome Syria hath on the East Armenia major On the South Mesopotamia On the North Cilicia and the sea On the West Gallilee and Phaenicia in the Bible the Syrians are called Aramites who were an obscure people subject to the Persians and subdued by Alexander after whose death this Countrey with Persia and other adjacent Provinces fell to the share of Seleucus Nicanor who also wrested from the successors of Antigonus the lesser Asia This Kingdome hath fuffered many alterations especially by the Persians Grecians Armenians Romans Aegyptians lastly by the Turkes and daily molested by the incursive Arabs In my expectation here and the Spring come being disappointed of me desired aimes I pretended to visite Ierusalem in my back-comming and for the furtherance of my determination I joyned with a Caravan of Armenians and Turks that were well guarded with Ianisaries and Souldiers of whom some were to stay at Damascus by the way and some mindful to the furthest marke And for my better safeguard being always alone which by all was ever much admired the Venetian Consull tooke surety of the Captaine that hee should protect mee safely from theeves cut throats and the exactions of tributes by the way delivering me freely into the hand of the Padre Guardiano at Ierusalem Which being done I I hired a Mule from a Turke to carry my victuals and so set forward with them The number of our company were about 600 Armenians Christian Pilgrimes men and women 600 Turkes trafficking for their owne businesse and 100 souldiers three Showsses and sixe â—anizaries to keep them from invasions Betweene Aleppo and Damascus wee had nine dayes journey in five of which we had pleasant travelling and good Canes to lodge in that had bin builded for the support of Travellers and are well maintained But when we passed Hamsek which is a little more then mid-way we had dangerous travelling being oft assailed with Arabs fatigated with Rocky Mountaines and sometimes in point of choaking for lacke of water The confusion of this multitude was not onely grievous in regard of the extreame heate providing of victuals at poore Villages and scarcity of water to fill our bottles made of Boare-skinnes but also amongst narrow and stony passages thronging we oft fell one over another in great heapes in danger to be smothered yea and oftentimes we that were Christians had our bodies well beaten by our couducting Turkes In this iourneying I remember the Turke who ought my Mule was for three dayes exceeding favourable unto me in so much that I began to doubt of his carriage fearefully suspecting the Italian Proverb Chi nri faâ—iglior che non cisuole Ingannato mi ha o ingannar mi Vuole He that doth better now to me than he was wont He hath deceiv'd or will deceive me with some sad affront But when I perceived his extraordinary service and flattery was onely to have a share of the Tobacco I carried with me I freely bestowed a pound there of upon him Which he and his fellowes tooke as kindly as though it had been a pound of gold for they are excessively addictted to smoake as Dutch men are to the Pot which ever made me to carry Tobacco with me to acquist their favour over and above their fials more then ever I did for my owne use for in these dayes I took none at all though now as time altereth every thing I am Honoris Gratia become a courtly Tobacconist more for fashion then for liking The Turkish Tobacco pipes are more than a yard long and commonly of Wood or Canes beeing joyned in three parts with Lead or white Iron their severall mouths receiving at once a whole ounce of Tobacco which lasteth a long space and because of the long pipes the smoak is exceeding cold in their swallowing throats At our accustomed dismounting to recreate our selues and refresh the beasts I would often fetch a walke to stretch my legs that were stiffed with a stumbling beast wherewith the Turkes were mightily discontented and in derision would laugh and mocke me For they cannot abide a man to walke in turnes or stand to eate their usage being such that when they come from the horse backe presently sit downe on the ground folding their feete under them when they repose dine and sup So doe also their Artizans and all the Turkes in the World sit all wayes crosse legged wrongfully abusing the commondable consuetude of the industrious Tailors In their houses they have no bed to lye on 〈◊〉 chaire to sit on nor table to eate on but a bench made of boords along the house side of a foot high from the floore spred over with a Carpet whereon they usually sitting eating drinking sleeping resting and doing of manuall exercises all in one place Neither will the best sort of Mahometans be named Turks because it signifieth banished in the Hebrew tongue and therefore they call themselves Musilmans to wit good believers where in deed for good it is a false Epithite but certainly for firm believers they are wonderfull constant and so are all ignorants of whatsoever profession even like to the Spaniard who in the midst of all his evils yet he remayneth alwayes fidele to all the usurpations the Hispanicall Crown can compasse They never unclothe themselves when they go to rest neither have they any bed-clothes save onely a coverlet above them I have seen
also the Tree to the which our Saviour was bound whiles Annas was making himselfe ready to leade him to Caiphas but that I will not believe for that Tree groweth yet being an Olive Tree They shewed us also the house where Saint Peter was imprisoned when his fetters were shaken off his legs and the prison doores cast open and hee relieved And where Zebedeus the Father of Iames and Iohn dwelt which are nothing but a lump of Ruines Thence we came to the decayed Lodging of Caiphas without the City upon the Mount Syon whereupon there is a Chappell builded and at the entry of that little Domo wee saw the stone on which the Cock crew when Peter denied Christ. Within the same place is the stone that was rolled to the Sepulcher doore of our Saviour being now made an Altar to the Abasines These Abasines are naturally born black and of them silly Religious men who stay at Ierusalem in two places to 〈◊〉 heer at Caiphas House on mount Syon and the other Convent on mount Moriah where Abraham would haue sacrificed Isaac They wear on their heads flat round Caps of a blackish colour and on their bodies long gownes of white Dimmety or linnen cloath representing Ephods the condition of themselves being more devout than understanding the true grounds of their devotion blind zeale and ignorance overswaying their best light of knowledge They being a kinde of people which came from Prester Iehans dominions And within that Chappel they shewed us 〈…〉 wherein say they Christ was 〈◊〉 the night before he was brought to the Judgement Hall Upon the same side of Syon we saw the place where Christ did institute the Sacraments and not far hence a decayed House where say they the Holy Ghost discended vppon the Apostles and also the Sepultures of David and his sonne Salomon Over the which their is a Moskie wherein no Christian may enter to see these monuments For the Turkes doe great Reverence to most of all the ancient Prophets of the old Testament From thence wee returned and entred in via dolorosa the dolorous way by which our Lord and Saviour passed when hee went to be crucified carrying the Crosse upon his Back And at the end of the same street say they the Souldiers met Simon of Cyrene and compelled him to helpe Christ to beare his Crosse when hee fainted Pilats Judgement Hall is altogether ruinated having but onely betweene the two sides of the Lane an old Arch of stone under the which I passed standing full in the high Way Here they shewed us the place where Christ first took up his Crosse and on the top of that Arch wee saw that place called Gabbatha where Jesus stood when Pilat said to the Iews Ecce homo A little below this they brought us to the Church of Saint Anna where say they the Virgin Mary was born And going down another narrow Lane they pointed into a House and said hee Dives the rich Glutton dwelt who would not give to Lazarus the Crums of Bread that fell from his Table this I suspend amongst many other things for all hold it to be a Parable and not a History And although it were a History who can demonstrate the particular place Ierusalem having been so often transformed by alterations Thâ—s I must need say with such lying Wonders these flattering Friers bring Strangers into a wonderfull admiration and although I rehearse all I saw there yet I wil not believe al onely publishing them as things in different some whereof are frivolous and others some what more credible But as I said before I will make no or very small distinction in the Relation From thence we came without the Eastern gate standing on a low Banke called the daughter of Syon that over-toppeth the valley of Iehosaphat unto an immoveable stone upon the which they said St. Stephen was stoned to death the first Martyr of the Christian faith and the faithfull fore-runner of many noble followers As we returned to our own Convent they brought us to Mount Moriah and shewed us the place where Abraham offered up Isaac which is in the custody of Nigroes or Aethiopians to whom each of us payed ten Madins of Brasse the common coine of Ierusalem for our going in to that place And the other monastry that these Abasines detaine is on mount Sinay in the Desarts where the body of S. Katherine lyeth buried which is richly maintained and strongly kept by the Aethiopian Emperor There are 200. Religious Abasines in it and 100 souldiers to guard them from the incursions of Arabs who continually molest them because Mount Sinay standeth in the midst of that desolate Arabian wildernesse and far from any civill or inhabited place being distant from Ierusalem above 70 English miles Next they shewed us the place where Iesus sayd Daughters of Ierusalem mourne not for me c. And neer unto this where the Virgin Mary fell into an agony when Iesus passed by carrying his Crosse Also not farre hence we beheld the place where as they say Iesus said to his mother woman behold thy Sonne and to S. Iohn behold thy mother Ascending more upward they shewed us the House of Veronica Sancta and said that our Saviour going by her door all in a sweat to Mount Calvary shee brought him a Napkin to wipe his face which he received and gave it to her again in which say they the print of his face remaineth to this day and is to be seen at Rome It is also said to be in a Town in Spain and another of them at Palermo in Sicilia wherefore I believe the one as well as the rest So out of one if Papists can make three By it they would denote Heavens Deitie But O! not so these three revolv'd in one Points forth the Pope from him his tripled Crown He weav'd these Napkins lying rear'd his seat For which this number makes his number great As concerning the Temple of the most High built by Salomon the description of which edifice yee may read in the 3 of Kings it was destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar at the taking of Ierusalem Anno Mundi 4450. Secondly it was rebuilded again by the commandement of Cyrus King of Persia after the Iews returned from the Captivity of Babylon but not answerable to the state and magnificence of the former For besides the poverty and smalnesse of it there wanted five things which were in the other First the Ark of the Covenant Secondly the pot of Manna Thirdly the rod of Aaron Fourthly the two Tables of the Law written by the finger of God And fifthly the fire of the Sacrifice which came down from Heaven which were the Symbols and â—adges of Gods favour and mercy shown to them and their forefathers in his covenant of Love This Temple afterward growing in decay Herod the Great that killed the young Infants for Christs sake who suffered for him before he suffered for them built another much
Syon These are the Monuments shewn us upon the Mount of Olives First the print of the left foot of our Saviour in an immoveable stone which he made when hee ascended to Heaven the Guardiano told us further that the right foots print was taken away by the Turks and detained by them in the Temple of Salomon But who can think our Saviour trod so hard at his Ascension as to have left the impression of his feet behind him Next the place where hee foretold the judgement to come and the signes and the wonders that should be seene in the Heavens before that dreadfull day Thirdly the place where the Symbolum Apostolorum was made which is a fine Chamber under ground like a Church having twelve pillars to support it Fourthly where Christ taught his Disciples the Pater noster and where hee fell in an Agony when hee sweat blood and water Fifthly where Peter Iames and Iohn slept whiles our Saviour prayed and returned so oft to awake them and also below that where the other Disciples were left Sixtly the Garden of Gethsemaine where Christ used commonly to pray in the which place he was apprehended by the Officers of the high Priests and it was also where Iudas kissed him and the Serjants fell backward on the ground Seventhly they shewed us a stone marked with the Head Feet and Elbows of Iesus in their throwing of him down when as they bound him after he was taken and ever since say they have these prints remayned there And lastly at the foot of Mount Olivet in the Valley of Iehosaphat we descended by a paire of staires of forty three steps and six paces large in a faire Church builded under the ground Where say they the Monument of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary is and did shew it unto us whom they think was born in Ierusalem dwelt at Bethleem and Nazareth and died upon Mount Syon I saw also there the Sepulchres of Ioseph her Husband Ioachim her Father and of Anna her Mother And for which sights paying sixteene Madins a man to certaine Moores we returned to our Monastery again night to repose us having seen all the Antiquities and places of note were to be seen in and about all Iudea Lo I have plainly described all these Monuments by the order of these twelve severall days The like heretofore was never by any Travailer so punctually and so truly and so curiously set down and made manifest to the intellective Reader But as I said in the beginning of my Description so say I now at the conclusion some of these things are ridiculous some of manifest untruths some also doubtfull and others somewhat more credible and of apparant truth The recapitulation whereof is only by me used as I was informed by Gaudentius Saybantus the father Guardian Laurenzo Antonio il Viccario and the Trenchman Iohn Baptista Then had we avaricious Baptista our Guide and Interpreter to reward every one of us propining him with two Chickeens of Gold And lastly wee gratified the gaping Steward the Cerberian Porter the Cymerian Cooke and his Aetnean face with a Chickeen of Gold the man from each of us amounting in all among the four Catzâ—cullioni to twenty foure pounds fifteene shillings sterling Nay this was not all for even when the Aegyptian Caravan was staying for us without the City the Guardian made a begging Sermon to us imploring our bounties to commiserate and support their great calamities losses and oppressions inflicted upon them by the Infidels with many other base and flattering speeches which indeed nine of us refused because of the great Extortion hee had imposed upon us before but the two Germaâ— Barons gave him the value of six English pounds or thereabouts And now finally ere I leave Mount Syon I think it not amisse to give the itching Traveller a frozen stomacke who perhaps soweth Words in the Winde conceptions in the Ayre and catcheth Salmons swimming on Atlas I will now I say justly cast up to him the charges I defrayed within the Walles of Ierusalem not reckoning my journall expences and tributes else-where abroad arising to 18 pounds 16 shillings sterling And there a cooling card for his Caprizziat and imaginary inventions And it may serve also to damnifie the blind conceit of many who think that Travellers are at no charges go where they will but are freely maintained every where and that is as false as an hereticall errour May the 12 and the 18 day of my staying there about mid-day the other ten I joyned with the Caravan who formerly had conditioned with us to carry us to Egypt to furnish the rest with Camels or Dromidaries to ride upon for I would never ride any for 19 Piasters the man discharging us also all Tributes and Caffars were to be imposed upon us by the way so we marched through the Southwest part of Iudea towards Idumea or the Edomites land and mean-while I gave Ierusalem this good-night c. Thrice sacred Sion somtimes blaz'd abroad To be the Mansion of the living God For Prophets Oracles Apostles deare And godly Kings who raisd great glory here Where Aarons Râ—d the Arke and Tables two And Mannaes Pot fire of sacrifice so From Heaven that fell were all inclos'd in thee Containing neer what not contain'd could be To thee sweet Sion and thine eldest daughter Which Titus fiercely sackt with Iewish slaughter And to thy second birth rais'd to my sight I prostrate bid thy blessed bounds good night Next for the Holy land which I have trac'd From end to end and all its beauty fac'd Where Kings were stall'd disthron'd defac'd renown'd Cast down erect'd unscepterd slain and crown'd The land of Promise once a Sea of Oile Whence milk and honey flow'd yea to a soile Where men and might like miracles were rais'd Sprung from a Garden plot A wonder prais'd Above conceit whose strength did for excell All other lands take thou my kind farewell And last Franciscan Friers O painted Tombs Where vice and lust lurke low beneath your wombs Whose hearts like Hell do gape for greed of gold That have Religion with your conscience sold To you I say a pox O flattering Friers And damn'd deceivers born and bred for Lyers Whose end my purse implores O faithlesse fellows And leaves you for your pains curst Hamans gallows Having bid farwell to Syon we marched that afternoon in the way of Gaza and arrived at night in a goodly Village more full of Iews than Moores called Hembaluda situate on the face of a fruitfull Hill and the last limit of Iudea Here the Germans and I were well entertained gratis by certain Iews that spoke Italian and much rejoyced to see such strangers in these bounds for two of them had been borne in Venice The Captaine and our company were all Aegyptians all of them being Christians called Copties viz. believers Their number was about 800 persons who had come up from Aegypt to dignifie for
every third yeare useth to visit them is riâ—e here In this Town a Traveller may ever happily finde all these sorts of Christians Italians French Greekes Chelfaines Georgians Ethiopians Iacobines Syrians Armenians Nicolaitans Abassines Cypriots Sâ—lavonians captivate Maltezes Sicilians Albaneses and high Hungarians Ragusans and their owne Egyptian Copties the number of which is thought to be beyond two hundred thousand people besides the infinite number of Infidels whose sorts are these Turks tawny Moores white Moores blacke Moores or Nigroes Musilmans Tartars Persians Indians Sabunckes Berdoanes Iews Arabians Barbares and Tingitanian Sarazens All which are Mahomeâ—ans and Idolatrous Pagans From the great Palatiate Mansion where the Beglerbeg or Vicegerent hath his constant Residence being builded on a moderate height a man may have the full prospect of the better part of the Towne the Gardens and Villages bordering on Nylus and a great part of the lower plains of Egypt Their Laws heere and Heathenish Religion are Turkish and Mahometanicall and the Customes and Manners of the people are like to their birth and breeding beastly and barbarous being great Sodomites and Diabolically given to all sorts of abominations The better sort of Women here and all the Kingdome over weare Rings of Gold or Silver through the hollow of their noses both ends of their mouthes and in their under lips hanging rich pearles and precious stones to them wearing also about their armes faire Bracelets and about their ancles below broad bonds of gold or silver To which if the baser sort cannot attaine unto then they counterfeit their Betters with Rings Bracelets and bonds of Brasse Copper Lead and white Iron and thinke themselves not worthy to live unlesse they weare these badges They also use here as commonly they doe through all Turkey the Women to pisse standing and the men to coure low on their knees doing the like They weare here linnen breeches and leather Bootes as the men doe and if it were not for their covered faces and longer gowns wee would hardly know the one from the other As for the Religion of the Copties or Egyptian Christians they are Circumcised after the Iudaicall manner but not after the eight day but the eight yeare And it is thought they follow the Religion of Eutyches holding but one nature in Christ which was defended by Dioscorus and the Counsell of Ephesus in regard of Eutyches But the Copties themselves say they have their Religion from Prester Iehan and so it is most manifest being no difference betweene the one and the other They make frequently at all meetings the signe of the Crosse to other thwarting their two foremost fingers lay them on their brow and then on their breasts kissing them the salutation is done They will not suffer any Images nor Pictures to bee in their Churches and yet they have an Altar and a kinde of Masse said in their owne Language sacrificing the Ostia for the reall Body and Blood of Christ Yet they deny Purgatory the invocation of Saints and Prayers for the Dead c. Neverthelesse auricular Confession is commonly used among them so do the Greekes in all these poynts the like and all the people Orientall The Inhabitants here were the first Inventors of the Mathematicall Sciences of Letters and of the use of Writing Great Magicians and Astrologians and are yet induâ—d with a speciall dexterity of Wit but somewhat slothfull and given to Ryot and Luxury Merry also great Singers and sociable Companions and no wonder the land being so plentifull and their nature libidinous it increaseth both their insolence and inordinate affections Neither doe they live long in regard of the great heat they indure Aegypt being placed betweene the two Tropickes under the Torrid Zone bringeth to passe that seldome will any there attaine to threescore yeares of age In all this Land of Aegypt which is a great Kingdome there is no running Well or Fountaine save onely the River Nylus Neither doe the Inhabitants scarcely know what Raine is because they seldome see any and if by rare accident a Cloud happen to dissolve upon them it bringeth to their bodies innumerable soares and diseases And yet for aboundance of Cornes and all kind of fruites the Earth yeeldeth there is no Country can brag with Aegypt whereupon it was called in the time of the Romans as well as Sycilia Horreum populi Romani And notwithstanding this Kingdome produceth no Wines neyther is garnished with Vineyards but that which strangers make use of are brought from Candy Cyprus Greece The defect being thus these Mahometanicall Moores observing strictly the Law of their Alcor an will neither plant wines nor suffer any to be planted accounting it a deadly sin to drink wine but for Coffa Sherpet composed Liquors they drinke enough of As for their Balsamo the Garden wherein it groweth lyeth neere to the South-side of Cayre and inclosed with a high Wall being sixe miles in compasse and daily guarded by Turkes To which when I came being Conducted with a Ianizary they would not suffer mee to enter neither any Christian far lesse the Iewes For not long ago they were the cause that almost this Balme was brought to confusion they having the custome of it for certaine yeares The Tree it selfe is but of three foote height which keepeth evermore the colour greene having a broad three poynted leafe which being thrice in the yeare incised in the body and branches it yieldeth a red Water that droppeth in earthen Vessels which is the naturall Balsomo And not far from this Garden in a sandy Desart is the place called Mommeis which are innumerable Caves cut foorth of a Rocke where unto the Corpes of the most men in Cayro are carried and interred Which dead bodies remayne always unpurified neither yield they a stinkingsmell Whereof experiments are plentifull at this day by the whole Bodies Hands or other parts which by Merchants are now brought from thence and doth make the Mummia which Apothecaries use The colour being very blacke and the flesh clung unto the bones Now having viewed and review'd this Microcosmus of the greater world the foure French Pilgrimes and I did hire a Ianizarie to conduct us to the great Pyramides surnamed the Worlds wonders which are distant from Cayre about foure Leagues standing beside or neere to to the banks of Nylus Where when come I beheld their proportion to bee Quadrangled growing smaller and smaller to the top and builded with huge and large stones the most part whereof are five foote broad or there abouts and nine foot in length being of pure Marble All the Historians that ever wrot of these Wonders have not so amply Recived their admirable greatnesse as the experience of the beholder may testifie their excessive greatnesse and height The first and East-most we approached unto is highest and by our Dragomans skilfull Report amounted to eleven hundred and twenty sixe foote The Basis or bottome whereof
denied acceptance in England had turned Turke and built there a faire Palace beautifyed with rich Marble and Alaâ—aster stones With whom I found Domestick some fifteene circumcised English Runnagats whose lives and Countenances were both alike even as desperate as disdainfull Yet old Ward their Master was placable and joyned me safely with a passing Land conduct to Algiere yea and diverse times in my ten dayes staying there I dyned and supped with him but lay aboord in the French ship At last having obtained my pasport from the Bassaw there and surety taken for my life and monyes I imbraced the Land way with his Conduct consisting of forty Moores and a hundred Camels loaden with Silkes Dimmeties and other Commodities traversing the afore-said Regions of Abirouh and Arradetz In all which way lying nightly in a Tent I found a pleasant and fruitfull Country abounding in Wine Rye Barly Wheate and all kinde of fruites with innumerable villages and so infinitely peopled that it made me wish there had beene none at all otherwise that they had beene Christians and so more civill The greatest enemy this journey designed mee was the Sunne whose exceeding heate was intollerable to indure being in September Anno 1615. But for provision of Water Wine and Victuals wee had abundance Vpon the seaventh day of our course wee entred in the Countrey of Tremizen formerly Mauritâ—nea Caesarea This Kingdome hath to the West Mauritanea Tingitana containing the Empire of Morocco and Fez. On the South Gotulia or desertuous Numidia On the East with the Rivers of Mulvia and Amphlaga the Marches of Arradetz And on the North the Sea Mediterren opposite to Sardinia The countrey is in length from the East to the West some twenty five of their courses and of our miles above three hundred and of breadth between the Sea and Gotulia no more then thirty English miles This copious Kingdome in all things hath beene oft and ever molested with the Numidian Sarazens or bastard Arabs who falling down from the Mountaines do runne their carriere at randome upon the ground-toyled Moones to satisfie their needy and greedy desires Tremizen or Telensim had of old foure Provinces but now onely two t is own Territory and that of Algier whose capitall Towne being too cognominated Tremizen contayning once eighteene thousand fire houses But in regard of Iosephus King of Fez who besieged it seaven yeares over-mastering it and then subdued by Charles the fifth and likewise the Turkes investion of it and finally because of the long wars twixt the Seriff or King there and the Turke it is become a great deale lesser and almost disinhabited and the most part of that Countrey subject to the authority of the Bassaw of Algier At last upon the twelfth day of our leaving Tunneis having arrived at Algier and abandoning my Conduct with a good respect I stayed in a Spaniards house turned Runnagate who kept a roguish Tavern and a ground planked Hospitall In all this way of twelvescore miles I payed no Tribute neither had I any eminent perrill the Countrey being peaceable though the people uncivill This Towne of Algier was formerly under subjecton to the Kingdome of Tremizen but because of insupportable charges it revolted and rendered to the King of Arradetz or Bugia Afterwards it was under the King of Spaine from whom Barbarossa did take it Anno 1515 being now under the Turke and is situate upon the pendicles of a flat devalling height and standeth triangular The Marine side whereof is strongly fortified with earth back'd walles Bulwarkes and artilley but the semisquared land-walles are of small importance and easily to be surprised and three miles in circuite containing some thirty thousand persons There is a Turkish Bashaw here and a strong Garrison of sixe thousand Ianizaries with two hundred Cursary ships or Pirats who ever preying upon Christian Commercers by their continuall spoiles and prises have made the divelish Town wonderfull rich and become an inveterate enemy of Christendome being now a Kingdome of it selfe and in length from East to West betweene the Townes Terracot and Gâ—argola some sixe score miles It had a long reaching mould in the Sea that maketh a safe harbor for their ships against Northerly windes which on that Coast are deadly dangerous At this time the greatest part of the Towne were fled to the mountaines to shun the parching heate that beateth violently on the Plaines and Sea-shoare so doe all the maritine Townes of Barbary the like every Sommer for the moneths Iuly August and September which then being left halfe naked of defence it were the onely time for Christians to invade or surprise their Towns I found here abundance of slaves most of them Spaniards whom they daily constrain within Towne to beare all manner of burdens here and there and without Towne to drudge in the fields amongst their Vines and Cornes and other toyling labours abusing them still with buffets and bastinadoes as their perverstnesse listeth Neither durst I leave my lodging unlesse I had three or foure Christian slaves to guide me and gard me too from scelerate vulgars who beare no respect to any stranger nor free Franck. Here I remarked a wonderfull policy in the Turkish state concerning these theftuous and rapinous Townes of Barbary who as they are ordained ever to plague and prey upon the Spaniard yet under that colour they licenciate them to make havock seaze upon all other Christian ships goods and persons as they please the French nation excepted And so they doe notwithstanding of our severall Ambassadours lying at Constantinople who rather stay there as Mungrells than absolute Ambassadours for why should Christian Princes mediate for peace and commerce with the Turke when theirs with his subiects the Barbarian Mooâ—es have no safety they being obedient to his lawes and over-ruled by Bassawes as well as these are of Asia and Easterne Europe from which I gather as from all other like examples that there is a more sublime over-mastering policy subtilty and provident foresight in meere naturall men as Turkes be then in our best Grandeurs for all their Sciences schoole studies can either perceive or perform farre lesse prosecute To which avowed dangers if any small ship ruled by rash fellowes should adventure within the straits as too many English doe being unable and unprovided for defence and so are taken and captivated and afterward redeemed by Contributions over the Land I justly affirme it they deserve rather to be punished and remaine therein punishment then any reliefe or redemption to be wrought for them who will nakedly hazard themselves in knowne perrils without Ordonance munition and a burdenable ship But reverting to my purpose the marine Provinces which lye between Aegypt and Sewty over against Gibelterre being the Straits are these Cerene Barca Marmorica Ezzeba the Trypolian Jurisdiction the Kingdomes of Tunneis Abiroh Arradetz Tremizen Algier and a part of Fez extending to two thousand and three hundred maritine
commencement of all our best Merchants wealth or at the least mosâ— part of them And now ceasing to peramble through any more particulars of this familiar Nation to us I was kindly transported from Warsow upon a Waggon to Dansicke being fifty Leagues distant with a generous young Merchant William Bailey my kinde Country-man to whose courtesies I still rest thankfull Here in Dansickâ— I fell deadly sicke for three Weeks space insomuch that my grave and Tombe was prepared by my Country-men there Neverthelesse in end it pleased Almighty God I recovered my health and then imbarked for Alseynure in Denmarke where being better convalessed I recoursed backe in a Flemish Pink to Stockhollem where after five or sixe dayes being there and finding my sicknesse like to returne againe and fearing the worst I made haste for England At last finding the opportunity of an English ship belonging to Ratcliffe we hoysed saile set forward through the Sound or Beltick Sea for Alseynvere againe Whence after three dayes abode bidding farewell to that Town and Castle we coasted the scurrile and rocky face of Norway at two severall parts but not without great stormes and contrary winds yea and once finally indangered with a threatning Shipwracke which with good luck we happily escaped These tempestuous dangers past upon the seventh day the windes favouring us we safely arrived at London from whence I first began this Voyage and there ended my second Peregrination Magnum virtutis principiumest ut dixit paulatim exercitatus animus visibilia tranâ—itoria primum Commutare ut post-modum possit derelinquere Delicatus ille est adhue cui patria dulcis est fortis autem jam cui omne solum patria est perfectus verâ— cui mundus exilium est The end of the Second Booke of my Second Travailes The Tenth Part. Containing the third Booke of my Third Travailes NOw swolne ambition bred from curious toile Invites my feet to tread parch'd Aethiops Soile To sight great Prester Iâ—han and his Empire That mighty King their Prince their Priest their Sire Their Lawes Religion Manners Life and frame And Amais mount-rais'd Library of â—ame Well I am sped bids Englands Court adiew And by the way the Hiberne boâ—nds I view In whose defects the truth like razor sharpe Shall sadly tune my new string'd Irish Harpe Then sound I France and cross'd the Pythenâ—ise At the Columbian heights which tâ—reat the skies And coasting Pampelon I 〈◊〉 all Spaine From Beâ—obia to Jubile Taure againe Then rest'd at Malaga where I was shent And taken for a Spie crush'd rackt and rent Where ah when Treason tride by false position They wrest'd on me their lawlesse Inquiâ—ition Which after Tortures Hunger Veâ—mine 〈◊〉 Condemn'd me quicke stake-bound to burne in ashes Gods providence comes in and I 'me discovered By Merchants meanes by Aston last delivered Where noble Maunsell Generall of that Fleet That I was rack'd for did kind Haulkins greet With strict command to send me home for Court To shew King James my torments pangs and tort Loe I am come to Bath I 'me sent and more Mine hoplesse life made Worlds my sight deplore Which here I le sing in Tragicke tune to all That love the Truth and looke for Babels fall BUt now having finished the two Discriptions of my first and second Adventures it rest nâ—w most necessary to relate the Meritorious designe and miserable effect of my third Voyage After I had I say by the great providence of God escaped infinite dangers by Seas suffering thrice shipwrack by Land in Woods and on Mountaines often invaded by ravenous Beasts crawling and venemous Wormes daily incombred by home-bred Robbers and remote Savages five times strip'd to the skin excessive fastidiousnesse unspeakable adversities parching heats scorching drouth intollerable distresses of hunger imprisonments and cold yet all these almost incredible sufferings past could never abate the flame of mine austiere affection conceived but ambitious curiosity exposing me to a third Voyage I may say as Aeneâ—s did in his penetentiall Mood O socij neque eniâ—i ignari sumus ante malorum O passi graviora dabit Deus his quoque finem O Socials we 're not ignorant of losses O suffrings sad God too will end these â—rosses But to observe a methodicall order I thinke it best to shew the unacquainted Reader a reasonable satisfaction for undertaking the third and almost invincible attempt First the most speciall and urgent cause proceeded from a necessary good the necessity of knowledge in the requisite perfection of Europes full and spacious sight the ancient Tierce and now most Christian world wanting former no part thereof unseene as well under the Turke as Christian except Ireland and the haâ—fe of Spaine The second cause was moved from a more inâ—atiate content that when I had and having compassed all Europe my resolution was to borrow a larger dimmense of ground in Affricke than formerly I had done in twice before even to Aethiopia Prester Iehans Dominions For the same effect and a great impression to my Resolution I set pen to paper drawing from the distaffe of the retractable Muses a Poeticall pamphlet Dedicated to themselves to their profound Apollo his then hopefull Heire and divers Noble Peeres of both Kingdomes And having from a Royall favour obtained his Majesties Letters and Seales of safe Conduct and Regall recommendation to all Kings Princes and Dukes c. I in all obsequious humility bad farewel to this sequestrate and most auspicuous Monarchy and arriving at Dublin in Ireland the two and twentieth of August one thousand sixe hundred and nineteene I saluted the right Honourable Sir Oliver St. Iohns late Lord Grandison and then Lord Deputy there from whom for regard and singular courtesies I was greatly obliged So was I also to many of the English Nobilitie and Knighthood there who through the whole Countrey where ever I came entertained mee kindly sending Guides with mee from place to place yea and sometimes safe-guards also beside in their houses great good cheere and welcome But in speciall a dutifull remembrance I owe to the memory of that sometimes judicious and religious Lord Arthuâ— late Lord Chichester Baron of Belfast c. Who in his time for Vertue Wisdome and Valour wore the Diademe of Love and Garland of true Noblenesse Of whom and for whose losse if I should more praise and longer lament my inke would turn to brinish teares and I to helplesse sorrow But leaving him who lived in goodnesse here and now in glorie for ever I celebrate these Lines to his eternall Fame If ever Bountie shin'd in loyall brest If ever Iudgment flow'd from generous mouth If ever Vice-roy rul'd this Kingdome best If ever Valour honour'd hopefull youth If ever Wisdome Astrea's worth possest If ever Vertue was inclin'd to ruth If ever Iustice enormities redrest If ever Patron paterne was of truth Then noble Chichester the Heavens assigne These gifts thy honour'd parts were truly thine And now after
being alone with Hazier the naturall Turke who was to attend mee feede mée and keepe me lying nightly a constrayned Centinell without the doore of my imprisonment hee demanded me for what Cause I was committed and what malefact I was guilty of to whom I answered onely for a naked suspition mistaking the honorable intention of the English Armado I am as a spy apprehended and falsly accused Where upon the silly Slaue falling downe on his knees held up his hands crying Hermano Hermano es mâ—y grand menester para tomar pacenza c. Brother Brother it is much needefull for you to take all in patience for it is impossible now you can escape some fearefull tryall and there upon a horrible punishment even unto death and alasse to relieve you if I durst as I dare not under death to discover you to your Countrey-men I would doe it upon my knees and leaving mee with a weeping goodnight hee made fast the doores and transported the keyes as he was directed The day following the Governour entred my Prison alone intreating mee to confesse I was a spy and hee would be my friend and procure my pardon neither should I lacke intirim any needefull thing But I still attesting my innocency hee wrathfully swore I should see his face no more till grievious torments should make me doe it and leauing mèe in a rage hee observed too well his condition But withall in my audience he commanded Areta that none should come neare mee except the slave nor no food should be giuen mee but three ounces of moosted browne bread every second day and a Fuleto or English Pint of water neither any bed pillow or coverlet to be allowed mee And close up said he this window in his roome with lime and stone stop the holes of the doore with double Matts hanging another locking to it and to withdraw all visible and sensible comfort from him let no tongue nor feete be heard neare him till I have my designes accomplished And thou Hazior I charge thee at thy incommings to have no conference with him nor at thy out goings abroad to discover him to the English Factors as thou wilt answere upon thy life and the highest torments can be devised These directions delivered and alas too accessary to me in the performance my roome was made a darke-drawn Dungeon my belly the anatomy of mercilesse hunger my comfortlesse hearing the receptacle of sounding Bells my eyes wanting light a loathsome languishing in dispaire and my ground lying body the woefull mirrour of misfortunes every houre wishing anothers comming every day the night and every night the morning And now being every second or third day attended with the twinckling of an eye and my sustenance agreeable to my attendance my body grew exceeding debile and infirme insomuch that the Gouernour after his answers received from Madrile made hast to put in execution his bloody and mercilesse purpose before Christmas Holy dayes lest the expiring of the twelfth day I should bee utterly famished and unable to undergoe my tryall without present perishing yet unknowne to me save onely in this knowledg that I was confined to die a fearefull and unacquainted death for it is a current custome with the Spaniard that if a stranger be apprehended upon any suspition he is never brought to open tryall and common Jaile but clapped up in a Dungeon and there tortured impoisoned or starved to death Such meritorious deeds accompany these onely titular Christians for the Spaniard accounteth it more to bee called a Christian then either to beleeve what hee professeth or to conforme himselfe to the life of Christianity yea I sparingly avouch it he is the worst and baddest creature of the christian name having no more Religion and lesse respective to devation then an externall presumptuous show which perfiteth this ancient Proverbe The Spaniard est bonus Catholicus sed malus Christianus In end by Gods permission the scourge of my fiery tryall opproaching upon the forty seventh day after my first imprisonment and five dayes before Christmas about two of clock in the morning I heard the noyse of a Coach in the fore streete marvelling much what it might meane Within a pretty while I heard the locks of my Prison-doore in opening whereupon bequeathing my soule to God I humbly implored his gracious mercie and pardon for my sinnes for neither in the former night nor this could I get any sleep such was the force of gnawing hunger and the portending heavinesse of my presaging soule Meanwhile the former nine Sergeants accompanied with the Scrivan entered the room without word speaking and carrying mee thence with irons and all on their armes through the house to the street they laid mee on my backe in the Coach where two of them sat up beside me the rest using great silence went softly along by the coach side Then Baptista the Coach-man an Indian Negro droving out at the Sea gate the way of the shoare side I was brought Westward almost a league from the Towne to a vine-pressehouse standing alone amongst Vineyards where they inclosed mee in a roome till day light for hither was the Racke brought the night before and privily placed in the end of a Trance And all this secresie was used that neither English French or Flemings should see or get any knowledge of my Tryall my grievous Tortures and dreadfull dispatch because of their trecherous and cruel proceedings At the breach of day the Governour Don Francisco and the Alcalde came forth in another Coach where when arrived and I invited to their presence I pleaded for a Trench-man being against their Law to accuse or condemne a stranger without a sufficient Interpreter The which they absolutely refused neither would they suffer or grant mee an Appellation to Madrid And now after long and new Examinations from morning to darke night they finding my first and second Confession so runne in one that the Governour swore I had learned the art of memory saying further is it possible hee can in such distresse and so long a time observe so strictly in every manner the points of his first Confession and I so often shifting him too and fro Well the Gouernours interrogation and my Confession being mutually subscribed He and Don Francesco besought mee earnestly to acknowledg and confesse my guiltinesse in time if not he would deliver me in the Alcaldes hands there present Saying moreover thou art as yet in my power and I may spare or pardon thee providing thou wilt confesse thy selfe a Spie and a Traytour against our Nation But finding mee stand fast to the marke of my spotlesse innocency he invective and malicious hee after many tremenduous threatnings commanded the Scrivan to draw up a Warrant for the chiefe Justice And done he set his hand to it and taking me by the hand delivered me and the Warâ—rant in the Alcalde Majors hands to cause mee bee Tortured broken and cruelly Tormented Whence being
Inundation of waters Rhodes takeâ— by Solyman Souldiers should be regarded and rewarded Mausolâ—os Tombe Pamphyliâ— and Lycia The description of Cyprus The six Cities of Cyprus Trohodos a huge Hill in Cyprus Comparison of Isles Cyprus replanted The Dukes of Savoy were Kings of Cyprus The Florentines attempted to conquer Cyprus A Sea combat Christian Runnagates The Citie of Tripolie 〈◊〉 The Cedars of Libaâ—us The Prince of Libaâ—â—â— Nâ—â—torians Ioshaes toâ—be The Biâ—â—â—p of Eden◠〈◊〉 Libaâ—â—â— The Nestorian Paradicâ— The Georgianâ— Parâ—dice The tree Moufâ—â—â— The â—belfain Paradice Violence of seas waters The Turcomans opinion of God and the Devill Antiochiâ—â—â— the first Christians Frustrate of Babylon Mesopotamia Beershack Mesopotamia A notable obedience The Bassaw of Aleppo beheaded Flying pigeon with letters Syria A Caravan of Armenians Pagan flattery Turks are called Musilmans Damascus is called Sbaâ—sma The antiquities of Damascus The â—orces of the Bassaes of Damascus Savage Arabian Robbers A dangerous way Arabia Peâ—â—ea The Town of Sarepta Iacobs Bridge Canaan greatly changed The Holy Land Cana in Galilee Caesarea Philippi A counterbuâ—â—et for Loretta Libidinous leachery A villanous plot A treacherouâ— Guide Tyrus is called Sur. The ruines of Tyrus Sampsons Pillar A corrupted Caravan Samaria The Savage Arabian King Exaction of tributes Two Arabian Kings Iacobs Well The Sea-port Towns of the Holy Land A dreadfull conflict The Town of Rhama Beersheba â— grievous anger A joyful harâ—ony A dear nights Supper A foolish Ceâ—emony Ierusalems antiquity The foure hils of Ierusalem The triumph of Titus The over throwers of Ierusalem The Garriso of Ierusalem A notable observation The Iewish Kings Dukes of Iewry The Machabean Princes Christian Kings of Ierusalem The ignorance of Travellers A superstitious ceremony A flattering beggery Calphas Lodging Pilats judgement Hall Abrahams faith Mount Sinay The Temple of Salomon thrice builded and destroyed Herods the Idumean Temple Selim Selymans Temple A Voyage to Iordan A fearfull danger The length of Sodoâ—s Lake The doubtfulnes of Iordans ending Wrong informations made The River Iordan A Turpentine Rod brought from Iordan and given to King Iames. The Pilgrims three severall habits in half an houre Two sorts of rare fruits Elizeus Fountain Where Chriâ—â— fasted forty days Dreadful danger in descending the Quarantaram Saint Ieromâ— Abbey Our tributes for the Holy Grave The Holy Grave The glorious Chappell of the Holy Grave The beauty of Mount Calvary Two famous Sepulchres Where Christ was nailed to the Crosse. Seven religiâ—ous Families An abominable Idolatry Damnable intolerable superstition The Knights of the Holy Grave Certain 〈◊〉 of Monuments 〈◊〉 The burialâ— place of the Kings and Queens of Israel The lying vâ—lany of a Rogish Greek Saint Iohn the Baptists Cave Chriâ—â—s Crib at Bethleem Admirable dust Solomons Fish ponds The Town of Bethleem King Davids Palace Acaldema Ponto Nâ—hemia Brook Cedron Lazarus Tombe in â—ythania Mount Oliveâ— and the places of note thereof Sacred and singular Tombes Greedy and â—â—attering Friers The Authors good night to Ierusalem Kind Iews to us Fraâ—ks The ancient City of Gaza Burning Sands Wild Arabs selling water â—rievous and desertâ—ous travelling Savage women having their Child-bed in Caves The deaâ—h three German Gentlemen The third Castle of the Desarts The bounds of the three Arabians The scurrile Arabian Desarts The nature of Camels Dromidores Indian Spices much weakned Two seasons of riping grain in Egypt The last three Germans death in Cayre A fâ—vourable Turkish iudgâ—ment Gods provident mercies The great City of Grâ—nd Cayre The length of great Cayre the bounds thereof Divers Nations residing in Câ—yre The Egyptian decorements The Egytian Christians The 〈◊〉 Religion The nature of the Egyptâ—aâ— Moores The Garden of Balsamo The Pyramide of Aegypt The greatest Pyramide of the three The charges of the greatest Pyramide A resolute Venetian Merchant The killing of a great Crocodile The true knowledge of the flowing Nylus Many Schollers mistaken about Nylus The reason of the flowing of Nylus The Isle of Delta The confines of Egypt The alteration of Egypt The revenues of Egypt The Town of Alexandria The four Patriarchal Seas The fabulouâ— Country of Cyrene Fourâ— French Pilgrimes dead Flying fish A joyfull arrivall in Malta The Isle of Malta An invincible victory The nature of the Maltezes A Moorish Brigantine An happy arrivall The Ligurian Alpe A happy escape from murder A guard of Horsmen for a dangerous Wood. The necessiry use and honor of travels The Authors Apologie Weiste taken by Spinola The fabulous miracles of Culloin A forged miâ—acle A woman fasting fourteen years The Lake of Geneve and the River Rhone The first beginning of the Dukes of Savoy A comfortable crosse Consenza is Calabria The liberty of Bandits in Calabria Greek Albaneses fled to Calabria Two young Barons killed at combat A London ship called the Mattheâ— The divers plantations of Carthage The marine Provinces twixt Tunneis and Algier A English Pyrat Captain Ward Tremizen in Barbary The town of Tremizen decayed with Wars The thiâ—vish towne of Algier A naturall sublime policie The Barbarian Provinces twixt Egypt and Gibelterre The triall of Moorish Brides Monsieur Chatteline a French Lapidator My arrivall at Fez. Great Colledges and Hospitals The beauty and greatâ—â—sse of Fez. Poets among Barbarians in great request Heragens or Ethiopian Negroes Chatteline the French Lapidator fallen sick The tribe of the Hagans or Iamnites The wilde beasts of the Lybiâ—n Desarts The Prince 〈◊〉 the Sabunâ—ks apparell Moorish Smiths forging horsshoos out of cold Iron without fire but the â—eat of the Sun The Beglerâ—begship of Baâ—â—bary â—he hatching of Chickens without their mothers Captain Dansers employment The untimely death of Captain Danser a Fleming born The formall oath of the Knights of Malta The first denominations of Sicilia The fertility of Sicilia Towns set on heights reserve good ayre The ancient divisions of Sicilia Sicilians are brave Orators The great Counsell of Sicilia The Duke of Sona Vice-roy of Sicilia An equitable Justice for injusticesake My second view of Aetna The lowest and third 〈◊〉 of Aeâ—â—â— The combuâ—tious devalâ—ing of Aetâ—aes fire Palermo The famous City of Syracusa Trapundy The Sicilian tyrants A true compâ—rison betweeâ— the French â— the Spaniard The Sicilian customes My arrivall at Messina The death of Sir Francis Verney A comparison of irrepugnable streams A boyling Fountain in the Isle of Isha The antiquities of Putzolo The old dining room of Sybillâ— The ancient varieties of the antiquities of Putzolo The Master of a Scots ship distressed by evill misfortune The dangerous Dogs Cave neer unto Putzolo Great poverty under grâ—â—t titles The false and arrogant titles of the Pope A tract of beastly Popes and cruell villains Three severall Popes living at one time The Papists may looke here upon devillish Popes A false canoâ—ized Saint Ravenna the chief City of Româ—nia Vienna in Austria no way answerable to common fame The specialiâ— townes of Hungary The forces of the Bassa of Bâ—da Hungary is a most fertile and fruitfull soyle The first plantation of Hungary The infinite riches of Hungary A joyfull deliverance from a desperate thraldome The Tartars are mightie oppressors of Podolia in Polland A love not worthy things The Count of Tornâ— fled from Prage to Poland This Sigismond King of Poland did marry two sisters of Ferdinandos now Emperour Poland is the Nurse of Scotlands younglins Certaine approved reasons The matchlesse Lord of Chichester for vertue wisdome and valour The foure Provinces of Ireland The ignorant and sluggish life of the common Irish A foolish and superstitious errour Two intolerable abuses in Ireland The filthy corruption of Irish Priests and Wood-Carns thievish Rebels A bad uncivill Husbandry in Ireland Northerne Irish woman giving suck to their Babes behinde their shoulders The length of Ireland The manner of the Country The nature of the people An Ecclesiastick corruption in unlawfull Preachers A flattering covenant twixt Ministers and Masse Priests Ministeriall officer strangely abused My departure from Ireland to France The fantastick foolery of the French Certain caveats for strangers that goe to France Biscay in Spain is a fertile Country A lying miracle A damnable delusion of a devillish miracle The kingdom of Portugale The palace of Escuriall Escurial is rather a Monastery then Palace It is miserable travelling in Spain The long captivity of the Spaniards under the Mâ—res Naked condition conferred upon poore Toledo Malaga affrighted with the English â—leet A sad request to a mercilesse Governour His Majesties Letters and Seals misregarded An injust robbery by unjust Judges A miserable and helplesse Lamentation The mourning of Hazior a Turkish slave A speedie â— expedition for a mercilesse mischiefe My transportation from prison to the fields to be racked A stranger ought not to be accuâ—ed with strangeers without an Interpreter A mercilesse huâ—t before they begun to rack me The hams and lids of my knees were both broken O cruell and inhumane murder Heere begun my maine tortures The manneâ— how my body was first fastned to the Rack before my tortures were inflicted A cruelty beyond crueltâ—es A hellish anâ— insupportable pain A lamentable remembrance of inhumaâ—e crueltie A dreadful affrighting for 〈◊〉 to tures Alas too goâ— newâ— not to have beene true No pain so grievous as a lame man to be still tormented with gnawing vermine A politick enquiry of a damnable inquisition A damnable Inquisitor applying â—alse attributes to our blessed Lady A Sycophanticall Oration from a jugling Jebusite The fury of a mad Inquisitor to have almost slaine mee The Romish Church falls short of true antiquity universality and uniformâ—â—â—â— The Jesuits last allurements for my conversion to their sect A Condeâ—natory Sentence to death by the Inquisition A Turkish slaves charity in the bowels of compassion The deceitfulnesse of female inconstancies An impatient mind in trouble is a triple torture Gods greaâ— mercy in 〈◊〉 first discorâ—â— by a strangâ—â— These are the English Factors which first wrought my reliefe I dâ—rst not stay a shoare for feare of the Inquiâ—ition The strait of Giâ—â—lterre five leagues broad A false promise unperformed A single combat 〈◊〉 a Spanish 〈◊〉 and a Scoâ—â—â—sh trâ—vaâ—ler A falce aspertion layd on me by Papists Incompatible griefe without deserved reliefe A direction for Certificats by the Lord Keeper The Nobility and commodities of Galloway excell in goodnesse
refused to come ashoare there for that was the first impression of their false conceived jealousie Next hee asked mee if I knew his name and the other Captains and what their names were and what their intention was or if I had knowne of their comming abroad or preparation for it before my departure from England The Scrivan writing downe mean-while every word hee spoke and what I answered well to all the former particulars giving condigne satisfaction and to the last denying that I knew of the forth comming of the Fleet they all foure gave a shout in the contrary Whereupon the Governour swearing cursed and said Thou lyest like a Villain thou art a Spie and a Traytor and camest directly from England of purpose to Spaine and hath beene lying nine moneths in Sivilia getting sure intelligence when the Spanish Navy was looked for from the Indies and that thou expresly here came to meete with the English Armado knowing of their drift to give them credible knowledge thereof And that by thy information they might the more readily compasse their ends and thus thy treachery and subtilty hath been imployed Whereat I being astonished and seriously answering for the intention of the English Fleet and my owne innocencie concerning them Hee threatning said I was seene familiar a Board and a shoare with the whole Captaines and knowne to be of their speciall acquaintance besides three hundred other Gentlemen and Mariners with whom and they with thee were so inward that it far exceeded the kindnesse of accidentall meeting All this wee saw and hourely remarked said hee and thou art newly come from the Generall when thou wast taken where consulting with their Connsell of Warre this morning concerning what they assigned thee to accomplish thou hast delivered thy opinion and the expectation of Sivilia touching the return of his Majesties Armado di Plato and therefore thou art a Spiono a Traytour and a scelerate Velacco for wee are not ignorant said he of the burning of Saint Thome in the West Indies for there and then wee had a certaine evidence of the English infidelitie and treacherous exploits in time of Peace Wherefore these Lutherans and sonnes of the Devill ought not from us good Catholicks to receive no credit Whereupon I besought him to send for some sufficient English Factors there sojourning who would testifie the contrary in my behalfe their Countrey and their Fleete but that hee would not for my being discovered At last seeing his damnable opinion and to cleare my selfe of such false imputations I requested him to send a Sergeant to my Possado or lodging for my Cloakbag where he should see a more evident Testimony of my carriage and honest purpose and thereupon the approbation of my Prince This demaund liked him well thinking thereby to finde out all the secrets and practise of my Negotiation with the English Fleete Whereupon forthwith and with close Circumspection he had it brought unto him my hostage House not knowing where I was The Cloakbag I opened my selfe and showing him his Majesties Letters in parchment and under his Hand and Seale dated at Theobals 1619. Iuly 17 and compiled and wrot by Mr. Thomas Read then secretary for the Latin Tongue done in my behalfe and my intended Resolution for Aethiopia the Kings safe Conduct hee mis-regarded giving it neither respect nor trust After which I show'd him divers patents Seales and the great seale of Ierusalem Pasports and my Booke of armes called Liber amicorum wherein I had the hand writs and armes of sundry Kings Dukes Princes Vice Royes Marquesses Earles Lords and Governors c. done in Prose and Verse in Greeke Latine or their maternall tongues being as propitious pledges of their favour in commendation of mee and of my Travailes But all these would not satisfie him nay rather confirming a greater jealousie of his former suspition whereupon misconstruing all they seased absolutely upon my Cloak-bag viewing and detaining all I had at their pleasure including me the third time This done and within night being Represented againe the Governour commanding me to subscribe my Confession which I voluntarily obeyed though they still urged me further and further to confesse Meane while these foure Complices consulting about my Imprisonment the Aleade or chief Justice would have had me along with him to the Towne Jayle but the Corrigidor refused saying Para non star visto con sus Pesanos that hee may not bee seene by his Country-men it behoveth me to have a care of his concealment and I warrant you said hee I â—hall lodge him well enough Upon the knowledge of this that I was secretly to be incarcerate in the governours Palace entered the Mr. Sergeant and begged my money and Licence to search for it and liberty granted he found in my pockets eleveâ— Philippoes or ducatons and then uncloathing me befâ—re their eyes even to my shirt and searching my breeches he found in my Doublet necke fast shut between two Canvesses one hundred thirty seven double peeces of gold Whereat the Corrigidor arose and couuting my gold being five hundred forty eight Ducats he said to the Sergant cloath him againe and inclosed him there in the Cabinet till after supper meanewhile the Sergeant got the eleven duccatons of Silver and my gold which was to carrie me for Aethiopia the Governour seased upon giving afterwards two hundred Crowns of it to supply the new laid foundation of a Capuschine monastery there reserving the rest being 348 duccats for his own avaritious ends Whereupon beholding my inevitable misery and such monster-made irons my sighing soule replyed thus Alas Sergant and you two Slaves remarke in mee the iust Iudgments of god and loe how the Heavens have reducted mee to this meritorious reward and truely deserved for I have dearely and truely bought it that I whose leggs and feete the whole universe could scarcely containe now these bolts and irons keepe then fast in a body length of a stonepaved Floore O foolish pride O suppressing ambition and vaporous curiosity woe worth the fury of your aspiring vanities you have taken mee over the face of the earth and now left mee in a Dungeon hole My soule O my soule is leager unto this prouerbe Man proposeth and God disposeth O happâ—had I beene thrice happy in a Shepehards life Thus and more lamenting the destiny of nature they left mee with solacious words and straight returned againe with victuals being a pound of boild Mutton a wheat bread and a small pint of Wine which was the first the best and the last of this kinde that ever I got in that woefull Mansion The Sergeant leaving me never seeing him more till a more unwelcome sight hee directed the Slaues that after I had contented my discontented appetite they should lock the doore and carry the keyes to Areta a Spaniard and keeper of the silver plate A little while after hee was gone the other drudge left me also who was newly turned Christian where