commonly peculiar Turrets something elevated from the rest in which when they go abroad they secure their Wives who to pass the time with more content from thence have a full Survey of the whole City Of the seven hundred Mosques there The Churches above half a hundred are very spacious and of great Reception and stately built on Marble Pillars mingled with Stone Fountains on the Tops They are built after the manner of our Churches in Europe vaulted with Wooden Arches but the Floors are cover'd with matted Rush so close and neatly joyn'd together that the Seams can hardly be seen nor any dust come through And the Walls also in the same manner matted above six foot high The most Eminent Mosque in this City The chief Church is call'd Karuven which Gramay says is half a Mile in Compass with thirty Porticoes every one of an extraordinary Heighth and Breadth with a Roof of an hundred and fifty Cubits long and eighty Cubits broad The Tower or Steeple of it whence they daily cry aloud and set up certain Flags to give notice to call the people to the Sala or their Divine Service is exceeding high and being built not Square but Quadrangular Oblongo stands supported in Breadth with twenty and in Length with thirty Marble Pillars under which are always above four hundred Vessels of Water to wash in before Prayers Round about stand several Cloisters each of forty Cubits in Length and thirty in Breadth wherein all sorts of Church Utensils as Oyl Lamps and Mats are kept There are in that Church above nine hundred Arches with Marble Pillars at each of which hangs a lighted Lamp About a Mile from hence lieth New-Fez a glorious Structure New-Fez built by one Jacob son of the First Abdullach of the Marine Family in a rich and delightful Plain one Arm of the River on the Northside runs into the City and the other makes its Entry on the Southside taking a view of the Castle and the Colledge of King Abuhinam who nam'd it The White City but the common People New-Fez Founded at the first onely to be the nearer to the King of Telesin who at the beginning of his Reign had been his great Enemy He divided it into three parts the first allotted to be the Kings Palace It was divided into three Parts and a Residence for the Children and Brothers of the King wherein were contained many Gardens stately Mosques and Chambers for Accounts and Receipts of the Revenue Round about were Mansions for Artificers in the midst Dwellings for Receivers Treasurers Labourers Notaries Accomptants and Secretaries Near the Treasury-Chamber was the Goldsmiths Row and other Conveniences for the Assay-Master and Master of the Mint The second Part he set out for a Palace for his Courtiers Officers and chief Men contain'd within a Line of Fifteen hundred Paces from East to West and adjoyning to a Market set round about with Shops of Merchants and Artificers The third Part was at first the Quarters of the Kings Life-Guard but now is for the most part Inhabited by Jews and Goldsmiths This New City hath no fewer Mosques Baths and Colledges than the Old Here is an ingenious Water-Work the Invention of a Spaniard having many great Wheeles each of which turn but once round in four and twenty Hours and convey Water out of the River into Cisterns from whence again through Leaden-Pipes the Palaces Gardens Mosques Baths and Colledges are all plentifully served This City was brought to full Perfection in an Hundred and forty Years being environ'd with strong Walls and accommodated with Conveniences and Ornaments fit for a City except the fore-mentioned Water-Work which it had not of divers Years after being only contented with Water brought thither from a Spring ten Miles distant through Pipes by the contrivance of a Genoese ¶ THe Mountains of this Province are Zalagh Zarhon Tagat and Gereygure Zalagh somewhat more than half a Mile distant from Fez Northward The Mountains of Fez. beginneth on the East-side of the River Subu and extending four Miles Westward on which is scituate Lampte a fair Town supposed by Marmol to be the Bobrise of Ptolomy Zarhou call'd by the Inhabitants Zarahanum appearing first in the Plains of Eceis or Aseis three Miles from Fez and stretching eight Miles Westward It is properly under the Jurisdiction of Mequinez and contains forty Hamlets or Villages lying among the Green Olive-Trees wherewith it is every where abundantly shadowed Titulit standing on the top of it was formerly the Chief City of this Territory two Miles in Compass but by King Joseph of the Race of the Almoraviden utterly destroyed and hath ever since remain'd waste only that fifteen or twenty Alsakues or Priests reside there in so many Houses standing about the Mosque Some report there yet remains a City commonly call'd Elkazar-Pharon that is Pharaoh's Palace but by Geographers Kazar Zarahanum being three Miles from Titulit with a small River on each side and shadowed round about with Groves of Olive This City was ruined the same time with Titulit there being at present no other Remainder of it but a Market-place call'd Larbaa el Haibar frequented every Wednesday by the People of Fez and Mequinez But Dar el Hamare which Marmol thinks is The Epitiane of Ptolomy stands here yet without any injury and well Peopl'd though the Inhabitants are mightily terrifi'd with Lions coming thither frequently to seek Prey At the Foot of this Mountain near the way from Mequinez to Fez appear the Ruines of Gemae formerly call'd Gotiane destroyed by King Abu-saiid of the Benimerin Race Tagat or Togat two Miles West from Fez and extending from West to East two Miles as far as the River Bu Nacer Guerygure is very populous close to Atlas three Miles from Fez between the Plains of Eceis and Adhasen Here rises the Head of the River Aguber that after a short Western Course joyns with the Stream Beber ¶ IN this Province also six Miles from Fez lie the Plains of Eceis or Aseis full of Villages and Inhabitants and Beniguarten Vale containing about two hundred Residences of the Arabs This Jurisdiction produceth great abundance of Grain The Quality of the Soil of the Territory of Fez. Cotton and Flax even to admiration as also variety of Fruits especially Figs Almonds Olives and large Grapes Horses Camels Oxen Sheep Goats Deer and Hares breed here in great numbers But this Plenty of all Necessaries is attended with a great Inconvenience for the Air of the Countrey ten Miles in Length and five in Breadth Westward from Old Fez is infectious and unhealthful causing in the Inhabitants a pale yellow Colour and casting them into malignant and other mortal Diseases The whole Countrey is full of Gardens wherein grows Flax Melons Citrons Beets Herbs and all sorts of such Plants in such vaste quantities that it is said that the Gardeners in Summer bring five thousand Waggons with Fruit and Herbs to Market and
of the Spaniards that one Muey Xek Governour of it surrendred it into the hands of the Marquess of St. Germain Generall of the King's Army ¶ A Great Morass spreads it self about it The Quality of the Place abounding both with Fish and Fowl and in the adjacent Woods are some Lyons The Countrey about Larache being Barren and Waste yields nothing but Cotton-Trees and Coal-Mines both affording sufficient Profit especially the last carrying them to Tangier and Arzille The Haven much frequented by Spanish and Italian Merchants is but a wild Road granting but small security to such as know not the safest Ridings The City prides it self in divers stately Erections of Stone encompassed with a strong Wall and defended by three large Castles It hath three Castles One of which since the Conquest of the City by the Spaniards is called by the name of S. Mary the second lying at the Mouth of the River St. Anthony and the third also dedicated to another Saint The Moors before the Spaniards possessed it maintained there a Garrison and the Spaniards at this time doe the same The Fort St. Mary hath a broad Graff and Bulwark to be entred at three Iron-Gates being maintained with sixty Brass and Iron Pieces of Ordnance In St. Anthony's Fort are planted thirty Pieces of Brass Cannon well supplied with all sorts of Ammunition The Spaniards have made up the Works about both the City and Castles esteeming it a place of very great Consequence for shelter and preservation of his Fleet having much improved the Haven Near to this lies the Mountainous People and Arabians In this very Territory appears also on the Sea-Coast the City Moximar Elgiumha according to Marmol Gemaa el Carvax a small City in a Plain thirty Miles from Fez at this day wholly Waste Kasar el Kabir or Alkazar el Quibir which signifies a large Border stands on the River Lakkus ten Miles from Arzylle containing near fifteen hundred Houses with many Mosques There were here several Cities of note all which lie buried in their own Ruines by the cruelty of the Wars ¶ THe Air of this Province is so pleasant and healthy The Condition and Constution of Azgar that the Kings of Fez in the Spring take their Progress thither not onely for their Refreshment but for their Game the Place yielding Field-Sports Hunting and Hawking From hence also Fez is furnished with Cattel and Horses The Soyl about the City Elgiumha and Kasar Elkabir yields great store of Grain Larache altogether barren abounds onely with Cotton and Fish two Miles in Circuit The City Kasar Elkabir boasts onely of curious Gardens and Orchards Planted with all variety of delicate Fruits but wants Springs so that the Citizens have no Water but what Dreyns from the Roofs of the Houses which in Barbary seems strange ¶ THe Inhabitants of this Territory commonly go neatly Clad The Customs of the Inhabitants but those of Kasar Elkabir wear onely Cotton-Garments in general they are a Mild and Quiet People rather Simple than Ingenious HABAT or EL HABAT HAbat The Borders of Habat or El Habat begins Southward at the River Guarga or Erguila and runs Northward to the Midland Sea bounded on the East with the Mountains of Gomere called Errif on the West with the Marishes of Agar being Twenty Miles long and Seventeen broad Towns on the Shore of the Atlantick Ocean are Taximus Arzylle Taximus then Arzille formerly called Zilia and by the Inhabitants Azella built by the Romans towards the West about Fourten Miles from the Mouth of the Straits and Forty Miles from Fez. This City was for some time subject to the Prince of Septa It s several Overthrows or Ceuta a Tributary to the Romans but afterwards subdued by the Goths which were driven out by the Mahometans who possessed it Two hundred and twenty years when the English took it by Storm and utterly wasted it by Fire and Sword so that Thirty years after it lay desolate but at length Repaired and Peopled by the Mahumetan Patriarch of Cordua It was vanquished by the Portugals But Alphonsus King of Portugal who for his eminent Atchievements in these Parts as a second Scipio gat the Surname of Africanus on a sudden surprised it and took Prisoners not onely all the Souldiery but also the King himself with his Sister about Seven years of Age whom he brought Captive to Portugal where they remained Seven years and then redeemed for a great sum of Money ARZYLLA of ARGILLE The CITTY of TANGER The Cape of Spartelli by the Spaniards called Cabo Esparta The Cape of Spartelli and by some taken for the Cottes of Pliny lieth between Arzille and Tangier shooting far into the Sea and the very Point guarded with a Rock On the Shore of the Great Ocean near the Straits of Gibraltar Tangier in the heighth of three and twenty Degrees and forty Minutes North Latitude stands the ancient City Tangier formerly Tingis by the Portugals Tanjar and by the Barbarians according to Strabo Tinga in the time of the Romans the Metropolis of Mauritania Tingitana It s Building and by them builded after the Conquest of Spain although the African Historiographers falsly attribute it to one Sedded Son of Had who they say was Emperour of the whole World Their Story is this That the Emperour having resolved to build a City of no less beauty then an Earthly Paradise he first encompassed it with Brazen-Walls and then covered the Roofs of the Houses with Gold and Silver which say they was not impossible for him to do in regard all the Cities in the World contributed to its building But to leave their fancies and return to the truth the History It stood while the Romans Lorded over Spain subjected to the Prince of Ceuta as we said before and continued very populous till the time of Alphonsus the Fifth King of Portugal who in the year Fourteen hundred sixty three making his third Expedition into Africa with thirty thousand Men easily became Master of the Place the Inhabitants terrified at his Power leaving it and with their chief Moveables flying to Fez. His Father King Edward in the year Fourteen hundred thirty and three had worn out his time fruitlesly in the African Wars and beleaguering of this City for he was compelled to break up the Siege and leave his Brother Ferdinand as a Pledge in the hands of Aben Sala the Emperour of Barbary till Septa should be re-delivered But the State of Portugal esteeming it dishonourable easily to surrender a place of such consequence took no notice of Ferdinand who continued there seven years in a miserable Captivity During this time they got also Tangier which with great expence and trouble having kept divers years at length finding the charge of defence to exceed the profit they absolutely assigned over their interest to our gracious Soveraign CHARLES the Second King of England Scotland France and Ireland in part
thing that is offensive Indeed it is true that there be several Slaves of the Divan appointed to take care to keep them cleanly besides the Turks have this peculiar to them of being very neat in their Houses Besides those above-nam'd there be six others of considerable bigness which they call Bagna's which are the Prisons in which they keep up the Christian Slaves He that would make a near compute of all the Houses of Algier shall finde at least Fifteen thousand which are as I said before all very close and sometimes contain in one of them five or six Families Many have affirmed Number of Houses and Inhabitants that this City containeth an hundred thousand Inhabitants accounting Natural Turks Moors Janizaries Slaves and Jews Of these last there may be about nine or ten thousand to whom it is permitted to have their Synagogues and a free Exercise of their Religion And yet for all that they are no better used there than in all the Parts of Christendom For besides the Imposts charged upon them it 's permitted to every one yea and to the Christians themselves to offer them a thousand Affronts They are distinguish'd from other men by a Bonnet which they are oblig'd to wear and which ought to be black as also all the rest of their Clothes The Circuit of the City is about by the Walls The Compast three thousand four hundred Paces in which Inclosure there are sundry Mosques in which they make their Sala the principal of which is that which stands along by Yessall near to the Sea which they call The Great Mosque although it have not in it any thing remarkable more than the rest As to Inns they have none amongst them No Inns. so that the Turks and the Moors which come thither must of necessity lodge with some one of their Acquaintance But if there come thither any Free Christians or Merchants they cannot take Lodgings in the Houses of Turks but in those of the Jews they may who have their Quarters assign'd them apart in the City and amongst whom there be always some which keep Chambers to that purpose unless that such Merchants to be the more private do chuse rather to take an House in the City which is permitted them to do in what Quarter they like best But in stead of these Inns But Taverns and by whom they are kept there are a great number of Taverns and Tippling Houses which are not lawful to be kept by any save Christian Captives In these are ordinarily sold Bread Wine and Victuals of all kinds Thither flock the Turks and Renegates of all sorts there to make their Debauches And although the use of Wine be very strictly forbidden them by their Law yet they do not in the least scruple to violate it and there do very few Evenings pass in which you shall not see some one or more of them drunk who carry themselves to such Christians as they meet in that humor with insolence and often strike and most commonly wound them There are usually six Gates open and others shut The first is that of Babason which is towards the East In its Suburbs which is very small are wont to lodge the Merchant Moors and Arabs which bring Provisions to the City It was on this side that Charles the Fifth batter'd and besieg'd it There they put the Turks to death and you at all times see one or other that is there empal'd or gauched as they call it and set upon the Walls as we shall shew more at large by and by The second which they call Porto-novo is of the same side by which one passeth to Castello del Imperador The third is the Gate of the Alcassaw so call'd for that it is near unto that Palace which is as it were the Arcenal and Magazine wherein they keep all their Ammunition of War The fourth is that call'd Babalowetta which looks towards the West Before this Gate there is a place which these Barbarians have appointed for the putting of Christians to death many of which have and still do there receive the Crown of Martyrdom chusing rather to suffer all imaginable Torments than to renounce the Profession of the true God to embrace the Impieties of Mahomet And this is the onely place of the City where they are put to death Without this Gate is the Turks Cemetery or Burying-place which is about a League in Compass at the end of which inclining towards the Sea is that of the Jews and fast by that of the Christians which the Sea doth often wash with its Waves The fifth is the Porta della Mole so call'd for that it looks directly upon it This Mole is a great Mass of Stones in the Form of an Half-Moon the Breadth is about six or seven Paces and its Length above three hundred This egregious Structure giveth shape to the Port where there are usually above an hundred Vessels for Piracy and others It is so unsecure in Autumn and Winter by reason of an East and by North Winde that in the Year One thousand six hundred and nineteen there were twenty five Vessels rackt in one day This is also call'd the Porta della Dogana because that there the Customs are wont to be paid The sixth and last Gate is towards the Sea-side directly opposite to the Arsenal of the Shipping and is call'd in la Lingua Franca La Porta della Piscaderia Where it is to be noted that in some of these Gates there be always three or four Turks for a Guard with great staffs in their hands which they do not seldom lay upon the shoulders of the poor Slaves when they pass that way which they most commonly do in sport but out of a malicious fancy There are reckon'd at this day above an hundred Fountains in the City of Algier that have been erected within this twenty five years onely whereas before they had none but Cisterns A Morisco nam'd Padron Moussa of the Race of those who were expell'd Spain in the Year One thousand six hundred and ten and One thousand six hundred and eleven did make them by means of an Aquaeduct which was brought two Leagues from without the City 'T is easie to believe that this Work cost much Sweat and Toil to the poor Christian Slaves that wrought in the same without intermission during the most violent Heats as they daily do now in making the Mole of the Port. The Walls of the City are reasonable good part of Brick The Walls and part of Stone with square Towers and certain Bastions of which the best are towards the Babason Gate where there be deep Trenches and towards the Sea-side the Wall stands upon a Rock against which the Waves beat I come next to the Fortresses of the City which are a considerable number all built regularly according to the Art of Modern Fortifications ¶ THe first is on the East-side flanked at the top of a Mountain The Fortresses from
Ruines of divers Castles built by the Romans as appears by the Latin Inscriptions insculpt on Marble From hence also was the fresh Water brought through Arches and Conduits to Carthage some whereof are yet to be seen Guislet three miles from Kairavan shews also some antient Remainders of Roman Edifices Gramay gives to this Kingdom six Sea-coast Provinces viz. Utica The dividing of the Kingdom of Tunis or Bizerta Carthage or Gouletta Sousa Africa Capis and Tripolis and three to the Inland to wit Caravan Beggie and another partly lying in Numidia and partly in Lybia But as Utica Tripolis and Capis being rent from it are become particular Dominions independent of it we may justly enough divide it into four shares by the Sea and four to the In-land those that front the Sea are Carthage or Gouletta Bizerta Sousa and Africa and the In-land Kairavan Urbs Beggie and the Countrey half Numidia and half Lybia The City Tunis THis City was known to the Greeks and Romans by the same Name The several Names as by its distance of three miles from Carthage Titus Livius declares Strabo and Pliny call it Tynis or Tunis and Ptolomy Themise some will have it but without any reason to be Tenissum lying by the Numidian Sea which in truth stands thirty miles from it Others stray as wide from the mark making Tunis and Carthage to be one and the same place The Italians call it Tunisi and Tunis the English French and Dutch Tunus or Tunis and the Arabians Turks and Moors Tunus ¶ IT lieth upon an Inlet of the Lake Gouletta The Scituation three miles to the North of the antient Carthage and two miles from the Mediterranean Sea surrounded on the South with high Mountains The form of it is an Oblong-square and in bigness about a small mile in compass though Gramay enlarge it to three and others to five Spanish mile environed with a Wall of forty Cubits high strengthened with many Turrets before the last Assault made upon it by the Turks there were many Bulwarks and Forts but most of them are since slighted ¶ THe principal Gates in the Arabick Tongue call'd Bab are five viz. The Gates Bab Vasouque Bab Carthago Bab Elbaar Bab Asseire and Bab Efmenar besides several other Posterns Formerly they reckoned herein eighteen eminent Streets besides divers Lanes all very narrow sixteen Markets three hundred and fifteen Mosques and twelve Christian Churches besides in the Suburbs eight Jewish Synagogues four and twenty Hermits Chappels a hundred and fifty Bathes eighty six Schools nine endowed Colledges sixty four Hospitals or Inns for Travellers and Strangers and above three thousand Shops wherein in were sold Woollen and Linnen Cloth of all which at present there are but few remains ¶ THere are seven Prisons The Prisons where they shut up Christian Slaves call'd in French Bagnes or Bafios viz. the Bayne of Issouf Dey the Bayne of Morat Bey the Bayne of the Patron another of Solyman a fifth of Sidi Mamet the sixth of the Bassa of Tripolis and lastly that of Sigale ¶ Among all the Edifices of the City The Palace the Palace is the most eminent where the Bassa keeps his Court beautifi'd with four stately Portico's several Towers a pleasant square Court fair and delightful Gardens and magnificent Cloisters Chambers and Halls but above all the Treasury-Chamber is costly wherein the King formerly kept the Book of their Teacher Elmuachdin or Elmohadian of which they boasted as the onely Reconciler of all Differences rising about their Law There stands also a Castle on the West side of the City upon a Mount as also a great Mosque call'd Ameth Benaros built by King Zacharias to the Honor of one of their Santons serving for a Refuge or Sanctuary for Offenders and had a Tower that was held the most famous in all Africa There is also a Quarter for the Janizaries a Burse or Exchange for Merchants and a Custom-house The other Buildings of most remark are the Palaces of Aga Sidi la Fes of Sidi Mahometa Milanoys of Sidi Jucip Rais and many others ¶ THe Citizens Houses The Houses Gramay and Sanutus say amounted formerly to ten thousand but much increas'd by the Moors that were driven out of Spain and settling here have fill'd it with all sorts of Artificers and Handicrafts by which means it is full of Trade and will compare with many of our best Cities in Europe The Houses were heretofore built very artificially with all sorts of Imagery wrought both in Stone and Plaister and curiously painted the Floor of the Chambers pav'd with smooth and shining Stones the Roofs flat but most of them onely one Story high This was its Antient Beauty But at present they are slightly built generally having two Doors or Gates one to the Street and another to the backward places between which they have a small Gallery chiefly us'd as an Apartment for Friends that come to visit them In the Year Fifteen hundred and twenty Suburbs Gram 8. b. 1. H. there were three Suburbs one without the Gate Bedsuvaike containing about three hundred Houses another without the Gate Bebelmanora shewing a thousand Habitations of Tradesmen and the third without the Gate of Beb-el Bachar a quarter of a mile from the Lake Golette having three hundred low and small Houses wherein the Venetians Genoueses and other Christians reside that they may not intermingle with the Moors But now there are onely two one on the West towards Biserta very fair and large the other on the East towards Sousa Without the City are the Burying-Grounds of the Turks wherein are many Marble Monuments and great variety of curious Flowers ¶ THis City hath neither Wells The Water Rivers nor Springs of fresh Water but only Cisterns wherein they Catch the Rain-water 'T is true there is one Well sometimes affording pleasant Water but with great diligence kept for the Vice-roy and his Family But some years since Issouf Dey brought Water thither from a Fountain a mile without the City through a stone Channel or arch'd Sewer appointing for the maintenance thereof two Escues yearly In the Suburbs there is a Well of Brackish-Water which the Slaves bring to the City and sell making thereof good profit the People accounting it much wholesomer than the Rain-water in the Cisterns ¶ ANani says The Soyl on the West side is reasonably Fertile The Soyl. having some Rivers to water it But on the East side for want of Water very little worth But Peter Dan avers that on the South-side where it lies surrounded with Mountains it hath very Fruitful-Valleys but in all the other Parts very Dry and Sandy Gramay and Sanutus report that close by the Ground is so Dry that it had need be continually watered This want of Water together with the frequent Incursions of the Alarbes makes the Corn at Tunis very dear The People in the Suburbs being necessitated to Wall in little Spots of Ground
many other Vice-Roys under him as of Bursalo Jaloffo and Bersetti who commanded the Kingdoms of Boloquo Bintao and Hondigu but now these have taken the Title of Kings and regard this Mandimansa little or nothing every one governing his Countrey with full Power without acknowledging him or any other for their Superior The Mandingians were antiently altogether given up to the Delusions of the Devil worshipping Stocks and Stones and keeping among them many Sorcerers South-sayers and Witches nor have they yet detested those old and wicked Customs but of late years Mahumetanism hath much prevail'd among them brought first thither by the trading Moors and Turks and since increased by the Natives who went to serve in Forreign Wars The chief Bexerin or High-Priest hath his Residence in the chief City of the Kingdom and deeply skill'd in Necromantick Arts wherein he hath instructed the King of Bena who makes great advantage thereof in revenging himself of his Enemies whom he variously torments as his malice or necessity incites him BENA and SOUSOS THe Kingdom of Bena and Sousos The Kingdom of Bena and Sousos deriving its Name from the Inhabitants of its principal Town which is named Sousos stands scituate about nine days Journey from the Way that leads to the Kingom of Torra and Serre-Lions but more Northerly of those and Southerly from Mandinga ¶ THis Countrey is very Hilly and Mountainous The Nature of the Countrey all whose sides are plentifully furnish'd with shady Groves of green-leaved Trees and here and there scattered some Valleys veined with cleer and purling Brooks From the colour of the Earth in the Mountain they conjecture that the Iron Mines inclosed within their bowels are of finer Ore than most in Europe Within the covert of the Woods lurk many Serpents curiously spotted with so many lively colours as are scarce to be found in any other Creatures The King whom the Inhabitants stile King of Serpents keeps commonly one of them in his Arms which he stroaks and fosters as it were a young Child and so highly esteemed that none dare hurt or kill it ¶ WHen any one dies The manner of their Funerals the nearest Relations of the Deceased and next Neighbors have notice of it whereupon they immediately begin to make a howling noise so hideous as to Strangers is terrible afterwards the Friends and Kindred go to accompany the Funeral howling and crying as they pass on which is redoubled by the frightful shreeks of such as go forth to meet and receive them They bring with them Cloth Gold and other things for a Present to the Grave which they divide into three equal parts one for the King the other for the nearest Relations to whose care the Funeral is left but the third part is buried with the Corps for they believe as we said before that the Dead shall find in the other World whatsoever is so laid up at their Interrment ¶ THe Kings and other great Lords are buried in the night very privately and in unknown places The Funerals of the King and other Grandees Jarrik lib. 5. c. 48. in the presence onely of their nearest Kindred Which privacy they use in all probability to prevent the stealing away the Goods and other Wealth which in great quantities they put into the Grave with them especially what ever Gold in their lives they had hoarded And for the more certain concealment they stop the Rivers and guard all ways round about until they have so levell'd the place that not the least mark appears discoverable This is used towards the greatest and most honourable but frequently over the Graves of persons of meaner repute some small Huts are erected sometimes made of Cloth other while of Boughs whither their surviving Friends and Acquaintance at set-times repair to ask pardon for any offences or injuries done them while alive and so continue as long as the Weather permits it to stand ¶ THe Jurisdiction of this King reaches over seven Kingdoms The Kings Authority and yet he is under Konche the Emperor of all the Sousos ¶ THe Inhabitants as all the rest are Idolaters Their Religion and use certain Letters or Characters written by the Brexerins to preserve them from Diseases THE KINGDOM OF SERRE-LIONS OR BOLMBERRE THe Mountain looking into the Sea and known to the English French The Mountain and Kingdom of Serre-Lions and Dutch by the Name of Serre-Lions as also the whole Kingdom first obtained this Title from the Portugals and Spaniards who call'd it Serra Lioa and at last Siera Liona that is The Mountain of the Lioness The cause of which Name is conjectur'd to be drawn from hence Why it is so call'd for that from the hollow of its Concave Rocks whereon the Sea beats when the Winds bluster and the stormy Billows rage proceeds a terrible noise like the furious roarings of a robbed Lioness adding moreover that from the top of this Hill which lieth continually cover'd with Clouds which the violent heat of the Sun-Beams darting perpendicularly upon it twice in the year cannot disperse there is continually heard a rattling of Thunder with frequent flashes of Lightning whose resounding Ecchoes may be distinctly observ'd twenty five miles off at Sea ¶ THe Inhabitants name this Countrey in their own Language Bolmberre The Bigness which signifies Low and good Land and especially hath respect to the low and fruitful Tract of Serre-Lions which taketh beginning at Cape de Virgen and endeth at Cape de Tagrin or Ledo lying in eight Degrees and thirty Minutes North Latitude and is easie to be known at Sea because it is exceedingly higher than the Countrey Northward and runs far into the Sea The Mountain about the Point is high and doubled spreading along the Sea South-East and South and by East but the Countrey Northerly of the Point is low and flat ¶ THis Kingdom containeth above thirty Rivers which all empty themselves into the Great Ocean and most of them having broad streams neighbored with pleasant Valleys and flowing between Groves of Orange-Trees and their Banks on both sides edg'd with fair Towns and Villages to the great delight of Passengers The first River by Cape de Virgen is by the Portuguese call'd Rio das Piedras that is The Stone-River because of the many Stones therein It is a very great River and divides the Countrey with several Arms making many Islands stiled Cagasian or Cagakais where the Portugals have built a strong Fort for the conveniency of their Trade In the next place the Maps of the Countrey have set Rio Pichel Rio Palmas Rio Pogone Rio de Cangranca Rio Casses Rio Carocane Capar and Tambasine which two last take their original from the Mountains of Machamala upon which may be seen a stately Work of Chrystal with several Pyramids of the same Matter Lastly The River Mitombo they describe the River Tagarin otherwise Mitombo but at present by the English Portugals Dutch and other-Traders call'd Rio. de
General without speaking a word withdraws to his House and the Onegwa sets up that Son to be King whereof the retir'd General receiving notice after five or six days he comes again to the Court and calling for the Onegwa demands if that were the old King's will wherein receiving an affirmative satisfaction immediately they present the deposited Inheritance of the Crown and he receives the Dominion whereupon after thanks return'd he puts on Royal Robes and sits down Then come all the Vassals from the highest to the lowest and do homage upon their Knees This Solemnity ended the King retires to another Town call'd Goseboe The new King may not at first dwell in Benyn to keep his Court for till a set time-he may not come to Benyn unless to make a wicked Sacrifice of Men and Beasts But when the Siasseere thinks time enough to have been spent and that the Lessons and Life of his Ancestors be enough inculcated the same Siasseere or General invites him to and entertains him in Benyn where thence-forward he keeps his Court and Rules according to his own pleasure The King once setled upon the Throne The new King kills all his Brethren endeavours to cut off all his Brothers to secure himself against Competitors of late some of them have been spared but they made such ill use of that favor by confederating with the Friends of some condemn'd and banish'd Fiadoors that this present King smother'd and other ways put to death all his Brethren not clandestinely but upon publick notice though some stick not to report that he forc'd them to hang themselves because none may lay hands on the Royal Bloud to kill them yet after their Death he order'd them to be hang'd with great Magnificence and State Their Religion if any consisteth in honouring the Devil to whom Religion as we said before they sacrifice Men and Beasts for though they well know and believe that there is a God who hath created Heaven and Earth and still Rules yet they esteem it unnecessary to Pray to or Serve him because he is not evil but good but they seek to appease the Devilwith Sacrifices for that he always prosecutes them with evil They call God Orisa and the Whites Owiorisa that is God's Child They have wooden Fetisies or Idols which they Worship and Fetisero's or Priests who enquire of and receive answers from the Devil The Fetisi also foretels what shall befall them either in the Wars or otherwise by a contriv'd sound proceeding out of a Pot with three holes as is related before They offer yearly great Sacrifices to the Sea that it may be favorable and swear no greater Oath than by the Sea and their King They observe many high and solemn Times with Dancing Leaping Playing offering both Men and Cattel In the Village Lebo lying before the River Arbon or Bonya liveth a Conjurer all whose Ancestors practis'd the same Art for they could by report of the Inhabitants Charm the Sea in divers manners now raising Tempests anon causing a Calm sometimes foretel Wracks and Losses otherwhiles the safe arrival of Ships from strange Countreys for which or rather for fear the King gave him this Hamlet with all the Slaves which he yet possesses He hath such strange fancies and behaviour as if possess'd that none dare take him by the Hand The Bonyan Agents when they come thither stand in great awe of him and he himself dare not come to Bonya nor near it by command of the former Kings yet the Prince hath many of those Necromancers about him and holds them in great esteem The Kingdom of ISAGO JABOE and ODOBO THe Tributary Dominion of Isago borders in the West The Kingdom of Isago on the Dominion of Benya being a Countrey full of Horses which the Inhabitants use onely for Wars whereof having gotten together a very considerable Body some years ago The fruitless Invention of the Isagos's on those of Benyn they intended to set upon the Bonyans who being pre-acquainted with their Design underhand digg'd many Pits in the Fields and covering the same with Earth went to meet the advancing Enemy but soon retreated as if surprised with fear till they had drawn the Foe within their danger The Isago's supposing they had fled indeed betook them to a speedy pursuit but in stead of their hop'd Victory they fell into the prepared Pits out of which the Benyans fetch'd and kill'd most of them making the Countrey Tributary Since which they never have dar'd to act against the King of Benya At the same West-side lie the Kingdoms of Jaboe and Odobo Jaboe Odobo but of smaller Power and less considerable then the Isagon whose King though subjected as before related yet in Power and Ability falls little short of the Benyan himself The Jurisdiction of Istanna IStanna lying to the East of Benyn hath been formerly very powerful The Kingdom of Istanna but divers years since reduced and brought under the subjection of that King to whom they pay an annual Tribute The Territory of Gaboe GAboe lieth at the River Benyn The Kingdom of Gaboe eight days Journey above the great City of the same Name The Europeans get in this Countrey much Akori which they carry to the Gold-Coast and many Jasper-Stones but most of the Trade is for Slaves The People seem to be good natur'd and their Custom little differing from those of Benyn Biafar or Biafra MOre on to the East lieth the Kingdom of Biafar or Biafra The Borders of the Kingdom of Biafar according to Anamin and Linschot having on the West certain Mountains which divide it from that of Medra and spreads Southward to the fourth Degree of North Latitude The chief City also call'd Biafra and according to Hues scituate in six Degrees and ten Minutes The Inhabitants are generally inclin'd to Conjuration and Witchcraft The Inhabitants inclin'd to Witchcraft so that they believe by that Art they can do all things viz. procure or cause Rain Lightning and Thunder or any other Weather foretell Events to succeed and what not for which knowledge they honour the Devil so much that they sacrifice not onely Beasts and Herbs to him but also their own Children The Principality of Owerre or Forkado ABout four and twenty miles Eastward of Benya The Kingdom of Owerre Rio Forkado intermingles with the Sea near or by whose Banks the Territory of Owerre otherwise call'd the Kingdom of Forkado claims a scituation The Edges of this River are pleasantly shaded on both sides by neighboring Trees and the Stream very commodious for Ketches of a reasonable Burden being in breadth half a Mile and in depth twelve Foot or more A Mile inwardly upon a small Outlet stands a Fishers Village call'd Bolma About seven and twenty Miles upward appears the chief Town Owerre The City Owerre where the King keeps his Court containing half a Mile in circumference and surrounded on the Land-side with
Montis like a Mountain by singular Art and although it appear in a square form all along to the very top yet these four-square stones are set in so uniform an order that the whole Structure seems to represent the form of a Picked Hill The going up by reason of the thickness and bigness of the stones is difficult and toylsom yet feisible for though I my self used a competent endeavor I could not in an hour and half ascend to the top which is flat and ten Cubits on each side The second Pyramid is a little less than the first The second Pyramid and about two Bowes shot from it without any entrance into it On the out-side you may climb half way up the stones being so fitted on purpose as in the former but a little leveller and smaller Near the middle way they lye so even that it is impossible to climb any higher and this smoothness which seems to be done on purpose reaches to the height of several cubits which if it could be passed from thence to the top being one third part of the Pyramid the stones lying carelesly and uneven you might as well be able to climb up to the top of it as of the aforemention'd Pyramid The third lying next Cairo was erected as we said by Rhodope The third Fyramid made wholly of sloping stones so that there is no climbing up Three Bowes shot from it on the one side toward the City standeth a Head suppos'd of that Concubine with a long Neck and large Arms seven Cubits high and cut out of one entire Stone Some imagine that out of the first great Pyramid which we entred by a hollow Passage under ground through a firm Quar which we saw arch'd over with stone a small and secret Entrance came into this Head and from thence so is the common fame by the mouth of that Head Oracles delivered In the Pyramids were Tutelar or Guardian Images Guardian Idols call'd Serapes by the Egyptians call'd Serapes and by them placed there for the protection of the Corps and to carry the Souls to their Heavenly mansions They were graven from the bottom to the top with various Hieroglyphicks Among others were found two such Images of a Man and a Woman both adorn'd with Caps and Ear-lappets made of black Thebane Stones thick above and small beneath They stood upon a broad Pedestal in the Countrey of Sahid not far from the Red Sea in a Pyramid wherein Age on one side had made an In-let through which some Turks climbing had taken them out each of which weighed almost Eight hundred Pounds The Turks opinion'd that formerly the Kings of this Countrey worship'd these Images and had commanded the like to their Subjects who after their death here buried their Princes together with their Idols They were both heretofore graven with Egyptian Letters which according to the Exposition of those who understand that kinde of Learning signifie several Deities of which the highest call'd Jynx stands clothed in the uppermost place whose sole power preserves the Bodies from all Accidents and brings them to their they suppose Celestial Abodes Amongst the most notable Remarks in and about Cairo Famous Sepulchres under ground or within four miles the Marble Sepulchres under ground by which the City Memphis and many places round about it stood and yet stand upon Arches and Vaults breeds most admiration far exceeding in greatness and curiosity the Monuments of the Romans The Learned Egyptians of old Egyptians held the Pythagerâ—au Metempsychosis which held the Pythagorean Metempsychosis or Transmigration of the Soul from one Body to another took care not only for their dead Corps with great Preparation of several Spices to preserve them from corruption but endeavor'd also by laying it in a convenient place to keep it quiet therefore with wondrous pains and curiosity they neither disposed them in places over which the Nile flowed nor in the open Fields but either in long-continuing Pyramids or Stone Caves under ground which with great labor were cut out of entire Rocks These Caves serv'd in stead of Church-yards parted into several Vaults or arched Apartments like great Dining-Rooms with so many turnings out of one into another that they seem to be a perfect Labyrinth There were as the Egyptians themselves report so many of these that they extended many Miles off even as far as the Oracles of Ammon and Serapis this was no small advantage to the Priests Conveniency of the Priests in the Subterranean Vaults for that they could by these avenues without hindrance from the heat of the Sun or stiffling of the Sands meet and converse together From hence it would seem that the whole Sandy Desart should be hollow or vaulted underneath which none ought to think strange if he observe the many other stupendious Works of this Countrey and shall mark considerately what is written by Antiquity of the vast Extent and exceeding Populousness of Memphis Moreover some Arabian Writers in their Books stick not to aver that Memphis and Heliopolis by hidden Passages under ground were united together being divers miles distant At the end of this they come to a four-square Vaulted Repository A Description of the Egyptian Vaults for Burial four and twenty foot long on either side and at the end of each stand Tables cut out of the same Rock about five foot long two and a half broad and one foot high opposite to each other whereupon they set their Dead in Chests or Coffins of Wood or Stone In some Caves in the Wall above the Chests or Coffins of the Dead are certain Hieroglyphick Characters and there stand besides the mentioned Eminent Coffins more and other flat ones upon the Floor round about those which seem to be Childrens Oftentimes there lye five and twenty such Caves near one another as in the PRINT above wherein these Caves are represented to the life All of them come out at one Passage or Descent and because there is no light nor any other Entrance than the first within it is utterly dark so that without Torches and a Leader it is dangerous to venture into them The Ground-plat of this FOREGOING PRINT is the fashion of the Cave together with the Tables whereon the Bodies shut in the Coffins are set which here are to the number of nine all of equal bigness one of which is marked with the letter D. Each Cave hath on the four sides of it Marble Tables so big that the Coffin may conveniently stand thereon these Tables together with the four Walls of every Cave stand in the Draught or Platform with the numbers 1.2.3.4 as the letter X sheweth the Ground or Floor of the Walls All this appears cleerer in the Draught where S and T are two Vaulted Caves Between the four Walls of the Vaulted Cave S four Tables are to be seen on which are four Chests as A. O. P. K. denotes every of which has inclos'd Mummies Commonly there
enclosed the Dead Body committing it to the fire till it were consumed to ashes while in the same flames this Linnen shrowd as if it had onely been wash'd became more white and refined by the fire Salmas Exercitat Plinian Kircher tells us that himself had in his Lamp a Wiek of * Kircher de Lucernis Aegyptiorum Asbeston burning two years without any loss or alteration All the difficulty to make a perpetual lighted Lamp consists in extracting Oyl out of the Abestion which who can do may easily perfect the rest Several Chymists have in vain attempted and spent much fruitless time and labour about it for the Oyl either affords no fire more resembling water than Oyl or else it is so thick that it is altogether uncapable of affording flame whereby it appears that the mystery of extracting such an Oyl far surpasseth humane Skill and Industry And if any should yet say that the two fore-mention'd examples and as several Authentick Writers affirm that the manner of making such Lights was known to the Antients and consequently by our sublimer Wits or Virtuosie might now be again recovered it may be answered that the above-mention'd Lamps were not perpetual but onely long-continuing Lights which might naturally be thus effected The Inclosed Air by continuance of time being incrassated by the fatness of the Bodies long pent up may easily as a new Coal draws Air by an Antiperistasis get a flame So in the Winter Water in Cisterns by the circum-ambient Air becomes warm Such * Igâ—is fatuus flames many times appear glimmering in Church-yards and fat marshy grounds The like is also asserted by the Workers in Mines that they seldom open a new Vein but there burst out such flames seeming of themselves consistent Notwithstanding all these disputes The Egyptians had perpetually enduring Lamps that the Egyptians have had perpetual burning Lights in their Sepulchral Caves under-ground which indeed were not made of Asbeston but supplyed from another Fountain appears by several Arabian and other expert Writers who were Eye witnesses Their words are to this purpose The Egyptian Sages who were of a sublime spirit and singularly experienc'd in the course of Natural-causes * Salmuth in his Comment upon Paâ—cirollus de rebus perditis affirmeth that one Podocaterus a Cyprian shewed at Venice some incombushble Cloth and his Materials were from Cyprus where indeed Dioscorides placeth them the same is ocularly confirm'd by Vives upon Austiâ— and Maiolus in his Colloquies And thus in our days do men practice to make long lasting Snasts for Lamps out of Alumen Plumâ—sum and by the same read in Pausanias that there always burnt a Lamp before Miuerva's Image Schianga an Arabian Historian did place by the Corps of the Dead in token of their acknowledgment of the Immortality of the Soul several Lamps or Tapors which they so far as was possible sought with a discontinued durance to animate in this manner There are many places in Egypt that afford plenty of Bitumen and Petrole or Stone-oyl which the Learned among them who were great Naturallists discovering lay'd from these Wells secret Channels or Pipes to the Sepulchres where they set in a convenient place a Lamp with a Wiek of Asbeston which moistened and fed thereby continually and the Wiek of it self unconsumable it must of necessity follow that the light also endured perpetually Here comes to minde that which Schianga an Arabian in his History of Egyptian Remarks asserted being in English thus There was in Egypt a field with Ditches full of Pitch and Bitumen from which their Learned men all Naturallists lay'd certain Pipes to the Caves under ground wherein they placed a Lamp joyn'd to the Pipes which Lamp had a Wiek incombustible like the * Salamanders Wool is not desumed from any Aâ—imal but a Mineral substance Metapliorically so call'd from the received opinion of its incomâ—uâ—ibleness Salamanders Wool by which means they burned being once kindled perpetually because of the continual influx of Bitumen The intent of the Egyptians setting these Lights near the Sepulchres seems to signifie that as the nature of fire is like the Operations of the Gods so also the Numens appointed for the protection of the Corps thereby as by a visible similitude of their own likeness for the continual glorifying of the Soul are drawn thither as they believe Perhaps some will wonder Why the Egyptians so carefully Bury their Corps and ask for what cause the Egyptians have with such diligence taken care to preserve their Corps from perishing and to adorn them with such exquisite Ornature To resolve which Quaere it is to be observed first that the Egyptians firmly believed that the first state of the world after the course of six and thirty thousand or as others of forty thousand years must return to its pristine state and condition again Secondly that according to that Position the Government of the Seven Superior Tutelar Guardians of Egypt at every seven thousand years end return to the first again so continuing for the space of * Annus Platonicus or Maginus nine and forty thousand years viz. when the Sabbath or Rest of all things shall come That the change of these Rulers caus'd the alteration of the condttion of the Body That the Soul which after the course of seven thousand years transmigrating from one Body to another should return to its own Body left in the Grave but clean from all corruption and protected by the presence of the Gods yet still advanc'd till having travell'd through all the Heavenly Residencies at length it is brought to the Great * Protoplastus that is Deus for although the Heathens did multiply to themselves such innumerable orders of Deities yet they ended in one onely God as Virg. Aen. lib. 1. O Socii neque enim ignari sumus ante malorum O Passi graviora dabit Deus his quoque finem Dear Friends for we have many dangers past And Greater God these too will end at last Examplar or Idea of it self and so live eternally and unchangably happy The Egyptians then believing this and being wonderously diligent to lead an honest and vertuous life seem to insinuate by their Embalming of their Corps and to desire that those Souls after this their departure may finde their next transmigrated habitations worthy of their deserts till they be fully united with God for it is certain that the Egyptians from the beginning of all Memorials have so constantly maintained the Souls Immortality The Egyptians have always strongly maintained the Immortality of the Soul that not onely themselves believed it as delivered to them from Antiquity but have taught and inculcated this Doctrine also to their other Neighboring Idolaters though learned Among others Pythagoras who first brought this Opinion among the Greeks Thus far of the Pyramids and Burying-places of the Antient Egyptians We shall now return to describe the other Cities lying in Sahid and begin
first with the Island Michias ¶ IN the midst of Nile not far from Cairo Island Michias over against the Old City Miffrulhetich lyes the Island Michias or El-Michias that is Measure-Isle or Mark-Island because within it was set the Mark whereby they took the measure of the Rivers overflowing and the height and lowness of his waters and thereby made a judgement of the consequent fruitfulness indifference or infertility of the following Year This Island contains about fifteen hundred Families having at one end a fair Palace erected by a Soldan and a large Mosque or Temple at the other end standeth a round Building alone with a four-square Well or Cistern eighteen Cubits deep into which the Nile-water at the time of the overflowing is conveyed in the middle of the Well stands an upright Pillar divided by marks into so many Cubits as the Well is deep where attend certain Officers by command of the Councel who give notice of the increase which some Children with yellow Bands about their Heads to that purpose appointed make known by an Out-cry through all the streets of the City and Suburbs admonishing the people to fear God and are by them in return presented with Gifts During the rising of Nilus in Cairo and most other Cities there is so great a Noise and Joy made with Drums and Trumpets all along the City that it seems to be in a Tumult and Uproar Opposite to Miffrulhetich lyeth Geza Geza joyning to Michias that severs it from Cairo it shews many stately Palaces erected by the Mamaluckes and other curious and pleasant Buildings together with a sumptuous Temple by the Nile Many Handy-crafts men and other Traders come daily from Cairo hither to work and trade returning at night to their own homes Those that would visit the Pyramids can go no nearer way than through this City which on one side is surrounded with a sandy Desart reaching quite to them Not far from Grand Caire stands Muhallaca a little old Town near which the great Lake Maeris The Lake Meris which Diodorus placed ten Stadia or Furlongs from Cairo Antiquity gave it in compass two hundred and fifty or four hundred and fifty miles whereas at this day it is but eight leagues At the increase of Nile Sanatus this Lake is in some places fifty fathom deep receiving great store of water which the Inhabitants make good use of It hath two Rivulets one by which it receives water from Nile and the other where it runs out of the Lake and moistens the thirsty grounds in Summer time They say King Maeris from whom this Lake took his Name caused it to be digg'd with Spades and in the midst of it erected a Sepulchre for himself and his Queen wherein two fair Pyramids each forty paces high were set with the tops out of the water upon either of which he placed a Marble Statue The Revenue of the Fish of this Lake which amounted daily to a Talent of Silver the King allowed to his Royal Consort to buy her Pins This agrees with what Herodotus writes in his second Book in these words The Lake Maeris is in compass a thousand six hundred Stadia or Furlongs Herodot Euterpe and sixty paces which compass is as much as all Egypt is in length on the Sea-coast It reaches far to the North and South and is in depth fifty paces That it was digg'd and made by mens hands appeareth in that about the middle there stand two Pyramids that rise fifty paces above the water and as much under it so that each Pyramid is an hundred paces high Upon either of them is a Stone-Image sitting upon a Throne The water of this Lake comes not from a Spring being sometimes very dry but is supplied by Trenches out of the Nile six moneths it is furnish'd from them A Talent is 250 l. sterling and other six moneths makes returns into it which later six moneths the Revenue of Fish amounts every day to a * Talent of Silver but in the former onely to twelve Minae or Pounds Adding that the Inhabitants asserted this Lake went under the Earth Westward as far as the Sandy Syrtes in Lybia where it anew breaks forth near the Mountain which hangs over Memphis About six leagues from Cairo Changa at the Entrance of the Wilderness which runs towards Mount Sinai lyeth the City Changa heretofore very great and beautified with stately Houses and Temples but so much spoiled and wasted by Wars that it hath lost its antient splendor Here is a double Thorow-fare the one towards Syria the other to Arabia but no water other than what from the overflowing of the Nile is preserv'd in Sluices and Ditches Hence towards the East standeth Suez Suez by Ptolomy call'd The City of Brightness upon the utmost Border of the Arabian Gulf about three days Journey from Cairo Livy Sanutus Bellonius as Livy Sanutus and others affirm though Bellonius placeth it much nearer This is one of the most commodious Havens on the North-side of the Red-Sea and the Moors bring hither out of India all manner of Spices Gems Pearls Amber Musk and other costly Merchandize which are carryed by Land to Cairo and so to Alexandria whither the Venetians English Dutch and other Nations come to traffique Divers place this City with Ptolomy in Egypt Ptolomy Maginus Geograph but others as Maginus in his Geography in Trogloditis a part of Arabia but it seems rather to belong to Egypt because it is now under the Command of the Turkish Bassa of Cairo It is environed with a sandy and barren Desart which reaches some miles distance utterly desolate and void of all things It is supported by the Revenues arising from Commodities of other Countreys brought thither all the water they use is conveyed thither two miles off upon Camels and is nevertheless so brackish that it breeds many Diseases On an adjacent Hill stands an inconsiderable Castle with old ruinous Walls More to the In-land South from Nile lyeth Bethsames Bethsames by some held to be the old Heliopolis More Southward Muhaisira close to the Nile stands the decayed City Muhaisira and on the other side Southwards also lyes Benesuait or Benesuahid Benesuahid A hundred and eighty miles from Grand Caire upon a rising ground is the City Munia built in the time of the Mahumetans by one Chalib Munia belonging to the Califfe of Bagdet This City had formerly many neat Churches and other handsom Structures insomuch that there yet appear divers Ruines of the antient Egyptian Building Not far from Munia lyeth Fyum formerly call'd Abydus Fyum and by some Abutick Here it is said that Joseph the son of Jacob was first buried whose Bones Moses afterwards when the Children of Israel departed out of Egypt carryed with then into Canaan Close by Fyâ—m yet stands the great and old City Manfloth or Menf-loth erected by the Egyptians destroyed by the Romans
honor they erected such Spires The bigness of the Obelisks were several some no higher than ten or twelve foot while others did climb to the height of twenty thirty seventy an hundred or a hundred and forty foot Upon every side the antient Egyptian Priests carv'd Figures and Images almost in the same manner Hieroglyphick Figures carved upon the Needles or Spires as those delineated upon the Covering-Clothes and Winding-sheets of the Mummies and sometimes the very same There were also plain ones erected by the Kings that conquer'd Egypt Neeldes or Spires without Figures for the Egyptian Priests would not reveal the Mystery of their Charactering to any strangers As this Hieroglyphical manner of writing was very mysterious Of what stone the Needles or Spires are made so the Stone they chose for that purpose was most excellent which the Greeks call'd * A Fire-stone Pyroboilon the Latines Theban Stone and by the Italians Granito Rosso It is a kinde of Marble sprinkled and speckled as it were with Drops of several colours and as durable and hard as Porphiry The Quarry out of which these were cut lyeth close by the antient City Thebes among the Hills extending to Negro-land and the Cataracts of Nilus to the South And though Egypt abound in Quarries of other sorts of Marble yet the Egyptian Priests chose this for the erecting of Obelisks no other Stone being us'd to that purpose for although they had the like Veins of Marble in the Island Ilia and other places in Italy and Sweden yet it could no way compare in hardness and variety of Grains and Specks with that of Egypt Now why the Egyptians made the Obelisks of those streak'd Marbles this may be the reason They that erected Obelisks in honor of the Sun Why they do so whose beams their spiring tops seemed to represent would not take every kinde of stone but such onely as did most analogize with that glorious Body which in their opinion this Marble doth By nature it consisted of a four-fold Existence viz. First a glistering Red among which here and there are found some mixed other clear Christal-colour'd Spots then Violet-colour after that Blew and Ash-colour with some streaks or dashes of Black between which the Egyptians seeing they chose it as most fit to represent their hidden Mysteries so that by the aforesaid Mixture of the Colours without doubt they intend to signifie the four Elements and particularly by the Red Fire by the Christaline Air by the Blew Water and lastly by the Black the Earth Hereby appears with how great judgement the Egyptians chose fit Materials for their Mysteries and that for the better representing their deep Notions they have us'd nothing but what might make them more conspicuous And if any find older Obelisks of another sort certainly they were not true Egyptick but either erected by Strangers in imitation of the true or in the late times when by the Destruction and Banishment of the Priests by Cambyses the Sacred Egyptian Letters were utterly lost Such was the Obelisk rais'd by the Phenicians to the Honor of the Sun which being depressed low flat and leaning very much differ'd from the right Such a one also Herodian says the Emperor Heliogabalus brought from Syria to Rome ¶ ALL the great Obelisks In what manner the Obelisks were brought out of the Stone Quarties to the place appointed Plin. lib. 36. c. 9. were brought from their Quarries to their appointed place in this manner First there was a great Trench Digged beginning under the already hewen Obelisk and running into the Nile where two great Ships deep laden with Stones exceeding the weight of the intended Freight were Sunk and then towed quite underneath it the two ends of the Obelisks hanging on the opposite Banks of the Ditch The Ships there setled and the Stone Ballast being cast out the Vessels finding themselves eas'd Buoying up receiv'd their Lading the hanging Obelisk which they brought through the same cut into the Nilus and so to the appointed place where it was to be erected ¶ THere are yet to be seen at Thebes Egyptian Greek and Latine Inscriptions and without the Gates old Ruines and Columns all the remaining tokens of its antient Glory The City according to Diodorus in circuit had an hundred and forty Stadia or Furlongs That is five miles eight and twenty Stadia accompted for a Mile As to the number of an hundred Gates that accompt seems to some as Diodorus reports to intend onely the gross number of the Avenues and Passages though others as Mela confirm it adding that Thebes was so exceeding populous that it could draw out of * That is a Million of men every Gate ten thousand Armed men And that the Greek word Hecatompilos which signifyeth an hundred Gates according to which Thebes was call'd by Homer is not to be understood literally but is rather to be explained to relate to an hundred Palaces in which so many Princes had their residence Plin. lib. 36. c. 14. Pliny will have the whole City stand upon Arches so made on purpose that the Egyptian Kings might draw their Armies this way under the Houses of the City without being discovered Round about this decayed and desolate City are Desarts wherein formerly very many Hermits dwelt Two days Journey from Cairo lyeth a Wilderness wherein it is said is the Cave wherein St. Paul remaining was visited by St. Anthony Six miles from the City Munsia or Munza lyeth a Cloister of Georgian Christians heretofore very famous and inhabited by above two hundred Monks who having much Goods and a great yearly Revenue imparted the same to all needy Strangers sending the overplus to the Patriarch to Cairo who distributed it among poor Pilgrims in his Diocess But two hundred and sixty years since all these Monasticks dying by a Pestilence the Bashaw of Munsia wall'd in the Cloister and made it into Houses for Artificers and Tradesmen to dwell in Chiam or El Chiam Chiam now a heap of Rubbish but heretofore the Seat of the Jacobite Christians Livy and Sanutus seem to be of Opinion that this is Ptolomy's old Diospolis because both of them lay in the same Latitude More toward the South from Cairo Barbanda lyeth another City upon the Banks of Nile call'd Barbanda destroyed by the Romans whose ruinous heaps were for the most part brought to Asna among which sometime they finde Gold and Silver Coin and pieces of Smaragdus or Emeralds Against Barbanda lyeth Cana erected by the Egyptians near the Nile Cana. and Walled The Inhabitants use no Trades but rely all upon Husbandry and Tillage by which means this place which is divided from the Red-Sea by a vast sandy and dry Desart is very rich in Corn which the Inhabitants of Medina where the Tomb of Mahomet is and also of Mecha Transport in great abundance for Asia Opposite to Cana on the Red Sea lyeth Cossir a Haven whither they usually
Travel from Cana over the fore-mention'd Sandy Desart There are many Granaries for the reception of Corn brought thither from Cana. It is probable that Livius Sanutus says that this Haven is that of the Old City Berenice because they lye in the very same elevation yet some will have it to be Miosormus There is also Conza formerly Metacompsus not far from the City Asna Conza on the Southermost borders of Egypt some of the Antients placed Elephantis or Elephantina of which at this day the name onely remains The last City to the South of Egypt lying on the Nilus is Asna formerly call'd Siena but got the name Asna from the Arabians for the word Siena being the same with the Arabian Zeyâ—â—a which signifies Foul Sanutus lib. 9. they thought the City too fair to bear that Name and therefore chang'd Siena into Asna that is Fair the City indeed being very beautiful the Romans wasted most part of it but it hath since been much more stately rebuilt by the Mahumetans The Inhabitants drive a subtle Trade in the Kingdom of Nubia partly in Vessels sailing up the Nile and partly by Land through the Desart by which way of Transportation they are become considerable in Cattle Corn and Money In the City which is of a large extent and by the Moors according to Marmol call'd Gavera there yet appear many fair Edifices and particularly a very curious Sepulchre with Egyptian and Latin Inscriptions There is also a deep Well into whose bottom the Sun shines at Noon A deep Well while he passes too and again through the Northern signs To this place or a little further the Nile is Navigable but beyond no Vessel can pass oppos'd and stop'd by the Cataracts and therefore they Land their Goods below and carry them over Land then again shipping when they are past the precipice and come into smooth water Eastward from Asna is the antient and great City Asuan or Assuan The City Assuan by some taken to be Conza or Metacompsus and borders upon the Desart Buche through which they Travel by the City Suaquen to the Red Sea Neighboring with the Moors and by Marmol placed in Egypt Beyond this they pass not up the Nile Sanutus because of the fore-mention'd precipices It is very hot there in Summer and the Inhabitants are Tawny of colour not caused so much by the great heat as by their commixture with the People of Nubia and the Moors In several places about this City are many antient Buildings and Towers there call'd Barba which makes some imagine that heer stood Thebes In circuit five mile in length three miles out of whose Ruines Asuan was built Strabo gives it eighty Stadia or Furlongs in length of which City of Asuan Albufeda the Arabian thus writes Asuan is a City of the upper Theban Countrey lying by the side of the Eastern Desart wherein stands the famous Needle or Spire the greatest Monument of Antiquity partly for its huge Carv'd Stones and partly for the variety of curious Imagery upon it And that many Obelisks and Pyramids have been there Herodotus Diodorus and others testifie Herodotus Diodorus Beyond this the utmost border of the Turkish Dominions in Egypt there are no Seats or Habitations worth the mentioning onely some few Huts or Cottages where Tawny people of Buchia dwell that speak a Tongue scraped together out of the Egyptian Arabian and Moorish Languages Several other small Cities Sanutus and inconsiderable places by length of time decay'd are by Sanutus and other Geographers with few words touched upon such are these Thura in the East lying close by Cairo Sachila and Pharsono lying beneath the Lake Maeris Narnita and Nitriota above it Elmena Libelezait Saguan Dakat all poor and thin peopled places of which the first is to the inland in the mid-way between the Red-Sea and Nile but the other lye close by the Sea side King Pharaoh's Angle Pharaoh's Angle or Point from whence Moses with his people in a wonderful manner passed through the Red Sea Corondal Aziruth and Aphaca places on the Red-Sea lying not far one from another with few or no Inhabitants The seven Wells Seven Wells call'd by the Italians Zette Pozzi is a place in a dry Tract of Land where at this day appear some tokens of the Old Wells or Fountains of Water that gave name to the place Menuia and Cosera lye in the Island Heracleopolites Sanutus but thinly inhabited The like also are Veneria and Ansena two Neighboring places Besides the Island Michias The two Islands of Heracleopolites and Cynopolites lying by Cairo and the Island Elephantina there are Heracleopolites and Cynopolites or the Isle of Dogs both lying in the Nile placed by Sanutus in Egypt The Metropolis of the later is Cynopolis Cynopolis or Dog-town because the Inhabitants for the most part worshipped a Dog but at this day 't is call'd Monphalus The Island Heracleopolites Heracleopolis so call'd from Heracleopolis that is Hercules City because Hercules was worshipped in it is fifty miles in circuit and fruitful in Olives and other Fruit-Trees Here was the Icneumon the mortal Enemy of Crocodiles and Serpents worshipped Besides all these Cities The Number of Villages in Egypt there are many Villages in Egypt for above Delta both Southward and Northward of Cairo Sanut there are four thousand and in Delta twenty thousand whose Grounds and Meadows are once a year water'd by the Nile As to the Soil The Soil of Egypt is dry and thirsty in it self it is Sandy very Barren and so dry and seared that unless it lye under water many dayes as at the overflux of Nile it will never become fertile Therefore the Egyptians often drown their Gardens and Orchards so by long soaking to make them fruitful whereby their Pot-herbs and Salletting are very waterish and more insipid or flashy than in Europe But although the Soil be of it self thus steril It is made fat by Nilus yet the fruitful Nilus with his fat Mud makes it fertile and fit for Tillage and in some places so luxuriant that they often mix the fatness of the Soil with Sand to temper and allay it This onely over-flowing of the Nile made Egypt to be esteemed not onely the Granary of Rome but of the whole then known world for it fed all the Roman Provinces with Corn a third part of the year exposing besides abundance into remoter Countreys Pliny reports that the ground there was so exceedingly fruitful that one onely Seed planted in the Earth would bring forth a hundred fold But this wonderful fertility was attended with this inconvenience that the rich Product was not lasting and from this very same cause they dispatch'd them away to their Neighbor Nations of the Arabian Desart Palestine Syria Constantinople and Europe especially Sugar Cassia Sena-leaves several Gums and other Inland Commodities Kassia Colekasia Datura The Delta's boast theirs
power of Nature to look with very fixed Eyes upon its Beams and for that cause they sometime pourtray the Sun in the form of a Hawk Those who had willingly or unwillingly kill'd a Hawk or the Bird Ibis Herodot were without hope of pardon condemn'd to die Nay so high was their Veneration of it that they ceremoniously buried a dead Hawk and brought it to the City Bulis It hath been observ'd The Egyptians have taken several Letters from the forms of Beasts that the antient Egyptians took several of their Letters from the forms of the Legs Head and Beak of the Bird Ibis and this sacred Hawk as also from the Ox and the Dog both by them reputed religious These four Beasts were of the highest esteem not only for their use in Hieroglyphical Writing but also because in their High-times of Solemnity call'd Comasien they usually carried them in Procession according to the Testimony of Clemens Alexandrinus Herodotus writes That in former times about Thebes small bodied Serpents with two horns on the crown of their Heads and very harmless were found which being dead they buried in the Temple of Jupiter because they believed them dedicated to him The same Herodotus reports but from hear-say That near the City Brutus close by Arabia were Serpents with wings which flew thence in the beginning of Lent into Egypt but the Bird Ibis met and fell upon them in their flight and by their deaths anticipated any prejudice from their arrival for which benefit the Ibis was held in great adoration As the Land is ennobled by producing great store of Plants Beasts and Fowls so the Nile hideth in its bosom a vaste abundance of Fishes of which the Crocodile and Hippopotamus or Sea-horse which are Amphibii be the most noted and chief And though the Crocodile keeps in several Rivers of Asia and America as in the River Ganges about Bengala and in the Niger in Africa yet Nilus feedeth the greatest as though a more peculiar of that than any other Rivers The Crocodile Herodotus tells us Crocodile the antient Egyptians about Elephantina call Champsa and in the Dominion of Syena according to Strabo Suchus but the Ionians or Greeks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Crocodiles The Indians name it Cayman the Arabians and Jews says Megistus Corbi and in Kirchers Egyptian Lexicon it stands expressed by the name of Picharuki This wonderful Creature has very great Eyes with little balls or apples It s Form whose Back-bone consists of sixty Joynts his Feet furnish'd with sharp nails and splaying outwards and the Tail proportionable to the Body lessening by degrees to the end This Serpent as we may call it runs swiftly but can neither deviate to the right or left or turn about easily but with a stiff formality goes directly forward by reason of the inflexible Joynts of the Back-bone by which means it is often avoided They say it can live four whole Moneths without food but when hungry will cry or weep like a man Some dare affirm though untruly that it lives of Mud or Slime for it eats dead fish and humane flesh Peter Martyr relates in his Babylonish Embassy Peter Martyr that one of them was taken that had three young Children in his Mouth When they ingender the Male turns the Females Belly upward The Breeding of them otherwise for the shortness of their Feet they cannot well couple After that Coition the Female lays sixty Eggs each as big as a Goose Egg upon which they sit to hatch sixty days Some conceit that they bury their Eggs in the Sand and hatch their young ones by the heat of the Sun but that is not so however there is no Creature that from so small a beginning comes to such an extraordinary bigness some being found to exceed thirty Foot in Length They bear enmity to the Ichneumon Buffel Tyger Hawk Hog-fish Dolphin It bears Enmity against other Beasts Scorpions and Men but hold friendship with Hogs and the Trochilus which is a small Fowl with a sharp point or pin on the Head Trochilus that when the Crocodile is glutted with Fish and sleeping with his Mouth open comes searching his own Food and by picking cleanseth his Mouth Teeth and Gullet Lee. Afric Others suppose this little Bird picketh out the Worms breeding between the Teeth who ingratefully would eat it up for requital but that the sharp Pin on the Birds Head pricking his Jaws makes him open them by which means the Bird escapes Several Eastern People eat them as good Food The Flesh of it is eaten which was customary also here onely forbidden to Apollonopolitans whether it was because the Daughter of King Psammitichus as you may read in Herodotus was devoured by a Crocodile or out of hatred to the Heaven-invading Typhon who as they say was Metamorphosed into one is not yet determined however in Arsinoe which Strabo calls At Arsinoe it was counted sacred The City of Crocodiles it was counted Sacred and fed with Bread Flesh and Wine The Original of which Veneration without doubt proceeded from fear for that the Crocodiles which in great abundance in the Lake Moeris lay close by the City continually waiting to make a Prey both of Men and Beasts by that means glutted should not be greedy after Prey but neither Fear or Reverence of that could prevail with the People of the Neighbour City Heraclea to hinder them from giving Worship to the Ichneumon it s most mortal Enemy The Hippopotamus Hippopotamus or the Sea-Horse or Sea-Horse not so call'd from any Similitude it bears with a Horse but from the bigness the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Greek sometimes seeming to bear the Signification of Great as well as Horse haunts the †Proteus the Son of Oceanus and Tethys is feigned to be the Keeper of Sea-Calves or Horses Nyle says Pliny though indeed found also in the River Niger and many other Places Barboza Barboza averres he saw many of them in Gophale leaping out of the Sea to the Land and returning again And others have seen the like in the great Sea near Petzore Aristotle Elian and others have done something towards its Description But Fabius Columna in his Observations of Amphibious Creatures hath exactly shewed this in a Salted Skeleton brought from Damiata into Italy by Nicolaus Zerenghi The Form of it Master-Surgeon of Narn It hath no likeness of a Horse the Body resembling an Ox and the Legs a Bear From Head to Tail thirteen Foot long and four and a half broad The Belly was rather flat than round The Compass of his Legs was a Yard and his Foot twelve Inches in breadth Each Claw had three Divisions The Head two Foot and a half broad three Foot long and seven Foot about The whole of a very large Size The Mouth is fleshy shrivel'd and very wide The Eyes an Inch broad and twice as long The Ears little and but
to Dissolve I am the first Inventor of Fruits I am in the Constellation of the Devouring Dog the City Bubastis was Erected to my Honour O Egypt Egypt Rejoyce that thou hast Foster'd Me. Memorials of Osiris MY Father is Saturn the Youngest of all the Gods I am King Osiris who have travell'd through the whole World even to the uninhabited Borders and Bounds of India and other Parts of the Kingdoms of the Earth to the utmost Ocean I am the Eldest Son of Saturn a Branch of a Noble and Excellent Father There is no Place in the World which I have not Visited teaching every where those rarities which I have found out They say at last That Isis besides the Inventing the sowing of Wheat Barley and other Grain instituted Laws also wherefore she was call'd by the Antients Plutarch The Law-giver which confirms the words of the former produced Inscription She was also by the Greeks call'd Tithenes that is Nurse and Pandeches that is as we said already Receiver General and held to be the same with Proserpine and Ceres and so the Mother of the Gods because she bears the Titles attributed to all We have heretofore spoken of the Egyptians ridiculous Superstition and Idolatry we will now add something of their Apis and so come to their present Perswasion The Egyptians worshipped with great Zeal and Devotion Apis or Epaphus a Calf or Ox which they call'd Apis and the Greeks Epaphus for every Ox was not fit for it but it must be Black all over the Body having a square White Spot or Star on the Fore-head the shape of an Eagle upon the Back a Py'd Tail and upon the Tongue a Horse-flye or Hornet When such an Ox dy'd the People fell into sorrow upon it and sumptuously Bury'd it never ceasing their grief till the Priests found out another like the former in which Quest proving successful the Priests brought the Calf first into the City Nilus where they fed it Forty days afterwards in a Ship under a Golden Pavilion to Memphis where they plac'd it in the Temple of Vulcan The cause hereof says Diodorus was because they believ'd the soul of Osiris first of all transmigrated into it Nor did this Apian Worship terminate it self in Egypt but also spread into the East-Indies where even to this day in the Kingdom of the Great Mogol in Bengala Sumatra upon the Maldiver Islands and other Countreys lying on the Sea-Coast are to be seen such Apises or Oxen nay they are come to such a height of Sottishness that they believe none that die shall be sav'd unless at their Departure they lay their Hand upon the Tail of any Ox or Cow ¶ AS to the present Religion in Egypt it is Mahumetan The present Worship in Egypt And Bellonius in his Observations says The Egyptians and Arabs do keep their Law much more stricter than the Turks and although that have prevailed most yet in Cairo it self are many Christians of several Nations and Sects viz. English Dutch French Italians Copticks Nestorians Maronites Georgians Jacobites Armenians Syrians and others amounting to the Number of 100000. All which though in some Points differing among themselves yet in many of their Church-Ceremonies they agree with the Roman though in others they have remarkable Differences They inhabit several Cities Villages Hamlets and Cloisters beside Cairo as at Alexandria Sai Tmui Asna Festadada Coptus Asman Asioch Elesmunin Monphaluth Caus and in the Cloisters of St. Macharius St. Peter St. Hermes and St. Pachomius adjacent to the Red-Sea All these Christians and the Abyssines themselves are under one Patriarch who keeps his Residence in Alexandria and in the Arabick is call'd Papa or Abuma Patriarch that is Our Father Patriarch In former times under the Persecution of the Emperor Dioclesian the Copticks did lead an Honest and Sincere Life adhering to the Church of Rome but afterwards rent from it by the embracing the destructive Heresies of Dioscorus and Eutiches and at present own no other Head of the Church than the Alexandrian Patriarch The Jacobites hold that in Christ by the Hypostatical Union Kircher suppl Copt c. 2. is one only Personal Nature consisting of two Natures not Personal without Mixture growing together They make Saints of Dioscorus Severus Petrus Macharius all Hereticks and condemn Pope Leo. They hold also that themselves together with the Armenians and Abyssines are the Universal or Catholick Church and exclude all others and withal that before the General Judgment no man goes into Paradise or into Hell Those that follow the Heresie of Dioscorus from Arrius and Origen Kircher deny Christ's Humanity affirming his Body coequal with the Deity others deny that he received a Soul and from these words of St. John And the Word became Flesh that he took Flesh of the Virgin Mary and that meerly the Word became Flesh Those lastly that follow Nestorius a Constantinopolitan Bishop Kircher distinguish two Substances or Beings in Christ giving him two Persons and by Consequence two Sons of God and two Christs one which is God and the other generated of his Mother Mary They say that the Virgin Mary is not to be call'd Gods Mother but Christs Mother In their Divine Service the Copticks use the Liturgies of St. Peter Mark Basil Gregory Cyril translated into the Coptick they also Celebrate it in Arabick which there every one understands but the Epistles and Gospels are read twice once in the Coptick and once in the Arabick In the same manner as in a Solemn Service at Rome they are read both in Greek and Latine At the time of the Service they all leaning against the Pillars thereby to shew that they are Travellers or Pilgrims and expect the blessed coming of the Glory of the Great God They sing aloud altogether their Liturgies in a Tone call'd in Arabick Hink sometimes raising their Notes to the Alts then using deep Cadences so well ordered that no unpleasing Discord jarr from their Harmony Now although most of the Alexandrian Patriarchs or Pastors together with their Flocks have formerly thus departed from the Church of Rome yet all the Countreys of Egypt and the whole Abyssine Church have and still do acknowledg the Romish Doctrine to be the right and the Pope to be Christs Vicar as appears by several Letters from Gabriel the Patriarch of Alexandria sent by two Messengers to Pope Clement the Eighth in the Year Fifteen hundred ninety and three wherein he calleth himself GABRIEL The humble Minister by Gods Grace of St. Mark in the City of Alexandria and in all other bordering Southerly on the Sea-coast and among the Abyssines In one of these his Messages he made Confession of his Belief before the Pope in these words I believe and confess that the holy Apostolick Seat and the Roman Pope is the supream Head in the whole Church and the Successor of the blessed Apostle St. Peter Prince of the Apostles and Christs Vicar and Father and
other parts of the Body sometimes only by the Skin and hanging many days they so languishing in great torture die or else ty'd with a Rope about the Middle and with four Nails fasten'd to a Cross against the City Wall they are flead alive or bray'd to pieces in a Mortar Those that have committed any crime at Sea Sea-Justice are ty'd to the Mast or Steerage and shot to death with Arrows or else his hands and Feet cut off and set before the Mouth of a Cannon Usual Punishments and so shot all to pieces To drag them in pieces with four Ships to which they are ty'd and then cast the Quarters into the Sea is a usual Punishment so it is to cut off limb by limb or joint by joint but to tye them up in a Sack Light Punishments and draw them is held a gentle and milde Sentence 'T is capital to lift up the Hand against a Janizary or to commit Adultery with a Mahumetan Woman But this later is connived at because they believe that all sins by washing in the Bath or by once plunging into the Sea are washed away Their Lodging is very mean Their Houshold-stuff being only a Mattress in stead of a Bed which they lay upon a floor of Boards They sleep in their Drawers or Calsoons they have neither Chairs Stools or Tables but hang their Cloaths upon Pins in the Wall Those of Quality sit at Meals and all other times upon pieces of Tapistry cross-legg'd on the Ground but poor People have a great Matt made of the leaves of a Date or Palm-tree The Men wear next their Skin a large Linnen Frock and Drawers The Habit of the Men. and over that a loose Coat of Cloth or Silk buttoned before with great Gold or Silver Buttons and hangs down almost to the knee Their Sleeves reach but to their Elbows so that turning up their Shirt upon them their Arms are for the most part half way bare or naked and instead of Stockins the great men of the Court and other People of quality sometime wear small Turky-Leather Buskins They wear Turbants made of red Wooll wound up in a piece of Cotton five or six Ells long Their Slippers are piked at the Toe of yellow or red Leather shod under the Heel with Iron having no Lappets which they slip off at the door of any house whereto they enter as a great point of Civility They wear at their Girdles three very fine Knives that is two great and one small in a silver Scabbard a foot long adorned with Turkoyses and Smarag'd or Emeral'd Stones so rich sometime that they stand them in above a hundred Escues When they make water they stoop down to the ground How they make water for it is held a shameless thing to urine standing as the Christians do And the reason may be because if the least drop of their water fall upon them they are polluted and must forthwith wash themselves The Women are Habited almost like the Men The Habit of the Women onely having a fine Linnen Cloth on their Heads in stead of a Turbant Their Semaires come but to half their Thighs the rest naked Rich Women wear commonly five or six Pendants in each Ear with Bracelets of Jewels on their Arms and Silk Garments They paint the ends of their Fingers blue with an Herb call'd by them Gueva perhaps our common Woad When they go along the City in the Streets they cast over all a Cotton Cloak which hangs down to their Feet and tie a string of Pearls upon their Foreheads and a fine Kerchiff before their Eyes so that they cannot be known as they go up and down the Streets All their occasions lie within the house where they have a several apartment by themselves wherein none but Women may visit each other the Master of the House himself being at such times excluded to prevent all occasions of jealousie They are curious in the beautifying themselves according to the Fashion of their Countrey painting their Eye-brows and Eye-lids and colouring their Hair black with burned Antimony The usual Food of the Countrey is commonly Rice Their Food Cuscous Mutton Veal some Beef and Fowl When ever they slaughter any Beast they say over each I kill thee in the Name of God then turning themselves to the South they cut the Throat quite through like the Jews that it may bleed the more else they count it unclean and dare not eat of it Their Drink at Meals is either clear Water or Sorbet for Wine is forbidden them by the Alcoran And in the mornings when Tradesmen and Merchants meet about business they go to the Publick Coffee-Houses which Liquor they drink having a great opinion of it smoaking abundance of Tobacco spending much of their time there In stead of Table-Cloths they use red Turky-Leather Carpets and wipe their fingers on their Handkerchiffs in stead of Napkins Onely at Solemn Festivals the great ones wipe upon a blue Cloth fixed to the Carpet Their Cups and Dishes are of Tin or Earth Their Cups or Vessels for none may use Silver onely the Sultans they are all of Massy-Gold Liquid things they eat with wooden Spoons a Foot long Gaming is unlawful among them so that they neither play at Dice Cards Balls Bowls nor any other Sport usual with us Sometime they will play a Game at Chess but not for money Bathes are much used Great use of Baths besides their frequent Washings enjoyned before Devotion so that every place almost is filled with Bannia's Every City hath also many Free-Schools or Mesquites for the instructing of Youth to Read Write and cast Accompts but no further The principal Book they learn is the Alcoran which when a Scholar can read well his School-fellows lead him in his best Habit along the Streets and set forth his Commendation through the City for beyond this none learn Thus having shewed you the Manners and Customs of the People we shall now in short give an account of the nature of the Soyl and what Beasts and Plants it produces ¶ THere are in Barbary very many Springs and Rivers The Rivers the chiefest of which take their Rise in and Fall down from the greater Atlas though some others claim distinct Originals all which disembogue either into the Great Atlantick or Midland-Sea The Waters springing from Atlas relish of that Earth whence they arise and are for the most part thick and sedimenty especially on the Borders of Mauritania The whole Coast of Barbary lying on the Ocean The Scituation of it Atlas and the utmost Southerly Parts of the Territory of Sus as far as the Streights of Gibraltar is very fruitful in the Production of Wheat and Barley full of Meadow-Ground and luxurious in Herbage to feed up Cattel The other on the Midland-Sea How the Soil of Barbary is at the Mediterranean Sea from the Streights to the Eastern Borders of Tripolis is
of Red or other Colour with Caps of Linnen or Silk and on their Feet a kind of Slippers or single-soal'd Shooes which they call Reyas The Women pride themselves in much Linnen The Habit of the Women their wide Smocks being several Ells in the hem with large Linnen Drawers or Calsoons which come down to the Calf of the Leg. In Summer they have Bonnets of Silk in Winter of Linnen in stead of a Mantle they cast over them long pieces of Cloth call'd by the Inhabitants Likares trim'd with Embroidery or Fringes which they clasp together with a Buckle either of Gold or Silver Brass or Iron according as the Wearers ability will extend which it seems was antient there by Virgils Description of Dido Virgil. In their Ears they wear Jewels rich Neck-laces and Bracelets of Pearl which they call Gagales ¶ SEveral Languages are here spoken viz. the Morisk Arabick and Gemmick Tongues The Morisk is the antient African or rather a mixture of several Tongues with a dash of Arabick for they speak it not pure because of their converse with Forreign People whereby are introduced many strange words the Gemmick is half Spanish and half Portugues There is another Speech call'd Tamacete used by the People which dwell between Morocco and Tarudant Northerly of Mount Atlas and boast themselves to come of a Christian Parentage ¶ Every Mahumentan may by the Alcoran lawfully have four Wives The Marriage-condition from any of which he may divorce at his pleasure and take other When any man intends to Wed they have a Caziz Notary and Witnesses the Notary makes a seal'd Agreement of all that the Man promises to give his intended Bride for a Marriage-Portion which they call Codaka which he must give if at any time he part from her If a Woman will part from her Husband she loseth her Marriage-Goods Besides their Wives they may keep as many Concubines as they are able to maintain out of which the King may choose one to bestow upon his Favorites They count it no Crime to obstuprate their Slaves White or Black The King hath commonly four Wives besides a multitude of Concubines with whom he companies according to the dictates of his wandring Fancy On the day of Marriage The Solemnity of Marriage they set the Bride on a Mule sumptuously adorn'd and set forth begirt with a round Canopy in form of a Tower cover'd with Tapistry after the Turkish Manner so carrying her in State through the whole City follow'd by many Muletts laden with the Goods given her by her intended Husband and attended with Men and Women in great Multitudes After this Calvalcade they go to Feasting which done they remove to a spacious and open Place where all the Kindred and Friends assemble and such as are skil'd in Horsmanship for the space of two hours exercise themselves with Lances before the Bride But Diego de Torres says Cap. 76. the Woman is carried upon a well-furnish'd Camel in a small Castle or Tower call'd by them Gayola and curiously adorn'd and cover'd with thin and single Taffaty that she may easily see through it with a great Train of Followers so is she first brought to her Fathers House and from thence to her Husband where is great Feasting and Mirth If the Husband find she was devirginated before Maquet lib. 3. he immediately sends her away with all he gave her but if he be satisfied of her Chastity her praises are sung through the City and the tokens of his satisfaction publickly shewn which also be carried through the City in token of her being a Maid this was customary among the Jews Into their Church-yards the Women go every Friday and Holy-days to bewail their dead with Blew Mourning Garments on in stead of Black Mourning for the Dead as is the fashion in this Countrey The Revenue of this Kingdom yearly brought into the Kings Chamber or Exchequer is very great and rais'd thus Diego de Torret Botero Relat. univers p. 2. lib. 2. Every Male or Female of twelve Years or according to Botero of five Years old pays four fifths of a Ducat Hearth-Money and the like of every Hearth which by them is call'd Garama For every Bushel of Beans the King receives the second for every Beast the tenth but for every sack of Wheat half a Real Besides these there are other Customs paid upon exported Goods which sometimes they raise high pretending thereby to ease their Subjects However the Christian Merchants for all Commodities either imported or exported pay great Tolls besides a large Sum of Money for License to Trade freely there Lastly The King hath full power over all the Goods of his Subjects What makes the Kings mighty and rich of whom none can claim what he possesses for his own for when the Alkayde that is the Governour of the Countrey and other Officers that take Salary die the King seizes all they left giving to his Son if fit for the Wars his Fathers Imployments but if they be little he maintains them till they can handle a Weapon and the Daughters till they are married Another Device the King uses to possess himself of the Peoples Wealth When he hath intelligence of any rich Person he sends for him and under colour of Favour confers on him some Office that receives a Salary from the Crown in which continuing to his Death makes the King a Title to his Estate which is the cause that every one as well at Morocco as Fez to prevent this inconvenience endeavour to conceal their Wealth and keep as far from Court and the Kings knowledge as possible The King also takes one Beast in twenty and two when the Number riseth to a hundred His Collectors also gather the tenth of all Fruits growing in the Mountains which the People pay as a Rent for their Land ¶ THe English Hollanders and French drive here a notable Trade The Merchandise of several People in this Kingdom carrying thither several Commodities as Cloth c. bringing thence again Turky-Leather Wood Sugar Oyl Gold Wax and other Merchandise having their Consuls resident in the Cities of Sale Zaffi and other Places ¶ THe Inhabitants of Morocco in some things differ among themselves as to Religion most of them follow the Doctrine of the Xerif Hamet The strictness of the Moroccoians in observing Mahomets Doctrine who at first was a Monk but left his Cloister in the Year Fifteen hundred and fourteen and began to set abroach the Enthusiasm of one Elfurkan declaring that the Doctrine of Ali Omar and other Expounders of the Alcoran were only humane Traditions and that men were to observe the pure and single writings of Elfurkan who was a faithful Expositor of the same And as the Turks prohibit any to come into their Mosques that is not of their Religion upon pain of Death So this new Prophet admitted all Nations as well Christians as Jews to hear
his Preaching For this difference in Religion the Turks and Moroccoians bear a peculiar hatred one against another the Moroccoians treating the Turkish Slaves as cruelly as the Christian They observe all Solemn Feasts with the Turks and other Mahumetans Festivals especially the Feast of the Passeover The Passeover of the Moroccoians for the King rides sumptuously the Day of the Passeover attended with the Bashaw and other great Lords both Horse and Foot and men sounding Trumpets playing upon Flutes and beating Drums and Kettle-Drums When he is come to an appointed place without the City two Rams are brought to him Homer Il. 3. lib. which after several Ceremonies he sticks in the Throat and if they die quickly that is held by them for a good Presage but if they linger any while they believe the following Year many Sicknesses and Troubles will ensue ¶ The King of Morocco bears the Title of Emperor of Africa The King of Morroco's Title and also Emperor of Morocco King of Fez Sus and Gago Lord of Dara and Guinee great Xerif of Mahomet He hath as we said so absolute a Dominion that all the People are his Slaves not daring without leave go out of the Kingdom upon pain of Corporal Punishment In this Kingdom many wilde Arabs frequent Arabians in Morocco by some call'd Larbussen which live by the Wars and Plunder being general Enemies to all and all Foes to them yet when the time of their Harvest is come they make a Cessation of Arms for it is not a Peace because as soon as the Corn is threshed and laid up in their Pits made in the middle of the Fields for that purpose and cover'd over with Planks and Earth they-fall to their old Trade of robbing and spoyling again whatever Corn is hoarded in those Pits none see or meddle with unless when they fetch some for private use to Sow or to Sell. They dig also deep Pits to find Water to which they come with their Camels from Places far distant leading them home laden therewith in Leathern Borachio's These Arabians in regard of their so much using the Wars are Commanders over the Almahallen that is little Armies to conduct the Caphiles or Caravans by order of the King MOROCCO THE Province of Morocco The Territory of Morocco and Borders of it Grammay Afric 9. Marmol p. 1. lib. 3. taking Name from the Metropolis is almost all Champaign beginning on the West at the Mountain Nefise and stretching Eastward to the Mount Hannimey and so running Northward to the Tenzift where it meets with that of Eciffelmel so that on the North Ducala conterminates it on the West Hea and a part of Sus on the South another part of Sus Darha and Gezula and the East the Territory of Eskure or Haskora Morocco Morocco the Head City the Principal City of the whole Kingdom call'd by the Inhabitants Marroc and by the Spaniards Marruecos is by the unanimous consent of most Geographers held to be the Boccanum Hemerum of Ptolomy Be it one or other such as make narrow inquiry into Antiquity say That it was first built by Joseph Aben Texijien and his Son Ali out of the Ruines of Boccanum or rather in the same place where Ptolomy had set that It is situate between the Rivers Neftis and Agmet in thirty Degrees and thirty Minutes Northern Latitude incompassed with a Plain sprinkled with little Hills among which on the North-side Atlas thrusts his Basis within six Miles of the City Het KONINKLYK HOE meteen geâ—elte der Stadt MAROKKO The Citizens number saith Gramay five and thirty Streets besides a multitude of Lanes and other narrow Passages but addes withall that one third part is destitute of Inhabitants by reason of many Ruines between which it is planted with Groves of Dates Vineyards and other Trees Here were in former times many Stately Temples Guilds Baths It was formerly very rich in Buildings and Inns but the Civil War in the Countrey hath laid waste and levell'd most of them with the Earth Memorable Monuments remaining are two Temples of a wonderful Greatness One built by Ali the other by Abdul Mumen neighbour to which King Almansor erected a third encompassed with a Wall of fifty Cubits high and beautifi'd with Columns or Pillars which he brought out of Spain Under it he made a Cistern of like bigness with the Temple to receive all water from the Roofs The Royal Palace call'd by the Inhabitants Alkakave or Michouart may compare with an ordinary City surrounded with strong and high Walls In the middle of a Basse Court stands a stately Mesquiet with a Tower on whose Top in stead of a Fane stand four golden Apples together as they say Four Golden Apples of the top of the Tower weighing seven hundred Pound and given to the King of Morocco by the King of Gago with his Daughter in Marriage And to confirm this Opinion they alleadge that the King of Morocco in right of that Marriage still remains Inheritor of that Kingdom and fetches from thence much Gold But Marmol tells us That when King Mansor had builded this stately Temple out of a desire to leave behind him some Memorial of his Wealth bestowed a great part of the Jewels he had in Marriage with the Queen for the making those Apples The Inhabitants firmly believe they were so signatur'd by such Configurations of the Heavens that they were as Telesman's never to be remov'd which Magick seems to be as antient as the Building of Troy and whose Palladium we may suppose to be such whereof hear Virgil. Aen. l. 2. Omnis spes Danaum coepti fiducia belli Palladis auxiliis semper stetit impius ex quo Tydides sed enim scelerumque inventor Ulysses Fatale aggressi sacrato avellere templo Palladium caesis summae custodibus arcis Corripuêre sacram effigiem manibusque cruentis Virgineas ausi divae contingere vittas Ex illo fluere ac retro sublapsa referri Spes Danaum fractae vires aversa deae mens Our chiefest hopes and confidence were laid Since first the War began in Pallas Aid Till impious Diomed with Ulysses went The best that ever mischief did invent And boldly from her sacred Fane convey'd Fatal * That was the Effigies of the Goddess and Telesmon made of Pelopts bones by Arius the Philosopher and presented to Trous to preserve his City where founded and therefore Diomede and Vlysses stole it from thence that they might conquer the City though Synon feigns thus Palladium and dire Slaughter made These the blest Image pulling down distain'd With bloudy hands and Virgin Wreaths prophan'd The Grecian hopes from that time backward went Our Strength decay'd the Goddess discontent Cidrenus saith this Image of Pallas was consecrated by Diabolical Rites out of a vain presumption that the Town was impregnable while that remained in it This is confirm'd by Joannes Antiochenus who saith such Images were Telesmatically
of Morocco's Concubines to the number of eight hundred under the Guard of Eunuchs but now the Residence and Seat of the Governours Without the City lie several Sconces and Redoubts made of Loam and cast up when the Castle was Besieg'd in the Year Sixteen hundred and sixty Within these Cities are several Mosques with inclosed Yards round about and without divers Mesquites The Houses especially in Old Sale are very small and slightly built Their Houses though here and there some are richly set out with Carv'd Work and Marble Pillars Generally they are but one Story high without any Windows to the Street or other opening than the Door all their Light descends from a Loover in the midst about which the Chambers are placed the whole Edifice flat-rooft for conveniency of Walking Morning and Evening for the benefit of the cool refreshing Air. The Haven is very spacious The Haven but shallow having at low Tyde not above a Foot or a Foot and a half Water though at full Sea eleven or twelve Before the Haven lyeth a Barr passable at High Water with loaden Barks and Ships either out or in whereas when the Tyde is out they must remain at the Rivers mouth and unload their Goods into small Boats out of which Landed they carry them through the Gate Sidimusa Ducala upon Asses and Camels into the City This shallowness of the Haven compels the Corsaires or Pyrates of this Place to use light Vessels that draw little Water which proves better for the Chace and more advantageous in their Pyracies and also in escaping Ships of greater Burden whereas they of Algiers Tunis and Tripolis from the convenience of their Haven put to Sea in greater Vessels The Revenue consists in Tributes and Customs of Exported and Imported Merchandise The Revenue all which pays ten in the Hundred The Countrey People under its Jurisdiction pay the tenth of all their Land-Fruits for a Tribute And the Pyrates by their Robberies against the Christians bring no small Advantage These Cities are now Govern'd by an Alcaide The Government who with his chosen Councel manage all Affairs either Martial or Civil In the Election of a new Governour or Deputy they proceed with no regularity the Commons or Plebeians sometimes setting up one from among themselves or if it were possible below themselves as they did some few Years since when without the consent of the King or Nobles running together upon the Governours death without any the least appearance of Reason they set up in this mad fit an Ass-driver and by their own Authority impowered him but he soon after his Advancement using the same severity rough handling and menaces to his new Subjects as towards his old Slave the Ass they no longer pleased with his so rigorous Government kickt him out of the Saddle and left him to conduct by those stern Rules his old Servant Other great Alterations often happen in the chusing of Governours insomuch that sometimes it hath been known that there have been three new Governours in a Moneth so often turned out either out of the Peoples hatred to them or for their own Misgovernment and yet their whole Jurisdiction reaches no farther than over a few little Cities and some wandring Advars that is Arabs This City hath from the first Foundation been subject to Commotions and Alterations but more especially since the coming of the Andaluzian Moors that were driven out of Spain as will presently appear During the continuance of the Moors in Spain which was from the Year Seven hundred and twelve for then they made their Conquests for Six or seven hundred Years they kept possession all which time the Kings of Spain made it their Master-piece to drive them out especially Ferdinando the Fifteenth for he taking into serious Consideration the great mischief by them done to the Christians and the continual Wars wherewith they infested them in the Year Fourteen hundred ninety two set fiercely upon them who seeing themselves in a straight and even brought under the power and obedience of Ferdinando seem'd to embrace Christianity though scarce in outward appearance they were such however it gain'd them a breathing while and gave them opportunities of endeavour at least to distract that State so that in the Year Sixteen hundred and ten Philip the Third King of Spain by an Edict published the Sixteenth of January banisht them out of his Kingdom The Andaluzian Moors driven out of Spain and for fear of incurring the penalties thereof above a Million of Men Women and Children of all Sexes departed within the time limited the greatest part of whom taking Ship passed into Barbary But others spread themselves into the East about Constantinople some came into France with the consent of the King who allotted them a place to dwell in conditionally they observ'd the Roman Catholick Religion wherein by performance of their Articles they so fixed themselves that at this Day some Families of them are to be found in Provence and Languedoc Such of them as pitched at Salee were admitted with freedom by the King of Fez and Morocco believing they might be useful to instruct his People in many Trades and Handicrafts Here a while they lived Peaceably yielding equal Obedience with the other Subjects but they soon started aside and with the Money which in great quantities they brought from Spain bought Arms and some Ships wherewith they apply'd themselves to Roving and Pyracy at Sea pretending at first to take from none but the Spaniards in revenge of their inflicted Banishment though indeed and in truth their malice raged upon all the Christians 'T is true at the beginning they play'd fast and loose under pretence of Trading and Merchandise setting up Spanish Flags and Colours in their Masts and Sterns and acting all in the name of Spaniards The Andaluzjans beginning to take from the Christians as they were by Birth and Language by which they did great Robberies but at last this Trick growing stale they pull'd their Vizards off and declared themselves openly Pyrates and Enemies to all Christians Whatsoever Prizes they took they pay'd to the King of Morocco as a Tribute seven or ten in the Hundred as well of Prisoners as of Merchandise Thus for a time they continued their Subjection to the King of Morocco but still waiting an opportunity to throw off the yoak and indeed they wanted not a specious pretence for under the colour of furnishing their Ships they got into their hands the best Arms in Salee of which possessed and instigated by the natural Ambition of the Countrey they were bred in they brought to pass those Designs they had been so long secretly contriving For first they made themselves Masters of the Alkassave They rise up against the King of Morocco or Castle of Salee and by that means of the City which done they disarm'd the Moors banish'd the Natives and expell'd all the King of Morocco's Officers and for their Assistance
hundred and fourteen set forth a Fleet to scour the Seas and also chase away the Pyrates that sculking sheltered in those Parts and in the same Spot raised a new Fortress which with the assistance of the Citadel Larache kept all the neighboring Coast and Countrey in awe and also improved the Haven for safer riding of Shipping Mequinez Mequinez and by some call'd Mecknesse and Mechnase and by the English Mikernez seventy Spanish Miles from Salee twenty from Mahmore twelve from Fez and six from the Great Atlas close by a River it is an old City by Ptolomy as Marmol says Leo Afric call'd Silde formerly furnish'd with Six thousand Houses and very strong Walls fair Churches Three Colledges twelve great Bannia's large and spacious Streets and a commodious Stream Tifelfelt Tefelfelt or Tefelfelt a small City Ptolomy's Tamusige in a Valley four Miles distant from Mahmore and three from the Ocean now nothing but Ruines and a Receptacle for wilde Arabs and the like Robbers Gemaa el Hamem Gemaa el Hamem or Gemei Elchmen or Elchmel is an old City on a Plain four Miles from Mequinez Southward East from Fez and three from Mount Atlas but much harm'd by the late Wars insomuch that the Churches and Houses stand all bare the Roofs lying on the Floors which confusion makes it rather a Den of Thieves than a City being nothing else but lurking holes for those inhumane Purchasers Hamis Metagare or Kamis Metgare Hamis Metagare close by the way that goeth from Morocco to Fez between the City Gemaa el Hamem and Fez four Miles from either of them lay formerly waste and uninhabited but afterwards by the Moors banisht out of Granada Peopled and brought to its pristine State and Condition Beni Becil or Beni Basil another City lately wasted by the Wars Beni Becil but now Repaired situate between Fez and Mequinez on the Banks of the small River call'd Heud Nye which with the Fountain Ain Zork half a Mile above the aforesaid City takes it Original out of the same Place Makarmede by Marmol taken to be the Erpis of Ptolomy Makarmede lyeth six Miles from Fez Eastward and is wasted by the same Civil Wars Habad or Rabat by some call'd Hubbed is a Castle Habad environ'd with strong Walls built by Mahumetan Priests opposite to Sale so standing that from thence they have a large Prospect of all the adjacent Countrey The Opinion is that this Town or Citadel formerly was large and very Potent but now in a low and miserable condition Inhabited by Moors and wilde Arabs that only live from hand to mouth by Forrage and Plunder having no Commerce pretending Vassalage to the Kings of Morocco Zavie or Zaquie held to be Ptolomy's Volusse built by Joseph the Second Zavie a King of the Marine Family lyeth four Miles from Fez almost wholly Ruin'd the chief remaining part being now converted into an Hospital Halvan or according to some Chanban a Wall'd Village Halvan lying two Miles Eastward from Fez at the River Sebu or Subu having without the Walls a Hot Bath with very fair Inns. But the most Eminent City of all is Fez call'd by the Mahumetans The City Fez. Western-Court and by some held to be Silde by others the Volubilis of Ptolomy This City was first founded Anno Eight hundred and one by one Idris the natural Son of Idris by his Handmaid he being a dispossessed Arabian Patriarch The Original of the Name Fez is by some brought from the Arabian word Fez signifying Gold because at the first breaking of the Ground to lay the Foundation there was Golden Oar found but others will have it from the River Fez which Waters the City It stands remoted from the Sea a hundred Miles The Form of it with rough and almost inaccessible ways to it The Form is a Quadrangular Oblong hedg'd in on every side with Suburbs all encompast with high and stately Walls wrought artificially with Brick and Free-Stone fortifi'd round about with Towers but few Redoubts according to the Modern but onely Flanker'd at the Gates which are in all eighty six some of them Water-Gates a Stream running through them So near surrounded with Hills that there remains no more Level but what the City stands upon It is divided into twelve Wards or Precincts containing sixty two spacious Markets set with Artificers and Tradesmens Shops round about above two hundred Eminent Streets together with a great number of cross and by-Lanes all which are adorn'd on both sides with large and stately Edifices besides seven hundred Mosques a great number of Colledges Hospitals Mills and common Bannia's This as to the general we shall now make a more particular Inquisition The River Fez which Paulus Jovius calls Rhasalme passes through the City in two Branches one runs Southward towards New Fez and the other West each of these again subdividing into many other clear running Channels through the Streets serving not onely each private House but Churches Inns Hospitals and all other publick Places to their great Conveniences Round about the Mosques are a hundred and fifty Common-Houses of Easement built Four-square and divided into Single-Stool-Rooms each furished with a Cock and a Marble Cistern which scowreth and keeps all neat and clean as if these Places were intended for some sweeter Employment Here also are two hundred and fifty Bridges Like London-Bridge before the Fire many of which are built on both sides that they are not onely Thorow-fares but of all Trades there There are eighty six publick Springs or Wells which afford the Citizens abundance of Water besides six hundred other in Palaces Hospitals and great Buildings The Houses are artificially built of Bricks The Houses and Stones their Fronts Carved out with all sorts of Imagery the Rooms and Galleries of Brick and Tile and pourtray'd with Flowers and variety of Colours and for the greater lustre they shine with a rare Varnish The Cielings and Beams of the Rooms are commonly Gilt Carv'd and Painted with delightful Colours the Roofs are flat and artificially laid with Pavements which in Summer are cool Reposes Here their Houses are two or three Stories high with Galleries the middle of the House lying always open with Rooms on each side having high and broad Doors furnish'd to the whole Length with a great Press or Chest of Drawers in which they lay up their Habits or what ever else they have a great esteem for The Galleries rest upon Pilasters made either of Brick or Marble painted and varnished over after the manner of a Piazza or Terrast-Walk Many Houses have Stone Cisterns ten or twelve Cubits long six or seven broad and six or seven Foot deep handsomely painted and varnished over under which stands a Marble Trough receiving the redundant Water of the Cistern They are kept pure and clean though never kept cover'd but in Summer when Men Women and Children bathe in it The Houses have also
that it touches upon Biledulgerid formerly held in Compass two small miles as still some of the Ruines do declare but in the Year Nine hundred fifty nine destroy'd by the Kalifs of Cairavan but afterwards by a great Marabout restor'd and Peopl'd So that at present it contains above thirteen hundred Families The Inhabitants are most of them Weavers and Turners who though Skilful in their Trades yet seldom arrive thereby to any more than one degree above the meanest poverty KOUKO THe Kingdom of Kouko by the Marsiâ—â—n Merchants call'd Kouque or Kouke by the Italians and Spaniards Kuko suppos'd to be the Cinnaba of Ptolomy now subject to the Turks and paying Tribute to Algier The Mountain Kouko On the Borders of the Fields of Metiia towards the South and East appear many Mountains among which is Mount Kuko giving Name to the whole Kingdom Gramay says it is a very high and craggy Mountain eleven or twelve Dutch miles from Algier nine Westward of Bugia and three from Mount Labes But Peter Dan in his History of Barbary averres that Kouko is a place lying thirty French miles from Algier environ'd with almost inaccessible Mountains possessed by Arabians and Moors ¶ THe City of this Name contains more than sixteen hundred Houses The City strong in Scituation as being surrounded with high and steep Rocks Here the King of Kouko hath his chiefest Palaces And not far-distant in former times was the Haven Tamagus belonging to the same King but now in Possession of the Algerians This Countrey hath many Springs and Gardens Planted with all sorts of Fruits The Haven of Tamagus especially Olives The plain Grounds yield plenty of Figs Raisins Honey and Flax of which is made excellent Linnen Salt-Peter is there digged The Inhabitants are warlike necessitated thereto by their Neighboring Enemies yet their Fields stockt with Cattel their Woods with Monkeys and the whole Region with Horses fit for Service in the Wars ¶ THe yearly Revenue of the King The Revenue is reckon'd to seven hundred thousand Crowns which he raises by the Barter of Native Commodities nor can he easily be deprived thereof the Mountain serving as a Bulwark to keep out whom they are not willing to admit there being but onely one way to ascend them and that so narrow and uneasie that a small number with stones may keep back a strong Army ¶ THe Inhabitants are all Mahumetans Their Religions here and there mingled with Christian Merchants But such is their enmity to Jews that they will on no terms have any Converse with them ¶ GRamaye and Peter Davity Government give the Title of King to the Lord of these Countreys but Ananie ascribes to him onely the Name of Xeque though we may believe him mistaken because within this hundred years or thereabout one Benel Kadi of the Stock of Celmi Beni Tumi King of Algier by Aruch Barberossa murther'd relying upon the strength of his People call'd himself King of Kouko for whose Death all the people became deadly Enemies to the Turks which continued till Hassen or Asan Bassa Son of Hayredin Barberoussa inter-married the Daughter of this King by which means he gain'd the Assistance of his Armies against the King of Labez The King keeps no Court nor State but onely a Guard for Safeguard of his Person The continual Enmity of those of Algier against Kauke Nor makes Ostentation of his Strength for his Countrey lying inclosed with the Provinces of Algier they have always had an evil eye upon him endeavoring utterly to extirpate the King and bring the State under their absolute Obedience This being not unknown to him makes him Side with the Spaniard as he did openly in the Year Fifteen hundred forty and two when he sent the Emperour Charles the Fifth lying before Algier two thousand Moors for his assistance Which upon the News of the miscarriage of his Fleet he withdrew but this was so highly resented that shortly after in revenge came Asan Bassa King of Algier with an Army of three thousand Turks and Moors upon him and he durst not strike one stroke against him but made a Peace upon a promise of a yearly Tribute and gave his Son Sid-Amet Benalkadi for a Hostage This begun a tie of Friendship between Kouko and Algier which yet were more strongly united in a League in the Year Fifteen hundred sixty one by the Marriage of Asan Bassa with Kouko's Daughter whereby his People got liberty to buy Arms and other Necessaries at Algier But this brought no small suspicion into the Janizaries whose Aga having in October publish'd a Prohibition upon pain of Death that no Arms should be sold to the Koukians within two hours drew the Janizaries out of the City seized upon Asan Bassa together with his Sisters Son Ochali the General of the Army whom he sent bound in six Galleys to Constantinople This raised new fears in Couko and encreased their hatred to Algier so that in Sixteen hundred and nine they sold the Haven of Tamagut to the Spaniards but before delivery the Algerians took it by force Afterwards in Sixteen hundred and eighteen after the death of Hamaert the Kings Brother who usurped the Kingdom the old League of Friendship was renewed with Spain and Hostages given for performance this made the hatred between them and Algier break out afresh but his death the year after quite altered the Case for his Nephew Murtherer and Successor made Peace with Algier and sent thither Hostages who in a short time there ended their lives Of this Enmity between the King of Kouko and Algier the Spaniards made great advantage contriving thereby to get Algier into their hands and according to their Design in the Year Sixteen hundred and three thus attempted it There was a Franciscan Monck named Matthias well skill'd in the Language of the Countrey by his long Slavery there when he was ready to return for Spain he held secret intelligence with the King of Kouko between whom 't was agreed that Matthias should furnish him with some Spanish Souldiers for whose reception and safeguard the Koukian was to deliver up a small Fort lying in the Entrance of the Mountain and so with Joynt-Forces fall upon Algier The Enterprise thus concluded a day was appointed to effect it but the Council and Souldiery of Algier having privately some intelligence thereof at the very hour sent a great number of Janizaries to the place which at first approach summoned was by Abdala Nephew to the King of Kouko yielded together with a discovery of the whole design to the Bashaw of Algier Solyman of Katagne a Venetian Renegado who promised him for every Head of a Spaniard concerned in the Plot and by him either taken or kill'd fifty Sultanies and for the Head of Matthias two hundred A fruitless Enterprise of the Spaniards to take Algier At last four Spanish Galleys appeared under the Vice-Roy of Majorca on the appointed day close by the
Tebekrit viz. Tebekrit and Ned-Roma Tebekrit formerly called Thudaka now fam'd for little but its vicinity to the Mediterranean Sea Ned-Roma Ned-Roma that is New-Rome scituate upon a Plain three miles from the same Sea and one and a half from Atlas and the same which Ptolomy called Celama The Walls Houses Ruines and huge Alabaster Columns with Latin Insciptions testifie it to have been a Roman Structure not far from whence are the two great Hills Tarasa and Galhasu out of whose sides is digged Iron All the Land as well Mountains as Plains abound with Figs Apples Karrabes or St. Johns-Bread Citrons Granates Peaches Olives Melons Cotton and Flax. And some few places yield Wheat Barley and other Grain HARESGOL HAresgol another Maritime Territory so called from the City of the same Name where the Governour keeps his Residence by Marmols computation standing Eastward of Humanbar Westward of Horan about four miles from Tremezen at the influx of the River Teffene anciently called Siga into the Mediterrane on the East side towards the Sea guarded by a Castle This City in the Year Fifteen hundred and seventy by Don Pedro of Navarre was Sacked and Plundered but left by him the Arabians re-entred and possess it to this day under the Protection of the Turks who maintain a Garrison in the Fort. THE MARQUISATE OF HORAN HOran lying also by the Sea Butts on the West upon Haresgol Its Borders and to the East on Tenez and Sargel The City of Oran call'd by the Inhabitants Guharan and by some held to be the Quiza of Pliny or Buisa or Visa of Ptolomy which others contradicting say it was that which he nam'd Icosium It hath been known to former Ages by many several Names as Madura Ara and Auran whence some derive the present Oran It is the Head City of this small Tract seated at the edge of the Midland-Sea oppofite to Cartagena in Spain thirty five miles from Telensin It stands partly on the hanging of a Hill partly in a Plain having the Sea on one side and on the other Trees Brooks and Fountains The Streets are narrow crooked and without order the Houses also mean and scattering yet surrounded with indifferent handsom and high Walls but the Haven very incommodious especially as to some Winds In the most flourishing time the Inhabitants reckoned six thousand Houses besides Temples Hospitals Baths and Inns. Most of the Citizens were Weavers others lived of their yearly Revenues which they raised from their Sale of Barley the adjacent Countrey yielding little Rye or Wheat Many Merchants arrived hither from Catalonia Genoa Venice and other Places who drove a great Trade with the Citizens whose deportment towards them was very courteous and friendly They held Wars a long time with the King of Telensin who would have imposed on them a Governour which they would never admit but among themselves chose a Magistrate whom they impowered to decide all differences arising and was the Judge in all criminal Causes either as to Life or Death By this means and their unity among themselves they became at length so powerful that at their own Cost they maintained a Fleet with which they Pillaged upon all the Coasts of Spain and became as it were a Prison of Captive Christians This so provoked the Spaniard that he sent an Army thither under the Command and Conduct of the Cardinal of Spain Francis Ximenes which with the help of the Biscayners in the Year Five hundred and nine the Eighth day of May with the Loss onely of thirty men and the Redemption of twenty thousand Christian Slaves took it and much defaced its former Lustre yet still there is a stately Palace the Residence of the Kings Lieutenant a Council-House Exchange great Church and several rich Hospitals Here are two other little Cities call'd by Gramay Aghard and Agbal besides Mazagran and Mastagan both possessed by the Turks together with the Mountain Magarava Mazagran hath a Haven the same as Marmol thinks which Ptolomy named the Haven of the Gothes and is environed with high Walls and both strengthened and beautified with a great Castle Mostagan by Sanutus and others call'd Mestugam by some taken for Cartena but by others for the Trada of Ptolomy by the Sea side nine miles Eastward of Horan and one small mile from Mazagran It contains fifteen hundred Houses a fair Church a convenient Haven and on the South side a strong Castle Mount Magarava extending Nine Miles in length upon the Sea-Coast parteth Tremecen and Tenez one from another takes its Name from the Magaravaes a People so called that Inhabit there at whose feet stand both the former Towns About Mostagan the Land is very Rich and Fruitful but lieth waste and uninhabited by the continual Thieveries of the Arabs and Magarava breeds many Cattel and yields good store of Wheat The Mazagrans are untoward Their Employment and ill-conditioned being for the most part Shepherds but the Magaravaes are Warlike and of a haughty Courage not living in Houses but like the wild Arabians removing from place to place with their Cattel Their Language broken Arabick and their Lives spent without any certain order onely for convenience sake they pay to Algier an Annual Tribute of Twelve thousand Escues or French Crowns A Mile Westward of Horan by the side of a little Bay stands Marzalquibir thought to be the place which Ptolomy calleth The Great Haven and placed in Mauritania Caesariensis nor is the Opinion without great shew of Reason for that Marzalquibir Marzalquibir as Marmol says signifies in the Moorish Tongue A Great Haven and indeed it is of so vast an Extent that many think the whole World cannot shew a greater nor is the Magnitude all for it is a secure and safe Port for Shipping against all Winds and Storms This with all its advantages in the Year Fifteen hundred and five was by the Marquess de Comarez taken from the Moors and annexed to Spain under which it long hath and still doth continue SARGEL SArgel another Tributary Jurisdiction of Algier formerly a Member of Tenez so named from its chief City Sargel which some suppose to be the ancient Canuccis and others Cartena but generally in many Mapps Entituled Sargel The Romans erected it by the Mediterranean Sea Nine Miles to the East of Tenez and surrounded it with an high Wall of Hewen Stone The chiefest Monuments are the remaining Ruines of a Magnificent Temple built all of Marble or Alabaster a stupendious Work and worthy the Roman Grandeur brought to that Ruine by Cayne the Califf of Cairavan when he took the City from the Arabians and destroyed it from which time it lay desolate untill the Year Fourteen hundred and ninety two when the Moors banished out of Granada pitching there began to People and Re-build it De STADT ALGIER ¶ TWo miles Eastward of Sargel appears a Mountain The Mountain of Karapula which the Turks call Carapula the Moors Giraflumar and the Christians
though a man of great Valour and Conduct yet sent a Galley with Letters to the Grand Seignior desiring his Assistance and Protection against the Christians very readily did the Turk consent to his Request sending thither two thousand Native Turks Thus fell this City and Kingdom to the Grand Seignior to whom it is yet subject Govern'd by a Vice-Roy who is entituled a Bassa to whom the Christians give the Stile of Highness ¶ THeir Marabouts carry so high a reputation among them that whatever they say is look'd upon as an Oracle and their Commands obey'd even to the hazzard of life They cut not the Hair of their Heads or Beards their Habit a long Coat to their Heels over which a short Cloak reaching but to the middle of their Back as in the foregoing PRINT doth more plainly appear Their Religion and Worship is the same with other Mahumetans or at least very little differing each having an equal Reverence for the Alcorna and using both the same Times and Method of Devotion BUGIE BUgie formerly a Kingdom by the Moors call'd Bigeya or Bugeya The Borders from the chief City belonging to the Dominion lying towards the Sea borders on the West with Algier on the East with Gigel or Gigery before the Bounds were alter'd by the Turks this Countrey was the most Easterly Part according to Davity of the Caesarian Mauritania bordering then on the West as we said with Algier on the East with the City of Tenez and Africa the Less having the Midland-Sea and the City Collo on the North and on the South Biledulgerid and Numidia This Countrey stretching almost Fifty Dutch Miles towards the South over the Mountains to the Wilderness of Numidia contained formerly according to Marmol Bugie their chief City from whence the whole Territory is so nam'd with the Garrison and Village of Gogere Micila Migana Tezteza Lamora Nekauz the Mountains of Benijubar Auraz and Abez but Gramay reckons thus Gigeri Mesile or Misile Stefe or Distefe Nekaus Kollo and Sukayda But now Gigeri is a peculiar of it self and Sukayda and Rollo are incorporated to Constantine So that at this day Bugie contains onely Micili Distefe and Nekaus with the Mountains of Bugie The City Bugie by the Arabians and Moors says Marmol call'd Bigeya The City Bugie or Bugeya and held by some to be the antient Metropolis Thabraka by others taken for Igilgilis or Vrikerh and by Ptolomy for Salde lieth near the Mediterrane on the side of a great Mountain about seventeen miles East from Algier and the like Westward from Gigery The Romans they say first Founded this City being invested with high strong and antient Walls in Fifteen hundred and twenty well Peopled boasting of Eight thousand fair Houses It hath also a commodious large Bay or Road antiently call'd The Numidian Sea The Streets are handsome and well-order'd but being upon a continual ascent or descent they are wearisom to those whose occasions call them to walk much therein Here are several Mosques many Colledges and also Cloysters publick Inns and Houses of common Reception for Strangers built after their own manner They have a fair and spacious Market-place near which on a rising Hill stands a strong Fortress invironed with thick and high Walls curiously adorned within with several seeming Characteral Mouldings upon Plaisters and Carved in Wood besides exquisite Paintings according to their manner which as they say cost more than the whole Fabrick Eastward of this the River Hued-el-Quibir that is the great River falleth into the Sea Micile or Mesile lies within thirty miles of the Border of Numidia surrounded with the Mountain La Abez Stefe or according to Gramay Distefe or rather Distese or more rightly as Marmol calls it Tezteze supposed to be that which Ptolomy call'd Apfar being fifteen miles to the In-land Southerly of Bugie scituated upon a delightful Plain near Mount La Abez formerly destroy'd by the Arabians but soon after re-inhabited by Three hundred Families Nekaus Nekaus formerly call'd Vaga one of the delightfullest Cities of Barbary stands on a River side seventeen miles from the Sea and twelve from Testese on the Borders of Numidia It hath strong Walls and boasted formerly of stately Baths Houses of Entertainment wherein Strangers and Foreigners were Lodged and well accommodated besides many Palaces and Churches Every House though but a Story high had a Garden Planted with Vines Damask Roses Myrrhe and Jasmine Bugie lieth almost quite hemm'd in with the Mountains of Zarara but the most remarkable they call Bene-quibar being five miles from the City Bugie six miles long and three miles broad This Ridge of Mountains taken together reach along the Sea-Coast thirty miles and are in some places six or seven miles broad ¶ THe Land about Bugie is barren and unfit for Tillage yet it brings forth excellent Garden-Fruit Near the City Nekaus are large Plains abounding with Corn and on the River stand an incredible number of Hazel and Fig-Trees accounted the best of that Countrey ¶ THe Mountains afford little Wheat but abundance of Barley besides Nuts and Figs Flax and Hemp whereof much but course Linnen is made Iron-Mines also and good Wood The Inhabitants also keep a great number of Horses Oxen and Goats ¶ THe Women of Nekaus are handsome body'd The Constitutions and Customs of the Inhabitants and fair with black and shining Hair which makes them take a pride to frequent the Baths The Inhabitants of Micile are Clownish and exceeding Rustical sturdy and revengeful so also the Mountaineers Some of them are kind in their Conversation and very much inclin'd to Pastime and more than any use Musical Instruments Those of Nekaus have a good Mien and comely Deportment milde sure Friends and always neat in their Apparel And though every Mountain is possest with a several Family yet their Customs and manner of life are all one Those of Bugie and Nekaus have their Colledges where their Youth are instructed in the Mahumetan Laws and Philosophical Studies the Students Cloathes and Diet born at the Cities Charge The Inhabitants of Micile are all Artificers and Husbandmen The Inhabitants of the Mountains mark themselves according to an Antient Custom with a black Cross on their Cheeks and on the Palms of their Hands which first they us'd when they were subdu'd by the Turks who then requir'd no Tribute of the Christians Whereupon many of them took up the Badge of Christians so escaping the Tax that was laid on other Perswasions which though now useless they continue as a fashion neither knowing the Cause nor Original The Riches of the Inhabitants consisteth in their Cattel Their Riches Corn Plants Linnen and Hempen Cloth The Mountaineers use for their Coyn small Gads of Iron of half a pound weight yet they Coyn also small Pieces of Silver ¶ IN the Declension of the Roman Empire the Goths expell'd their Legions Their Government and made themselves Masters of Bugie and there settled the
City are many old Buildings and some Ruines signs of its former Greatness and about half a mile distant from it a Triumphal-Arch built after the Roman fashion From the City they go to the River by steps cut out in a Rock within which is a Vault whose Roof Columns and Floor are all of the same Piece Not far off rises a Fountain of warm Water a little Eastward of which by a little Rill of fresh Water is a Structure of Marble garnished with Carved Images which the Common People imagine to have been an Academy and that the Master and Scholars for their wickedness were metamorphos'd into those Statues Sanutus placeth the City Chollo Kollo formerly call'd Kullu and now by some Alkol by others Kol and Kollo near Constantine being built by the Romans at the edge of the Mediterrane-Sea adjoyning to a high Mountain but open and without Walls It hath a Castle founded upon a Rock with a convenient Road for Ships formerly much frequented by Genouese and French Merchants Sukaicada Sukaicada about thirty miles from Constantine hath also a Haven full of Trading and a Street-way running from it a mile and a half in Length Five or six miles from Constantine The Village Estore not far from the Cape of Gigeri lieth the Village Estore famous for its Antiquity and a small but convenient Haven ¶ THe Mountains are many The Mountains of Constantine covering the whole Coast from the North to the West and so to the East beginning at the Mountains of Bugie and reaching alone the Mediterranean-Sea about thirty miles from whence arise many Fountains and Rivers that taking their Course through the Plains by their fertilizing Streams greatly enrich the Places through which they pass Here also appear scatter'd up and down many Ruines of Streets and Castles built by the Romans ¶ THe Land about Constantine is bountiful to the Countreyman rendring to his labour a thirty-fold return nor are the Mountains much behind yielding good Corn besides plenty of Olives Figs and other Fruits yet nevertheless through the insolency of the Arabians are but thinly inhabited In the beforemention'd warm Bath there is abundance of Snails with shells which the silly Women cried out upon for Evil Spirits and Devils attributing to them the cause not onely of all Diseases but other evil Occurrents As a remedy of all mishaps coming by them they use to kill a white Hen and thrust it with their feet into a Dish so bringing it with a Wax-Candle to the Bath and leaving it which is soon conveigh'd away and eaten I hope you will not think by the Snails ¶ THe Inhabitants of the City Constantine are rich proud and clownish but withall couragious those of Kollo friendly and courteous great Traders and Lovers of Arts and Sciences The Mountaineers are much Civiler here than in Bugie but ignorant in all parts of Literature however they learn and use many Handicraft Trades and without doubt would much improve themselves if they would leave off those continual Wars they manage among themselves about their Wives which often run over from one Mountain to another to get change of Men. By this means generally the Men are Souldiers so that they can bring into the Field forty thousand Men of the which perhaps four thousand Horse The Citizens of Constantine Kollo and Gigeri yea and the Alarbs come to their Weekly Markets to whom without exception they equally sell what Fruits or other Commodities they have ¶ THe whole Government is Commanded by a Provincial Lieutenant It s Government Residing in Constantine Heretofore they had Kings of their own but in the Year Fourteen hundred and twenty becoming subject to Tunis the Kings thereof bestowed it as a Principality on their eldest Sons but at last in the Year Fifteen hundred and twenty after Cheredine Barbarossa had taken Kollo those of Constantine weary of the Trunsian yoke voluntarily yielded themselves up into the hands of Barbarossa since which they have remained free from Tunis BONA PLiny and Ptolomy call'd this Countrey The Royal Hippon Its Borders for distinction from Diarrython Hippon but the Inhabitants in the Moorish Tongue name it Bederna now a Member of Algier though heretofore computed under Constantine It lies encompassed with Mountains on the West and South and which reach about twenty miles that is from Bona to Begge and in breadth eight miles ¶ THe City Bona famous for having been the Episcopal See of St. Augustine The City Bona. is said to be built by the Romans upon sharp and very high Cliffs on the Mediterranean Sea having both within and without many Wells and Springs Sanutus and John Leo say that Bona lieth at present waste and depopulate and another City call'd Beldelhuneb or Beledel Ugneb built out of its Ruines whereas yet Marmol a Writer worthy of belief averrs that the City which the Europeans call Bona got the Name of Beledel Ugneb from the Moors so making them both one as indeed they are The compass thereof is small and the Streets very narrow so that it hath kept nothing of the former Beauty and antient Glory which it boasted of in the time of the Antient Father St. Augustine having been several times destroy'd by the Moors and Saracens particularly in Four hundred and Forty the very year wherein St. Augustine died A small Quarter of a Mile Southwards from the City lieth a remarkable Plain where yet are to be seen the Marks and Monuments of the Monastery and Cloyster which that Father caus'd there to be built which by the Foundation may be judg'd to have contain'd about an hundred Paces in Length and thirty in Breadth Near the Ruines of this Structure is a very fair and large Fountain which the Moors of this place do to this day call Saint Augustines Well Eastward of Bona lieth a handsome Cittadel built by the King of Tunis wherein the Governor keeps his Residence it is strongly fortifi'd and well provided with great Cannon and other Ammunition as well for fetching the Revenue from the Alarbs as to keep the Countrey in awe The usual Garrison two hundred Janizaries Mele or Mile Mele. formerly Tenare stands also near the Sea yielding Obedience at present to the Algerines but before subject to Constantine from which distant three miles The Walls are old and ruinous the Houses sometime three thousand now very few and those thinly inhabited yet the great Conduit in the very heart of the place is no little advantage to such as dwell there Tabarka Tabarka seated on the Sea-Coast and famous onely for the Coral-fishery close by it opposite thereto lies an Island of the same Name between which and the main Land is the distance of a mile and half ¶ THe Soyl of this Territory well deserves the Attribute of Bona The Soil of the Country Good abounding with fresh Valleys rich in Grain and delightful in the shadow of Jujuben-Trees whose Fruit the Inhabitants gather in
Restauration being compell'd within eight years once more to fly to Spain for Assistance In which time of his absence his Son Amudas usurped the Kingdom putting to death his Father's Favourites and Friends but Muley Assez returning with some few Troops of Italians and the Garrison-Souldiers of Goletta soon routed the unnatural Rebel taking him with two other of his younger Sons Prisoners whose Eyes he immediately put out After a few years Abdimelech or Abdulmalech another of Muley Assez Sons fell foul with his Father forcing him once more to fly to his old Benefactor Charles the Emperor who maintained him the remainder of his life which was not long But Abdimelech enjoy'd his Usurpation onely one Moneth before he died and his Son Mahomet his Successor after four Moneths Reign was expell'd by his Uncle Amidas who held the Dominion till Uluzaly or Aluck Haly by some call'd Ochiali by order from the Grand Seignior in the Year Fifteen hundred sixty eight drove him from Tunis whereupon he fled to Goletta to the Spaniards At whose Suit in the Year Fifteen hundred and seventy Tunis was again overcome by Charles the Emperour Don Johan of Austria made himself Master of Tunis and of the whole Kingdom giving Mahomet the Brother of Amidas a Princely Allowance but set over Tunis as Lieutenant in behalf of the Emperor Gabriel Willon a Milanois and over Goletta Pedro Carrero a Spaniard In these continual Conflicts both the City and Castle were much weakened but Willon fortifi'd them anew with strong Ramparts and Palizadoes But the Turkish Emperor The Turks come against Tunis Morat or Amurath fearing this new Growth of the Spanish Kingdom in the Year Fifteen seventy four sent a Fleet of a hundred and sixty Gallies besides many other Ships Mann'd with forty thousand Turks and Moors the Conduct of the Admiral Occhially for Sea but the Land Army was committed to Sinan Bassa wherewith they besieg'd both Tunis and Goletta whereupon Don John who had the Supream Command of the Spanish Fleet endeavour'd to relieve the Besieged but to very little purpose for he had barely thirty Galleys whereof five and twenty were furnished in Spain with Warlike Provision and Souldiers and the Princes of Italy undertook for the Raising of the rest With these as we said he made an attempt but the Turk soon diverted both their Fury and Design and there shut them both up with a more close Siege than before Then raising Batteries by Land from thence without intermission they tore the Castle with their great Guns so that the Walls fell neither was the City or Goletta better able to resist such impetuous Thunder Tunis overcome by the Turks for all were taken and razed and the whole Kingdom wrested out of the Spaniards hands In the Overthrow of the City all the Christians were hewen to pieces except fourteen which were carri'd Captives to Constantinople Moreover the Conqueror demolished the Walls of Tunis and the Castle built by the Emperor Charles levell'd with the Ground erecting another of exceeding Strength to command the Haven From this time the Turks have always possessed Tunis in Peace and the Government thereof by Kings ended who had sway'd the Scepter there about three hundred and seventy years THE DOMINION and FORT OF GOLETTA THe Dominion of Goletta The Dominion of Goletta so call'd from the Fort lying on the Mouth of the Lake Goletta by Tunis containeth these Cities Marsa Napolis in Barbary Kammart Arriane and Carthago It is look'd upon as a Place of weighty Concernment being the Key of Tunis and Neighbour to Carthage Some hold it to be the Island Galatha or Galitha of Ptolomy and the Gorilon of Pliny but Sanutus and others make Goletta and Galatha to be two distinct Places The Name of Goletta cometh originally from the Italian word Gola signifying a Throat or according to Olivarius upon Mela from the Diminutive Goletta that is a Little Throat or as we term it a Gullet because this Fort is built upon the Neck or Throat of a Lake of that Name over which they pass in small Barques to Tunis so that in truth it is an Island The Mahumetans first built upon this Spot thereby giving a beginning to this Fort which the Turks afterwards having strengthened the Emperor Charles the Fifth after Overcome by Charles the Emperor together with Tunis took from them but at length regain'd by the Turks in the Year Fifteen hundred seventy four as before hath been more particularly related Since which time the Turks have besides the old one cast up two other Forts with two or three Redoubts between them and are as the Keys of their State in that Countrey Gramay says it contains a fair Haven fit for many Ships to harbour in with Store-houses for Merchandise a Custom-house two Mesquites and Prisons for Christian Slaves so that it seems much rather a City than a Fort. The first Fort appears surrounded with a double Wall flanked with Sconces and three great Works one within another encircling all to Command the Haven and City In the midst is a Well of fresh Water feeding a Stream which runs through the Fort. Little remains of the old Fort saving a Corner of a Bulwark Planted with ten Pieces of Ordnance where those of Tunis maintain forty Janizaries Marsa or Marca signifying in Arabick A small City Marmol says Marsa stands in the place where the Haven of the old City of Carthage was or according to Gramay opposite to it built after the destruction of Carthage by one Mehedi Kaliff of Cairavan It is adorned with a Royal Palace and some pleasant Places whether the Bashaws of Tunis in the Summer go to take their pleasure and keep their Court They say at present it boasts eight hundred Houses with a Mesquite and a Colledge built by Muley Mahomet Father of Muley Assez King of Tunis Nebel by the Moors call'd Nabis by the Africans antiently Napolis of Barbary Nebel is supposed to be that Colony which Ptolomy call'd Neapilis and by Strabo Leptis was built by the Romans at the Edge of the Midland-Sea three miles from Tunis on the East formerly well Inhabited but at this day Peopled onely with a few Families of Gardners and such like inferiour Persons Kammart another small City close by the Ruines of Carthage Kammart two miles Eastward of Tunis was formerly call'd Walachie as Aben Razid an African Writer affirms who also reports the Romans to have Founded it being encompassed with high Walls and very populous yet most of the Inhabitants Gardners who bring their Fruit and Herbs to sell at Tunis Arriane by Marmol call'd Abditane a small City a mile North of Tunis Arriane built by the Arian Gothes from whom and their Heresie it took the Name Leo. 5. D. which it hath hitherto kept without any alteration Lastly Arradez Arradez a very small Town in the way between Goletta and Tunis on the East This was formerly a
Kingdom abounds in Rice Barley Cotton Cattel and Fish but their scarcity of Dates are supply'd them from Gualata and Numidia ¶ THe Inhabitants according to their manner go handsomely clad in black and blue Cotton of which they also wear Head-Shashes Their Clothing but their Priests and Doctors are habited onely in white Cotton ¶ THese People make great advantage of their Cotton-Clothes Their Trade which they barter with the Merchants of Barbary for Linnen Copper Arms Dates and other Commodities This Kingdom was formerly under the Luntiins a people of Lybia whose King was afterwards made Tributary to Soni-Ali King of Tombut his Successor Ischia obtaining a Signal Victory on a great Battel against the King of Guinee took him Prisoner and sent him to Gago where in miserable Captivity he died close Prisoner Thus the King of Tombut now grown Master of all Guinee reduc'd it into a Province setting his Lieutenant over them and then caus'd a great Market to be proclaim'd in the Metropolis of the whole Countrey THE KINGDOM OF MELLI THe Kingdom of Melli The Kingdom of Melli. likewise so nam'd from their prime Village the Residence of their King hath for its Northern Confines Gheneoa or Guinee Southward Desarts and barren Mountains in the East the Jurisdiction of Gago Westerly bounded with a mighty Forrest which runs sixty miles along the Banks of Niger to the Verges of the Ocean The Village Melli is very large The Village Melli. and contains above six thousand Families standing thirty days journey from Tombut The Countrey abounds in Corn Flesh and Cotton and hath a King but Tributary to those of Tombut ¶ HEre they are all Mahumetans Their Religion and have Mosques in which wanting Colledges they not onely perform their daily Devotions but in the Temples instruct their people and Disciples in their Laws and Doctrine These were the first Apostates from Christianity to Mahumetanism These People formerly were govern'd by a great Prince of Royal Extract descended from a Prince of Lybia Uncle to the King of Morocco the Renowned Josephus The Sovereignty continued in his Progeny until Uzchea King of Tombut Anno 1520. made the then King of Melli Tributary and so reduc'd all these Countreys under his Subjection THE MONARCHY OF TOMBUT OR TONGUBUT THe Kingdom of Tombat hath its Denomination from a City founded The Kingdom of Tombat as they say by King Mense Suleyman Anno 1221. about three miles from an Arm of Niger lying a hundred and eighty miles from the Countrey of Dara or Sugulmesse ¶ THis City gloried formerly in great Fabricks The City Tombat and sumptuous Buildings but now condemn'd to simple Huts and Hovels and onely boasting one stately Mosque and a magnificent Palace for the King built by a famous Architect of Granada Three miles from Tombut Kabra on the Banks of Niger stands another great Town call'd Kabra or Kambre being a convenient Port for the Merchants to travel from thence to the Kingdom of Melli in Guinea ¶ THis Countrey abounds with fresh-Water-Springs Corn Cattel The Disposition of the Countrey Milk and Butter but what savors all Salt is very scarce for a Camels Load goes often there at fourscore Ducats being brought over Land from Tegaza about a hundred miles distant from Tombut They use small Horses with which they ride up and down the City and the Merchants travel with them but their best Horses they have from Barbary whose numbers when they arrive are Registred which at any time is above twelve the King makes choice of the primest of them paying the Price they would go at ¶ THe Inhabitants especially those of the City Tombut The Manners of the Inhabitants are a People usually merry and of a chearful Disposition and spending most part of the Night in Singing Dancing and Revelling up and down through all the Streets They keep a great many Slaves both Men and Women Students which are highly esteem'd amongst them are there frequent and bred up at the Kings proper Charge Here are store of Arabick Books and Manuscripts brought from Barbary and not to be purchas'd but at a great Value Here are also many Tradesmen and Artificers especially Cotton-Weavers Their common Diet is a Dish made of Flesh Fish Butter and Milk hasht and stew'd together ¶ ALl the Women Their Clothing except the Slavesses go with their Heads and Faces cover'd They have no stamp'd Coyn but plain Pieces yet bigger and lesser all of pure Gold This King or Emperor of Tombut ruling vaste Dominions that yield him inexhaustible Treasure which he piles up in Bars or Billets of pure Gold some of them weighing if the report be true Thirteen hundred pound Weight ¶ MAny Merchants of Fez Their Trade Morocco and Gran-Cayre resort to Tombut for the Trade of Gold which was brought thither by the People of Mandinga in so great abundance that oftentimes the Merchants having disposed of all their Commodities which they barter with them for that Mettal it becomes a Drug and either left there till the next Return or else they carry it home again ¶ THis Countrey Their Government according to Marmol a Prince governs stil'd Emperor of Melli who dwelling in a magnificent Palace takes such state upon him that no Ambassadors or Envoys from Forreign Countreys making their Addresses are admitted to Audience but in posture of humble Suppliants kneeling with dejected Countenances throwing dust upon their heads In the City Kabra the King hath a Commissary who Hears Judges and Determines all Causes and Differences either concerning the Crown or other private Arbitrations betwixt the Subjects THE KINGDOM OF GAOGA THe Kingdom of Gaoga The Kingdom of Gagao or Goagao as Marmol calleth it lying by the unanimous consent of the chiefest Geographers in the same Elevation where Ptolomy placeth the Lake or Pool Chelidones bordering Westward on the Kingdom of Borno East on Nubia and South near the Nylean Desart which conterminates the North with the Wild of Seth. It passeth by the South of Egypt spreading from the West to the East a hundred and twenty five miles in length reckoning as much in breadth This Countrey abounds with Cattel and Goats but the People are in a manner savage and ignorant of all Civility and Literature nor under any form of Government especially the Mountaineers or Highlanders which go stark naked in the Summer onely retaining so much modesty that they wear a Lappet before them concealing their Privities They dwell in Huts or rather Arbors their whole defence against Sun Wind and Rain are Boughs of Trees set up and plac'd together Their chief Employment is onely in Cattel the whole Nation being onely Herdsmen yet they are a kinde of Christians after the Egyptian manner THE KINGDOM OF GUBER THe Kingdom of Guber inclos'd between very high Mountains The Kingdom of Guber is about seventy five miles Eastward from Gago with a barren Desart between them
Woods The Buildings not contemptible especially the Houses of the Gentry yet cover'd with Palm-Leaves and made up of gray Earth The King's Palace is built after the method of that in Benyn but much less The Air proves very unhealthful Unwholsom Air. not onely by reason of the great Heat but also from bad and unwholsom Mists whereof Strangers Trading in the River being ignorant and carelesly lying and sleeping in the Evening or in Moon-shine oftentimes die suddenly The Soyl is so barren Plants that Grass and Corn are strangers to it but it yields many fruitful Trees as those bearing Coco-Nuts sowre and sweet Grapes with divers others also a little Pepper Baranasses in great numbers and Mandihoka of which they make Farinha or Bread By reason of the barrenness of the Fields there are neither Horses nor Cows but Poultrey they have in abundance and very large being roasted eat well Fish also and Sea-Calves whose Flesh dress'd yields a pleasing relish Both Men and Women are of comely Stature and fair Countenances according to the account of Beauty in that Countrey and all marked with three Cuts each something more than an Inch long that is one in the Forehead above the Nose and one on each side of their Head by the Temples and may wear their Hair long or short as they please Their Habit resembles those of Benyn Habit. as to Fashion but commonly made of Silk which the other may not wear fastned under their Arm-pits with a curious Girdle Every one here Marriage as in other parts of Africa may take as many Wives as he will or as he can get and sometimes the King bestows some Widows as a mark of his Favor The Whites come and Trade in the River Forkado Trade with the same sort of Wares as in Benyn which they exchange for Slaves Jasper-Stone and Akori but they hold them in great esteem and will not sell them but above the value They are no quick nor expert Dealers but cheapen a Commodity a whole Moneth onely to beat down the Price but to little purpose because the Merchant rates his Goods according to the value set by the Natives upon their Commodities which he never recedes from The Portuguese us'd in former times to trust them always which the present Traders never do so that they now bring the Slaves when they fetch their Goods The King of Owerre Government though Tributary to Benyn Governs notwithstanding his People with full Power as an absolute Prince and hath a Council consisting of three great Noble-men whose Power and Command none dare oppose The King which Govern'd in the Year Sixteen hundred forty four was a Mulato by the Portuguese and other Europeans call'd Don Anthonio de Mingo whose Father by Name De Mingo was Married to a Portuguese Maid which he brought with him out of Portugal where he had been himself in Person and had this Son born by her He goes like a Portuguese wearing always a Sword or Ponyard by his Side Their Religion comes near that of Benyn Religion onely they do not sacrifice so many Men but esteem it a great abomination and delusion of the Devil so that by a little instruction they might be brought to the Christian Faith They alllow neither Conjurers nor Witches among them In brief both the Inhabitants and the King himself maintain in some measure the Roman Religion There is a Church with an Altar in the City Owerre and on it stands a Crucisix with the Pictures of the Virgin Mary and the Apostles and two Candlesticks besides them into which the Blacks come with Beads like the Portuguese and Read their Prayers They are in general very zealous and can Write and Read and are desirous of Books Pens Ink and Paper The Coast of the Cape of Formosa to the Highland of Amboises AT the East-end of the Kingdom of Owerre Cape of Formosa shoots a prominent Point into the Sea by the Whites call'd Cabo Formosa that is The Fair Cape perhaps for its fair and pleasant appearance at Sea It lieth in the heigth of four Degrees and eight Minutes North Latitude so low and plain that they can discern no Land at five and twenty Fathom Water The Countrey between the River Benyn and Cape Formosa appears a very low Land but full of Trees About a Mile to the Westward a small River takes its course and upon the Banks of the Sea stands a Village call'd Sangma and a sandy Bank Sangma dry at Low-water Between this Cape and Rio Reael or Calabare lie seven small Rivers with broken Land The first little and narrow call'd Rio Non Rio Non. about half a Mile Eastward of Cabo Formosa The second Rio Odo in the heighth of four Degrees and ten Minutes Rio Odo four miles from Formosa and three and a half from Rio Non. The third and fourth of a like bigness and not far distant from each other The fifth Rio St. Nicholas Rio St. Nicholas The sixth Rio de tres Jermaus Rio de tret Jermaus The seventh Sambreiro the next to Calabare and spreads North-West Rio Sambreiro All these Rivers are passable onely with Boats and that in the Good Time Are not Navigable as they call it viz. from October to June yet enter the Sea such force that they discernably penetrate it above half a mile In divers Maps and Sea-Cards some others are named as Rio di Tilana Rio de St. Barbara and Rio de St. Bartholomew The Territories of Calabare Krike Moko Bani c. THe Countrey of Calabare lieth near the River of the same Name The Countrey of Calabare and the next Westward to Sambreiro or Sombreiro being about sixteen miles from Cape Formosa This River in some places very shoal The River of Calabare and therefore onely Navigable for small Ketches spreading Northerly and hath within its second Point at the Western-shore a Hamlet Wine-Village call'd by the Whites The Wine-Village from the abundance of Wine there but by the Inhabitants Fokke Then dividing into two Branches one at the Westerly-end the other at the Easterly-shore In the Eastern you find a Road or Haven for Ketches which put into this River for Trade of about two miles and a half in bigness At the North-side of the aforemention'd Branch appears the Village Calabare The Village Calabare the chiefest Place of Trade surrounded after the Countrey manner for Defence with Pallisado's and on the North having a Moorish Ground Southward of this you discover a long low Island full of Trees separated from the Continent onely by a small Pool Eight miles Westward hereof lieth a Hamlet named Belli Govern'd by a Captain Fourteen miles Westward runs the Easterly Branch whose Banks are garnish'd with divers Villages Northward of Calabare Krike a Territory call'd Krike shews it self bordering upon another named Moko Moko Southward of which last Bani at
Fighting they defend themselves from the Enemies Arrows with the flat Sides thereof in stead of a Shield and turn every way with such readiness that they void all the Shafts aimed at them They wear also Ponyards in Scabbards of Serpents-skins in Belts of Elephants-hides three Fingers broad and two thick Some have Shields made of Wood cover'd with the Skin of the Beast Dant They worship the Sun as their chief Deity in the Shape of a Man Religion next to that the Moon in the Figure of a Woman But besides these every one hath his peculiar Idol When they go to Battel they sacrifice to their Idol out of which their Devil speaks very plain and tells them what they must do The Anzikos live under a peculiar King call'd the Great Makoko Government whom they report to possess thirteen Kingdoms making him one of the most Puissant in Africa The Jages have three Governors the first entitul'd Singe the second Kobak and the third Kabango of which every one leads a distinct Army They maintain continual Wars against other Blacks and eat as is before-mention'd all the Slain but sell the Prisoners and in defect of Buyers kill and eat them also Such as desire to List themselves in their Companies must first receive the usual Marks viz. knock out the two upper and the two lower Teeth before and make a hole through the middle of their Noses into which they thrust Feathers There are at present no Jages to be found of the first Race but those that now assume that Name derive their Extract out of the several Countreys wherein they have Warred and been Victorious being chosen thereto in this manner So soon as they have won a Battel The Jages how they are bred they search among the Prisoners for the handsomest Youths of whose Courage they make tryal by shooting at them by and over their Heads Wherein if any discover a fear of the Arrows as Cowards and unfit for Service they knock on the Head and eat but those that appear fearless and undaunted they make holes through their Noses and Ears knock out their Fore-teeth and so bring them up to all Savage Cruelty who by practice at last stray so far from Humanity that they exceed the natural Jages These possess not only this Countrey of Ansiko but wander almost through all Africa although now they have their chief Residence here and in the South-East of Angola The Natural Jages as the Ancientest People of Angola relate are not the Indigene of that Countrey but came many years since with an Army of an hundred thousand out of Serre-Lyons and over-ran the whole Coast beyond the Kingdom of Benguella But finding themselves too weak to make further way and not willing to return they setled hereabouts but not contented with that Resolution they ranged till they came to the Kingdom of Monomotapa who overcame them in a Fight and made them retreat Others contradict this averring it improbable at least that the Jagos should first come out of Serre-Lyons and conquer as far as the Kingdom of Benguella a Tract of above seven hundred Leagues wherein they must pass so many Kingdoms great Rivers and Mountains The Jurisdiction of KAKONGO KAkongo takes beginning in the North at the River Lovango Lovize Boundaries of the Kingdom of Kakongo in about fourteen Degrees and a half South Latitude and borders in the South and West at the Kingdom of Goy and ends at the River Sambo some Miles up in the Countrey The Chief City is pleasant and well built Chief City abounding with all sorts of Provisions From Kakongo Southwards all the Countrey by the Sea-coast for thirteen Miles and for two Miles and a half Northward of the before-mention'd River Lovango Lovize lies very low but afterwards grows Mountainous beyond this rising still higher The Blacks call it Kaskais but the Europeans the Highland of Kaskais about which place a Mile Southerly a great Water falls into the Sea This Kingdom can shew onely one good River The River of Kakongo call'd also Kakongo which mingles with the Sea in five Degrees South Latitude gliding some eighteen Leagues through the Countrey A Mile Southward of this Stream lieth the Village Molemba The Village Molemba upon a great Bay making a convenient Haven or Road for Ships The Countrey thereabouts call'd Little Kaskais spreads the Bay of Cabinde in five Degrees and five and twenty Minutes South Latitude being both before and all along the Coast very Rocky and full of Cliffs yet between the chief City and the River Sonho full of Woods pleasant Fields and high Mountains but cannot boast any Fertility because for the most part untill'd although so Populous that it dares number Inhabitants with Lovango it self The Natives are treacherous Constitution of the Inhabitants revengeful turbulent and quarrelsom yet shew but little Spirit in the Wars all their Neighbours especially those of Goy continually infesting them without fear of revenge and perhaps would utterly destroy them but that the King of Lovango interposes in their behalf whose Mediation in such Cases prevails much with all his Neighbors Trades and Handicrafts are common with these People and those of Lovango Trade such are Husbandry Fishing and dealing in Clothes black stitch'd Caps broad Irons Beetles Hammers or Mattocks Tobacco Red-wood or Takoel and Linnen which Commodities they carry to Congo Sonho and other Places and there exchange for Slaves The Merchandises brought thither out of Europe and desired by the Inhabitants are one and the same with those Vented in Lovango but the Presents given for the permission of Trade are less Their Customs Shape Cloathing Riches Administration of Justice Inheritance Government and Religion differ little or nothing from what we have already described we will not therefore nauseate the Reader with a needless Repetition The King of Cakongo may not touch or wear any European Wares A Command on the King nor dares any habited therewith touch him because forsooth commanded by the Moquisie In all other things agreeing with Lovango At the River Sonho the Kings of Lovango and Cakongo keep a continual Watch to receive the Custom of the travelling Merchant and to observe that none should act any thing prejudicial to the Countrey At the side of the River Cakongo lieth the Territory of Serre or Sarri The Territory of Sarri subject to the King of Cakongo but was some years since for a Mutiny and Rebellion against him in a manner totally laid waste Upon the Edge of this and near neighboring to Goy The Territory of Lemba a Territory call'd Lemba claims a situation being a High-land comprehending onely one Village of the same Name whither the Whites come to Trade for Elephants-Teeth Slaves and Copper the last of which they bring from more adjacent Mynes that produce every year no small quantities The Dominion of GOY. GOy borders in the West upon the Shore on the South
being called to explain which we must tell you That they conceit that none die either by Poyson Violence or otherwise until their Friends in the other World call them whereupon the Relations of the Deceased take away all things from the Survivor and for eight Days afflict him with divers Pains and Torments as shaving his Skin and the like saying Thus must you bear the Punishment if guilty or having a hand in the Death of our Friends The eight days ended they bring him or her to a new Tryal by Pleading and if upon that quitted they dwell still in the House as before but if found guilty are banish'd thence There is a prevailing Custom among them That if there be three Brothers Inheritance and one of them die the two that survive share his Concubines between them And when either of the two remaining die the longest Liver takes all After whose Decease all the Concubines stay in the House and become his due that happens to dwell therein afterwards Those of Congo reckon the Year by the Cossionoes or Winter-seasons The Accompt of their Year which there begin upon the fifteenth of May and end the fifteenth of November The Months by the Full Moon and the Days of the Week by their Markets because they have every Day one in a several Place but know not how to parcel out Time into Hours or less Spaces These People before the Arrival of the Portuguese who instructed them in the Christian Faith had no particular or proper Appellations for the Common People call'd themselves by the Names of Herbs Plants Stones Fowls Beasts and Living Creatures The Lords bare the Title of the Lordship they commanded as the Lord of Songo was call'd Mani-Songo that is to say Lord of Songo Mani signifying Lord and Songo the Countrey But at this day both Men and Women Persons high and low even the King himself commonly receives a Name in Baptism They seem well experienc'd in several Handicrafts but yet will not take upon them any Works of hard Labor Congo Songo and Bamba vent few Slaves and those the meanest of all because being us'd to live idly when they are brought to Labor they quickly die The best come thither out of Amboille Gingos Jages Caseudas Quilax Lembo and other Territories thereabouts above Massignan in Angola The Europeans also drive a little Trade with Simboes But the chief Dealing in Songo consists in Pannos Sambos Oyl of Palm Palmito-Nuts and such like Heretofore they brought thence many and those very large Elephants-Teeth but of late fall'n to nothing The City Saint Salvadore is the Staple for the Portuguese Merchants in those Countreys of whom the Natives desire chiefly to buy Cypress Clothes or painted Table-clothes call'd Capes de Verdura blue Cans Biramks or Surats Copper Basons English Cloth great Simbas of Lovando Baesier and other inconsiderable Trifles as Rings Beads and such like They use no Measure or Weight except among the Portuguese Housholdstuff nor have any Housholdstuff save onely Swords Shields and a few Slaves Their Wealth consists chiefly in Elephants-Teeth and Simbos or little Shells Riches which pass in stead of Money The Citizens of Saint Salvadore amount to near forty thousand of which most are Gentlemen and Nobles yet wretchedly poor For among them all you shall scarce find ten or twelve that have a Gold Chain or small Jewel The Revenues of the King consist especially in yearly Tributes The Revenue of the King paid him by the Dukes of Bamba Batta Sundo Nambanganga Bumby Mussulo Oando Quingengo and others under the Titles of Earldoms as those of Pembo Pango and many others which falls out on St. James his day when the King rewards them with some small Trifle as a Mark of his Favor Some have not doubted to aver That the whole Income of the King amounts not to above one hundred and twenty French Crowns besides some small Presents made by every Lord above his Tribute the greatest whereof rises but to a couple of Goats the most onely giving Fruits as Bacovens Wine Nuts and Oyl of Palm They have no Coyn'd Money Simboes or Horn Shells are their Money either of Gold Silver or Copper but as we have often mention'd make all their Markets with little Shells call'd Simboes which pass here as Current but in other Countreys of no esteem or value And the Portuguese use them in their Passage when they or their Pomberoes that is Slaves are sent with Merchandise to Pombo and other Places lying up the Countrey out of Angola Lovando Sante Paulo through Congo Apothecaries or Doctors they have none Medicines for Cure nor any Physick but what themselves make of Plants Barks of Trees Roots Stones Waters and Oyl which they administer for Agues Fevers and almost all other Maladies Fevers Sicknesses the most common Distemper of this Climate they cure with the beaten Root of Zandel-wood Zandel-wood mixt with the Oyl of Dates anointing therewith the Body of the Sick two or three times from Head to Foot Pain in the Head by letting Blood in the Temples with little Shells sharpned wherewith opening the Skin they suck with the Mouth till they draw the Bloud The Pox or Venerial Distemper call'd Chirangas rages among them extremely which they cure with red Wood call'd Tavilla The King appoints a Judge in every particular Province Government to hear and determine Civil Causes and Differences that happen who though there be no settled Laws or Statutes may Imprison and Release or impose a Pecuniary Mulct or Fine upon them But in more weighty Matters every one may appeal to the King before whom also Criminal Causes come wherein as Supreme Head he giveth Sentence In Matters of State Council of State and such as concern Peace and War the King takes advice of ten or twelve Councellors his Favorites who conclude for the Wellfare of the Kingdom and set forth and publish the Decrees by his Order and in his Name These punish Witchcraft and Idolatry openly Punishment of Offenders with great Severity condemning the least Sorcerer to the Fire Whosoever killeth a Man first having his Offence openly read before him and then convicted by Witnesses is condemn'd to die When an Offender suffers Death by Judgment of the King The punishment of Death is also with Confiscation of all his Goods he forfeits all his Goods and Slaves so that none of his Relations enjoy ought that was his And sometimes to supply the King's Coffers others are for small cause or if but suspected though the Witnesses fall short in the proof of the Fact Banished and their Goods Confiscate and seized to the King's Use When they march out with an Army to incounter their Enemies Arms. the Commanders wear Square Caps or Bonnets trimm'd with Ostriches Peacocks and other Feathers partly to make the greater shew and partly to seem the more terrible The upper part of their Bodies are naked
full of winding Reaches by reason whereof from the Mouth to Motahoama is thirty Leagues Sailing whereas the direct way is but twenty In Sailing by it the opening can hardly be seen at the Sea by means of a black and woody Island lying right before it Several Islands discover themselves herein The Island Massander for about nine miles up it divides into two Arms which include an Island about four miles long and half a mile broad call'd Massander or Massandera This Island produces many sorts of Fruits especially Mandikoka which planted there grows extraordinary thick of which they make great quantities of Tharinka or Maiz also Mille three times a year besides Palm-Trees and a Fruit nam'd Gojaves Ten or twelve miles above this Motchiama lieth another intituled Motihiama three miles long and half a mile broad very low ground excepting two Mountains beset with all sorts of Plants and Herbs and Feeding there are many Goats Sheep Hogs and Hens Some years ago five or six Families of Portuguese liv'd here who had many Slaves and maintain'd themselves chiefly with Mandihoka Lucala The River Lucala by Pigafet call'd Luiola comes out of Amboille having its head near the rise of the River Danda and running South Westward till about six and twenty miles from the Sea joyning with Quansa and by that mixture loosing its name The small River Kalukala runs cross the Territory of Ilamba with such extraordinary Creeks and Meanders that there is hardly one of the two and forty Dominions wherein this Kingdom is divided that lieth above an hours walk from it Some Lakes appear at the corners of Quansa or Bengo the chiefest whereof may be seen in the Lordships of Quihailo Angolome and Chame Angola containeth divers inferior Ditions Territories of the Kingdom of Augola as Lovando Sinso Ilamba Ikollo Ensaka Massingan Embakka Kabamba every one of which comprehends several Provinces rul'd by particular Jovassens or Governors viz. Lovando contains nine and thirty Ilambas forty two Ikollo and Ensaka divers but uncertain Massingan twelve which some bring under Ilamba Kambamba sixty and Embakko sixty In Lovando The City Lovando Saint Paulo stands the City Lovando Saint Paulo on the rising of a Hill by the the Sea-Coast On the Northside of this appears another Mountain call'd Mora Saint Paulo somewhat higher than that of the City and so steep that its with much difficulty ascendable yet on the sides thereof the Jesuites have erected a Cloyster neighbour'd by three or four adjoyning houses LOANDAâ—â— S. PAULâ—â— This City was built by the Portuguese in the Year Fifteen hundred seventy eight when Paulus Dias de Nevais was sent thither to be the first Governor for them in this Countrey The City takes in a great compass of Ground being built with many fair Houses Churches and Cloysters but neither Wall'd nor Fortifi'd Some Forts are raised at the Water-side for the securing of the Haven Before the subduing of it by the Netherlanders in the Year Sixteen hundred forty one the Portuguese had six Churches there two greater one call'd Saint Maria de la Conception and the other Corpo Santo and four lesser one for the Jesuits nam'd Saint Antonio one for the Blacks stil'd Saint Gosce one Cloyster and Church for the Franciscans and an Alms-house with a Church intituled Misericordia Over this Alms-house besides the Receptions for Poor are four and twenty Chambers for the Governor and other Officers viz. a Steward a Doctor a Barber an Apothecary and others This House hath some Revenues of Land which being but mean hath been augmented by a Rate upon Ships for every Ship which puts in there must pay two Rees to the Treasurers of this House Sinso is the Countrey situate to the North of Lovando Sante Paulo up the River Bengo Ilamba or Elvama a large Tract of Land above an hundred Miles in length Ilamba beginning South-East and East-South-East from the Territory of Ikollo and spreading from the River Bengo to Quansa and from Kalumba to Massinga still growing wider the further you go and every where so well Peopled that in two or three Miles distance is a Village which proceeds from the Negroes separating themselves from each other by peculiar Marks So that the whole stands divided into two and forty Dominions The first of these neighbouring Ikollo is call'd Chonso Dominions of the Territory of Ilamba and afterwards the rest lie one behind another according to their Order viz. Namboa Quolomba Bamba Golungo Makea Kombi Quitendel Etombe Quitalla Kambkaita Andalladongo Quiambatta Nambaquiajamba Kangola Quihaito Chombe Angolome Gumbia Massingan or Massagan Kaoulo Kahango Karanga-Pase Guenka-Atombe Hiangonga Quilambe Quapanga Kabanga Kabuto Kandalla Gongue Kahonda Kunangonga Mossunguapose Kamanga Kalunga Bagolunge Quibilacapose Koslakase Nambua Kallahanga Nimenesolo These are the chiefest which make up Ilamba and wherein may be rais'd ten or twelve thousand Fighting Men arm'd with Bowes and Arrows The Sovasen maintain the Boundaries so exactly that never any Complaint is heard of one wronging or incroaching upon another unless it be in open Wars and then the Conquerer becomes wholly Master of his Enemies Countrey This Territory can shew neither Artificial Forts or Natural Fastnesses of Woods for a Defence against their Enemies some little Groves may be seen upon Hills but so inconsiderable as hardly worth mentioning Yet these People cannot easily be conquer'd because they use such good Discipline shooting their Arrows either lying upon the ground or kneeling From Ilamba North-west and West-north-west lies Ikollo Ikollo Ensaka takes beginning six or seven Miles Eastward of Lovando Saint Paulo Ensaka and situate between the two Rivers Quansa and Bengo 'T is but a small Jurisdiction and may be travell'd through in half a day Here in some few Places the Inhabitants Till their Ground Two or three Miles in the Countrey on the Hills stands a Wood enclosed about with Bushes and Thorns to the great accommodation and strengthening of the whole For if the Inhabitants should retire thither it were impossible to force them out save onely for want of Water there being none but what the Rivers Quansa and Bengo bring thither Nine Miles Eastwards Massingan and above the Island of Motchiama in the Province of Missingan or Massagan stands a small Town of the same Name where the Portuguese have a Fort erected between Quansa and Sunda the last of which environs it on the North as the former on the South And about the distance of two hours walk intermingle their Streams from which Conjunction the Town derives its Appellation Massingan signifying A mixture of Waters It was at first an open but pretty large Village but since augmented with many fair Stone-Houses whereby at length 't is become a City The first Portuguese Governor of Angola in the Year Fifteen hundred seventy eight by command of his Master erected this City of Lovando Saint Paulo and also the Fort there when by the help of the Congeses he
sixty young men in stead of Husbands each of which may have as many Wives as they please with this proviso that if any of them be with Child themselves must kill the Infant as soon as born In the year Sixteen hundred forty eight the four and twentieth of June the third day after the New-Moon according to the relation of one Fuller a Commander in the Service of the Netherlanders who was appointed with sixty men to assist this Queen against the Portuguese and in that regard stay'd so long time with her that one of these her Gallants had a hundred and thirteen Wives without any offspring for that after the manner of their Devillish Superstition and Idolatry he cursedly made away or kill'd their Children The Queen us'd this very Custom at that time neither dare any of those selected young men own their Sex or mention hers And for the more orderly concealing thereof she clothes them in Womens Apparel according to her manner and goeth her self in Mans Habit giving out that they are Women and she a Man All these have Womens names but the Queen her self a Mans especially in the Army and will acknowledge no otherwise nay her Favorites dare not say the contrary upon the peril of their Heads and as a testimony herein of their obedience and constancy to her permits them to go freely among her women and if they fail in their obligations they seldom escape to tell further news In the year Sixteen hundred forty six she over-ran with her Army Ruin'd Oando and spoyl'd all the Villages of Oanda and made the Inhabitants Slaves But the Quisamens residing on the South-side of the River Quansa send every year Tribute to her for an acknowledgment both of their Friendship and Subjection After her death the Portuguese set another of her Family as King of Dongo Angola Sodesie is chosen King by name Angola Sodesie who always privately sent Presents to them in token of submission The King holds his residence a little above the City Massingan Dwelling placâ— of the Kings in a Stony Mountain above seven Leagues in compass inclosing within it many rich Pastures Fields and Meadows yielding a plentiful Provision for all his Retinue into which there is but one single passage and that according to their method well Fortifi'd so that he needs neither to fear any Enemies from the Queens side nor from the Jages The King here The King onely may keep Peacocks as he of Congo keeps a great many Peacocks a peculiar onely to the Royal Family and of so high esteem that if any one should adventure to come to take but one Feather from a Peacock with intention to detain it he should immediately be put to death or else be made a Slave with all his Generations This Kingdom stands divided into several Provinces The Dominions of Angola are govern'd by Senasea and every Province subdivided into inferior Lordships Commanded by a particular Sovas Every Sovas hath a certain number of Makottes or Councellors Their Command who in all addresses fall down on their Knees clapping their hands with whom he consults of all weighty Concerns These Sovasens live privately in Villages Their dwelling places inclos'd with thick Hedges and have onely some narrow ways for entrance and the Habitations cannot properly be term'd Houses but sleight Huts made of Rushes and Straw after the Countrey manner The Governors of all the Territories which the Portuguese hold in Angola by force of Arms The coâ—quer'd Sovasen must pay tribute to the Portuguese are bound to pay a Tribute of Slaves to them yearly and to do them other services under the Title of Vassals The Portuguese Governor of Lovando use to Farm this Tribute of the Sovasens to some of their own Nation who were not content with what was the setled Revenue of Slaves but oftentimes take as many more which made the Natives bear a mortal hatred to them The Sovasens moreover are bound to appoint Carriers for the Portuguese when they travel through the Countrey to bear them in Seats from one place to another For if a Portuguese be minded to travel from Lovando Saint Paulo to Massingan when he comes at Evening into a Village where he intends to Lodge he sends to the Sova to let him know he hath an occasion for so many of those Carriers who must not fail to provide them And this they do every Evening to have fresh Men for the next days Journey In the year Sixteen hundred forty one The City Lovando Sante Paulo overcome the Netherlanders under the Command of Cornelius Cornelisen Jol otherwise call'd Houtebeen took from the Portuguese the City of Lovando Saint Paulo upon this account and in this manner Grave Maurice of Nassaw For what reason it was undertaken by the Netherlanders or General of the Netherlanders in Brasil taking into consideration that the State of Brasil could not consist without many Blacks from the Coast of Africa not onely to work in the Sugar-Mills and to Plant the Cane-Fields and cleanse them of Weeds but also to Manure more Ground for the Planting of Mandihoka and all manner of Fruits and that this Work could not be done better by any than these African-Slaves And besides that there were not Slaves enough brought from the Coast of Arder Kalbarine Rio del Rey and other places thereabouts concluded on to set out a Fleet under the Conduct of the foremention'd Houtebeen and some Land-Forces under the Command of one James Hinderson to take Angola from the Portuguese The Fleet consisted of twenty Ships great and small Man'd with two thousand Souldiers nine hundred Seamen and two hundred Brasilians which set Sayl from Fernabuck the thirtieth day of May The Fleet set Sail from Fernabuck in the year Sixteen hundred forty one and after many oppositions to come about to the South the nineteenth of July in eight and twenty degrees South-Latitude the Fleet began to want fresh water The fifth of August the Fleet came to Cabo Negro in sixteen degrees They come to Cabo Negro from thence to Flies-Bay in fifteen degrees and on the one and twentieth day they overcame and took a Portuguese Carvill sailing along the Coast laden with Wines from the Maderas call'd the Jesu-Maria-Joseph the people of which serv'd them for Pilots to bring them into the Haven of St. Paulo The four and twentieth the Fleet came within sight of Land and Hinderson went the same day with his Souldiers set in order against the City ordering the Snap-hances to March in the Van. The Portuguese Governor Caesar de Meneses stood not far from thence on the Shore with nine hundred Whites and Arm'd Inhabitants and a great many of Blacks besides two Pieces of Ordnance in a Fighting Posture But so soon as the Netherlanders came near and began to fall on The enemy leaves the City the Blacks first betook themselves to flight afterwards the Portuguese and at last
the Governor follow'd leaving behind them the Ordnance and soon after the City with all Forts and Batteries without further resistance so that none was found therein but one drunken Souldier and a very old Man The Booty there consisted of nine and twenty Brass-Pieces Booty and sixty nine of Iron besides store of Arms Ammunition and provision of Victual as Meal Wine and thirty Sheep small and great But because there was no fresh water the Netherlanders after their Conquest Fortifi'd a House lying near the River Bengo for conveniency of fetching Water upon which the Blacks made an assault but were beaten off with loss of eighty men Two days before the appearance of the Dutch Fleet the Governor had some notice of it but supposing the Netherlanders had come onely to fetch a Booty of Slaves and other Goods and so to return gave order that his Wives and Children with the best Goods and readiest Merchandize Meneses complains of wrong should be brought and hidden in convenient places But when he saw that they aim'd at the conquering of the City and all the Forts by War and to keep them for their own he by Letters complain'd to Jol of injury and put him in mind That the States of the United Netherlands and the King of Portugal were agreed and in League with each other and therefore expected the Surrender of the City Notwithstanding this expostulatory Letter and friendly Summons The answer of the Netherlanders the Dutch within the City return'd answer That they were not acquainted with the Agreement of the Portuguese nor had heard of it but if the Governor had in truth known any such matter he should have given them timely notice before the City was subdu'd and they had not been dealt with as Enemies At last when the Portuguese Governor who was retir'd to Massingan found that the unwholesomness of the Air kill'd many of his Souldiers and that he could not expect to regain Lovando by complaint or fair means and knowing himself too weak to attain it by force sent a Messenger desiring a Truce for eight days intending in that time either to joyn with the Netherlanders and declare himself for the States or to depart An agreement between the Enemy and the Netherlanders But when he propos'd unequal matters he was requir'd to depart with his Souldiers sixteen miles from Lovando and make a mutual agreement and to declare in nine moneths whether he would submit or depart Hereupon Caesar de Meneses drew to the River Bengo and sitting down there with his people began a new Plantation and manag'd it with such industry that in short time he Planted Gardens and could not onely himself eat the Fruit of the Ground but also afford some to those of Lovando The Dutch therefore grew jealous of him The Enemy began to be supported as having heard farther that he to strengthen himself had taken away all the Ammunition from Massingan doubled his Guards in Bengo and deliver'd out Powder and Ball to his Souldiers expecting an addition of two hundred men out of Bahia And therefore to prevent any future inconveniencies it was concluded to send a Party of Souldiers privately to surprize the Leaguer of the Portuguese And to that end in May Sixteen hundred forty three there went out about a hundred men who in the Evening came near the Camp the Centinel upon the first discovery of them gave fire and was seconded by the rest of the Souldiers whereupon the Dutch fell on They were deseated and being come to the Market-place the Guard lying before the Governors House Sally'd out upon them as also did the Moradores with their Snap-hanses but were quickly routed and twenty kill'd and as many wounded The rest among which the Governor himself was one were taken prisoners and with the Plunder and Spoil of all brought to Lovando Saint Paulo and from thence sent to Taernabock in Brasile onely the Governor Petro Coesar de Meneses with some of the chiefest they kept prisoners there The Portuguese seem'd highly discontent at these Transactions The discontent of the Portuguese upon subduing the City which they shew'd in their Declarations and Letters sent to Lisbon firmly maintaining them to be contrary to their ten years Truce concluded in the year Sixteen hundred forty one which according to the first second and eighth Articles was instantly to begin in Europe and beyond Europe as soon as tidings could come of it Adding further that they had accordingly sent notice but on the contrary the Hollanders sent instructions to Houtebeene their Admiral in America to subdue all they could Till the year Sixteen hundred forty eight Lovando subdu'd again by the Portuguese the Netherlanders possess'd this City at which time the Portuguese regain'd it by Treaty on the one and twentieth of August and accordingly on the four and twentieth of the same Moneth the Dutch march'd from thence While the Hollanders held it The Fort Moll 's they erected a Fort on the Northside of the River Quansa to hinder the Portuguese going up and down to which they gave the name of Moll 's being two and thirty paces long and twenty broad made up with Planks and Pallisadoes and fill'd with Earth the top about four foot thick furnish'd with Port-holes and grown round about with Bushes where were Planted four Pieces of Ordnance with a Guard of Souldiers ¶ MOst of the Inhabitants are Idolaters Religion and have their Moquisies and Idols made of Wood in the midst of their Cities and Towns giving them particular names and swearing by them usually but in their more particular Adjurations they follow the Customs and Frantick Humors of the Ganga whereof we spake not long since with this onely addition That at last the Conjurer or Ganga takes a red hot Iron and strokes every one with it over their Arms or Legs yet the place touch'd therewith receives no damage by burning in the body of any but the guilty And this Superstition hath so won upon their infidelity that the very Children of the Countrey in trivial matters put it in practice But the Fathers of the Christian Religion would severely punish the same if it should come to their knowledge Most of their woodden Idols are made up in the shape of a Goat with a Tortoise head feet of Beasts and small bones of Elephants which they call by a general name Ganganjumba through which they say the Devil speaks to them For the service of these Idols they have Priests call'd Ganga's which they adore like gods for they think that their lives health Ganga's or worshippers of the Devil nay the preservation of all things lies in their power as that they have the command of Rain and Wind cause fertility or barrenness upon the ground inflict sicknesses and restore health for indeed they know how in some manner to administer Physick In short all the Blacks of Angola till of late liv'd in Paganism using
Complainant be a great Lord then being come at the Palace he winds his Horn to acquaint the Servants of his coming before the King If upon examination he finds both have offended then the least Offender is sent to the Lords of the Justice who punish him corporally by beating with Cudgels but the greatest he condemns in a pecuniary mulct But if onely one great Lord hath committed any offence being brought before the King in his Chamber he is stripped stark naked and laid upon the Ground where upon his humble submission and begging of pardon he receives some blows with a Wand from the King 's own Hand more or less according to the bigness of the Crime After which he takes up his Clothes kisseth the King's Feet and in all humility thanks him for the favor receiv'd then he attends the King into his Hall who forgives him in the presence of all the Court with a Command to do Justice and afterwards goes out of the City in publick with honorable attendance and returns into his Countrey with as great satisfaction as if he had received some great Present When the King travels abroad to view his Concerns he rides upon a Horse richly furnished and going out of the Palace treads over a new-kill'd Deer whereupon all the People give a loud shout and at the same time the Priests inspect the Intrails to know whether his Progress will be prosperous or not When he makes his entrance into any City then all the handsomest Ladies and Maids meet him some singing his praise others carrying and burning Perfumes before him others playing with small Sticks on a Bason and every one striving to recreate and please him When any Native Prince sends an Agent to Treat about some weighty Matters they also kill a Deer which the King steps over thrice the Soothsayer in the interim viewing the Inwards to enquire of the effect that may be produced thereby Some report the Inhabitants of the City Melinde for Heathens Religion others for Mahumetans but Linschot says they are of both sorts among which are many Christians The Mahumetans incline to the Sect of the Emoraydes which disesteeming the Alcaron follow the Doctrine of Zayd the Son of Hoiem The Christians have a strong Congregation as a proof whereof they have erected a great Gilded Marble Cross and have seventeen Churches or Chappels there The Kingdom of Lamo. MOre Northerly lieth the Kingdoms of Lamo or Lamen and Pate but that of Lamo spreads more to the West as bordering upon the River Quilmanzi having in the North Melinde and in the East Pate The chief City Lamo lying a little Northward of the Line hath a good defensive Wall against the Invasion of the In-land People with whom though in War yet as occasion offers Trade together Both King and People are all Mahumetans but pay Tribute to the Portuguese Government to whose Power they submit in all things The Kingdoms of Pate Sian Chelicie and Ampaza THe Kingdom of Pate extends all along the Sea-Coast on both sides the Bay in Portuguese call'd Baya Formosa and the City is handsom and large and hath a good Haven The Jurisdictions of Sian Chelicie and Ampaza neighbor it on all sides having indeed peculiar Lords of their own but so inconsiderable that their whole Strength cannot defend them from being miserable Slaves to the Portuguese they Lording over them nor can the greatness of the Turks to whose Protection they sometimes flye give them either a Relief or Relaxation The Portuguese have a Castle at Pate and another between that and Sian call'd Mondra But because the Mahumetans shewed themselves unwilling to pay Tribute and began to raise some Mutinies and Disturbances the Portuguese Admiral Thomas Sousa in the Year Fifteen hundred eighty nine pull'd it down to the Ground And Alphonso de Mello laid waste the City of Ampaza in Fifteen hundred eighty seven for the like Rebellion yet the King after he had made Peace with the Portuguese remain'd in the ruin'd City The Countrey of Ajan THe Countrey of Ajan or Axam as the Arabians call it according to the testimony of Marmol or rather Habaxa or Habex some take for the antient Trogloditica extending along the Shore of the Arabian and Avalitian Gulf to the Mountain Elefas Fellos This Countrey hath for Borders in the South the great Arm of the River Quilmanzi and the last described Kingdoms in the North Abyssynie or Prester-Johns Countrey and the Straights of Mecha in the West the Mountains out of which the River Quilmanzi shoots and also the same River with part of Abyssinie and in the East the Ocean It concludes within its compass from the South to the North the Republick of Brava the Kingdoms of Madagaxo Adea or Adel and some other more unknown Places This Countrey affords plenty of all Necessaries for the preservation of Man's life but most famous for a Breed of good Horses From the River Quilmanzi they extract Gold The People living at the Sea-shore are most of them Whites but those in the Countrey Cole-black with whom the Beduines a white People commixing produce Mulatto-Children neither perfectly white nor absolutely black These Beduines live a toylsom and beastial life ranging along the Shore of the River lodging under the open Canopy of Heaven and maintaining themselves by Robbing and Stealing The Inhabitants of this Countrey maintain a continual War against the People of Abyssinie and sell all those they take Prisoners to the Arabians living beyond the Red-Sea in Asia The Merchants of Kambaye Aden and all the Arabians come into the Haven of Ajan to Traffick carrying thither all sorts of colour'd Stuffs and Cloth with Glass-Beads and other Commodities From Ormus they bring Raisins and Dates which they exchange in the Havens of Zoila and Barbore for Gold Ivory and Slaves The People inhabiting this Coast are all Mussulines but those farther into the Countrey are Emoraides otherwise call'd Beduinen a sort of Mahumetan Sectaries The City and Republick of Brava BEyond Quilmanzi at the Coast of Ajan not far from the Sea-shore in ten Degrees and thirty Minutes North-Latitude lieth the City Brava surrounded with strong Walls and full of stately Houses built after the Moorish fashion It is a Place of great Trade and hath abundance of Gold and Silver The Inhabitants pay yearly a Tribute of five hundred Metigals of Gold to the Portuguese every Metigal reckon'd worth a Ducket and a third part of one We may read in Texcira that on the Coast of Zanguebar near Brava was a piece of Ambergreece found so big that one standing at one side of it could not see a Camel on the other side This is the onely Republick of Africa being Govern'd by twelve Xeques Government chosen by the antientest People out of the Family of the Brothers aforemention'd who to escape the Persecution and Tyranny of the Kings of Lakah Religion fled out of Arabia Felix hither where they still retain the Mahumetanism which
product of one Harvest to thirty thousand Venetian Measures call'd Stares every one reckon'd at three and thirty Pound The Grass and Trees shoot up so high that the Inhabitants are necessitated to cut up and burn part of it in the Ashes whereof they plant Sugar-Canes which in six Moneths bring forth Sugar for those planted in January are cut up in June and so the rest each according to the Moneth wherein they were planted MELITE INSULA vulge MASTA Here is much tame Cattel as upon the Mountains many wild Swine Partridges Doves and Quails The Inhabitants are much civiler than those of the Canary-Islands and Trade with all sorts of Countreys giving in Exchange for their Commodities Sugar Honey Wax Oranges Citrons Lemons Pomgranates Wines and Leather THe Island of Malta THe Name of Malta seems to be derived from Melite so call'd of old which not onely the antient Geographers Strabo Mela and Ptolomy but the holy Scripture it self mentions though there be another Melite near the City Ragousa and the Coast of Damiata at this day call'd Meleda Cluverius in his Description of Sicily supposes that the Iste Hiperia spoken of by Homer as the Habitation of the People call'd Phaeacians who being hunted thence by the Phenycians took their flight to Corfu or Scherie antiently Phaeacia is no other than this And assuredly the Phaeacians were the Inhabitants of Corfu which came first from Malta as Homer by placing the Mountain Melite in Corfu plainly makes manifest Cluverius endeavors to maintain by demonstrative reasons that it was the most antient Ogygia the Habitation of the Nymph Calipso Daughter of Oceanus and Thetis who receiv'd and entertain'd Ulysses suffering Shipwrack where he stay'd seven years but at last by the order of Juno was commanded to quit his Mistress and leave the Countrey This Island hath been commonly accounted in Europe but Ptolomy placeth it in Africa and the very Tongue there spoken being broken Arabick proves it African no less than its being in the Atlantick Sea though it seem nearer to Europe It lieth in six and forty Degrees of Longitude and in five and thirty and ten Minutes North-Latitude or according to Ptolomy in four and thirty Degrees forty Minutes and hath in length from East to West six Leagues in breadth three and in compass fifteen It hath on the East the Mediterranean Sea on that side next Candia in the North the Island of Sicily not above fifteen Leagues distant in the South Tripolis in Barbary and the lesser Africa in the West the Islands of Pantalaree Linose and Lampadouse The Sea which divides it from Sicily bears the Name of The Channel of Malta Ptolomy places there a City of the same Name and two Temples one of Juno and the other of Hercules At this day it contains four Wall'd Cities besides a great number of Towns the Cities are Valette Citta Vecchia that is The Old City otherwise Old Malta Biurgo Sante Angelo or The City of Angels otherwise Citta Victoriosa and the City or Town of St. Michael or Sangde Valette by the Italians call'd Terra Nuova and by the French Ville Neuve gain'd that Name from the Grand Master Jan de Valette otherwise Parisot who presently built it after the Siege of the Turks in the Year Fifteen hundred sixty five who had then straitned this Island and taken the Castle St. Elmo lying before the City The City stands founded upon a Rock and an elevated piece of Ground call'd Scebarras which severs the Haven Marza Mazetta and the Great Haven being indeed an Isthmus the Sea beating on three sides of it and a great Trench hewn out of the Rock cuts it off from the rest of the Island On the outmost Point of that Rock before it stands the Castle St. Elmo It appears very strong surrounded on the out side with Ditches cut in the Rocks fortified with Bulwarks and very delightful Out-works within beautified with straight and broad Streets of which the chiefest are Strata Reale or The High Street and Strata Merchanti The Merchants Street The Houses lofty built of hewn Stone with flat Roofs according to the manner of the Eastern Countreys to the number of about two thousand Every House had formerly a Cistern to catch Rain-water but Strangers at this day fetch it from some fair Springs neighboring the Port del Monto on the Sea-coast whither the Water hath been brought some Miles out of the Countrey by Conduits an Invention of the Grand Master Alofi Vignacourt to the great Relief and Comfort as well of the Inhabitants as Foreigners which lie with their Ships before the City for the Water spouts by the opening of an Engine in the City and by Pipes runs into the Cask in the Boats Three Gates give entrance into it one at the Haven call'd Porta del Monte and two at the Land-side viz. Porta Reale and Porta Boucheria or The Slaughter-house Gate There are seven Churches the chiefest is that of St. John the Patron or Guardian-Protector of the Order of the Knights of Malta on the right side whereof stands the Figure of that Saint in a lively Representation The other are St. Augustine St. Dominico St. Maria Jesus St. Paulo Madona de Carmine Collegio de Jesu La Madama de la Victoria There are also seven Palaces or Courts call'd Auberge or Bergia for the seven Languages for into so many Nations of several Tongues are the Knights divided in every one of which the Superiors have their Residence and live upon the Expence of the Order As Bergia or Auberge di Provence Bergia de Auvergne or Alvenia Bergia de France Bergia di Italia Bergia di Arragon Bergia de Alemagna Bergia di Castilia that is to say The Palace or Court of Provence The Palace of Auvergne The Palace of France The Palace of Italy The Palace of Arragon Germany and Spain Formerly there was a Bergia di Angliterre but at this day annihilated There are several Cloysters as of St. Ursula St. Catherine and di Repenti The Palace of the Grand-Master for here he holds his Court stands between St. Elmo and St. Johns wherein is a great Hall the usual Place for the meeting of the Grand-Master with the Counsellors or Knights of the Great Cross In the Court behind the Palace stand fix'd in the Wall the Portraictures of two very ancient Marble Heads rais'd upon an Arch bigger than the Life one with this Inscription Zenobia Orientalis Domina and the other Petesilia They were found in Malta in the Year Two hundred seventy six They have a Market-place to which the Countrey People bring all sorts of Fruit Fowl Sheep Goats Hogs and other provision to sell VALETTA CIVITAS NOVA MALTAE Olim Millitae There is an Arsenal or Magazine of Arms Magazine of Armâ—â— under the Inspection of a Cavalier or Knight wherein they have a very large and stately Hall compleatly furnish'd with all sorts of Warlike Weapons In the middle stand five square Wooden Buildings whose
the other by the Turks which also come there to offer with like devotion in their way but neither of these take away any thing of what is brought there it being both reported and believ'd That he that brings nothing or will take any thing cannot come off with such their Sacrilegious Pilferings However the Knights come thither with their Galleys and take away the Gifts there left by the Christians which they carry to Sicily to the Hospital of Trepani call'd Nunciata for the maintenance of Sick as well as Poor or else to Malta The Island of Linose THe Island of Linose by Ptolomy if Sanutus guess not amiss call'd Ethuso and made African lies seven or eight Miles or according to Brevis five Miles to the North-East of Lampadouse in four and thirry Degrees North Latitude almost over against the City of Mahometa in Barbary The Circumference about five Miles but affording no convenient place to receive Shipping In the Year Fifteen hundred sixty five the Turks besieg'd Malta and Gozo with eight and thirty thousand Soldiers and a hundred ninety three Ships Galleys Galleons and Brigantines under the chief Command of the Bassa Mustapha and his Substitute Bassa Piali in this order The Turkish Forces appear'd the eighteenth of June about four or five Miles from Malta upon notice whereof from the Castle and the Old City St. Angelo a great fear possess'd the poor People in the Countrey who immediately betook themselves with what they had to the Fortifi'd Places but the Knights Soldiers and other Warlike People betook themselves to Arms. The Grand Master De Valette caus'd immediately all the Water on the Island to be poyson'd with Arsnick or Ratsbane and other appropriate Drugs and muster'd all his Forces consisting of about eight thousand five hundred Fighting Men of all Nations with one Troop of Banditi or Exiles of Cicilia who behav'd themselves very valiantly In the Night the Turks went out with a Rere-guard of five and thirty Ships and set three thousand Men on Shore by the Cape of St. Thomas who were follow'd continually by many others in Barques for their Landing in the day-time was prevented by the Marshal Copier who was drawn thither with a thousand Horse but the Grand Master commanded him at last That as soon as the Enemy was Landed he should Retreat to the Fort and sent the General of Gio with a Troop of Knights and Foot-Soldiers to impede their March. The Marshal before he had receiv'd these Orders had sent a Party of Horse under the Conduct of one Egaras to Mugaro to get Intelligence and to entrap one Turk or other in hopes to learn some News But this prevented not their coming on and making further Attempts whereby after many flerce Assaults made upon the Besiged with the loss of many of their Men the Besieged at last were reduc'd to Extremity when in a lucky Hour they receiv'd not only Comfort but fresh Courage by the coming of Don Alvaro Garcia who after a long stay provided with a good number of Ships and Soldiers came in the sight of Malta about Noon on the sixteenth of September in the year Fifteen hundred fifty six but kept till the next Break of day about the Island Comin and then he approach'd with his Fleet under Malta by a Place call'd Melekka and Landed all his Aids in less than an Hours time but went back himself with his Galleys to Sicily with promise to return again in six days Hereupon both the Bassa's gave command to Fire all the Guns against the Fort and the Island Sengle and immediately to bring them on Board the Ships and so presently forsaking their Trenches and setting their Huts on fire sail'd away with their Fleet. The Bassa's arriving at Galipolis made their Adventures known to the Grand Seignior by Letters and how that since their departure from Constantinople they had lost thirty thousand Seamen and Soldiers together The Grand Seignior receiv'd this Letter with so much discontent that he threw it on the ground and said with a loud voice That his Sword had no luck in another Mans Hand Yet notwithstanding the Bassa's were receiv'd with signs of great Honor at Constantinople with the Beatings of Drums and Sounding of other Instruments The Pope also held a Solemn Procession at Rome wherein himself in Person assisted to thank God for the Preservation and Deliverance of Malta and wish'd the Grand Master in his Letter to him of the tenth of October much Happiness with his Glorious Victory The Grand Master Valette caus'd by a Collection to be gather'd at Lyons Marseiles Lovorn Naples and on other Places Gunpowder Saltpetre Metal for casting Guns all sorts of Arms Masts for Shipping all sorts of Necessaries of Wood and Iron and other needful Things for the strengthening of the Island Moreover it was concluded for the better conveniency of the Island to build a City on the Mountain Sceberras Towards the building of this City since call'd Valette thirty thousand Escues or Gold Crowns were taken up at Interest by the Order at Palermo The Pope himself gave to that end five thousand out of his own Purse and sent thither a great quantity of Gunpowder and Saltpetre with a Master-Builder call'd Francois Laparel and offer'd the Grand Master a Cardinals Cap but he modestly refus'd the same The King of Spain gave towards this Building a Present of thirty thousand Escues the King of Portugal thirty thousand Crusadoes and the French King a hundred and forty thousand Guilders Then immediately by the command of the Grand Master all sorts of People were set to work upon the Fortifications and to scowr and cleanse the Ditches and Moats to which the Knights themselves put their helping hand And from the Castle of St. Elmo where onely before a Ditch had been there was now a Moat cut in the Rock down to the Sea The Grand Master being brought to the corner of the Bulwark St. John after many Benedictions and other Ceremonies laid the first Stone of this City Whereupon the Master-Builder Laparel kiss'd his hands and had bestow'd on him a gold Chain with a Medal which the Grand Master put about his neck Under this Stone several Gold Silver and Copper Medals were laid for an everlasting Mark and Remembrance of the Building whereof the best had this Latin Inscription Immotam Colli dedit that is He hath built the City immoveable upon a Rock On this first Stone Letters were cut which manifested the utmost danger which they endur'd in this Siege with the Happy Success and their Deliverance and likewise the Occasion and Reason of this Building with a Prayer to God and the Name of the Grand Master Valette the Founder The same Grand Master presented the City likewise with a Coat of Arms being upon a Round Scutcheon a Field Or charg'd with a Lion Gules After which Ceremony all the Guns round about were Fir'd and Gold and Silver Money Coyn'd with the Picture of the Grand Master thrown
Borders of the Kingdom of Goy at the River Zair or upon Congo upon Cakongo on the North whose chief City delightfully situate on a Plain near the Shore boasts many Inhabitants where several small Rivers have their Out-lets into the Sea whose Waters both refresh and fatten the Soyl they pass through On the Coast by the River Zair you discover Punto de Palmerino Punto de Paomerino and six hours Journey towards the Bay of Cabinde where the Portuguese Ships take in fresh Provision The Bay Cabinde passing to Lovando St. Paulo This is a good Road for Ships in regard they may be plentifully furnished with Provision at reasonable Rates always provided that the Governor have due respects tendred to him by considerable Presents Both Men and Women give themselves wholly up as it were to wantonness yet towards Strangers they are churlish and uncivil Constitution of the Inhabitants not onely exacting from them beyond reason but defrauding them by many subtil and slye inventions The Countrey abounds with Mille Beans and Fish But the Portuguese have a Store-house to buy Cloathes call'd Panos Sambos the proper Commodity of this Place because made no where else made Tufted like our Plushes but without Flowers or Imagery To Barter for these they bring out of Majumba red Wood which the Natives chuse at the highest Price before the richest European Merchandise resting in their original simplicity without desire of better knowledge from abroad for they never Travel from home but onely when the King sends them as Agents to any of his Neighbors with whom he holds a League of Amity This Kingdom in the Year Sixteen hundred thirty one Destruction of the Kirgdom of Goy was absolutely conquer'd by the Duke of Sonho who established his Son in the place of the Deceased King by whose assistance the Father afterwards got a great Victory over the Cokongian whose chief City he ruin'd and burn'd The King of Congo takes upon him the Title of Lord over both those last mention'd but hath neither Tribute nor Subjection from them for each hath an absolute and independent Soveraignty within his own Dominion The Kingdom of CONGO IN the description hereof great differences arise among Geographers Borders of the Kingdom of Congo some make it begin in the East at the Territories of Lovoto and Quilango in six Degrees and a half South Latitude and to extend thirty or forty miles into the Countrey as far as the a So we render it in English Dukedom of Sonho bordering the Western part with the before-nam'd Sonho and spreading in the North to the River Zair Pigafet and Linschot conterminate it in the North with Lovango and Ansiko in the South with Angola and Malemba on the East setting the Crystal Salt-Petre and Silver Mountains with the Rivers Verbele and Cakongo saith Jarrik and the People Giagnas or Galas deadly Enemies to Congo and in the West with the Ocean Marmol places for Boundaries in the North Benyn on the East the Islands of the Azzinguis or Anzigos and Mondequestes which dwell about the Lake Zambea out of which 't is said the River Zair taketh its original the People of Pangudingos Quilos Bambos Condongos Sonnos Libros Bankares Zakilos and Maria Bigness on the South the Mountains of the Moon which divide it from Abyssiny and Kaffrari or the Region of the Kaffers Some reckon the greatest breadth to a hundred and twenty Leagues and its length by the Coast seventy two The common Division of it is into six Dukedoms Division viz. Bamba Songo or Sonho Sundo Pango Batta and Pombo The Dukedom of Bamba lying in the North reaches Westward to the Coast of the Rivers Amaois and Dantis in the South to Angola and hath for Borders in the East according to Pigafet by the Lake Chelande or Aquilonde the Territory of Sissina On the Sea-Coast of this Territory Pigafet places divers Lordships as Lembo Dondi Bengo Koanza Kazzansi and to the In-land Angazi Chingengo Motello Chabonda and many other of smaller note Others who seem to have been diligent searchers herein intermix with the aforenam'd these following being say they Govern'd by several Lords in the Name of the King of Congo which the Portuguese call Sabos or Sovasen Such are Vamma Roansa Hany Kalle Kovangongo Engombia Muchama Kahonde or Cabonda Motemmo Kanvangongo Moffoula or Mussula Motemma Quingongo Oanda Quina Bamba Bumby Ensala Lovoto Quitungo The Dominion of Vamma Dominion coasting the River Danda lieth at the Sea-Coast Next this up the River are seven or eight small Provinces but of so little Power and Command that the Names thereof are not mention'd Further up the River you come to Koansa Koansa under which and the foremention'd Manivamma stand all the other little Sovasen Then follows the Jurisdiction of Kalle Kalle situate a little to the South and Commanding over some small Tracts of Land Kanvangongo neighbors this Kanvangongo and somewhat Southerly lieth Engombia Muchama or according to others Engombia Cabonda giving Laws to divers petty Lordships adjoyning REGNA CONGO et ANGOLA From the foremention'd River Danda Northward Motemmo Kanvangong appears Motemmo Kanvangongo as at the West on the Sea-Coast lieth the a So we may call them Earldom of Mussula comprehending within it the Provinces of Pumbo and Bamba and holding under his Obedience all the Countreys from Danda to the River Loze along the Sea-Coast The Sovas of Mossulo is very strong but nevertheless not so powerful as the Konvangongo Here grow some Nutmegs Eastward of Motemmo Konvangongo comes Motemmo Quingengo and about the South-East Kahende formerly one of the most potent in this Tract but at present very much weakned This Jurisdiction of Kahende as also that of Quingengo Kahende lieth six or eight days Journey from Konvangongo shooting to the East to these two all the Countrey Eastward from Konvangongo begins the Territory of Ambuela or Amboille a distinct Government of it self without relation to Congo South and South-West of Ambuela you come to Oanda Oanda divided from the former by the River Loze and borders in the West upon Bamba It is a great and mighty Countrey subject to Congo but was in the Year Sixteen hundred forty six over-run and laid waste by the King of Gingo and the People carried away for Slaves Next Oanda Eastward follows Quina containing a small compass of Ground Quina and less Power On the West of Oanda going down to the Sea-Coast Bamba touches between shoots a corner of Pembo Then come you to the Dukedom of Bamba to the South or South-West of which lieth the Province of Bumby inconsiderable for Strength or People bordering in the West upon Mussulo Between Pembo and Quina lieth Ensala whose Governor hath the Title of Mansala in the Year Sixteen hundred forty three he opposed the King of Congo who requesting aid from the Hollanders they sent him a