the middle of his Legs with a Cap of the same colour and a Shash about his waste much after the Garb we paint Cardinals in The other man was in the like habit and a lusty man too both about forty years of Age. When he was come up to us he asked who was the Commander of the Pinnace and having been told I was the Person he came to me in a kind and civil manner embraced me and bid us all welcome into the Country Then he asked how we came into those parts in so small a Vessel I answered That we came in a bigger but that she was cast away upon the Coasts and that out of her Ruines we had made this Pinnace Then he asked me if we were all that were saved I told him it was so and that the rest of our Company were drowned for I did not think it fit to speak of our People in the Camp until we were better acquainted with these men and saw what usage we should have amongst them He altering his Countenance as if he had been sorry for our loss told us he took great part in our affliction Then did he ask me several questions concerning our Voyage our Shipwrack and the present state of Europe To which I returned such answers as I thought convenient He seemed to be well pleased with my answers and told us we were come into a Country where we should find more kindness and civility than we could in our own and where we should want none of those things that are capable to make moderate men happy We returned him humble thanks and desired to know what the name of the Country was He told us it was called in their Language Sporumbè the Inhabitants Sporui that it belonged to a greater and happier Country beyond the Hills called Sevarambè and the people evarambi who lived in a great City called Sevarinde That we were not above fourteen Miles from another City but much less than the first called Sporunde where he intended to carry us Then perceiving some alteration in our faces caused by his last words he proceeded in this manner Gentlemen I told you at first you should not be afraid for no harm will be done you I assure you unless you will draw it upon your selves through your distrust and stubbornness Your best way is to rely upon Gods Providence and the assurances I give you that no wrong shall be done to the least of you either in his person or his goods You are but a small number of men in a little Pinnace in a strange Country destitute of all things and no way able to defend your selves against our Vessels which are many against one and full of men who no less understand how to fight than you as you will find if you put it to a trial They are no Barbarians as you may imagine but a very good charitable and civil people So consider what is best for you to do As soon as he had spoken those words he and his Companion went to one end of the Pinnace as it were to give us an opportunity to consult among our selves which we did and presently resolved to follow his directions and to trust to Providence He perceiving we intended to go to him came himself to us and asked what course we were resolved to take We intend to obey your Commands in every thing Sir and think our selves happy to be under your protection We are poor distressed men fitter Objects for pity than for anger and we hope to find Mercy and help at your hands You will find it in a great measure and see in these Countries such wonders as are not to be seen in any other part of the World Then he made sign to his Shallop to come near which they did immediately They brought us Bread Wine dry Dates Raisins Figs and several sorts of Nuts of which we made an excellent Feast and drank merrily of the delicate Wines that were given us After this welcom Meal the man told me his name was Carshidà his Companion 's Benoscar and desired to know mine I told him my name was Maurice and asked him withal how he came to speak Dutch and Spanish in so remote a Country I will satisfie you herein another time Maurice said he in the mean while we must give order for our going to Sporundè that we may be there to day before night Then did he speak to his men in his own Language and they made sign to another Vessel that stood near to come to us they presently came and having tied a rope to our Pinnace towed her up the Lake to the Southeast of it the other Vessel rowing after us in that manner we left the little Island and the Fleet which did not stir from their Station so long as we were in sight of them and rowed till two in the afternoon through that great Lake of salt water which looks more like a Sea than like a Lake About that time we had a gentle breeze which carried us in less than two hours clear out of the Lake into a River where we found sweet water and saw a fine Champain Country on each side of it We had not sailed two miles in this River but we came to a pretty narrow place where the water is kept in by two great and thick Walls and saw all along near these Walls great Buildings of Brick and Stone mixed together and built after the manner of a Castle in a perfect Quadrangle We went two miles further up along these Walls and Buildings before we came to the City of Sporundè which stands in the confluence of two great Rivers in a fine delicate Plain diversified with Corn-fields Meadows Orchards Gardens and Groves which make it very delightful to the eye the small Vessel which at first came after us was gone up a good while before we came to the Town to give them warning of our coming We rowed up to a great and stately Key where stood a great multitude of People who came out to see us Land Carshidà went on shore first where he was received by some grave men in black with whom having discoursed a while he turned himself towards us and made signs to Benoscar to bring us ashore He in a few vvords told us vvhat vve vvere to do and bid us to follovv him We vvent up the Stairs of the Key vvhich vvas pretty high and being come to the place vvhere the grave men stood vve inclined our selves down to the ground three several times The men bowed a little to us and the chiefest of them taking me in his Arms very kindly embraced me kissed me in the forehead and bade us all vvelcom to Sporundè From that place they carried us through a stately Gate and a noble Street as streight as a Line to a great square building after the manner abovesaid We vvent into it through a large gate that stood in the middle of the Building and found the
into the Temple in a triumphing manner and being come to the Altar laid down their Garlands upon it consecrating them to the Deity to the Sun their King and to their Country which is represented by the Statue I spake of before After this Consecration they went out dancing at the sound of the merry Tunes the Instruments played till they came to their homes This Festival lasted three whole days with a general joy and merriment throughout the whole Town Now our time was come to leave the City of Sporundè and to march to Sevarindè Sermodas gave us warning of it the day before we went and carried me Van de Nuits and Maurice to Albicormas to take our leave of him We went together to his house which we found to be a noble and stately Palace though much inferiour to the City Palace both in bigness and state He received us very kindly and told us that the day following we must take our Journey to Sevarindè to wait upon Sevarminas Then he asked us how we liked Sporundè and the Ceremonies we had seen in the celebration of the Osparénibon We answered We liked every thing even to admiration You have seen nothing yet and you are going to a place as far above this as the Sun is above the Moon I will not too much prepossess your minds with the glory of it knowing experience will teach you more than I can tell you Sermodas is to be your Guide he will be very tender of you and I admonish you to take his Counsel in every thing and to carry your selves so prudently that the great Sevarminas may love and cherish you as heartily as I have done Then he kissed us in the forehead and bid us farewell The next morning early we were carried to the Waterside on the West part of the City where we found several great Barges ready to receive us Sermodas brought me and three or four of my men into an indifferent big one but rarely carved gilt and painted Our other men and women were distributed into other Vessels and in that manner we rowed up the River which running through a very flat and Champain Country flowed down very slowly We saw along the Banks of it several great buildings like those we had seen below the City We had many Rowers who relieved one another from time to time so we went up with great speed and never stopped till we came to an indifferent great City called Sporumè about thirty miles above Sporundè We were expected there at that day and so we found great numbers of people upon the Key who came out to see us land A little before our Barge came to the City a Vessel full of several Officers cloathed like those of Sporundè came to meet us and some of them leaping into our Barge expressed a great deal of respect to Sermodas and much civility to us We went ashore with them where stayed for us the Governour of the place called Psarkimbas Sermodas and he embraced one another and had some discourse together after which he kindly saluted us and bid us welcom into the Country in the Latine Tongue Then addressing himself to me embracing me and kissing me in the Forehead he said he would be glad to have a little private discourse with me sometime of the next day I answered I was at his command after which we followed him into the City which we found to be built much after the manner of Sporundè and about half as big as it standing in a fine and fruitful soyl the best manured and tilled we had ever seen before We were received and used in this place as at Sporundè without any great difference and stayed there all the day following not observing any thing remarkable in it but the exemplary punishment which in the afternoon was inflicted upon fourteen Malefactors in this manner They were taken out of Prison fast tied together with Ropes and divided into three parts In the first were six men who as we were told had been condemned to ten years punishment some for Murther and others for committing Adultery In the second were five young women whereof two were condemned to suffer punishment during seven years to satisfie the Law and afterwards so long as their Husbands pleased and this was for having lain with other men The three others were condemned to suffer three years punishment for having been debauched before their Osparenibon was come or the time of their marrying which is at the eighteenth year of their age In the third were the three young men who debauched these maids and they were to suffer the like punishment and at last marry them They were carried from the Prison to the Palace Gate where stood a great multitude of people to see the execution These poor Prisoners were stript of all their cloaths from their shoulders to the middle of their bodies and we saw their naked skins very plainly I remember that one of the women who had committed Adultery was a very proper and lusty woman not above one or two and twenty years of age She had a very beautiful face black eyes brown hair and a delicate clear skin But her breasts which we saw quite naked were the loveliest I ever beheld This was the first time she was brought to her punishment so that her shame was extraordinary Tears trickled down her cheeks in great abundance and these instead of taking off from her natural beauty did on the contrary so much add to it that I never admired any thing like this beautiful Criminal Admirarion produced love and pity joyning with those two Passions did so move the hearts of all the Spectators that there was hardly any ingenious Person who was not moved to an extreme compassion But their pity was turned to a kind of generous indignation when they considered that within a few moments all these divine Charms were to be soiled and prophaned by the cruel stripes of a barbarous Executioner Yet this was an act of justice ordained by the Laws against a Crime which among those people is look'd upon as one of the greatest so there was no means to save this lovely Person from the rigour of the Law and the Officer had already lifted up his scourge and was going to strike when of a sudden her Husband running through the croud cried with a loud voice Hold hold hold All the Spectators and the Officers themselves hearing this voice were much surprized and turned their eyes on the side from which they heard the voice come suspending the execution till they knew what this mans meaning was He came to them almost out of breath as having with much ado passed through the crowd and addressing his Speech to the chief Officer said pointing at his Wife Sir I am that miserable womans Husband and therefore much concerned in this Execution Before she receive her punishment I desire to speak something to her in your presence after which you will know more
be cold this Fountain is hot and of an excellent virtue for the Water cleanseth not only the filth of the body but it hath that influence upon the humors of men that they are freed from all those extravagant desires of Lust and Lechery which agrees not with the Air and Manners of the Sevarambi Before we went to sleep Sermodas led me and my Companions out to this rare Fountain Now Captain said he to me strip your self naked and wash your self in this Water with these words he shewed me several corners which seemed to be made purposely for men to bathe themselves and wash their bodies from the irregular inclinations of these other Regions After we had well cleansed our selves we returned to our Lodging and after supper Sermodas gave me this account of this Custom Captain said he to me we are entring into a Climate where men are forced to be abstemious against their wills where if they harboured those amorous affections which other men have they meet with so many and such powerful temptations that they would be far more extravagant than the rest of men and be more deformed than any people for the Air and nature of this Country is such that it sets a mark upon all men that touch any other women than their own And such Virgins as forget themselves are spotted visibly to the eyes of all beholders as you shall see when you come amongst them For the prevention therefore of this and all other inconveniencies which proceed from lustful appetites we have a custom to wash our selves in this admirable Fountain whereof the water hath that virtue to free us from those lecherous inclinations as well as our bodies from filth and to oblige us to appear amongst the Sevarambi with a quiet and calm spirit so that none or few dare joyn with any other female but his own I inquired whether they had not a plurality allowed them No answered Sermodas we in our Country have that allowance and this causeth us all to be so crooked in our bodies for this shape proceeds from the crookedness of our reason which carries us to act and perform such things as agree not I confess with the excellency of our humane nature but only with those natural propensities which we either by Art or resolution should restrain within the compass of a moderate appetite But you are entring amongst the soberest people of the World free from all those wild passions which cause so much disturbance in other Lands They are the perfectest and most beautiful Ladies that ever you beheld all their Country and all things therein are stately glorious pleasant rich and noble and so extraordinarily full of innocent delights that you would be content to abide there for ever This short account with the many relations that we had already of this Country inflamed our desires to be Eye-witnesses of these rare things and to injoy the stately advantages that this place and Country afford Therefore the next morning early we washed and prepared our selves for our Journey But there happened an accident which retarded our Journey for a while As soon as our Unicorns were loose and ready to be loaded a Jaccal happened to run by in sight of these Animals As soon as they perceived it they ran after it so swiftly that one of the foremost caught the Jaccal and killed it for there is a natural Antipathy between these two creatures as there is between a Hare and a Grey-hound At the first sight of a Jaccal it is not possible to keep in the Unicorn who is naturally carried to pursue this ravenous Beast This gave us the trouble to run about a mile after them to the declive of the Hill where the Unicorns were all dividing the spoils of the dead Jaccal one was tearing the tail another was busie about the Head another was devouring the guts they had all shared it amongst them When we had brought them back we all mounted and went on in our Journey About ten miles in our way at the top of a very high steep Hill we saw the great City of Sevarinde and the beautiful Country where it is situate Here the Sporvi are wont to perform certain Ceremonies before they dare venture farther for they imagine that if they neglected or contemned them the Great Spirit of the Air which governs in that Climate would punish them with some signal token of his displeasure as he doth such as are given to Debauchery and Lechery I and my Comrades were all obliged to follow the same Customs and Manners for fear of giving offence and for avoiding those deformities and marks which are said to be inflicted upon all Contemners of the Laws of the Land In our Travelling we had the sight of many strange Creatures Animals Birds and Insects whereof I knew not so much as the name The Trees in our Road were hung with Apes and Monkies the Woods full of aromatick Trees and sweet Perfumes the Mountains and Wildernesses were inriched with Diamant Rocks and Banks of Crystal the Rivers and Streams of Water are full of sandy Gold and precious Stones transparent When I considered how rich and delightful a place the descent of these Mountains was I judged that the Country beyond and the Bottoms and Vallies must consequently exceed all that I ever beheld on Earth One thing I cannot omit we saw in our travelling a Beaver pursued and hunted by a Creature not much unlike in shape to our Rabbets but of another nature more ravenous and fierce For Eagles and Vultures of all kinds and sorts they were here in such numbers that the Sky was sometimes darkned with them In the way Sermodas gave me and my Companions several precautions how we should behave our selves amongst the Sevarites First he advised us to talk but little For said he they are the wisest of all men If therefore you will gain any esteem or hinder your selves from being despised abstain from too much discourse for if they perceive by a multiplicity of words any indiscretion in you they will contemn you and not think you worthy to abide in the Land much less to be honoured by them Again take heed of swearing cursing or damning for such irregularities in language were never yet admitted into that Land They spue or banish out all disorderly persons and confine them to the Borders Observe next to do as you see other men and take heed you be not singular in any practices but when once you are admonished by them imitate them and follow their good advices for in so doing you will preserve your selves in their esteem and shew them respect Obstinacy and singularity are vices not known amongst them as they are amongst you Europeans Take heed that you drink not too much of the delicious Wines of the Country but use all things with abstinence and moderation Refuse not any gifts which they will bestow upon you for they are all noble and generous in their behaviour and actions
at a good distance coming after them This unexpected Fleet put our Camp into a great apprehension We ran all to our Arms prepared our Cannons for our defence and sent Scouts towards the shore to observe the motions of this Fleet. In the mean while they drew near to the shore and at Musket shot they all cast Anchor in good order but Maurices Pinnace came very near so that we could see him and his men from the shore and hear him plainly speak to us He bid us not be afraid and desired us to send the Boat with three men only to fetch him ashore after some contestation we sent the Boat which being come aboard him he leapt into it with one of his men and took down with him a tall and grave Personage in a black Gown a Hat on his head and a white Flag in his hand and so came ashore to us I with some of my Officers stood at some distance but when we saw this man landed we went to meet him Maurice told us in few words That he was sent from the Governour of a City situate about sixty miles above the Bay where we had received all the kindness and civility imaginable and desired us withal to express all manner of respect to him Upon that advice we did bow to him in very humble and submissive manner which he received with a great deal of gravity and mildness and stretching his right hand towards Heaven said in very good Dutch The Eternal God of the World bless you the Sun his great Minister and our glorious King shine kindly upon you and this our Land be fortunate to you After this Maurice having told him that I was the General he gave me his hand which I humbly kist and he took me about the neck and kissed me in the middle of the forehead and then desired to march to our Camp where we received him in the best manner we could He looked upon our Huts and Pallizadoes and nodded his head in sign that he liked it very well then spake thus to me Sir I have heard the History of your disaster and knowing of your merits and Gallantry I have made no difficulty of putting my Person into your hands but that I may not keep you any longer from the Relation your Officer Maurice will make unto you of what hath hapned unto him since his departure from hence I desire to rest a little in your Hut while you satisfie your curiosity and hear those things which will be necessary for you to be acquainted with and that I hope will set your minds at rest We made no answer but making a low reverence left him in the Hut and went to Maurice who expected our coming in Van de Nuits Hut We were no sooner with him but we began to ask him questions concerning his journey and he having begged our leave and favourable audience spake to us in this manner Maurices Speech NOble General and worthy Officers with your leave and even with your Command I departed from this place about three Weeks ago with a design to make further discoveries in the Bay The first day I sailed to the Southeast of it above twenty miles and saw nothing on either side but great Woods as you see here distant one from another five or six miles at the least At night we cast Anchor at a mile distance from the right side of the river and lay there till next morning From thence with Wind and Tide we sailed up further to the Southeast about five Miles more and there we found the Banks on each side of the River came near one to another within two miles distance We sailed up still though with a little more difficulty till we came into abroad place where the water spreads it self into a great Lake from the middle of which we could hardly see the shore on either side we only saw ten or twelve small Islands dispersed up and down the Lake and most of them shaded with tall green trees very delightful to the Eyes By this time the Wind was somewhat altered and the Lake was so calm that we could hardly perceive any motion in it but as the place was wide we rid to and fro as the Wind did serve not much caring which side of the Lake we should go first to yet when the Wind would serve we endeavoured as much as we could to make to the Southeast About Evening we had a fine breeze which drove us to the Southeast according to our wishes and that night we cast Anchor betwixt two or three of those small Islands not above two or three miles distant one from the other with an intent to visit them the day following We lay at Anchor all night and took our rest without any care or fear not thinking there had been any Inhabitants in those places but we found we were much deceived for as soon as it was broad light we saw about us ten or twelve Vessels which did so encompass us about that we could go no way but we must fall among them This struck a great terrour upon us and we thought verily vve should all be killed or taken for vve had but one of these vvays to chuse to fight or to surrender our selves and lie at the mercy of unknovvn men vvho might use any cruelty upon us This last consideration prevailed and made us all resolve to fight it out to the last man so vve all ran to our Arms prepared our Guns and vvere very vvell resolved to defend our lives for vve could not run avvay the vveather being very still and the men vve savv about us having several Shallops vvell manned vvith Rovvers vvho rovved tovvards us vvith great svviftness When they vvere come vvithin Musket shot of us they all stopped save a small Vessel vvherein vve savv a man vvith a vvhite Flag in his hand coming on to us and making many signs in token of Amity We stood to our Arms and let that Vessel come on to us knovving it vvas not strong enough alone to attempt any thing against our Pinnace When they vvere come vvithin fifteen or tvventy yards of us the man vvho had the vvhite Flag in his hand making a low reverence spake to us in Spanish and bad us not be afraid for no harm was intended against us One of my men who could speak that Language explained what he said and asked him why they came so about us He answered It was the custom of the place that we should come to no harm and desired to know what Countrimen we were He told him we were Hollanders Then he replied in Dutch That we were welcome into the Country and desired to be admitted into our Pinnace himself and another man of his Company only proffering to remain with us as Hostages till matters were better understood We readily yielded unto his desire so they came aboard us He was a very lusty man with a manly look wearing a red Gown down to
Majestical When Sermodas had spoken a while Carshida was sent for who gave the Council a full relation of our Affairs and of the time and manner we came into the Lake by them called Sporascumpso how we were seen and taken in it which was in this manner as we understood afterwards The day upon which we came into the Lake was a solemn day in those parts so that all the Inhabitants of the Islands were celebrating the same and intent upon their Exercises and Pastimes when we sailed into it and that was the reason why we saw no Vessels in it at first although there are several fishing there upon other days But although we saw no body yet our Pinnace was soon spied from the Islands so that several Vessels were sent out in the night to catch us in the morning and secure us from going back again without leave It being the custom of those People to keep a very strict guard about their Country for fear it should come to be known to Foreigners whose designs and corrupted lives might in time bring trouble to their State and corruption to their manners the peace and purity of which two things they are most careful to secure When Carshidà had made an end of speaking Albicormas stood up and bid us welcom in his own Language as Sermodas interpreted it unto us He added That we should find all manner of kindness and good usage among the Sporui and that we should stay in Sporundè till such a time as he did receive Orders from Sevarminas the Suns Vice-Roy who lived in the City of Sevarinde whither he would send a Messenger that very day to give him an account of us That in the mean while we should enjoy all the comfort and moderate pleasure the Country could afford if we would be ruled by Sermodas and his Officers to whose care and conduct he recommended me and all my men exhorting us to behave our selves modestly and so he dismissed us I observed that Albicormas was very crooked though he was otherwise a man of good presence and grave carriage and so were many of his Assessors and we found afterwards that among the People there was a great number of deformed persons mixed with very handsom Folk of all Ages and Sexes and I was told That the reason of it was that those of Sevarindè sent all such imperfect People as were born amongst them to this place and would not suffer any body who had any deformity of body to live in their Country I was further told That in their Language Spora signified a defective person and Sporundè the City of the maimed or defective Those that were incorrigibly vitious or unquiet were disposed of another way as in the sequel or continuation of this History shall hereafter be made appear After Albicormas had dismissed us we went back to our Lodging in the same order as we came from it and found there a very good Dinner provided for us We kept at home all that Afternoon because the weather was hot but in the Evening Sermodas and Carshidà took us out to shew us the City and led us from Street to Street where we found great multitudes of People who came out to look on us The Town is the most regular that ever I saw being divided into great square Buildings which contain every one above a thousand People they are built all after the same manner There are seventy six of them and so many thousands of Inhabitants in the whole City which is above four miles about It stands betwixt two Rivers as I told you before but the industry of that People has made it an Island of a Peninsula by drawing a great Trench from River to river two miles above the City This Trench is no less than three miles long having a great Wall on each side and many Bridges over it very broad and strongly built with large Free-stone as you may see your selves when you come to the place At night we had a good Supper and two hours after we were all carried to a great Hall where we found fifteen young Women who waited there for us They were most of them very tall and proper women in painted Callico Gowns wearing their black hair in long and thick breads hanging down upon their Breasts and Shoulders We were a little surprised to find so many of them in a row and did much admire at them not knowing what they stood there for when Sermodas spake to us in this manner You wonder Maurice to see here so many proper Women together and little understand the reason why you find them in this posture and habit somewhat different from other womens Dress Know you therefore that these are our slaves and that they are here to wait upon you and your Comrades You have your several Customs in Europe and so have other Countries their own Some are bad and vicious in nature and others only seem to be good or bad according to mens prejudices and apprehensions But there are some that are grounded upon Reason and are truly good in themselves if we rightly consider them Ours are for the most part if not all of this kind and we hardly have anyone which is not established upon Reason You know I suppose that the moderate use of those good things Nature hath appointed for all living Creatures is good and that there is nothing but the abuse of them either in the excess or in the defect that may be termed bad provided Faith Justice and Equity be exactly observed Among those good things we conceive there are two of the greatest importance viz. The preservation and happy being of every living Creature and the propagation of its Species The means to attain to the first are all those natural Actions without which no Creature can subsist and such are Eating Drinking Sleeping c. But her bountiful hands do not only give us those things which are meerly necessary to keep us alive but also liberally bestow upon us those delights and pleasures the just and moderate use whereof may make our lives sweet and comfortable and that we may the better take pleasure in them she hath given us an Appetite and a Palate capable to discern their various tastes and qualities according as they are sutable to our natures For the preservation of every Species Nature hath likewise appointed that every Male should be united to a Female that by their union their kind should be preserved which is her chiefest end And that they may be the more inclined to accomplish her noble design she hath given them a mutual love and desire of Conjunction and annexed a pleasure to the actual union of the two Sexes for the preservation of the Species as a pleasure also in eating and drinking to every Animal These are the Eternal Laws of God in Nature and these two ends together with the pleasure we take in the means through which we may attain to them are
refreshing our selves and admiring all the Excellencies before our eyes and the Divine Beauty of those incarnate Angels the Women of that place At the first they saluted us with a short Speech to this purpose in their own Language which was immediately interpreted to us by a stander by in Spanish Welcome noble Strangers to our City of Sevarinde let not your misfortunes and losses grieve you the great Being of Beings hath sent you to discover what I understand was never known to your World You shall see by experience the Generosity and brave minds of the Sevarambi We rejoyce to have an occasion of imitating our bountiful God and express our Liberalities to his Creatures and our kindness to men though of another World and Parentage This brings me and my Companions into this place and at this time to mitigate your sorrows and cause you to forget your shipwrack and calamity With these words he made a grave bow and nodded to the rest of his Comrades and immediately the Musick began to play so sweetly that we reckoned our selves in Heaven and not upon Earth This Sport continued about two hours with an interruption of other Sports We tasted there also some of the most delicious Wines of the World they grow not as ours upon shrubs and short stumps but upon great Trees as high as the Cedar and Oak-trees neither have they any trouble with them to manure or cut them for the Wine-tree brings forth of its own accord plentifully In an Orchard of these kinds of Trees about the compass of an Acre they have sometimes ten Tun of this rare Wine as clear as Crystal but so extraordinary strong and pleasant that the Vin de la Cindad of Paris nor the Rhenish nor Frontiniack nor Florence nor Canary nor any other sorts of Wine of Asia or Europe are to be compared to this Divine Nectar which so refreshes Nature and strengthens the body that the oldest persons in that Country seem to be but young Their age is discoverable only by their grey hairs and long beards which they are not to cut by the Law of the Land That evening Sevarminas sent us a Messenger to know of our welfare advising us to prepare our selves for the next morning to wait upon him for he was very desirous to see us Sermodas had been with him and had given him an account of us and of our behaviour since our landing in Sporumbè and our entrance in Sevarambé At his return to us after Supper we desired him to give us an exact account of the extent of the Dominions of his King Sevarminas and of the further most bounds of his Empire In answer to your request said Sermodas to us I must tell you That we have now a Prince called Sevarminas lineally descended from our wise Law-giver Sevarias this is the seventh thousand five hundred and ninth King who hath since that time reigned in this Land His Government between the Rivers are threescore and five Principalities the chief are Rostaki in the West Shafstati on the North towards the Pacifick Sea Roblati on the East and Manasti on the South These are the four principal Parts of the Kingdom commanded by four chief Officers who are to have an inspection over the other lesser Divisions These wait upon Sevarminas and are of his Privy Council The other Chieftains are to reside in their several Principalities and take care to do Justice and punish all Offenders with Banishment to their several places appointed for their retreat Besides these Jurisdictions within the Rivers there are several other places belonging to Sevarminas which acknowledge him for their Supreme Lord but they are full of all banished men Offenders of the Law and Malefactors There is the Province of the Sporvi which you have seen already commanded by the Noble Albicormas the next to us is the Island of the Fornicators whom these Sevarambi cannot endure These all appear with their rotten Noses and poysoned Faces so that they are ashamed to shew themselves amongst perfect men They live in Woods and dark Caves men and women promiscuously without any regard to their honesty which they have had no care to preserve They have an ill-favour'd old Hag for their Governess a filthy Bawd named Brustana Their Country affords them many good things so that they live without much labour but are so deformed and infectious that none dares venture amongst them who hath any regard to the safety of his own person or Honour When amongst the Sevarites any either man or woman breaks the Law by any such fleshly liberty they are immediately sent over and landed there from whence they cannot possibly return because there is no Boat dares carry them from thence In this place they have a freedom to do what they list and to please themselves with the choice of persons of their own disposition and temper without any restraint The next Province is that of the Knaves a cunning sort of men who are all upon catches continually plotting the mischief of others When there is the least suspicion of any such person in a Province of the Sevarites they never leave till they have found him out and sent him to this place where he is commanded by Marabo when any excels in Knavery he is there promoted in his Court to Offices of Honour and Trust These have the largest and best Province belonging to Sevarminas beyond the River for they are numerous and increase daily in number of men and in Lands towards the South They dispossessed another Generation of covetous Rascals who had been banished from among the Sevarambi and had laid great improvement upon their Lands having built many good Towns and Cities When the Knaves their Neighbours had understood it they caught it from them and drove them out of it by a Trick sending the Covetous to live in their Country empty of Inhabitants The next is the Province of disorderly persons troubled with the distempers of discontent fury ambition and other Vices Sevarminas is forced to keep a Guard upon their Borders and to place next to them the stoutest and most warlike souls for fear of a sudden irruption There are thirteen other large Provinces filled with other kind of men but I forbear to speak of them till I shall give you an account of an attempt which the bordering Provinces made once to dispossess King Sevarminas of his Throne and to seize upon the Territories of the unspotted Sevarites who were forced to arm themselves and drive those disorderly Villains into their own Nests where they are now confined Since that time care hath been taken to build such Walls and Forts as that they cannot now easily pass over to trouble the Peace of the Sevarites I had almost forgotten to speak of the large Province of Fools which lies directly South from Sevarindé If any person by a mischance becomes crack-brain'd or distemper'd with any kind of folly he is condemned to be transported to the Island of
in the World but when I have an opportunity I shall give you an account of that I could wish said Maurice that our Country-men in Europe knew how to deal with these subtle Creatures and how to be revenged for the continual wrongs which they daily receive from their malice and evil suggestions It is a question said I whether many of them would make use of that Art if they knew it for a great many are so pleased with their company and suggestions that they seek them rather than to endeavour to be rid of them Well said Sermodas let them be in love with their own mischief and danger the Sevarites are seldom taken and deceived by their allurements and if at any time they are carried to any wickedness they are banished and if the Devil be caught he is severely tortured This good order and many others when I shall speak to you of their Laws preserves happiness peace and prosperity in this Country This Discourse pleased us well and caused us to intreat Sermodas to take some other time to inform us of the Laws of the Sevarites We asked him several other questions concerning their Government within the Rivers concerning their Customs and Tributes and whether all the Country was so happy and rich as that which we had already beheld He answered to all questions so exactly that we thought our selves much obliged to him for his singular favour He was well acquainted with all things for he had been imployed about the Affairs of Sevarminas from his infancy and was often sent to carry the Tribute to his Court He told us that the Kings Revenues were certain and that from all parts men brought to him all sorts of Necessaries for him and his numerous Court. That he never had any need to demand more for his Expences were as regular as his Incomes and that if he should want any thing more there is none of his Subjects from the meanest to the highest but would think himself highly honoured if he would accept of all that they have But as he is a great Lover of Justice and Equity he is content with the ancient Reversions of the Provinces which are sufficient to cause him and his Court to live in great abundance and extraordinary Splendour which all the Sevarites looked upon as their greatest Glory Sevarminas said he is a middle-aged man and hath reigned in this place twenty two years with the general love of all his Subjects He is adored by us all as our visible God His Fathers name was Seravino a Prince of an extraordinary Beauty he reigned amongst us thirty years and mightily inlarged the Palace and Dwelling of the Kings of this Country You shall see to morrow a place which hath not its parallel on Earth for Riches and humane Glory and you shall see a Prince and such noble Attendants that your eyes never looked upon any thing nor persons more deserving admiration After this discourse Sermodas led us all to our Chambers where we had all things convenient for us and shewing us in a great wide room hung with Cloth of Gold each mans Bed of embroidered Silver for him to rest till the next morning he took his leave of us and bid us good night We rested very sweetly without any disturbance till the next morning when a Concert of Musick in the next Chamber awakened us Sermodas opened first our door and entred our Room desiring us to get up and put on the Apparel which he had brought to us Whiles we were dressing of our selves a Messenger came from King Sevarminas to hasten us away because he intended to give us Audience and then to take some Recreation before Dinner At the time of our appearance he appointed ten Senators of his City men of great Gravity and Worth to attend upon us and lead us to him We were conducted through the Streets full of Sevarites who seldom see Strangers in those parts Their curiosity caused them to throng together to look upon us we marched thus about half a mile through the most splendid places and had the sight of so many rare objects that the World cannot afford the like The number of Jewels and precious Stones the quantity of Gold Silver the excellency of the Structures Arches Palaces and Temples dedicated to their God are beyond all credit and imagination of men But nothing surprised us so much as to look upon the Royal Court and the glory of it It stands upon a small rising incompassed about with a deep River and walled three times round with square stones cut out of a Diamant Rock about six foot square and polished so well that at the first approach our eyes could not endure the brightness of the place when the Sun shines clear without a cloud Some other precious Stones were intermixed of green and red colours but all transparent There was but one entrance over the River by a Bridge The first Gate was full of Ivory Pillars and Supporters and embellished with large stones black and white Marble Round about in the void space were delicate Walks and Gardens full of strange sorts of Trees some yellow others green some black others white and shewing to the eye such a variety of beautiful colours that it is the most glorious Prospect of the World The second Wall was all of a red stone but bright and shining The third and innermost Wall was as white as Snow like to our Alabaster but of a stone which is not to be found in any part of the Northern World In the empty places round about between the Walls grew all manner of Trees for pleasure or profit with some that are not to be seen elsewhere The Kings Palace stood within these three Inclosures having round about it a large Green with several Walks of sandy Gold and stately Images of Alabaster and Porphyry representing all manner of shapes as beasts birds and men in most actions of their life These Images stood upon Bases of Saphir and the Images were all made of a transparent hard stone as clear as Crystal You may imagine that at our first entrance the Sun shining in its greatest brightness upon them we were cast into a sudden maze and surprised at the unexpected view of so many glorious things The Palace was perfectly round with four long Galleries reaching from side to side and as many Gates It was built of precious Stones of all sorts and sizes the Tyling was of Gold and Silver and the inside was so curiously wrought and so rich that it is not to be imagined nor believed if I should here declare every particular The King sate in an empty Court in the middle of his Palace under a beautiful Gallery inriched with all manner of Jewels round about him on the right and left stood his Counsellors and Attendants his Seat was a Throne of six steps over which there was a Canopy of State before it were six Bases upon which stood six Lions rampant of a red
means to get as far as the body of his murdered Darling which he brought ashore and seeing no sign of life he killed himself and fell upon her body In remembrance of this Tragedy the Town hath dedicated these two Images the one to Ziricus and the other to Malimna with a great many lesser Images of young Men and Maidens that are all weeping for the misfortune of these two constant Lovers This story Zidi Parabas told me whiles the Dinner was bringing in to the great Hall of Ivory where the King Sevarminas was to dine with all his Court When we were sate down we had all things needful presented before us with a Concert of Musick mingled with rare Voices of some Virgins of the City After this a Philosopher brought in a Silver Chain a great white Rat about the bigness of a good Rabbet which leaped upon the Table near Sevarminas and looked wishfully upon him when he was eating but when the Rat saw that the King said nothing the Rat reached forth its paw or foot and took some of the meat The King was not a little surprised with the Rats boldness How now said he did your Master teach you this The Philosopher by the Talismanical Art could make it speak what he listed for he could govern the tongue of the little creature in that manner that what was in his mind the beast would speak By your leave my Lord quoth the Rat to the King I am hungry The Rats speech surprised the King and all the company left their meat to hear the discourse between the King and the Rat for the Philosopher told his Majesty That it would give him any answer that he would desire They not knowing from whence it proceeded no more than we they stood to see what the Rat would say the Rat was neither ashamed nor afraid of the company but went from one dish to another to taste which was the best it met with an Ostrich-Pye on which it fell aboard without any manners the King bid it be gone I 'le fill my belly first answered the Rat now I am here King I command thee to be gone Rat I love this company too well to run away in haste King Make haste Rat We must do nothing rashly King Thou wilt eat all Rat There is enough in the Land for you and me too King Who tutored thee Rat My Master Several other discourses past between Sevarminas and this artificial creature which was made to speak not by its own understanding but by that of the Philosopher only by the Talismanical Art he could make use of the organ and tongue of the Rat to speak what was according to his mind This was a curious passage and gave the whole company great delight The Philosopher told Sevarminas That he could make any beast that was tame to speak in that manner and say any thing We found this to be too true for afterwards another Learned man had taught a Camel another an Ass another a Dromedary another a tame Lion to say any thing with as much reason as if they had been rational creatures whereas it was but the organ of their tongue that was made use of by the strong power of a Talisman to turn which way and articulate whatsoever the Author of the Talisman pleased We stayed not long in the place but as soon as we had all dined and refreshed our selves we mounted upon our Dromedaries and went on in our Journey The Louse Camel and the Flea turned into a Dromedary going with us in our company we passed by a curious Town that stood upon an Hill which had a plentiful stream of water rising from the top and falling from a steep place upon a Diamant Rock and then incompassed the Hill round with a deep Chanel over which there was a curious Bridge of precious Stones with Silver Globes on the top and the sides of the Walls with a most beautiful Arch the most regularly built that I ever knew The Towns name is Tiftani commanded by a Prince the most considerable of all the Subjects of Sevarminas he came out to meet us with a beautiful Guard of young Gallants all cloathed in Cloth of Silver The Princess also came to the entring in of the Town with a beautiful Attendance of Ladies in their rich Attire covered over with Pearls and the richest and most precious Stones They made a low obeisance to King Sevarminas and offered him the Keys of their City which he returned to the Prince Muraski that was the name of the Prince who was young about the age of thirty years We passed through the streets through the Acclamations and Applauses of all the Common people that are the happiest in the World in all respects for they pay but little or no Tribute and have all things in such abundance glory and plenty that there is no want nor complaints in all the Land the poorest Sevarite hath enough and the richest can have no more than they use for all the rest is superfluous The next Town was Tiptanicar where upon an high Tower stood a Talisman of Gold for what intent I could never learn We went through Muramni Borascot Malavisi and several other good walled Towns in our way We lodged that night in one of the Kings Palaces situate in a little Lake about ten miles in compass in an Island that stands in the middle Several Boats and Vessels waited for us to convey us and our Dromedaries over to the Island This place is one of the most pleasant abodes of the World Here we stop'd above a fortnight which we spent sometimes in fishing sometimes in hunting walking about and admiring the wonderful things that appeared every where Sometimes the Kings Philosophers together with the Musicians would make us such good sport that we were never weary we could have spent the days and the nights in seeing such sports and pass-times Sevarminas all this while sent for me often with De Nuits and Maurice to discourse with us and inform himself concerning the Affairs Commodities and Conveniencies of our Country in which particulars I always gave him such answers as would increase his desire to entertain a Trade and Correspondency with our Nation and the other People of Europe When we had lived here in this Castle and pleasant Island called the Isle of Foxes and in the Sevarites Language Cristako we set forward for another place called the Mount Timpani where the Kings of the Sevarites have another House of Pleasure it is about an hundred Leagues distant towards the Southwest from Cristako We passed through many Woods Vallies and an open Country in our way to it and had the sight of several rare Towns Seravi Puteoli Nanti Quarok Runtour and several others no less rich and beautiful than the former I cannot forget to mention a rare Invention which I saw at Seravi There is a large River about two miles distant from the Town which stands upon a Hill without any water