or Wherries who are always attending however taking a compass you may go by Land and have a very fine Prospect of the Country This Town is pretty Large and formerly belonged to the Genoese and then was more considerable for it held out some time against the whole Power of the Ottoman's after Mahomet the Second had taken Constantinople the Houses are Fair and well Built mostly Inhabited by Greeks though it is the usual Residence of Franks and they have five Monasteries there which much Beautifie the place and near the Sea side there is the finest Fish-Market that may be seen in any Country for the Fishmonger's-shops are stocked with such numbers of various kinds of Fish on Market days that Strangers admire how they should procure them the Greeks keep many Taverns here so that there are frequent disorders by reason of drunken People though great care is taken to prevent it Pera and Tophana are two other pleasant little Towns the Former is appointed for the Residence of most Ambassadors those of the Emperor of Germany King of Poland and Republick of Ragousa having usually their Residence in Constantinople the French Ambassador's House is here very stately having a curious Prospect of the Seraglio The latter is the place where they cast their great Guns and that in the Turkish Language seems to give it its Name the Houses in both are very finely Built rising and falling pleasantly so that at a distance they seem to represent a kind of an Amphitheatre To these I might add Cassumpasha which lies first if one goes by Land and appears like a great Village her Galleys and Ships are Built and laid up with great conveniency for it is accommodated with 120 Arched Docks or Houses in the way to this the Ocmeidan or Field of Arrows a very spacious place where the Turks exercise shooting with the Bow and many resort thither to pray for success on their Arms and any thing they stand in need of One may go in a Caique from Constantinople to Schudaret which the Turks call Iscodar it being but a good Mile In the way there is a Tower built on a Rock in the Sea pretty strong the Guns command the Port and the Mouths of the White and Black-Sea the latter is so called not because the Water is Black as some imagine but by reason of the many casualties that happen upon the rising of sudden Storms that cast Vessels away to the loss of many Lives and beside it not being very broad there are several Currants caused by the Danube Boristenhes Tunais and other smaller Rivers that discharge their Waters into it and occasion many Eddies that drive Ships on the Rocks where they are lodged or split but to return In the Tower I mentioned is a fine Well of fresh Water and some call it Leander's Tower but for what reason I know not Schudaret is a pleasant Village on the Asian Shoar The Grand Signior has a stately Seraglio in it beautified with lovely Gardens and a little lower on the same side stands Chalcedon anciently very Famous and Celebrated by the four General Councils held there yet time has laid the Structures of Antiquity in Ruins so that at present it is but an inconsiderable Village which stands like the Ruins of Troy as a Memorial there was once so famed a place In another walk of four Hours from Constantinople is the Prince's Isle a very pleasant place to take the Air in for though it is not great it contains two little Towns inhabited by Greeks The Coast of the Black Sea is also a curious place to take the Air upon This is the Thracian Bosphorus which coming from the Black Sea to Constantinople mingles its Waters with the White Sea and is but a Mile over at the broadest place no more than 12 Miles in length and all about this Channel are a great many lovely Houses and Gardens so that passing it one would conclude it the loveliest Prospect in the World the Fruits are here Plentiful and very Excellent on the Asian side there is a pretty Castle where Sultan Ibrahim was hid 20 Years when Sultan Amurat put his other Brothers to Death and along the Shoar are other Villages in which one may be furnished with what is needful In this Channel they take great quantities of good Fish of divers Sorts and amongst them the Sword Fish so called because it has a long broad Bone on the Snout of it like a Sword or rather jaged like a Saw on the edges there are store of Dolphins usually playing about the Boats as also many other curious varieties so that I may conclude Constantinople and the Towns adjacent to be exceeding pleasantly Scituated which having thus sufficiently described I now pass to other useful Observations during my stay in the Chief City of the Ottoman Empire CHAP. II. The Original of the Turks and Extent of the Ottoman Empire The Officers Civil and Ecclesiastical their Forces and Order with many things relating to their Religion Customs and divers other matters THE Turks are held to be Originally a People of Scythia though some will have them the Off-Spring of the Ten Jewish Tribes carried into Captivity by Salmenaser and the Jews to curry Favour would have them believe however that the first considerable Figure they made was upon their coming out of Turcomania under Tangrolipix a petty Captain to assist the Persians and at length possessed themselves of that Kingdom their Captain being made King in the Field upon the Death of the Persian Sultan who falling from his Horse died there and immediately setled the large Empire in Asia but it was ruined by the Tartars yet they renewed it again under Akoman Gazi or the Warlike about 346 Years after building it on the Ruins of the Persian Babylonian Grecian and Roman Monarchies which till late years they have continued to spread wider so that it now consists of part of Persia almost all Greece the Kingdom of Aegypt the greatest part or Arabia the Islands of Cyprus Rhodes Mitylene Negropont Chio or Scio Candia and many other Islands The Empire of Treprezom the Kingdom of Colchis now called Mingrelia Tunis Algires Dalmatia Illizia Tribalenia Bulgaria Valachia Moldavia part of Hungary c. so that they hold all the Sea Coast from the Confines of Epidaurus the utmost bounds of Europe Westward to the Mouth of the River Tanais now called Don with all that lies between the City of Belgrade and Constantinople and Southward all the Sea Coast from Velex to Belis the boundard of the Kingdom of Fez unto the Arabian Gulf or Red-Sea and so proportionably every way the greatness of which may be the better Conjectured by the vastness of part of it for the Mear of Maetis which is all at the Grand Signior's Command is 1000 Miles in Compass and the Euxine or Black-Sea in Circuit 2700 Miles the Mediterranean Coast which is subject to him is in Compass about 8000 Miles so that he may pass in
they might be permitted but their thirst after the Mines of Gold and Silver they suppose to be in that Country and not yet discovered is the main incitement that makes them push their Swords so violently that way though they often meet with their Match for these naked People are very Warlike and in their flights after a Discharge of their Vollies of Poison Arrows chamber up and run upon the Rocks like Wild Goats their dwellings are for the most part in the Woods where they make Swamps and fortified places of Timber and other Materials rudely piled and fastned one to another and that which incites the Spaniards so eagarly to possess themselves by Conquests of these Northern parts besides the Treasure they find in them is out of Mistrust or Jealousie least the English from Virginia and other Collonies should be industrious in subduing and steping in before them Thus having briefly run over the chief Mexicon Provinces under the Spanish Dominion I now proceed to take a Survey of some others and in the first place of Quivira seated in the most Western part of America over against Tartary from whence not being much distant many suppose that this new World was first inhâ—bited from thence for the Indians in their Manners Likeness and many Customs among them much accord with the Tartars they make their Cattle their chief Riches feeding them in the Plains Valleys and Mountains the Country affording every where store of Pasture and those that look after the Cattle carry Tents with them for shelter and dress their Food in the Fields as the Tartars This and the Southern parts of America appears to be far better Peopled than that towards Europe so that though it is but a conjecture yet it is a very probable one that the first peopling this Country was from Asia either accidentally by Ship-wrack or driven out of their Country by Famine War or such Calamities they were constrained to seek new Habitations and so after much wandering at Sea found out this Country though the Indians have a tradition which is a received Opinion amongst many of them that their God with Blazing Fires lighted and guided them Day and Night over the Northern Rocks and Mountains covered with Ice and Snow feeding and cherishing them by the way with Pulse and other Food when they had been oppressed by Gyant-like Enemies and driven out of their former Habitations The Inhabitants of these parts take a greater pride in Glass Beads and other Trifles than in Gold and Jewels and are easily imposed on for the Exchange of the Hides of their Cattle they make Coverings for their homely Cottages of their Bones they make Bodkins and Needles of their Hair Thread of their Sinue Cordage of their Blood Drink and of their Flesh Meat of their Horns Paunches and Bladders Vessels Some are of Opinion that there is a Traffick on this Coast from China or Cathagina from whence Vasquez de Corovado made a Progress into some parts of it with his Army of Spaniards which he saw from the Rocks and high Mountains on the Sea Coast Ships at Sea not of common Building seeming to be well laden and bearing in their Prows Pillicans which could not be conjectured to come from any Country but one of the two before named In Quivira there are but two Provinces that are well known to the Europeans and those are Cibola and Nova Albion Cibola Lys on the East where a City gives that Name to the Province the next to it is called Tolontua a pleasant place in a very temperate Air Scituated on a River of that Name the third Town that offers is Tinguez inhabited by Spaniards and in it the Jesuits have a stately College and are appointed to Preach to the Indians in those parts Nova Albion lies on the West side towards Tartary this was discovered in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth by the Renowned Englishman Sir Francis Drake who gave it this Name upon the King of the Countries Surrendering his Crown of Network and Feathers curiously wrought and submitting himself and people to the Queen's Protection It is in some parts inhabited by a few Spaniards but not yielding any considerable store of Riches they have not much coveted to People it though it abounds with Fruit pleasant to the Eye and Tast The People are very Curteous and Affable to Strangers but mostly given to their old Idolatry practising Charms and some affirm they dance with the Devil on certain mid-night Feasts and revels offering him human Sacrifice The Bounds between this Quivira and Mexico is Marvir Miglio or Californio The next belonging to Mexico in the Northern Tract is Jucalan the first that Discovered it by Francisco Hernandez de Cordovo Anno 1517. who asking an Indian the name of that Country and he not understanding the Spanish answer Jucatan which in the Indian Language is What do you say and from thence they named it and so it has ever since been called This Country is at least 900 Miles in Circuit and a kind of a Peninsula It is fixed over against the Island of Cuba and divided into three parts Jucatan properly so called which has in it the Cities of Campeche Valadolid Merida Semancus and one which for its Greatness and Beauty they call Caire the chief the Commodities here are Honey Wax Hides and Sugar Cana Fistula Sarsaparila c. As for Food it produces great store of Indian Maize and is well Watered and Wooded in all parts the Timber is so good that the Spaniards Build Tall-Ships there they have store of Turkeys and other Fowl which with other Commodities they pay as Tribute to the Spaniards for their Possessions who keep them low and poor which makes them apt to fall into Mutinies and Rebellions Another part of this Track is called Guatemala where the Cruelty of the Spaniards has destroyed near a Million of the Natives yet this Country is populous and has many flourishing Indian Towns in it The chief Cities are Guatemala Cassuca and Chiapa it is well Watered with Rivers and has some large Lakes full of Fish and at Seasons covered with wild Fowl it abounds in Fruit Corn and Cattle The third part of Jucatan is Acasamil an Island over against Guatemala which the Spaniards usually at this day call Sla Cruz it lies advantageous for a Harbour and the advantage of Trade The fourth Division of the Northern Track under the Government of the Spaniards is Nicaragua standing South East from the City of Mexico about 450 Leagues yet it agrees with it in the Temperature of the Climate the People are of good Stature active and strong and of Complexion indifferent White Before they were brought under subjection they had standing Laws and many politicks in their Government particularly if one robbed an other he was not put to Death but became his slave till his service had made Satisfaction for the Damage done they had no Law for the Murther of a King as concluding none would be
Diamonds Rubies Pearls and most sort of precious Stones that are found in the Eastern Country also Amber Musk Myrrh Frankincense Manna Sal Armoniac Lac Indico Quick-silver the Root Raenus for Dying Red and all sorts of Spices and Fruits that are to be found in the Indies and other Countries of Levant and here Merchants buy up Drugs to transport into all parts of the World so that this Town though not large may be said to be the Emporium of the Indies Having pretty well viewed this place and taken such things as I was informed were necessary for such hot Countries as remained for me to Travel in and considering Amedabad was the Chief City of Guzerat I directed my Journey to take a view of it This Province a few Ages since was an entire Kingdom Govern'd by Mudafer a young Prince who by the advice of his Guardian called in Mogul Echbar to make his party good against the great Men who were troublesom to him but the Mogul getting strong footing imprisoned him and his Guardian where they died miserably and seized the Kingdom annexing it as a Province to his Empire and it is the pleasantest of Indostan though not the largest for it is well watered with the Rivers Nardabad and Tapty with some other Rivers of lesser Note so that the Fields look green all the Year by reason of the Corn and Rice that cover them and the various kinds of Trees that continually bear Blossoms and Fruit. Setting out from Surat with some others in company I Travelled Northward and 2 Hours after crossed the Tapty in a Ferry as I did the River Kim near the Town of Beriao and came to Ouclisser and passing the River Nardabad arrived at Baroche distant from Surat and the Sea about 10 French Leagues or 20 Indian Cosses which is a measure amongst them of about half a League This Town lies about 22 Degrees North Latitude it has a large square Fortress standing on a Hill and the Town lies upon the side near the Foot of it looking towards the River Nardabad encompassed with a Stone Wall 2 Fathom high flanked with Towers between 30 and 35 paces distant one from another and is the strongest in the Province The Bazar or Market-place is a large Street at the Foot of the Hill where are made the Cotton Stuffs called Baftas Here are Mosques and Temples of the Heathens with Pagods or Idols in them to whose senseless Shrines they pay devout Adoration Here are plenty of Agats and also a bundance of Peacocks Leaving this place I continued my Journey Northward and came to the little Town of Sourban 7 Leagues from Baroche and crossing the Brook Dader and several little Villages I entered Debea where a barbarous sort of People Inhabit who a few Years since fed on Man's Flesh selling it publickly at their Shambles so that Strangers always go armed here for fear of being robbed and mischiefed by them which made us make but a short stay but passing the Lake or River Maâ— we came to Pesnad about 7 Leagues from Debea and saw in our way 2 great Tanqueze and a number of Monkies who came and crossed us in the Road fearless of our shouts but rather mockingly answered us again crying Pou Pou the Tanquiez are standing Ponds or reservatories for Rain Water paved at the bottom and kept very choicely Leaving this place I Travelled with my Company to Sousentra and so to Mader which place is very Woody and there the Monkies were in greater numbers than before in the Fields Roads and on the Trees and Travelling 5 Leâ—gues from this place I came to Gilbag where I met a great many Collies a People of the cast off Gentiles who wander up and down and have no fixed Habitation their chief business being to pick the Cotton Wooll In Gilbag there is a handsom Garden that belongs to the Mogul and in it are kept a number of Peacocks it is finely Watered and well Planted with Fruit-Trees and from hence it is two Leagues to Amedabad to which I went the next Morning This as I said is the chief City of the Province and is about 86 Cosses or hâ—lf French Leagues from Surat and the Sea It is Govern'd by an Omra or Indian Lord under the Mogul It lies 23 Degrees and some Minutes North Latitude on a lovely Plain and is watered by the River Sabremetty which when the Rains fall much overflows the Plains There are large Gardens enclosed with fine Brick Walls these Gardens have reservatories for Water and each of them a fine Pavillon at the entrance and at the end of most of them there are convenient Lodgings The Houses in the Suburbs are scattering and many ancient Tombs are to be seen about the City into which you enter by a straight large Street the Walls are pretty strong composed of Stone and Brick flanked with great round Towers and Battlements It is about a League and an half in length and has 12 Gates which are strictly watched for fear of a surprize from the Raja of Bandour whose Territories are near but almost in inaccessible Mountains which gives him an opportunity to make inroads thereabouts and safely to retire with much Booty not regarding the Mogul In this City are many curious Arches and large Squares There is a Kervanserai in the Meidan furnished with curious Balcony-Lodgings supported with Pillars and the King has a Pallace in this City of curious Work where the Musicians resort to Play on their Instruments Morning Noon Evening and Midnight for which they have a Sallary allowed them in the Apartments there are several Ornaments of Folages covered Gold there is the Juma Mesgid or Fridays whither on that Day the People all Flock it is very beautiful and is the fairest of all others though there are many more on the outside of each Gate is a fine Steeple with a Balcony where the Muesins or Bedles with their thundering Voices call the People to the Mosque for in this Country they have no Bells and when they repair hither they appear very devout for I saw above 400 Faquirs who held their Arms cross behind their Heads without stirring all the Prayer-time I visited another Mosque which had been a Pagod Temple before Aureng-Zebe caused a Cow to be killed in it which caused the Gentiles to forsake it It has abundance of Figures of naked Women in it sitting after the Oriental fashion as also of Men Beasts and Monsterous Creatures but they are somewhat disfigured by their Noses being cut off which Aureng-Zebe caused to be done out of a pretended Zeal which raised him to the Throne over the Heads of his Father and two elder Brothers In this City is the place where the famed Magician was Buried whom many of the Indians hold for a great Saint and visit his Tomb with great Devotion It is a square pile of Building having on each side several little Domessetting off a great one the middle The entry into it is by 7 Ports
they were forced to raise the Siege and leave their Tents Artillery and Ammunition with 1000 wounded Men in their Camp though the Turks in their Passage had seized Aden by Treachery and strangled the King of that place At Diu is made the Stone Cobra so famous for antedoting the biting or stinging of Serpents it is composed of the Ashes of a burnt Root mingled with a kind of an Earth they get under the Rocks and making these into a Paste they form the Stone of it then they prick the Wound and letting a little Blood out they apply the Stone leaving it till it falls off of it self it has the same effect on Wounds made by Poyson'd Weapons and after that put into Womans or Cows Milk it leaves the Poyson it has sucked in and if it be not so used it will burst There are two other Towns of Note in this Province viz. Nariad and Mamadebad where they make store of Stuffs the latter furnishing this and adjacent Provinces with Cotton Thread The income of this Province to the Mogul's Treasury is accounted Twenty millions and five hundred thousand French Livres yearly Travelling on I entred the Province of Agra which I reckoned the largest in the Mogul's Territories Agra which gives it the Name is the Capital Town in it It is distant from Surat 210 Leagues and is seated on the River Gemna in 28 Degrees and an half North Latitude The River has its source in the Mountains to the North of Dehly and increasing by the way it is here considerable and passing through large Countries empties it self into the great River Ganges at the Town of Halbas Mogul Ecbar made Agra a City it being before but a Borough and establishing the Seat of his Empire there called it Ecbar Abad or the Habitation of Ecbar joyning several Villages by other Buildings to enlarge it He fortified it very well with a Castle and Walls of great heighth and strength and had his Pallace in the Castle containing 3 Courts with Porches adorned with Gilding and Painting nay some pieces plated with Massy Gold There are many stately Sepulchers Baths Pillars and other things of great Antiquity And here Aureng Zebe Imprisoned Cha-Gehan his Father when he mounted to the Throne and in that confinement he died who has a little Sepulcher erected to his Memory There are in Agra a great many Christian Families some reckon 5000 but the computation is not agreed on The Dutch hold a Factory in this Town and for the greater encouragement of Travellers the Foursdar an Officer in the nature of a Sheriff is obliged to make restitution to those that are Robbed and this is punctually observed in all or most of the Provinces Here are Elephants Antelopes Leopards and other Beasts that they use in their Games for fighting I saw here Green Pidgeons and the Indians have a cunning way to catch them in the Water for they go into the Rivers Naked and keep their Bodies under Water their Heads only remaining above which is covered with a Cap of Feathers in the Form of a Water-Fowl so without scaring them draw them under Water by the Legs In the Mountains about 5 days Journey from hence they Hunt and take store of Merovers or wild Cows of which Hunting they make great advantage Their Pictures in Agra are pretty well done but mostly in bandy Postures exceeding Active being purposely drawn to stir up lacivious desires and therefore I shall pass them over The Agrians are the best Workmen I ever met withal in working Gold on Agat Christal and other brittle things which few of our Lapidaries or Goldsmiths can do or if they can fall short in equalling them Passing from Agra I came to Fetipour once the Seat of the Empire but now not much considerable except for its lovely Meidan and Mosque the entry of Ecbar's Pallace and some stately Pillars scattered up and down it was slighted as they say because all the Springs about it were brackish and unwholesome I was informed in this Province there are upwards of 3400 Towns and Villages of which next to what I have named these are the Chief viz. Bernzabad Chitopour Bargant Mirda Hindon Ladono Chalaour Byana Canova and Scanderbade most of these produce Manufactures of Stuffs Silks Tapestry c. and the Revenues of this Province mount very near to that of Guzerat Next we entered the Province of Dehly by difficult ways because the Rains had made the Rivers swell in many places It bounds on Agra to the North and Dehly the Principal Town of the Province is about 45 Lergues from Agra and Mogul Cah Gehan and Aureng Zeb made it the Royal Seat of the Empire the way is all along planted with curious Trees in a Line and each half League is marked with a kind of a Turret and there are conveniencies by the way for Travellers to shelter and rest in There is by the way likewise an ancient Heathen Temple visited by the Gentiles who provide necessaries for a great many Apes that are kept there and they pay a kind of a blind Devotion to them as the Creatures of the Pagods Dehly seems to be composed of certain Villages and there is the Ruins of a Town which the Indians say was the Regal Seat of King Porus famed in History for the Wars he maintained against Alexander the Great There is to be seen a Piramid or Obelisk of Stone with an Inscription in very ancient Characters which they say Alexander erected in Memory of his Victory over Porus but the Character not being Greek renders it doubtful This City lies in an open Champion Country washed by the River Gemna it has a Fortress half a League in circumference with a strong Wall and a round Tower every 10 Battlements being secured by a Ditch wharfed with Stone and a Garden round it In this Fortress the Mogul holds his Pallace and keeps the Ensigns of his Royalty and from hence he beholds the fighting of Elephants and other pastimes at Land as also on the River and towards the Town is a large place where the Rajas in the Mogul's Pay Encamp as his Guard The Market is kept in a fine Square where abundance of Juglers and Fellows pretending to Conjuration shew Tricks All the Mogul's Attendance in the Pâ—llace shew him a profound Reverence standing demure before him with their Hands a cross upon their Breasts none daring speak unless Commanded and at Noon every Day he gives Audience to such as have recourse to him for Justice administring it Impartially without respect of Persons There is a stately Hall wherein he gives Audience to his Ministers about affairs of State and those of his Houshold and in this Pallace is a Throne of Massie Gold set with Flowers of Diamonds Emerald Rubies and other precious Stones and a Peacock made out in all its Colours with Gold Silver and precious Stones insomuch that it resembles the Life and is of vast value They say these were begun by Tamarlan
my Travels lay in this Country which is of vast extent from North to South if you measure from Cola to Astrakan which bendeth somewhat Eastward which is reckoned the length of it is accounted 4260 verst or ruff Miles though one of them makes not above 3 quarters of our Miles though Northward Beyond Cola there is a large Country unto the River Tromschua that runeth 1000 verst Miles but the ridged Winter Frost renders it not much inhabited and little fruitful in Summer As for the Breadth if one goes from that part of the Czar's Teritories that lies farthest West on the Narve side to the utmost parts of Siberia Eastward where are divers Garisons it is 4200 verst Miles But to come near as a Traveller considering how to get the safest and easiest way to Moscow it being in June when the Rivers were open I was perswaded to Embark on the Volga which I did with a Merchant of that City who shewed me a great deal of kindness the Vessel being his own for from Astrakan to Moscow it is accounted 18000 verst Miles We sailed till we came to the Mouth of the River Cama which dischargeth its Waters into the River Volga and so made our way by Water and Land to Cazan which the Muscovites a few Ages since took from the Tartars and is the Metropolis of a Kingdom It is a City of considerable Tade it was formerly walled with Timber and Earth but upon annexing the whole Kingdom to the Crown of Muscovy the great Czar Vasiliwich walled it with Free-stone The Building is not Stately yet very Commodious for the Inhabitants who are a mixed People as they are on all the Borders we lodged and refreshed our selves here and passed in a 11 days through a fine Country well Watered and very Fruitful to a considerable fair Town which we reached in 10 days called Nisnovogrod where Occa falls into the Volga This is the head of a Shire or County of that Name and from hence by Rezan and so passing a tedious Journey through many difficult ways we came to the River Moscow on whose Banks the City of Moscow stands I should have told you I left my Merchant Trading up the River Camaon on whose Banks are several and pretty Towns but he took care to provide me a Guide who accompanied me to Moscow the nearest way over the Land and to help me to Imbark where the Rivers offered to lessen our Journey for I did not think fit to fall directly down the Volga into the Caspian Sea which would little have furthered me Being arrived at the head City of Moscow I entered on the River side and finding some English there I was not long destitute of a Habitation and being Evening when I entered I thought fit to rest that Night and the next day went to take a view of the City which is very large The Form of it is in a manner round with three strong Walls circling the one within the other the Streets lying pretty commodiously within all the Heart or Center inclosed by the inmost Wall is called the Czar's Castle or Pallace very large in Circle the Houses of ordinary Persons are but indifferently built with Timber Loam and Mortar covered with Boards or Bark of Trees but the Houses of the Nobles are pretty Sately The Churches are many and they are Adorned on the tops with Globes of Copper and guilded Spires That of Blaneshina or Blessedness is of curious Architecture after the Fashion of the Greek Churches whose Tenents in Religion the Muscovites devoutly hold the Church of St. Michael is nothing inferiour to it but above all the Cathedral called Our Ladies Church is large and stately in it the Czars are Crowned by the Patriarch The Market is kept in the Castle or within the inward Wall unless the River be Frozen over and then it is partly kept thereon and sometimes alltogether so that upon the Ice bareing all sorts of Carriages there appears to be a kind of a Fair because the People bring vast quantities of Goods from remote places on their Heads The Castle is on a rising Hill well Watered and Fortified and the Princes's Palace very conveniently contrived but his Attendance upon publick Occasions as at the Audience of Ambassadors and the like is more Magnificent they being in great Numbers mostly Arrayed in Cloath of Gold and Silver rich Furs Velvets Pearls and pretious Stones Battle Axes of Gold are carried before the Czar and his Robes exceeding rich of Goldsmiths Work poudered with pretious Stones and Imbroderies of Pearl their Feasts are served up in Dishes of Gold the meanest Vessel being Silver and both kinds very numerous The Diet is choice and well dressed according to the Russian Fashion their Drink is Wine Meath and sometimes strong Aquavitae which among them is â—alled Russ Wine In this City are still to be seen some Ruins of the Walls the several Fires have made for I was told it contained 41500 Houses before the Crim Tartars reduced it to Ashes Anno 1571. and in it destroyed 80000 People and besides the Houses 1500 convent Churches and Chapples The Poles burnt it Anno 1611. and Anno 1676. an Accidential Fire happened Burning 20 days but now Guards are appointed to take care of Fire and have Sallaries allowed them There is one thing Admirable which is a Bell raised in a large Tower this Bell is 24 foot in height and I was told though it has been chipped off some Tuns of Mettle to make it ring better that it weighs 176 Tun and the Clapper 4 Tun which is pulled by a Rope to sound it on particular occasions for it cannot be raised by reason of its vast weight Provisions are very plentiful here as Fish Fowl Venison Hares and other Dainties for the Woods Rivers and Lakes which are very many and large abound with these and divers other useful Creatures and in some parts of Moscovy they draw their Sledges with Rain-deer who do the Office of Horses and run more swiftly In my passing Tartary I observed the like they also used there great Dogs for the same purpose and on the Borders I met several riding on Elks. I saw in this City many Bath-stones and other Stones which in the Winter are used in all places which prevents their being pinched by the ridged Frosts which are extream from October till March accompanied with vast Snows so that in that Season there is little stiring abroad for the Air is so piercing that many have been stifled with it going out of their Houses especially too early and they report in that Season it is frequent to find People frozen to Death in the Streets and many are brought in Dead in Sledges frozen though they have Beds there to lye on and Tilt Coverings of Furskins over them and for this time all the Rivers and Lakes are locked up the Ice usually a Yard thick or more yet they have store of Grain as Wheat Rye Oats Maize c. Plums
Weather it is put into a Grave in a few days but in the hard Weather when the Ground cannot be dug they pile the Bodies up in a House they call God's House and when the Season is practicable every one fetches away his Dead and buries it The Muscovites are generally very Corpulent and of a large size strong and of late grown Dexterous in the feats of Arms particularly Fire-arms they have abundance of great Ordinance some carrying Bullets two foot Diameter They are curteous to Strangers unless they get in Drink and then they are very Rude and Mischievious and this they often do for the Men and Women are excessive Drinkers so that many have been Murthered by them in their drunken Revels before Dinner they usually drink a Cup of Aquavitae which they say gets them a good Appetite and after Dinner carouse stoutly of Meath and other strong Liquors and then â—o to sleep on Benches The better sort wear exceeding Rich Garments as Scarlet or Velvet lined with Furs down to their Ancles loose like the Greeks and under them Vests or Wastcoats of Cloath of Gold or Silk Imbroidered the Scull of the 12 Caps Imbroidered with Gold Silver or precious Stones according as they are able and over it a Cap or Bordering of Sables Ermin Minever or the like the Women unless Head attire are cloathed almost like the Men with open Sleeves down to their Fingers they wear Girdles Imbroidered or Plated with Gold and Silver but with the poor Mousack or Country Peasant tho' he keeps the Fashion it is as hard as with us his Garments are course Cloath or Sheepskin with the Wool on but every one has a differently suiting to Winter and Summer for in the Latter Season it is very hot more then commonly in England yet it lasts but June July and August They much delight in Musick tho' it be but Indifferent for I heard nothing like that of other nations whilst I remained amongst them as for Learning the lower degrees affect it not addicting themselves to Husbandry and Handicrafts very obedient they are to their Prince never disputing his Commands or Injunctions what ever they be paying their Taxes and Customs tho' somewhat heavy very chearfully If in a Law controversie the Judge cannot decide it he demands if they will kiss the Cross on their Affirmation or denial if the Defendant does it he is acquitted of his Debt or Injury done if both require it then they draw Lots and he that has the better Lot is only allowed it and concluded to be in the right But in Criminal matters they use Tortures and those very severe ones to extort confessions but if the party hold out against them he is acquitted They have one sort of Execution very odd which is by putting Criminals under the Ice to be smothered in the Waters but cannot be done at all times wherefore they have many more as Hanging and the like These are the Principal matters I observed or was Informed of in this Country worthy to be placed in a History of this Nature and now fearing to be Winter locked after my having been in so many warm Regions I bethought me of Removing nearer home because the cold Season was approaching wherein I was very sensible it would be very Incommodious for a Stranger to travel in these parts and therefore I took an opportunity of a Caravan going for Poland part of which Country I passed but had little or no time to take a survey of it only thus much I shall say in General The Borhistenes bounds it from the Muscovite Empire on the East on the West it has the Vistual on the North the Baltick Sea and Sinus Trinitus on the South Hungary and is divided into 10 Provinces viz. Luconia Lithunia Vollina Samogita Pedelia Russia Nigra Podlasia Mosovia and Poland and the Latter giving the Country it s generally accepted Name These Provinces are Branched with several Navigable Rivers as Vistua Raben Bog Mimel its Metropolis is Cracow or Craconia where usually the King has his Residence It is an Elective Kingdom and at present the Regal Lot by free choice of the Nobility and Gentry is fallen on the Vallian and Renowned Duke of Saxony who is crowned King of Poland and has received the Homage of the greater part of the Poles Cracow is Scituate on the Banks of the River Vistua Navigable 400 Miles being as it were Encompassed with distant mountains and fortified with strong Walls the Buildings are very fair This Country produces Tar Rosin Pitch Wax Honey Barly Oats Amber Tallow Hides Minerals and other Commodities and therein by Trading are found the Commodities of divers other Nations we stayed not here but passing some other Province Entred Germany by the Way of Hungary Austria c. This Famed Empire is bounded on the North with Denmark and the Danish Seas on the East with Prussia Poland and Hungary on the South with the Alps on the West with Flanders Holland c. The Cities and Towns of this Empire may be properly divided into 3 parts as first the Hans Towns that enjoy large Previledges and Immunities about 70 in Number 2. Those called Imperial Cities by reason of their great Privileges above the rest in Coining Money bargaining acknowledgement of Subjection unless to the Emperour whom they acknowledge their Protector and pay him Annual Tribute so And 3dly those under the Electoral Princes which are commonly called Principalities the chief Rivers are the Danube and Rhine the first runs about 1500 Miles and receives 58 Navigable Rivers to swell its Stream and at last falls into the Black Sea the second passes thro' Germany and Belgia 800 Miles and falls into the German Ocean This large Country produces Silver Mines Copper Lead Tin Iron Corn Wine Allum Quick Silver Linnen Woollen Linnen-Stuffs Silks store of Cattle and many other Commodities and from hence by Land and Water I reached the Low Countries and briefly I so directed my way that I cam to Amsterdam the chief trading City in the Province of Holland It is seated on the River Tay which on the North side of it flows like a large Sea when on the South the River Amster running through 3 Lakes entereth its Streets and falleth into the River Tay and by the Addition of a new City to the old it is become very Commodious and Strongly fortified and in it are to be found the Commodities of almost all Nations tho' the Country produces nothing very considerable of its own but these things come by Navigation for most of the Inhabitants are Merchants who 's Goods are brought by Vessels to their Doors and Warehouses and the People are generally Frugal Industruous and Rich. CHAP. XXI A Voyage from Amsterdam in Holland to Cales in the Spanish Dominion and Thence to America giving an Account of what happened on the Sea and in some Islands touched at c. BEing at Amsterdam I began seriously to consider of my Travels and whilst I Ruminated
containeth chiefly the Northern Parts comprehending many large Provinces or Countries already known and many not yet well discovered as the parts that lie between it to the Northern or Frozen-Sea viz. Mexico Quivira Nicaragna Jucatan Flerida virgina Norumbega Nova Francia Corteralis Estoliland and some others so that the Compass of this part already known is at least 23000 Miles The Peruanan part contains all the Southern Track tied to the Mexican by the Isthmus or streight of Darien being between 12 and 17 Miles over in some parts from the Northern to the Southern Sea This part contains the Provinces or Kingdoms of Castella Aurea Gunia Peru Brasil Chille in compass about 17000 Miles Mexico as I observed abounds with Gold sanded Rivers producing many devouring Crocadils tho' not so big as those in the Nile in Aegypt which the poorer sort of the Indians take and feed on their Flesh as a great dainty There are several Mountains casting fourth Flames of Fire in it as Pepochampeche Popocatapec and others nay all the Southern parts as far as Leon in Nicaragua produces many of them but the latter I have named is one of the chief it stands 8 Leagues from Chollola it is a steep rockey Mountain Ten Spaniards attended with Indians to carry their Water and Victuals undertook to take a Survey of it and approached so near the top that they heard a terrible noise occasioned by the Erruption of Fire then the ground shaked so terribly that they durst not approach no nearer however they perceived the Vulcan or Cavety whence the Fire Issued half a League in compass out which Air and Fire proceeded rebounding with a terrible Noise Shrill and Whistling so that the whole Hill trembled and the top near this Mouth was covered with Ashes about knee-deep and as they were viewing it such a shower of Fire fell that had they not stept under the craggy over-hanging of a Rock they had there been roasted to Death but in an hour or two it clearing up they hasted down much affrighted but without any harm This Mountain before the coming of Hernando Cartez had for ten Years dissisted sending forth Flames and when it began again according to a prediction among them the Indians looked for some great misery to befall them by change of Government The Ashes blown in the Air are many times scattered 10 Leagues from the foot of the Mountain This chief Province called Mexico is further divided into six Parts viz. Themistian Nova-gallicia Mechoacan and Gaustachan the first is the noblest and greatest containing six Cities of which the principal is the rich City of Mexico the Seats of an Archbishop and Spanish Viceroy the next is la Richla de los Angeles the third Vellazuca the fourth Antiquera the fifth Mexcioca the sixth Ottopan besides these there are a great number of Villages or large unwalled Towns on the Roads and Borders of Rivers and Lakes inhabited by Indians Spaniards and Mestizoes a mixed Generation of Indians and Spaniards Near Mexico is Tacuba a pleasant Town inclosed with Gardens in the way to Chapultepec is Taluco a Town much traded to and in the Woods breed Hogs producing Bacon as good as our Westphalia Travelling Westward the Town of la Piedad presents it self at the end of a Causey whether the People much resort from Mexico to pay Adoration to the Image of the Virgin Mary inriched with Crowns Chains of Gold and precious Stones valued at a Million of Duccats There is a pleasant Town bending to the North called la Soledad or the Solitary Wilderness where the Bare-footed Carmelite Friars have their Residence but if this be a Wilderness few places can be accounted pleasant for it affords Fruits Flowers Shades Fountains and every thing that can delight Mankind And heither resort the Nobles and Gentry to take their Pleasure who bring great Presents to the Friars so that they live Fat and Plentiful on the outward appearance of Sanctity for in their Oratory and Cells made in Rocks they hang Whips of Wyer Girdles with sharp pricking Needles to wear next their Skin shirts of Hair and other mortifying Materials but one of them ingeniously told me they were placed there more for shew than use to move Peoples Charity towards them and brought them a vast income of Money and all sorts of Provisions and indeed though they have out of a design given this place the name of a Wilderness it seemed to me an Earthly Paradise At Tadubaya not much distance from this place is a very rich Cloister of Franciscans with curious Gardens and Orchards belonging to it they have a stately Church there and the Indians have been taught by the Priests to be Choiristers and sing very fine I have spoken somewhat already of the Province of Guastachan which I passed in my Travels from St. John de Vlhua to Mexico It is a very plentiful Country abounding in Sugar farms Pasture Corn Cochinil reaching as far as the Valley of Guaxaca a very rich place but having spoke of the most material Towns in my Passage I shall pass to the third Province called Mechoacan which is about 80 Leagues in circumference This Province is very rich abounding in Mulberry-trees which feed a great number of Silk-worms also in Wax Honey Black Amber divers coloured Feathers of which they make curious Works and the River abound with store of Fish The chief City of this Province is Valodolid a Bishop's See the Towns of Note are Sinsonte which before the Conquest was the Residence of the Indian King of the Province Pascuar and Coliman inhabited by Spaniards and Indians There are also two good Havens called St. Anthony and St. James or Santiago the King of it called Caconzin was a great Friend to Cortez and much assisted him in his Wars against the Mexicons willingly yielding himself a Vassal to the King of Spain though it was ill requited for don Nunio de Guzman first Ruler and President of the Chancery of Mexico after the Conquest picked a Quarrel and made War on this Province took the King Prisoner who was quiet and peaceable not stiring against him and when he had stript him out of 10000 Marks in Plate Gold and other Riches he inhumanly burnt him at a Stake with divers of his Nobles and Gentry who seemed to rejoyce that they were accounted worthy to suffer with their King and in Death bear him Company into the other World Nova Galia or the fourth Province of Mexico is well watered with two large Rivers viz. Piastle and Sansebastian it contains many great Towns of Spaniards and Indians the chief is Xalisco the next Guadalajara the third Coaza the fourth Corupostalla the fifth St. Espirit the sixth Capala now called Nova Mexico a Frontier on the Northern Indians from whence the Spaniards frequently make Inroads and War upon them and much incroach that way to the great Wast and Destruction of those poor People who would live in quiet and do good Offices to the Spaniards if
Cape of Metapan and Isle of Cerigo the Ancient Porphyrus and Citherea where formerly stood a Magnificent Temple to Venus the ruins of which as I was told are still to be seen near the Sea and meeting with a storm we were constrained to cast Anchor before the Island of Zia which in Ancient times was called Calle Ceos or Cea it is about 50 Miles in Circuit shaped like a Horse-shoe the Soil produces Wine Corn good Pasture and many other useful things the Harbour is stored with Fish the Inhabitants are very civil to Strangers the Women wear their Coats but to their Knees and their Smocks about a Foot below that with a Veil reaching their Breasts which they turn aside as they think fit when they will or will not Compliment any but lying in War's way between the Turks and Venetians they are much oppressed and impoverished otherways the plenty of the Island would inrich them Sailing from hence we made the Isle of Andra This is the Ancient Andros of the Greeks but now Inhabited by People of several Nations as Albanians Armenians Turks Jews c. and these differ in Customs as well as Languages very rude and unhospitable the Chief Towns are Arni and Amolacos The Greeks have several Churches in this Island but the People are very Superstitious and odd in their Devotions strowing Flowers and rowling in them but the Latins who have likewise Churches there are more Civilized and proceed Regular The Island is very Fruitful and here they make abundance of white wicker Baskets used all over the Archipelago Weighing Anchor we got out to Sea and stood to the Starboard passing between this Island and Negropont and having a South-west Wind Sciro and soon after Ispi Cera and some other places appeared In the Evening when we were pretty clear of Islands the Wind turned East South East and we soon made the Land where Troy stood little of whose Ruins remain for we had passed Tenedos in the Night so passing the Mouths we entered the Channel of the Helespont the place where the Turks passed from Asia into Europe to extend their Empire CHAP. II. Of the Helespont Dardanelles Places about them what is observable in Constantinople and its adjacents Containing all that is Curious and Remarkable in these Parts THE Gate or Entrance as it were to Constantinople being by the Helespont and Dardanelles I think it here convenient to say something of this fam'd Streight before I come a Land It lies in 37 Degrees 42 Minutes North Latitude and of Longitude about 55 not extending above 10 or 12 Leagues in length and at the entrance it is a large League and an half broad it divides the Country of Thrace from Troas a Province of Asia that lies to the East To the North lies the Propontis and to the South the Aegean Sea and the Archipelago and in Sailing here one has a prospect of divers fine Towns Villages c. and a curious Country on either Hand The Turks knowing the important advantage of this Streight have Fortified the Passage with two strong Castles one in Europe and the other in Asia the Castle built in Asia called the New Castle is seated on a tongue of Land pointing out into the Sea on a square Platform comprizing 4 large panes of Walls flanked at the four Corners with Towers those next the Sea square with a sort of Redoubt only on one side those toward the Land are round and defend the Walls but neither in thickness nor largeness comparable to the other the Works washed by the Sea have Port-holes level with the surface of the Water and I could number as I Sailed by about 40 Cannon mounted to prevent any Ships from forcing their way into the Harbour and to the South of this Castle stands a very fair Mosque The Castle on the European side which the Turks call Roumeli-inglu-issar is seated near to Cape Greco and in form is irregular within the compass of the Walls are Houses for the Aga and other Officers with a fair Mosque There is a Platform on which many great Guns are planted lying equal with the surface of the Water Near the Castle lies a small Village noted for its Five stately Pilasters that serve to underprop the Aquaducts bringing Water to the Fortress But notwithstand-these Castles whose Guns reach from Shore to Shore the Venetians and other Maritime Nations have insulted the Harbour for the Castles lie not directly opposite least in firing they should batter each other The Castles are appointed to examine Ships that pass and re-pass and the Governors have Orders to sink such Ships as will not comply Beyond these Castles that are of Modern building are two old Castles one on each shore that on the Asian side the Turks call Natoli-jski-jsiar it is of square Building flanked at the corners with Towers and in the midst of it is a large square Tower on which some Culverin is placed and behind this Castle is a large Village of about 3000 Inhabitants Christians Turks and Jews These by us are called the Castles of the Dardanelles That on the European side is of a Regular Fortification and indeed we may esteem this narrow Passage well guarded by these Castles and Constantinople so advantageously Scituated that no great City in the World can boast of more Advantages as will by and by appear Being examined at the Castles and leave obtained to pass we arrived at Gallipoly about 35 Miles from them This Town was anciently built by one Callias Prince of the Athenians and after his Name called Callipolis but now corruptly Gallipoly it is thinly inhabited by Greeks who mostly sell a Liquor called Raki a kind of Brandy and some Oyl The Doors of their Houses are not above two Foot high and so made to prevent the proud Turks Insults who are hereby prevented riding in on Horseback In this Town there is a square Castle with a Tower joyned to it by the Pummel of a Wall to the Seaward there is an Arsenal where the old Galleys are laid up which the Turks affirm to have been taken from the Venetians when they took the Island of Cyprus but in Truth they are a part of their own shatter'd Fleet that escaped from the Battle of Lepanto and were by main strength carried over the Isthmus of Corinth and put into the Archipelago they not being able to bring them about by Sea because the Christians had possessed all the Passes After having been a-shore and pretty well refreshed in this place we weighed Anchor and with a West South West Wind passed the Isle of Marmora At this place the Sea is wide and this is properly the Propontis though now called mostly Mare de Marmora and here though we had a fair Wind the Current setting strong against us we could not make much way however Sailing on we in a little time came in sight of Constantinople which is about 125 Miles from Gallipoly and entering into the Streight of it we had
his own Dominions from Tauris to Belgrade 3180 Miles or thereabouts and almost the like distance from Derbent to Adena and from Balsoza in the Persian Gulf to Tremisena in Barbary may be reckoned little less than 4000 Miles however of late days the weakness of this vast Empire has very much appeared which shows it is declining to a Period their Naval strengths having been inconsiderable ever since their total defeat in the Gulf of Lepanto by the Spaniards Venetians c. Their Land-Forces promise little better of late as having been worsted in several Battles by the Germans Poles Venetians c. so that this once Terror of the World seems to be dispised rather than feared the vastness of the Ottoman Territories causing such infinite expence of Treasure that the many Millions yearly accruing by Customs Impositions and many other ways are not a sufficient Supply to raise and bring any considerable Armies into the Field Yet the Grand Signior will not abate any thing of his Grandeur but boasts himself the mighty Emperor of the World to do and not to do whatever he pleases alledging that the strength of the Heavens and the Earth are given to him and his Flatterers make him believe it his Apartment in the Seraglio is hung with Cloth of Gold gilded Skins and Tapestries interwoven with Silk and Gold wherein are lively represented the Wars of the Ottoman Emperors the Chamber he lodges in is adorned with rich Painting Gilding and precious Stones that cast a very glorious light in the Night Six Pages do him Service in his Chamber by Night watching his Person two and two by turns with lighted Torches the one siting at the Head and the other at the Feet of his Bed When he attires himself they put into his Pocket 1000 Aspers and 20 Ducats of Gold and all that remains not given away that day they have when he puts of his Cloaths for their Fees for he rarely puts on one Aparrel twice and when he goes a Hunting or to divert himself his Purse-Bearer carries great store of Treasure to distribute and vast quantities of all sorts of Provisions follow him though many times they are not made use of The Chief Officers of the Empire are 1. The Grand Visier who acts immediately under the Grand Signior and by him he speaks to such as have important business for no Ambassador is admitted to the Grand Signior's presence but on his first Arrival when he delivers his Letters of Credit and Present for particularly without the latter none can have Audience all other Audiences are had of the Visier who is likewise called the Capi-Aga he has power of Life and Death is General of the Army when the Grand Signior is not in the Field and all take their Directions from him 2. The Casnader Bassa is next in Rank as to Secular Affairs his Office is to take an Account of the Treasury 3. The Chilergy Bassa or Cup-Bearer 4. The Seragli Agasi Steward or Master of the Houshold 5. The Chiller Agasi or Serinder Bassa overseer of the Seraglio of Women who is always an Eunuch 6. The Bostangi Bassa or Chief Gardener of who is already spoken 7. The Caimacan of Constantinople The Grand Signior has always near him six Mutes Men very lusty in Body that are born Deaf and consequently are Dumb. These are very Bloody and Cruel being the Ministets of his Vengeance to Strangle whom he pleases and when any one is Strangled in the Seraglio the Bodies are thrown out of a particular Window appointed for that purpose into the Sea and as many Guns are fired to give Notice in terror to others as there are Strangled Bodies thrown out There are in all 40 of these Mutes some of which he keeps as his Buffoons to play with for his pastime He has 8 Lance-bearers called Mutafurach who attend him with Launces when he goes abroad and these are subject to no Command but his own The Eunuchs of the Seraglio I have mentioned elsewhere the Turks call them Hundurni and under their Care there are constantly 500 Virgins most of Europe the choicest Beauties that can be procured they are taken from their Parents under 8 Years and are brought up to Work in the Seraglio as in a Nunnery and when the Grand Signior is desirous to enjoy any of them the day before he gives notice to the Chief of the Eunuchs who Commands the rest to set them in order in their best Attire then the Grand Signior attended by him walks between them as they stand in Rows on either hand exposing all their Beauties and winning Allurements to tempt him and where he likes he drops his Handkerchief of which he has choice hanging at his Girdle which the Eunuch takes up delivers to the Virgin and immediately putting her into a Coach carries her to Rich Lodgings where she is gorgously attired and so he does by all that are this way chosen and there they remain till they are sent for in order by the Grand Signior to his Bed for he never Marries but when one is brought to his Bed side he gives her a Golden Head tire and 10000 Aspers causing her to live a part and daily encreasing her Maintenance and then she is called a Sultana or Sultaness and the eldest Son if he out-lives his Father succeeds to the Throne and puts all his other Brothers if they fall into his Hands to Death causing them to be Strangled with a Bow string for it is held unlawful to shed the Sacred Ottoman Blood as they call it on the Ground though the Sultanas and great Men of the Court hide some of them till the Fury is over and preserve their Lives as it has three or four times happened and this cruel Policy they use to prevent the dismembring the Empire by Civil broils and the better to secure the Throne to themselves There are about 300 Persons called Sollacchi who continually march near the Grand Signior's Person and are as it were his Guard and these are under the Command of the Aga of the Janisaries They are attired in Linnen Garments hanging down beneath their Knees and over them they ware quilted Wastcoats with half Sleeves of Taffaty Damask or Sattin and on their Heads a Cap and Feather carrying Bows and Arrows There are another kind of Footmen called Peichi exceeding swift in running and these are employed in the nature of Lackeys or Foot-Posts and are attired in Cloth of Gold with a Girdle of the same the Caps are in fashion of our Butter pots with a Silver Pike standing out before in the nature of a Horn. There are 4000 Porters that give attendance in the Court the Chief of them is the Capigi Bassa The Judges they call Cadis who are divided into all parts of the Empire in Cities or great Towns to decide Controversies yet their Suits especially between the Turks are very few and they make a quick dispatch of business there being rarely Advocates allowed to Procrastinate
as a Rule to them in their Government He abaseth himself not to set down in the Divan only he passes very stately through it when he is sent for by the Grand Signior who rises at his approach to do him Honour then places him by him on his Seat and discourses familiarly with him about matters of Religion State or Previous Questions and this Honour is allowed to no other Next to the Mufti in this sort of Dignity are the Cadile-Squires Talismen or two Doctors of the Law whose business it is to examine the Cadi's or Judges dispersed in the Provinces of the Empire and these for the most part are attendant on the Grand Signior One has Jurisdiction over the European Cadi's and the other over the rest and are Sovereign Judges within their own Jurisdiction in all causes about matters of Religion and are as it were Patriarchs These are of great Authority having places in the Divan and in the Council of Bassa's where they are consulted in the weighty Affairs of the Empire There are a degree of Churchmen not belonging to their Law called Mulli and these are instead of Bishops but directed in their proceedings by the Mufti Another sort there are called Nuderisi who act in the Nature of Suffragans and have under them several young Doctors of the Law called Naipi who are constituted in the absence of the Cadi's to hear and Redress grievances Next to the foregoing are the Hagi who write Books and inferior to them are the Cassii who Read to them as they Write These are their several degrees of Churchmen and Lawyers for the Turks are govern'd by a kind of an Ecclesiastical Law according to their Alcoran They have many Colleges which they call Medressa's Scituate in Constantinople and divers other Cities CHAP. IV. The Belief of the Turks and many other things practised among them as their Charity Mourning at Funerals Games Just Observances c. THE Turks believe that after any Person is Dead and layed in the Grave the Angels come to examine them and that they have Angels to guard them in their Life time every one being appointed to a particular Member and when they take up any piece of Paper in the Street least the Name of God should be writ on it they will not take it along with them for fear of putting it to prophane Uses but stick it on the next Wall so that the Cranies are often found stuck full of them yet they will Swear by the Name of God but it is to what is Truth for otherways they are looked on as Ignominious and Infidels As to their Belief they hold that divers Beasts go to Paradise as the Camel of Selch one of their Prophets the Ram of Abraham offered up in Sacrifice the Cow of Moses whose Ashes was mingled with the Water of Purification which seems to be the Golden Calf in Horeb Solomon's Ant the Parrot of the Queen of Sheba They also believe Jonas's Whale that cast him on dry Land and Mahomet's Ass shall be there likewise four Sleepers and a little Dog who led them to a Cave in time of Persecution where they slept 300 Years which seemed to them but as one Night for one of them going to buy Victuals when they awaked with Antiquated Money the time was discovered by the Date of the Coin They hold in Paradise according to Mahomet's promise that they shall enjoy Virgins fresh Coloured with large Black Eyes and Beautiful Boys attending them who at first shall be but Fifteen and never exceed Thirty Years of Age always in a Bloom or Spring of Beauty and that God shall appear to them every Friday which is their Sabbath that there they shall have Rivers pleasant Fields Gardens and the like They say those in Hell shall Drink scalding Water and Eat of the Fruit of a Tree called Zacon which grows out of the bottom of Hell and rises to a great heighth the Branches of it being like the Heads of Devils and if those that are in Hell have a little Faith after they are purged by Fire to consume their Sins they shall be washed in a Water called Selzaboul and then admitted into Paradise but those that have not Faith when they are consumed to Ashes shall be Created a new and so prepared Eternally to endure the Torments they hold a kind of Purgatory but they say there are many back Doors by which they may give the Devil the slip if they are watchful and cunning They Pray for the Dead and invocate a sort of Saints of their own making The Turks have many Fountains and in washing they think they are free from Defilements even after having lain with their Wives Noctural Pollutions their Urin dropping on their Garments or touch-a Dog and indeed in any other matters that they conceive they are Polluted and they are so Nice in it that upon Travelling they will go a great way to seek Water and if they find none to do it with Sand and indeed they keep their Bodies in all parts extream cleanly even to Superstition in many Rights and Ceremonies they use as the Abdest and Goust The sober Turks are very Charitable to Men and Beasts doing all they can to relieve them in their Necessities so that they supply the Poor for the most part without putting any to the Shame of appearing in the Streets to Beg some of them when they die leave Pensions to maintain Beasts to keep them during their Natural Lives and in Constantinople I saw a Bitch who had got into a Corner to cast her Whelps the Turks no sooner saw it but they made a Wall with Bricks and Stones about her and several run and fetched Victuals and other Necessaries which in a wonderful manner shewed their compassion towards the poor Creature nor did one or other leave attending her till the Puppies were taken from her and she capable of shifting for her self Images as I have already hinted are prohibited amongst the Turks but they are very desirous of curious Paintings though they are not Artists at it There is a prohibition of Usury by their Alcoran though it is connivingly done by the Turks and the Jews practice it frequently Swines Flesh is counted unclean among them and some Turks would rather die than Eat it nor dare the Shoomakers use Hog's Bristles in sowing their Shooes if it should be known they would be punished When a Turk dies there is great Mourning the greater the Quality the more the Women fall a howling excessively and those that cannot frame themselves to it hire those that are accustomed to it and as often as any Visitants come the Lamentation is renewed and when the Corps is in the Grave they go often thither to Weep the Widow expressing what good things her deceased Husband has done for her they often spread Carpets with Victuals that those that pass by may Eat it and Pray for the Soul of the deceased They set at the Head of the Grave a Stone which
Maiden Princess who was cured of a Leprosie by the Hot Waters for as a wonder in Nature there runs a Rivulet of Hot Water almost scalding those that step into it at first and there one sees the Tomb of Roland or Orland a very Valiant Man who defended the City against all Assaults his Sword Mace and other warlike Habiliaments hang by it but this Tomb stands on a Hill in a little Chapel where usually a Turkish Hermit Lives From this place I set forward to Smyrna and arrived there by several Stages finding nothing in the way memorable Smyrna is about 8 days Journey of a Caravan from Bursa It is a noted Town of Jonia they say it was first Founded by Tantulus and since called Smyrna by an Amazon of that Name who Conquered it it has been subject to Earthquakes and felt the dire effects of them by being reduced to a heap of Rubbish and after that built by Mark Anthony nearer to the Sea than at first it stood the People boast that Homer was Born there the Turks at present call it Ismyr This City Anciently one of the Seven Churches of Asia to whom St. John was commanded to Write is very well Peopled and Defended by a Castle but it is not strong there is a huge Cistern cut out of a Rock and the Amphitheatre where St. Policarp suffered Martyrdom There is another Castle nearer the Sea and on the Gate the Arms of the Church of Rome supposed to be erected by the Genoese who once were Masters of the City and all the Coast This Castle shuts the Port which is but little so that the Stranger Trading Ships ride at Anchor abroad in the Road which is good and spacious There is another Castle at the Mouth of the Road commanding the Ships that enter and go out for the Custom here is very considerable to the Grand Signior most European Traders having Consuls there The Country about it is Spacious Pleasant and Fruitful Oyl and a pleasant sort of Wine called Smyrna Wine in abundance The Air is Temperate for in the Heat of Summer the Northern Breezes blow and cool all the Region about it After I had tarried here 8 Days I found a Vessel bound for Alexandria in Aegypt I had read much of that anciently Famed Country which enticed me to lay hold on the opportunity of being an Eye-Witness of what had been almost every where spoke of it so embarked with my Baggage and in two Days came to an Anchor in the Port or Road of Chio a very fine Island mostly inhabited by Greeks There grows abundance of Mastick Trees which yield the Owners-great advantage they grow crooked like a Vine and being cut the Gum called Mastick at a certain Season flows from them and is the best that is to be found The Christians both Greeks and Latins have their free Liberty to exercise their Religion so that there are a great many Religious Houses and they enjoy greater Priviledges than any within the Turkish Dominions for here they have Bells in some Monasteries and elsewhere they are not allowed particularly at Niamoni The Villages stand here very thick and the Inhabitants are numerous but the Ship coming to Anchor here only by reason of bad Weather I had time to take but a slight View e'er I Sailed again and passing many other Islands as Samas Nicaria c. in the former of these in the Night I saw a light near the Sea rising and falling as big as a large Candle which the Patron of the Vessel who was a Greek told me always appeared in the Ruins of a Christian Church but as any Man approached it it vanished or removed further from them which made me conclude it was an Ignis fatuis rising from the Unctuous Vapours and kindled by Agitation These Islands are now Poor and of no great Note though Anciently very Famous I shall pass over other that appeared on Star and Larboard and sometimes a Head of us we Sailed near some in great danger by reason of the bad Weather and Rocks that jutted out in the shallowness of the Sea near them the Winds shifting and the Waves running high but after all at Sun rising a gentle Gale blowing from the South we spread our Sails and cleared our Vessel of a dangerous Streight between some Rocks and Islands that we were fallen in with and about Evening shifting to the North West we stood away South and by East so that next Morning we made the Island of Rhodes and about Noon came to an Anchor in a good Harbour to recruit our selves with Provisions for the Storms we met with spoiled most we brought with us the Waves frequently rowling over the wast of our small Vessel during that Violence so that a great deal of Water enter'd her and all Hands were at the Pump Night and Day This noted Island has Lycia to the North a Sea 20 Miles over separating them To the East Cyprus to the West Candie and to the South Aegypt it lies in a temperate Climate and is in Circuit about 100 Miles few Clouds are ever seen over it it is very Fruitful and the Turks strugled long before they could be entire Masters of it which happened in the Reign of Solyman the Magnificent for the City that gave the Name to this Island was then taken at the Expence of 150000 Turks from the great Master and Renowned Knights Hospitallers who Immortallized their Fame in defending it to the last extremity This City has two commodious Harbours did not the great one lie so open to the East and North-East Winds that sometimes drive Ships from their Anchors The Turks have built a strong new Tower in the place of the old one to command the Entrance and Centinels are placed in Turrets to give Notice of the approach of Ships It has a Bastion and Curtain that reaches to the Town so that it makes one side of the Port and there is an Old Castle over-against it Over this Port formerly stood a Huge Collossus of Brass one of the Wonders of the World for it stood stradling 50 Fathom one Foot from another and 70 Cubits high so that Ships under Sail passed under it it represented the Sun and was cast by Chares the Lydian In one Hand it held a Light-House to direct Ships in in dark Nights but it was thrown down by an Earthquake and being broken by the Sarasens when they Conquered Rhodes they sold it to a Jew who loaded 900 Camels with the Metal for Alexandria and now the Tower and Castle I mentioned are built where the Feet of it stood There are many Ancient Monuments remaining in this City as the Statue of St. Paul and divers others of Note The Escutcheons of Christian Princes and the Knights of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem The Building is Regular and the Streets pretty Fair. But now the Wind serving I was constrained to end my Observation here and return on Board we set Sail with a North-west
never opened and that the Moors conceal them out of Avarice to take out what is precious and raise the price of such Rarities to a higher Rate Being let down in one of these Vaults I saw many parts of Bodies but little entire they being much broken and mangled by such as had out of Curiosity carried away pieces of them This place is full of Piramids but most of them very small unless one that never was finished which if compleated had been near in bigness to the largest I have mentioned proportionable to the Basis there are in it Ascending and Descending Alleys at the end of which are 3 Rooms but it not being finished as the rest as to what it might have been is but Conjecture some hold that this mighty Work ceased when Alexander the Great seized on Aegypt and the Greeks wrested the Kingdom from the Race of the Ancient Aegyptian Kings On the other side of the Nile opposite to this place are to be seen the Ruins of the Ancient Memphis where the Aegyptian Kings held their Court but Time and the spoiling Hand of War has made it as Troy a heap of Ruins It seems to have been exceeding large and extended along the River till you come over-against Old Caire so that although I spent many Hours in viewing these Ruins I could find nothing of Note but pieces of Pillars and Images the low Foundations of what seem to have been Ancient Temples and little else Remarkable Returning towards Caire I came to Maltherea 3 Miles distant from the City where are a great many curious shading Orange-Trees and a delicious Spring of Water which is said to have been the abiding place of the Blessed Virgin when she fled with our Saviour into Aegypt There are likewise Mirtle and Lemon-Trees that render the place very pleasant This Spring and Joseph's Well in Caire are all the Springs of Water I could see or hear of in Aegypt That Well is of a prodigious Depth cut in a solid Rock 106 Foot deep yet so broad and winding are the Steps that two Oxen may go down to the bottom where in a Hole is a very curious Spring and that Water is held precious near it are some remains of Pharaoh's Pallace and a Room called Joseph's Hall adorned with Gold and Azure and many Pillars also his Steward's House remarkable for 12 Columns of Thebaick Marble Near to this there is a dreadful Prison in which it is held that Patriarch was cast upon the false Accusation of his Mistress this consists of several Dungeons cut of the Rock and if Tradition be true his case in that place could not but be lamentable for it appears very Dismal and Loathsome The common received opinion that it Rains not in Aegypt is groundless the Showers fall seldomer and less violently than in other places so that a great part of the Country is dry and barren Sand the chief Fertility is occasioned by the melting of the Snow from the Mountains and the overflowing the River Nile of which famous River I come now to speak more particularly This River has its source near the Mountains of the Moon or Jews Mountains in Aethiopia where it is very small but gathers many Rivers in long running which makes it swell much it runs through the length of Aegypt having its course from South to North discharging it self into the Mediterranean Sea by two Mouths making a Triangular Isle by the Greeks called Delta because it resembles the Greek Δ these Mouths are Navigable for large Vessels for though it has others they are less and can properly be called no other than Rivulets It is broader than the Seine and for the most part glides smoothly unless where its Cataracts make it rage and foam by its falling from a great heighth when it overflows it appears like a little Sea the Water is naturally thick and muddy but they have a way to Clarifie it by running it through Vessels filled with white Earth and then it is very wholesome Most of the Cities Towns and Villages are Scituate on its Banks or very near it for the conveniency of Water which is precious in that Country for there are so many Villages that you have scarce passed one but you come at another This River abounds not much with Fish and there is but one good sort found at Caire called a Variole but there are a vast number of Crocodiles in it who no doubt devour the Fish this is an Amphibeous Creature living at pleasure in the Water or on Land the Head of it is flat above and below and the Eyes or it indifferently big and very darkish they have a long sharp Snout with long sharp Teeth but no Tongue to be perceived the Body large and all of a bigness the Back covered with high Scales like the Heads of large Nails of a greenish colour so hard that they are Proof against a Halbert their Tailes are very long covered over with Scales but the Belly is white and pretty tender it has four short Legs with five Claws on the foremost Feet and but four on the hinder It grows as long as it Lives and some are about 20 Foot from Head to Tail these great ones many times snap young Children at Land and sometimes put up their Noses and pull People out of their Boats in the River so that many go with Spikes to prevent their putting up their Noses and it is dangerous to swim where their haunts are But that they Weep when they have taken their Prey is for what I could find a Fable To take these Creatures they make a great many Pits by the River side and cover them with rotten Sticks so that passing over the Sticks give way and they fall in then Men let down a Rope with a running Nooze to muzzle their Snouts and so they draw them up and kill them for their Skins which they sell to Strangers at good Rates None but the Moors will Eat of their Flesh There is also in the River a Hyppopotamuses or Sea-Horse and is of a tawney Colour the hinder part like a Bouffler though its Legs are short yet very thick it has the muzzle of an Ox and some are about the bigness of a Camel its Head resembles that of a Horse and is very great but the Eyes are small the Ears little the Neck thick the Tail like an Elephant's in the lower Jaw it has four Teeth half a Foot long two of them are crooked and as big as the Horn of an Ox in circumference This famous River mainly fertilises Aegypt and without it it would be desolate nay if it should fail but one Year to overflow there would be a Famine in the Land which some hold it did for seven Years when the mighty Famine happen'd in Joseph's time restrained by an Almighty Power but seeing that Famine extended to others Land this may be but Conjectural when it Ebbs it leaves a fat nitreous Slime that greatly enriches the Land and
now inhabited by French Merchants there is also a pretty Church The Church of the Forty Martyrs is in this Town The Doors of the Houses are not above 3 Foot high and they make them so on purpose to prevent the Insolent Arabs that Border on them from entring their Houses on Horseback there is likewise a Church Dedicated to the Honour of St. George Decamping from hence at 6 a Clock in the Morning we saw about 9 on our right Hand the Village of Good Thief called in Arabick Bethlakij After that we paid the Caffaire or Custom and so had a Guard allowed us to Jerusalem but being lâ—d about to avoid another Caffaire we were entangled among the Mountains and obliged to encamp there in a place close by a ruinous old Building which had been a Convent of Franciscan Friars Some Arches of the Ruins are yet standing above and many others under Ground where the Arabs keep a few Cows a Spring of pleasant Water issuing out of a Rock near it The next day we passed on towards Jerusalem once exceeding Famous but now contracted into a small compass we left Degib a small Village so called in Arabick and was once the Town of Samuel the Prophet it stands upon an Eminence there is a Mosque covered with a Dome they say Samuel is Buried there and the Jews visit it out of Devotion and soon after we discovered the City of Jerusalem which the Turks call Coudscherif and came before it but being Franks as they call the Latin Christians we could not be admitted till the Religious sent for us and when we had waited about an Hour at that which is called the Gate of Damascus we were introduced by the Trucheman of the Convent who came with an Officer belonging to the Basha of the Province who visited the Bagage and then we were conducted to the Convent of St. Saviour who Entertained us Charitably and shewed us to an Apartment were we might rest our selves and a Monk came and washed our Feet and the Religious were very Industrious to shew us the places of Note and to begin our visits of the Holy Places First we passed near to the Judgment Hall from whence our Saviour went out bearing his Cross it is so called because those that were Condemned to die went out of the City by it At present within the City advanced a few steps proceeding on our way we pass under an Arch where is a Stone on which they say Pilate set our Saviour when he said Ecce Homo Behold the Man This is a large Arch reaching from one side of the Street to the other and has two Windows looking into the Street only separated by a little Marble Piller and under this Window is an Inscription viz. Tode Tolle Crucifice eum Take and Crucifie him A little further is the Palace of Herod from whence our Saviour was sent back to Pilate and although these two were at variance before yet the Prince of Peace passing between them they soon even that very day were at Agreement And indeed there are many of the Antient Structures remaining though this famous City has undergone so many Revolutions yet it is Conjectur'd that many new Works have been added to the Old Ruins and they much repaired in many places The Sheep Gate still remains entire and over the place where our Saviour was Scourged there is a pretty Chaple Erected the Front and some other parts of Solomon's Temple are yet remaining and there are several Arches that make a lovely Porch before the Door of the Temple nor is the Tower of David quite defeated there remaining many Ruins to shew the Strength and Magnificence of it There are abundance of Chaples in this City some belonging to the Latin Christians others to the Greeks and some to Armenians Abasines c. and these were raised on several Religious occasions where the passages in Holy Scripture are recited to have hapned but they pay the Turks a large tribute for possessing them yet they get much Money by the visits that are made in Pilgrimages the Turks often choping and changing with those that will give most Money and they who are the richest commonly possess those that are most in Veneration and consequently most frequented but above all the rest that are very numerous the Church of the Holy Sepulcher is in the highest Veneration therefore I shall briefly describe it All Franks that enter it at first are taxed 24 Piasters a piece and the Religious pay only 12 but when you have once paid that Tax and Entered it you may go in as often as you will when it is open giving a Mudine to the Turk who keeps the Door Before you enter into the Church you pass a kind of a large Court that is before it laid with Free-stone and on this the Jews do not or as some say dare not tread Then the Steeple appears which is on the left side corner of the Front of the Church it is square on all sides has three stories of Windows two in front supported and separated by two Marble Pillars and heretofore is said to have 18 Bells in it The Door of this Church is very Magnificent and over it are many Figures in Brass Relicks being the Representations of several Sacred Histories the Door is sealed with the Seal of the Basha and when any enter it is immediately shut again In this Church there is the Chaple of Apparition so called because it is held our Lord appeared in that place to the Blessed Virgin immediately after his Resurrection and from thence we went down to the Chaple of St. Helena Inventrix of the Cross and having viewed some others we passed through the said Chaple where it was told the Women that Christ was risen in this Chaple There is a little Altar and three Windows to give light before the Door a Lamp and seven Lamps within it and there lies a Stone said to be rowled from the mouth of our Saviour's Sepulcher on which the Angel set when his Brightness appeared so transparent On the right hand as you enter is the place where the Body of our Lord was laid in cut out of the Rock in which there is a Table of the same Rock raised about two Foot from the Ground or somewhat more This takes up one half of the Breadth and the whole length of the Chaple it has been faced with white Marble to prevent its being broken for the Christians who came to visit it strove eagerly to have little Bits of it to place in Rings and other Gold Ornaments as a precious Relick And now it serves for an Alter where the Latin Priests celebrate Mass none being permitted to do the like and in the Roof of it are three Holes to evaporate the Smoak of the Lamps there being 44 of them in it of Silver and Gold sent by the Kings of France Spain and other Princes The inside of this place is faced with White Marble and environed on the
out-side with 10 curious Pillars of the same Stone and the Lamps are round about it It is covered with a Plat-form in the middle whereof just over the Holes that Evaporate the Smoak there is a Dome about 6 Foot in Height covered with Lead which stands upon 12 little Porphery coloured Pillars two and two on the Plat-form which makes six Arches and under every one of them hangs 3 Lamps though when it runs the Water falls through the Aizie in the Dome of the Church on the little Dome from whence it is conveyed by a Pipe into a hole Before the Door of the Sepulcher at an equal distance from it and the Door of the Quire is a prodigeous Lump of Silver they say that two Men can hardly Fathom it it was sent by Philip III. of Spain whose Arms are on it in several places with this Motto Philipus III. Rex Hispaniorum me donavit The Quire and the Body of the Church is of curious Work it is said to be placed in the middle of the World because in Psalm 74. it s said God wrought Salvation in the midst of the Earth but not to be too tedious in this matter I must cut short and proceed to other places We went soon after to visit the Mount of Olives the place where our Lord wept over Jerusalem and foretold its Destruction and from thence indeed there is a curious prospect of the City On the top of this Mount is the place of the Ascension where is a Chaple with 8 Fronts and a little Dome covered with Lead supported by 8 Pillars of White Marble in this Chaple is the print of a Foot on a piece of Rock which they say our Saviour left when he Ascended and that there was an other of them which the Turks have cut away and kept to shew to such as will give Money to see it in the Temple of Solomon Then we visited the Gzot in which it is held the Apostles made the Creed and the Sepulchers of Absalon and Jehosaphat the Valley wherein they stand is no other now than a great Ditch that conveys the Water from Jerusalem but the chief Jews hire their Burying Places here of the Turks superstitiously fancying that Judgment will first begin here at the general Resurrection and therefore they who are Buried in it shall be first dispatched About Absalon's Tomb is a great heap of Stones for every one that passes by is obliged to throw a Stone at it in detestation of his Rebellion against his Father Near this there is the Tomb of Zacharias and the Brook Kedron this Brook has over it a Stone-Bridge but many times it is dry as it hapned at this time so that we passed over without wetting our Feet though not near the Bridg. As for the Garden of Olives it is a very small place and few Trees remaining in it it is inclosed with a very inconsiderable Wall and into it is taken the Garden of Bethsemany where our Saviour was in his Agony and near it is the Sepulcher of of the Blessed Virgin Mary which is a Church almost under ground of it nothing but the Front can be seen and hereabouts are several other Sepulchers to be seen as those of Joachin and Anna and the place where St. Stephen was Stoned so entering by St. Stephen's Gate we came to the Sheep-pool which is near to Solomon's Temple and here are yet to be seen the Sepulchers of Godfrey of Bulloin the first Christian King of Jerusalem that of his Brother Balwin and others that succeeded him though time has much defaced some of them From hence I went to Mount Calvery where is a Hole half a foot Diameter and 2 foot Deep in which the Christians there say the Cross stood when our Saviour was Crucified they shewed a Rock with a cleft in it that they say rent at his giving up the Ghost My curiosity now led me to visit the Burying Places of the Kings of Jerusalem which is of great Antiquity and to this you go out of the City by the Gates of Damascus and when I came there I entered into a great Court cut out and made even in a Rock and the Rock serves to it as a Wall and on the left hand there is a Gallery cut out of the same Rock with several Pillars beautified with Stone Embelished with curious Figures and Engravenings on Stone and there is a little open place at one end of this Gallery through which I crept on my Hands and Knees and then found a large square Room cut out of the Rock and further there are other Rooms and curious square Tombs cut out of the Rock also so that it seem'd a Palace rather than a Burying place though here many of the Antient Kings of Jerusalem lye Interr'd and returning from this Magnificent Palace of the Dead I went to visit the Cave where it is held the Prophet Jeremiah composed his Lamentations It is a large lightsome Grot the Roof of it supported by a Pillar that stands in the midst of it being very near the Burying Place of the Kings Having been curious in making these Observations I had a desire to see the famous River Jordan so renowned in Holy Writ and so taking Provision for the way and Company also to guard us against the insults of the Arabs who watch all opportunities to rob Strangers and Turks We set forward with a great many more that had the same desire and joyning with us in our way lay almost all along among the Mountains the Road being very Stony from Jerusalem to the Plains of Jerico before the latter our Caravan as we may Term it Encamped having passed Bithany and the Fountain of the Apostles Here we refreshed our selves and though Jerico was once a famous City it now consists of a few Brick Houses inhabited by Arabs who live a miserable poor life near to this is the House of Zacheus and here we found the so much talked of Roses of Jerico these Blow not unless they are put into Water and then they Blow in all Seasons contrary to the Opinions of those who say they blow not but on Christmas Day and others on all the Festivals of our Lady Travelling by many places of little Note at length we came to Jordan and Encamped near it On the Banks there are many Almond and other pleasant Trees it is not broader than the Thames but very deep in most places it has its beginning from 2 small Springs called Jor and Dan towards Mount Libanus and from them put together it takes its Name The Water of this River they say will not corrupt by length of time though it appears not very clear It runs from East to South and passing through the Sea of Tiberius loses its Waters in the Asphalian Lake or Dead Sea which sprung up in the Plains when the Cities of Sodom and Gomorah were sunk in Flames in the Sylvian places on the Bank of this River the warbling of Birds
strong and well fortified it has ten Gates and many curious Buildings in it This and the former are govern'd by Bassa's who have large dependencies There is a Court of Wells with a Canal full of good Fish but the Turks on some superstitious account or other forbid any to take them alledging for excuse that those who Eat them will fall Sick and Die There are in this City People of all curious Trades and were not the oppression of the Turks as it is indeed all over the Ottoman Empire very great Riches would flow here in abundance From this place our Road lay to Mosul by the way of Bi r and Orfa the Ancient Edessa but before we came to Bi r we passed Euphrates in great Boats This is a little Town in Mesopotamia on the side of the River and passing by small Towns and the Ruins of some great ones we came to Orfa The Walls are about two Hours Walk in Circumference and pretty entire but the Town within though it has been Fair and Stately lies now mostly in Ruins We refreshed our selves here and passed on by Codgtasar in the Country of Meredin and Nisibia we saw in our way many Villages some Towns and other things of Note as Job's Tomb Fields of Mellons Cucumbers c. Our way was sometimes over Mountains then into Valleys and now and then in Plains seeing but few except some few wandering People who move from place to place feeding Cattle and carrying their Tents with them and after a weary Journey we came to Mâ—sul and entered it by Bagdad Capisi that looks towards the South where we paid a Paistre to the Janisary that kept the Gate This City Anciently called Aasour stands on the side of the Tigris which runs to the East of it It is encompassed with strong Stone Walls plaistered over and these have little pointed Battlements on the top 2 Fingers thick and 4 or 5 broad There is a Castle in the Water of an Oval Form and pretty strong which keeps the Pass of the River Many of the Houses are fairly built with Freestone and the City is about an Hours walk in compass It has five Gates beside that I mentioned On the other side of the River is the place where once stood the Famous City of Nineveh and some of the Ruins are to be seen and not far distant a Tomb wherein Jonah is said to be Buried In Summer it is extream Hot insomuch that the People keep in Vaults in the heat of the Day and some in Stone Troughs of cold Water Having recruited our Provisions here it being July to prevent the danger of the Semiel or infectious Wind which arises about this time kills many that Travel by Land I and some of the Company passed by Water on a Keleck or a kind of a Float fastned on a great many Leather Baggs filled full of Wind but they would not suffer us to carry any Wine on Board foolishly fancying that it would fink their Boat and in this we did wisely for we afterwards heard of many that passed by Land who were not accustomed to that Wind died being stifled or Poysoned with the infectious Air. In our Passage we saw many Towns and Villages and Men Women and Cattle were swiming their Passage over the River In the Night we heard the Lions Roar on either Hand which made us keep from the Shoar least they should leap into our Kelechs though the Natives would perswade us they were afraid of a Man and that the Arabs usually pursued and killed them with a Staff but we thought fit not to lay too much stress upon this for I had heard in Mosul that many who had stragled from the Caravans had been snaped by them for they rove in great numbers and Fire-Arms are the best defence against them besides we were forced to stand on our Guard for fear of the Thieveish Arabs who often get aboard by swiming and surprise these Kelechs nor did they fail to Alarum us but when we espied them they Dived and got to Shoar and by that means escaped our Shot we made at them But to be Brief at last we came to Bagdad This is a long Town lying on the River The first thing that appears is the Castle to the side of the River on the left Hand and seems to be very well Fortified It is built of curious white Stone though the generality of the Houses in the Town are low and inconsiderable it is very strong on the Land-side and in circuit Large requiring at least two Hours to compass it at a moderate pace on Foot there are lovely Bagnios and fair Bazars in it It was Founded by the Persians but taken from them by the Turks and has a Bassa for their Governor It stands advantageous enough on the Tygris but is thinly Peopled by reason of the Licentiousness of the Soldiers who are scarcely under any Command It is extream Hot in this place in the Summer time as in all others of the same Latitude There are but few Fruit-Trees hereabouts but every where store of Licorice They generally use Oyl of Naphta in their Lamps it being plentiful in their Borders They often send their Expresses from place to place by Carrier Pidgeons fastning the Note about their Necks which they exactly perform unless they are killed by the way which rarely happens I found here a Caravan mostly consisting of Persians bound for Hamaden in Persia this opportunity I and others embraced though we found the Retinue did not exceed sixty slenderly Armed and mostly without Tents appearing resolute and hardy and passing Caranluocapi leaving on the left the Persian Tower Adgdadom Coulasu we came near Lockman Hakin and encamped there all Day where the Chakales entertained us with Musick From thence we Marched and Lodged in a Village called Aacube under the pleasant Shade of divers spreading Palm-Trees and so proceeded Eastward to Harounia where are many pleasant Gardens and passing by Adiga and Immanisker and many other Villages we were informed the Arabs lay in wait for us in the narrow Passes which caused us to get 15 Janisaries well Armed but we needed them not meeting with no opposition for we safely arrived at Mendeli the utmost bounds of the Turks on the Frontiers of Persia It is a little Town and Castle among Palm-Trees made with Mud and Clay and here we rested some time CHAP. VII Travels into Persia and a particular Account of the Places and what occured in the way to Ispahan the Metropolis of the Kingdom THE famous Kingdom of Persia so much Renowned in History is the Ancientest Monarchy now known in the World having for the most part had an interrupted Succession of Kings who have Govern'd that vast Region Valliantly in wise Conduct and much Glory It is bounded on the East with the great River Indus on the South with the main Ocean on the North with the Caspian-Sea and on the West with the Tygris and Persian-Gulf and is divided
into 11 Provinces viz. Persis now called Far Susiana Caramania Gedrosso Drangiania Irica Arachossa Parapomisus Seccha Hircania and Ormus all very large and most of them Fertile On the confines of this Kingdom we found Men Armed with Bows and Quivers who stopped us because we were advanced before the Caravan but being certified that we belonged to it they let us pass These are the King's Officers set on the Roads to examine Strangers thereby to prevent Spys and Robbers entring into the Country and are upon most Roads having a pretty good Sallary out of the Treasury for their diligence and they get much Money of Passengers Having passed these Men we Travelled sometimes over Plains then Hills and then into Plains again and through many narrow Passages seeing on either Hand a very fruitful Country and the Persian's Houses many of them being made of Cane and built straglingly here and there we often changed the Point sometimes North or East or South-East as the way led us till we came by a Village of Cures called Nian the Hills about it were covered with Turpentine and wild Chesnut-Trees the Waters bordered with Agnus Castus and Rose-Laurels Here the Weather altered for it was very Cold in comparison of the Hot Countries we had passed before From hence we passed to a Village called Chegiafer it is composed of stragling Houses of rough Stone Earth Cane and Reeds covered with green Branches the former are their Summer-Houses and the latter their Winter-Houses Their Mosques in this place are built of rough Stone and Earth and on the way there are many Kervanserais commodious to Inn at very fine for the most part being beautified with a kind of black Stone some pollished and some rough but passing on through a vast track of Country we came to Hamadan to which place the Caravan was bound Hamadan is a large Town but in many places of it void spaces there being many Gardens and Ploughed Fields within the Walls the Houses are Stately yet built of Brick baked in the Sun It has one fair Street where they sell Stuffs and Cloaths ready made it has many Shops in it and lies near the Bezestein which is little but well compacted and indeed it is a Town of a pretty Trade many Caravans coming thither out of Turkey and other parts to buy and sell Merchandize though the Air and Water are unwholsome and no Wine to be found so that I was very ill there which made me hasten to be gone to a more agreeable Air. It is Commanded by a Cham under the King of Persia who is the same there as a Bassa in Turkey The Armenians have a Church here but keep it in no good Order To this and other Chams the King every Year sends a Rich Vest who go out of the Gate to receive it and return with it on without any other Ceremony then being attended by the chief Men of the place on Horseback and this is usually Cloth of Gold From hence we took Mules with our Lading for five Abasis a piece and one of these will carry 600 weight if need requires it and so taking leave of those of the Caravan that staid to negotiate their Affairs we set forward for Ispahan the Regal City of Persia and Metropolis of the Kingdom in a very strong Troop for though such care has been taken that Robberies are less frequented in Persia than in Turkey yet it is prudence however to be armed against Danger and passing early in the Morning through the King's Gate so called because it looks towards the Royal City We Traveled over Hills and Downs the way often altering from good to bad till we came to the Town of Nischar where we refreshed our selves in a ruinous Kervanserai on the Ground where Carpets were spread and drank Water out of a leathern Jugg called there a Matera From thence we Marched along the River side and came to lodg at another Village called Boulousch Kisar and the next Day encamped under Trees near Haran another Village where we were warned by our Muliters to keep a good Guard in the Night time for they told us Spys had been amongst us that Day to visit our Arms and see how we were provided but whether they liked them not or stood in fear I know not but certain it is we had there no disturbance Early in the Morning we marched again and passed by several pleasant Villages and Gardens and foarding the little River Dizava we came to a Town of that Name lying amongst Gardens in a spacious Plain and here we had a plentiful shower of Rain which was the first except a little mizling in our way since my departure from Aleppo and so by a long Journey taking in our way Sari Debile Mouchasaba Machat Scheber-Gird Angovan Agatch or Farsang Nichova Fagasun Ithua Ghulpaigan Arbane Deba little Villages and Towns of no great Note and passing by divers Kervanserais we came to Ispahan having seen by the way several Antelopes a great Beast between a Deer and a Goat very smift in running and climbing the Mountains CHAP. XIII A Description of Ispahan in what is curious and worthy of Remark in it ISpahan as I told you is the Principality and stands in the Province of Iraca part of the Ancient Parthia Here the Air is Dry Pleasant and more wholsome than in many other parts which is one main Reason the King usually keeps his Court here This City was Anciently called Hecatompolis being Recorded to have had 100 Gates It is beautified with Walls of a great heighth built of a red kind of a Marble and though the Houses are very Stately they are built with Brick baked in the Sun daubed over with a fine Clay mingled with Straw and white cast over with a very fine Plaister which is made of a Stone got out of the Neighbouring Mountains and burned to that whiteness this Plaister is the third part of the Charge of building a House they burn their Tiles indeed in a Kiln but they are not so lasting as ours There is in this City many very stately Mosques curiously adorned also sundry Pallaces Seraglios and Buildings of great Antiquity but many of the most Ancient are Ruinous The Persians take great delight in their Houses keeping them very neat and adorning them with curious Paintings Carpets and Tapestry for in these and their Gardens seem to consist their greatest Pride The Walls of this City will take 5 or 6 Hours at a pretty round pace on Foot to compass them because within them there are spacious Gardens adorned with pleasant Flowers and delicious Fruit-Trees served by Aquaducts that run there in Chanels watering and Fructifying the several quarters and in those Gardens are artificial Mounts bedded with Flowers and pleasant Summer-houses on the top of them shaded with Trees besides many stately Pallaces and the quarter where these are is called the New Town The Suburbs of this City are very large and the Nobles have Pallaces in it
especially in Golfa lying beyond the River Sendera which is mostly inhabited by Armenians transplanted by Sheba Abba a Persian Sultan when he utterly razed their Town of that Name in Armenia About this great City are cantoned People of divers other Nations and there is hardly any Country in Europe Asia or Africa but there are Natives of them to be found here In this City there are many Squares which render it lovely the greatest of which is that of Meidan it has regular Piazza's and is about 700 common Paces in length and near 300 in breadth it is built round and the Houses are all in the form of Porticoes over them is a second range of Arches more backward and these serve for Galleries and Passages the Houses being all of an equal heighth give a curious Prospect There is a pleasant Canal near it bordered with Palm-Trees and fed by a Spring at the end of which is a Bell said to be taken out of a Nunnery in Ormus with this Inscription Ave Maria Gratia plena Hail Mary full of Grace Hither the Musicians resort there being a Gallery and sound several Instruments to divert the People especially in the Night time and amongst others a Trumpet of Copper which is 8 Foot long making a strong hoars sound and may be heard in a still Night all over the City being almost in proportion like a speaking Trumpet Passing on to the Right or West side is the Gate of Aly their great Prophet on the Threshold of it which is a round Stone the Persians out of a Veneration for the place will not tread on and if Malefactors can escape into the Court beyond it or in the King's Stables or Kitchin they are in a Sanctuary none daring to remove them from thence This Gate is plain and guarded by Sofies-men of great account there and many Persians out of Devotion kneel and kiss the Threeshold e'er they pass over it The Street of Techebarbag or the four Gardens is very large near 100 Paces broad and about 2 Itallion Miles in length There is a by way into it from the King's Pallace through narrow Passages as it were a Curtain it s watered with a Canal and adorned with shadowing Plan-Trees being divided by the River Senderu over which is a curious Bridge of Stone with a Gallery covered and raised above the Level for Foot Passengers it s about 300 Paces long and 20 broad founded on many Arches some Brick edged with Free-Stone and others all of Stone Over the Gallery there is a Platform giving a fine Prospect of the River and other places the Gallery serves likewise for a Horse-way in the Winter for then the overflowing of the River fills up the middle of the Bridge and renders it a kind of a Canal The Gates of the King's Pallace and the Front of it gives a good Prospect as do the Mosques being adorned with Domes and other Beautifyings but the Christians are forbidden to enter under the Penalty of gross affronts if not a good Cudgeling though some of them out of curiosity do it in Persian Habits mingling themselveâ— with the rest and so pass undistinguished amongst which I took my Lot and saw their curious Cielings Paintings Mosaick-Work fine Marble and many other curious things As for their Burying-places they are without the City and so they are in all the Cities of Persia They have a curious way to secure the hot Air in sultry Weather viz. They have on the tops of their Houses a Wall about 2 Fathom high and as much in breadth to which at the intervals of other Walls of about a Foot broad and as high as the first are joyned in right Angels and these are covered with a Roof so that let the Wind blow which way it will the Air being pressed between 3 Walls is driven through a hole in the Roof of the House and diffuses coolbreathings cool breathings but in Winter this hole is stopped This City is full of Artists and each Company pays the King a certain Sum which they raise again upon all the Crafts and they are very dextrous in their several Handicrafts in which principally consists the riches of the Kingdom In the King's Court the Turkish Language is mostly spoke but much differing from what is spoke at Constantinople this distinguishes the Courtiers from the rest of the People and gives them certain Authorities and Preeminencies they affect for they covet Honour above all things and are profuse in their Diet Habit Houses and Equipages which renders many Noble Families Poor Their Equipage in Travelling is extraordinary They smoak much Tobacco and usually do it through a Vessel of Water Their Games are chiefly Chess and Draughts which they use in their Visits There are amongst them a great many Mathematicians and Astrologers and the King maintains many hundreds of them liberally though most of them appear to be very ignorant However these are their chief Studies They have also Dreamers among them who pretend to see and foretel things that way If a Man has killed another the Widow or next Relation demands the satisfaction of his Blood and if it be not made up for Money the Murtherer if taken is delivered to the Prosecutor who puts him to Death with great Torments especially if he falls into the Hands of a Woman for they are more cruel here than the Men and though they often compound yet the Relations that are not consenting to it will privately revenge the Blood of their Friend concluding their Honour suffers if the Murtherer escapes unpunished If any one has been Robbed he must make a present to the Deroga who is the same in Office with the Sons or Sub-Bassa in the Turkish Government He sends his Men abroad to take up suspected Persons and puts them to the Rack to make them confess and if the Goods be recovered he takes a tenth and sometimes a sixth part but he seems to be kinder to the Franks taking only a present of them though may times by concealing the discovery he cheats them of all As for the Habits of the Persians they are more gaudy than substantial or lasting generally waring flower'd Silks or Callicoes quilted Coats and the like having a flowing loose Garment over a close Coat or Wastcoat with a Girdle their Drawers down to their Heels their Stockings are of Cloth wide and big their Shoos are like Womens Slippers with high Heels peaked at the Toes with a bit of Iron but so short that most part of the Heel hangs over though they stick close and are covered with Shagreen They ware Turbans very large and of divers colours except the Moulla's who are Priviledged to wear them white though the Persians ware Caps with little Turbans about them and the better sort have them embroidered with Gold and Silver They take a Pride to have every piece of their Apparrel of a different colour and affect neatness As for Rings the Men nay the King himself wears Silver
Sacred none but the Bramen has the medling with them and the Woman is counted Infamous among her Cast that refuses to undergo this Cruelty Some are buried with their Husbands up to the Neck then strangled and quite covered and some of the Maids for the love they bear their Mistriss will in like manner accompany her in Death but this is rarely used now for the Mogul and other Mahometan Princes of India have strictly forbid it as Inhuman and Barbarous which secures many Women from the Infamy they would otherwise undergo in their Cast yet though the Governors pretend all that in them lies to restrain it some are still burnt for by earnest Sollicitations and large Presents if the Wife Petition for it which some of them do leave is obtained but it is thought they are incited to it by the crafty perswasions of the knavish Bramen who promises them inestimable Joys and Pleasures in another Life Having somewhat satisfied my Curiosity and as I think given a satisfactory account of the places I visited the Customs of the People c. the Fame of China invited me to take a very tedious Journey to visit that Kingdom and hearing that a Caravan of Merchants every Year passed from Lahors thither I found a convenient opportunity by Land and Water to arrive at that City a little before the Caravan was about to depart which consisted of about 500 Men and 7000 Camels Horses c. CHAP. XVII Travels through divers Countries into China and a satisfactory Account of all that is remarkable in that Kingdom IN our Passage to China for brevity sake I shall not be particular in every thing I saw as not being remarkable in such wild and desart Countries Let it suffice then that setting out we passed over vast Plains Rivers Mountains and Rockey ways in danger of wild Beasts and Robbers there being but few and those inconsiderable Towns till we came to Athec where recruiting with Provisions and refreshing ourselves we Travelled on in much the like ways to Passaur and so by several small Towns till we came to a City called Capherstam the Country it stands in is very Fertil producing good Wine and one thing I observed that they go to their Temples in Mourning Weeds and 25 days Journey from this we came to Gtrideli in 20 days more to Cabul and so to Ciracar and Paroua the last Town in the Mogul's Territories after which we were often forced to pay Tribute to petty Princes that govern'd the Cities and dependancies in our way Then to Aingharan we journied over exceeding high Mountains and leaving that place came to Calcia then to Gialalabath here recruiting we passed to Talhan and Cheman in the Kingdom of Samarhan and by a troublesom way from thence came to Badasciam and Chiarchiumar where we rested for some time and then kept on our Journey to Serpanel and so entered the Country of Sarcil full of Villages and in 6 days passed over Ciecialith a vast Mountain covered with Snow in which Passage some of the company perished with Cold and in a tedious Travel attained Tanghetar in the Kingdom of Cascar and passing Jaconich came to Hiarchan the Royal City where for a good Sum the Master of the Caravan obtained the King's Passport to further our Journey more quietly Then we kept our Journey through Jocil Hancialix Aleghet Hagabateth Egriar Marcetelec Thalec Horma Thoantac Mingrieda Capetalcol Zelan Sarc Guebedal Cambasci Monsersec Ciacolo and Ascu we passed these by a very tedious way over Stones Sands and the Desarts of Carcatha and so to Oitocarach Gazo Casciani Dellai Seregabedal Vngan and Cucia then to Pucian and Turphan a Fortified City thence to Aramuth and so to Camul the last City of the Kingdom of Ciales and from Camul to the North Wall of China through which we had admission at a place called Ciaicum after a 6 Months Journey and so passed to the City of Socive and thus being entered China I shall proceed to speak of it as far as I could learn during my stay there As for the vast Kingdom of China it has gone under many Denominations as the Princes has been pleased to new Name and call it as they severally ascended to the Throne Under the Reign of the first King it was called Tae mim que that is The Kingdom of great Brightness and by several other Names But when the Tartar whose Race are now in the power Conquer'd it they called it Tai Ciroque A Kingdom of great Purity and since it was called Chin to which the Portugueses the first Europeans Trading there adding an A it has since amongst us been called China and so it is generally accepted It is seated in the extremities of Asia towards the East and lies under 20 Degrees from North to South from the Fortress of Cai Pim placed on the Frontiers of the Province of Pekim in the Latitude of 41 to the Meridional point of the Island of Hai nan in 8 Degrees of the Elevation and to the South of the Province of Quamtum so that according to the Chinese account it is from North to South 5750 Li or Furlongs which make 575 French Leagues at 25 to a Degree and from Po point a Sea-Port Town in the Province of Che-Kiam to the extreamity of the Province of Suchven in a streight Line from East to West it is 426 French Leagues though Geographers taking it another way make it much longer viz. from the last place to the North-west of the Province of Leaotum called Caiyven to the last City of the Province of Yunnan called Cin-tien-Kiu-min-Fat and so the length is accounted 750 French Leagues and the breadth taken from Tam Chan the most easterly place of the Country of Leaotum joyning to the Kingdom of Corea to Tum-tim to the Westward of the Province of Xensi it is 500 French Leagues This vast Kingdom or Empire contains 15 Provinces larger than some considerable Kingdoms mostly Rich and Fertile which are ranked according to their Antiquity and Precedency in this Order by the Chineses Pekim Nankim now called Kiam-nan Xensi Xantum Ho-nan Xansi Chekiam Kianosi Huquam Su Chuens Fokien Quamtum Quamsi Yunnan Quei Cheum and Xantum many of these have Towns commodiously on the Sea and others on great Rivers and Lakes the whole Country being plentifully watered by which means it is exceeding Fertil and saves them abundance of Land Carriage The Chineses brag much of the Original of their Kingdom and some of their Books place it many thousand Years before the Creation of the World but most agree it has preserved its form of Government during the Reign of 22 Families and from them have descended 236 Kings during the space 4034 Years for so long they allow it to have been a Kingdom yet there is amongst them another more probable account viz. This account reduces the beginning of it to about 400 Years after the General Deluge and if any pretend to dispute it by Writing
or word of Mouth it is enough to endanger their Lives for they look upon it as a disparagement to their Kingdom as being the proudest and most conceited People of all Nations thinking themselves the best in the World and that all others are insignificant to them making in their Maps China very spacious and other Countries like little Rocks in the Sea and they hold a firm opinion that Europe is no more than 2 small Islands they also hold all their Neighbours for Barbarians and paint them in Monstrous and Ridiculous Forms and to make them seem Cowards though they have often experienced them to the contrary they report and paint them as little Pigmies who tie themselves in bundles when they go abroad least the Eagles and Kites should carry them away and when any one argues learnedly to them they start as in a surprize demanding whether they have their Books in their Country and when the Strangers Answer no they reply why then how came you by that Learning They hold their Religion the purest and ancientest of all the Religions in the World However it is to be believed that their Chronicle is the ancientest that is to be found and is so well connected the Reign of one King hanging so well to the other that it cannot reasonably be suspected to have been Written upon trust by Conjecture or Imagination They divide the Heavens into 28 Constellations and China into so many parts allowing each part one and leave none for any other Nation and in brief they give their own most lofty and magnificent Titles but to Foreign Countries most barbarous scornful and degrading Names to exalt their Kingdom by the disparaging others which Pride I am apt to believe proceeds from their Ignorance though some of the Nobles are more moderate and discreet but then it is such as have Travelled abroad though but a few of them are permitted and even these dare not speak much in the praise of other Countries least they should be looked on as undervaluers of their own and consequently as Enemies Some of their Kings have had the vanity to stile themselves Child of the Sun and Emperor of the World They are however a very industrious People as appears by their vast and stately Edifices Manufactures and other curious Matters for there are no idle People in the Kingdom the Lame Blind and Deaf employ themselves in one business or other as they are capacitated and get a living by it insomuch that they have a Proverb which says There is nothing in China cast away and let it be never so vile it may turn to Profit one way or other in the City of Pekim which is the chief of the Kingdom Many thousands of Families live only by making and selling Card-Matches and Wicks for Candles and as many by what they pick up about the Streets They have in every City a Bell and a Drum-Tower on which Watchmen strike to give the Hours and the quarters in the Night-time and both the Drum and Bell are exceeding large being heard many Miles answering one another in a Musical Harmony They burn an Incense made of Sweet Woods and Perfumes in their Chambers and before their Pagods making Candles of the same and other mixtures which in burning cast a fragrant smell and some they make so large to place in their Temples before their Idols that they will continue burning 20 or 30 Days and Nights and burning to certain windings and marks they by that distinguish Hours and Days in burning such and such exact proportions and those that burn them in their Chambers when they would rise at a certain Hour tie a little Brass weight by a String to a mark that specifies the Hour and the string burning the weight falls into a brass Bason set under it and strikes like a Larum-Watch They have many other curious devices as Chariots that will run swiftly without Horses only a Man that sits in it turning a Winch which by certain Springs turns the Wheels round with great Rapidity But passing over things of this Nature for the present I will proceed to describe in some measure the City of Pekim the Metropolis of China where the King has his chief Court This famous City is seated in a Plain forming a vast Square each of its sides being 12 Chinese Furlongs in length it has 9 Gates 3 upon the South side and 2 upon each of the other sides it is now Inhabited by the Tartars and their Troops are divided into the 8 quarters or as they call them Banners But considering under the preceeding Kings the numerous Inhabitants had not a sufficient place to contain them though the Nine Suburbs answering to the Gates were as big as Cities There was a new City built like the old one square in Form having its North side joyning to the side of the old one this has 7 Gates and every one a Suburb answering to it so that taking that in with the Suburbs it is of a vast circumference yet many who have writ of it have made it much larger than it is the one and the other are divided into 5 Jurisdictions or Tribunals of which I shall speak hereafter The principal Streets run to the 4 direct Points or Winds they are long streight and broad so well proportioned as if they had been marked out with a Line The little Streets run all from East to West being very fair and divide the spaces between the great Streets into equal and proportionable Islands having each a particular Name and there is a Catalogue to be sold of them with Notes and Directions that Strangers and those whose business it is to go on Errands may the easier find them for they are very numerous The fairest of these Streets is called Cham gan Kiai or the Street of Perpetual Repose it is about 30 Fathom broad and of a vast length The Houses are low built which they say is done in respect to the King's Pallace that it should appear more magnificent though besides the King 's there are Pallaces belonging to the Nobility very stately yet they are built backward so that nothing but a great Gate appears to the Street The old and new City are crouded with swarms of People as the Shops are with store of rich Commodities so that one would suppose there was a continual Fair held in it The King's Pallace is seated in the midst of the City and Fronts towards the South as almost all others do in this Country it is encompassed with a double enclosure of Walls in form of a long square the outward enclosure is extraordinary high and thick plaistered on both sides with a curious red Plaister and covered with a small Roof of varnished Brick of a Gold Colour the length of it from South to North is 8 Chinese Furlongs it has a Gate in the middle of each side composed of 3 Portals the middlemost never being opened but when the King passes and these have a Guard upon
them but not very considerable there are also many Elephants kept in a spacious place for service and to divert the King where are Stables compleatly furnished for them and no Persons that have any considerable deformity are suffered to enter the Pallace the inner Wall that immediately incloses the Pallace is very thick and high built embellished with well contrived Battlements and extends from North to South 6 Furlongs and a Furlong and an half in breadth and the Pallace is about four Miles three quarters in circumference it has 4 Gates with large vaulted Arches those to the South and North being like to them of the first Inclosure and upon the Angles of the Walls are 8 Towers of an extraordinary bigness and good Architecture Varnished with beautiful red and adorned with Flowers of Gold covered with Tiles of a Gold Varnish and there are Guards kept in them all except Madarin's of the Tribunals within the Palace and the Officers of the King's Houshold are forbidden to come within this Wall unless they shew a little Table of Wood plated with Ivory wherein their Names and the places they serve in are set down with the Seal of the Mandarin to whom they belong It has a curious More round it full of Fish and every Gate a Draw-Bridge unless the South which lies over an Arch. In the vast space between the two Walls are many stately Palaces that might suit the entertainment of great Kings they being richly adorned with pollished Stone and curious Gilding On the East side close by the Wall runs a River over which are several Bridges of Marble with Draw-Bridges in the middle of them On the West where the space is large there is a lake full of Fish 5 Furlongs and a quarter in length made in the Form of a Bass-Viol where it is narrowest there is a very beautiful Bridge which answers the Gates of the Wall at the end of which stand Triumphant Arches of 3 Arches a piece very Majestick and of excellent Workmanship The Lake is environed with little Pallaces or Houses of Pleasure partly on the Water and partly on the Land and on the Lake are many beautiful Barges for the King's use the remainder of the East and West spaces not taken up by the Lake are beautified with Palaces and the Officers Houses all very Stately and Magnificent as also of those of Artificers that belong to the King's Pallace The inward Pallace is low built according to the fashion of the Chineses containing many Pallaces or Courts one within the other so that it seems a little City of Pallaces guarded by a great number of Turrets or Towers and particularly in the King's Apartment is to be seen nothing but gilded Cielings Pillars inlaid with Ivory and costly Stone his Throne is exceeding Rich and Magnificent valued at many Millions by reason of rich Stones and Gold that adorn it There are also some Temples erected within this enclosure and so many other things that it would require a Volume to describe them particularly Besides the Temples in the Pallace the King has 7 others in which he Sacrifices once a Year viz. 5 in the New and 2 in the Old City very large and exceedingly beautified with Gold and costly Paintings In the first of these called Tien-Tam or the Temple of Heaven he Sacrifices to Heaven at the time the Sun comes to the Winter Solstice Offering Hogs Oxen Goats and Sheep which is done with great Solemnity and Humility the King laying aside his Golden Robe yellow Vesture and precious Jewels and putting on a plain Habit of Black or Sky-coloured Damask The second Temple is called Ti-Tam or the Temple of the Earth and here the King before he is Crowned Sacrifices to the God of the Earth and then putting himself into the Habit of a Ploughman he Ploughs a little piece of Ground with a varnished Plough drawn by 2 Oxen with gilded Horns and in the mean time the Queen and her Ladies dress him a homely Dinner which they Eat together To the North of these stands another Temple called Pe Tien-Tam or the North Temple of Heaven he Sacrifices at the time of the Summer Solstice and at Vernal Equinox he Sacrifices in a Temple to the East called Ge-Tam or the Temple of the Sun and at the Autumnal Equinox at the Western Temple called Yue Tam or the Temple of the Moon and to prepare for the Sacrifices there is a Fast held in Pekim for 3 days during which time no Flesh nor Fish is to be eaten under great Penalties and this they say they do in a thankfulness for the Benefits they receive from the Earth by the Seasons of the Year and the influence of Heaven In the sixth Temple called Ti vam miao or the Temple of the past Kings is a rich Throne and the Statues of all the Kings of China from the first King named To hi to Xum Chi Father to the present Prince here the King performs an Annual Ceremony to his Predecessors The seventh Temple is called Chim-Hoam Miao or the Temple of the Spirit that guards the Walls but here the King never Sacrifices but appoints Mandarins and other Nobles to do it at his Charge so that the Ceremony is performed with much Royalty and in every City there is such a Temple Dedicated to the same end Having proceeded thus far I shall entertain you with an account of his Pomp and Magnificent Attendance when he goes out of his palace and this he rarely does but upon two occasions viz. either to Hunt and take the Air or to Sacrifice unless necessity forces him to the Wars upon these occasions he takes a Guard and all the Nobles that are near have notice and attend him in their best Equipage they most consist of between 12 and 13000 adorned with Embroideries of Gold Silver and precious Stones their Horses traped with the same and all their Servants that attend at a distance in very rich Attire First there appear 24 Men with large Drums in two Files then the like number of Trumpets in the same manner next as many with long Staves varnished with red and adorned with gilt Folinges then 200 Halberdiers the Heads of their Halberds being like a Crescent these were followed by 100 Men carrying Maces of gilt Wood with Staves as long as a Launce then 2 Royal Poles called Cassi varnished with Red and gilded with Flowers at both ends after these 400 large Lanthorns richly adorned with many curious pieces of Workmanship these were followed by 400 Flambeauxs curiously Carved and made of an odoriferous Wood that burns long and casts a curious shining light then 200 Launces fringed and adorned with the Spoiles of Wild Beasts these are followed by 24 Banners on which in Gold and Rich Imbroidery are represented the Signs of the Zodiack which the Chineses divide into 24 contrary to us after these come 56 Banners with 56 Constellations painted on them under which they comprehend the whole number of Stars
then 2 large Flabels supported with Poles and gilded with Suns Birds Beasts and other Things these are succeeded by 24 Umbrellos richly adorned then 8 sorts of rich Utensils for the Kings ordinary use as a Table-Cloth a Bason and Eure of Gold c. after these 10 led Horses all white Traped with Imbroidery of Gold and precious Stones followed by 100 Lanciers and on both sides them the Pages of the King that particular belong to his Chamber and in the middle between them the King himself with an Air very Majestick and Stern mounted on a stately Steed covered with a rich Umbrello costly beyond the belief of such as have not seen it shading both the King and his Horse he is followed by petty Kings the Princes of the Blood and a great number of the Principal Nobility in their richest Attire and ranked according to their Degrees then 500 young Gentlemen belonging to the King followed by 1000 Footmen clad in red Robes Embroidered with Stars and Flowers of Gold and Silver then succeeds an open Chair or Litter carried by 36 Men attended by another close Litter as big as a handsom Room carried by 120 Men then 2 vast Chariots each drawn by 2 Elephants after these another large Chariot drawn by 8 Horses and another which is less by 4 these have very rich Caparisons lined with Silk and the Governors in costly Liveries each of them attended by an Officer and 50 Soldiers next to these follow 2000 Mandarins of the Learned Tribunal and to close all 2000 Military Mandarins with the King's Train The People every where receive him with profound Veneration and Respect many Kneeling and others lifting up their Hands with Prayers for his Prosperity Besides the numerous Vessels in Seaports on Lakes and Rivers many of which have places in them like Rooms and Chambers wherein the People belonging to them live and breed The number of those that are appointed to carry Provisions to the Court are near 1000 those that are to attend the Mandarins are very numerous and the rest without great difficulty are not to be numbered for all the Lakes Rivers and Ports are so full of Vessels that they seem so many floating Towns or Cities and no less than 4 Millions of People are imployed in their Navigation Their Rivers are many and exceeding large so that on the River Kiam which is called the Son of the Sea one may Sail for 3 Months The Vessels that are only to bring the King's Habits Silks Stuffs c are 365 for every day he has a Change of rich Garments What shall I say The People adore him as a God and think all the valuable things on Earth too little for him and therefore it would be endless to describe all the Magnificence that attends his State and every thing he is served withal Let it suffice then that no Prince on Earth that ever I saw or heard of equals him in Grandeur for his Subjects look on him as the Son of Heaven and that it is not only their Duty but a main incumbent of Religion to Honour him in all they can They bring their Timber mostly by the Rivers not in Vessels but in Floats some of 3 Leagues length fastened together with Rushes and Osiers and on the Floats are little Wooden Houses for those that guide them to lodge in by turns and dress their Provisions And indeed they bring plenty of all things by their Rivers and Lakes which stores their Cities and Towns very plentifully which are very numerous for according to their own Printed Account of those walled in are 4402 which are divided into two Orders Civil and Military the first of these comprehend 2045 of which 175 are Cities of the first Rank which the Chineses call Tin 274 of the second Rank which they call Cheu 288 which they call Hien 205 Royal Hosteries or places of Entertainment of the first and 103 of the second Rank and these are Govern'd by Mandarins who in their Governments are a kind of Viceroys The Nobility of this Kingdom as generally taken is no more than an illustrious Grandeur that has continued for several Ages but these are subject to many casualties for when the Reigning Family expires they are generally put to Death because they are very powerful in the Country and give a jealous suspition so that new upstarts are put in their Room which renders those more safe who acquire this Honour by the Gown or Military Employments because that Honour is recalled at pleasure and the Grand Child seldom enjoys that or their Estate There is but one of the Ancient Familes now remaining that I could here of viz. that of the Famous Confucius who was Born under the third Imperial Family called Cheu 551 Years before the Birth of Christ and this Family has great Priviledges above others as to be exempted from Taxes and Tribute in the Provinces they Inhabit They give a Title of Honour of a lower Degree to their learned Men and Philosophers are in great Veneration amongst them and to some of them they have given the Epethite of Saint and give the same Veneration to their Memory as to their Pagods though they take it as an affront to be taxed with it for they call them Kings without Command by which imploy they were worthy of Crowns for their Learning Virtue and Wisdom but desteny prevented them Confucius a Learned Man among the Chineses who though long since Dead is admired and adored amongst them He modeled their Law or Rule to be observed into nine Maxims which he called Chumâ—yum or the Golden Mediocrity wherein he lays down that a good Prince ought to have 9 Qualities or Virtues 1. To Govern himself well that he may show a good Example to those he Rules over 2. To Honour and Cherish Learning and learned Men and to encourage Virtue frequently to consult and converse with the Learned on the Affairs of the Kingdom 3. To Love and highly respect his Kindred the Princes of the Blood and to grant them the Favours and Rewards they merit 4. To be Courteous and Respectful to the Nobility in general and give them their due deserts To incorporate himself in a Friendly and Amicable manner with all his Subjects to equalize his Heart with theirs and to regard and esteem them as his own proper substance and Person 6. To Love his People with a true Affection unmixed with Distimulation to rejoyce at their Prosperity and be afflicted at their Misfortunes 7. To invite to his Court and encourage Artists for the quick dispatch of publick and private business 8. To Treat carefully and with all civility Embassadors sent from Foreign Princes that they may see in Words and Deeds the effects of a Princely and Generous Mind 9. To Cherish and Embrace all that he may engage them to him to be the Bulwarks and Fortresses of his Kingdom And these Rules well practised may serve other Kings to render them great and happy The King has a
Privy or Supream Council of the Learned Mandarins in his Pallace who are called his Council of State which is the most Honourable Dignity in the Kingdom these consult and transact all the weighty Affairs and these have several Magnificent Halls in the Pallace wherein they meet to consult according to their Degrees and when he advances any one to this Dignity he adds to his Name the Name of one of these Halls Besides these there are 11 other Tribunals of Mandarins 6 for Ecclesiastical and Civil and 5 for Military Affairs The first of these are called Lo-pu and the last V-fu and these are of ancient Institution the Chineses dating it 2000 Years before the Birth of Christ and to these Tribunals People repair for the determining their Affairs and for Redress besides they dispose of Offices and Trusts and confirm Honour and Dignities Their Power is great for they have a jurisdiction almost over all that belongs to the Court and it is absolute over all the Provinces so that they are much feared and dreaded because they can place and displace at pleasure and examine into all Frauds and Abuses to the Crown and into Ecclesiastical matters They are fearful of doing any injustice by reason there is a Mandarin in the nature of a Controller or Overseer to every Tribunal who examins publickly or privately all that is done and if he finds any injustice or disorder he is bound to make the King acquainted with it he is called Coli so that seldom any Corruptness or Partiality is found amongst them and if it be the Offender is severely punished There are some other dependent Tribunals in Pekim and to every one of the Provinces there belongs a Supream Tribunal which has the oversight of inferiour Courts so that business is managed and dispatched with little difficulty They have made prodigeous Works in this Country to secure the Rivers within their bounds yet notwithstanding sometimes encreased by the violent Rains they break out to the destruction of vast numbers of People Cattle and Houses as it happened in the Year 1668 after violent Rains which almost destroyed the new City of Pekim and they had much ado to secure the Flood from overturning the Walls of the old City and in this Deluge which was accompanied by an Earthquake for it had a long time before been a very dry Season near a Million of People perished and though many got upon Trees Hills and Out Houses they were there starved for the most part for want of Boats to fetch them off and the rapid Flood tumbling Rocks along with it broke down two Arches of the Famous Bridge which is about a Furlong over This Bridge is the most beautiful in China but not the largest the River overflowing is called Hoen Ho or the Muddy River because the rapidness of its Stream carries with it a great quantity of Earth tore from the Banks and Windings which renders it muddy all the Year but it is little Navigable by reason of the many Cataracts or Falls in it yet for bringing vast Stores to Pekim from the Southern Provinces a Canal is opened 3500 Chinese Furlongs through several Provinces accommodated with 72 Sluces every one having large Folding-Gates and these are only open in the day time some of them being very difficult to pass with Barks of great Burthen because the Falls are great but they are drawn up against the Stream by the strength of 4 or 500 Men and let down in the like manner with many Ropes fastned to them to prevent setting on the Piles or plunging and they are guided by long Poles with Iron Heads at the end The Chanel begins at Tum Cheu about 2 Leagues and an half from Pekim where there is a River with the Currant of which Vessels drive till near the Sea and then it falls into another through which Vessels Sail till they come to the Chanel and Sailing about 25 Leagues a Temple presents it self called Fuen Hui Miao or The Temple of the Spirit that divides the Water hither they Row against the Stream but when they come at the Temple they Row with the Stream for on the East-side about half a days Journey is a large Lake between high Mountains this Water swells a great River that bent its course towards the Sea on the East but they stopped up the out-let and with prodigious labour cutting through the Mountain opened a Canal by which they brought the Water to the Temple in that part they hollowed 2 other Canals one towards the South and another towards the North with so true a proportion and regular Line that the Waters coming to the middle before the Temple take leave of each other one running to the North and the other to the South in one and the same Canal which is very admirable and discharges it self into a large rapid River called the Yellow River the Water being so coloured by the yellow Earth on the Banks and Gold coloured Sand and Slime at the bottom upon this River they Sail 2 Days and then entering another Pass to another Canal running towards the City of Hoaingan and running by and through many Cities comes to Yamcheu The vast Wall of China that excludes the Tartars is no less to be looked on as a work of Wonder it runs from East to West and in length 405 Portuguese Leagues making 33 Degrees 10 Minutes reaching from the City of Cai yean Seated in the extreamity of the Country called Leao Tum to that of Canso or Can cheu Seated on the borders of the Province of Xensi in a streight Line for should the turnings and windings in the Mountains be reckon'd it would make much more it is guarded by 1327 Towers and Fortresses the Wall is 2 Fathom thick and 4 in heighth built mostly of Stone though in some places Brick appears where it is supposed to be mended or altered so that were it vigilently guarded and no Treachery which too often happens by the Captains of the Watches being bribed with part of the Plunder the Tartars would be too feeble to surmount it for upon this Wall and Frontier only there are 90254 Men kept in Arms and Pay and those that keep the Watch-Towers give the Signal of the Enemies approach by a Flag in the day time and in the Night by Fire These are but part of the King's Forces for the Auxiliaries that lie ready to march to their assistance are in a manner innumerable for the Horse only amount to 989167 and the Foot are many more their Pay yearly amounting to 5034714 Livres though they in some sort maintain themselves by their Industry and no doubt as great if not a greater number guard on the other Borders so that there are several Millions in Pay for in the Kingdom there are 2357 Fortified Places beside a great many that are Garrisoned upon almost inaccessible Mountains and Rocks that being strong by nature have no Walls In the 15 Provinces there are 332 Famous Bridges 2096
Mountains famous for their being cut into the shapes of Monsterous Idols for their Fountains Minerals or Fruits their Waters such as are Lakes full of Fish hot Fountains wonderfully Medicinal large Navigable Rivers and Streams are 1472. There are 1099 pieces of Antiquity to be seen as Statues Paintings and curious Vessels 1159 Towers and Triumphal Arches erected at Sundry times to the Memories of those that were renowned in War Learning or Virtuous Actions 272 Publick Libraries stored with variety of Books many of them covered with Gold and Silver Plate adorned with precious Stones There are yet remaining entire 709 Temples which the Chineses have Erected at several times to the Memory of their Ancestors of curious Architecture large and beautiful and the Names of those to whose Memory they were Erected affixed on Pillars and in these the several Families of the deceased Assemble at a prefixed Day and prostrate themselves on the Ground in token of Love and Veneration then they burn Incense and afterwards make a splendid Feast at several Tables richly set forth They account 480 Temples of Idols exceeding Rich and Magnificent beside many of lesser Note attending on these are 300000 Bouzes a kind of a Religious Order amongst them some Married and others not permitted besides a great number that Travel up and down called Licentiates having their Licenses to Authorize them from the Tribunal of the Ceremonies Their Mausoleums or Tombs are very stately to the number of 680 besides many of lesser Note but they Bury their Dead after they have kept them as long as they please without the Cities according to the manner of the Eastern Countries their Coffins are very Rich so that one of them sometimes costs 1000 Crowns The Catacombs of the Grandees are stately Arched Vaults in Mountains or Plains over which when the Body is in they raise a little Mount planting Fragrant Trees in good order on it Before this they Erect a large Altar of white pollished Marble or Alleblaster fixing Candlesticks one upon it and one on each side They Place Statues or Figures in Rows representing a History of the deceased's Actions and are very curious Artists in resembling Passions of Grief Joy Fear c. to the Life The Chineses reckon 3036 Men Famous for their Virtues and Valour Two hundred and eight Virgins and Widows Renowned for Piety Chastety c. whose Memories are Celebrated in their Stories and Poesies they are also honoured with Titles Temples Inscriptions and Triumphal Arches There are in this Kingdom 32 Princes or petty King's Pallaces resembling that of the King 's but much less The Cities are Govern'd by Mandarins as I before hinted and when any one gets the King's Letter to the Tribunal to be admitted the Names of the Cities are Written on thin Boards which are cast into a Vessel and on their Knees they draw and he whose Name comes up is allotted the Government of that City yet there is jugling in this for the Tables are so where Money is given that they seldom fail of a rich City though it is but for a set time viz. 3 Years least they should corrupt Justice or gain on the Affection of the People to raise Rebellion however they are Reverenc'd like petty Kings and abundance of Royal Hosteries are built in Cities and on the Roads to entertain them in their Travels at the King's Charge where every thing is in a Magnificent readiness when they know there is a Mandarin on the Road There is also places for the Entertainment of the Curriers and to furnish them with fresh Horses The Mountains yield Gold and Silver and therefore the Country is stored with Treasure though Gold indeed is more a Merchandize than a Coin amongst them the presents therefore that they make are excessive as 10 20 or 30000 Crowns at a time The King eats in Gold Plate and all his Nobles and those that are invited at a vast number of Tables in Silver and Porcelain so that the Furniture at a great Feast amounts to 5 or 6 Millions for there are Cups set with Diamonds and other Stones of vast value some are entire Stones very Rich and the Noble imitate the Court as far as their Ability will allow them they being very Rich for they usually get in their 3 Years Government as Viceroys of Provinces or Mandarins of Cities a Million of Crowns and those that are of the Council of State called Calaos or the upper Tribunals much more by Bribery for though they protest against it and there are severe Laws in this Case no Office passes the Seal without a considerable sum of Money underhand There is in this Kingdom vast quantities of Copper Tin Iron and other useful Metals of which they make great Guns Idols Statues Dishes Cups and other Things their Workmanship is very fine of Copper and Tin they make vast quantities of Money with little holes in the middle to string the pieces and so they pass as ready told in 500 or 1000 on a String and 1000 of their Deniers is given for a Chinese Tuel or Crown Their Exchange is made in Bank or places appointed for that end on one side this Money is the Name of the Reigning Prince and on the other that of the Tribunal that caused it to be Coined Their Gold and Silver is not properly to be called a Coin as being only cast into Ingots like Boats of different weights and value some of those of Gold are vallued at 20 Crowns and those of Silver at half a Crown and some more When they bury their Dead they burn a great many gilded Ingots which they call Loans of Gold and Silver vainly fancying the Ashes turns to Copper in the other World and serves their Friends to purchase Houses Horses and Provision likewise to bribe the evil Spirits that they should not injure them and that so the good Spirits may be Fee'd to hasten their Transmigration suffering their Souls to enter into Men and not into Beasts There is abundance of curious white Silk and Wax in China and by reason of the vast Silk Manufactures made all over the Kingdom the Ancients stiled it the Silken Kingdom so that many Vessels and Caravans are loaded with it for other Countries Most of the Men nay the very Lackeys and the Women all of them wear Silk and the richer sort have it Embroidered with Gold Silver Pearl and other Ornaments The fine Wax peculiar to China is not made by Bees but a little Fly as big as a Flea lays an Egg that breeds a Worm which piercing the Wax Trees to the Pith it issues out and hangs upon the Branches like drops of Dew and by the Sun and Wind is hardened and whitened in such quantities that it serves the Court the Nobility and Temples to make fine transparent Tapers Furs are in this Kingdom in vast quantities and almost every one wears a finer or coarser sort of them as they are able for the Linning of their Garments Seats
Feastings on their Dead There are a great many strong Stags and Harts I saw in my Passage which they use to Ride carry Burthens and draw their Waggons or Sledges Mulbury-Trees grow in some places along the Roads especially bordering on China which are laden in their proper Seasons with Silk-worms that produce much Silk but they little regard it it being mostly gathered by the Banians who live scattered among them who send it to Persia and other Countries and have rich Merchandize in return for here the coldness of the Country obliges them mostly to habit themselves in Furs and thick course Cloathings They trade much in White and Black Fox Sables Hart and Fawn Skins they have vast Forrests of Black Wood wherein many huge Bears lurk to surprize Travellers which made us keep close together when we passed such places and have our Eyes about us as well as our Fire-arms in readiness and so keeping the Road though not without many turnings and ruged ways when we had passed Samark and it brought us to Bockar where I staid some time to refresh me for I had been ill of a Flux by the way which still held me so that I took no great pleasure to make any curious remarks here and had I done it as I was informed there is nothing worthy of Note in the Town the Houses being plain and low Built the Streets crooked and no Antiquities memorable Here the Moscovites and Yousbecs Tartar are driving a considerable Trade together in Furs and other Commodities Having here pretty well recovered by the assistance of a German Physician I found in this place I thought a convenient opportunity to pass to Astrakan which in a few days I had passing part of the way in Sledges drawn by Harts that run with them very swiftly and an other part by taking Horse there being a kind of a little Caravan made up by the meeting of divers Travellers The Muscovites use Sledges that in the Winter they slide swiftly over the Snow and Frozen Rivers having Beds in them and covered over with Tilts like Waggons so that they are a warm Convenience notwithstanding in Winter Travellers have been Frozen to Death in them Astrakan is Seated on the Great and Famous River Volga which at 70 Mouths or Channels discharges its Water into the Caspian Sea and so forcibly that it keeps it stream unmixed with the Salt-water for many Leagues In this River the Muscovites have a great Fishery for Sturgeon which they catch in abundance very large so that the Eggs sometimes found in one of them may weigh 100 Weight As for the Flesh they pickle up and send it into divers parts of Europe some they press to make Oyl and the Eggs they salt to make Ragous to serve them instead of Butter which in Lent is denied them and this is the Cavere so much used in many Countries In the Summer there are so many Muskela's or Sting Gnats about this River that Passengers are miserably Stung and Blistered by them though they wrap themselves up and defend them all they can We were forced to stay before this City till we obtained leave of the Governor for admittance which after a little attendance was granted It is Seated in 48 Degrees North Latitude in an Island of the Volga 13 Leagues from the Mouth of the River and appartains to the Great Czar of Muscovy It is encompassed with a double Wall without any other Fortification except some few Towers half Musket Shot one from an other The Great Guns planted there are fine pieces and about 80 in number it stands low on gravelly Ground so that the heat is excessive in Summer and the People are constrained to Bath themselves in cool Water in Troffs placed in Vaults yet the Soil produces good Fruit of sundry kinds they have store of excellent Mellions especially the Karpous or Water Mellions their Rhinds Green but of a Rosey Red within of a pleasant tast cooling and delicate to quench Thirst There are divers sorts of Grapes of which they make a kind of pleasant Wine but it soon Sowers All this while no private Person dares touch a Grape till the Governour has made choice of them and other Fruits for the Czar's Table There are divers Nations inhabiting here drawn by the Convenieney of Trade and the sweetness of the Air. The Armenians entirely possess one Suburb and the Nogais Tartars an other which resemble a City being Fortified with Wooden Ramports and the Deputy Governour Commands there within the Enclosure stands a pretty convenient Mosque but the Houses for the most part are made of Bull-rushes of which there are about 2000. They keep a Market in the Morning in their Quarter and the Mascovites keep theirs in the Evening in the middle of their City yet this City is often insulted by the Calmuc Tartars which constrains the Inhabitants for their better Repose to send them Presents which the Tartars call a Tribute of Bread Fish Flesh and other Provisions and they drive a Trade with them for Furs and Horses of which they bring great plenty besides the Muscovites are many times obliged to them for their assisting them with Men in the time of their Wars CHAP. XX. Travels in Muscovy and Observations of what is worthy of Note as to the Towns Rivers Mountains Commodities Heats and Colds Laws Religion Manners and Customs of the People c. and from thence through Poland and Germany into Holland HAving a desire to see Muscovy and particularly Moscow the chief City I made it my business to find an opportunity to leave Astrakan and pass thither As for this vast Country it is bounded on the West with Lithuania and Livonia on the East with Tartary on the North with the Frozen Ocean on the South with the Caspian Sea the Ottoman Empire and Paulus Maeotis It is branched with many large Navigable Rivers as the Tanais Borhistenes Volga c. It is divided into 9 Provinces viz. Novog Radia Valademira Plescovia Rhesen Servia Parmia Condoria Petrosa and Muscovy though from this last the whole Track takes its Denomination Towards the Southern parts it is pretty plentiful of many things of Value yielding Corn Cattle Furs Flax Hemp Wax Honey c. but the Northern parts lye very cold the Earth being so long covered with Snow that the Ground is chilled and produces not its Fruits kindly yet Furs are gotten off of White Black and Red Foxes Grey and Red Squrrils Minever Ermins Wolverin or wild Dogs The Woods which are generally Fur and Birch abound in Ravenous Creatures particularly Wolves and Bears which in the extremity of Weather pinched by Cold and Hunger comes in great Clusters to the Villages near the Forrest and puts the Inhabitants to flight many times killing and devouring them and their Cattle so that at such times by way of prevention they are forced to be on their Guard But as to these and other matters of the like nature I shall take them in course as
Pears Cherries black and red Hurtle Berries Apples Rasps Strawberries and other delicate Fruits for so the Almighty Wisdom has ordained it that when the time of Thaw comes which is usually the end of March the Snow being cleared off the Ground after that becoming dry in 14 days Flowers and all other products of the Earth sprout out and flourish incredibly the Woods show a pleasing Green and the Birds every where warble Mellodiously especially Nightingals who Sing more distinct and clear than any where else The Storks busy themselves in Building in ruined Edifices Hawks of all kinds in the Rocks and Sea-shoar-cliffs Eagles in the rockey Mountains more Northernly the Hare in Winter is White sheds her Coat and becomes the colour of ours The Lakes and Rivers are stocked with Swans and variety of other Water Fowl so that the face of things seem admirably changed and the Country is so pleasant that those who should see it in Winter how Dismal and in a manner Desolate it appears and knows no more would conclude it impossible or take it for quite an other Climate Therefore I took my opportunity of Travelling here whilst it was seasonable for the dreadful Stories I heard of Winter made me sometimes allmost fancy I had an Ague in my Bones at the Relation of them but the Muscovites are hardy answerable in a good degree to the Climate and are more patient of Cold and Hunger than others by which means they have the advantage of their Enemies in firing them out by Winter Camps and other Fateigues For a Russ Soldier told me he had often made his Bed in the Snow without any Tent only hanging up his Mantle against that part from whence the Weather drove and turning his back to the Wind his Drink being the cold Stream with a little Oat-meal dusted into it and the Forage for his Horse consisted in that Season of Twigs and Bark of Trees and yet performed well the service undertaken others to harden and inure themselves to the Cold the better go abroad Hunting the Beasts that bare the Furs have come sweating out of their Bath Stoves in the ridged Season and leaped Naked into a River where the Ice has been broken and it is a remedy among them against the Numbness of their Limbs occasioned by cutting Winds to rowl themselves in Snow yet for all this there are many tender among them that cannot endure these hardships The Women are much confined at Home and very Obliging and Obedient to their Husbands yet so much Heat as they endure being closed up in Winter tending their Fires makes them but of a bad Complexion yet they mend their Faces by their Husbands allowance with a Red and White Paint but easily discernable yet being the Fashion is not minded and especially among the Vulgar If a Man sometimes beats not his Wife she will be Sullen and fancy he loves her not and they have a Custom when they first pretend Courtship among other Presents to send a Whip to show the Woman what she has to trust to if she prove Disobedient and this they take more kindly than the rest but I find these matters though proper to be known yet some digression from Travels have drawn me to launch too far this way therefore now I come something more home to the purpose The next chief City of Moscovy is Novogrod pleasantly Seated and a place of considerable Trade the Building mostly of Wood as generally the Building is in all this Country the Streets in many places not paved but planked with Furr jointed and laid in so that it shoots the Water off commodiously it is the head of a Province or Shire where the Court of Justice do determine matters is held by a Duke and Dyack the Latter acting in the nature of a Secretary and these Courts are held in all chief Cities but an Appeal lays from them to the Office of the four Chetfrids at Moscow who are chief Judges of the four Quarters or Divisions of the whole Country of Muscovy each holding an Office for his District or Quarter and all the Shires or Provinces apply themselves to the Office of that Lord of the Chetfrid they are under then the matter is laid before the Czar's Council and what they Determine is sent back to be put in Execution Vologda is an other principal City seated on a River of that Name where is a great Trade for Furs Hides Tallow Corn and other Merchandize bringing in a considerable Revenue in Customs and other Taxes to the Prince who has a part in this an other places for almost every thing that is sold so that his Incoms are very great accounted no less than 13 Millions of Rubbles a Year and a Rubble is reckoned according to Exchange a Mark English Voldomir is an other City of considerable Trade and gives name to a Province it is built very regular and pretty well Fortified and is watered by a considerable Stream at leastways very near it But besides Moscow the Towns or Cities of chief strength are Vobsko and Smolensko Cazan and Astrakan lying on the Borders and defending the Country against the Inroads or Incursions of the Tartars Jaruslave an other fair City for its commodious Scituation on a high Bank of the Volga is in great Esteem The Country about it is exceeding Fruitful in Corn-pasture Fruit-trees and has a great Fishery on the River In this City they say dwelt the Russ Prince Vlademia Sir-named Jaruslave who at the Mediation of Sneno the Dane married the Daughter of our King Harold Perislave is a considerable City commodiously built on the Banks of a great Lake yielding in it abundance of Fish and enriching it by Trade from such Towns as border on that Lake or the Rivers that fall into it Rostove may be numbered among the rest for here is a great Trade for Furs and other Commodities bought up to disperse into other parts of Europe and Merchants come hither as far as Persia some say from China beyond the great Wall built to exclude the roving Tartars of which I have already spoke of There are a great number of other Towns the Country being mostly to the Southern parts full of them but not so considerable as these I have named for the Houses are of Wood most without any Lime or Stone built very close and warm with Fur-trees plained and piled over one another fastned together with Notches or Dents at every Corner and between the Timber for warmness they stuff in Moss and the Houses have Stairs leading out of the Yard into the Chamber and this manner of Building seems more agreeable to the Country than any other as being far warmer than Stone or Brick in the extremity of Winter and in Summer the Moss being pulled out of the Chinks le ts in the cool breathing Air to refresh them and of this Timber they have such plenty that for a small matter a House may be Built with many Appendages or Conveniences
thither brought us plenty of Sweet-meats Diet-bread and Chocolet having before placed Tables and Benches for the purpose and the Indians particularly Assembled about us in great numbers welcoming us into the Country This place is but of indifferent Building and not of any considerable Trade for want of a good Harbour the Buildings are of Wood and here I observe the Friars have a great Command over the people for what they order them they immediately do rendring to them profound Honours and Respects Having refreshed our selves here we gave the people Thanks for their Civility and so took leave reaching a little before Night a small Indian Town where we Lodged and found very good Entertainment of Turkeys Hens Capons and Fruits The next Town of Note we came to was Xalappadela Vera Crux Consisting of about 2000 Inhabitants Spaniards and Indians This Town is a Bishop's See standing in a Fruitful Soil yielding store of Indian Wheat called Maize and some Spanish Wheat it is encompassed with Indian Villages Farms of Sugar Cochinil and Pastures that breed a great many Mules and other Cattel in the Town there is a large Church and Chappel both belonging to a Cloyster of Franciscan-Friars who live very loosely considering the Vows they make when they enter into that Order living Riotously and forgetting Chastity many of them living more like Gentlemen of great Estates than Men under the ridged severity of the Religious Order they profess The next place we Arrived at was Lu Rinconda which is only a kind of a Carevan-fair or Inn yet here we found store of Provision and particularly pleasant Spring-water which much refreshed us considering the Heat we endured for it being the beginning of September the Weather was exceeding sultry in this Valley the Countrey about it showed very Green and Pleasant Consisting of a great number of Farms producing Corn pasture and Fruits but Lodging here in the Night time we were terribly pestered with the Gnats that stung us intolerably so that when we rise we scarce knew each other though at Sun-Rising they go away in swarms and come not again till after Sun-Set we passed some Villages that Day and by Night reached a Town called Segura Inhabited by Spaniards and Indians to the number of 1000. Hernando Cartez Built this Town as a Frontier on the first progress of his Conquests in Mexico against the Cullicacans and Tepeacus who were Confederates with the Mexicans and much annoy'd the Spaniards in the beginning of their Enterprize taking 12 of them Sacrificing them to their Idol and then made a merry Feast of their Flesh for which Cortez assisted by the Claxcullan Indians took Tepeacus by force and brought them with all their Territories under subjection to Spain Condemning them to perpetual Slavery in Revenge for the Murther of his Spaniards and overcame likewise the Cullucacans destroying their Idols and forcing the chiefest of them to attend him as his Servants or Slaves here we found store of Plantains Sappotes and Chicosapotes which are Fruits of a pleasant taste very juicy and sweet also fair Clusters of Grapes so that here and in many other parts of the Countrey if Vineyards were allowed to be Planted they would produce as good Wine if not better than that of Spain but the Spainish Kings have prohibited it least it should hinder the Trade between the two Countries for indeed except Wine Spain affords them little but what they have among them or might reasonably be contented without Out of the Road to Mexico a little Westward stands the famous Town of the Tlaxcallans who making an Alliance with Cortez were faithful Friends to him in his Wars after they had tryed his strength helping him to atchieve those Victories which for a long time scarce could be credited in Europe for they perceiving their numerous Forces could not prevail against his handful of Spaniards concluded them to be Gods and consequently innumerable because neither of their two Arrows they carried on their Standard took Effect though shot in wounding many of them they having a Prophecy that when they missed the Victory would always go against them Upon which after many bloody Battles wherein they lost 40 or 50000 of their Men they submitted and became ever after constant friends to the Spaniards and utter Enemies to Monte Zuma then Emperor of Mexico and his Successor and by their assistance Cortez took that great City and many other places for which this Town had greater Priviledges allowed it than any other in Judea This Province of Tlaxcallan had then 28 Towns and Villages depending on it contâ—ining 150000 Families which are now mostly inhabited by Spaniards the Indians in this part being kept under and very poor having little other wealth than the Corn called Centli though in the Town of Tlaxcallan there are Artifficers of both Nations and the Indians out-do the Spaniards in making curious Earthen-ware working in Gold Silver Feathers and other Manufactures A little before one comes to this Town there is the Ruins of their Ancient Wall that stood as a Boundard and Strangers were forbidden to pass it on pain of being Sacrificed in their Temples to the Idols of which they had great Numbers and for no other fault Cortez's Men underwent this Fate Tlaxcallan is pleasantly seated there is still a great Market kept in it where sometimes 5 or 10000 People assembled It has several Churches and Chaples in it and Cloisters of Tarians who grow rich out of the labour of the poor Indians some being imployed to fetch them Wood Water and to Fish for them being paid at the publick charge of the rest The two Streets of Ocotelulco and Fizatian are very fair and the best inhabited of any other the Town is not fortified as indeed few in the Spanish Indies are except the Sea-ports that are apt to be insulted by the Buckaniers the building is low and very indifferent it is a Seat of the chief Officers of Justice sent from Spain every three Years who is called the Alcalde Major whose power extends to all the Towns within 20 Leagues circumference The Indians likewise have among themselves Alcaldes Regidores and Alguaziles superiour and inferiour Officers of Justice appointed yearly by the Alcalde Major who keep them in awe fleecing them at their pleasure and exacting their service without any satisfaction Keeping on one way we came to a City called by the Spaniards la Puebla de les Angeles or the City of Angels I visited this City during my stay and found it very Rich being pestered with Cloisters and Monasteries which is a sign of Wealth for in poor Towns they rarely settle It is seated in a low and pleasant Valley about 3 Leagues from a very steep Mountain always covered with Snow though the Heat in the Valley is very great it was first Built and Inhabited in the Year 1530. being 20 Leagues from Mexico it is a Bishop's Sea and his Revenue is yearly about 20000 Duccats the Inhabitants are accounted
though their Garments are very Rich yet they overlay them with Gold Silver-Lace or Embroidery of Gold and Silver and these sort of Wenches are allowed or wincked at to be Curtizans or Common Women to satisfie the Spaniniards Venery to which they are insatiably given and they have allways change of Apparel especially for Summer and Winter though the Winter here consists only in terrible Rains and the overflowing of Lakes and Rivers with innundations occasioning many times the Destruction of Houses People and Cattel and continues some Months They are here very Superstitious both Spaniards and Indians for at the invitation of the Priests they make excessive Offerings to the Shrines of Saints as Crowns of Gold Bracelets Precious Stones Vessels of Silver and Gold so that the Monasteries and Churches may well be said to enjoy the Profits and Pleasures of a Golden World for their Revenues or yearly Incomes are more than in any part of Europe nor do these Ecclesiasticks tie themselves to the strictness of the Rules of their Orders but pass away the time in divers Recreations They have pleasant Gardens Fountains Baths Musick and plenty of Provision to Excess so that this exuberiance or super abounding of this Country has corrupted the Manners of the begging Friars and rendred them as stately as petty Princes particularly their Superiors who scarcely give place to any Their Lodgings are stately and the Roofs of their Cloysters and Churches adorned with Mosaick Work and Guildings of Gold some Altars are of Massive Gold others of Silver Pillars of Brazil and Marble of little esteem among them and this Glorious shew of Pomp and Grandure draws the poor Indians to Admire and Adore them though before their Heathen Temples were very Magnificent but not comparable to these They have Tabernacles of Gold and Silver Christial and other precious things to enshrine and carry the Host about in Procession so that I may well say the Riches of the greatest King or Potentate I have yet spoken of may in some degree of Magnificence fall short of what I saw here if I take the Clergy among the Laity In the Market-Place of this City which is very Spacious there are Arched Piazza's and Shops furnished with Costly Wares and before their Shops are all manner of curious Fruits Sold that the Country affords the Arches of the Vice-Roy's Palace with the Walks of the House and the Garden belonging to it takes up almost one side of the Market at the end of it is the principal Prison strongly Built of Stone and next it the Beautiful Street called La Pateria or the Goldsmiths-street where are to be seen the value of many Millions in Plate and Jewels The Street of St. Augustin is very fair where they Trade mostly in Silks Tabuca is the longest and broadest where mostly are Shops vending Iron-ware Brass and Steel made into things fit for use and Service and this is of very stately Building In the Street Del Aquilla the Houses of the Gentry are mostly seated It is called so from an Eagle of Stone placed there upon the Conquest of the City There is a kind of a Park or void place shaded with Trees where the Gallants and Ladies with their Trains and Equipages air themselves in the Evening and here much mischief is done by quarels upon the account of Jealousie in Courtship and hundreds of Swords at a time have been drawn to Revenge or rescue a Revenger and carry him off to Sanctuary where being once Lodged he is out of the power of the Law yet after all the Lake at present much undermines the City for that the Springs permit but of few Cellars in laying in Dead Bodies the Coffins are half covered with Water and many of the stately Buildings sink so that they are forced often to repair their Foundations by laying new ones on the old that seem as it were to be swallowed up in a quick-sand This City has but 3 ways to come into it by Causey the one is from the West and that is a Mile and half long another from the North containing 3 Miles on the East there is no entrance by Land but on the South the Causey is 5 Miles in length and by this last way Cortez entred when he made his Conquest of it About this City as well as in other places are divers kinds of delicate Fruits as the Nuchili of divers Colours a Fruit which eaten stains like Black-Cherries and colours the Urine as red as Blood so that Strangers unacquainted with its quality really fancy they void Blood this put the Spaniards into great frights at their first coming and their Physicians being ignorant of the Operation applied Remedies to stanch Blood till the Indians gave them to understand better the skin of them are thick and full of small prickles which touching the Lips stick in them and make them for a time stick together so that the Voice will faulter but this skin is easily pealed off and then the Fruit appears of a Scarlet Red. There are also Apples Pears Quinces Pomegranets Musk-mellions Chess-Nuts Wall-Nuts Figs Lemons Oranges Citron and abundance of other Fruits known in Europe But one Tree more Admirable than the rest not known amongst us the Metel which they Plant and dress as they do their Vines It hath near 40 kinds of Leaves growing on it which serve for divers uses for when very tender they make Conserves of them when more grown Paper Flax Mantles Shoes Mats Girdles and Cordage on other Leaves grow Prickles so strong that placing them in Frames of Wood they make saws of them from the Root there cometh a Juice like unto Syrrup which by heat is made into Sugar they make of it also Vinegar and a sort of Wine that stupifies the Indians to Drunkenness The Rhin'd roasted heals Sores and Ulcers applying Poltisces to them and from the uppermost Branches distills a Gum which dissolved in Wine Antidotes Poyson And to conclude with this City there is nothing in or about it wanting to make it happy but the Temper of the people who are restless in a Countrey flowing with all Delights Nature or Art can afford them in any degree CHAP. XXIV Travels into divers other parts of the Mexican Province describing the particulars that are Curious and worthy of Note As also in the Peruanian Province as well Islands as Continent and all that is Rare and Remarkably found in America HAving thus Travelled to Mexico and described it as particularly as Prospect and Enquiry could inform me I now undertake briefly to do the like of the Country of Americas as far as it is yet known to the Europeans or Indians I conversed with those parts The chief Division therefore of this great part of the World is two fold viz. the Mexicanian and Peruanian Provinces Mexico gives name to the greater half of America and is called Nova Hispania or New Spain from whence the Kings of Spain Style themselves Hisaniour Reges The Mexican Track
so wicked as to act such Villany This Country gives a pleasant prospect and abounds in all things necessary for human support here grows the famous Tree so much Written of which if a man touch but one of the Branches with his Finger it presently whither 's There are great Flocks of Parrots as of Crows or Pigeons in England also Turkeys Quailes Rabbits The Spanish Cities here have a Bishop's See and Granada standing on a Lake of fresh Water about 300 miles in compass which continually Ebbs and Flows though it has no intercourse with the Ocean And thus much having thought fit to speak of the Mexicon Provinces and the Dominion of Spain wherein I mostly Travelled I now come to speak in their Order of the Peruanian parts for richness in Gold and other Mettals This principally contains 5 large Countries as I have already hinted This Southern part of India is held to be Richer than the Northern for although it wants the conveniency of Traffick by the Northern Sea which the other has and is therefore obliged to send its Commodities to Pannama and from thence have them Transported over the Streight or Isthmus by the River Chiagree to Portabel upon the North-Sea yet the great store of Gold Silver and other Mettal make richly amends for their pains and Travel and such store is found that a Prohibition or Injunction is laid by the Court of Spain not to open new Mines till the old ones are sufficiently wrought the huge Mountains of Potosi are thought to consist mostly of Gold-oar and here grow all such Fruits as are found in Spain beside many others natural to the Country the Olives are larger than those of Spaia the Oyl sweeter and clearer the Grapes yield Wine stronger than Spanish Wine and here they have more Liberty than in Mexico to make it because it cannot be so well brought from Spain they have store of Wheat and other Grain the Soil all lying under the high Mineral Mountains being very Fruitful the Water that descends fatning the Valleys for there is but little Rain and the Evening and Morning Dews give great refreshment The Vice-Roy has his Residence in the City of Lima a place much subject to Earthquakes and of late has been terribly shaken and almost destroyed by 'em there is held a Court of Chancery and it is an Arch-Bishop's See It is well fortified since the Bucaniers have made so many Depradations and Pyracies on the Coast two Miles from it is a convenient Harbour or Port called Callau where the Ships lie that convey the Treasure to Panama and other Ships that Trade to divers parts and beside Casteella Aura or Golden Casteel Chille is very Rich in Golden Mines which has caused an obstinate War between the Spaniards and Indians that Inhabit it who are very hardy and dextrous at Fire-Arms most part of them being the Sons of Spanish Women by Indians so that a great many of the best Soldiers out of the Neatherlands and Italy have been sent thither under an Experienced Captain who has the Command as a Recompence for his Service in Europe The Spaniards by their Wars have got strong footing and are possessed of 3 principal Cities beside many Towns of Note as the Conception which is a Bishop's See Santjago and Valdivia this latter took its Name from a Governor so called whose thirst of Gold through Covetousness to grow Rich on a sudden in using great Oppression made the Indians of Chille break out into a Bloody War and surprizing him in his House poured melted Gold down his Throat saying Since he had so eargerly coveted it he should have his fill of it and so much of it as should last him all his Life-time and accordingly it did for the scalding Mettal presently killed him but the War ended not with his Death but has at times continued ever since As for Guiana and Brasil the latter belonging to the Crown of Portugal and States of Holland by reason of their remoatness I had not an opportunity to Travel there and since I can speak little of them than what I have from Report viz. that they are Rich and Flourishing Provinces I shall pass them over and return again to Castella Aure in the Southern or Peruanian Track This containeth the North part of Peru and part of the Isthmus that runneth between the North and South-Sea and beside the Gold in it it is plentifully stored with Silver Pearl Spices Medicinal Herbs and Drugs it is divided into 4 Provinces the first is called Castella del oro the second Nova Andaluzia the third Nova Granada the fourth Carthagena Castella del oro is Situate in the very Isthmus and not over peopled by reason of the unhealthful Air occasioned by the noysom Vapours arising from large standing Lakes or Pools the chief places here belonging to the Spaniards are Theomimay or Nombre de Dias on the East the second which lies 6 Leagues from Nombre de Dios is Portabel chiefly Inhabited by Spaniards Mulottos and Blackamoors this latter has a very fair and goodly Haven from whence it seems to derive its Name well fortified at the Entrance with 3 Castles where the Guns reach and Command one another in these places Drake braved the Spaniards and did Exploits worthy the Fame of his Countrey Nombre de Dios so called by Didacus Niquesa who after many crosses at Sea first Landed here Founding this and Portobel is now in a manner forsaken by reason of the little Commodiousness or Security of the Harbour lying open to the insults of Pyrates and more for the unhealthfulness of the Air coming off the Sea and some Lakes near it so that it was once removed by an Order from the Court of Spain in hopes that the Air might become more healthful in placing it some little distance from the Sea but it little availed In this part of the Indies it was that our Valiant tho' Unfortunate Country-Man John Oxenham Arriving with about 60 Companions drew ashore his Ship covered it with Boughs and passing over Land cut down Timber in the Woods of which he made a Pinnace and Navigating the South-Sea took several Spanish Prizes richly Laden with Gold and Silver and safely recovered the main Land but there by the Mutiny of his Company about sharing the Booty all miscarried for they gave the Spaniards time to set upon and cut several of them off among whom he fell Courageously Fighting and so the Riches to the Value of a Million of Duccats which might have plentifully satisfied them all was lost by their division among themselves Nova Andeluza has for its principal City Tocoio by the Spaniards new Named St. Margrets and an other little inferiour to it called St. Espiritu both Rich in Trade and the Country throughout gives a good Prospect of Plenty and Pleasure Nova Granada is Situate on the South-side of Carthagena It contains 6 principal Cities viz. Tungua supposed to be directly under the Aequator Tochamum Popaian a
very Rich Trading City Sta fee or St. Faiths an Arch-Bishop's See and a Court of Justice and Chancery Governed by a President 6 Judges the King's Attorney and two High Justices of Court who have allowed them out of the King's Treasury 6000 Duccats a Year Palama and Merida and through this Country of Granada lieth the Road way to Lima all by Land It is strong by reason of its Situation much among stony Crags or Rocks which environ it and through which there are very narrow passages yet is it full of pleasant Valleys which yield much Fruit Corn and Indian Maize it affords Silver Mines and many Golden Sand Rivers Carthagena the last Province of Castella Aurea is of a very Fruitful Soyl but not without some evil quality for it produces a Tree that grasped by the Hand proves a rank Poyson and the party hardly escapes without loss of Life or Member the Chief City is Carthagena Surprized and Plundered by Drake Anno 1585. who beside a Rich Booty carried from thence 230 pieces of Ordinance It is now reasonably well Fortified tho' not so strong as Portobel the City is Fair and very Rich by reason of the great quantity of Pearl brought thither from Margarita and the King's Revenue which for all Nova Granada are sent to this place it is a Bishop's See and in it are many Stately Churches and Cloysters adorned with Riches to this City likewise comes yearly small Vessels Laden with Indico Cochinele and Sugar made and had in the Country of Guatemala the Spaniards thinking it safer to Ship their Goods in those little Vessels on the Lake of Granada in Nicaragua and from thence to send them hither to be Shipped in the Galeons that come from Portobel with the Treasure of Peru than to send them by Honduras in which way they have become a Prey to other Nations The City next in Rank is Abuida the next Sta Martha Inhabited by Spaniards who are very Rich it is Seated on the River Abuida otherwise named St. John and Rio di Grand Venezuel and New Cales in this Track are Towns of considerable Note Rich and Populous and these three Provinces viz. Andaluzia Nova Nova Grana and Carthagena the Spaniards term it their Terafirma for that from the North they are the strength of Peru and the basis of this Reverse Pyramis There are yet many Rich Islands under the Spanish Power as that of Margarita Situate in the Sea near Castella Aurea called the Jewel-Island from the great quantity of Pearl and Precious Stones found about it It is true it is but poor in Fruit-Trees Corn and Herbage having scarcely any upon it the Water is likewise scarce as is any thing good or pleasant so that the Inhabitants in the hot-seasons will exchange a Tun of Wine for as much curious Cool Spring-Water but the Jewels got there make large amends by greatly enriching the People so that there are many Rich Merchants who have 30 40 or 50 Blackamoor Slaves kept purposely to dive for Pearls and other Precious things These are let down in Baskets and feel about the Rocks and places where they suspect they are and will stay under Water a Quarter of an Hour and when their Breath begins to fail they give the Sign by pulling a Rope to those on the surface in their Boats to draw them up with such things as they have rifled the Ocean of and their Masters are obliged to Feast and make much of them least out of a sullen humour they should under Water be careless of so weighty a business where they cannot see them act nor give them directions for the Spaniards though they love the Profit are themselves averse to the fatigue and hazard in procuring it for many times these poor Divers are drawn up with a Leg or an Arm off and sometimes taken quite away by some devouring Sea-Monstrous Fish at other times when they Dive without a Basket or Rope they are sucked by the Water under the hollow caveties of the Rock whence they cannot with all their strugling disentangle themselves but there unavoidably perish From this Island the Pearls are sent to be dressed and bored at Carthagena where is a Fair Street of no other Shops than Pearl-dressers Commonly in the Month of June there is a Ship or two ready in this Island to carry the King's Revenue and Merchant's Pearls thither and one of their Cargoes is seldom valued at less than three or fourscore Thousand Duccats which sometimes falls into the Hands of Free-Booters Cuba is an other Island 300 Miles in length and 70 broad found out by Columbus in his second Navigation to these Coasts it is full of Woods Lakes Rivers and Mountains the Air Temperate the Soil very Fruitful It produces Brass of exact perfection and some Gold though not so fine as in other parts It abounds with Ginger Cassia Mastick Aloes some Cinnamon Canafistula Sarsaparilla and Sugar great store of Fish Fowls and other Flesh so that the ships on their return to Spain take in much Provision here The chief Cities are St. Jago on the Northern Shoar but James de Valasco is a Bishop's See Havana which is also seated on the Northern Shoar and is a very commodious Haven for Shiping so strongly Fortified that the Spaniards term it the Key of America to lock up the Door or Entrance here usually Rideth the King of Spain's Navy and in this Port meet all the Merchants Ships from several Ports and Havens in Islands or Continent and commonly in the Month of September joyn all the Treasure as I may say of America all the King of Spain's Revenues with as much more of Merchants Goods which is often worth 30 Millions It has two strong Castles one at the point of the Haven where the Enterance lies towards the Sea and the other on the other side within almost over against it and by reason the passage of the Entrance is so narrow that not above one great Ship at a time can sail in these Castles admirably defend it or may well do it against a strong Naval Force I took a view of these Castles and found them very strong and regular there are besides others 12 pieces of great Brass Ordinance called by the Names of the 12 Apostles yet the Dutch and other Nations have sometimes insulted them in the Mouth of this Haven and taken considerable Prizes within sight and reach of the Castle Guns and in the Year 1629. they took no less than 7 Millions most of it the King of Spain's Treasure going for Cales and from one Friar they took a Cabinet of Gold Chains Pearl and pretious Stones worth 40000 Duccats and forced the Galleons on shoar in a River near the Port which Miscarriage being laid to the charge of Don Juan de Guzman Y Torres the Admiral at his return to Spain he was Imprisoned and soon after lost his Head The next that presented was another Island much greater than any I have yet