passages formerly of my Countrey so exquisitely that I was astonished at their relations so agreeable with the trueth and times past The Parlament of Sicily hath a wonderfull great authority in so much that the Viceroy cannot have the free gift as they call it which is every third yeare nor no extraordinary thing nor the renewing of any matter concerning the common-wealth without the generall consent of the whole Kingdome The generall Counsell whereof is composed of three branches called by them the armes of the Kingdome viz. first the Prelats and inferiour Clergy men named the arme Ecclesiastick secondly of Barons called the arme Military and the third the Commissioners of Cities and Townes intitulated the arme Signioriall The Crowne-rent of this Kingdome amounteth to a million and a halfe of Duccats yearely which being disbursed euer for intertaining of Captaines Garrisons and of Gallies and cursary ships the Badgeloes and servants for the fields the maintaining of Towers and watches about the coasts the reparations of Colledges high-wayes Lords pensions and other defrayings there rests little or nothing at all to the King I remember in my twice being in this Kingdome especially the second time wherein I compassed the whole Island and thrise traversed the middle parts thereof from Sea to Sea I never saw any of that selfe Nation to begge bread or seeke almes so great is the beatitude of their plenty And I dare avow it experience taught mee that the poorest creature in Sicily eateth as good bread as the best Prince in Christendome doth The people are very humane ingenious eloquent and pleasant their language in many words is neerer the Latine then the Italian which they promiscuously pronounce somewhat talkative they are and effeminate but generally wonderfull kind to strangers In the moneths of Iuly and August all the Marine Townes every yeare are strictly and strongly guarded with them of the inland Villages and Bourges both on foote and horse-backe who are compelled to lie there at their owne charges so long as this season lasteth in which they feare the incursions of the Turks but the rest of the yeare these Sea-coast Townes are left to the vigilant custodie of the Indwellers This Countrey was ever sore oppressed with Rebells and Bandits untill such time that the military Duke of Sona came to rule there as Viceroy Anno 1611. where in the first yeare he brought in five hundred some whereof were hanged some pardoned and some committed to the Gallies So that within two yeares of his foure yeares government there was not a Bandit left at random in all Sicilia the like before was never seene in this Region nor one in whom Astreas worth was more honoured infortitude of mind and execution of true Justice that this Duke before whose face the silly ones did shine and the proud stiffe-necked oppressors did tremble And in a word he has no suppressor of the subjects as many now be to satisfie either licentious humours or to inrich light-headed flatterers but serving Justice he made Justice serve him for the equity of Justice of it selfe can affond none neither of any will it be offended unlesse the corrupt tongue and hand of the mercenary Judge suffer sound judgment to perish for temporary respects which this noble Governour could never doe neither suffer any inferiour Magistrate to doe the like under him As it well appeared by his 〈◊〉 proceedings against thy Iesuits of Paleâ—â—o and his authority upon them imposed in spight of their ambition The circumstances whereof were very plausible if time did not slaughter my good wil and yet my patience could performe my paines with pleasure And likewise against a Seminary Gallant a Parochiall Priest of that same City who had killed a Knights servant in a Brothel house the brother of a Shoomaker which fellow the Viceroy caused to Pistoll the Priest in spight of the Cardinall and there upon absolved him for the dead This Cardinall having onely for the Priests fact discharged him to say Masse for a yeare without satisfaction for the mans life so the Duke inhibited the Shoomaker to make shooes for a yeare and neverthelesse allowed him two shillings a day to maintaine him for that time Many singular observations have I of his government the which to recite would prove prolixious though worthy of note to the intellective man hee was afterward Viceroy of Naples and now lately deceased in Spain It is dangerous to travell by the Marine of the Sea-coasts Creekes in the West parts especially in the mornings least hee finde a Moorish Frigoâ— lodged all night under colour of a Fisher boat to give him a slavish break-fast for so they steale labouring people of the fields carrying them away captives to Barbary notwithstanding of the strong Watch towers which are in every one sight of another round about the whole Island There arrivalls are usually in the night and if in day time they are soone discovered the Towers giving notice to the Villages the Sea-coast is quickly clad with numbers of men on foot and horse-backe And oftentimes they advantagiously sease on the Moores lying in obscure clifts and bayes All the Christian Isles in the Mediterranean Sea and the Coast of Italy and Spaine inclining to Barbary are thus chargeably guarded with watch Towers The chiefest remarkeable thing in this Isle from all Antiquity is the burning hill of Aetna called now Maâ—â—e Bello or Gibello signifying a faire Mountaine so it is being of height toward Catagna from the Sea side fifteene Sicilian miles and in Circuite sixty The North side toward Rindatza at the Roote being unpassable steepe yet gathering on all parts so narrow to the top as if it had been industriously squared having a large prospect in the Sea about the lower parts whereof grow exceeding good Wines Cornes and Olives And now in my second Travails and returning from Affricke I not being satisfied with the former sight the kind Bishop of Rindatza courteously sent a Guide with me on his owne charges to view the Mountaine more strictly Ascending on the east and passable part with tedious toile and curious climbing wee approached neare to the second fire being twelve miles high which is the greatest of the three now burning in Aetna whose vast mouth or gulfe is twice twelve-score long and wide lying in a strait valley between a perpendiculur height and the main Mountaine whose terrible flames and cracking smoak is monstous fearefull to behold Having viewed and reviewed this as neare as my Guide durst adventure the ground meane while whereon wee stood warming our feete and is dangerous for holes without a perfect Guide wee ascended three miles higher to the maine top of Cima from which the other two fires had their beginning Where when come wee found it no way answerable to the greatnesse of the middle fire the other two drawing from it the substance wherewith it hath beene anciently furnished yet between them two upper fires I found abundance of
our unexpected safety and buried the dead Christians in a Greekish Church-yard and the Iewes were interred by the sea side This Bay of Largastolo is two miles in length being invironed with two little Mountaines upon the one of these two standeth a strong Fortresse which defendeth the passage of the narrow Gulfe It was here that the Christian Gallies assembled in the yeare 1571. when they came to abate the rage of the great Turks Armado which at that time lay in Peterasso in the firme land of Greece and right opposite to them and had made conquest the yeare before of noble Cyprus from the Venetians The I le of Cephalonia was formerly called Ithaca and greatly renowned because it was the heretable Kingdome of the worthy Vlysses who excelled all other Greekes in Eloquence and subtility of wit Secondly by Stâ—abo it was named Dâ—lichi And thirdly by ancient Authoâ— Cephalonia of Cephalo who was Captaine of the Army of Cleobas Anfrittion The which Anfrittion a Theban Captaine having conquered the Iland and slaine in battell â—terelaus King of Teleboas for so then was the Iland called gave it in a gift of government to Cephalo This Câ—phalo was a noble man of Athens who being one day at hunting killed his owne wife Procris with an Arrow in stead of his prey whereupon he flying to Amphitrion and the other pittying his case resigned this Isle to him of whom it taketh denomination Cephalonia lyeth in the mouth of the gulfe Lepanto opposite to a part of Aetolia and Acarâ—ania in the firme land It is in circuit 156. and in length 48. miles The Land it selfe is full of Mountaines yet exceeding fertile yielding Maluasâ—â—â— Muskadine â—ino Leatiâ—o Raysins Olives Figges Honey sweet-water Pine Molberry Date and Cypre-trees and all other â—orts of fruits in abundance The commodity of which redounds yearely to the Venetians for the are Signiors thereof Leaving this weather beaten Carâ—oesalo laid up to a full sea I tooke purpose to travaile through the Iland in the first dayes journey I past by many fine Villages and pleasant fields especially the Vale Alessandro where the Greekes told me their Ancestors were vanquished in Battell by the Macedoniah Conquerour They also shewed me on the top of Mount Gargasso the ruines of that Temple which had beene of old dedicated to Iupiter and upon the second day I hired two Fisher men in a little Boat to carry me over to Zante being twenty five miles distant Here in Zante a Greekish Chyrurgion undertooke the â—uring of my arme performed condition within time The I le of Zante was called Zacinthus because so was called the sonne of Dardanus who reigned there And by some Hyria It hath a City of a great length bordering along the sea side the chiefe seat and I le and named Zante over the doore of whose Praetorium or Judgement Hall are inscribed these Verses Hiclocus odit amat punit conservat honorat Nequitiam pacem crimina iura probos This place hates loves chastens conserves rewards Vice peace fellony lawes vertuous regards And on the top of a Hill about the Towne standeth a large and strong Fortresse not unlike the Castle of Milaine wherein the Providitore dwelleth who governeth the Iland This City is subject yearely to fearefull Earthquakes especially in the Months of October and November which oftentimes subvert their houses and themselves bringing deadly destruction on all This I le produceth good store of Rasini di Corintho commonly called Currants Olives Pomgranats Cytrones Orenges Lemmons Grenadiers and Mellones and is in compasse 68. Miles being distant from the Promontore of Morea some 16. miles The Ilanders are Greeks a kinde of subtle people and great dissemblers but the Signiory thereof belongeth to Venice And if it were not for that great provision of corne which is daily transported from the firme land of Peleponesus to them the inhabitants in short time would famish It was credibly told me here by the better sort that this little I le maketh yearely besides Oyle and Wine onely of Currants 160000. Chickins paying yearely over and above for custome 22000. Piasters every Chicken of Gold being nine shillings English and every Piaster being white money sixe shillings A rent or summe of money which these silly Ilanders could never afford they being not above 60. yeares agoe but a base beggarly people and an obscure place if it were not here in England of late for some liquorous lips who forsooth can hardly digest bread pasties broth and verbi gratia Bagge-puddings without these Currants And as these Rascall Greeks becomming proud of late with this levish expence contemne justly this sensuall prodigality I have heard them often demand the English in a filthy derision what they did with such Leprous stuffe and if they carried them home to feed their Swine and Hogs withall A question indeed worthy of such a female traffick the inference of which I suspend There is no other Nation save this thus addicted to that miserable I le Bidding farewell to Zante I imbarked in a Frigato going to Peterasso in Morea which of old was called Peloponesus And by the way in the Gulfe Lepanto which divideth Etolia and Morea The chiefest City in Etolia is called Lepanto From thence West-ward by the Sea side is Delphos famous for the Oracle of Apollo wee sailed by the Iles Echinidi but by the Moderne Writers Curzolari where the Christians obtained the victory against the Turkes for there did they fight after this manner In the yeare 1571. and the sixth of October Don Iohn of Austria generall for the Spanish Gallies Marco Antonio Colonna for Pope Pio Quinto and Sebastiano Venieco for the Venetian Army convented altogether in Largostolo at Cephalonia having of all 208. Gallies sixe Galleasses and 25. Frigots After a most resolute deliberation these three Generals went with a valiant courage to incounter with the Turkish Armado on the Sunday Morning the seventh of October who in the end through the helpe of Christ obtained a glorious Victory In that fight there was taken and drowned 180. of Turkish Gallies and there escaped about the number of sixe hundred and fifty ships Gallies Galeots and other Vessells There was fifteene thousand Turkes killed and foure thousand taken prisoners besides 4000. peeces of Ordnance and twelve thousand Christians delivered from their slavish bondage In all the Christians losed but eleven Gallies 5000. slain At their returne to Largostola after this victorious battell the three Generalls divided innumerable spoyles to their well-deserving Captains and worthy souldiers And notwithstanding Don Iohn led that Armado yet ambition led him who in the midst of that famous victory conceived a treacherous designe to seize upon the Castles of Corfu under shew of the Venetian colours which being discovered and he disappointed died for displeasure in his returne to Messina in Sicilia where his Statue standeth to this day After my arrivall in Peterasso the Metropolitan of Pelopenesus
not bin redeemed certainely their friends and followers who were thicke flocking together would have cut us all off before we could have attained to Ierusalem At last wee beheld the prospect of Ierusalem which was not onely a contentment to my weary body but also being ravished with a kinde of unwonted rejoycing the teares gushed from my eyes for too much ioy In this time the Armenians began to sing in their owne fashion Psalmes to praise the Lord and I also sung the 103 Psalme all the way till we arrived neere the wals of the City where wee ceased from our singing for feare of the Turkes The Sunne being passed to his nightly Repose before our arrivall we found the Gates locked and the Keyes carried up to the Bashaw in the Castle which bred a common sorrow in the company being all both hungry and weary yet the Caravan intreated earnestly the Turkes within to give us over the Wals some victuals for our money shewing heavily the necessity wee had thereof but they would not neither durst attempt such a thing In this time the Guardian of the Monastery of Cordeleirs who remayneth there to receive Travailers of Christendome who having got newes of our late arrivall came and demanded of the Caravan if any Frankes of Europe were in his Society and hee said onely one Then the Guardian called me and asked of what nation I was of and when I told him hee seemed to be exceeding glad yet very sorrowfull for our misfortune Hee having knowne my distresse returned and sent two Friers to me with Bread Wine and Fishes which they let over the Wall as they thought in a secret place but they were espied and on the morrow the Guardiano payed to the Subbashaw or Sanzacke a great fine being a hundred Piasters thirty pounds sterling otherwise both hee and I had bin beheaded which I confesse was a deare bought supper to the gray Friers and no lesse almost to me being both in danger of my Life for starving and then for receiviâ—g of food therefore suspected for a traytor for the Turkes alleadged he had taken in munition from me and the other Christians to betray the City this they doe oft for a lesser fault then that was onely to get Bribes and money from the Grey Friers which daily stand in fear of their lives Anno 1612 upon Palme-Sunday in the morning wee entered into Ierusalem and at the Gate wee were particularly searched to the effect wee carried in no Furniture of Armes nor powder with us and the poore Armenians notwithstanding they are slaves to Turkes behoved to render their weapons to the Keepers such is the fear they have of Christians And my name was written up in the Clarkes Booke at the Port that my tribute for the Gate and my seeing of the Sepulchre might be payed at one time together before my finall departure thence The Gates of the City are of iron outwardly and above each Gate are brazen Ordnance planted for their defence Having taken my leave of the Caravan and the Company who went to lodge with their own Patriarch I was met and received with the Guardian and twelve Friers upon the streets each of them carrying in their hands a burning wax Candle and one for mee also who received me joyfully and singing all the way to their Monastery Te Deum Laudamus they mightily rejoyced that a Christian had come from such a far Countrey as Scotia to visit Ierusalem Where being arrived they forth-with brought me to a Roome and there the Guardian washed my right foot with water and his Vicar my left and done they kissed my feet so did also all the twelve Friers that stood by But when they knew afterward that I was no Popish Catholicke it sore repented them of their labour I found here ten Frankes newly come the neerest way from Venice hither sixe of them were Germans noble Gentlemen and they also good Protestants who were wonderfull glad to heare mee tell the Gardian flatly in his face I was no Roman Catholicke nor never thought to be The other foure Frankes were Frenchmen two of them Parisians old men the other two of Provance all foure being Papists with nine other Commercing Frankes also that dwelt in Syria and Cyprus most of them being Venetians who were all glad of mee shewing themselves so kind so carefull so loving and so honourable in all respects that they were as kind Gentlemen as ever I met withall especially the Germains Such is the love of strangers when they meete in forraine and remote places They had also in high respect the adventures of my halfe yeares travaile East and beyond Ierusalem troubling mee all the while wee were together to shew them the rare Discourses of my long two yeares survey of Turkey but especially of my furthest sights in the East of Asia and were aâ—wayes in admiration that I had no fellow Pilgrime in my long Perigrination The Sixt Part. NOw come my swift pac'd feete to Syons seat And faire Jerusalem here to relate Her sacred Monuments and those sweet places Were fil'd with Prophets and Apostles faces Christs Crib at Bethleem and Maries Cave Calver and Golgotha the Holy Grave Deep Adraes valley Hebrons Patriarch'd Tombe Sunke Lazars pit whence he rose from earths wombe Judeas bounds and Desarts that smoaking Lake Which orient folkes doe still for Sodome take Thence view'd I Jordan and his mooddy streames Whence I a Rod did bring to Royall James The lumpe faln Jericho and th' Olive Mount With Gethesamaine where Christ to pray was wont The Arabian Desarts then Egypt land I toyling saw with Nylus swelling strand Where for discourse the seuenth Part shall thee show What thou mayst learn and what by sight I know Of matchlesse Egypt and her unmatch'd bounds That twice a yeere in growth of grain abounds IErusalem is now called by the Turks Kuddish which is in their Language a Holy Citie It was first called Moriah of Moria one of the seven heads of Syon where Abraham would have sacrificed Isaac Gen. 22. 2. and upon his offering it was called Ierusalem Genes 14. 18. It was also named Salem where Sem or Melchisedeck dwelt and Ierusalem was also called Iebus 2 sam 24. 16. And it is the place where Salomon was commanded to build the Temple 2 Chron. 3. 1. which afterward was termed Hieron Salomonis whence came by corruption that word Hierosâ—lyma David also in the Psalmes gave it divers names And Ierusalem in the Arabick Tongue is also called Beyt almo kadas Beyt signifieth the House almo kadas viz. of Saints Ierusalem standeth in the same place where old Ierusalem stood but not so populous neither in each respect of breadth or length so spacious for on the South side of Ierusalem a great part of Mount Syon is left without which was anciently the heart of the old City and they have taken on the North side now both Mount Calvary and the holy Grave within the
the World Mine aforesaid Consort and I having spent ten dayes in viewing and reviewing this City and circumâ—acent Isles and my purpose reaching for Greece and Asia as hee was to recrosse the snowy Alpes my muse remembreth our sad departure Now friendly Arthur leâ—t me courts the maine Of pleasant Lombardy by Trent againe Beares through the Alpes in his 〈◊〉 wayes And past Bavaria where Danubâ—o strayes He fell on Rhyne and downe these curlings came Then ship'd for Albion neere to Roâ—terdame And coasting Isâ—s view'd that royall court Where once Appollo did in glory sport Fraught with Ambrosian Necâ—ar crown'd his dayes Oâ— Pindus tops to have Mecenas praise This light obumbrat Arthur courts the North And serv'd a noble Earle of ancient worth Full eighteene yeares till death that darts our woe First smote his Lord and then his Countesse so Now they are fled and he is left alone Till heavens provide his hopes some happy one Which if to his desert such fortune came A Princely service might his merit clayme Where wishing both his fate and worth to be I 'le Venice leave and visite Lombardy In the time of my staying here I went forth to Lombardy and visited the famous Cities of Padua Verona and Ferrarâ— The commendation of which is celebrated in these verses Extollit Paduam juris studiam medicinae Verona humanae dâ—t singula commoda vitae 〈◊〉 loculos ferrarea â—errea 〈◊〉 In Pâ—dua I stayed three moneths learning the Italian tongue and found there a Country Gentlemen of mine Doctor Iohn Wedâ—erburne a learned Mathematician 〈◊〉 now dwelling in Moravia who taught mee well in the Language and in all other respects exceeding friendly to me Padua is the most melancholy City in Europe the cause onely arising of the narrow passage of the open streetes and of the long Galleries and darke-ranges of pillars that goe alwhere on every hand of you through the whole streetes of the Towne The Schollers here in the night commit many 〈◊〉 against their privat adversaries and too often executed upon the stranger and innocent and all with 〈…〉 for beastly Sodomy it is as rife heere as in Rome Naples Florence 〈…〉 The Second Part. NOw step I o're the gulfe to th' Istrian shâ—are Dalmatia Slavonia Ilyria more Valona Albana Epyre in Greece And Morea fat where Iason hurt his fleece The Adriaticke and Ionean Iles And Lesinaes great monster Athens styles With Lacedemon sackt and Sparta rent From ancient worth Arcadia poore and shent Our gulfe Lepanto the Aetolian hight And all these coasts till Candy come in sight AFter my returne from Padâ—a to Venice 24. dayeâ— attendance devasted there for passage â— imbarked in a Carâ—â—esalo being bound to Zara Novo in Dalmatia scarcely had we lost the sight of Venice but we incountred with a deadly storme at Serocâ—e Lenante The Master had no compasse to direct his course neither was he expert in Navigation because they use commonly either on the South or North sides of the Gulfe to hoise up sayles at night and againe breake of day they have full sight of land taking their directions from the topped hillâ— of the maine continent The tempest increasing and the winds contrary we were constrained to seeke up for the Port of Parenzo in Istria Istria was called Giapidia according to Pliny Cato affirmeth it was called Istria of one Isirâ— but by the moderne Writers L'ultima Regione di Italia By 〈◊〉 it is said to bee of length 100. miles and forty large but by mine experience onely 80. long and 20. large Istria hath on the South Friuli and the Sea on the West Stria on the North Carniola on the East the Gulfe Carnarâ— or Quevâ—ro It is thought the Istrians were first a people of Colchis in Natolia who by King Aetâ—s being sent to persue Iason and the Argonaâ—ts who had stolne the golden Fleece and his daughter Medea either because of the long journey or feare of the Kings anger durst not returne and so remained in this Country where they enjoyed a long freedom til by many incursions of piracy still molesting the Venetians they lost many of their Townes Anno 938. afterward the whole Country made tributary by Duke Henry Gondolo about the yeare 1200. That part which bordereth with the Sea belongeth to the Venetians but the rest within land holds of the Emperour and the Arch Duke of Austria The Country it selfe aboundeth in Cornes wines and all kinds of fruites necessary for humane life Neere to this Haven wherein wee lay expecting roome windes I saw the ruines of old Iustinopoli so called of Iustinian the Emperour who builded it upon an Iland of eight miles length and three acres broad and to passe betwixt the City and the firme land there was seven bridges made It was anciently strong but now altogether decayed the principall Cities in Istria at this day are these Parenzo Humagâ— Pola Rouigo The windes favouring us we weighed Anchors and sayled by the Iles Brioni so much esteemed for the fine stones they produce called Istriennes which serve to beautifie the Venetian Palaces About mid-day I saw Mount di Caldaro on the foote of which the ancient City of Pola is situated having a harbour wherein small ships may lye True it is this Port is not much frequenâ—ed in respect of a contagious Lake neere to it which inâ—â—cteth the Ayre with a filthy exhalation I saw hard by this place the ruines of the Castle di Oriando the Arke Iriumphant and the reliques of a great Amphitheatre This Pola was called by Pliny Iulia pietas and it standeth in the South-east part of Istria Continuing our course we â—assed the perillous gulfe of Carnaro This gulfe or bay of Carnaro runneth in North and by 〈◊〉 50. miles within land at the narrow entry whereof it hath a part of Istria on the West and Dalmatia on the East The Venetians use to keepe alwaies certaine Gallies at the mouth of this bay on the Dalmatian side to intercept the cursary of the Scoks In the bottome of this Carnarian gulfe are placed Senna Gradisca and Novagard the chiefe Cities of Croatia the people which inhabit these Townes and the adjoyning Country are called Scoks a kind of Dalmatians being of a robust nature couragious and desperate Their weapons are broad two handed swords long Skenes carrying Targets at their girdles and long Gunnes in their hands they are marvellous swift on foote and daily annoy by land their neighbouring Turkes with inrodes fetching away great spoyles and booties of Cornes Cattell and Horses and by Sea with Frigots and Brigantines did ever and often vexe the Venetian commerce in their owne domesticke waters the great losses which from these incursive people the Venetians had from time to time received and the other dammages they inflicted upon the Turkes in their Trafficking with Venice for whom the Venetians are bound by former Articles of peace to keepe harmelesse within their owne
Corcyrian Poet who so benignely received Vlysses after his shipwracke and of whom Ovid said Quid bifera Alcinoi referam pomaria vosque Qui nunquam vacui prodistis in aethere rami Why blaze I forth Alcinoes fertile soyle And trees from whence all times they fruit recoyle This Ile was given to the Venetians by the Corsicans Anno 1382. because they were exposed to all the injuries of the world It lyeth like to a halfe Moon or halfe a circle East and North The Eastern Cape is called Leuchino the other Northward St Katerina the second Town whereof is called Pogleopoli It is of circuit 120. in length 52. 37. in breadth and 14. miles distant from Epyre. The City Corfu from which the Ile hath the name is scitâ—ate at the foote of a Mountaine whereupon are builded two strong Fortresses and invironed with a naturall rocke The one is called Fortessae Nova and the other Fortezza vecchie They are well governed and circumspectly kept least by the instigation of the one Captaine the other should commit any treasonable affect And for the same purpose the governours of both Castles at their Election before the Senators of Venice are sworne neither privately nor openly to have mutual conference nor to write one to another for the space of two yeares which is the time of their government These Castles are inaccessable and unconquerable if that the keepers be loyall and provided with Naturall and martiall furniture They are vulgarly called The Forts of Christendome by the Greekes but more justly the The strength of Venice for if these Castles were taken by the Turkes or by the Spaniard who would as gladly have them the trade of the Venetian merchants would be of none account yea the very meanes to overthrow Venice it selfe Corfu formerly Corcyra was by some called Phaeacia so denominate from a Virgin of that name who was here supposed to have beene deflowred by Neptune This I le produceth good store of Wines Oyle Waxe Honey and delicate fruits From thence after certaine dayes abode I imbarked in â— Greekish Carmesalo with a great number of passengers Greeks Slavonians Italians Armenians and Iewes that were all mindfull to Zante and I also of the like intent being in all forty eight persons having roome windes and a fresh gale in 24. houres wee discovered the Ile Cephaloni the greater and sayled close along Cephalonia minor or the lesser Ithaca called now Valdi Compare being in length twenty and in circuit fifty sixe miles renowned for the birth of Laertes sonne Vlysses From th' Ithac Rockes we fled Laertes shore And curs'd the land that dire Ulysses bore For Illions sake with Dardan blood attir'd Whose wooden Horse the Trojan Temples fir'd On our left hand toward the Maine wee saw an Iland called Saint Maure formerly Leucas or Leucada which is onely inhabited by Iewes to whom Bajazet the second gave it in possession after their expulsion from Spaine The chiefe City is Saint Maure which not long agoe was subject to Venice This I le Saint Maure was anciently conriguate with the continent but now rent asunder and invironed with the Sea In the meane while of our navigable passage the Captaine of the Vessell espyed a Saile comming from sea hee presently being moved therewith sent a Mariner to the toppe who certified him she was a Turkish Galley of Biserta prosecuting a straight course to invade our Barke Which suddaine affrighting newes overwhelmed us almost in despaire Resolution being by the amazed Master demanded of every man what was best to doe some replyed one way and some another Insomuch that the most part of the passengers gave Counsell rather to render than fight being confident their friends would pay their ransome and so relieve them But I the wandring Pilgrime pondering in my pensive breast my solitary estate the distance of my Country and friends could conceive no hope of deliverance Upon the which troublesome and fearefull appearance of slavery I absolutely arose and spoke to the Master saying The halfe of the Carmosalo is your owne and the most part also of the loading all which he had told me before wherefore my Counsaile is that you prepare your selfe to fight and goe encourage your Passengers promise to your Mariners double wages make ready your two pieces of Ordnance your Muskets Powder Lead and halfe-pikes for who knoweth but the Lord may deliver us from the thraldome of these Infidels My exhortation ended hee was greatly animated therewith and gave me thankes wherupon assembling the passengers Mariners he gave good comfort and large promises to them all so that their affrighted hopes was converted to a couragious resolution seeming rather to give the first assault than to receive the second wrong To performe the plots of our defence every man was busie in the worke some below in the gunner-roome others cleansing the Musket some preparing the powder balls some their swords and short weapons some dressing the halfe-pikes and others making fast the doores above for so the Master resolved to make combate below both to save us from small shot and besides for boarding us on a suddaine The dexterous courage of all men was so forward to defend their lives and libertie that truely in mine opinion we seemed thrice as many as were All things below and above being cunningly perfected and every one ranked in order with his Harquebuse and pike to stand on the Centinell of his owne defence wee recommend our selves in the hands of the Almighty and in the mean while attended their fiery salutations In a furious spleene the first Hola of their courtesies was the progresse of a Martiall conflict thundring forth a terrible noyse of Gally-roaring peeces And wee in a sad reply sent out a back-sounding Eccho of fiery flying shots which made an Equinox to the Clouds rebounding backward in our perturbed breasts the ambiguous sounds of feare and hope After a long and doubtfull fight both with great and small shot night parting us the Turkes retired till morning and then were mindfull to give us the new rancounter of a secâ—nd alarum But as it pleased him who never faileth his to send downe an unresistable tempest about the breake of day wee escaped their furious designes and were enforced to seeke into the Bay of Largastolo in Cephalonia both because of the violent weather and also for that a great leak was stricken into our ship In this fight there were of us killed three Italians two Greekes and two Iewes with eleven others deadly wounded and I also hurt in the right arme with a small shot But what harme was done by us amongst the Infidels we are not assured thereof save onely this wee shot away their middle Mast and the hinder part of the poupe for the Greeks are not expert Gunners neither could our Harquebusadoes much annoy them in respect they never boarded But howsoever it was being all disbarked on shore we gave thanks to the Lord for
I left the turmoyling dangers of the intricated Iles of the Ionean and Adriaticall seas and advised to travell in the firme land of Greece with a Caravan of Greekes that were bound for Athens Peterasso is a large and spacious City full of Merchandise and greatly beautified with all kind of Câ—mmercers Their chiefe commodities are raw Silkes Cloth of gold and silver Silken grow-grams Rich-Damask Velvets of all kinds with Sattins and Taffaties and especially a store-house for graine The Venetians Ragusans and Marseillians have great trading with them Here I remember there was an English Factor lying whom the Subbassa or Governour of the Towne a Turke caused privately afterward upon malice to be poysoned even when I was wintring at Constantinople for whose death the worthy and generous Ambassadour Sir Thomas Glover my Patron and Protector was so highly incensed that he went hither himselfe to Peterasso with two Ianizaries and a Warrant sent with him from the Emperour who in the midst of the Market-place of Peterasso caused one of these two Ianizaries strike off the head from the shoulders of that Sanzack and put to death divers others also that had beene accessary to the poysoning of the English Consull And the Ambassadour returning againe to Constantinople was held in singular reputation even with the Turkes for prosecuting so powerfully the sword of Justice and would not shrinke for no respect I being domesticke with him the selfe same time Pelopâ—nnesus now called Morea a Peninsula is all invironed with the sea save onely a narrow straight where it is tyed to the continent by an Istmus of five miles in breadth which the Venetian then Lord of it fortified with five Castles and a strong wall from creeke to creek which easily were subverted by the Turkish batteries the defect onely remaining in the defendants weaknesse and want of men Corinth and its gulfe lyeth at the East end of this Istmus and the Gulfe Lepanto on the West dividing Aetolia and Epyre The wall which traversed this strait of Morea was called Hexamite five miles long Truely it is one of the most famous destroit du terre en Europe Morea it selfe is in length 168. and in compasse 546. Miles and is at this day the most fertile and best inhabited Province of all the Empire of Greece The chiefe Rivers here are Arbona and Ropheos Argos here also is watered with the River Planizza neare which standeth the Towne of Epidaure wherein the Temple of Esculapius was so renowned for restoring of health to diseased persons It was anciently cognominate Agalia from Agalius the first King An. Mun. 1574. and also intituled from two Kings Sicionia and Apia then Peloponesus from Pelops and now Moreah It is divided in five territories or petty Provinces Laconia Arcadia Argolis Miseniâ— Eliso the proper territory of Corinth Of which City it was said Hor. Let men take heed of Lais Corinths whore Who earn'd ten thousand Drachmas in an houre It is said by Aeneas Silvius in his Cosmographicall treatise of Europe that divers Kings went about to dig through this Istmus to make it an Iland namely King Demetrius Iulius Caesar Caius Caligâ—la Domitius Nero of all whom he doth note that they not onely failed of their purpose but that they came to violent and unnaturall deaths But before the aforesaid Caravan at Paterasso admitted me into his company hee was wonderfull inquisitive to know for what cause I travailed alone and of what Nation I was To whom I soberly excused and discovered my self with modest answers which pacified his curiosity but not his avaritious mind for under a pretended protection he had of me hee extorted the most part of my money from my purse without any regard of Conscience In the first second and third dayes journeying we had faire way hard lodging but good cheare and kind entertainment for our money which was the Country Laconia But on the fourth day when we entred in the hilly and barren Country of Arcadia where for a daies journey we had no Village but saw abundance of Cattell without keepers and in that place it is thought the great battell of Pharsalia was fought between Iulius Caesar and Pompey the great Arcadia is bounded on the East with Eliso on the West with Misenia on the North with Achaia inferiour and on the South with a part of Laconia and the sea It was formerly termed Pelasgia and lastly it tooke the name from Arcas the sonne of Iupiter and Calisto the people whereof did long imagine they were more ancient than the Moon This soyle of whom Arcas great Patron was In age the Moone excell'd in wit the Asse But because it is a tradition of more antiquity than credit I doe rather note it than affirme it And as men should dread the thunder-bolt when they see the lightning so ignorance and Idolatry placed amongst us and round about us may be a warning to the professours of the truth to take heed of the venome lest by their Arcadian antiquity surpassing the Moone they become novices to some new intended Massacre for as powder faild them but alas not poison so now with policy they prevaile in all things how long the holy one of Israel knoweth but certainly our sins are the causes of their domineering our careles drooping In this desart way I beheld many singular Monuments and ruinous Castles whose names I know not because I had an ignorant guide But this I remember amongst these Rocks my belly was pinched and wearied was my body with the climbing of fastidious mountaines which bred no small griefe to my breast Yet notwithstanding of my distresse the remembrance of those sweet seasoned Songs of Arcadian Shepheards which pregnant Poets have so well penned did recreate my fatigated corps with many sugred suppositions These sterile bounds being past wee entred in the Easterne plaine of Morea called anciently Sparta where that sometimes famous City of Lacedemon flourished but now sacked and the lumpes of ruines and memory onely remains Marching thus we left Modena and Napoli on our right hand toward the sea side and on the sixt day at night we pitched our Tents in the dis-inhabited villages of Argo and Micene from the which unhappy Hellen was ravished This cursed custome of base prostitution is become so frequent that the greater sort of her mercinary sexe following her footsteps have out-gone her in their loathsom journeys of libidinous wayes shee being of such an infinite and voluptuous crew the arch-Mistresse and ring-leader to destruction did invite my Muse to inveigh against her lascivious immodesty as the inordinate patterne of all willing and licentious rapts I would thy beauty fairest of all Dames Had never caus'd the jealous Greekes to move Thy eyes from Greece to Illion cast flames And burnt that Trojan with adulterate love He captive like thy mercy came to prove And thou divorc'd was ravish'd with a toy He swore faire Helen was his dearest dove And
thou a Paris swore for to enjoy Mourne may the ghosts of sometimes stately Troy And curse the day thou saw the Phrygian coast Thy lecherous lust did Priams pride destroy And many thousands for thy sake were lost Was 't nature fortune fancy beauty birth That cross'd thee so to be a crosse on earth Some of thy Sexe baptiz'd with thy curst name Crown'd with thy fate are partners in thy shame Helens are snakes which breed their lovers paine The maps of malice murther and disdaine Helens are gulfes whence streams of blood doe flow Rapine deceit treason and overthrow Helens are whores whiles in a Virgin Maske They sucke from Pluto sterne Proserpines taske Curst be thou Hell for hellish Helens sakes Still crost and curst be they that trust such snakes Here in Argos I had the ground to be a pillow and the world-wide-fields to be a Chamber the whirling windy skies to be a roofe to my Winter blasted lodging and the humid vapours of cold Nocturna to accompany the unwished for bed of my repose What shall I say then the solid and sad man is not troubled with the floods and ebbs of Fortune the ill-imployed power of greatnesse nor the fluctuary motions of the humorous multitude or at least if he be sensible of his owne or their irregularities or confusions yet his thoughts are not written in his face his countenance is not significant nor his miseries further seene than in his owne private suffering whereas the face and disposition of the feeble one ever resembleth his last thoughts and upon every touch or taste of that which is displeasant and followes not the streames of his appetite his countenance deformeth it selfe and like the Moone is in as many changes as his fortune but the noble resolution must follow Aeneas advice in all his adventures Per varius casus per tot discrimina rerum Tendimus in latium c. By divers wayes and dangers great we mind To viâ—â—t Latium and Latinus kind In all this Country of Greece I could finde nothing to answer the famous relations given by ancient Authors of the excellency of that land but the name onely the barbarousnesse of Turkes and Time having defaced all the Monuments of Antiquity No shew of honour no habitation of men in an honest fashion nor possessours of the Countrey in a Principality But rather prisoners shut up in prison or addicted slaves to cruell and tyrannicall Masters So deformed is the state of that once worthy Realm and so miserable is the burthen of that afflicted people which and the appearance of that permanency grieved my heart to behold the sinister working of blind Fortune which alwayes plungeth the most renowned Champions and their memory in the profoundest pit of all extremities and oblivion Let the Ghosts of that Theban Epaminondas that Mirmidonian Phillip and these Epirean worthies Pyrhus and Scanderberg be witnesses hereto but especially that Macedonian Alexander whose fortunes ever followed him rather than fled him till his last dissolution wherein I may say his Greatnesse rose like to a mighty and huge Oak being clad with the exuvialls and Trophies of enemies fenced with an Army of boughes garnished with a coat of Barke as hard as steele dispised the force and power of the windes as being onely able to dally with the leaves and not to weaken the root But the Northerne winde that strong Champion of the airy Region secretly lurking in the vault of some hollow Cloud doth first murmure at the aspiring Oak and then striketh his Crest with some great strength and lastly with the deepest breath of his Lungs doth blow up the roote Even so was it with Alexander who from a stripling came to be a Cedar and from the sorrow of no more worlds was soone cut off from the world he was into For destiny is no mans drudge and death is every mans Conquerour matching the Scepter with the Spade and the Crowned Prince with the praiselesse Peasant And in a word there was never any to whom Fortune did sooner approach nor never any from whom shee did more suddenly flye than from Alexander leaving him a cleare mirrour of the worlds inconstancy Now as concerning the government of Greece termed by the Turkes Rum Ili that is the Roman Countrey It is ruled by a Beglerbeg or Bassa this word Beglerbeg imports Lord of Lords in regard of the Sanzacks or Subbassaes under them who also are termed Lords which is a Barbarous pride in an ambitious stile This Beglerbeg of Greece retaineth his residence at Sophia the Metropole of Bulgaria formerly Dacia and is the most greatest Commaunder of all other Bassaes in the Turkish provinces of Europe All other Beglerbegs are changed every third yeare or continued according to the Imperiall pleasure neither may they returne from their station during this time But this Bassa of Greece keepeth his government for his life-time and remaineth most at Court He reserveth under his command forty thousand Timariots or Horse-men led under the conduct of twenty two Sanzacks or Judges deputies of Jurisdictions to wit two in Albania at the Townes Iscodera and Ancolina two in Achaia at Delvina and Albassan three in Tbessalia at Priasim Salonica and Trichola two in Sparta at Misietra and Paleopatra three in Macedonia at Carmona Selistria and Giastandila one in Moldavia at Acheranma in Bulgaria one at Sophia in Thracia one at Viazza in Epyre one at Ducagina in Aetolia one at Ioanina in Peloponesus one at Peterasso the rest are Vsopia Nycopolis Corinth and Bandera towards the Blacke sea and to the North-ward of Danubio at his kissing the Euxine Waves Thus much for the Begelbergship of Greece and the Provinces thereunto adjoyning Departing from Argos upon the seventh day we arrived at Athens Athens is still inhabited standing in the East part of Pelopennesus neare to the frontiers of Macedon or Thessaly by the Sea side It was first called Cecropia of one Cecrops the first King thereof who first founded it Anno Mundi 2409. It was after mightily enlarged by Theseus and well provided with good lawes by Solon and lastly Athens of Minerva In whose honour for a long time were celebrate solemne playes called Panathanaia Athens is now termed Salenos and waâ— once the shrill sounding Trumpet of Mars yeelding more valiant Captaines and Commandars than any City in the World Rome excepted It was a custome here that when any man was growne too wealthy or potent he was banished thence for ten yeares This exile was intituled Ostracisme because his name who was abandoned was written in an Oyster shell Great combustions and mutinies have happened betweene Lacedemon and Athens at last it was sacked by Lysander and her Virgin body prostituted to the lust of 30. insulting Tyrants not long after whose expulsion it was utterly subdued by the Macedonians And in a word Athens being stained with intestine blood-sheds and grievously discontented with the death of her Children her babes were brought
forth for the sword to glut upon the bodyes of her Ancients were made as pavements to walk upon her Matrons became a prey and prize to every Ravisher and her Priests and Sacrificers were slaine before the gates of their Temples This City was the Mother and Well-spring of all Liberall Arts and Sciences and the great Cisterne of Europe whence flowed so many Conduit pipes of learning all where but now altogether decayed The circuit of old Athens hath beene according to the fundimentall walls yet extant about sixe Italian miles but now of no great quantity nor many dwelling houses therein being within two hundred fire-houses having a Castle which formerly was the Temple of Minerva They have abundance of all things requisite for the sustenance of humane life of which I had no small proofe for these Athenians or Greeks exceeding kindly banqueted mee foure dayes and furnisht me with necessary provision for my voyage to Creta And also transported mee by Sea in a Brigandino freely and on their owne charges to Serigo being 44. miles distant After my redounded thankes they having returned the contemplation of their courtesies brought me in remembrance how curious the old Athenians were to heare of forreigne newes and with what great regard and estimation they honoured travellers of which as yet they are no wayes defective Serigo is an Iland in the sea Cretico It was anciently called Cytherea of Cythero the Sonne of Phaenise And of Aristotle Porphyris or Schotera in respect of the fine Marble that is got there It is of circuit threescore miles having but one Castle called Capsallo which is kept by a Venetian Captaine here it is said that Venus did first inhabit and I saw the ruines of her demolished Temple on the side of a Mountaine yet extant A little more downward below this old adored Temple of Venus are the Reliques of that Palace wherein Menelaus did dwell who was King of Sparta Lord of this I le The Greeks of the I le told me there were wild Asses there who had a stone in their heads which was a soveraigne remedy for the Falling sicknesse and good to make a woman be quickly delivered of her birth I made afterward deeper enquiry for it to have either seene or bought it but for my life I could never attaine to any perfect knowledge thereof In the time of my abode at the Village of Capsalo being a haven for small Barks and scituate below the Castle the Captaine of that same Fortresse kild a Seminary Priest whom he had found in the night with his whoore in a Brothell-house for the which sacrilegious murther the Governour of the Isle deposed the Captaine and banished him causing a Boate to be prepared to send him to Creta O! if all the Priests which doe commit Incest Adultery and Fornication yea and worse Il peccato caâ—nale contra natura were thus handled and severely rewarded what a sea of Sodomiticall irreligious blood would overflow the halfe of Europe to staine the spotted colour of that Roman beast Truely and yet more these lascivious Friars are the very Epicures or off-scourings of the earth for how oft have I heard them say one to another Allegre allegre mio caro fratello chi ben mangia ben beve c. That is Be cheerefull be cheerefull deare brother he that eateth well drinketh well hee that drinketh well sleepeth well he that sleepeth well sinneth not and he that sinneth not goeth straight through Purgatory to Paradise This is all the care of their living making their tongues to utter what their harts do prophanely think Ede bibe dormi post mortem nulla volupt as and as it is well observed of this Monachall and licentious life Non male sunt Monachis grato indita nomina patrum Cum numerent natos hic ubique suos Injustly no! Monkes be cal'd Fathers Why Their Bastards swarme as thicke as starres in sky In the aforesaid Boat I also imbarked with the Captain and sailed by the little Isoletta of Serigota Leaving Capo di Spada on the left hand wee arrived at Carabusa with extreame fortune being fiercely pursued by three Turkish Galleots Betweene Serigo and Carabusa wee had sevenscore and twelve Miles of dangerous and cumbustious seas The Third Part. Now Creta comes the Mediterren Queen To my sought view where golden Ida's seen Cut with the Labyrinth of th' old Minatoure Thence trac'd I all the Syclads fifty foure With Nigropont and Thessaly amaine Macedon Pernassus the Achaian plaine Tenedos and Troy long Phrygia fixt Sestos Abidos Adrianopole vext Colchis falne Thebes Hellespont and more Constantinople earths best soveraigne glore The Euxine sea and Pompeys Pillar prest In Paru then I le take my winters rest THE I le of Candy formerly called Creta hath to the North the Aegean sea to the West the sea Ionian to the South the Libique Sea and to the East the Carpathian Sea It lyeth mid-way twixt Achaia in Greece and Cyrene in Affrick not being distant from the one nor from the other above two dayes sailing It is a most famous and ancient Kingdome By moderne writers it is called Queene of the Iles Medeterrene It had of old an hundred Cities whereof it had the name Hecatompolis but now onely foure Candia Canea Rethimos and Scithia the rest are but Villages and Bourges It is of length to wit from Capo Ermico in the West called by Pliny Frons arietis and Capo Salomone in the East two hundred and forty Miles large threescore and of circuit sixe hundred and fifty miles This is the chiefe Dominion belonging to the Venetian Reipublicke In every one of these foure Cities there is a Governour and two Counsellors sent from Venice every two years The Country is divided into foure parts under the jurisdiction of the foure Cities for the better administration of Justice and they have a General who commonly remaineth in the City of Candi like to a Vice-roy who deposeth or imposeth Magistrates Captaines Souldiers Officers and others whatsoever in the behalfe of St. Mark or Duke of Venice The Venetians detaine continually a strong guard divided in Companies Squadrons and Garrisons in the Cities and Fortresses of the Iland which doe extend to the number of 12000. Souldiers kept not onely for the incursions of Turks but also for feare of the Cretes or inhabitants who would rather if they could render to the Turke than to live under the subjection of Venice thinking thereby to have more liberty and lesse taxed under the Infidell than now they are under the Christian. This Isle produceth the best Maluasie Muskadine and Leaticke wines that are in the whole Universe It yeeldeth Orenges Lemmons Mellons Cytrons Grenadiers Adams Apples Raisins Oilves Dates Hony Sugar Vva tri de volte and all other kinds of fruit in abundance But the most part of the Cornes are brought yearely from Archipelago and Greece The chiefe Rivers are Cataracho Melipotomos Escasino being all of them shallow
clothed him in a female habite and sent him out before mee conducted by the Greekish woman and when securely past both Guard and Gate I followed carrying with mee his cloathes where when accoasting him by a field of Olives and the other returned backe we speedily crossed the Vale of Suda and interchanging his apparrell I directed him the way over the Mountaines to a Greekish convent on the South side of the land a place of safe-guard called commonly the Monastery of refuge where hee would kindly bee entertained till either the Gallyes or men of Warre of Malta arrived It being a custome at their going or comming from the Levante to touch heere to releeve and carry away distressed men This is a place whereunto Bandits men-slayers and robbers repaire for reliefe And now many joyfull thankes from him redounded I returned keeping the high way where incontinent I encountred two English Souldiers Iohn Smith and Thomas Hargrave comming of purpose to informe me of an Iminent danger shewing me that all the Officers of the Gallyes with a number of Souldiers were in searching the City and hunting all over the fields for me after which relation consulting with them what way I could come to the Italian Monastery Saint Salvator for there I say the vulgar Towne affording neither lodging nor beds They answered me they would venture their lives for my liberty and I should enter at the Easterne the least frequented Gate of the City where three other English men lay that day on Guard for so there were five of them here in Garison where when wee came the other English accompanied with eight French souldiers their familiars came along with us also And having past the Market place and neare my lodging foure officers and sixe Gally souldiers runne to lay hold on mee whereat the English and French unsheathing their swords valiantly resisted their fury and deadly wounded two of the Officers Meane while fresh supply comming from the Gallyes Iohn Smith runne along with me to the Monastery leaving the rest at pell mell to intercept their following At the last the Captaines of the Garrison approaching the tumult relieved their owne Souldiars and drove backe the other to the Gallyes A little thereafter the Generall of the Gallyes came to the Monastary and examined mee concerning the fugitive but I clearing my selfe so and quenching the least suspition hee might conceive notwithstanding of my accusers hee could lay nothing to my charge howsoever it was hee seemed somewhat favourable partly because I had the Duke of Venice his Pasport partly because of my intended voyage to Ierusalem partly because he was a great favourer of the French Nation and partly because hee could not mend himselfe in regard of my shelter and the Governours favour yet neverthelesse I detained my selfe under safeguard of the Cloyster untill the Gallyes were gone Being here disappoynted of transportation to Archipelago I advised to visit Candy and in my way I past by the large Haven of Suda which hath no Towne or Village save onely a Castle scituated on a Rock in the Sea at the entry of the Bay the bounds of that harbour may receive at one time above two thousand Ships and Gallyes and is the onely Key of the Iland for the which place the King of Spaine hath oft offered an infinite deale of money to the Venetians whereby his Navâ— which sometimes resort in the Levante might have accesse and reliefe but they would never grant him his request which policy of his was onely to have surprized the Kingdome South-west from this famous harbour lyeth a pleasant plaine sirnamed the Vally of Suda It is twenty Italian Miles long and two of breadth And I remember as I descended to crosse the Valley and passe the Haven me thought the whole planure resembled to me a green sea and that was onely by reason of infinite Olive trees grew there whose boughes and leaves over-top all other fructiferous trees in that plaine The Villages for losse of ground are all built on the skirts of Rocks upon the South-side of the Valley yea and so difficult to climbe them so dangerous to dwell in them that me thought their lives were in like perill as he who was adjoyned to sit under the point of a two-handed sword and it hanging by the haire of a horse taile Trust me I told along these Rocks at one time and within my sight some 67. Villages but when I entred the Valley I could not finde a foote of ground unmanured save a narrow passing way wherein I was The Olives Pomgranets Dates Figges Orenges Lemmons and Pomi del Adamo growing all through other And at the rootes of which trees grew Wheat Maluasie Muscadine Leaticke Wines Grenadiers Carnobiers Mellones and all other sorts of â—ruits and Herbes the earth can yeeld to man that for beauty pleasure and profit it may easily bee sirnamed the garden of the whole Vniverse being the goodliest plot the Diamond sparke and the Honey spot of all Candi There is no land more temperate for ayre for it hath a double spring-tide no soyle more fertile and therefore it is called the Combate of Bacus and Ceres nor Region or Valley more hospitable in regard of the Sea having such a noble Haven cut through its bosome being as it were the very resting place of Neptune Upon the third dayes journey from Canea I came to Rethimos this City is somewhat ruinous and unwalled but the Citizens have newly builded a strong Fortresse but rather done by the State of Venice which defendeth them from the invasion of Pyrats It standeth by the sea side and in the yeare 1597. it was miserably sacked and burned with Turkes Continuing this voyage I passed along the skirts of Mount Ida accompanied with Greeks who could speake the Italian tongue on which first they shewed me the Cave of King Minos but some hold it to be the Sepulcher of Iupiter That Groto was of length eighty paces and eight large This Minos was said to bee the brother of Radamanthus and Sarpedon who after their succession to the Kingdome established such aequitable Lawes that by Poets they are feigned with Aeacus to bee the Judges of Hell I saw also there the place where Iupiter as they say was nourished by Amalthes which by Greekes is recited as well as Latine Poets Thirdly they shewed mee the Temple of Saturne which is a worke to be admired of such Antiquity and as yet undecayed who say they was the first King that inhabited there and Father to Iupiter And neare to it is the demolished Temple of Matelia having this superscription above the doore yet to bee seene Make cleane your feete wash your hands and enter Fourthly I saw the entry into the Laborinth of Dedalus which I would gladly have better viewed but because we had no Candle-light wee durst not enter for there are many hollow places within it so that if a man stumble or fall he can hardly
came in bed for my lodging was in a little Chappell a mile without the Village on hard stones where I also had a fire and dressed my meate The Greekes visited mee oftentimes intreated me above all things I should not enter within the bounds of their Sanctuary because I was not of their Religion But I in regard of the longsome and cold nights was inforced every night to creepe in the midst of the Sanctuary to keepe my selfe warme which Sanctuary was nothing but an Altar hemb'd in with a partition wall about my height dividing the little roome from the body of the Chappell These miserable Ilanders are a kind of silly poore people which in their behaviour shewed the necessity they had to live rather then any pleasure in their living From thence I imbarked on a small barke of ten Tunnes come from Scithia in Candy and loaden with Oyle and about mid-day we arrived in the I le of Mecano where wee but only dined and so set forward to Zea. This Mecano was formerly called Delos famous for the Temple of Apollo being the chiefe I le of the Cyclades the rest of the 54. incircling it Delos signifieth apparant because at the request of Iuno when all the earth had abjured the receipt of Latona This Iland then under the water was by Iupiter erected aloft and fixt to receive her wherein she was delivered of Apollo and Diana erratica Delos c. Ovid. Vnsetled Delos floating on the maine Did wandring Laton kindly entertaine In spight of Juno fatned with loves balme Was brought to bed under Minerva's palme In this I le they retaine a Custome neither permitting men to dye or children to be borne in it but alwayes when men fall sicke and women grow great bellied they send them to Rhena a small Isoletta and two miles distant Zea to which we arrived from Mecano was so called of Zeo the sonne of Phebo and of some Tetrapoli because of the foure Cityes that were there of old Symonides the Poet and Eristato the excellent Physitian were borne in it The next Isle of any note we touched at was Tino This Island is under the Signory of Venice and was sometimes beautified with the Temple of Neptune By Aristotle it was called Idrusa of Demosthenes and Eschines Erusea It hath an impregnable Castle builded on the top of a high Rocke towards the East end or Promontore of the Isle and ever provided with three yeares provision and a Garrison of two hundred Souldiers So that the Turkes by no means can conquer it The Isle it selfe is twenty Miles in length and a great refuge for all Christian ships and Gallyes that haunt in the Levante From this Isle I came to Palmosa sometimes Pathmos which is a Mountainous and barren Iland It was here that Saint Iohn wrote the Revelation after he was banished by Domitianus the Emperour Thence I imbarked to Nicaria and sailed by the Isle Scyro which of old was the Signory of Licomedes and in the habit of a woman was Achilles brought up here because his Mother being by an Oracle premonished that he should be killed in the Trojan Warre sent him to this Island where he was maiden-like brought up amongst the Kings Daughters who in that time begot Pyrhus upon Deidamia the daughter of Licomedes and where the crafty Vlysses afterward did discover this fatall Prince to Troy As we fetched up the sight of Nicaria wee espyed two Turkish Galleots who gave us the Chase and pursued us straight to a Bay betwixt two Mountaines where wee left the loaden Boat and fled to the Rocks from whence wee mightily annoyed with huge tumbling stones the pursuing Turks But in our flying the Master was taken and other two old men whom they made captives and slaves and also seized upon the Boat and all their goods The number of us that escaped were nine persons This Isle Nicaria was anciently called Doliche and Ithiosa and is somwhat barren having no Sea-port at all It was here the Poets feigned that Icarus the sonne of Dedalus fell when as hee tooke flight from Creta with his borrowed wings of whom it hath the name and not following directly his father Dedalus was here drowned Dum petit infirmis nimium sublimiae pennis Icarus Icariis nomina fecit aquis Whiles Icarus weak wings too high did flye He fell and baptiz'd the Icarian Sea So many moe experience may account That both above their minds and means would mount Expecting certaine dayes here in a Village called Laphantos for passage to Sio at last I found a Brigandino bound thither that was come from the fruitfull Isle of Stalimene of old Lemnos This Isle of Stalimene is in circuit 90 miles where in Hephestia it's Metropolis Vulcan was mightily adored who being but a homely brat was cast down hither by Iuno whereby it was no marvaile if he became crooked and went a halting The sovereigne minerall against infections called Teera Lamnia or Sigillata is digged here The former name proceedeth from the Island The latter is in force because the earth being made up in little pellets is sealed with a Turkish Signeâ— and so sold and dispersed over Christendome Having embarked in the aforesaid Brigandine wee sayled by the Isle Samos which is opposite to Caria in Asia minor where the Tyrant Policrates lived so fortunate as hee had never any mischance all this time till at last Orientes a Persian brought him to a miserable death Leaving us an example that fortune is certaine in nothing but in incertainties who like a Bee with a sharp sting hath alwayes some miserie following a long concatenation of felicities It is of circuit 160 and of length 40 miles it was of old named Driusa and Melanphilo in which Pythagor as the Phylosopher and Lycaon the excellent Musicioner were born Upon our left hand and opposite to Samos lyeth the Isle of Nixia formerly Maxos in circuit 68 miles It was also called the Isle of Venus and Dionisia and was taken from the Venetians by Selim the father of Solyman East from Nixia lieth the Isle Amurgospolo in circuit twenty leagues it hath three commodious Ports named St. Anna Calores and Cataplino A little from hence and in sight of Natolia lyeth the Isle Calamo formerly Claros in circuit thirty miles and Eastward thence the little Isle of Lerno five leagues in circuit all inhabited with Greeks and they the silly ignorants of Nature South-east from this lyeth the Isle of Coos now Lango by the Turks called Stanccow the Capitall Towne is Arango where Hypocrates and Apelles the Painter were borne In this Isle there is a Wine named by the Greeks Hyppocon that excelleth in sweetnesse all other Wines except the Malvasie and it aboundeth in Cypre and Turpentine trees There is here a part of the Isle disinhabited in regard of a contagious Lake that infecteth the ayre both Summer and Winter There is abundance of Alloes found here so much esteemed
poor I distress'd Oft changing to and fro Am forc'd to sing sad Obsequies Of this my Swan-like wo. A vagabonding Guest Transported here and there Led with the mercy-wanting windes Of fear grief and despair Thus ever-moving I Yo restlesse journeys thrald Obtains by Times triumphing frowns A calling unrecall'd Was I preordain'd so Like Tholos Ghost to stand Three times four houres in twenty four With Musket in my hand Ore-blasted with the storms Of Winter-beating Snow And frosty pointed hail-stones hard On me poor wretch to blow No Architecture Lo But whirling-windy Skies Or'e-syld with thundring claps of Clouds Earths center to surprise I I it is my fate Allots this fatall crosse And reckons up in Characters The time of my Times loss My destinie is such Which doth predestine me To be a mirrour of mishaps A map of misery Extreamly do I live Extreamâ— are all my joy I finde in deep extremities Extreams extream annoy Now all alone I watch With Argoes eyes and wit A Cypher 'twixt the Greeks and Turks Vpon this Rock I sit A constrain'd Captive I 'Mongst incompassionate Greeks Bare-headed downward bows my head And liberty still seeks But all my sutes are vain Heaven sees my wofull state Which makes me say my worlds eye-sight Is bought at too high rate Would God I might but live To see my native Soyle Thrice happy in my happy wish To end this endlesse toyle Yet still when I record The pleasant banks of Clide Where Orchards Castles Towns and Woods Are planted by his side And chiefly Lanarke thou Thy Countries Laureat Lampe In which this bruised body now Did first receive the stampe Then do I sigh and sweare Till death or my return Still for to wear the Willow wreath In sable weed to mourn Since in this dying life A life in death I take I le sacrifice in spight of 〈◊〉 These solemne vows I make To thee sweet Scotland first My birth and breath I leave To Heaven my soul my heart King James My Corps to lie in grave My staffe to Pilgrimes I And Pen to Poets send My hair-cloth robe and half spent goods To wandring wights Ilend Let them dispose as though My treasure were of gold Which values more in purest prise Then drosse ten thousand fold These Trophees I erect Whiles memory remains An epitomiz'd Epitaph On Lithgow's restlesse pains My will 's inclos'd with love My love with earthly blis My blisse in substance doth consist To crave no more but this Thou first is was and last Eternall of thy grace Protect prolong great Britains King His son and Royall Race AMEN Upon the seventh day there came downe to visit us two Gentlemen of Venice clothed after the Turkish manner who under exile were banished their Native Territories ten yeeres for slaughter each of them having two servants and all of them carrying Shables and two Guns a piece which when I understood they were Italians I addressed my selfe to them with a heavy complaint against the Greeks in detaining my Budgeto and compelling mee to endanger my life for their goods whereupon they accusing the Patron and finding him guiltie of this oppression belaboured him soundly with handy-blowes and caused him to deliver my things carrying mee with them five miles to a Towne where they remained called Rhethenos formerly Carastia where I was exceeding kindly entertained ten days And most nobly as indeed they were noble they bestowed on mee forty Chickens of Gold at my departure for the better advancement of my Voyage which was the first gift that ever I received in all my travels For if the darts of death had not been more advantagious to mee then Asiaticke gifts I had never been able to have undergone this tributary tedious and sumptuous peregrination The confluence of the Divine Providence allotting mee means from the losse of my dearest consorts gave mee in the deepnesse of sorrow a thankfull rejoycing Nigroponti was formerly called Euboea next Albantes and is now surnamed the Queene of Archipelago The Turks cognominate this Isle Egribos The Town of Nigropont from which the Isle taketh the name was taken in by Mahomet the second Anno 1451 and in this Isle is found the Amianten stone which is said to be drawne in threeds as out of Flax whereof they make Napkins and other like Stuffs and to make it white they use to throw it in the fire being salted The stone also is found here called by the Greeks Ophites and by us Serpentine The circuit of this Isle is three hundred forty sixe miles It is seperated from the firme land of Thessalia from the which it was once rent by an Earth-quake with a narrow channel over the which in one place there is a bridge that passeth betwene the Isle and the main continent and under it runneth a marvellous swift current or Eâ—ripus which ebbeth and floweth six times night and day Within halfe a mile of the bridge I saw a Marble columne standing on the top of a little Rocke whence as the Islanders told me Aristotle leaped in and drowned himselfe after that he could not conceive the reason why this Channell so ebbed flowed using these words Quiaego non capeo te tu capias me This Isle bringeth forth in abundance all things requisite for humane life and decored with many goodly Villages The chief Cities are Nigropont and Calchos The principall rivers Cyro and Nelos of whom it is said if â— sheep drinke of the former his wooll becommeth white if of the latter coale blacke From thence and after 2â— dayes abode in this Isle I arrived to Town in Masidonia called Salonica but of old Thessalonica where I staied five dayes and was much made of by the inhabitants being Iewes Salonica situate by the seaside betweene the two Rivers Chabris and Ehedora It is a pleasant large and magnificke City full of al sorts of merchandize and it is nathing inferiour in all things except nobility unto Naples in Italy It was sometimes for a while under the Signory of Venice til Amurath the sonne of Mahomet tooke it from this Republicke And is the principall place of Thessaly which is a Province of Macedon together with Achaia and Myrmedon which are the other two Provinces of the same This City of Salonica is now converted in an University for the Iewes and they are absolute Signiors thereof under the great Turke with a large Territory of land being without and about them It hath bin ever in their hands since Soliman tooke in Buda in Hungary Anno 1516 August 20. to whom they lent two millions of money and for warrandice whereof they have this Towne and Province made fast to them They speake vulgarly and Maternally here the Hebrew tongue man woman and child and not else where in all the world All their Synagogian or Leviticall Priests are bred here and from hence dispersed to their severall stations Thessaly a long the sea side lieth betweene Peloponnesus and Achaia Wherein
standeth the hill Olympus on which Hercules did institute the Olympian games which institution was of long time the Grecian Epoche from whence they reckoned their time Macedon is now called by the Turkes Calethiros signifying a mighty warlike Nation Macedonia containing Thessaly Achaia and Myrmidon lieth as a center to them having Achaia to the East Thessalia to the South Mirmidonia bordering with Aetolia to the West And a part of Hoemus whence it was called Haemonia and some of â—isia superior to the North it was also called Amathia from Amathus once King thereof and then Macedonia from the King Macedo The chiefe Cities are Andorista Andesso Sydra Sederaspen where the mines of gold and silver be which enrich the Turk so monthly receiving thence sometimes 18000 24000 30000 Ducats And Pellia where Alexander the Great was born Bajazet the first wonne this Country from the Constantinopolitans About this City of Salonica is the most fertile and populous Country in all Greece Greece of all Kingdomes in Europe hath been most famous and highly renowned for many noble respects yet most subject to the vicissitude of Fortune than any other who changing Gold for Brasse and loathing their owne Princes suffered many Tyrants to rule over them scourging their folly with their fall and curing a festered soare with a poysoned playster whence succeeded a dismall discord which beginning when the State of Greece was at the highest did not expire till it fell to the lowest ebbe sticking fast in the hands of a grievous desolation which former times if a man would retrospectively measure he might easily finde and not without admiration how the mighty power of the divine Majesty doth sway the moments of things and sorteth them in peremptory manner to strange and unlooked for effects making reason blinde policie astonished strength feeble valour dastardly turning love into hatred fear into fury boldnesse into trembling and in the circuit of one minute making the Conquerour a conquered person Greece now tearmed by the Turks Rum Ili the Roman Country was first called Helles next Grecia of Grecus who was once King thereof The Greekes of all other Gentiles were the first converted Christians and are wonderfull devout in their professed Religion The Priests weare the haire of their heads hanging over their shoulders These that be the most sincere religious men abstain always from eating of flesh or fish contenting themselves with water herbs and bread They differ much in Ceremonies and principles of Religion from the Papists and the computation of their Kalender is as ours They have foure Patriarks who governe the affaires of their Church and also any civill dissentions which happen amongst them viz. one in Constantinople another in Antiochia the third in Alexandria and the fourth in Ierusalem It is not needfull for me to penetrate further in the condition of their estate because it is no part of my intent in this Treatise In a word they are wholy degenerate from their Ancestors in valour vertue and learning Universities they have none and civill behaviour is quite lost formerly in derision they tearmed all other Nations Barbarians A name now most fit for themselves being the greatest dissembling lyers inconstant and uncivill people of all other Christians in the world By the way I must give the Kings Kingdomes a caveat here concerning vagabonding Greeks and their counterfeit Testimonials True it is there is no such matter as these lying Rascals report unto you concerning their Fathers their Wives and Children taken Captives by the Turke O damnable invention How can the Turke prey upon his owne Subjects under whom they have as great Liberiy save only the use of Bels as we have under our Princes the tithe of their Male children being absolutely abrogated by Achmet this Amuraths Father and the halfe also of their Female Dowry at Marriges And farre lesse for Religion can they be banished or deprived of their Benefices as some false and dissembling fellowes under the Title of Bishops make you beleeve There being a free Liberty of Conscience for all kinds of Religion through all his Dominions as well for us free borne Frankes as for them and much more them the Greeks Armenians Syriacks Amoronits Copties Georgians or any other Orientall sort of Christians And therefore look to it that you be no more gulled golding them so fast as you have done lest for your paines you prove greater Asses than they do Knaves In Salonica I found a Germo bound for Tenedos in which I imbarked As we sayled along the Thessalonian 〈◊〉 I saw the two topped hill Pernassus which is of a wondrous height whose tops even kisse the Clâ—uds Mons hic cervicibus petit arduus astraduobus Nomine Pernassus super at que cacumine montes Through thickest clouds Pernassus bends his hight Whose double tops do kisse the Stars so bright Here it was said the nine Muses haunted but as for the Fountain Helicon I leave that to be searched and seen by the imagination of Poets for if it had beene objected to my sight like an insatiable Drunkard I should have drunk up the streams of Poësie to have enlarged my dry poeticall Sun scorch'd vein The Mountaine it selfe is somewhat steepe and sterile especially the two tops the one whereof is dry and sandy signifying that Poets are alwayes poore and needie The other top is barren and rockie resembling the ingratitude of wretched and niggardly Patrons the vale between the tops is pleasant and profitable denoting the fruitfull and delightfull soile which painfull Poets the Muses Plow-men so industriously manure A little more Eastward as we fetcht up the coast of Achaia the Master of the Vessell shewed mee a ruinous Village and Castle where hee said the admired Citie of Thebes had been Whose former glory who can truly write of for as the earth when shee is disrobed of her budding and fructifying trees and of her amiable verdure which is her onely grace and garment royall is like a naked table wherein nothing is painted even so is Thebes and her past Triumph defac'd and bereft of her lusty and young Gentlemen as if the spring-tide had been taken from the yeare But what shall I say to know the cause of such like things they are so secret and mysticall being the most remote objects to which our understanding may aspire that wee may easily be deceived by disguised and pretended reasons whilst we seek for the true and essentiall causes for to report things that are done is easie because the eie and the tongue may dispatch it but to discover and unfold the causes of things requireth braine soul and the best progresse of Nature And as there is no evill without excuse nor no pretence without some colour of reason nor wiles wanting to malicious and wrangling wits Even so was there occasion sought for what from Athens and what from Greece whereby the peace and happinesse of Thebes might be dissolved and discord raised to
the last ruines of her desolation This Achaia is by some ignorant Geographers placed in the middle between Epire Thessaly and Peloponesus where contrariwise it is the Eastmost Province of Greece except Thrace lying along twixt it and Thessaly by the Sea side which part of the Country some late Authors have falsly named Migdonia which is a Province that lyeth North from Thracia East from Macedon and South from Misia having no affinitie with the Sea The chiefe Cities in Achaia are Neapolis Appollonia and Nicalidi where the famous Philosopher Aristotle was born Here is a huge and high Hill Athos containing in circuit 70 miles and as some affirme three days jonrney long whose shadow was absurdly said to have extended to Lemnos an Island lying neer the Carpathian Sea Achaia was formerly called Aylaida but now by the Turks Levienda Athos in Greeke is called Agros aeros to wit a holy Mountain the top of it is half a days journey broad and 14 Italian miles high There are 20 Monasteries upon it of Greekish Colieres a laborious kinde of silly Friers and kinde to strangers The chiefest of which Cloisters are called Victopodos and Agios laura being all of them strongly walled and fencible Upon the third day from Salonica wee arrived in the Road of Tenedos which is an Island in the Sea Pontus or Propontis It hath a City called Tenedos built by Tenes which is a gallant place having a Castle and a faire Haven for all sorts of Vessels it produceth good store of Wines and the best supposed to be in all the South-east parts of Europe or yet in Asia The Island is not big but exceeding fertile lying three miles from the place where Troy stood as Virgil reported Aeneid 2. Est in conspectu Tenedos notissima famainsula In sight of Troy a stately Isle I fand Shut up with Pontus from the Trojan land Whose beauteous bounds made me wish there to stay Or that I might transport the same away Else like Tritonean rude Propontick charms T' imbrace sweet Tenes always in mine arms And again Insula dives opum Priami dum regna manebant An Isle most rich in Silks delicious Wine When Priams Kingdome did in glory shine Where Ceres now and Bacchus love to dwell And Flora too in Berecinthiaes Cell In Tenedos I met by accident two French Merchants of Marseils intending for Constantinople who had lost their ship at Sio when they were busie at venerall rilting with their new elected Mistresses and for a second remedy were glad to come thither in a Turkish Carmoesalo The like of this I have seen fall out with Seafaring men Merchants and Passengers who buy sometimes their too much folly with too dear a repentance They and I resolving to view Troy did hire a Ianizary to be our conductor protector and a Greek to be our Interpreter Where when wee landed we saw here and there many relicks of old walls as wee travelled through these famous bounds And as wee were advanced toward the East part of Troy our Greek brought us to many Tombs which were mighty ruinous and pointed us particularly to the Tombs of Hector Ajax Achilles Troylus and many other valiant Champions with the Tombs also of Hecuba Cresseid and other Trojan Dames Well I wot I saw infinite old Sepulchers but for their particular names nomination of them I suspend neither could I believe my Interpreter sith it is more then 3000 and odde years ago that Troy was destroyed Here Tombs I view'd old Monuments of Times And fiery Trophyes fix'd for bloody crimes For which Achilles Ghost did sigh and say Curst be the hands that sakelesse Trojans slay But more fierce Ajax more Ulysses Horse That wrought griefs ruine Priam's last divorce And here inclos'd within these clods of dust All Asia's honour and cross'd Paris lust He shewed us also the ruines of King Priams palace and where Anchises the father of Aeneas dwelt At the North-east corner of Troy which is in sight of the Castles of Hellespont there is a gate yet standing and a piece of a reasonable high wall upon which I found three pieces of rusted money which afterward I gave two of them to the younger brethren of the Duke of Florence then studying in Pretolino The other being the fairest with a large picture on the one side I bestowed it at Aise in Provance upon a learned Scholler Master Strachon my Countrey man then Mathematician to the Duke of Guise who presently did propine his Lord and Prince with it Where the pride of Phrygia stood it is a most delectable plaine abounding now in Cornes Fruites and delicate Wines and may be called the garden of Natolia yet not populous for there are but only five scattered Villages in all that bounds The length of Troy hath bin as may be discerned by the fundamentall walls yet extant about twenty Italian miles which I reckon to be ten Scottish or fifteene English miles lying along the sea side betweene the three Papes of Ida and the furthest end Eastward of the River Simois whose breadth all the way hath not outstrip'd the fields above two miles The inhabitants of these five scattered Bourges therein are for the most part Greekes the rest are Iewes and Turkes And loe here is mine Effigie affixed with my Turkish habit my walking staff my Turbant upon my head even as I travelled in the bounds of Troy and so through all Turkey Before my face on the right hand standeth the Easterne and sole gate of that sometimes noble City with a piece of a high wall as yet undecayed And without this Port runneth the River Simois inclosing the old Grecian Campe downe to the Marine where it imbraceth the Sea Propontis A little below are bunches of grapes denoting the vinyards of this fructiferous place adioyning neare to the fragments and ruines of Priams Palace sirnamed Ilium And next to it a ravenous Eagle for so this part of Phrygia is full of them So beneath my feet lye the two Tombs of Priamus Hecuba his Queen And under them the incircling hills of Ida at the west South-west end of this once Regall Town and at my left hand the delicious and pleasant fields of Olives and Fig-trees where with the bowels of this famous soyle are inter larded And here this piece or portraiture deciphered the continuing discourse inlarging both mean manner Whence Princely Homer and that Mantuan born Sad Tragicktunes erect'd for Troy forlorn And sad Aeneas fled to the Affrick Coast Where Carthage groan'd to hear how Troy was lost But more kinde Dido when this wandring Prince Had left Numidia stole away from thence Did worser groan who with his shearing sword Her self she gor'd with many weeping word O dear Aeneas dear Trojan art thou gone And then she fell death swallowed up her mone They land at Cuma where Latinus King Did give Aeneas Lavinia with a Ring Where now in Latium that old Dardan
so that who so have occasion to passe that Mountain are there lodged and furnished of all necessary provision of food by these sequestrate or solitary livers whose simple and harmlesse lives may be termed to be the very Emblemes of Piety and Devotion knowing nothing but to serve God and to live soberly in their carriage The chifest Cities of Thrace are Constantinople Abdera where Democritus was borne who spent his life in laughing Sestos Gallipoli Trajanople Galata and Adrianoplis which was taken by Bajazet Anno 1362. As wee sayled betweene Thracia and Bithinia a learned Grecian brought up in Padua that was in my company shewed â—ee Colchis whence Iason with the assistance of the Argonautes and the aid of Medeas skill did fetch the golden Fleece This Sea Hellespont tooke the name of Helle daughter to Athamas King of Thebes who was here drowned and of the Countrey Pontus ioyning to the same Sea wherein are these three Countries Armenia minor Colchis and Cappadocia After wee had fetcht up the famous City of Chalcedon in Bethinia on our right hand I beheld on our left hand the prospect of that little World the great City of Constantinople which indeed yieldeth such an outward splendour to the amazed beholder of goodly Churches stately Towers gallant Steeples and other such things whereof now the world make so great accompt that the whole earth cannot equall it Beholding these delectable objects we entred in the channell of Bosphorus which divideth Perah from Constantinople And arriving at Tapanau where all the munition of the great Turke lyeth I adressed my selfe to a Greeke lodging to refresh my selfe till morning But by your leave I had a hard welcome in my landing for bidding farewell to the Turkes who had kindly used me three dayes in our passage from the Castles the Master of the boate saying adio Christiano There were foure French Runnagates standing on the Cay who hearing these words fell desperatly upon me blaspheming the Name of Jesus and throwing me to the ground beate me most cruelly And if it had not beene for my friendly Turkes who leaped out of their boat and relieved mee I had doubtlesse there perished The other Infidels standing by said to mee behold what a Saviour thou hast when these that were Christians now turned Mahometans cannot abide nor regard the Name of thy God having left them with many a shrewd blow they had left mee I entred a Greek lodging where I was kindly received and much eased of my blows because they caused to oint them with divers Oiles and refreshed mee also with their best enttrtainment gratis because I had suffered so much for Christs sake and would receive no recompence againe The day following I went to salute and doe my duty to the right Worshipfull Sir Thomas Glover then Lord Ambassadour for our late Gracious Sovereigne King Iames of blessed Memory who most generously and courteously entertained mee three moneths in his house to whose kindnesses I was infinitely obliged as hereafter in my following Discourse of the fourth part of this History shall be more particularly avouched for certainly I never met with a more compleat Gentleman in all my Travels nor one in whom true worth did more illustrate vertue The fourth Part. NOw sing I of Byzantium Bosphors tides 'Twixt Europe and the lesser Asia glides Their Hyppodrome adorn'd with triumphs past And blackish Sea the Jadileck more fast The Galata where Christian Merchants stay And five Ambassadours for commerce aye The Turkish customeâ— and their manners rude And of their discent from the Scythian blood Their harsh Religion and their sense of Hell And Paradice their laws I shall you tell Then last of Mahomet their God on earth His end his life his parentage and birth COnstantinople is the Metropolitan of Thracia so called of Constantine the Emperour who first enlarged the same It was called of old Bizantium but now by the Turkes Stambolda which signifieth in their language a large City It was also called Ethuse by the Greeks Stymbolis This City according to ancient Authors was first founded by the Lacedemonians who were conducted from Lacedemon by one Pansanias about the year of the World 3294 which after their consultation with Apollo where they should settle their abode dwelling place they came to Bythinia and builded a Citie which was called Chalcedon But the commodity of fishing falling out contrary to their expectation in respect that the fishes were afraid of the white banks of the City the Captain Pausanias left that place and builded Byzantium in Thracia which first was by him intitled Ligos By Pliny Iustine and Strabo it was sirnamed Vrbs Illustrissima because it is repleat with al the blessings earth can give to man yea and in the most fertile soil of Europe Zonoras reporteth that the Athenians in an ambitious and insatiable desire of Sovereignty wonne it from the Lacedemonians They thus being vanquished suborned Severus the Roman Emperour to besiege the same But the Citie Byzantium being strongly fortified with walls the Romans could not take it in untill extream famine constrained them to yield after three yeares siege and Severus to satisfie his cruelty put all to the sword that were within and razed the wals giving it in possession to the neighbouring Perinthians This Citie thus remained in calamitie till Constantine resigning the Citie of Rome and a great part of Italy to the Popish inheritance of the Roman Bishops re-edified the same and translated his Imperiall Seat in the East and reduced all the Empire of Greece to a unite tranquilitie with immortall reputation which the Parthians and Persians had so miserably disquieted But these disorders at length reformed by the severe administration of Justice for the which and other worthy respects the said Constantine sonne of Saint Helen and Emperour of Rome which afterward the Pope usurped was sirnamed the Great He first in his plantation called this Citie new Rome but when he beheld the flourishing and multiplying of all things in it and because of the commodious situation thereof he called it Constantinopolis after his owne name This Emperour lived there many prosperous years in most happy estate likewise many of his Successours did untill such time that Mahomet the second of that name and Emperour of the Turks living in a discontented humour to behold the great and glorious Dominions of Christians especially this famous Citie that so flourished in his eies by momentall circumstances collected his cruell intentions to the full height of ambition whereby hee might abolish the very name of Christianity and also puft up with a presumptuous desire to enlarge his Empire went with a marvellous power both by Sea and Land unto this magnificent Mansion The issue whereof was such that after divers batteries and assaults the irreligious Infidels broke downe the walls and entred the City which breach was about forty paces long as by the new colour being built up again is easily knowne
from the old walls where when they entered they made a wonderfull massacre of poor afflicted Christians without sparing any of the Roman kinde either male or female In the mercilesse fury of these infernall Imps the Emperour Constantine was killed whose head being cut off was carried upon the point of a Lance through all the City and Campe of the Turkes to the great disgrace and ignominy of Christianity His Empresse Daughters and other Ladies after they were abused in their bodies were put to death in a most cruell and terrible manner By this overthrow of Constantinople this Mahomet took twelve Kingdoms and two hundred Cities from the Christians which is a lamentable losse of such an illustrious Empire Thus was that Imperiall Citie lost in the yeare 1453 May 29 when it had remained under the government of Christians 1198 yeares It is now the chief abode of the great Turk Sultan Achmet the fifteenth Grand Cham of the line of Ottoman who was then about twenty three years of age whose sonne Osman since and after his death was murdered by the Ianizaries being 14 years of age after his return to Constantinople from Podolia in Poland And in his place his Uncle Mustapha made Emperour whose weaknesse and unworthinesse being eft-soons discovered he was displaced and Amurath Osmans brother made Grand Signior who presently raigneth and not without great feare of his Ianizaries and Timariots who twice in three yeeres have lately made insurrection against him This Emperour Achmet who was alive when I was there was more given to Venery then Martiality which gave a greater advantage to the Persians in their defensive wars Concerning the Empire wee may observe some fatall contrarieties in one and the same name For Philip the Father of Alexander laid the first foundation of the Macedonian Monarchy and Philip the Father of Perseus ruined it So was this Town built by a Constantine the sonne of Helena a Gregory being Patriarch and was lost by a Constantine the sonne of a Helena a Gregory being also Patriarch The Turks have a Prophesie that as it was wonne by a Mahomet so it shall be lost by a Mahomet The form or situation of this Citie is like unto a Triangle the South part whereof and the East part are invironed with Hellespontus and Bosporus Thraicus and the North part adjoyning to the firme land It is in compasse about the walls esteemed to be 18 miles in one of these triangled points being the Southeast part and at the joyning of Bosphore and Hellespont standeth the Palace of the Great Turke called Seralia and the Forrest wherein he hunteth which is two miles in length The speciall object of Antiquitie I saw within this City was the incomparable Church of Saint Sophia whose ornaments and hallowed Vessels were innumerable in the time of Iustinian the Emperour who first builded it but now converted to a Mosque and consecrated to Mahomet after a diabolicall manner I saw also the famous Hyppodrome and the Theater whereon the people stood when the Emperours used to run their Horses and make their Princely shows on solemne dayes which is now altogether decaid There is a great Columne in that same place in the which all these things memorable that have bin done in this Hyppodrome are superficially carved Upon the West corner of the City there is a strong Fortresse fortified with seven great Towers and well furnished with Munition called by Turks Iadileke In this Prison are Bassawes and Subbassawes imprisoned and also great men of Christians if any offence be committed Their place of Exchange is called Bezastan wherein all sorts of commodities are to be sold as Sattins Silkes Velvets Cloth of Silver and Gold and the most exquisitely wrought Hand-kerchiefes that can be found in the world with infinite other commodities the relation of which would be tedious I have seene men and women as usually sold here in Markets as Horses and other beasts are with us The most part of which are Hungarians Transilvaniaus Carindians Istrians and Dalmatian Captives and of other places besides which they can overcome Whom if no compassionable Christian will buy or relieve then must they either turne Turke or be addicted to perpetuall slavery Here I remember of a charitable deed done for a sinfull end and thus it was A Ship of Marseilles called the great Dolphin lying here forty dayes at the Galata the Master Gunner named Monsieur Nerack and I falling in familiar acquaintance upon a time he told me secretly that he would gladly for Conscience and Merits sake redeeme some poore Christian slave from Turkish Captivity To the which I applauded his advice and told him the next Friday following I would assist him to so worthy an action Friday comes and he and I went for Constantinople where the Market of the slaves being ready we spent two houres in viewing and reviewing five hundred Males and Females At last I pointed him to have bought an old man or woman but his minde was contrary set shewing me that he would buy some virgin or young widdow to save their bodies unde floured with Infidels The price of a virgin was too deare for him being a hundred Duckets and widdows were farre under and at an easier rate When wee did visit and search them that wee were mindfull to buy they were strip'd stark naked before our eyes where the sweetest face the youngest age and whitest skin was in greatest value and request The Iews sold them for they had bought them from the Turkes At last we fell upon a Dalmatian widdow whose pitifull looks and sprinkling teares strook my soule almost to death for compassion whereupon I grew earnest for her reliefe and hee yielding to my advice shee is bought and delivered unto him the man being 60 yeares of age and her price 36 Duckets We leave the Market and came over again to Galata where hee and I tooke a Chamber for her and leaving them there the next morning I returned early suspecting greatly the dissembling devotion of the Gunner to be nought but luxurious lust and so it proved I knocked at the Chamber doore that hee had newly locked and taken the key with him to the ship for he had tarried with her all that night and she answering me with teares told mee all the manner of his usage wishing her selfe to be again in her former captivity whereupon I went a shipboord to him and in my griefe I swore that if hee abused her any more after that manner and not returned to her distresse her Christian liberty I would first make it knowne to his Master the Captaine of the Ship and then to the French Ambassadour for hee was mindfull also his lust being satisfied to have sold her over againe to some other At which threatning the old Pallyard became so fearfull that he entred in a reasonable condition with mee and the Ship departing thence sixe dayes there after he freely resigned to me her life her
seemed with the peoples industry to contend the one by propagating Creatures the other by admirable agriculture That for Commodities and pleasure it is little inferiour unto the Valley of Suda in Candy which maketh the inhabitants wondrous insolent for as mirth is made of pleasure and with pleasures all vices are baited even so there is not a more incorrigible creature then man in prosperity nor so modest nor reformed an one as he to whom fortune hath lent but a sparing and crooked favor which indeed I hold best of all for it is the forming of the mind not the tongue nor hand that can preferre us to true felicitie And would to God that these upon whom none but faire winds have ever blowne in the carreere of their supposed happinesse could but see for all their high and over-topping places their end and resting place since they are nought but the arrows of the Omnipotent arme that are yet flying not at theirs but his mark and no more owners of their own proposed ends then they are guiltie of their own beginnings surely they would cover their faces with another kinde of maske then they do and make their actions seeme more cleere then the force of policie can obumbrate their wicked devices Thyatira now called Tyria one also of the seven Churches is not from Smyrna above eighteen miles From this City having left my kinde English men and their stately Ship that carried 24 peeces of Ordnance I imbarked in a Turkish Carmosale that carried nothing but her loading being bound for Rhodes In our sayling along the Câ—ast of Ionia the first place of any note I saw was the ruinous Citie of Ephesus yet somewhat inhabited with Greeks Iews and a few Turkes but no ways answerable to its former glory and magnificence being rather a monument for memory then a continuing Towne of any excellency neverthelesse it is pleasantly adorned with Gardens faire Fields and green Woods of Olive trees which on the Sea doe yield a delectable prospect It was one of the seven Churches Revelat. 2. 1. This was one of the most renowned Cities in Asia the lesser but the fame thereof arose from the Temple of Diana which for the spaciousnesse furniture and magnificent workmanship was accounted one of the seven Worlds Wonders It was two hundred yeares in building being foure hundred twenty five foot long and two hundred broad It was seven severall times burnt whereof the most part was with Lightning and lastly the finall destruction of it came by a base fellow Erostratus who to purchase himselfe a name did set it on fire Timothy was Bishop of Ephesus to the people whereof Saint Paul directed one of his Epistles and finally it is famous for the buriall of Saint Iohn the Evangelist It was said of this place in the Acts of the Apostles that all Asia and the whole World did worship here Diana Tully reporteth De natura Deorum that Timaeus being demanded the reason why the Temple of Diana was set on fire that night when Alexander the Great was born gave this jest thereof that the Mistris of it was from home because she being the Goddesse of Midwives did that night wait upon Olympias the mother of Alexander the Great who was brought to bed in Macedonia Over against this Citie is the Isle Lango anciently called Coos wherein the great Hyppocrates was borne and Appelles the Painter most excellent It is both fertile and populous and of circuit above fourescore miles There is a kinde of Serpent said to be in it so friendly unto the inhabitants that when the men are sleeping under the shadow of trees they come crauling and will linke or claspe themselves about their necks and bodies without doing any harme neither when they awake are the beasts affraid And neere to Lango is the Isle Nixa of old Strangoli and by some called Dionisa and Naxus an Island both fruitfull and delightfull As we sailed by the west part of the Isle a Greekish passenger shewed mee the place where as he said Ariadne was deceived of Theseus which is not farre from the irriguate plaine of Darmille Continuing our Navigation I saw the little Isle Ephdosh where the Turks told me that all the Islanders were naturally good swimmers paying no more tribute to their great Lord the Turke save onely once in the yeare there are certaine men and women chosen by a Turkish Captaine who must swimme a whole league right out in the Sea and goe downe to the bottome of the waters to fetch thence some token they have got ground And if they shall happen to faile in this the Island will be reduced againe to pay him yearly rent This I saw with mine eyes whiles we being calmed there came a man and two women swimming to us more than a mile of way carrying with them drye above the water baskets of fruite to sell the which made me not a little to wonder For when they came to the ships side they would neither boord nor boat with us but lay leaning or as it were resting themselves on the Sea upon their one side and sold so their fruits keeping Complements and discourses with us above an houre Contenting them for their ware a fresh gale arising we set forward accoasting the little Isle of Samothracia This Isle of Samothracia was called of old Dardania and now by the Turks Samandracho a place of small note considering the quantity of the Isle the few number of Inhabitants their lives being answerable to their meanes ignorance and servitude two strong commanders of infirme weaklings and no lesse powerfull than they are debile in the debt of worthines which the yonglings of understanding and sucklings of far look'd to knowledge can never be able to escape although a true profession covereth many naturall imperfections and in it a hope for blessednesse which indeed more wish for then rightly understand it And upon the ninth day after our departure from Smyrna we arrived at the City of Rhodes so called of the Island wherein it standeth Rhodes lieth in the Carpaâ—hian Sea it was of old called Ithrea Telchino and Phiula Plinie saith it was called Rhodes because there were certain fields of Roses in it for Rhodos in the Greek tongue signifieth a Flowre Not far from the City and at the entry of the Haven I saw the relicts of that huge and admiredly erected Idoll named Colossus Rhodius or the mighty Image of the Sun which was made in honour thereof from the which Saint Paul termed the Inhabitants Colossians It was builded by the worthy Canete Lindo in the space of twelve yeares others have said of Callasses the Disciple of Lisippus taking the name Collossus of him and it was thought worthy to be one of the seven earthly Wonders and so it might justly have beene The quantity whereof as yet may amaze the minde of the beholder It was erected in the Image of a man being eighty Cubits high
and so big that the little finger of it was as big as an ordinary man between whose legs it standing in the Harbours mouth with a leg on each side of the entery Ships were wont to passe under with taunt sails When Mnavi Generall of Caliph Osman first united this Isle to the Mahometan Empire and broke down the greatest part of this Statue the brasse whereof was said to be so much that it loaded nine hundred Camels This Isle belonged once to the Knights of Malta and were then sirnamed Knights of the Rhodes but they came first out of Acre in the Holy Land who were called Knights of St. Iohn who viriliously expulsed the Sarazens from thence Anno 1308. who had formerly taken it from the divided Grecians These Knights sorely in vested the Turkes for the space of two hundred yeares till Solyman the magnificent at last invaded and subdued it The Rhodians were ever good freinds to the Romans in somuch that when all the other Mediterranean Islands revolted to Mythridates of Pontus this onely adhered to the Romans This Isle of Rhodes within the space of 25 yeares was three times mightily indangered by violent and extreame impetuosities of raine in such sort that the last flood did drowne the greatest part of the Inhabitants which beginning in the Spring-time did continue to Summer and in all this time it broke violently downe their houses and in the night killed the people lying in their beds and in the day time such as were sheltered under safegard of their dwelling which was a miserable destruction and the like of it scarcely heard of since the universall Deluge But true it is as these Ominous judgments falling upon particular parts parcels of people are justly executed yet they serve for Caveats for all others in generall sinne being the originall of all to take heed of offending the Creator in abusing the bestuse of the Creature The Citie of Rhodes hath two strong Fortresses in one of which these Knights Lilladamus Villiers being great Master who were about five hundred onely and five thousand Rhodians who assisted them were besieged by an Army of two hundred thousand Turkes and three hundred Galleys for the space of sixe months The chiefe obstacle and impeaching of so great an Army from taking it was onely the resolute valour of the defendants But in end the multitude over-mastring valour and the Cavalieri di Rhodo wanting furniture to their Munition and being penurious of victualls were constrained to render upon the conditionall safety of their lives goods and transportation and remayned a long time without any habitation till the King of Spain gave them the barren Isle of Malta to inhabit This Isle of Rhodes was lost by the Maltezes Anno Domini 1522. And on Christmas day Solyman entred the Towne as conquerour though hee might justly have said as Pyrrhus once said of his victory over the Romans that such another victory would utterly have undone him he lost so many of his bravest Commanders and best Souldiers It is ever since in the fruition of Turkes The Fortresse of Rhodes and that Fortresse Famogusta in Cyprus are the two strongest Holds in all the Empire of the great Turke And by the way here I must record that if the Great Turke and his great Counsell were not good pay-masters to their Ianizaries and speedy rewarders of their common Souldiers it were impossible for him the Emperour or them the Bassaws to manage so great a State and to keep under obedience so head-strong a multitude and such turbulent forces for by your leave if a Souldiers industry be not quickned and animated with bountifull rewards hee hath lesse will to performe any part of Martiall service then a dead Coarse hath power to arise out of the Grave for what can be more precious to man then his blood being the fountain and nurse of his vitall spirits and the ground of his bodily substance which no free or ingenious nature will hazard to lose for nothing And whosoever shall argument or discourse upon sound reason and infallible experience may easily prove and perceive that these Commanders have ever best prospered which have most liberally maintayned and had in singular regard Military Arts and Souldiers otherwise the honourable mind would account it a great deale better to have death without life then life without reward yea and the noble Commander desiring rather to want then to suffer worth unrecompensed Rhodes ioyneth near to the Continent over against Caria now called Carmania under which name the Turkes comprehend Pamphilia Ionia and Lycia Caria by the Sea side hath Lycia to the South and Caria to the North The chiefe cities are Manissa and Mindum which having great gates being but a small Towne made Diogenes the Cynick crie out Yee Citizens of Mindum take heed that your City run not out of your gates The third is Hallicarnasso where Dionisius was borne who writ the History of Rome for the first three hundred yeares Of which Towne also the Province tooke the name for Artemisia who ayded Xerxes against the Grecians was by some Authors named Queene of Hallicarnasso This was she who in honour of her husband Mausoloa built that curious Sepulcher accounted for one of the worlds wonders it being twenty five cubits high and supported with thirtie six admirable wrought pillars After I had contented the master for my fraught and victuals who as he was an Infidell used me with great exaction I found a Barke of the Arches purposed to Cyprus with the which I imbarked being foure hundred miles distant This Tarterata or Demigalleyeot belongeth to the Isle of Stagiro anciently Thasia wherein there were Mines of gold in these times that afforded yeerly to Philip King of Macedon about fourescore talents of gold but now mightily impoverished and of no consequence The chief Town whereof is Palmapreto where divers Greekes hold the opinion Homer was interred having a famous Sea-port which is a common resting place for all the Orientall Pirats or Cursarces which maketh the Isle half desolate of people and these few scarce worthy of their dwellings Having past the Gulfe of Sattelia and the Isle Carpathia whence that part of the Sea taketh his Name wee boarded close along the coast of Lycia and the firme land of fruitfull Pamphylia the chiefe City of Lycia is Patras watred with the River Zanthus whence the people were called Zanthi afterward Lycians of Lyâ—us sonne to Pandion It lyeth twixt Caria and Pamphylia as Pamphylia lyeth between it and Cilicia The chief Town in Pamphylia is Seleucia built by Seleucus one of Alexanders successors on the East of Lycia within land bordereth Lycaonia c. Having left Pamphylia behind us we fetched up the coast of Cilicia sustaining many great dangers both of tempestuous storms and invasions of damnable Pirats who gave us divers assaults to their owne disadvantages our saylage being swifter then either their swallowing desires could follow or our weake
Kingdome who after the Trojan War came and dwelt here and afterward being divided betweene nine pettie Princes it was subdued by Cyrus the first Monarch of the Medes and Persians After the subversion of which Empire this Isle was given to the Ptolomies of Aegypt from whom Cato conquered it to the benefit of the Romans The Dukes of Savoy were once Kings of Cyprus but the Inhabitants usurping their authority elected Kings to themselves of their owne generation and so it continued till the last King of Cyprus Iames the Bastard marrying with the Daughter of a noble Venetian Catherina Cornaro died without children leaving her his absolute heire And she perceiving the factious Nobility too head-strong to be bridled by a female authority like a good child resigned her Crown and Scepter to the Venetian Senate Anno 1473. Whereupon the Venetians imbracing the opportunitie of time brought her home and sent Governours thither to beare sway in their behalfe paying onely as Tribute to the Aegyptian Sultans 40000 Crownes which had been due ever since Melecksala had made Iohn of Cyprus his Tributary It was under their Jurisdiction 120 yeares and more till that the Turkes whoever oppose themselves against Christians finding a fit occasion in time of peace and without suspition in the Venetians took it in with a great Armado Anno 1570 and so till this day by them is detained Oh great pitty that the usurpers of Gods Word and the Worlds great enemy should maintain without eaâ—e that famous Kingdom being but one thousand and â—ifty Turks in all who are the keepers of it unspeakable is the calamitie of that poore afflicted Christian people under the terrour of these Infidels who would if they â—ad Armes or assistance of any Christian Potentate eaâ—ly subvert and abolish the Turkes without any disturbance yea and would render the whole Signiory thereof to such a noble Actor I do not see in that small judgement which by experience I have got but the redemption of that Countrey where most facile if that the generous heart of any Christian Prince would be moved with condigne compassion to relieve the miserable afflicted Inhabitants In which worke hee should reape questionlesse not onely an infinite treasure of Worldly commodities that followeth upon so great a conquest but also a heavenly and eternall reward of immortall glory The which deliverance Ferdinando Duke of Florence thought to have accomplished having purchased the good will of the Islanders with five Gallounes and 5000 Souldiers Who being mindfull to take first in the fortresse of Famogusta directed so their course that in the night they should hate entred the Haven disbarke their men and scale the walles But in this plot they were farre disappointed by an unhappy Pilot of the Vice-admiral who mistaking the Port went into a wrong Bay which the Florentines considering resolved to â—eturne and keepethe sea till the second night but by a dead calme they were frustrated of their aymes and on the morrow discovered by the Castle Whereupon the Turkes went presently to armes charged the Inhabitants to come to defend that place But about foure hundred Greekes in the westpart at Paphus rebelled thinking that time had altered their hard fortunes by a new change but alas they were preuented every one cut off by the bloody hands of the Turks this massacre was committed in the year 1607. Such alwayes are the torturing flames of Fortunes smiles that he who most affecteth her she most and altogether deceiveth But they who trust in the Lord shall be as stable as Mount Sion which cannot be removed and questionlesse one day God in his all eternall mercie will relieve their miseries and in his just iudgments recompence these bloody oppressors with the heavy vengance of his all-seeing Justice In my returne from Nicosia to Famogusta with my Trench-â—an wee encountred by the way with foure Turkes who needs would have my Mule to ride upon which my Interpreter refused But they in a revenge pulled mee by the heels from the Mules backe beating mee most pittifully and left mee almost for dead In this meanewhile my companion fled and escaped the sceleratnesse of their hands and if it had not beene for some compassionable Greeks who by accident came by and relieved me I had doubtlesse immediately perished Here I remember betwene this Isle and Sydon that same Summer there were five galleouns of the Duke of Florence who encountred by chance the Turkes great Armado confisting of 100 gallees 14 galleots and two Galleasses The Admirall of which Ships did single 〈◊〉 her selfe from the rest and offered to fight with the whole Armado alone but the Turkes durst not and in their flying backe the Admirall sunke two of their gallies and had almost seized upon one of their galleasses if it had not beene for 20 Gallies who desperately adventured to tow her away against the wind and so escaped For true it is the naturall Turkes were never skilfull in â—anaging of Sea battells neither are they expert Mariners nor experimented Gunners if it were not for our Christian Runnagates French English and Flemings and they too sublime accurate and desperate fellows who have taught the Turkes the art of navigation and especially the use of munition which they both cast to them then become their chief Cannoneers the Turks would be as weak and ignorant at Sea as the silly Aethiopian is unexpert in handling of Arms on the Land For the private humour of discontented Cast-awayes is always an enemy to publick good who from the society of true Believers are driven to the servitude of Infidels and refusing the bridle of Christian correction they receive the double yoke of despair and condemnation Whose terrour of a guilty conscience or rather blazing brand of their vexed souls in forsaking their Faith and denying Christ to be their Saviour ramverts most of them either over in a torment of melancholy otherwise in the extasie of madnes which indeed is a torturing horrour that is sooner felt then known and cannot be avoided by the rudenesse of Nature but by the saving grace of true felicity From the Fort and Citie Famogusta I imbarked in a Germo and arrived at Tripoly being 88 miles distant where I met with an English Ship called the Royall Exchange of London lying there at Anchor in the dangerous Road of Tripoly whose loves I cannot easily forget for at my last good night being after great cheare and greaâ—er carousing they gave mee the thundring farewell of three peeces of Ordnance Tripoly is a City in Syria standing a mile from the Marine side neer to the foot of Mount Libanus since it hath beene first founded it hath three times beene situated and removed in three sundry places First it was overwhelmed with water Secondly it was sacked with Cursares and Pirates Thirdly it is like now to be overthrowne with new made Mountaines of sand There is no Haven by many miles neare unto it but a
night Bethleem is the pleasantest Village in all Iudea situated on a pretty Hill and five English miles from Ierusalem It produceth commodiously an infinite number of Olive and Figge-trees some Cornes and a kinde of white wine wherewith we were furnished all the time of our abode there also in and about Ierusalem In our way as we came backe to the City the next day following the Viccario shewed us a little Moskee kept by Turkes in which said he was the Tombe of Rachell Iacobus wife who died in that place as shee was travelling from Padan-Aram with her husband Iacob The ruines also of a house where Habacuk the Prophet dwelt a Turpentine tree growing yet by the way side under the which say they th Virgin Mary was wont to repose her selfe in traveling Wee saw also a naturall rocke in the high way whereon say they Elias oft slept and is not ashamed to say that the hollow dimples of the stone was onely made by the impression of his bâ—dy as though the tender flesh of man could leave the print of his portracture on a hard stone And not farre from this hee shewed us the place where the Starre appeared to the wise men after they had left Herod to seeke for the Saviour of mankind Approaching Mount Syon we saw a quadrangled dry pond wherein say they Beersheba the Wife of Vriah was Washing when David looked forth from the toppe of his Pallace gazing on the aspect of his lust gave the Bridle of reason fast tyed in the hands of temptation and becomming subject to the subtilty of sinne was bewitched by her beauty wherewith corruption triumphed in Nature and Godlinesse decreased in voluntary consent and from a royall Prophet fell in the bloudy lists of Murther and Adultery Over against this place on the North side of Gehinnon wee saw the ruines of a Palace wherein David dwelt which had beene one of the Angles of the ancient Citty and standeth at the division of the valley Ennon which compassed as a Ditch the North part of Mount Syon even to the Valley Iehosophat and so Eastward being now filled up with fragments of old walles and the Valley of Gehinnon lying West and East bordering along the South side of Syon till it ioyne also with the narrow Valley of Iehosophat which invironeth the East and devalling parts of Ierusalem Neere to this demolished tower we saw the habitation of Simeon who hauing seene the blessed Messias said Now Lord let thy Servant depart in peace for mine eyes haue seene thy Salvation And now lastly upon the twelfth day of my abode there early on Thursday morning the Guardiano twelue Friers and Iohn Baptista because that was the last day of â—eeing any more Monuments or was to be seene there accompanied us as wee issued at the South-gate of the City wee came to a place on the skirt of Syon where say they Peter after his deniall of Christ his Master wept bitterly Descending by the side of that same Hill we crossed the Valley Gehinnon and came to Acaldema the Potters â—ield or field of blood which is a little foure-squared Roome oppositive to the devaling side of the South-falling Syon three parts whereof are invironed with a naturall Rocke and the fourth square bordering with the Valley is made up of stone worke The top is covered and hath three holes where through they let the dead Christians fall downe for it is a buriall place of Pilgrimes to this day As I looked downe I beheld a great number of dead corpes some whereof had white winding sheets and newly dead lying one aboue an other in a lumpe yeelding a pestilent smell by reason they were not covered with earth saue onely the artchitecture of a high vault which maketh that in a long time the corpes cannot putrifie and rot Neare unto this Campo we entred into a dark Cave where say they the Apostles hid themselues when Christ was taken At the foote of the same valley wee came to Ponto Nâ—hemia in which place the Iewes did hide the Holy Fire when they were taken captives to Babylon walking more downeward toward the Valley of Iehosophat wee saw a darke Celler under the ground without windowes wherein said the Guardian the Idâ—latrous Iewes made a sacrifice of their children unto a brazen Image called Moloch which being made hot they inclosed them in the hollownesse thereof and so slue them and lest their crying should have moved any compassion towards them they made a thundring noise with Drums and other Instruments whereupon the place was called Tophet mentioned in Ier. 7. 31. Hence wee came to the Poole of Siloam in which wee washed our selves the water whereof falleth down through a Rock from the City above running straight to the Valley of Iehosophat and there we saw also the remnant of that sacked Towre of Siloam Neare to this wee saw a Fountaine where say they the Virgin Mary used oft to wash the Babes cloaths and linnen clouts From thence wee crossed the Brooke Cedron which guttereth through the Valley of Iehosophat and is always dry unlesse it be in December when the rain falleth there impetuously for a moneth together which is all the Winter they have in these parts during which time none may labour nor travell but forced to keepe themselves within Houses Having past I say this Brook we came to the Tombes of Absolom and Zacharias and the Cave wherein Saint Iames was wont to hide himselfe from the persecuting Iews Ascending more upward on the Hill in the way of Bythinia wee saw these places where Iudas hanged himselfe over which there is a Vault erected like a halfe Moone in memory of his selfe murther and hard by they shewed us where the withered Fig-tree grew the place being inclosed within a high stone Dike and halfe a mile thence wee came to the ruined house of Simon the Leper Arriving at Bythania we saw the Castle and Tombe of Lazarus on whom Christ shewed a Miracle in raising him from the Grave after hee had been foure dayes dead It is a singular and rare Alablaster Tombe and so exquisitely done that it excelleth Ierusalem excepted all the Monuments in Iudea erected for the lâ—ke purpose being inclosed within a delicate Chappell under the ground Not farre thence in the same Village wee saw the decayed House where Martha and Mary Magdalen inhabited and the stone whereon Christ sate say they when hee said to Martha Mary hath chosen the best part Leaving this moorish Bythania being now a Village of no qualitie wee returned by beggerly Bethphage and finding it farre worser about mid-day wee arrived on the top of Mount Olivet where wee dined on our owne provision carried with us and then proceeded in our sights From this place we had the full prospect of Ierusalem For the City standing upon the edge of a Hill cannot be seen all at one sight save on this Mountain which is two times higher then Mount
the Judge and pleading both our best for there are no Lawyers in Turkie every man speaking for himselfe the Bassaw with his Counsell upon sight of the keyes of their Cloakbags in my hands and my narration thereupon and not withstanding favouring the Factor immediatly determined that I should have the two parts of their moneys with all their Ierusalem relicts and Turkish clothes and the Venetian to have the former third part It is done and irrevocable upon which the Iewish Doctor and I with two Ianizaries came to mine adversaries house where I giving the Iew the keyes the Cloakbags were opened and the money being told it came iust to 1424 Chickeens of gold besides certain rings and tablets The Iew delivered me my part which came to 942 Chidkeens the rest went to the inconscionable Consul with the half of the rings tablets And packing up all the relicts moneys cloths and Cloakbags I hired a Mule and brought them along with me to the French Factors house Where when come Monsieur Beauclair and my fellow Pilgrimes were very glad that I had sped so wel none of us al knowing what was in the cloak-bags till they were viewed giving hearty thanks to the Consul and ten pieces of gold to the Iew and Ianizaries I sup'd and reposed till the morrow thanking God of my good fortune Yet was I exceeding sorrowfull for the losse of these gallant Gentlemen Religiously disposed and so affable that for familiarity and kindnesse they were the mirrours of noble minds and vertuous spectacles of humanity whose Deaths were to mee a Hell and whose lives had beene my Paradice on earth To whose memory and prayse I am not able to Congratulate the least Commendation their Heroicke dispositions deserved at my hands But what shall I say their time was come which mortality might sorrow but sorrow might not prevent Death whose power is deafe to all humane lamentations Neither will I relye so much upon my owne worthinesse as to thinke the benefit of the procrastination of my Life was by any merite of mine deserved but that God so much the more might show his incomprehensible goodnesse in delivering me from the violence of such unexpected accidents and to tye my soule to bee thankfull for his mercies For all the beginnings of man are derived from God whose ends are either perfited or disanulled by his determination and nothing wee possesse is properly our owne or gotten by our own power but given us onely through his goodnesse and munificence And all the spaces of earth which our feet tread over the Light we enioy and the excellent faculties we are indued withall or what we can do say or thinke is onely raised guided and distributed by Gods impenetrable Counsell Will and Providence which although the pride of our wicked nature doth not yeeld the true attribution thereunto yet the powerfull working of the counsell of God is such that in it selfe it proveth an eternall wisdome and confoundeth the foolishnesse of the World This incorporate World of Grand Cairo is the most admirable and greatest City seen upon the earth being thrice as large of bounds as Constantinople and likewise so populous but not so well builded being situate in a pleasant Plain and in the heart of Egypt kissing Nylus at some parts The City is divided in five Townes first and formost Cairo novo the new Caire which is the principall and chiefest place of all the other lying in midst of the rest having Walls and Ports the circuit whereof is twenty two miles containing all the chiefe Merchandise and Market places within it The second is Cairo Vecchio the old Caire called formerly Cairo de Babylonia or Babylon Aegyptiorum for there were two Babylons one in Assyria called now by the Turkes Bagdat and the other is this that joyneth with the new Caire It was also anciently called Memphis and was the furthest place Vlysses in his Travels visited so well memorized by Homer yet a Voyage of no such estimation as that Princely Poet accounted it for his Travels were not answerable to the fifteenth part of mine The third Towne is Medin joyning to the backside of the old Caire toward the Piramides The fourth is Boulake running a great length down along and neer the River side having three Market places of no small account The fift and last is the great Town of Caraffar bending Southward in the way of the Red Sea for many miles All which are but as Suburbs to the new Caire that of many small 's make up a Countrey rather then a City And yet all of them are contiguate one with an other either to the left or right hand or to them both with innumerable streets The length whereof in all from the lowest end of Boulak to the South-most part of Caraffar is by my deepe experience twenty eight English miles and fourteene in breadth for tryall whereof I trâ—ad it one day on foote from Sun to Sunne being guideâ— and guarded with a riding Ianizarie which for my bruised feet on the streets was one of the â—orest dayes iourney that ever I had in my life The principall gates of the new Caire are Babeh Mamstek looking toward the Wildernesse and the Red Sea Bebzauillah toward Nylus and Babell Eutuch toward the fields The streetes are narrow beeing all of them almost covered to save them from the parching heate with open vents for light and their buildings commonly are two stories high composed either of mudde or brick and platforme on the tops whereon usuall in the night they use to sleep to imbrace the fresh and cooling ayre Their Bazar or exchange beginneth at the gate of Mamsteck and endeth at a place called Babeso At the corners of chiefe streetes and market places there are divers horses standing ready sadled and bridled that for a small matter or according to the way a man may hire and ride where so he will either to negotiate or to view this spacious spred City and change as many horses as hee listeth having the Masters which owne them to convey them for lesse or longer way which is a great ease to weary passengers There is a great commerce here with exceeding many nations for by their concurring hither it is wonderfull peopled with infinite numbers for the Countrey aboundeth in Silkes Cornes Fruits Waxe Honey and the soveraigne Balsamo good for all sores besides many other Commodities of Cotten-wooll rich Stuffs of cloth of gold and silver and the best Sattins Damask Taffaties and Grograims that are made in the World are here The infinite populositie of which place and the extreame heat is the cause why the pest is evermore in the City in so much that at some certaine times ten thousand persons have died in one day Nay the Citie is reputed to be in good health if there die but one or two thousand in a day or three hundred thousand in a whole yeare I mean when the sore encroaching pestilence which
Snow being in Iuly lying on the septentrion sides of the Hill It was here in this upmost Fornace that Empedocles the Phylosopher cast himselfe in to be reputed for a God Deâ—s immortalis haberi Dum cupit Empedocles ardeâ—tem fervidus Aetnam Insiluit To be a god this curious Wretch desires And casts himselfe in the fierce Aetnean sires As we discended on the North-east side we came to the third and lowest fire which is within a short mile of the Mountaines foote over against Rindatza and if it were not for a sulphurat River which divideth the Towne and the Hill it would be in danger to be burned This last and least fire runne downe in a cumbustible flood from the middle above Anno 1614. Iune 25. Where the Sulphure streames before it congealed falling in a bituminous soyle where Wine and Olives grew there seazed and daily augmenteth more and more having quite spoiled the Lands of two Barons in Rindatza But the king of Spaine in recompence of their miserable mishaps did gratifie them with some of his Crowne lands for their maintenance I speake it credibly I have found the Relickes of these Sulphure streames which have burst foâ—th from the upmost tops of Aetna Westward above twenty miles in the plaine The reason of such ardent disgorgements is thus that when the aboundance of Sulphure being put on edge with excessive Raine and the bitumenous substance still increasing which by the chaps â—lits and hollow chinkes of the ground rent partly by the Sunne and by tâ—e forcing flames is blowne by the Wind as by a paire of Bellowes the valt or vast bosome of which ugly Cell not being able to containe such a compositure of combustible matter it impetuously vomiteth out in an outragious Torrent which precipitately devalleth so long as the heate remaineth and growing cold it congealeth in huge and blacke stones resembling Minerall mettall and full of small holes like to the composed Cinders of a Smiths Forge where with the Houses of nine Townes Circumjacent thereunto are builded This is that place which the Poets did report to bee the shop of Vulcan where Cyclops did frame the thunder-bolts for Iupiter Whereof Virgill doth make his Tract called Aetna Under this hill the Poets faine the Giant Enceladus to be buried whose hot breath fireth the Mountain lying on his face and to conclude of Aetna the grosse Papists hold it to be their Purgatory The chiefe Cities therein are Palermo the seate of the Viceroy situate in the North-west part ouer against Sardinia It is a spacious City and well watered with delicate Fountaines having goodly buildings and large streetes whereof Stradoreale is principall being a mile long In which I haâ—e seene in an evening march a long for Recreation above 60 Coaches a paire of Muleâ—s being tyed to every Coach the Gallies of Sicilia which are ten lye here The second is Messina toward the East over against Regio in Calabria being impregnable and graced with a famous haven having three invincible Castles the chiefe whereof is Saint Salvator by the Sea side there be divers other Bulwarkes of the Towne wals that serve for offensive and defensive forts which is the cause in derision of the Turks they never shut their Gates The third is Syracâ—sa standing on the Southeast Coast fifty miles beyond Aetna and halfe way twixt Messina and Malta a renowned Citty and sometimes the Metropolitane Seate It is famous for the Arthusean springs and Archimedes that most ingenious Mathematitian He was the first Author of the Spheere of which instruments he made one of that bignesse and Arâ—e that one standing within might easily perceive the severall motions of every Celestiall Orbe And when the Romans besieged Syracusa he made such burning glasses that set on fire all their Shippes lying in the Road At last he was slaine by a common Souldier in his studdy at the sacke of the Towne to the great griefe of Marcellus the Romau Generall when he was making plots and drawing figures on the ground how to prevet the assaults of the Romans The fourth is Trapundy in the West over against Biserta in Barbary which yealdeth surpassing fine Salt that is transported to Italy Venice Dalmatia and Greece made onely in some certaine Artificiall Salt pooles by the vigorous beating of the scorching Sunne which monthly they empty and fill The marine here excelleth in Ruby Corall which setteth the halfe of the Towne at work and when refined is dispersed over al Christendom This City is in great request amongst the Papists because of the miraculous Lady heere reputed the Islands Protector and sole Governour of these narrow seas for Ships Gallies and Slaves which indeed if an image cut out in wht Marble were so powerfull it might be credible but besides this Idolatrous title they superstitiously there unto annexe a rabble of absurde lies The first is Catagna placed at the Marine foot of Aetna that was so vexed by Dionisius the Tyrant The sixt is Matzara South-west over against the Barbarian Promontory of Lystra the rest be Rindatza Tâ—rranova Eâ—â—â—a where Pluto is said to have stolne Proserpine Malzâ—ra Francavilla Bronzo Terramigna and Argenti once Agrigentum where the Tyrant Phalaris lived who tortured Perillus in the Brazen Bull which he made for the destruction of others The tyrannies which were used in Sicilia wherein times past so famous that they grew unto this poverbe Invidia Siculi non invenire tyranni tormentum majus The elder and younger Dionisius were such odious tyrants and the third Dionisius worst of all that when the people powred out continuall execrations on the last wishing his death onely one old woman prayed for his life This reason she gave since from the grandfather his father and he each succeeding worser and worser and least said shee he dying the divell should come in his place for a worser never lived I wish him to continue still This Kingdome after it was rent from the Romans remaining in subiection under the French till the yeare 1281 in which Peter of Arragon contrived his purpose so close that at the sound of a Bell to the evening vespers all the French men in Sicilia were cruelly massacred since which time it hath ever belonged to the house of Arragon and now of Spaine which exploit masketh under the name of Vesperi Siculi For nobility this Island may compare with Naples their stiles like unto Italy are great but their revenewes wonderous small The Sicilians have a Proverb as having experience of both that the French are wiser then they seeme and the Spaniards seeme wiser then they are And even as the Spaniard is extreame proud in the lowest ebbe of Forune So is the French man exceeding impatient cowardly desperate and quite discouraged in the pinch of sterne calamity The Spaniard and the French man have an absolute opposition and conditionall disagreement in all fashions and in their riding both different and defective For the