are certaine mightie lakes by the benefite whereof a great part of Nubia is watred and made fruitfull The Isle of Meroe MEroe called at this time by the names of Guengare Amara and Nobe being the greatest and fairestisle which Nilus maketh and resembled by Herodotus to the shape of a target containeth in bredth a thousand and in length three thousand stadios or furlongs It aboundeth with golde siluer copper iron Eben-wood palme-trees and other such commodities as are in Nubia Some write that there growe canes or reeds of so huge a bignes that the people make botes of them Heere also you haue minerall salt and lions elephants and leopards This island is inhabited by Mahumetans who are confederate with the Moores against Prete Ianni Strabo affirmeth that in old time the authoritie of the priests of this island was so great that by a meane and ordinarie messenger they woulde command the king to murther himselfe and woulde substitute an other in his roome But at length one king hauing in a certaine temple put all the saide priests to death quite abolished that monstrous custome And heere as Nilus vnfoldeth himselfe into two branches to embrace this Islande he receiueth from the east the riuer of Abagni and from the west the riuer Sarabotto which haue likewise other smaller riuers falling into them The Abassins are of opinion that the Queene of Saba which trauelled so farre to heare the wisedome of Salomon was mistresse of this isle Paulus Ionius saith here are three kings one a Gentile the second a Moore and the third a Christian subiect vnto the Prete From Meroe to Siene it is accounted fifteene daies iourney by water Abassia or the empire of Prete Ianni THe Abassins are a people subiect to Prete Ianni whose empire if we consider the stile which he vseth in his letters hath most ample confines For he intituleth himselfe emperour of the great and higher Ethiopia king of Goiame which as Botero supposeth is situate betweene Nilus and Zaire of Vangue a kingdome beyond Zaire of Damut which confineth with the land of the Anzichi and towards the south he is called king of Cafate and Bagamidri two prouinces bordering vpon the first great lake which is the originall fountaine of Nilus as likewise of the kingdomes of Xoa Fatigar Angote Baru Baaliganze Adea Amara Ambea Vaguc Tigremahon Sabaim where the Queene of Saba gouerned and lastly of Barnagaes and lorde as farre as Nubia which bordereth vpon Egypt But at this present the center or midst of his Empire as Iohn Barros writeth is the lake of Barcena For it extendeth eastward towarde the Red sea as farre as Suaquen the space of two hundred twentie and two leagues Howbeit betweene the sea and his dominions runneth a ridge of mountaines inhabited by Moores who are masters of al the sea-coast along except the porte of Ercoco which belongeth to the Prete And likewise on the west his empire is restrained by another mountainous ridge stretching along the riuer of Nilus where are founde most rich mines of golde amongst which are the mines of Damut and of Sinassij wholie in the possession of Gentiles which pay tribute vnto the Prete Northward it is bounded by an imaginarie line supposed to be drawen from Suachen to the beginning of the isle Meroe aboue mentioned which line extendeth an hundred and fiue and twentie leagues From thence the Abassin borders trend south somewhat crookedly in manner of a bowe as farre as the kingdome of Adea from the mountaines whereof springeth a riuer called by Ptolemey Raptus which falleth into the sea about Melinde for the space of two hundred and fiftie nine leagues next vnto the which borders inhabite certaine Gentiles of blacke colour with curled haire And heere the 〈◊〉 empire is limited by the kingdome of Adel the head citie whereof called Arar standeth in the latitude nine degrees So that all this great empire may containe in compasse sixe hundred threescore and two leagues little more or lesse It is refreshed and watered by two mightie riuers which conuey their streames into Nilus called by Ptolemey Astaboras and Astapus and by the naturall inhabitants Abagni and Tagassi the first whereof taketh his originall from the lake of Barcena and the second from the lake of Colue Barcena lieth in seuen degrees of north latitude Colue vnder the verie Equinoctiall The first besides Abagni ingendereth also the riuer of Zeila and the second besides Tagassi giueth essence to the riuer of Quilimanci Between Abagni and the Red sea lieth the prouince of Barnagasso betweene Abagni and Tagassi are the kingdomes of Angote and Fatigar and more towards the bay of Barbarians the prouinces of Adea and of Baru and somewhat lower that of Amara In briefe beyond the riuer of Tagassi ly the regions of Bileguanzi and of Tigremahon The Abassins haue no great knowledge of Nilus by reason of the mountaines which deuide them from it for which cause they call Abagni the father of riuers Howbeit they say that vpon Nilus do inhabite two great and populous nations one of Iewes towards the west vnder the gouernment of a mighty king the other more southerly consisting of Amazones or warlike women whereof wee will speake more at large in our relation of Monomotapa Throughout all the dominion of the Prete there is not any one city of importance either for multitude of inhabitantes for magnificent buildings or for any other respect For the greatest townes there containe not aboue two thousand housholds the houses being cottage-like reared vp with clay and couered with straw or such like base matter Also Ptolemey intreating of these partes maketh mention but of three or foure cities onely which he appointeth to the south of the Isle Meroe Howbeit in some places vpon the frontiers of Abassia there are certaine townes verie fairely built and much frequented for traffique The Portugales in their trauailes throughout the empire haue often declared vnto the Abassins how much better it were for auoiding of the outragious iniuries and losses daily inflicted by the Moores and Mahumetans both vpon their goods and persons if the emperour would build cities and castles stronglie walled and fortified Whereunto they made answere that the power of their Neguz or emperour consisted not in stone-walles but in the armes of his people They vse not ordinarily any lime or stone but onely for the building of churches saying that so it becommeth vs to make a difference between the houses of men and churches dedicated to God and of their Beteneguz or houses of the emperour wherein the gouernours of prouinces are placed to execute iustice These Beteneguz stand continually open and yet in the gouernours absence no man dare enter into them vnder paine of being punished as a traytour Moreouer in the city of Axuma esteemed by them to haue beene the seate of the Queene of Saba stand certaine ruinous buildings like vnto pyramides which by reason of their greatnes
remaine euen til this present notwithstanding their many yeeres antiquitie Likewise there are in this countrie diuers churches and oratories hewen out of the hard rocke consisting but of one onely stone some sixtie some fortie and some thirtie fathomes long being full of windowes and engrauen with strange and vnknowne characters Three such churches there are of twelue fathomes broade and eightie in length The Abassins which are subiect to the Prete hold opinion that their prince deriueth his petigree from 〈◊〉 the sonne of Salomon which as they say he begot of the Queene of Saba and that themselues are descended from the officers and attendants which Salomon appointed vnto this his sonne when he sent him home vnto his mother which seemeth not altogether vnlikely if you consider the Iewish ceremonies of circumcision obseruing of the sabaoth such like which they vse vntill this present likewise they abhorre swines flesh and certaine other meates which they call vncleane The Prete absolutely gouerneth in all matters except it be in administring of the sacraments and ordaining of priests Hee giueth and taketh away benefices at his pleasure and in punishing offenders maketh no difference betweene his clergie and laitie The administration of their sacraments is wholie referred to the Abuna or Patriarke The Prete is lorde and owner of all the lands and possessions in his empire except those of the church which are in number infinite for the monasteries of saint Antonie besides which there are none of any other order and the colleges of the Canons and of the Hermites togither with the parishes are innumerable They are all prouided by the king both of reuenewes and of ornaments They haue two winters and two summers which they discerne not by colde and heate but by rainie and faire weather They begin their yeere vpon the 26. of August and diuide it into twelue moneths each moneth containing thirtie daies whereunto they adde euery common yeere fiue daies and in the leape yeere sixe which odde daies they call Pagomen that is The end of the yeere Their ordinarie iourneies in trauelling are twelue miles a day The common harlots dwell without their townes and haue wages allowed them out of the common purse neither may they enter into any cities nor apparell themselues but only in yellow The soile of Abassia aboundeth generally with graine and in especiall with 〈◊〉 and all kindes of Pulse but not so much with wheate they haue 〈◊〉 likewise not knowing how to refine it and hony and cotton-wooll orenges cedars and limons grow naturally there They haue neither melons citrons nor rape-roots but many plants herbes different from ours Their drinke is made of barley and millet neither haue they any wine made of grapes but onely in the houses of the emperour and the Abuna They are not destitute of Elephants mules lions tygres ounces and deere Their owne countrey horses are but of a small size how beit they haue also of the Arabian and Egyptian breed the coltes whereof within fower daies after they be foled they vse to suckle with kine They haue great and terribles apes and infinite sorts of birds but neither cuckowes nor Pies so farre as euer could bee learned Heere are likewise great store of mines of gold siluer iron and copper but they know not how to digge and refine the same for the people of this countrey are so rude and ignorant that they haue no knowledge nor vse of any arte or occupation Insomuch as they esteeme the carpenters or smithes craft for an vnlawfull and diabolicall kinde of science and such as exercise the same liue among them like infamous persons neither are they permitted to enter into any of their churches In the kingdome of Bagamidri are founde most excellent mines of siluer which they knowe none other way how to take from the ore but onely by melting it with fire into thinne plates Goiame aboundeth with base gold In the kingdome of Damut they digge and refine it somewhat better They haue neither the arte of making cloth for which cause the greater part of them go clad in beasts skins nor yet the manner of hauking fowling or hunting so that their countries swarme with partridges quailes fesants cranes geese hens hares deere and other like creatures neither knowe they how to make any full vse or benefite of the fruitefulnes of their countrey nor of the commoditie of riuers They sowe mill for the most parte sometimes in one place and sometimes in another according as the raine giueth them opportunitie In summe they shew no wit nor dexterity in any thing so much as in robbery and warre vnto both which they haue a kind of naturall inclination Which is occasioned as I suppose by the continuall voiages made by the Prete and by their vsuall liuing in the wide fields and that in diuers and sundry places For to trauaile continually and remaine in the fields without any stable or firme habitation compelleth men as it were of necessitie to lay holde on all that comes next to hande be it their owne or belonging to others They are not much subiect to tempests but to an inconuenience far more intollerable namely to innumerable swarmes of locusts which bring such desolation vpon them as is most dreadfull to consider for they consume whole prouinces leauing them quite destitute of succour both for man and beast They vse no stamped coine in all this empire but insteede thereof certaine rude pieces of golde and little balles of iron especially in Angote as likewise salt and pepper which are the greatest riches that they can enioy Hence it is that the tributes which are payed to the prince consist onely of such things as his owne dominions do naturally afforde as namely of salt gold siluer corne hides elephants teeth the horne of the Rhinoceros with slaues and such like Which forme of tribute being most agreeable to nature is vsed also in other parts of Africa Their salt is taken out of a certaine great mountaine in the prouince of Balgada and is made into square pieces The most populous place in all Abassia is the court of the Prete wheresoeuer it resideth and there are erected fiue or sixe thousand tents of cotton of diuers colours with so notable a distinction of streetes lanes market-places and Tribunals that euen in a moment euery man knoweth his owne station and the place where he is to doe his busines A man may coniecture the greatnes of this courte if he doe but consider that according to the report of some who haue there bin personally present besides the camels which carry the tents the mules of carriage exceede the number of fiftie thousand Their mules serue them to carry burthens and to ride vpon but their horses are onely for the warres The Mahumetans haue now brought this prince to great extremity but heretofore while he was in his flourishing estate he liued so maiestically that he neuer spake but by an interpreter nor would
at the confluence or meeting of the riuer last mentioned and the riuer Luiola with a small number of Portugals ioined to the aide sent him from the king of Congo and from certaine princes of Angola his confederates he gaue the foresaid king notwithstanding his innumerable troupes of Negros diuers sundry ouerthrowes The said riuer Coanza springeth out of the lake of Aquelunda situate westward of the great lake whereour Nilus takes his originall In this kingdome are the mountaines of Cabambe abounding with rich and excellent siluer mines which haue ministred the chiefe occasion of all the foresaid warres This region aboundeth also with other minerals and with cattell of all sorts Most true it is that dogs-flesh is heere accounted of all others the daintiest meate for which cause they bring vp and fatten great plentie of dogs for the shambles Yea it hath beene constantly affirmed that a great dogge accustomed to the bull was sold in exchange of two and twentie slaues the value of whom coulde not amount to much lesse then two hundred and twentie ducats The priests of Angola called Gange are helde in such estimation and account as the people are verily perswaded that they haue in their power abundance and scarcitie life and death For they haue knowledge of medicinable hearbes and of deadly poisons also which they keepe secret vnto themselues and by meanes of their familiaritie with the diuell they often foretell things to come Towards the lake of Aquelunda before mentioned lieth a countrey called Quizama the inhabitants whereof being gouerned after the manner of a common wealth haue shewed themselues very friendly to the Portugals and haue done them speciall good seruice in their warres against the king of Angola Thus hauing briefely pointed at the former three bordering countries let vs now with like breuitie passe through the kingdome of Congo it selfe This kingdome therefore accounting Angola as indeede it is a member thereof beginneth at Bahia das vacas in thirteene and endeth at Cabo da Caterina in two degrees and an halfe of southerly latitude True it is that the coast neere vnto the saide Bay of Cowes is subiect to the king of Congo but the inland is gouerned by him of Angola East and west it stretcheth from the sea in bredth as farre as the lake of Aquelunda for the space of sixe hundred miles and is diuided into sixe prouinces namely the prouince of Pemba situate in the very hart and center of the whole kingdome Batta the most easterly prouince where the ancient writers seeme to haue placed Agisymba Pango which bordereth vpon the Pangelungi Sundi the most Northerly prouince Sogno which stretcheth ouer the mouth of the great riuer Zaire and Bamba which is the principall of all the rest both for extension of ground for riches and for militarie forces In the prouince of Pemba or rather in a seuerall territorie by it selfe standeth the citie of Sant Saluador in former times called Banza being the metropolitan of all Congo and the seate of the king situate an hundred and fiftie miles from the sea vpon a rockie and high mountaine on the verie top whereof is a goodly plaine abounding with fountaines of holesome and sweete water and with all other good things which are requisite either for the sustenance or solace of mankinde and vpon this plaine where Sant Saluador is seated there may inhabite to the number of an hundred thousand persons In this citie the Portugals haue a warde by themselues separate from the rest containing a mile in compasse and about that bignes also is the palace or house of the king The residue of the people dwell for the most part scatteringly in villages It is a place enriched by nature with corne cattell fruits and holesome springs of water in great abundance The principall riuer of all Congo called Zaire taketh his chiefe originall out of the second lake of Nilus lying vnder the Equinoctiall line and albeit this is one of the mightiest riuers of all Africa being eight and twentie miles broad at the mouth yet was it vtterly vnknowen to ancient writers Amongst other riuers it 〈◊〉 Vumba and Barbela which spring out of the first great lake In this countrey are sundry other riuers also which fetch their originall out of the lake of Aquelunda the principall whereof are Coanza which diuideth the kingdome of Congo from that of Angola and the riuer Lelunda which breedeth crocodiles water-horses which the Greeks call Hippopotami of which creatures the isle of horses in the mouth of the riuer Zaire taketh denomination The Hippopotamus or water-horse is somewhat tawnie of the colour of a lion in the night he comes on lande to feed vpon the grasse and keepeth in the water all the day time The Africans tame and manage some of these horses and they prooue exceeding swift but a man must beware how he passe ouer deepe riuers with them for they will sodainly diue vnder water Also in these riuers of Ethiopia are bred a kinde of oxen which liue euery night vpon the lande Here likewise breedeth another strange creature called in the Congonian language Ambize Angulo that is to say a hogge-fish being so exceeding fatte and of such greatnes that some of them weie aboue fiue hundred pound This abūdance of waters togither with the heat of the climate which proceedeth from the neerenes of the sunne causeth the countrey to be most fruitfull of plants herbes fruits and corne much more fertile would it be if nature were helped forward by the industrie of the inhabitants Heere also besides goates sheepe deere Gugelle conies hares ciuet-cats and ostriches are great swarmes of tigres which are very hurtfull both to man and beast The Zebra or Zabra of this countrey being about the bignes of a mule is a beast of incomparable swiftnes straked about the body legges eares and other parts with blacke white and browne circles of three fingers broad which do make a pleasant shew Buffles wilde asses called by the Greekes Onagri and Dante 's of whose hard skins they make all their targets range in heards vp and downe the woods Also here are infinite store of elephants of such monstrous bignes that by the report of sundrie credible persons some of their teeth do weigh two hundred pounds at sixteene ounces the pound vpon the plaines this beast is swifter then any horse by reason of his long steps onely he cannot turne with such celeritie Trees he ouerturneth with the strength of his backe or breaketh them between his teeth or standeth vpright vpon his hinder feete to browse vpon the leaues and tender sprigs The she elephants beare their brood in their wombes two yeeres before they bring foorth yoong ones neither are they great with yoong but onely from seuen yeeres to seuen yeeres This creature is saide to liue 150. yeeres hee is of a gentle disposition and relying vpon his great strength he
A GEOGRAPHICAL HISTORIE of AFRICA Written in Arabicke and Italian by IOHN LEO a More borne in Granada and brought vp in Barbarie Wherein he hath at large described not onely the qualities situations and true distances of the regions cities townes mountaines riuers and other places throughout all the north and principall partes of Africa but also the descents and families of their kings the causes and euents of their warres with their manners customes religions and ciuile gouernment and many other memorable matters gathered partly out of his owne diligent obseruations and partly out of the ancient records and Chronicles of the Arabians and Mores Before which out of the best ancient and moderne writers is prefixed a generall description of Africa and also a particular treatise of all the maine lands and Isles vndescribed by Iohn Leo. And after the same is annexed a relation of the great Princes and the manifold religions in that part of the world Translated and collected by IOHN PORY lately of Goneuill and Caius College in Cambridge LONDINI Impensis Georg. Bishop 1600 TO THE RIGHT HONORAble sir ROBERT CECIL Knight principall Secretarie to her Maiestie Master of the Court of Wardes and Liueries and one of her Highnes most Honorable priuie Counsell LO heere the first fruits or rather the tender buddes and blossomes of my labours Which least in this their winterly sprouting they might perhaps by some bitter blasts of censure be frost-nipped I humbly recommend to your Honorable protection Most due they are onely to your selfe being for the greatest part nothing else but a large illustration of certaine southern voiages of the English alreadie dedicated to your Honour And at this time especially I thought they would prooue the more acceptable in that the Marocan ambassadour whose Kings dominions are heere most amplie and particularly described hath so lately treated with your Honour concerning matters of that estate Vouchsafe therefore right Honorable according to your accustomed humanitie towards learning to accept of this Geographicall historie in like manner as it pleased your Honour not long since most fauourablie to take in good part those commendable indeuours of my reuerend friend M. Richard Hakluyt who out of his mature iudgement in these studies knowing the excellencie of this storie aboue all others in the same kinde was the onely man that mooued me to translate it At London this three and fortieth most ioifull Coronation-day of her sacred Maiestie 1600. Your Honors alwaies most readie to be commanded IOHN PORY To the Reader GIue me leaue gentle Readers if not to present vnto your knowledge bicause some perhaps may aswel be informed as my selfe yet to call to your remembrance some fewe particulars concerning this Geographicall Historie and Iohn Leo the auther thereof Who albeit by birth a More and by religion for many yeeres a Mahumetan yet if you consider his Parentage Witte Education Learning Emploiments Trauels and his conuersion to Christianitie you shall finde him not altogither vnfit to vndertake such an enterprize nor vnwoorthy to be regarded First therefore his Parentage seemeth not to haue bin ignoble seeing as in his second booke himselfe testifieth an Vncle of his was so Honorable a person and so excellent an Oratour and Poet that he was sent as a principall Ambassadour from the king of Fez to the king of Tombuto And whether this our Author were borne at Granada in Spaine as it is most likely or in some part of Africa certaine it is that in naturall sharpenes and 〈◊〉 of Wit he most liuely resembled those great and classicall authours Pomponius Mela Iustinus Historicus Columella Seneca Quintilian Orosius Prudentius Martial Iuuenal Auicen c. reputed all for Spanish writers as likewise Terentius After Tertullian Saint Augustine Victor Optatus c. knowen to be writers of Africa But amongst great varietie which are to be found in the processe of this not able discourse I will heere lay before your view one onely patterne of his surpassing wit In his second booke therefore if you peruse the description of Mount Tenueues you shall there finde the learned and sweete Arabian verses of Iohn Leo not being then fully sixteene yeeres of age so highly esteemed by the Prince of the same mountaine that in recompence thereof after bountifull entertainment he dismissed him with gifts of great value Neither wanted he the best Education that all Barbarie could affoord For being euen from his tender yeeres trained vp at the Vniuersitie of Fez in Grammar Poetrie Rhetorick Philosophie Historie Cabala Astronomie and other ingenuous sciences and hauing so great acquaintance and conuersation in the kings court how could he choose but prooue in his kinde a most accomplished and absolute man So as I may iustly say if the comparison be tolerable that as Moses was learned in all the wisedome of the Egyptians so likewise was Leo in that of the Arabians and Mores And that he was not meanely but extraordinarily learned let me keepe silence that the admirable fruits of his rare Learning and this Geographicall Historie among the rest may beare record Besides which he wrote an Arabian Grammar highly commended by a great Linguist of Italie who had the sight and examination thereof as likewise a booke of the liues of the Arabian Philosophers and a discourse of the religion of Mahumet with diuers excellent Poems and other monuments of his industrie which are not come to light Now as concerning his Emploiments were they not such as might well beseeme a man of good woorth For to omit how many courts and campes of princes he had frequented did not he as himselfe in his third booke witnesseth personally serue king Mahumet of Fez in his wars against Arzilla And was he not at another time as appeereth out of his second Booke in seruice and honorable place vnder the same king of Fez and sent ambassadour by him to the king of Maroco Yea how often in regard of his singular knowledge and iudgement in the lawes of those countries was he appointed and sometimes constrained at diuers strange cities and townes through which he trauelled to become a iudge and arbiter in matters of greatest moment Moreouer as touching his exceeding great Trauels had he not at the first beene a More and a Mahumetan in religion and most skilfull in the languages and customes of the Arabians and Africans and for the most part trauelled in Carouans or vnder the authoritie safe conduct and commendation of great princes I maruell much how euer he should haue escaped so manie thousands of imminent dangers And all the former notwithstanding I maruel much more how euer he escaped them For how many desolate cold mountaines and huge drie and barren deserts passed he How often was he in hazard to haue beene captiued or to 〈◊〉 had his throte cut by the prouling Arabians and wilde Mores And how hardly manie times escaped he the Lyons greedie mouth and the deuouring iawes of the Crocodile But if you will needes haue a
Iewish Mahumetan and Gentilish religions there 〈◊〉 The Princes of greatest account either inhabiting or at least possessing large territories there are first The grand Neguz or Christian Emperour of Abassia or the higher Ethiopia commonly called Presbyter Iohn or as Zagazabo his owne ambassadour would haue him Pretious Iohn but bicause 〈◊〉 all the Ethiopick relation of Francis Aluarez being the best that euer was written of those parts he is continually named Prete Ianni in imitation of him I also most commonly call him by that name And so likewise though Zagazabo for the more magnificent reputation of his prince will haue his dominions called Ethiopia yet with the consent of some approoued authors and also to distinguish the country of this emperour from many other regions situate both in the higher Ethiopia and in the lower I haue set it downe in my mappe and in my discourses do most vsually speake thereof vnder the name of Abassia The other great Princes intreated of in the said relations are The K. of Spaine The Turkish Emperour The Xarifo otherwise called The Miramonin or the king of Maroco Sus and Fez and the emperour of Monomotapa My methode in the discourse before Leo is after a generall preface of Africa to begin at the Red sea where Leo endeth and thence as well in the description of the maine lands as of the isles by him vntouched to proceed on southerly to the cape of Buena esperança from which cape we returne toward the north describing all along the westerne countries and isles of Africa till we haue brought our whole descriptions to an end vpon the most southwesterly parts 〈◊〉 Barbarie where our author Iohn Leo beginneth his Et quoniam as one saith turpe non est per quos profeceris agnoscere my principall authors out of whom I haue gathered this store are of the ancienter note Ptolemey Strabo Plinie Diodorus Siculus c. and amongst later writers I haue helped my selfe out of sundrie discourses in the first Italian volume of Baptista Ramusio as likewise out of Iohn Barros Castanneda Ortelius Osorius de reb gest Eman. Matthew Dresserus Quadus Isolario del mundo Iohn Huighen van Linschoten out of the Hollanders late voiages to the east Indies and to San Tomé but I am much more beholding to the history of Philippo Pigafetta to the Ethiopick relations of Francis Aluarez of Damianus a Goez and beyond all comparison both for matter and method most of all to the learned Astronomer and Geographer Antonius Maginus of Padua and to the vniuersall relations written in Italian by G. B. B. And heere before I surcease I must admonish the Reader of certaine faults escaped in some copies as namely in the description of the isles in the Barbarian bay Açotatado for Açotado in a marginall note ouer against the description of Tombuto in the seuenth booke of Iohn Leo Money for Gold in the relation of the Christianitie of Egypt Hypostasis twise togither in stead of Hypostases and in the discourse of the Christianitie of Congo Paulo Aquitino for Panso Aquitimo Other literall faults if there be any will not be hard for the Reader himselfe to amend AFRICA A generall description of all Africa togither with a comparison of the ancient and new names of all the principall countries and prouinces therein THat part of inhabited lande extending southward which we call Africa and the Greeks Libya is one of the three generall parts of the world knowen vnto our ancestors which in very deed was not throughly by them discouered both bicause the Inlands coulde not be trauailed in regard of huge deserts full of dangerous sands which being driuen with the winde put trauailers in extreme hazard of their liues and also by reason of the long and perilous nauigation vpon the African coasts for which cause it was by very few of ancient times compassed by nauigation much lesse searched or intirely known Of which few the principall were Hanno a Carthaginian captaine sent by the gouernours of that commonwelth for discouerie of the saide lande and one Eudoxus that fled from Ptolemaeus Lathyrus the king of Alexandria Howbeit in these latter times it hath beene often by the Portugals sailed round about and diligently searched especially along the shore euen from the streights of Gibraltar to the enterance of the red sea but the first Portugall that euer doubled the cape of Buena esperança and coasted the south and southeast parts of Africa in former 〈◊〉 vnknowne was Vasco da Gama in the yeere 1497. who from hence sailed to Calicut in the east Indies to the vnspeakeable gaine of the Portugals To omit Iohn Leo his etymologies of this name Africa Festus will haue it to be deriued from the Greeke worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth horror or colde and from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the particle priuatiue as who shoulde say Africa is a place free from all horror and extremitie of colde bicause it lieth open to the heauens and is sandie drie and desert Others say that it is called Africa quasi Aprica that is exposed and subiect to the scorching beames of the sunne the most part there of lying betweene the Tropicks Iosephus wil haue it so called from 〈◊〉 one of the posteritie of Abraham and others from Afer sonne to Hercules of Libya But it was by the Greekes called Libya bicause it was in old time conquered by Libs the king of Mauritania In the holie Scriptures it is called Chamesis by the Arabians and Ethiopians 〈◊〉 and by the Indians Besecath In situation shape this land of Africa is almost an islle being by a very small and narrowe neckland passing betweene the Mediterran sea and the gulfe of Arabia 〈◊〉 the red sea conioined to Asia and in extension of ground being almost twise as bigge as Europe albeit for inhabitants it is not halfe so populous Wherefore though in longitude from west to east Africa be shorter then Europe in some places yet extendeth it so farre vnto the south that Europe in that respect is nothing comparable vnto it for Africa containeth almost seuentie degrees in latitude whereas Europe stretcheth but fiue and thirtie degrees moreouer Africa is more vniforme and spacious but Europe is of a more distracted and manifolde shape being in sundry places dispersed restrained by the sea Howbeit notwithstanding Africa hath farre greater extension of ground then Europe yet is it not so populous nor so commodious to inhabite for the lande of Africa is in many places vnhabitable the principall causes whereof are the scarcitie of water the barrennes of the soile being either couered with 〈◊〉 sande dust or ashes or else being subiect to extreme heate of the sunne also there are certaine dangerous heapes of sande which being raised by the winde are driuen vp and downe like the waues of a tempestuous sea In briefe there are such abundance of venemous and hurtfull
the kingdomes of Adel and of Xoa consisteth the greatest parte of champion groundes which yeelde wheate barly and other graine most plentifully In this kingdome standes an exceeding high mountaine on the toppe whereof is a lake of twelue miles in compasse abounding with great varietie of fish and from this mountaine 〈◊〉 many riuers stored with fish also The kingdome of Damut as Sanutus affirmeth doth border vpon the kingdome of Xoa and is enclosed on either side with the lake of Barcena and the lande of Zanguebar Howbeit others place Damut betweene the kingdomes of Vangue and Goiame towarde the west which opinion seemeth most probable This countrey aboundeth with golde ginger grapes corne and beasts of all sortes The slaues of this kingdome are much esteemed and are commonly solde throughout all Arabia Persia and Egypt where they prooue most valiant soldiers The greater part of the people of Damut are Gentiles and the residue Christians who haue certaine monasteries In this kingdome is that exceeding high and dreadfull mountaine hauing one narrow passage onely to ascend by whither the Prete sendeth his nobles which are conuicted of any heinous crime to suffer ignominious death with hunger and cold About the fountaines of Nilus some say that there are Amazones or women-warriers most valiant and redoubted which vse bowes and arrowes and liue vnder the gouernement of a Queene as likewise the people called Cafri or Cafates being as blacke as pitch and of a mightie stature and as some thinke descended of the Iewes but now they are idolaters and most deadly enimies to the Christians for they make continuall assaults vpon the Abassins dispoiling them both of life and goods but all the day-time they lie lurking in mountaines woods and deepe valleies The stile vsed by Prete Ianni in his letters I the king whose name the lions doe reuerence and who by the grace of God was at my baptisme called Athani Tingil that is The incense of the virgine but now at the beginning of my raigne tooke vpon me the name of Dauid beloued of God the piller of faith descended of the tribe of 〈◊〉 the sonne of Dauid the sonne of Salomon the sonne of the piller of Sion the sonne of the seede of Iacob the sonne of the hand of Marie the sonne of Nahu according to the flesh the sonne of the holy Apostles Peter and Faul according to grace Emperour of the higher and greater 〈◊〉 and of most large kingdomes territories and iurisdictions the king of Xoa Caffate Fatigar Angote Barú Baaliganze Adea Vangue and Goiame where the fountaines of Nilus are as likewise of 〈◊〉 Baguamedri Ambea 〈◊〉 Tigremahon Sabaim the countrie of the Queen of Saba of Barnagasso and lorde as farre as Nubia which confineth vpon Egypt Certaine answeres of Don Francisco Aluarez who from the yeere 1520. for the space of sixe yeeres next ensuing had trauailed and remained in the countrey of PRETE IANNI with the Portugall ambassadour Rodrigo de Lima made vnto sundrie demaunds or questions of the Archbishop of Bragança concerning the state of the foresaide countrey and prince and of the disposition manners and customes of the people Io. Bap. Ramusius vol. 1. delle voiag fol. 254. 255. THe Ethiopian Emperour called Prete Ianni hath no setled place of abode where he continually resideth but is alwaies flitting vp and downe sometimes to one place and sometimes to another and liueth in tentes set vp in the fields enuironed with a kinde of fortification of which tents there may be in his campe of all sorts to the number of 5000. or 6000 and of horsemen and mules 50000. and vpwards It is a generall custome of the Prete and of all his subiects not to passe on horsebacke by any church so great is their reuerence to holy places but so soone as they approch thereunto they light vpon the ground and hauing passed by they mount on horsebacke againe Whensoeuer the Prete marcheth with all his troupes there is carried before him vpon the shoulders of certaine priests an altar and a consecrated stone whereon they vse to administer their communion the priests appointed to cary it vpon a frame of wood are eight in number seruing fower and fower by turnes before whom goeth a clerke with a censer and a little bell sounding at the sight and noise whereof all persons forsake the way and such as are on horsebacke dismount In all this countrey there is not any towne consisting of aboue 1600. families there are very few that haue so many neither are there any castles or walled places but 〈◊〉 manie villages and infinite numbers of people Their houses are built round al of earth flat-roofed and couered with a kind of thatch which wil last the time of a mans life being compassed about with courts or yards They haue no bridges of stone vpon their riuers but all of wood They sleep commonly vpon oxe-hides or else vpon certaine couches corded sustained with thongs made of the said hides They haue no kind of tables to eat their meat vpon but haue it serued in vpon plaine very broad platters of wood without any table-cloth at al. Also they haue certaine great deep dishes like basons made of black earth shining in maner of Iet with other cups of the same earth out of which they vse to drinke water wine Many of them eate raw flesh but others broile it vpon the coles or firebrands and some places there are so destitute of wood that the people are faine to dresse their meate with oxe-dung Their armour and weapons be Azagaie or short darts some few swords and certaine shirts of male verie long and streight and as some of our men which haue seene them doe report made of naughtie and vnseruiceable matter They haue bowes and arrowes great store but not with feathers as ours be as likewise helmets and head-peeces but very few and first brought in since they began to haue traffique with the Portugals howbeit they haue manie strong targets Of artillerie they had at our departure foureteene small yron-peeces which they had bought of certaine Turkes that vsually came to trafficke vpon the coast for which peeces the Prete willed that they should haue their vttermost demande to the end they might be the willinger to returne and bring more and he caused some of his seruants also to learne how to discharge them The riuer of Nilus I my selfe neuer saw although at one time I was within thirtie miles thereof howbeit some of our Portugales haue trauelled to the very fountaines of Nilus which are two great lakes comparable to seas situate in the kingdome of Goiame out of which hauing conueyed it selfe a small distance this riuer embraceth certaine Islets and then holdeth on his course to Egypt The reason why Nilus yeerely ouerfloweth Egypt is because the generall winter of Ethiopia holding on with most mightie and continual raines from the middle of Iune to the midst of September doth make the
said riuer so exceedingly to swel that the waters thereof couer al the plaine countrie of Egypt In all the foresaid dominions of the Prete they vse not to write one to another neither do the officers of Iustice commit any of their affaires to writing but all matters are dispatched by messengers and by wordes of mouth onely it was told me that the reuenues and tributes of the Prete are put downe in writing both vpon the receite and at the disbursement The emperour Prete Ianni hath two speciall princely names to wit Acegue which signifieth an emperour and Neguz a king The Patriarke or arche-prelate of all Abassia is called Abuna that is to say Father neither is there any in all the whole empire which ordaineth ministers but onely hee There is no wine of the grape made publiquely in any place but onelie in the houses of the Prete and of the Patriarke for if it be made anie other where it is done by stealth The wine which is vsed in their communions they make of raisins steeped ten daies in water and afterward streined in a wine-presse and it is a most cordiall delicate and strong wine In this countrey is great abundance of golde siluer copper and tinne but the people are ignorant how to worke it out of the mines neither haue they any coine of golde or siluer but all their bargaines are made by bartering of one commoditie for another Also they trucke little peeces of gold some weighing a dram and some an ounce But salt is the principall thing which runneth currant for money throughout all the emperours dominions Some places there are which yeeld wheat and barly and others millet in great plentie and where the saide graines are not reaped there groweth Tafo daguza a seede vtterly vnknowne in these parts as likewise lentiles beanes pease fitches and all kinde of pulse in abundance Heere are infinite store of sugar canes which they know neither how to boile nor refine but eate it rawe There be great plentie of faire grapes and peaches which are ripe in the moneths of Februarie and Aprill Of orenges limons and citrons the quantitie is innumerable for they growe most naturally out of the Abassin soile garden-herbes there are but fewe bicause the people delight neither to set nor sowe them All the whole countrey is full of Basill which groweth very tall both in the woods and vpon the mountaines so are there likewise other odoriferous herbes of diuers sorts but vnknowen vnto vs. Of trees common with vs I remember none other kinds growing there but onely Cypresses damsin-trees sallowes by the waters side and trees of Iuiubas Honie there is exceeding great plentie all the countrey ouer neither are their bee-hiues placed abroad in the open aire as ours are but they set them in chambers where making a little hole in the wall the bees go thicke in and out and come home laden with honie Wherefore there is great quantitie gathered in all the empire but especially in the monasteries where they make it a great part of their sustenance There are founde also swarmes of bees in the woodes and vpon the mountaines neere whom they place certaine hollowe boxes made of barke which being filled with honicombes they take vp and carrie home to their houses They gather much waxe whereof they make their candles because they haue no vse of tallow They haue no oyle of oliues but of another kinde which they call Hena and the hearbe whereout they straine it is like a little vine-leafe neither hath this oyle any smell at all but in colour it is as beautifull as gold Heere likewise they haue store of flax but they know not how to make cloth thereof Here is also great plenty of cotton whereof they make cloth of diuers colours One countrie there is so extreamely colde that the people are inforced to clad themselues in very course cloth of a darke tawnie Concerning phisicke and the cure of diseases they know verie little or nothing but for aches in any partes of their bodies the onely remedy which they vse is to apply cupping-glasses and for head-aches they let the great vaine of the temples bloud Howbeit they haue certaine herbes the iuice whereof being drunke serueth them in steede of a purgation There would in this conntrie be gathered infinite store of fruit and far greater quantitie of corne were not the poore commons most miserablie oppressed by their superiours who extorte all their substance from them so that they neuer till nor plant any more then they must of meere necessitie In no place wheresoeuer I trauelled could I see any shambles of flesh but onely at the court of the Prete for in other places no man may kill an oxe though it bee his owne without licence from the gouernour of the countrie As touching their ordinary proceeding in iustice they vse not to put any to sudden death but beate them with bastonados according to the quality of the offence and likewise they plucke out their eyes and cut off their handes and feete howbeit during mine abode there I saw one burnt for robbing of a church The common sort speake truth very seldome though it bee vpon an oathe vnlesse they be forced to sweare By the head of the King They feare exceedingly to be excommunicated so that being enioined any thing that tendeth to their preiudice if they do it at all it is done for feare of excommunication Their depositions or othes are performed in this manner The partie to be deposed goeth accompanied with two priests carrying with them fire and incense to the church-doore whereon he layeth his hande and then the said priests adiure him to tell the truth saying If thou sweare falsly as the lyon 〈◊〉 the beasts of the forest so let the diuell deuoure thy soule and as corne is ground vnder the mill-stone so let him grinde thy bones and finally as the fire burneth vp the wood so may thy soule burne in the fire of hell and the partie sworne answereth to euery of the former clauses Amen But if thou speake truth let thy life be prolonged with honour and thy soule enter into Paradise with the blessed and he againe answereth Amen Which being done hee giueth testimonie of the matter in question No person may sit in their churches nor enter into them with his shooes on nor spit within them neither may any dogge or any other creature voide of reason come within them They confesse themselues standing vpon their feete and so standing likewise receiue absolution They 〈◊〉 their forme of publike praier after one and the same manner both in the churches of their Canons and of their friers which friers haue no wiues but the Canons and priests are permitted to haue Where the Canons liue togither they go each man to diet at his owne house but the friers eate their meate in common Their ecclefiasticall gouernours are called Licanati The sonnes of the Canons are as it were by
inheritance Canons but priests sonnes haue no such priuilege vnlesse they be ordained by the Abuna They pay no tithes to any churches but the clergie are maintained by great possessions belonging to their churches and monasteries Also when any priest is cited he is conuented before a secular iudge Whereas I saide they sit not in their churches it is to bee vnderstoode that alwaies without the church doore stande a great number of woodden crutches such as lame men vse to goe vpon where euery man taketh his owne and leaneth thereupon all the time of their diuine seruice All their books which they haue in great numbers are written in parchment for paper they haue none and the language wherein they are written named Tigia is all one with the Abassin language but so it was called from the name of the first towne in all that empire which was conuerted to the Christian religion All their churches haue two curtaines one about their great altar with belles within which curtaine none may enter but onely priests also they haue another curtaine stretching through the midst of their church and within that may no man come but such as haue taken holy orders insomuch that many gentlemen and honorable persons take orders vpon them onely that they may haue accesse into their churches The greater part of their monasteries are built vpon high mountaines or in some deepe valley they haue great reuenues and iurisdictions and in many of them they eate no flesh all the yeere long Neither do they spende any store of fish bicause they know not how to take it Vpon the wals of all their churches are painted the pictures of Christ of the blessed virgine Marie of the apostles prophets and angels and in euery one the picture of Saint George a horseback They haue no Roodes neither will they suffer Christ crucified to be painted bicause they say they are not woorthy to behold him in that passion All their priests friers and noblemen continually carrie crosses in their hands but the meaner sort of people carrie them about their neckes Their mooueable feasts namely Easter the feast of Ascension Whitsontide they obserue at the verie same daies and times that we do Likewise as concerning the feasts of Christmas the Circumcision the Epiphanie and other the feasts of the saints they agree whollie with vs though in some other things they varie They haue great store of leprous persons who are not put apart from the rest of the people but liue in company with them and many there are who for charitie and deuotions sake do wash them and heale their wounds They haue a kinde of trumpets but not of the best and likewise certaine drums of brasse which are brought from Cairo and of woode also couered with leather at both endes and cimbals like vnto ours and certaine great basons whereon they make a noise There are flutes in like sort and a kinde of square instruments with strings not much vnlike to an harpe which they call Dauid Mozan that is to say the harpe of Dauid and with these harpes they sounde before the Prete but some what rudely Their horses of the countrey-breed are in number infinite but such small hackney-iades that they doe them little seruice howbeit those that are brought out of Arabia and Egypt are most excellent and beautifull horses and the great horse-masters also in Abassia haue certaine breeds or races of them which being new foled they suffer not to sucke the damme aboue three daies if they be such as they meane to backe betimes but separating them from their dammes they suckle them with kine and by that meanes they prooue most sightly and gallant horses Hitherto Aluarez Thus much I hope may suffice to haue bin spoken concerning the vpper or Inner Ethiopia which containeth the empire of Prete Ianni now sithens we are so far proceeded let vs take also a cursory and briefe surueie of the lower or extreme Ethiopia extending it selfe in forme of a speares point or a wedge as far as thirtie fiue degrees of southerly latitude Of the lower or extreme Ethiopia THis parte of Africa being vtterly vnknowne to Ptolemey and all the ancient writers but in these later times throughly discouered by the Portugales especially along the coast beginneth to the Northwest about the great riuer of Zaire not far from the Equinoctial from whence stretching southward to thirtie fiue degrees and then Northward along the sea-coast on the backside of Africa as far as the very mouth or enterance of the Arabian gulfe it limiteth the south and east frontiers of the Abassin Empire last before described In this part also are many particulars very memorable as namely besides sundry great empires kingdomes The famous mountaines of the moon the mightie riuers of Magnice Cuama and Coauo springing out of the lake Zembre the renowmed cape of good hope and other matters whereof we will intreate in their due places This portion of Africa is diuided into sixe principall partes namely The land of Aian the land of Zanguebar the empire of Mohenemugi the empire of Monomotapa the region of Cafraria the kingdome of Congo Aian the first generall part of Ethiopia the lower THe land of Aian is accounted by the Arabians to be that region which lyeth betweene the narrow entrance into the Red sea and the riuer of Quilimanci being vpon the sea-coast for the most part inhabited by the said Arabians but the inland-partes thereof are peopled with a black nation which are Idolaters It comprehendeth two kingdomes Adel and Adea Adel is a very large kingdome and extendeth from the mouth of the Arabian gulfe to the cape of Guardafu called of olde by Ptolemey Aromata promontorium South and west it bordereth vpon the dominions of Prete Ianni about the kingdome of Fatigar The king of this countrie being a Moore is accounted amongst the Mahumetans a most holy man and very much reuerenced by them because he wageth continuall war with the Christians taking captiue many of the Abassins and sending them to the great Turke and the princes of Arabia of whome he receiueth greate ayde for the maintenance of his warres both of horse and foote The people of Adel are of the colour of an oliue being very warlike notwithstanding that the greatest part of them want weapons Their principall city is called Anar as some are of opinion Vnto this kingdome is subiect the citie of Zeila inhabited by Mooes situate on a sandie and low soile which some suppose to be built in the very same place without the enterance of the Red sea where Ptolemey placed the ancient mart-towne of Aualites This citie is a place of great traffike for hither they bring out of India cloth elephants teeth frankincense pepper golde and other rich merchandize The territorie adioining yeeldeth abundance of honie waxe and great quantitie of oile which they make not of oliues but of a kinde of daintie plums it affourdeth likewise such
plentie of 〈◊〉 of cattell and of fruits differing from ours that they are transported by shipping to other nations Barbora likewise a citie of the Moores standeth in this kingdome of Adel and hath a commodious hauen whereunto resort many ships laden with merchandize from Aden in Arabia and from Cambaya vpon the riuer of Indus The citizens are blacke people and their wealth consisteth most of all in flesh In the yeere 1541. Gradaameth the king of this place after manie mischiefes which he had done to Claudius the emperour of Abassia being vanquished by Christopher de Gama the Indian Viceroy of Iohn the third king of Portugale hee did by meanes of the souldiers and warlike prouisions which were sent him from the Sheque or gouernour of Zebit ouercome the Portugals the Abassins Howbeit afterward hauing sent the said forces backe againe to Zebit himselfe was slaine and his whole armie ouerthrowne by king Claudius aforesaide But certaine yeeres after the successour of Gradaameth hauing in a warlike encounter subdued the Prete rode in triumph vpon a little asse signifying thereby that he ascribed not the victorie to his owne forces but to the power of God Adea the second kingdome of the land of Aian situate vpon the easterne Ocean is confined northward by the kingdome of Adel westward by the Abassin empire It is exceeding fruitful one part thereof mightily aboundeth with woods the residue being sufficiently stored with cattell corne The inhabitants being Moores by religion and paying tribute to the emperour of Abassia are as they of Adel before-named originally descended of the Arabians who many hundred yeeres agoe partly by their rich traffike and especially by force of armes became lords not onely of Aian but of all the sea-coast along as farre as Cabo de los corrientes standing in the southerly latitude of fower and twentie degrees In all which space the cities standing vpon the sea-coast before the Portugals discouered the east Indies lay open and vnfortified to the sea bicause the Arabians themselues were absolute lords thereof but were strongly walled toward the lande for feare of the Cafri or lawlesse wilde Negros who were deadly enimies to the Arabians and vtterly misliked their so neere neighbourhood Howbeit since the Portugals taking of Magadazo and diuers other townes vpon the coast they haue applied themselues very much to fortification But to returne to the matter where we left vnto the foresaid kingdome of Adea belongeth the kingdome of Magadazo so called of the principall citie therein which is a most strong beautifull and rich place and is subiect to the kingly gouernment of a Moore The territorie adiacent is exceeding fruitfull abounding with sheepe kine horses wheate barly and other kindes of graine It hath also an excellent hauen and much frequented by the ships of Aden and Cambaya which come thither laden with sundrie kindes of cloth with spices and other merchandize and from hence they carrie elephants teeth golde slaues honie and waxe The inhabitants are of an oliue-colour and some of them blacke like vnto the nations adioining and they go naked from the girdle-stead vpward and speak the Arabian toong They are but meanely weaponed which causeth them to shoote poisoned arrowes This citie was in times past head of all the townes and cities of the Moores standing along this coast for a great distance Zanguebar or Zanzibar the second generall part of the lower Ethiopia ZAnzibar or Zanguebar so called by the Arabians and Persians is that tract of lande which runneth along some parte of the dominions of Prete Ianni and from thence extendeth it selfe by the east of Mohenemugi til it ioyneth with the frontiers of Monomotapa Howbeit some there are who vnder the name of Zanzibar will haue all the south part of Africa to be vnderstood euen as far as Cabo Negro which stretcheth into the western Ocean about 18. degrees of southerly latitude so that they comprehend therein the empires of Mohenemugi and Monomotapa and all the land of Cafraria But in this controuersie wee rather chuse to follow the opinion of Sanutus affirming with him that the said maritime tract of Zanguebar as it is by vs before limited is alowe fennie and woodie countrie with many greate and small riuers running through it which extremity of moisture in those hot climates causeth the ayer to be most vnholesome and pestilent The inhabitants are for the most part black with curled haire being Idolaters and much addicted to sorcery and witchcraft They go naked all the vpper part of their bodies couering their nether partes with clothes of diuers colours and with beasts skins And this tract of lande stretching along the sea-coast from the riuer Quilimanci to the riuer of Magnice containeth the kingdomes and territories of Melinde Mombaza Quiloa Moçambique Sofala and others Melinde the most Northerly kingdome of Zanguebar situate in two degrees and an halfe of southerly latitude and stretching from the coast vp into the main for the space of an hundred miles hath a strong and stately city of the same name being seuentie miles distant from Mombaça It aboundeth with Rice Millet flesh limons citrons and all kinds of fruites but as for corne it is brought hither out of Cambaya The inhabitants especially on the sea coast are Moores and Mahumetans who build their houses very sumptuously after the manner of Europe They are of a colour inclining to white and some blacke people they haue also among them which are for the greatest part Idolaters howbeit all of them pretend a kinde of ciuilitie both in their apparell and in the decencie and furniture of their houses The women are white and sumptuously attired after the Arabian fashion with cloth of silke Likewise they adorne their neckes armes hands and feete with bracelets and iewels of golde and siluer When they go abroad out of their houses they couer themselues with a vaile of taffata so that they are not knowne but when they themselues list Vpon this coast of Melinde you haue a very safe harborough wherunto the ships that saile those seas do vsually resort In briefe the inhabitants are a kind true-harted trustie people courteous to strangers They haue alwaies beene in league with the Portugals giuing them most friendly entertainmēt reposing much cōfidence in them neither haue they euer done them any iniury The kingdome of Mombaça being the second generall part of Zanguebar and situate in three degrees and an halfe beyond the Equinoctiall line bordering to the north vpon Melinde and to the south vpon Quiloa is so called after the name of a certaine isle and citie vpon the coast both which are named Mombaça and are peopled with Mahumetans their houses are of many stories high and beautified with pictures both grauen and painted Their kings are Mahumetans and most deadly enimies to the Christians one of the which taking vpon him to resist the Portugals was himselfe quite vanquished and ouerthrowen and constrained to
Monomotapa to the riuer Coauo and beyond west with the riuer Nilus North vpon the dominions of Prete Ianni and east vpon the kingdomes of Melinde Mombaça and Quiloa hath not many yeeres ago bin discouered or at least heard of by the Portugales vpon occasion perhaps of the warres which with vnfortunate successe they haue waged against Monomotapa The emperour of this country holdeth a continuall league with the princes of Melinde Mombaça and Quiloa towards the sea for traffiques sake for they prouide his dominions with cloth of cotton cloth of silke and sundrie other commodities brought from Arabia Persia Cambaya and India which are very well esteemed in those parts but among the rest they bring especially certaine little balles of a red colour and in substance like vnto glasse being made in Cambaya of a kinde of Bitumen or clammie claie which balles they vse to weare like beades about their necks They serue also to them in stead of money for gold they make none account of Likewise with the silkes that are brought vnto them they apparel themselues from the girdle downward In exchange of all the foresaide wares and commodities they giue gold siluer copper and iuorie Howbeit vpon his Inland frontiers to the south and southwest he maintaineth continuall and bloudie warres against the emperour of Monomotapa his principall and greatest forces consisting of a most barbarous and fierce nation called by the people of Congo Giachi but by themselues Agag who inhabite from the first great lake which is the fountaine of Nilus for a certaine space vpon both sides of the said riuer and then afterward on the westerne banke as farre as the second great lake from whence Zaire hath his chiefe original thence euen to the confines of Prete Ianni They are a wilde and lawles people liuing after the manner of the ancient Scythians and Nomades and like the Tartars and Baduin-Arabians of these times a vagrant kind of life vnder cabbins and cottages in the open forrests They are of stature tall and of countenance most terrible making lines vpon their cheekes with certaine iron-instruments and turning their eie-lids backward whereby they cast vpon their enimies a most dreadfull and astonishing aspect They are man-eaters and couragious in battaile For their armour of defence they vse certaine Pauises or great targets wherwith they couer their whole bodies being otherwise naked and their offensiue weapons are dartes and daggers It is not many yeeres since these cruel sauages ranging westward from Nilus inuaded the kingdome of Congo vanquished the inhabitants in sundrie battels tooke the head citie and forced the king Don Aluaro to flee for succour and safetie vnto the isle of horses in the mouth of the great riuer Zaire being one of the extreme frontiers of his dominions Where the king himselfe was taken with an incurable dropsie and his people in great numbers died of famine who to relieue their extreme necessities sold their wiues their children and their owne selues for slaues vnto the Portugals Howbeit these warlike Giacchi notwithstanding their hautie courage and great exploits are no whit feared but rather most boldly encountered and sometimes vanquished by the Amazones or women warriers of Monomotapa Which two nations what by warlike stratagems and what by open and maine force do often fight the most desperate and doubtfull battailes that are performed in all those southern parts The empire of Monomotapa the fourth generall part of the lower Ethiopia BEnomotapa Benomotaxa or Monomotapa is a large empire so called after the name of the prince thereof who in religion is a Gentile and for extension of dominions and military forces a renowmed and mightie emperour in the language of whose subiects an emperour is signified by this word Monomotapa This empire of his lyeth as it were in an Island which containeth in compasse seuen hundred and fiftie or as some thinke one thousand leagues being limited on the north-west by the great lake whereout Nilus springeth on the south by the riuer Magnice and the tributarie kingdome of Butua or Toroa on the east it hath the sea-coast and the kingdome of Sofala which in very deed is a member thereof and the North part abutteth vpon the riuer of Cuama and the empire of Mohenemugi That part of this great Island which lyeth betweene the mouth of Cuama and the cape de los Corrientes is a very pleasant holesome and fruitfull country And from the said cape to the riuer of Magnice the whole region aboundeth with beasts both great and small but it is cold by reason of the sharp brizes which come off the sea and so destitute of wood that the people for fewel are constrained to vse the dung of beasts and they apparel themselues in their skinnes Along the banke of the riuer Cuama are diuers hilles and downes couered with trees and vallies likewise watered with riuers being pleasantly situate and well peopled Here are such plenty of Elephants as it seemeth by the great quantitie of their teeth that there are yeerely slaine betweene foure and fiue thousand Their elephants are nine cubites high and fiue cubites in thicknes They haue long and broad eares little eyes shorte tailes and great bellies and some are of opinion that Ethiopia yeeldeth as many elephants as Europe doth oxen The townes and villages of this empire are very few and their buildings are of wood and clay couered with thatch None may haue doores to their houses but onely great personages Their principal cities are Zimbas and Benamataza the first whereof is one and twentie and the second fifteene daies iourney from Sofala They serue this emperour at the table vpon their knees to sit before him is all one as with vs for a man to stand vpon his feete neither may any presume to stand in his presence but onely great lords He is tasted vnto not before but after he hath eaten and drunke For his armes he hath a spade and two dartes Tribute he taketh none but onely certaine daies seruice and giftes presented vnto him without which there is no appearing in his sight Hee carrieth whithersoeuer he go foure hundred dogs as a most sure and trustie guard Hee keepeth all the heires of his tributary princes as vassals and as pledges of their fathers loialtie There are no prisons in al his empire for sufficient testimonie being brought of the commission of any crime iustice is executed out of hand and of all offences none are punished with greater seueritie and rigour then witchcraft theft and adulterie His people are of a meane 〈◊〉 blacke and well proportioned They are Gentiles in religion hauing no idols but worshipping one onely God whom they call Mozimo They go apparelled in cloth of cotton either made by themselues or brought from other countries howbeit the king will in no case weare any forrein cloth for feare of poison or such like trecherie and the meaner sort of his subiects are clad in beasts skins Among all the armies and
1595. that those seas are at sometimes not onely free from stormie tempests but most pleasant also to saile vpon with faire and gentle weather And as the Spaniards for a long time that they might discourage all other nations from attempting nauigation vpon The south sea beyond America blinded all Christendome with a report that the streights of Magellan were vnrepasable so perhaps the Portugals to terrifie all others from sailing to the east Indies and to keepe the gaine and secrets of that rich trade entire vnto themselues haue in their writings and relations made the doubling of the cape of Buena Esperança and the crossing ouer those seas a matter of farre greater difficultie and danger then it is of late manifestly found to be The name of Buena esperança or good hope was giuen vnto this promontory by Iohn the second king of Portugall bicause that when his fleetes had once doubled this cape either outward or homeward they then stedfastly hoped in good time to performe the residue of their voiage otherwise not In the midst of this cape lieth a plot of ground of that beautie and delight as that without any humane industrie it may compare with the most artificiall gardens of Europe On the top of this place nature minding as it were to excell her-selfe hath framed a great plaine which for beautifull situation fruitfulnes of herbes varietie of flowers and flourishing verdure of all things seemeth to resemble a terrestriall paradise The Portugals terme it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vnfitly The table of the cape And to the end they might not faile of the meanes to enioy so pleasant a place there is close vnder it a very good harbour which is called The port of Conception The people of this place called in the Arabian toong Cafri Cafres or Cafates that is to say lawlesse or outlawes are for the most part exceeding blacke of colour which very thing may be a sufficient argument that the sunne is not the sole or chiefe cause of their blacknes for in diuers other countries where the heate thereof is farre more scorching and intolerable there are tawnie browne yellowish ash-coloured and white people so that the cause there of seemeth rather to be an hereditarie qualitie transfused from the parents then the intemperature of an hot climate though it also may be some furtherance thereunto The Hollanders in the yeere 1595. entering the harbour of Saint Bras somewhat to the east of Cabo das Agulhas had conuersation truck with some of these Cafres whom they found to be a stoute and valiant people but very base and contemptible in their behauiour and apparell being clad in oxe and sheeps skins wrapped about their shoulders with the hairie sides inward in forme of a mantle Their weapons are a kinde of small slender dartes or pikes some whereof are headed with some kinde of mettall the residue being vnheaded and hardened onely at the points with fire They couer their priuie parts with a sheepes tayle which is bound vp before and behinde with a girdle Their horne-beasts are like those of Spaine verie well limmed and proportioned Their sheepe are great and faire not hauing any wooll on their backes but a kinde of harsh haire like goates Other particulars by them obserued for breuities sake I omit Now that we may proceede in describing the residue of Cafraria hauing sayled about the cape of Buena esperança westward albeit the coast in regard of the greatnes thereof may seem to ly directly north yet for the space of seuenteene degrees till you come to Cabo Negro the farthest Northwesterne bound of this fift part of the lower Ethiopia it trendeth somewhat to the west along which coast somewhat within the lande appeareth a mighty ranke or ridge of mountaines called by the Portugales Os picos fragosos that is the ragged points or spires being besides their excessiue height craggie rough and steepe lying bare desolate and vtterly voide of all succour and seruing for no other end but for an obiect to the windes and a mark for the tempests The residue of the coast till you come to Cabo Negro sometimes lying lowe and sometimes high sometimes shooting into the sea and sometimes again gently retiring containeth many plaines hils vallies and places most fertile and delightful some of them being alwaies of so fresh and pleasant view as they seeme to represent a continuall spring The sixt and last part of the lower or extreme Ethiopia containing the kingdome of Congo whereunto in times past were tributarie and subiect the kingdomes of Matama and Angola to the south the kingdomes of Quisama and Pangelungos to the east and to the north the kingdome of Anzicana inhabited by the Anzichi and Loango peopled by the Bramas FIrst therefore according to our proposed order that we may begin with the most southerly parts The kingdome of Matama so called after the name of the king thereof who being a Gentile ruleth ouer diuers prouinces named Quimbebe bordereth north vpon the first great lake whereout Nilus springeth and vpon the south frontiers of Angola east it abutteth vpon the western banke of the riuer Bagamidri and stretcheth south as far as the riuer Brauagul which springeth out of the mountains of the moone This coūtrey standeth in a good holesome aire aboundeth with mines of cristall other metals hath victuals great plenty And although the people thereof their neighbour-borderers doe traffike togither yet the king of Matama and the king of Angola wage war oftentimes one against another also the said riuer Bagamidri deuideth this kingdome of Matama from the great empire of Monomotapa before described which lieth to the east thereof Next followeth Angola a kingdome subiect in times past to the king of Congo the gouernour whereof not verie many yeeres ago growing exceedingly rich mightie rebelled against his soueraigne by diuers attempts shaking off the yoke of superioritie became himselfe an absolute prince This countrey by reason that the people are suffered to haue as many wiues as they list is a place most woonderfully populous They goe whole millions of them to the warres not leauing any men of seruice behinde but for want of victuals they are often constrained to leaue their enterprises halfe vndone Vpon this king Paulo Diaz who remained gouernour in these parts for the king of Portugall waged warre the reason was bicause certaine Portugall merchants and others going by way of traffike to Cabaza a towne situate an hundred and fiftie miles from the sea where the king of Angola vsually resideth they were by order from this king the same yeere that king Sebastian died in Barbarie sodainly spoiled of their goods and part of them slaine it being alleaged that they were all spies and came to vndermine the present state Whereupon Paulo Diaz prouided himselfe and with two galeots did many notable exploits on both sides of the riuer Coanza Finally hauing built a forte in a very commodious and hillie ground
hurteth none but such as do him iniurie only he will in a sporting maner gently heaue vp with his 〈◊〉 such persons as he meeteth He loueth the water beyond measure and will stande vp to the mid-body therein bathing the ridge of his backe and other parts with his long promuscis or trunke His skin is fower fingers thicke and it is reported that an elephant of this countrey being stricken with a little gunne called Petrera was not wounded therewith but so sore brused inwardly that within three daies after he died Heere are likewise reported to be mightie adders or snakes of fiue and twentie spannes long and fiue spans broad which will swallow vp an whole stagge or any other creature of that bignes Neither are they here destitute of Indie-cockes and hens partridges feasants and innumerable birds of praie both of the lande and of the sea whereof some diue vnder the water which the Portugals call Pelicans Ouer against the most southerly part of the said kingdome of Congo where it confineth with Angola lyeth an Isle called Loanda being twentie miles long and but one mile broad at the most betweene which and the maine land is the best port of all that Ocean About this Isle do haunt infinite store of whales where notwithstanding no amber at all is found which is a manifest argument that it proceedeth notfrom these creatures Here they fish for certaine little shels which in Congo and the countries adioyning are vsed in steed of mony The well-waters of this Isle when the sea ebbeth are salte but when it floweth they are most fresh and sweet In this Isle the Portugals haue a towne from whence they traffique to Congo and Angola and amongst other commodities they get euery yeere in those parts about fiue thousand slaues the custome of which trade belongeth by ancient constitutions vnto the crowne of Portugale To the north of Congo vpon the sea coast beginneth the kingdome of Loango tributarie in times past to the king of Congo It aboundeth with elephants and the inhabitants called Bramas are circumcised after the Iewish manner Next vpon them doe border the Anzichi who are possessed of large countries namely from the riuer Zaire euen to the deserts of Nubia They abound with mines of copper and with sanders both Red and Gray which are the best and some are of opinion that here groweth the right Lignum Aquilae which is of so excellent vertue in phisick They haue one supreme king with many princes vnder him They traffique in Congo and carrie home from thence salt and great shels to be vsed for coine which are brought thither from the Isle of San Tomé in exchange of their cloth of the palme tree and of Iuory but the chiefe commodities which they part from are slaues of their owne nation and of Nubia and the said shels they vse also insteed of Iewels and ornaments Both they and the Bramas before mentioned do carry for their defence in the warres certaine targets made of the skin of a beast which in Germany is called Dante their weapons offensiue be little bowes and shorte arrowes which they shoot with such woonderfull celerity as they will discharge twentie one after another before the first arrow fall to the ground They haue shambles of mans-flesh as wee haue of beeues and muttons They eat their enemies which they take in the warres their slaues which they cannot make away for a good round price they sell vnto the butchers and some will offer themselues to the slaughter for the loue of their princes and patrons so sillie they are that to do their lordes a pleasure they will not refuse present death wherefore the Portugals repose not so much trust in any kinde of slaues as in them and they are very valiant also in the warres But to returne vnto the sea-coast from the mouth of the riuer Zaire Northward the land bearing out somewhat more to the west is framed into three headlands namely Cabo primero Cabo da Caterina and the cape of Lopo Gonsalues which is a cape very well knowen in regard of the eminency and outstretching thereof Itlyeth in one degree of southerly latitude Ouer against which cape within the land do inhabite the people called Bramas in the kingdome of Loango beforementioned From hence for the space of fiue or sixe degrees till you come to Punta delgada or The slender point the coast lyeth in a manner directly North most of which tract is inhabited by a nation of Negros called Ambus North of the said slender point you haue Rio dos Camarones or the riuer of shrimpes which is full of little Isles not far from which riuer are The countries of Biafar and Medra inhabited with people which are addicted to inchantments witchcrafts and all kind of abominable sorceries Much more might be said concerning this sixt part of the lower Ethiopia but because it is in so ample and methodicall a manner described in the historie of Philippo Pigafetta most iudiciously and aptly Englished by the learned Master Abraham Hartwell I refer the reader thereunto as to the principal and the very fountaine of all other discourses which haue bin written to any purpose of Congo and the countries adioyning Of the countries of Benin Meleghete Ghinea and Sierra Leona WEstward from the countries last mentioned lyeth the kingdome of Benin hauing a very proper towne of that name and an hauen called Gurte The 〈◊〉 liue in Idolatry and are a rude and brutish nation notwithstanding that their prince is serued with such high reuerence and neuer commeth in sight but with great solemnity many ceremonies at whose death his chiefe fauorites count it the greatest point of honour to be buried with him to the end as they vainely imagine they may doe him seruice in another world This countrie aboundeth with long pepper called by the Portugals Pimienta dal rabo which is as much to say as ppeper with a tayle This tailed or long pepper so far excelleth the pepper of the east Indies that an ounce therof is of more force then halfe a pound of that other For which cause the kings of Portugale haue done what lay in them to keep it from being brought into these parts of Europe least it should too much abase the estimation and price of their Indian pepper All which notwithstanding there hath bin great quantitie secretly conueied from thence by the Portugals as likewise the English and French nations and of late yeeres the Hollanders haue had great traffique into those parts Next follow the kingdomes of Temian and Dauma and lower to the south the prouince of Meleghete a place very famous and well knowne in regard of a little red graine which there groweth being in shape somewhat like to the 〈◊〉 of Italy but of a most vehement and firy tast and these little graines are by the apothecaries called Grana Paradisi Here also is made of 〈◊〉 and the ashes of the Palme-tree a kind of
sope which hath double the force of ours For which cause it is forbidden by the Portugals who haue vpon that coast a little to the east of Cabo das tres puntas in the northerly latitude of fiue degrees a strong castle called San Georgio de lá Mina whereunto by way of traffike they draw all the gold and riches of the countries adioining Westward of these lieth the countrie of Ghinea inhabited by a people which the ancient writers called Autolatae and Ichthyophagi Ghinea is so named according to the chiefe citie thereof called Genni being situate vpon the riuer of Sanega The people of this countrie towards the sea-coast liue vpon fish and they of the inland sustaine themselues with Lizards and such like creatures in some places more temperate their food consisteth of herbes and milke They conuerse togither in great families and they fight oftentimes for water and for pastures neither haue they 〈◊〉 knowledge of learning or liberall arts So long as the sun continueth in our northren signes that is from the xj of March to the xiij of September this people in regard of extreme 〈◊〉 heat are constrained all the day time being ordinarily with them of 12. howers to retire themselues within their houses and to do all their busines in the night The countrey in most places is destitute of trees that beare fruite neither haue the greatest part of the inhabitants any haire on their bodies saue onely a thicke tuft growing vpon their heads they sell their children vnto strangers supposing that their estate cannot possiblie be impaired Vnto these naturall miseries of the place you may ad the insupportable mischiefes which are here done by the locustes for albeit these creatures do infinite harme likewise in all the inner parts of Africa yet seemeth it that this countrey of Ghinea is their most proper habitation whither they do often resort in such innumerable swarmes that like a mightie thicke cloud they come raking along in the skie and afterward falling downe they couer the face of the earth deuouring all things that they light vpon Their comming towards any place is known two or three daies before by the yellownes of the sunne But in most places where they haunt the poore people are reuenged of them by killing and driuing them in the aire for their foode which custome is commonly vsed by the Arabians and Ethiopians and the Portugals also haue found vessels full of them vpon the coast of Cambaia where they do the like mischiefes They which haue eaten of them affirme that they are of a good taste and that their flesh so much as it is is as white as that of a lobster These may seem to be al one with those grashoppers which God sent to plague Egypt and the same kind of locustes which the holy prophet Iohn Baptist fed vpon in the wildernes Moreouer along the coasts of Meleghete and Ghinea are diuers small riuers and freshets containing little water and running a slow pace which notwithstanding are the best and pleasantest things that are to be founde in these forlorne countries For wheresoeuer any little water springeth or runneth thither do the people resort partly for the watring of their scorched groūds partly to quench their own thirst Also vpō these coasts are diuers and sundry headlands which stretch into the sea as namely The faire cape The three-pointed cape The cape of Palmetrees Cabo da Verga Sierra Leona This cape last mentioned hath an exceeding high mountaine thereupon which causeth it to be seene a mightie distance off It seemeth to be the same promontorie which Hanno and Ptolemey call The chariot of the gods It is called by the name of a lyon in regard of the dreadfull thunders and lightnings which are continually heard from the top thereof howbeit neere vnto it are found apes munkeies and such other beasts as liue in temperate places Of Cabo verde Sanega and Gambra or Gambea NOrthward of Sierra Leona lieth Cabo verde or the greene cape called by Ptolemey Arsinarium and being one of the most famous headlands in all Africa It is enuironed with two riuers namely the riuer of Gambra or Gambea on the south and the riuer of Senaga on the north which last riuer is esteemed to be an arme of Ghir or Niger Gambea springeth out of the same fountaines assigned by Ptolemey vnto Niger which by all the ancient writers is placed heereabout and out of the lake of Libya It is larger and deeper then that other of Senaga and runneth a crooked course receiuing many lesser riuers thereinto One hundred and eightie leagues within the mouth of this riuer the Portugals haue a factorie or place of traffique called the factorie of Cantor Hither by exchange of sundry wares they draw the gold of all those countries In the midde way as it were vnto the said factorie there is a place called the isle of Elephants in regard of the huge numbers of those creatures The riuer of Senaga is thought to take his original out of the lakes called Chelonides It containeth certaine Isles which in regard of their rough and ragged shape are good for nothing but to breed adders and such like hurtfull things and these Isles in many places make the riuer vtterly innauigable About one hundred and fiftie leagues from the mouth thereof it falleth spouting-wise with such maine force from certaine high cliffes or rockes that a man may walke drie vnder the streame thereof The Negros in their language call this place a Bowe It is reported that Nilus doth the like at his Cataracts or ouerfals And Strabo writeth of certaine riuers of Hircania which from exceeding steepe and craggie rockes gush with such violence into the Caspian sea that whole 〈◊〉 may passe vnder them without danger of drowning Into this riuer of Senaga among many riuers vnknowne falleth one which passing through a red soile is it selfe also died red and whosoeuer drinketh of the waters first of the Red riuer and after of Senaga is constrained extremely to 〈◊〉 Along the bankes of this mightie riuer inhabite the blacke and barbarous nations of the Gialofi the Tucuroni the Caraguloni and the Bagani Finally it voideth into the sea at two mouths one of which mouthes is a mile broad And it is strange to consider how vpon the south side of this riuer the people are blacke and well proportioned and the soile pleasant and fertile whereas on the north side they are browne and of a small stature and do inhabite a barren and miserable countrie In both the said riuers of Gambra and Senaga do breed diuers strange kindes offishes and other creatures of the water as namely crocodiles sea-horses and winged serpents and hither come to drinke sundry sorts of wilde beafts The lands comprehended betweene them both by reason of their yeerely inundation for from the xv of Iune they increase fortie daies togither and are so long time decreasing after the manner
are two opinions the first is this namely because this part of the worlde is diuided from Europa by the Mediterran sea and from Asia by the riuer of Nilus Others are of opinion that this name Africa was deriued from one Ifricus the king of Arabia Foelix who is saide to haue beene the first that euer inhabited these partes This Ifricus waging warre against the king of Aslyria and being at length by him driuen out of his kingdome passed with his whole armie ouer Nilus and so conducting his troupes westward made no delay till he was come vnto the region lying about Carthage Hence it is that the Arabians do imagine the countrie about Carthage onely and the regions lying westward thereof to comprehende all Africa The borders of Africa AFRICA if we may giue credite vnto the writers of that nation being men of learning and most skilfull Cosmographers beginneth southward at certaine riuers issuing foorth of a lake in the desert of Gaoga Eastward it bordereth vpon the riuer Nilus It extendeth northward to that part of Egypt where Nilus at seuen mouthes dischargeth his streames into the Mediterran sea from whence it stretcheth westward as farre as the streites of Gibraltar and is bounded on that part with the vtmost sea-towne of all Libya called Nun. Likewise the south part thereof abutteth vpon the Ocean sea which compasseth Africa almost as farre as the deserts of Gaoga The 〈◊〉 of Africa OVR authors affirme that Africa is 〈◊〉 into fower partes that is to say Barbaria Numidia Libya and the lande of Negros Barbaria taketh beginning from the hill called Meies which is the extreme part of all the mountaines of Atlas being distant from Alexandria almost three hundred miles It is bounded on the North side with the Mediterran sea stretching thence to mount-Meies aforesaid and from mount-Meies extending itselfe to the streites of Gibraltar Westward it is limited with the said streites from whence winding it selfe out of the Mediterran sea into the maine Ocean it is inclosed with the most westerly point of Atlas namely at that Westerne cape which is next vnto the towne called Messa And southward it is bounded with that side of Atlas which lieth towards the Mediterran sea This is the most noble and worthie region of all Africa the inhabitants whereof are of a browne or tawnie colour being a ciuill people and prescribe wholsome lawes and constitutions vnto themselues The second part of Africa is called of the Latines Numidia but of the Arabians Biledulgerid this region bringeth foorth dates in great abundance It beginneth eastward at the citie of Eloacat which is an hundred miles distant from Egypt extendeth west as far as the towne of Nun standing vpon the Ocean sea Northward it is inclosed with the south side of Atlas And the south part thereof bordereth vpon the sandie deserts of Libya All the Arabians doe vsually call it The land of dates because this onely region of Africa beareth dates The third part called of the Latines Libya and of the Arabians Sarra which word signifieth a desert beginneth eastward at that part of Nilus which is next vnto the citie of Eloacat and from thence runneth westward as far as the Ocean sea Northwarde it is bounded with Numidia southward it abutteth vpon the land of Negros eastward it taketh beginning at the kingdome of Gaoga and stretcheth westwarde euen to the land of Gualata which bordereth vpon the Ocean sea The fourth part of Africa which is called the land of Negros beginneth eastward at the kingdome of Gaoga from whence it extendeth west as far as Gualata The north part thereof is inclosed with the desert of Libya and the south part which is vnknowen vnto vs with the Ocean sea howbeit the merchants which daily come from thence to the kingdome of Tombuto haue sufficiently described the situation of that countrie vnto vs. This lande of Negros hath a mightie riuer which taking his name of the region is called Niger this riuer taketh his originall from the east out of a certaine desert called by the foresaide Negros Seu. Others will haue this riuer to spring out of a certaine lake and so to run westward till it exonerateth itselfe into the Ocean sea Our Cosmographers affirme that the said riuer of Niger is deriued out of Nilus which they imagine for some certaine space to be swallowed vp of the earth and yet at last to burst foorth into such a lake as is before mentioned Some others are of opinion that this riuer beginneth westward to spring out of a certaine mountaine and so running east to make at length a huge lake which verily is not like to be true for they vsually saile westward from Tombuto to the kingdome of Ginea yea and to the land of Melli also both which in respect of Tombuto are situate to the west neither hath the said land of Negros any kingdomes comparable for beautifull and pleasant soile vnto those which adioine vnto the bankes of Niger And here it is to be noted that according to the opinion of our Cosmographers that land of Negros by which Nilus is said to run namely that part of the world which stretcheth eastward euen to the Indian sea some northerly parcell whereof abutteth vpon the red sea to wit the countrie which lieth without the gulfe of Arabia is not to be called any member or portion of Africa and that for many reasons which are to be found in the processe of this historie set downe more at large The said countrie is called by the Latines Aethiopia From thence come certaine religious Friers seared or branded on the face with an hot iron who are to be seene almost ouer all Europe and specially at Rome These people haue an Emperour which they call Prete Gianni the greater part of that land being inhabited with Christians Howbeit there is also a certaine Mahumetan among them which is said to possesse a great dominion A diuision of the fower forenamed partes of Africa BArbarie is distinguished into fower kingdomes the first whereof is the kingdome of Maroco which is likewise diuided into seuen regions or prouinces namely Hea Sus Guzula the territorie of Maroco Duccala Hazcora Tedles The second kingdome of Barbarie called Fez comprehendèth in like sort seuen regions within the bounds thereof to wit Temesne the territorie of Fez Azgara Elabat Errif Garet and Elcauz The third kingdome is called Telensin and hath three regions vnder it namely the mountaines Tenez and Algezer The fourth kingdome of Barbarie is named Tunis vnder which are comprized fower regions that is to say Bugia Constantina Tripolis in Barbarie and Ezzaba which is a good part of Numidia Bugia hath alwaies beene turmoiled with continuall warres because sometimes it was subiect vnto the king of Tunis and sometimes againe vnto the king of Tremizen Certaine it is that euen vntill these our daies this Bugia was a kingdome of it selfe and so continued till
though corruptly which I suppose came first hereupon to passe for that the said people haue had long acquaintance and conuersation with the Arabians The Negros haue diuers languages among themselues among which they call one Sungai and the same is current in many regions as namely in Gualata Tombuto Ghinea Melli and Gago Another language there is among the Negros which they cal Guber this is rife among the people of Guber of Cano of Casena of Perzegreg of Guangra Likewise the kingdom of Borno hath a peculiar kinde of speech altogether like vnto that which is vsed in Gaoga And the kingdome of Nube hath a language of great affinitie with the Chaldean Arabian Egyptian toongs But all the sea-towns of Africa frō the Mediterran sea to the mountains of Atlas speake broken Arabian Except the kingdome and towne of Maroco the inland Numidians bordering vpon Maroco Fez Tremizen all which vse the Barbarian toong Howbeit they which dwel ouer against Tunis Tripoli speake indeede the Arabian language albeit most corruptly Of the Arabians inhabiting the citie of Africa OF that armie which was sent by Califa Otmen the third in the fower hundred yeere of the Hegeira there came into Africa fowerscore thousand gentlemen and others who hauing subdued sundrie prouinces at length arriued in Africa and there the Generall of the whole armie called Hucha 〈◊〉 Nafich remained This man built that great citie which is called of vs Alcair For he stood in feare of the people of Tunis least they should betray him misdoubting also that they would procure aide out of Sicily and so giue him the encounter Wherefore with all his treasure which he had got he trauelled to the desert firme ground distant from Carthage about one hundred and twentie miles and there is he said to haue built the citie of Alcair The remnant of his soldiers he commanded to keepe those places which were most secure and fit for their defence and willed them to build where no rocke nor fortification was Which being done the Arabians began to inhabit Africa and to disperse themselues among the Africans who because they had beene for certaine yeeres subiect vnto the Romans or Italians vsed to speake their language and hence it is that the naturall and mother-toong of the Arabians which hath great affinitie with the African toong grewe by little and little to be corrupted and so they report that these two nations at length conioined themselues in one Howbeit the Arabians vsually doe blaze their petigree in daily and triuiall songs which custome as yet is common both to vs and to the people of Barbarie also For no man there is be he neuer so base which will not to his owne name adde the name of his nation as for example Arabian Barbarian or such like Of the Arabians which dwell in tents THE Mahumetan priestes alwaies forbad the Arabians to passe ouer Nilus with their armies and tents How beit in the fower hundred yeere of the Hegeira we reade that they were permitted so to doe by a certaine factious and schismaticall Califa because one of his nobles had rebelled against him vsurping the citie of Cairaoan and the greatest part of Barbarie After the death of which rebell that kingdome remained for some yeeres vnto his posteritie and familie whose iurisdiction as the African chronicles report grew so large and strong in the time of Elcain the Mahumetan Califa and patriark of Arabia that he sent vnto them one Gehoar whom of a slaue he had made his counsellour with an huge armie This Gehoar conducting his armie westward recouered all Numidia and Barbarie Insomuch that he pierced vnto the region of Sus and there claimed most ample tribute all which being done he returned backe vnto his Calipha and most faithfully surrendred vnto him whatsoeuer he had gained from the enemie The Calipha seeing his prosperous successe began to aspire vnto greater exploites And Gehoar most firmely promised that as he had recouered that westerne dominion vnto his Lord so would he likewise by force of warre most certainly restore vnto him the countries of the East to wit Egypt Syria and all Arabia and protested moreouer that with the greatest hazard of his life he would be auenged of all the iniuries offered by the familie of Labhus vnto his Lords predecessors and would reuest him in the royall seate of his most famous grandfathers great-grandfathers and progenitors The Calipha liking well his audacious promise caused an armie of fower-score thousand soldiers with an infinite summe of money and other things necessarie for the warres to be deliuered vnto him And so this valiant and stout chieftaine being prouided for warfare conducted his troupes through the deserts of Aegypt Barbarie hauing first 〈◊〉 to flight the vice-Califa of Aegypt who fled vnto Eluir the Califa of Bagdet in short time he subdued very easily all the prouinces of Aegypt and Syria Howbeit he could not as yet hold himselfe secure fearing least the Califa of Bagdet would assaile him with an armie out of Asia and least the garrisons which he had left to keepe Barbarie should be constrained to forsake those conquered prouinces Wherefore hee built 〈◊〉 and caused it to be walled round about In which citie he left one of his most trustie captaines with a great part of the armie and this citie he called by the name of Alchair which afterward by others was named Cairo This Alchair is saide daily so to haue increased that no citie of the world for buildings and inhabitants was any way comparable thereunto Now when Gehoar perceiued that the Calipha of Bagdet made no preparation for warre he foorthwith wrote vnto his Lord that all the conquered cities yeelded due honour vnto him and that all things were in quiet and tranquillitie and therefore that himselfe if he thought good should come ouer into Aegypt and thereby with his onely presence should preuaile more to recouer the remnant of his dominions then with neuer so huge an armie for he was in good hope that the Calipha of Bagdet hearing of his expedition woulde leaue his kingdome and prelacie and would betake himselfe to flight This notable and ioyfull message no sooner came to the eares of Califa Elcain but he being by his good fortune much more encouraged then before and not forethinking himselfe what mischiefe might ensue leuied a great armie appointing for vice-roy of all Barbarie one of the familie of Sanagia aforesaid finding him afterward not to be his trustie friend Moreouer Califa Elcain arriuing at Alchair and being most honorably entertained by his seruant Gehoar began to thinke vpon great affaires and hauing gathered an huge armie resolued to wage battell against the Califa of Bagdet In the meane season he that was appointed vice-roy of Barbarie compacting with the Calipha of Bagdet yeelded himselfe and all Barbarie into his hands Which the Califa most kindly accepted and ordained him
and distressed life differing much in this regard from those Africans whom wee affirmed to dwell in Libya Howbeit they are farre more valiant then the said Africans and vse commonly to exchange camels in the lande of Negros they haue likewise great store of horses which in Europe they cal horses of Barbarie They take woonderfull delight in hunting and pursuing of deere of wilde asses of ostriches and such like Neither is it here to be omitted that the greater part of Arabians which inhabite Numidia are very wittie and conceited in penning of verses wherein each man will decipher his loue his hunting his combates and other his woorthie actes and this is done for the most part in ryme after the Italians manner And albe it they are most liberally minded yet dare they not by bountifull giuing make any shew of wealth for they are daily oppressed with manifold inconueniences They are apparelled after the Numidians fashion sauing that their women differ somewhat from the women of Numidia Those deserts which they doe now enioy were woont to be possessed by Africans but rhe Arabians with their armie inuading that part of Africa draue out the naturall Numidians and reserued the deserts adioining vpon The land of dates vnto themselues but the Numidians began to inhabite those deserts which border vpon the land of Negros The Arabians which dwell betweene mount Atlas and the Mediterran sea are far wealthier then these which we now speake of both for costlines of apparell for good horse-meate and for the statelines and beautie of their tents Their horses also are of better shape and more corpulent but not so swift as the horses of the Numidian desert They exercise husbandrie and haue great increase of corne Their droues and flockes of cattell be innumerable insomuch that they cannot inhabite one by another for want of pasture They are somewhat more vile and barbarous then those which inhabite the deserts and yet they are not altogether destitute of liberalitie part of them which dwell in the territorie of Fez are subiect vnto the king of Fez. Those which remaine in Marocco and Duccala haue continued this long time free from all exaction and tribute but so soone as the king of Portugall began to beare rule ouer Azafi and Azamor there began also among them strife and ciuill warre Wherefore being assailed by the king of Portugall on the one side and by the king of Fez on the other and being oppressed also with the extreme famine and scarcitie of that yeere they were brought vnto such miserie that they freely offered themselues as slaues vnto the Portugals submitting themselues to any man that was willing to releeue their intolerable hunger and by this meanes scarce one of them was left in all Duccala Moreouer those which possesse the deserts bordering vpon the kingdomes of Tremizen and Tunis may all of them in regard of the rest be called noblemen and gentlemen For their gouernours receiuing euery yeere great reuenues from the king of Tunis diuide the same afterward among their people to the end they may auoid all discord and by this meanes all dissension is eschewed and peace is kept firme and inuiolable among them They haue notable dexteritie and cunning both in making of tents and in bringing vp and keeping of horses In summer time they vsually come neere vnto Tunis to the end that each man may prouide himselfe of bread armour and other necessaries all which they carrie with them into the deserts remaining there the whole winter In the spring of the yeere they applie themselues to hunting insomuch that no beast can escape their pursuit My selfe I remember was once at their tents to my no little danger and inconuenience where I sawe greater quantitie of cloth brasse yron and copper then a man shall oftentimes finde in the most rich warehouses of some cities Howbeit no trust is to be giuen vnto them for if occasion serue they will play the theeues most slyly and cunningly notwithstanding they seeme to carrie some shewe of ciuilitie They take great delight in poetrie and will pen most excellent verses their language being very pure and elegant If any woorthie poet be found among them he is accepted by their gouernours with great honour and liberalitie neither would any man easily beleeue what wit and decencie is in their verses Their women according to the guise of that countrie goe very gorgeously attired they weare linnen gownes died black with exceeding wide sleeues ouer which sometimes they cast a mantle of the same colour or of blew the corners of which mantle are very artificially fastened about their shoulders with a fine siluer claspe Likewise they haue rings hanging at their eares which for the most part are made of siluer they weare many rings also vpon their fingers Moreouer they vsually weare about their thighes and ankles certaine scarfes and rings after the fashion of the Africans They couer their faces with certaine maskes hauing onely two holes for their eies to peepe out at If any man chance to meete with them they presently hide their faces passing by him with silence except it be some of their allies or kinsfolks for vnto them they alwaies discouer their faces neither is there any vse of the said maske so long as they be in presence These Arabians when they trauell any iourney as they oftentimes doe they set their women vpon certaine saddles made handsomely of wicker for the same purpose and fastened to their camels backes neither be they any thing too wide but fit onely for a woman to sit in When they goe to the warres each man carries his wife with him to the end that she may cheere vp her good man and giue him encouragement Their damsels which are vnmarried doe vsually paint their faces brests armes hands and fingers with a kinde of counterfeit colour which is accounted a most decent custome among them But this fashion was first brought in by those Arabians which before we called Africans what time they began first of all to inhabite that region for before then they neuer vsed any false or glozing colours The women of Barbarie vse not this fond kind of painting but contenting themselues only with their naturall hiew they regarde not such fained ornaments howbeit sometimes they will temper a certaine colour with hens-dung and safron wherewithall they paint a little round spot on the bals of their cheeks about the bredth of a French crowne Likewise betweene their eie-browes they make a triangle and paint vpon their chinnes a patch like vnto an oliue leafe Some of them also doe paint their eie-browes and this custome is very highly esteemed of by the Arabian poets and by the gentlemen of that countrie Howbeit they will not vse these fantasticall ornaments aboue two or three daies together all which time they will not be seene to any of their friends except it be to their husbands and children for these paintings seeme to bee great allurements
edict I no sooner heard of but presently 〈◊〉 fishes I came to you for refuge Wherefore vouchsafe me I beseech 〈◊〉 some odde corner or other to hide my head in and then I may iustly say that I haue found more friendship among strangers then euer I did in mine owne natiue countrie With this speech the fishes were so perswaded that Amphibia staied a whole yeere among them not paying one penie or halfepenie At the yeeres ende the king of fishes began to demand his tribute insomuch that at last the bird was 〈◊〉 to pay Great reason it is saith the bird that each man should haue his due and for my part I am contented to doe the dutie of a loyall subiect These words were no sooner spoken but she suddenly spred her wings and vp she mounted into the aire And so this bird to auoide yeerely exactions and tributes woulde eftsoones change her element Out of this fable I will inferre no other morall but that all men doe most affect that place where they finde least dammage and inconuenience For mine owne part when I heare the Africans euill spoken of I wil affirme my selfe to be one of Granada and when I perceiue the nation of Granada to be discommended then will I professe my selfe to be an African But herein the Africans shall be the more beholding vnto me for that I will onely record their principall and notorious vices omitting their smaller and more tolerable faults IOHN LEO HIS SECOND BOOKE OF the Historie of Africa and of the memorable things contained therein HAuing in my first booke made mention of the cities bounds diuisions and some other notable and memorable things contained in Africa we will in this second part more fully particularly largely and distinctly describe sundrie prouinces townes mountaines situations of places lawes rites and customes of people Insomuch that we will leaue nothing vntouched which may any way serue to the illustrating and perfecting of this our present discourse Beginning therefore at the west part of Africa we will in this our geographicall historie proceede eastward till we come to the borders of Aegypt And all this our narration following we will diuide into seuen bookes whereunto God willing we purpose to annexe the eighth which shall intreat of riuers of liuing creatures of trees of plants of fruits of shrubs and of such other most delightfull matters Of the region of Hea lying vpon the west part of Africa HEa being one of the prouinces of Maroco is bounded westward and northwarde with the maine Ocean southwarde with the mountaines of Atlas and eastward with the riuer which they call 〈◊〉 This riuer springeth out of the foresaide mountaine discharging it selfe at length into the riuer of Tensift and diuiding Hea from the prouince next adiacent Of the situation and description of Hea. THis region of Hea is an vneeuen and rough soile full of rockie mountaines shadie woods and chrystall-streames in all places being woonderfully rich and wel stored with inhabitants They haue in the said region great abundance of goates and asses but not such plentie of sheepe oxen and horses All kinde of fruites are very scarce among them not that the ground is vncapable of fruit but because the people are so rude and ignorant in this behalfe that very few of them are skilfull in planting graffing or pruning of trees Whereof I was easily perswaded for I remember that I founde among some gardiners of Hea great abundance of fruits Of graine they haue not much plentie except it be of barlie mill and panick They haue great abundance of honie which they vse in stead of ordinarie foode but the waxe they cast away little regarding it because they know not the value thereof Likewise there are found in this region certaine thornie trees bearing a grosse kinde of fruit not vnlike vnto those oliues which are brought vnto vs from Spaine the said fruit they call in their language Arga. Of this fruit they make a kinde of oile being of a fulsome and strong sauour which they vse notwithstanding for sauce and for lampes The manner of liuing and the foode of the people of 〈◊〉 THis people for the most part eateth barlie-bread vnleuened which is like rather vnto a cake then to a loafe this bread is baked in a kinde of earthen baking-pan somewhat like vnto that wherewith in Italie they vse to couer iuncats and daintie dishes neither shall you finde many in Hea which eate ouen-bread They vse also a certaine vnsauourie and base kinde of meate which in their language is called Elhasid and is made in maner following they cast barlie-meale into boiling water continually tempering and stirring the same about with a sticke till they perceiue it be sufficiently sodden Then setting this pap or hastie-pudding vpon the table and powring in some of their countrie-oile all the whole familie stand round about the platter and eate the said pap not with spoones but with their hands and fingers Howbeit in the spring and summer season they temper the said meale with milke and cast in butter in stead of oile and this kinde of meate is not vsuall among them but only at supper For in winter time they breake their fast with bread and honie and in summer with milke butter and bread Moreouer sometimes they vse to eate sodden flesh whereunto some adde onions other beanes and some other a kinde of seasoning or sauce called by them 〈◊〉 With them tables and table-cloathes are quite out of vse in stead whereof they spread a certaine round mat vpon the ground which serueth among this rude people both for table cloth and all The apparell and customes of the foresaid people of Hea. THE greatest part of them are clad in a kinde of cloath-garment made of wooll after the manner of a couerlet called in their language Elchise and not vnlike vnto those couerlets or blankets which the Italians lay vpon their beds In these kinde of mantles they wrap themselues and then are they girt with a woollen girdle not about their waste but about their hippes They haue also a certaine piece of cloath of ten handfuls in length and two in bredth wherewith they vse to adorne their heads these kinde of ornaments or head-tires they dye with the iuice of walnut-tree-rootes being so put vpon their heads that their crownes are alwaies bare None of them weare any cap except it be an olde man or a man of learning albeit learned men are verie rare among them which caps of theirs are double and round not much vnlike to the caps of certaine Phisitians in Italy You shall seldome finde any linnen shirts or smockes among this people and that as I suppose either because their soile will yeeld no flaxe nor hemp or else for that they haue none skilfull in the arte of weauing Their seats whereon they sit are nought else but certaine mats made of hayre and rushes For beds they vse a certaine kinde of hairie flockbed or
him For saith he there is some recompence due vnto me sithens ten of my people haue beene slaine and but eight of this my neighbours Whereunto the other replied that the saide ten persons were iustly slaine because they went about by violence to dispossesse him of a certaine piece of ground which his father had left him by inheritance but that his eight were murthered onely for vniust reuenge against all equitie and lawe With these and such like friuolous allegations we spent that whole day neither could we decide any one controuersie About midnight we sawe a great throng of people meet in the market-place who made there such a bloodie and horrible conflict that the sight thereof would haue affrighted any man were he neuer so hard harted Wherefore the saide Seriffo fearing least those lewd varlets would make some trecherous conspiracie against him and thinking it better to depart thence immediately then to expect the conclusion of that fraye wee tooke our iourney from that place to a towne called Aghilinghighil Of the towne of Teijeut in Hea. MOreouer the tower of Teijeut standing vpon a plaine ten miles Westward of Ileusugaghen containeth about three hundred housholdes The houses and wall of this towne are built of bricke The townesmen exercise husbandrie for their ground is most fertile for barley albeit it will scarcely yeeld any other graine They haue pleasant and large gardens stored with vines fig-trees and peach-trees also they haue great abundance of goates About this towne are many lyons whereby the townesmen are not a little endamaged for they pray continually vpon their goats and vpon other of their cattell Certaine of vs vpon time comming into these parts for want of a lodging were cōstrained to repayre vnto a little cottage which we escried being so olde that it was in danger of falling hauing prouided our horses of prouender we stopped vp all the doores and passages of the said cottage with thornes and wood as circumspectly as possibly we could these things happened in the moneth of Aprill at what time they haue extreme heat in the same countrey Wherefore we our selues got vp to the top of the house to the end that in our sleep we might be neere vnto the open ayer About midnight we espied two monstrous lyons who were drawen thither by the sent of our horses and endeuored to breake downe that fence of thornes which we had made Whereupon the horses being put in feare kept such a neighing and such a stirre that we misdoubted least the rotten cottage would haue fallen and least our selues should haue become a pray vnto the lyons But so soone as we perceiued the day begin to breake we foorthwith sadled our horses and hyed vs vnto that place where we knew the Prince and his armie lay Not long after followed the destruction of this towne For the greater part of the townesmen being slaine the rest were taken by the Portugals and were carried as captiues into Portugall This was done in the yeere of the Hegeira 920 and in the yeere of our Lord 1513. Of Tesegdelt a towne of Hea. THe towne of Tesegdelt being situate vpon the top of a certaine high mountaine and naturally enuironed with an high rocke in steade of a wall containeth more then eight hundreth families It is distant from Teijeut southward about twelue miles and it hath a riuer running by it the name whereof I haue forgotten About this towne of Tesegdelt are most pleasant gardens and orchards replenished with all kinde of trees and especially with walnut-trees The inhabitants are wealthie hauing great abundance of horses neither are they constrained to pay any tribute vnto the Arabians There are continuall warres betweene the Arabians and them and that with great bloudshed and manslaughter on both parts The villages lying neere vnto Tesegdelt do vsually carry all their graine thither least they should be depriued thereof by the enimie who maketh daily inrodes and inuasions vpon them The inhabitants of the foresaid towne are much 〈◊〉 vnto curtesie and ciuilitie and for liberalitie and bountie vnto strangers they will suffer themselues to be inferiour to none other At euery gate of Tesegdelt stande certaine watchmen or warders which do most louingly receiue all incommers enquiring of them whether they haue any friends and acquaintaine in the towne or no If they haue none then are they conducted to one of the best Innes of the towne and hauing had entertainment there according to their degree and place they are friendly dismissed and whatsoeuer his expences come to the stranger paies nought at all but his charges are defraied out of the common purse This people of Tesegdelt are subiect also vnto iealousie howbeit they are most faithfull keepers of their promise In the very middest of the towne standes a most beautifull and stately temple whereunto belong a certaine number of Mahumetan priests And to the ende that iustice may be most duly administred among them they haue a very learned iudge who decideth all matters in the common wealth except criminall causes onely Their fieldes where they vse to sowe their corne are for the greater part vpon the mountaines Vnto this verie towne I trauelled with the foresaide Seriffo in the 〈◊〉 of the Hegeira 919. that is to say in the yeere of our Lord 1510. A description of the citie of Tagtess THE most ancient citie of Tagtess is built rounde and standeth vpon the toppe of an hill on the sides whereof are certaine winding steps hewen out of the hard rocke It is about foureteene miles distant from Tesegdelt By the foote of the saide hill runnes a riuer whereout the women of Tagtess draw their water neither haue the citizens any other drinke and although this riuer be almost sixe miles from Tagtess yet a man would thinke looking downe from the citie vpon it that it were but halfe a mile distant The way leading vnto the said riuer being cut out of the rocke in forme of a payre of stayres is verie narrow The citizens of Tagtess are addicted vnto theft and robberie and are at continuall warre with their neighbours They haue no corne-fields nor any cattell but onely vpon the said mountaine they haue great store of bores but such scarcitie of horses that there is not one almost to bee found in the whole citie The way through their region is so difficult that they will suffer none to passe by without a publique testimoniall While I was in that countrey there came such a swarme of Locusts that they deuoured the greatest part of their cornes which were as then ripe insomuch that all the vpper part of the ground was couered with Locusts Which was in the yeere of the Hegeira 919. that is in the yeere of our Lord 1510. The towne of Eitdeuet FIfteene miles Southward from Tagtess stands another towne called Eitdeuet being built vpon a plaine and yet vpon the higher ground thereof It containeth to the number of seuen hundred families and hath
mountaine of Iron commonly called Gebelelhadih THis mountaine is not to be accounted any part of Atlas for it beginneth northward from the Ocean and southward it extendeth to the riuer of Tensift and diuideth Hea from Duccala and Maroco The inhabitants are called Regraga Vpon this hill are waste deserts cleere fountaines and abundance of hony and of oyle Arganick but of corne and pulse great scarcitie vnlesse they make prouision thereof out of Duccala Few rich men are heere to be founde but they are all most deuout and religious after their manner Vpon the toppe of this mountaine are many Hermites which liue onely vpon the fruits of certaine trees and drinke water They are a most faithfull and peaceable nation Whosoeuer among them is apprehended for theft or any other crime is foorthwith banished the countrey for certaine yeeres So great is their simplicitie that whatsoeuer they see the Hermites do they esteeme it as a miracle They are much oppressed with the often inuasions of their neighbours the Arabians wherefore this quiet nation choose rather to pay yeerely tribute then to maintaine warre Against the saide Arabians Mahumet the King of Fez directed his troupes insomuch that they were constrained to leaue their owne countrey and to flee into the mountaines But the people of the mountaines being aided with Mahumet his forces vanquished the Arabians so that three thousand of them were slaine and fower-score of their horses were brought vnto K. Mahumet After which prosperous battaile the said mountainers remained free from all tribute I my selfe while these things were a dooing serued the king It was in the yeere of the Hegeira 921. that is to say in the yeere of our Lord 1512. When this people vndertake any warre they bring commonly into the fielde an armie of twelue thousand men Of the region of Sus. NOw comes the region of Sus to be considered of being situate beyond Atlas ouer against the territorie of Hea that is to say in the extreme part of Africa Westward it beginneth from the Ocean sea and southward from the sandie deserts on the north it is bounded with the vtmost towne of Hea and on the east with that mightie riuer whereof the whole region is named Wherefore beginning from the west wee will describe all those cities and places which shall seeme to be woorthy of memorie Of the towne of Messa THree small townes were built by the ancient Africans vpon the sea shoare each being a mile distant from other in that very place where Atlas takes his beginning all which three are called by one onely name to wit Messa and are enuironed with a wall builte of white stones Through these three runneth a certaine great riuer called Sus in their language this riuer in sommer is so destitute of water that a man may easilie without perill passe ouer it on foote but it is not so in the winter time They haue then certaine small barkes which are not meete to saile vpon this riuer The place where the foresaide three townes are situate aboundeth greatly with palme trees neither haue they in a manner any other wealth and yet their dates are but of small woorth because they will not last aboue one yeere All the inhabitants exercise husbandry especially in the moneths of September and Aprill what time their riuer encreaseth And in May their corne groweth to ripenes But if in the two foresaide moneths the riuer encreaseth not according to the woonted manner their haruest is then nothing woorth Cattell are very scarce among them Not farre from the sea side they haue a temple which they greatly esteeme and honour Out of which Historiographers say that the same prophet of whom their great Mahumet foretold shoulde proceed Yea some there are which sticke not to affirme that the prophet Ionas was cast foorth by the whale vpon the shoare of Messa when as he was sent to preach vnto the Niniuites The rafters and beames of the saide temple are of whales bone And it is a vsuall thing amongst them to see whales of an huge and monstrous bignes cast vp dead vpon their shore which by reason of their hugenes and strange deformitie may terrifie and astonish the beholders The common people imagine that by reason of a certaine secret power and vertue infused from heauen by God vpon the saide temple each whale which woulde swim past it can by no meanes escape death Which opinion had almost perswaded me especially when at my being there I my selfe sawe a mightie whale cast vp vnlesse a certaine Iewe had tolde me that it was no such strange matter for quoth he there lie certaine rockes two miles into the sea on either side and as the sea mooues so the whales mooue also and if they chaunce to light vpon a rock they are easily wounded to death and so are cast vpon the next shore This reason more preuailed with me then the opinion of the people My selfe I remember being in this region at the same time when my Lord the Seriffo bare rule ouer it was inuited by a certaine gentleman and was by him conducted into a garden where he shewed me a whales rib of so great a size that lying vpon the grounde with the conuexe or bowing side vpwarde in manner of an arche it resembled a gate the hollow or inwarde part whereof aloft we could not touch with our heads as we rode vpon our camels backs this rib he said had lien there aboue an hundred yeeres and was kept as a miracle Here may you finde vpon the sea-shore great store of amber which the Portugal Fessan merchāts fetch from thence for a very meane price for they scarcely pay a duckat for a whole ounce of most choise and excellent amber Amber as some thinke is made of whales dung and as others suppose of their Sperma or seede which being consolidate and hardened by the sea is cast vpon the next shore Of Teijeut an ancient towne of Sus. TEijeut being as the report goeth built by the ancient Africans in a most pleasant place is diuided into three partes whereof each one is almost a mile distant from another and they all make a triangle or three-square This Teijeut containeth fower thousand families and standeth not farre from the riuer of Sus. The soile adiacent is most fruitfull for graine for barlie and for all kinde of pulse They haue here likewise a good quantitie of sugar growing howbeit because they know not how to presse boyle and trim it they cannot haue it but blacke and vnsauourie wherefore so much as they can spare they sell vnto the merchants of Maroco of Fez and of the land of Negros Of dates likewise they haue plentie neither vse they any money besides the gold which is digged out of their owne natiue soile The women weare vpon their heads a peece of cloth woorth a duckat Siluer they haue none but such as their women adorne themselues with The least iron-coine
the mountaine and which lieth betweene the towne and the riuer Neither doe they enioy that gratis for they yeerely pay vnto the Arabians for tribute the third part of their corne Of the new towne of Delgumuha VPon the top of a certaine high mountaine was built in our time a most large and impregnable forte being enuironed on all sides with diuers other mountaines and called by the inhabitants New Delgumuha Beneath the said mountaine springeth Asifinuall which word signifieth in the African toong the riuer of rumor because that breaking foorth by the side of the hill with a monstrous noise it maketh a most deepe gulfe much like vnto that which the Italians call Inferno di Tivoli The said forte containeth almost a thousand families It was sometime gouerned by a certaine tyrant which came thither out of the king of Maroco his court Here may you finde great store of soldiers both horsemen and fooremen They gather yeerely tribute of the people bordering vpon Atlas to the summe of a thousand crownes They haue alwaies had great league and familiaritie with the Arabians each of whom haue accustomed to salute and gratifie the other with mutuall gifts for which cause they haue oftentimes much prouoked the kings of Maroco against them They haue alwaies beene great louers of ciuilitie and haue worne neat and decent apparell neither shall you find any corner in the whole towne which is not well peopled In this towne are plentie of artificers for it is but fiftie miles from the citie of Maroco Vpon the said mountaine there are great store of gardens and orchards which yeeld the inhabitants abundancè offruit yeerely They reape likewise barlie hempe and cotton and their goates are almost innumerable Likewise they haue many priests and iudges but as touching their mindes they are ignorant froward and exceedingly addicted to ielousie In this towne I aboad certaine daies with a kinsman of mine who while he dwelt at Fez being impouerished with extreme studie of Alchimie was constrained to flee vnto this towne where in processe of time he became Secretarie vnto the gouernour Of the citie of Imizmizi VPon a certaine part of Atlas standeth a citie called Imizmizi Westward it is distant from new Delgumuha about fourteene miles and this citie the Arabians are reported to haue built Neere vnto this citie lieth the common high way to Guzula ouer the mountaines of Atlas being commonly called Burris that is A way strowed with feathers because snow falles often thereupon which a man would thinke rather to be feathers then snow Not far from this towne likewise there is a very faire and large plaine which extendeth for the space of thirtie miles euen to the territorie of Maroco This most fertile plaine yeeldeth such excellent corne as to my remembrance I neuer saw the like Sauing that the Arabians and soldiers of Maroco doe so much molest the said plaine countrie that the greater part thereof is destitute of inhabitants yea I haue heard of many citizens that haue forsaken the citie it selfe thinking it better to depart then to be daily oppressed with so many inconueniences They haue very little money but the scarcitie thereof is recompenced by their abundance of good ground and their plentie of corne In the time of my aboad with them I went vnto a certaine Hermite which they called Sidi Canon which famous and woorthie man gaue me such friendly entertainment as I cannot easily expresse Of the three townes of Tumelgast THese three townes called by the name of Tumelgast are situate vpon a plaine about thirtie miles from Maroco and fourteene miles northward of Atlas being replenished with palme-trees vines and all other trees that beare fruit Their fields are very large and fertill were they not continually wasted by the lewd Arabians So few are the inhabitants of these three townes that I thinke there are not in all aboue fifteene families all which are ioined in affinitie and kinred vnto the foresaid hermite for which cause they are permitted to till some part of that plaine without paying of any tribute vnto the Arabians Saue onely that they entertaine the Arabians when they trauell that way Their lowly and base habitations a man would take rather to be hogs-cotes then dwelling places for men hence it is that they are so continually vexed with fleas gnats and other such vermine Their water is exceeding salt This prouince also I perused in the companie of my deere friend Sidi 〈◊〉 who went thither to gather vp the tribute of the countrie on the behalfe of the king of Portugall This Sidi was appointed gouernour ouer all that circuit which is called by them Azafi Of the towne of Tesrast THis towne is situate vpon the banke of the riuer Asifelmel It standeth westward of Maroco fourteen miles about twētie miles from Atlas Round about this towne they haue diuers gardens enclosures abounding with dates and corne and the chiefe part of the inhabitants earne their liuing with gardening Howbeit sometimes the increase of their riuer is so great that it drowneth all their gardens and corne-fields And they are by so much the more miserable in regard that the Arabians all summer-time doe possesse the whole region deuouring all things which the poore husbandmen by their great care and industrie had prouided With these people I made no longer tarrying but onely till I could haue well baited my horse howbeit in that short time I hardly escaped with life and goods from certain Arabian theeues A most exact description of the great and famous citie of Maroco THis noble citie of Maroco in Africa is accounted to be one of the greatest cities in the whole world It is built vpon a most large field being about fourteene miles distant from Atlas One Ioseph the sonne of Tesfin and king of the tribe or people called Luntuna is reported to haue beene the founder of this citie at that very time when he conducted his troupes into the region of Maroco and setled himselfe not farre from the common high way which stretcheth from Agmet ouer the mountaines of Atlas to those deserts where the foresaid tribe or people doe vsually inhabite Here may you behold most stately and woonderfull workmanship for all their buildings are so cunningly and artificially contriued that a man cannot easily describe the same This huge and mighty citie at such time as it was gouerned by Hali the sonne of king Ioseph contained moe then 100000. families It had fower and twenty gates belonging thereto and a wall of great strength and thicknes which was built of white stone and lime From this citie the riuer of Tensift lieth about sixe miles distant Here may you behold great abundance of temples of colleges of bath-stoues and of innes all framed after the fashion and custome of that region Some were built by the king of the tribe of Luntuna and others by Elmunchidin his successor but the most curious and magnificent temple of all is that
whereof in due place we will discourse more at large Wherefore hauing described all the cities and mountaines of Maroco bordering southward vpon Atlas let vs now passe ouer the said mountaine of Atlas and take a view of the region beyond it commonly called Guzzula Of the region of Guzzula THis region is exceding populous westward it abutteth vpon Ilda a mountaine of Sus northward it ioineth vnto Atlas and eastward it stretcheth vnto the region of Hea. It is inhabited with sauage and fierce people beeing most needie of money and yet abounding greatly in cattell Great store of copper and yron is here digged out of mines and here are brasen vessels made which are carried into other countries to be solde and these vessels they exchange for linnen and woollen cloth for horses and for other wares necessarie for the said region In all this whole region there is neither towne nor castle enuironed with walles Great villages they haue which containe many of them more then a thousand families a peece They haue neither king nor gouernour to prescribe any lawes vnto them but euerie one is his owne captaine and commander whereupon they are at continuall warres among themselues neither haue they any truce at all but three daies onely euery weeke during which time euery man may safely and freely bargaine with his enemie and may trauell whither he listeth But these daies of truce being past the wretched people of this region do continually commit most horrible slaughters The foresaide daies of truce a certaine Hermite appointed vnto them whom they honoured and reuerenced like a god This Hermite with one eie I my selfe saw and found him to be a trustie sincere courteous and most liberall person The common attire of the people of Guzzula is a woollen iacket streight to their bodies without 〈◊〉 They weare crooked broad and two-edged daggers and their swords are like vnto the swords of Hea. Once euery yeere they haue a faire of two moneths long all which time though the number of merchants be neuer so great they giue free entertainment vnto all such as either bring wares with them or come thither to fetch away their wares When the time of their faire approcheth they foorthwith make truce and each faction appointeth a captaine ouer an hundred soldiers to the end they may keepe themselues in safetie and may defend their said faire from the inuasion and iniurie of all lewd persons If any offence be committed the captaines immediately giue sentence vpon the guiltie person and whosoeuer bee conuicted of theft is foorthwith slaine like a brute beast and his theeues carcase is throwne out to be deuoured of dogs wilde beastes and rauenous foules The saide faire is kept in a certaine plaine or valley betweene two hils All the wares are contained in tents and in certaine cottages made of boughes so that each particular kind of merchandize hath a seuerall place to lie in by it selfe They which sell droues of cattell are remooued farre from the tents And euery tent hath a cottage made of boughes belonging thereunto for their principal and head men to repose themselues in And in the said cottages or bowers are merchant strangers as we noted before freely entertained and bourded Also they haue certaine Caters purueiers among them which make prouision of victuals and take vpon them the friendly and well entertaining of strangers And albeit an huge deale of money is spent for this behalfe yet make they a good gaine thereof for thither doe resort all the merchants of that region for traffiques sake yea and a great number out of the land of Negros who bring with them maruellous plentie of all kindes of wares And although they are men of a dull and grosse capacitie yet are they very industrious in gouerning and maintaining the said faire the beginning whereof is vpon the birth-day of that great deceiuer Mahumet that is vpon the twelfth day of their moneth called Rabih which is the third Haraba of the yeere according to their account I my selfe was present at this faire in the companie of my Lord the 〈◊〉 for the space of fifteene daies in the yeere of the Hegeira 920. which was in the yeere of our Lord 1511. Abriefe description of the region of Duccala THis region beginneth westward from the riuer of Tensift northward it is bounded with the Ocean sea the south part thereof lieth vpon the riuer of Habid and the east part abutteth vpon the riuer Ommirabih It is three daies iourney long and about two daies iourney broad Very populous it is the inhabitants being a rude people and most ignorant of all ciuilitie and humanitie Walled cities it hath but a few of all which we will in their due places particularly discourse neither wil we by Gods helpe omit any thing which may seeme woorthie of memorie Of the towne of Azaphi IT was built by the Africans and standeth vpon the shore of the Ocean sea containing fower thousand families inhabitants there are great store being for the most part very vnciuill and barbarous In times past there dwelt many Iewes in this towne which exercised diuers handy-crafts Their soile is exceeding fertill but so grosse is their owne vnskilfulnes and negligence that they know neither how to till their ground to sow their corne or to plant vineyards except perhaps some few of them who would seeme to be more prouident then the residue sow a quantitie of pot-herbes in their smal gardens After the kings of Maroco gaue ouer the gouerment of the saide region the citie of Azafi was vsurped by certaine which were said to fetch their originall from Farchon Howbeit in our daies the said citie was gouerned by a certaine prince called Hebdurrahmam this man for a greedy and ambitious desire of raigning murthered his owne vncle after whose death he gouerned the towne for certaine yeeres He had a daughter of most excellent beauty who falling in loue with a certaine courtier whose name was Hali being sonne vnto one Goesimen by the helpe of her mother and her wayting maide enioyed oftentimes the companie of her paramour Which when her father had intelligence of hee rebuked his wife threatening death vnto her if shee reformed not the manners of her daughter howbeit afterwarde hee dissembled his furie But the mother throughly knowing her husbandes intent tolde her daughters paramour that the prince was not to bee trusted and therefore aduised him to take heede vnto himselfe Whereupon Hali fearing least some mischiefe might light vpon him began to determine with himselfe the princes death and for his associate in this conspiracie he tooke a trusty friend of his who had been most familiar with him from his childhoode and was captaine ouer a certaine band of footemen Wherefore both of them being alike mischieuously bent against their prince expected nothing else but a fit place and oportunitie to put their bloudie determination in practise Contrariwise the king seeking by all meanes an
ciuilitie Their apparell indeed is somewhat decent by reason that they continually haue so great traffique with the Portugals At the same time when Azamur was subdued this citie also yeelded it selfe vnto the kings captaine and for certaine yeeres paied tribute vnto the king In our time the king of Fez attempted to set Duccala at libertie howbeit not speeding of his purpose he caused a certaine Christian which was his owne treasurer and a Iewe to be hanged And that companie which remained with him he brought vnto Fez giuing them a certaine portion of grounde to dwell vpon which was destitute of inhabitants being distant about twelue miles from Fez. Of the famous citie of Elmedina in Duccala ELmedina being in a manner the chiefe citie of the whole region is according to the manner there enuironed with wals of no great force The inhabitants are homely as well in witte and behauiour as in apparell wearing such cloth as is wouen in their owne countrie Their women weare certaine siluer ornaments the men are valiant and haue great store of horses They were all of them banished by the king of Fez out of his dominions for that he suspected them to be friends to the Portugals For he had heard that a certaine gouernour of that region had counselled his subiects to pay tribute vnto the Portugall king This gouernour I sawe barefoote led so miserablie captiue that I could scarce refraine from teares because he did not ought vpon trecherie but being constrained For good man he thought it much better to pay a little tribute vnto the Portugals then sodainly to lose both his life and his goods For the restoring of whom vnto his former libertie diuers noblemen greatly laboured and so at length for a great summe of money he was released But afterward the citie remained voide of inhabitants about the yeere of the Hegeira 921. Of the towne of Duccala called Centumputei THis towne is built vpon a rocke of excellent marble in the suburbes whereof are certaine caues wherein the inhabitants vse to lay vp their corne which is there so woonderfully preserued that it will continue an hundreth yeeres without any ill sauour or corruption Of the number of which caues resembling pits or wels the towne it selfe is called Centum putei The inhabitants are of small reckoning or account hauing no artificers dwelling among them but certaine Iewes When the king of Fez had forced the inhabitants of Elmadin to come into his dominions he attempted also to bring thither the inhabitants of this towne but they refusing to go into a strange place chose rather to inhabite neere vnto the towne of Azafi then to forsake their owne natiue soile Which when the king vnderstoode he presently caused the towne to be sacked wherein nothing was found but corne hony and other things of small value Of the towne of Subeit in the same region SVbeit is a small towne built vpon the south side of the riuer of Ommirabih It is distant from Elmadin about fortie miles and is said to be subiect vnto certaine Arabians dwelling in Duccala Honie and corne they haue great abundance but such is their vnskilfulnes and ignorance that they haue neither gardens nor vineyardes At the same time when Bulahuan was woon the king of Fez brought all the people of Subeit into his dominion and allotted vnto them a certaine peece of grounde neere vnto Fez which was neuer before inhabited so that Subeit remaineth waste and void of inhabitants euen vntill this day Of the towne of Temeracost ALso in Duccala neere vnto the riuer Ommirabih standeth a certaine small towne which was built by the founder of Maroco from whom the name thereof is thought to be deriued Inhabitants it hath great store and containeth more then fower hundreth families It was subiect in times past vnto the people of Azamur but Azamur being spoiled by the Portugales this towne also came to nought and the people heerof went to Elmadin Of the towne called Terga THis towne being distant about thirtie miles from Azamur is situate neere vnto the riuer Ommirabih it is well peopled and containeth about three hundreth families In times past it was subiect vnto the inhabitants of Duccala but after the sacking of Azafi Hali which fought against the Portugals for certaine daies lay with his armie in this towne But afterward being repelled thence by the king of Fez the towne became so waste and desolate that from thencefoorth it was an habitation for owles bats Of the towne of Bulahuan THis towne likewise standeth vpon the banke of Ommirabih containeth about fiue hundreth families in times past it had most noble and woorthie inhabitants especially in that streete which lieth next vnto the riuer vpon the high way to Maroco In this towne was a famous hospitall built which had manie roomes and mansions wherein all strangers trauailing that way were sumptuously and freely entertained at the common charge of the towne The inhabitants are most rich both in cattell corne Euery cititizen almost hath an 100. yoke of oxen and some of them yeerly reape two thousand some three thousand measures of corne so that the Arabians do carrie graine from thence sufficient to serue them all the yeere following In the 919. yeere of the Hegeira the king of Fez sent his brother to gouerne and defende the region of Duccala who comming vnto this towne was informed that the captaine of Azemur approched thither with a great armie of purpose to destroy the towne and to lead the people captiue Whereupon the king of Fez his brother sent immediately vnto the saide towne two captaines with two thousand horsemen and eight hundreth archers But the very same time when they entred the towne they met there the Portugall soldiers accompanied with two thousand Arabians by whom being fewer in number they were so miserablie slaine that scarcely twelue archers of all the eight hundreth could escape with the horsemen vnto the next mountaines Howbeit afterward the Arabians renewed the skirmish 150. of the Portugall horsemen being slaine they put the enimie to flight Whereupon the king of Fez his brother passed on to Duccala requiring tribute of the people and promising that as long as he liued he would stand betweene them and their enemies Afterward being vanquished he returned home to Fez vnto the king his brother But the inhabitants seeing that the kings brother had receiued tribute of them and had stood them in no stead they presently forsooke the towne and fled vnto the mountaine of Tedles for they feared least the Portugals armie would come vpon them and exacting a greater summe would lead them presently captiue which could not disburse it At all these accidents I my selfe was present and saw the foresaid slaughter of the archers for I stood about a mile distant from them and was mounted vpon a swift courser At the same time I was trauelling to Maroco being sent by the king of Fez to declare vnto the
a certaine storie of his maketh mention of Tedsi which he saith is neere vnto Segelmesse and Dara but he declareth not whether it bee built vpon mount Dedes or no. Howbeit for mine owne part I thinke it to be the very same for there is no other citie in the whole region The inhabitants of Dedes are in very deede most base people of whom the greater part dwell in caues vnder the ground their foode is barly and Elhasid that is to say barly meale sodden with water and salt which we mentioned before in our description of Hea For heere is nothing but barly to be had Goates and asses they haue in great abundance The caues wherein their cattell lodge are exceedingly full of Nitre so that I verily thinke if this mountaine were neer vnto Italy the saide Nitre woulde yeerely be woorth fiue and twentie thousand ducates But such is their negligence and vnskilfulnes that they are vtterly ignorant to what purposes Nitre serueth Their garments are so rude that they scarce couer halfe their nakednes Their houses are very loathsome being annoied with the stinking smell of their goates In all this mountaine you shall finde neither castle nor walled towne when they builde an house they pile one stone vpon another without any morter at all the roofe whereof they make of certaine rubbish like as they doe in some places of Sisa and Fabbriano the residue as we haue saide do inhabite in caues neither sawe I euer to my remembrance greater swarmes of fleas then among these people Moreouer they are trecherous and strong theeues so giuen to stealing and quarrelling that for one vnkinde worde they wil not onely contend but seeke also the destruction one of another They haue neither iudge priest nor any honest gouernour among them No merchants resort vnto them for being giuen to continuall idlenes and not exercising any trades or handie-crafts they haue nothing meet for merchants to buy If any merchant bring any wares into their region vnlesse he be safe conducted by their captaine he is in danger to be robbed of altogither And if the wares serue not for their owne necessarie vses they will exact one fourth part of them for custome Their women are most forlorne and sluttish going more beggerly apparelled then the men So continual and slauish are the toiles of these women that for miserie the life of asses is not comparable to theirs And to be briefe neuer was I so wearie of any place in all Africa as I was of this howbeit in the yeere of the Hegeira 918. being commanded by one to whom I was in dutie bound to trauell vnto Segelmesse I could not choose but come this way IOHN LEO HIS THIRD BOOKE OF the Historie of Africa and of the memorable things contained therein A most exact description of the kingdome of Fez. THE kingdome of Fez beginneth westward at the famous riuer Ommirabih and extendeth eastward to the riuer Muluia northward it is enclosed partly with the Ocean and partly with the Mediterran sea The said kingdome of Fez is diuided into seuen prouinces to wit Temesna the territorie of Fez Azgar Elhabet Errif Garet and Elchauz euery of which prouinces had in olde time a seuerall gouernour neither indeed hath the citie of Fez alwaies beene the kings royall seate but being built by a certaine Mahumetan apostata was gouerned by his posteritie almost an hundred and fiftie yeeres After which time the familie of Marin got the vpper hand who here setling their aboad were the first that euer called Fez by the name of a kingdome the reasons why they did so we will declare more at large in our small treatise concerning the Mahumetan religion But now let vs as briefly as we may describe the foresaid seuen prouinces Of Temesna one of the prouinces of Fez. WEstward it beginneth at the riuer Ommirabih and stretcheth to the riuer Buragrag eastward the south frontire thereof bordereth vpon Atlas and the north vpon the Ocean sea It is all ouer a plaine countrie containing in length from west to east almost fowerscore miles and in breadth from Atlas to the Ocean sea about threescore This prouince hath euer almost beene the principall of the seuen before named for it contained to the number of fortie great townes besides three hundred castles all which were inhabited by Barbarian Africans In the 323. yeere of the Hegeira this prouince was by a certaine heretike against the Mahumetan religion called Chemim the sonne of Mennal freed from paying of tribute This bad fellow perswaded the people of Fez to yeeld no tribute nor honour vnto their prince and himselfe he professed to be a prophet but a while after he dealt not onely in matters of religion but in commonwealth-affaires also At length waging war against the king of Fez who was himselfe then warring with the people of Zenete it so befell that a league was concluded betweene them conditionally that Chemim shoulde enioy Temesne and that the king should containe himselfe within his signiorie of Fez so that from thencefoorth neither should molest other The said Chemim gouerned the prouince of Temesne about fiue and thirtie yeeres and his successours enioyed it almost an hundred yeeres after his decease But king Ioseph hauing built Maroco went about to bring this prouince vnder his subiection Whereupon he sent sundry Mahumetan doctors and priestes to reclaime the gouernour thereof from his heresie and to perswade him if it were possible to yeelde vnto the king by faire meanes Whereof the inhabitants being aduertised they consulted with a certaine kinsman of the foresaid gouernour in the citie called Anfa to murther the king of Maroco his ambassadours and so they did Soone after leuying an armie of fiftie thousand men he marched towards Maroco intending to expell thence the familie of Luntuna and Ioseph their king King Ioseph hearing of this newes was driuen into woonderfull perplexitie of minde Wherefore preparing an huge and mighty armie he staied not the comming of his enemies but on the sudden within three daies hauing conducted his forces ouer the riuer of Ommirabih he entred Temesne when as the foresaid fiftie thousand men were so dismaied at the kings armie that they all passed the riuer Buragrag and so fled into Fez. But the king so dispeopled and wasted Temesne that without all remorse he put both man woman and childe to the sword This armie remained in the region eight daies in which space they so razed and demolished all the towns and cities thereof that there scarce remaine any fragments of them at this time But the king of Fez on the other side hearing that the people of Temesne were come into his dominions made a truce with the tribe of Zenete and bent his great armie against the said Temesnites And at length hauing found them halfe famished neere vnto the riuer of Buragrag he so stopped their passage on all sides that they were constrained to run vp the craggie mountaines
Numidian desert two hundred and fiftie miles eastward of Segelmesse and an hundred miles from mount Atlas hath fower castles within the precincts thereof and many villages also which stand vpon the confines of Lybia neer vnto the high way that leadeth from Fez and Telensin to the kingdome of Agadez and to the land of Negros The inhabitants are not very rich for all their wealth consisteth in dates and some small quantitie of corne The men of this place are black but the women are somewhat fairer and yet they are of a swart and browne hue Of the region of Tegorarin THis great and large region of the Numidian desert standing about an hundred and twentie miles eastward of Tesebit containeth fiftie castles and aboue an hundred villages and yeeldeth great plentie of dates The inhabitants are rich and haue ordinarie traffique to the land of Negros Their fields are very apt for corne and yet by reason of their extreme drouth they stand in neede of continuall watering and dunging They allow vnto strangers houses to dwell in requiring no money for rent but onely their dung which they keepe most charily yea they take it in ill part if any stranger easeth himselfe without the doores Flesh is very scarce among them for their soile is so drie that it will scarce nourish any cattell at all they keepe a few goates indeede for their milks sake but the flesh that they eate is of camels which the Arabians bring vnto their markets to sell they mingle their meate with salt tallow which is brought into this region from Fez Tremizen There were in times past many rich Iewes in this region who by the meanes of a certaine Mahumetan preacher were at length expelled and a great part of them slaine by the seditious people and that in the very same yeere when the Iewes were expelled out of Spaine and Sicily The inhabitants of this region hauing one onely gouernour of their owne nation are notwithstanding often subiect to ciuill contentions and yet they do not molest other nations howbeit they pay certaine tribute vnto the next Arabians Of the region of Meszab THis region being situate vpon the Numidian desert 300. miles eastward from Tegorarin and 300. miles also from the Mediterran sea containeth sixe castles and many villages the inhabitants being rich and vsing traffike to the land of Negros Likewise the Negro-merchants togither with them of Bugia and Ghir make resort vnto this region Subiect they are and pay tribute vnto the Arabians Of the towne of Techort THe ancient towne of Techort was built by the Numidians vpon a certaine hill by the foote whereof runneth a riuer vpon which riuer standeth a draw-bridge The wall of this towne was made of free stone and lime but that part which is next vnto the mountaine 〈◊〉 instead of a wall an impregnable rocke opposite against it this towne is distant 〈◊〉 hundred miles southward from the Mediterran sea and 〈◊〉 300. miles from 〈◊〉 Families it containeth to the number of fiue and twentie hundred all the houses are built of sunne-dried brickes except their temple which is somewhat more stately Heere dwell great store both of gentlemen and artificers and bicause they haue great abundance of dates and are destitute of corne the merchants of Constantina exchange corne with them for their dates All strangers they fauour exceedingly and friendly dismisse them without paying of ought They had rather match their daughters vnto strangers then to their owne citizens and for a dowry they giue some certaine portion of lande as it is accustomed in some places of Europe So great and surpassing is their liberalitie that they will heape many gifts vpon strangers albeit they are sure neuer to see them againe At the first they were subiect to the king of Maroco afterward to the king of Telensin and now to the king of Tunis vnto whom they pay fiftie thousand ducats for yeerely tribute vpon condition that the king himselfe come personally to receiue it The king of Tunis that now is demanded a second tribute of them Many castles and villages and some territories there be also which are all subiect vnto the prince of this towne who collecteth an hundred and thirtie thousand ducates of yeerely reuenues and hath alwaies a mightie garrison of soldiers attending vpon him vnto whom he alloweth very large paie The gouernour at this present called Habdulla is a valiant and liberall yoong prince and most curteous vnto strangers whereof I my selfe conuersing with him for certaine daies had good experience Of the citie of Guargala THis ancient citie founded by the Numidians and enuironed with strong wals vpon the Numidian desert is built very sumptuously and aboundeth exceedingly with dates It hath some castles and a great number of villages belonging thereunto The inhabitants are rich bicause they are neere vnto the kingdome of Agadez Heere are diuers merchants of Tunis and Constantina which transport wares of Barbarie vnto the lande of Negros And bicause flesh and corne is very scarce among them they liue vpon the flesh of Ostriches and camels They are all of a blacke colour and haue blacke slaues and are people of a courteous and liberall disposition and most friendly and bountifull vnto strangers A gouernour they haue whom they reuerence as if he were a king which gouernour hath about two thousand horsemen alwaies attending vpon him and collecteth almost fifteene thousand ducates for yeerely reuenue Of the prouince of Zeb ZEb a prouince situate also vpon the Numidian desert beginneth westward from Mesila northward from the mountaines of Bugia eastward from the region of dates ouer against Tunis and southward it bordereth vpon a certaine desert ouer which they trauaile from Guargala to Techort This region is extremely hot sandie and destitute both of water and corne which wants are partly supplied by their abundance of dates It containeth to the number of fiue townes and many villages all which we purpose in order to describe Of the towne of Pescara THis ancient towne built by the Romans while they were lords of Mauritania and afterward destroied by the Mahumetans at their first enterance into Africa is now reedified stored with new inhabitants and enuironed with faire and stately wals And albeit the townesmen are not rich yet are they louers of ciuilitie Their soile yeeldeth nought but dates They haue beene gouerned by diuers princes for they were a while subiect vnto the kings of Tunis and that to the death of king Hutmen after whom succeeded a Mahumetan priest neither coulde the kings of Tunis euer since that time recouer the dominion of Pescara Here are great abundance of scorpions and it is present death to be stung by them wherefore all the townesmen in a manner depart into the countrey in sommer time where they remaine till the moneth of Nouember Of the citie of Borgi ANother towne there is also called Borgi which standeth about fowerteene miles eastward of Pescara Heere are a great many of
Romans and as some others suppose by the Africans was at length destroied by the Mahumetans albeit Ibnu Rachich affirmeth the Romans to haue sacked it But now there is nought remaining but onely a few ruines of the wall Of the region of Berdeoa BErdeoa a region situate in the midst of the Libyan desert and standing almost fiue hundred miles from Nilus containeth three castles fiue or six villages abounding with most excellent dates And the said three castles were discouered eighteene yeeres agoe by one Hamar in manner following the carouan of merchants wandering out of the direct way had a certaine blinde man in their companie which was acquainted with all those regions this blinde guide riding foremost vpon his camell commanded some sand to be giuen him at euery miles end by the smell whereof he declared the situation of the place but when they were come within fortie miles of this region the blinde man smelling of the sand affirmed that they 〈◊〉 not farre from some places inhabited which some beleeued not for they knew that they were distant from Egypt fower hundred and eightie miles so that they tooke themselues to be neerer vnto Augela Howbeit within three daies they found the said three castles the inhabitants whereof woondering at the approch of strangers and being greatly astonied presently shut all their gates and would giue the merchants no water to quench their extreme thirst But the merchants by maine force entred and hauing gotten water sufficient betooke themselues againe to their iournie Of the region of 〈◊〉 ALguechet also being a region of the Lybian desert is from Egypt an hundred and twenty miles distant Here are three castles and many villages abounding with dates The inhabitants are black vile and couetous people and yet exceeding rich for they dwell in the mid way betweene Egypt and Gaoga They haue a gouernour of their owne notwithstanding they pay tribute vnto the next Arabians Here endeth the sixth booke IOHN LEO HIS SEVENTH BOOKE OF the Historie of Africa and of the memorable things contained therein Wherein he intreateth of the land of Negros and of the confines of Egypt OVr ancient Chroniclers of Africa to wit Bichri and Meshudi knew nothing in the land of Negros but onely the regions of Guechet and Cano for in their time all other places of the land of Negros were vndiscouered But in the yeere of the Hegeira 380 by the meanes of a certaine Mahumetan which came into Barbarie the residue of the said land was found out being as then inhabited by great numbers of people which liued a brutish and sauage life without any king gouernour common wealth or knowledge of husbandrie Clad they were in skins of beasts neither had they any peculiar wiues in the day time they kept their cattell and when night came they resorted ten or twelue both men and women into one cottage together vsing hairie skins in stead of beds and each man choosing his leman which he had most fancy vnto Warre they wage against no other nation ne yet are desirous to trauell out of their owne countrie Some of them performe great adoration vnto the sunne rising others namely the people of Gualata worship the fire and some others to wit the inhabitants of Gaoga approch after the Egyptians manner neerer vnto the Christian faith These Negros were first subiect vnto king Ioseph the founder of Maroco and afterward vnto the fiue nations of Libya of whom they learned the Mahumetan lawe and diuers needfull handycrafts a while after when the merchants of Barbarie began to resort vnto them with merchandize they learned the Barbarian language also But the foresaid fiue people or nations of Libya diuided this land so among themselues that euery third part of each nation possessed one region Howbeit the king of Tombuto that now raigneth called Abuacre Izchia is a Negro by birth this Abuacre after the decease of the former king who was a Libyan borne slue all his sonnes and so vsurped the kingdome And hauing by warres for the space of fifteene yeeres conquered many large dominions he then concluded a league with all nations and went on pilgrimage to Mecca in which iournie he so consumed his treasure that he was constrained to borrow great summes of money of other princes Moreouer the fifteene kingdomes of the land of Negros knowen to vs are all situate vpon the riuer of Niger and vpon other riuers which fall thereinto And all the land of Negros standeth betweene two vast deserts for on the one side lieth the maine desert betweene Numidia and it which extendeth it selfe vnto this very land and the south side thereof adioineth vpon another desert which stretcheth from thence to the maine Ocean in which desert are infinite nations vnknowen to vs both by reason of the huge distance of place and also in regarde of the diuersitie of languages and religions They haue no traffique at all with our people but we haue heard oftentimes of their traffique with the inhabitants of the Ocean sea shore A description of the kingdome of Gualata THis region in regarde of others is very small for it containeth onely three great villages with certaine granges and fields of dates From Nun it is distant southward about three hundred from Tombuto northward fiue hundred and from the Ocean sea about two hundred miles In this region the people of Libya while they were lords of the land of Negros ordained their chiefe princely seate and then great store of Barbarie-merchants frequented Gualata but afterward in the raigne of the mighty and rich prince Heli the said merchants leauing Gualata began to resort vnto Tombuto and Gago which was the occasion that the region of Gualata grew extreme beggerly The language of this region is called Sungai and the inhabitants are blacke people and most friendly vnto strangers In my time this region was conquered by the king of Tombuto and the prince thereof fled into the deserts whereof the king of Tombuto hauing intelligence and fearing least the prince would returne with all the people of the deserts graunted him peace conditionally that he should pay a great yeerely tribute vnto him and so the said prince hath remained tributarie to the king of Tombuto vntill this present The people agree in manners and fashions with the inhabitants of the next desert Here groweth some quantitie of Mil-seed and great store of a round white kind of pulse the like whereof I neuer saw in Europe but flesh is extreme scarce among them Both the men the women do so couer their heads that al their conntenance is almost hidden Here is no forme of a common wealth nor yet any gouernours or iudges but the people lead a most miserable life A description of the kingdome of Ghinea THis kingdome called by the merchants of our nation Gheneoa by the natural inhabitants thereof Genni and by the Portugals and other people of Europe Ghinea standeth in the midst betweene Gualata
cottages alwaies in the same field where they determine to feede their cattell like as the Arabians also doe Such as bring merchandize out of other places pay large custome to the king and the king of Tombuto receiueth for yeerely tribute out of this kingdome almost an hundred and fiftie thousand duckats Of the prouince of Cano. THe great prouince of Cano stādeth eastward of the riuer Niger almost fiue hundred miles The greatest part of the inhabitants dwelling in villages are some of them herdsmen and others husbandmen Heere groweth abundance of corne of rice and of cotton Also here are many deserts and wilde woodie mountaines containing many springs of water In these woods growe plentie of wilde citrons and limons which differ not much in taste from the best of all In the midst of this prouince standeth a towne called by the same name the walles and houses whereof are built for the most part of a kinde of chalke The inhabitants are rich merchants and most ciuill people Their king was in times past of great puissance and had mighty troupes of horsemen at his command but he hath since beene constrained to pay tribute vnto the kings of Zegzeg and Casena Afterwarde Ischia the king of Tombuto faining friendship vnto the two foresaid kings trecherously slew them both And then he waged warre against the king of Cano whom after a long siege he tooke and compelled him to marie one of his daughters restoring him againe to his kingdome 〈◊〉 that he should pay vnto him the third part of all his tribute and the said king of Tombuto hath some of his courtiers perpetually residing at Cano for the receit thereof Of the kingdome of Casena CAsena bordering eastward vpon the kingdome last described is full of mountaines and drie fields which yeeld notwithstanding great store of barlie and mill-seed The inhabitants are all extremely black hauing great noses and blabber lips They dwell in most forlorne and base cottages neither shall you finde any of their villages containing aboue three hundred families And besides their base estate they are mightily oppressed with famine a king they had in times past whom the foresaid Ischia slew since whose death they haue all beene tributarie vnto Ischia Of the kingdome of Zegzeg THe southeast part thereof bordereth vpon Cano and it is distant from Casena almost an hundred and fiftie miles The inhabitants are rich and haue great traffique vnto other nations Some part of this kingdome is plaine and the residue mountainous but the mountaines are extremely cold and the plaines intolerably hot And because they can hardly indure the sharpnes of winter they kindle great fires in the midst of their houses laying the coles thereof vnder their high bedsteads and 〈◊〉 betaking themselues to sleepe Their fields abounding with water are exceeding fruitfull their houses are built like the houses of the kingdom of Casena They had a king of their owne in times past who being slaine by Ischia as is aforesaid they haue euer since beene subiect vnto the said Ischia Of the region of Zanfara THe region of Zanfara bordering eastward vpon Zegzeg is inhabited by most base and rusticall people Their fields abound with rice mill and cotton The inhabitants are tall in stature and extremely blacke their visages are broad and their dispositions most sauage and brutish Their king also was slaine by Ischia and themselues made tributarie Of the towne and kingdome of Guangara THis kingdome adioineth southeasterly vpon Zanfara being very populous and hauing a king raigning ouer it which maintaineth a garison of seuen thousand archers and fiue hundred horsemen and receiueth yeerely great tributes In all this kingdome there are none but base villages one onely excepted which exceedeth the rest both in largenes and faire building The inhabitants are very rich and haue continuall traffique with the nations adioining Southward thereof lieth a region greatly abounding with gold But now they can haue no traffique with forren nations for they are molested on both sides with most cruell enemies For westward they are oppressed by Ischia and eastward by the king of Borno When I my selfe was in Borno king Abraham hauing leuied an huge armie determined to expell the prince of Guangara out of his kingdome had he not beene hindred by Homar the prince of Gaoga which began to assaile the kingdome of Borno Wherefore the king of Borno being drawne home into his owne countrie was enforced to giue ouer the conquest of Guangara So often as the merchants of Guangara trauell vnto the foresaid region abounding with gold because the waies are so rough and difficult that their camels cannot goe vpon them they carrie their wares vpon slaues backes who being laden with great burthens doe vsually trauell ten or twelue miles a day Yea some I saw that made two of those iourneies in one day a woonder it is to see what heauie burthens these poore slaues are charged withall for besides the merchandize they carrie victuals also for their masters and for the soldiers that goe to garde them Of the kingdome of Borno THe large prouince of Borno bordering westward vpon the prouince of Guangara and from thence extending eastward fiue hundred miles is distant from the fountaine of Niger almost an hundred and fiftie miles the south part thereof adioining vnto the desert of Set and the north part vnto that desert which lieth towards Barca The situation of this kingdome is very vneeuen some part thereof being mountainous and the residue plaine Vpon the plaines are sundry villages inhabited by rich merchants and abounding with corne The king of this region and all his followers dwell in a certaine large village The mountaines being inhabited by herdesmen and shepherds doe bring foorth mill and other graine altogether vnknowen to vs. The inhabitants in summer goe all naked saue their priuie members which they couer with a peece of leather but al winter they are clad in skins and haue beds of skins also They embrace no religion at all being neither Christians Mahumetans nor Iewes nor of any other profession but liuing after a brutish manner and hauing wiues and children in common and as I vnderstood of a certaine merchant that abode a long time among them they haue no proper names at all but euery one is nicknamed according to his length his fatnes or some other qualitie They haue a most puissant prince being lineally descended from the Libyan people called Bardoa Horsemen he hath in a continuall readines to the number of three thousand an huge number of footmen for al his subiects are so seruiceable and obedient vnto him that whensoeuer he commandeth them they wil arme themselues and follow him whither he pleaseth to conduct them They paye vnto him none other tribute but the tithes of all their corne neither hath this king any reuenues to maintaine his estate but onely such spoiles as he getteth from his next enimes by often inuasions and
assaults He is at perpetuall enmitie with a certaine people inhabiting beyond the desert of Seu who in times past marching with an huge armie of footemen ouer the saide desert wasted a great part of the kingdome of Borno Whereupon the king of Borno sent for the merchants of Barbary and willed them to bring him great store of horses for in this countrey they vse to exchange horses for slaues and to giue fifteene and sometime twentie slaues for one horse And by this meanes there were abundance of horses brought howbeit the merchants were constrained to stay for their slaues till the king returned home conquerour with a great number of captiues and satisfied his creditors for their horses And oftentimes it falleth out that the merchants must stay three moneths togither before the king returneth from the warres but they are all that while maintained at the kings charges Sometimes he bringeth not home slaues enough to satisfie the merchants and otherwhiles they are constrained to awaite there a whole yeere togither for the king maketh inuasions but euery yeere once that at one set and appointed time of the yeere Yea I my selfe met with sundrie merchants heere who despairing of the kings paiment bicause they had trusted him an whole yeere determined neuer to come thither with horses againe And yet the king seemeth to be marueilous rich for his spurres his bridles platters dishes pots and other vessels wherein his meate and drinke are brought to the table are all of pure golde yea and the chaines of his dogs and hounds are of golde also Howbeit this king is extreamely couetous for he had much rather pay his debts in slaues then in gold In this kingdome are great multitudes of Negros and of other people the names of whom bicause I tarried heere but one moneth I could not well note Of the kingdome of Gaoga GAoga bordering westward vpon the kingdome of Borno and extending eastward to the confines of Nubia adioineth southward vnto a certaine desert situate vpon a crooked and winding part of Nilus and is enclosed northward with the frontiers of Egypt It stretcheth from east to west in length fiue hundred miles and as much in bredth They haue neither humanitie nor learning among them but are most rusticall and sauage people and especially those that inhabite the mountaines who go all naked saue their priuities their houses are made of boughes rafts and are much subiect to burning and they haue great abundance of cattel whereunto they giue diligent attendance For many yeers they remained in libertie of which libertie they were depriued by a certaine Negro slaue of the same region This slaue lying vpon a certaine night with his master that was a wealthie merchant considering that he was not far from his natiue countrey slue his saide master possessed his goods and returned home where hauing bought a certaine number of horses he began to inuade the people next adioining and obtained for the most part the victorie for he conducted a troupe of most valiant warlike horsmen against his enimies that were but slēderly appointed And by this means he tooke great numbers of captiues whom he exchanged for horses that were brought out of Egypt insomuch that at length the number of his souldiers increasing he was accounted of by all men as souerainge K. of Gaoga After him succeeded his son being no whit inferiour in valour high courage vnto his father who reigned for the space of fortie yeeres Next him succeeded his brother Moses after Moses his nephew Homara who beareth rule at this present This Homara hath greatly enlarged his dominions and hath entred league with the Soldan of Cairo by whom he is often presented with magnificent gifts which he most bountifully requiteth also diuers merchants of Egypt and diuers inhabitants of Cairo present most pretious and rare things vnto him and highly commend his surpassing liberalitie This prince greatly honoureth all learned men and especially such as are of the linage of Mahumet I my selfe being in his court a certaine noble man of Damiata brought him very rich and roiall gifts as namely a gallant horse a Turkish sworde and a kingly robe with certaine other particulars that cost about an hundred and fiftie ducates at Cairo in recompence whereof the king gaue him fiue slaues fiue camels fiue hundred ducates of that region and an hundred elephants teeth of woonderfull bignes Of the kingdome of 〈◊〉 NVbia bordering westward vpon the kingdome last described and stretching from thence vnto Nilus is enclosed on the southside with the desert of Goran and on the north side with the confines of Egypt Howbeit they cannot passe by water from this kingdome into Egypt for the riuer of Nilus is in some places no deeper then a man may wade ouer on foote The principall towne of this kingdome called Dangala is exceeding populous and containeth to the number of ten thousand families The wals of their houses consist of a kinde of chalke and the roofes are couered with strawe The townesmen are exceeding rich and ciuill people and haue great traffike with the merchants of Cairo of Egypt in other parts of this kingdome you shall finde none but villages and hamlets situate vpon the riuer of Nilus all the inhabitants whereof are husbandmen The kingdome of Nubia is most rich in corne and sugar which notwithstanding they knowe not how to vse Also in the citie of Dangala there is great plentie of ciuet and Sandall-wood This region aboundeth with Iuory likewise bicause heere are so many elephants taken Heere is also a most strong and deadly poison one graine whereof being diuided amongst ten persons will kill them all within lesse then a quarter of an hower but if one man taketh a graine he dieth there of out of hand An ounce of this poison is solde for an hundred ducates neither may it be solde to any but to forraine merchants whosoeuer buieth it is bound by an oath not to vse it in the kingdome of Nubia All such as buy of this poison are constrained to pay as much vnto the king as to the merchant but if any man selleth poison without the princes knowledge he is presently put to death The king of Nubia maintaineth continuall warre partly against the people of Goran who being descended of the people called Zingani inhabite the deserts and speake a kinde of language that no other nation vnderstandeth and partly against certaine other people also dwelling vpon the desert which lieth eastward of Nilus and 〈◊〉 towards the red sea being not farre from the borders of Suachen Their language as I take it is mixt for it hath great affinity with the Chaldean toong with the language of Suachen and with the language of Ethiopia the higher where Prete Gianni is said to beare rule the people themselues are called Bugiha and are most base and miserable and liue onely vpon milke camels-flesh and
trauelled to wit Arabia deserta Arabia felix Arabia Petrea the Asian part of Egypt Armenia and some part of Tartaria all which countries I saw and passed through in the time of my youth Likewise I will set downe my last voiages from Fez to Constantinople from Constantinople to Egypt and from thence into Italie in which Iourney I saw diuers and sundry Islands All which my trauels I meane by gods assistance being returned forth of Europe into mine owne countrie particularly to describe decyphering first the regions of Europe and Asia which I haue seen and thereunto annexing this my discourse of Africa to the end that I may promote the endeuours of such as are desirous to know the state of forren countries IOHN LEO HIS NINTH BOOKE OF the Historie of Africa and of the memorable things therein contained Wherein he entreateth of the principall riuers and of the strange liuing creatures plants and minerals of the same countrey Of the riuer of Tensist THe riuer of Tensist that we may begin in Barbarie from the westerne part of Africa springing foorth of the mountaines of Atlas which are next vnto the citie of Hanimmei to witte about the east part of the territorie of Maroco and continuing his course northwarde ouer the plaines receiueth many other riuers thereinto and at Azafi a towne of Duccala dischargeth his streames into the maine Ocean Into this mightie riuer of Tensist fall two other great riuers called Siffelmel and Niffis the one whereof springeth out of Hanteta a mountaine of Maroco and the other issuing foorth of mount Atlas neere vnto Maroco and winding it selfe along the plaines of that region disemboqueth at last into the saide mightie riuer And albeit the riuer Tensist be for the most part of an exceeding depth yet may it in diuers places be waded ouer where the water reacheth vnto the stirrups of an horseman but a footeman must strippe himselfe naked to passe ouer the same Neere vnto Maroco there is a bridge of fifteene arches builte by king Mansor vpon this riuer which bridge is accounted one of the most curious buildings in all Africa Three of the saide arches were demolished by Abu Dubus the last king and patriarke of Maroco to the ende he might hinder the passage of Iacob the first Fezsan king of the Marin familie but this attempt of his was to none effect as it sufficiently appeered by the successe thereof Of the two riuers called Teseuhin THe two riuers called by this one name springing each of them three miles asunder out of mount Gugideme and running through the plaines of Hascora exonerate themselues into the riuer called Lebich These two riuers as I haue said haue one onely name being either of them according to the African language called Teseut in the singular number and in the plural Teseuhin which signifieth listes or borders Of Quadelhabid that is to say the riuer of seruants QVadelhabid taking his original among the high and chill mountaines of Atlas and runniug through certaine narrow and vneeuen valleis holdeth on his course by the confines of Hascora and Tedle and then stretching northward ouer a certaine plaine falleth at length into the riuer of Ommirabih In Maie when the snow melteth this riuer increaseth to some bignes Of the riuer of Ommirabih THe mightie riuer of Ommirabih issuing also forth of the lofty mountaines of Atlas where the prouince of Tedle bordereth vpon the kingdome of Fez passeth through certain plaines called Adachsun and being afterward streitned among the narrow valleis it runneth vnder a stately bridge built by Ibulhasen the fourth king of the Marin family from thence trending southward it watereth the plaines situate between the regions of Duccala and Temesne and lastly disburdeneth it selfe vnder the wals of Azamor into the maine Ocean About the end of Maye they take great store of fishes in this riuer called by the Italians Lasche wherwith all Azamur being sufficiently stored they salt the said fishes and send many ships ful of them into Portugall Of the riuer of Buregrag BVregrag arising out of one of the mountaines of Atlas and continuing his course by sundrie vallies woods and hils proceedeth on ouer a certaine plaine and neere vnto the townes of Sala and Rabat being the vtmost frontiers of the Fezsan kingdome it falleth into the Ocean sea Neither haue the two foresaid townes any other port or harbour but within the mouth of the said riuer onely which is so difficult to enter that vnlesse the pilote be throughly acquainted with the place he is in great hazard of running his ship vpon the shoulds which shoulds serue instead of bulwarkes to defend either towne from the fleets of the Christians Of the riuer of Baht THis riuer issuing foorth of mount Atlas stretcheth northward by the woods and mountaines and running among certaine litle hils disperseth it selfe vpon the plaines of the prouince of Azgar and from thence it falleth into certaine fens lakes and moist valleies where they take great store of eeles and of the foresaid fishes called Lasche The inhabitants liue vpon cattell and fishing and by reason of the plentie of milke fish and butter which they eate they are much subiect vnto the disease called in Italian Morphia This riuer may continually be waded ouer except it be much increased by abundance of raine and melted snowe Of the riuer of Subu THe riuer of 〈◊〉 beginneth vpon mount Selilgo standing in Cheuz a prouince of the Fezsan kingdome And it springeth out of a great fountaine in the midst of a vaste and solitarie woode and runneth by diuers mountaines and hils from whence extending vpon the plaines it approcheth within sixe miles of Fez diuideth in sunder the regions of Habat and Azgar and at length about Mahmora a place not farre from Sala exonerateth it selfe into the Ocean sea Into this riuer fall diuers others two of which namely Guarga and Aodor spring out of the mountanes of Gumera and the residue from the mountaines of the territorie of Teza And although Subu be a large riuer yet may it in sundry places be waded ouer except in winter and the spring when as it cannot be crossed but in certaine dangerous and small boates The same riuer also which runneth through the citie of Fez called in the language of that countrey The riuer of perles entreth into the foresaid riuer of Subu This riuer of Subu aboundeth exceedingly with fish and especially with the foresaid fishes called Lasche which are there of no reckoning The mouth thereof neere vnto the Ocean sea being very deepe and broad is nauigable for ships of great burthen as the Portugals and Spaniards haue found by often experience and were not the inhabitants so slothfull it might vsually and commodiously be sailed vpon yea if the corne which is carried by the merchants of Fez ouer land through the region of Azgar were conueighed by water vp this riuer it might be solde at Fez for halfe the price Of the riuer of Luccus LVccus issuing
Flaccus Africa scarce breathing from bloudie warres an horrible and extraordinarie destruction ensued For whereas now throughout all Africa infinite multitudes of locustes were gathered togither had not only quite deuoured the corne on the grounde and consumed the herbes with part of their rootes and the leaues and tender boughes of the trees but had gnawne also the bitter barke and drie woode being with a violent and sudden winde hoised aloft in mightie swarmes and carried a long time in the aire they were at length drowned in the African sea Whose lothsome and putrified carcases being by the waues of the sea cast vp in huge heapes farre and wide along the shore bred an incredible stinking infectious smell whereupon followed so general a pestilence of al liuing creatures that the corrupt dead bodies of foules cattell and wilde beasts dissolued by the contagion of the aire augmented the furie of the plague But how great and extraordinarie a death of men there was I cannot but tremble to report for in Numidia where Micipsa was then king died fowerscore thousand persons and vpon the sea-coast next adioiningto Carthage and Vtica aboue two hundred thousand are saide to haue perished Yea in the citie of Vtica it selfe were by this meanes swept from the face of the earth thirtie thousand braue soldiers which were appointed to be the garrison for all Africa And the destruction was so sudaine and violent as they report that out of one gate of Vtica in one and the same day were carried aboue fifteene hundred dead corpes of those lustie yoong gallants So that by the grace and fauour of almightie God through whose mercy and in confidence of whom I doe speake these things I may boldly affirme that albeit sometime in our daies the locusts in diuers parts and vsually doe some domage which is tolerable yet neuer befell there in the time of the Christians so insupportable a mischiefe as that this scourge of locusts which being aliue are by no meanes 〈◊〉 should after their death prooue farre more pernicious and which also liuing the fruits of the earth would haue beene quite deuoured it had beene much better they had neuer died to the plague and destruction of all earthly creatures Hitherto Paulus Orosius The second testimonie taken out of the 32. and 33. chapters of the Ethiopian historie of Francis Aluarez which for the satisfaction of euerie Reader I haue put downe with all particularities and circumstances Of the great multitude of Locusts and the infinite domage that they procure in the dominions of Prete Ianni Chap. 32. IN this quarter and throughout all the dominion of Prete Ianni there is an horrible and great plague to wit an innumerable companie of Locustes which eate and consume the corne and trees of fruite and so great is the number of these creatures as it is not credible for with the multitude of them the earth is couered and the aire so ouerspred as one may hardlie discerne the sunne and further I affirme that it is a thing most strange to him who 〈◊〉 not seene it and if the domage they performe were generall through all the prouinces and kingdomes of Prete Ianni his people woulde die with famine neither coulde men possiblie there inhabite But one yeere they destroy one prouince and the next yeere another 〈◊〉 as if for example they waste the kingdome of Portugall or Castile this 〈◊〉 an other yeere they are in the quarters of Lenteio an other in Estremadura an other in Beira or betweene the riuer Dorus and Minius an other on the mountaines an other in old Castilia Aragon or Andaluzia and otherwhiles in two or three of these prouinces at once and wheresoeuer they come the earth is more wasted and destroied by them then if it had beene all ouer consumed with a fire These locusts are as bigge as the greatest grashoppers hauing yellow wings Their comming into the countrie is knowne a day before not for that we can see them but we know it by the sunne who is yellow of colour this being a signe that they draw neere to the countrie as also the earth looketh yellowe by reason of the light which reflecteth from their wings whereupon the people in a manner become presentlie halfe dead saying we are vndone for the Ambati that is to say the locustes are come And I can not forbeare to set downe that which I sawe three sundrie times and first in Barua where we had now beene for the space of three yeeres and heere we often heard it saide that such a countrey and such a realme was destroied by the Locusts and being in this prouince we sawe the sunne and the vpper part of the earth looke all yellow the people being in a manner halfe dead for sorrow But the day following it was an incredible thing to see the number of these creatures that came which to our iudgement couered fower and twentie miles of lande as afterward we were enformed When this scourge and plague was come the priestes of that place came and sought me out requesting me to giue them some remedie for the driuing of them away and I answered that I could tel them nothing but only that they shoulde deuoutly pray vnto God that he woulde driue them out of the countrie And so I went to the Ambassadour and told him that it would be very good to goe on procession beseeching God that hee woulde deliuer the countrie who peraduenture in his great mercie might heare vs. This liked the Ambassadour very well and the day following we gathered togither the people of the land with all the priests and taking the consecrated stone and the crosse according to their custome all we Portugals sung the Letanie and appointed those of the land that they should lift vp their voices aloud as we did saying in their language Zio marina Christos which is as much to say as Lord God haue mercy vpon vs and with this manner of inuocation we went ouer a peece of grounde where there were fieldes of wheate for the space of a mile euen to a little hill and heere I caused many of these locustes to be taken pronouncing ouer them a certaine coniuration which I had about me in writing hauing made it that night requesting admonishing and excommunicating them enioining them within the space of three howers to depart towards the sea or the lande of the Moores or the desert mountaines and to let the Christians alone and they not performing this I summoned and charged the birdes of heauen the beasts of the earth and all sorts of tempests to scatter destroy and eate vp their bodies and to this effect I tooke a quantitie of locusts making this admonition to them present in the behalfe likewise of them absent and so giuing them libertie I suffered them to depart It pleased God to heare vs sinners for in our returne home they came so thicke vpon our backes as it seemed that they woulde haue broken our heads
or shoulders so hard they strooke against vs as if we had beene beaten with stones and cudgels and in this sort they went towards the sea The men women and children remaining at home were gotten vpon the tops or tarrasses of their houses giuing God thankes that the locusts were going away some afore and others followed In the meane while towardes the sea there arose a great cloude with thunder which met them full in the teeth and continued for the space of three howers with much raine and tempest that filled all the riuers and when the raine ceased it was a fearefull thing to behold the dead Locustes which were more then two yardes in height vpon the bankes of the riuers and in some riuers there were mightie heapes of them so that the morning following there was not one of them found aliue vpon the earth The people of the places adioining hearing this came in great numbers to enquire how this matter was effected many of the inhabitants said these Portugals be holy men and by the power of their God they haue killed and driuen away the locusts others saide especially the priests and friers of those places neere about that we were witches and by power of enchantments had driuen away the saide creatures and that for this cause we feared neither lions nor any other wilde beast Three daies after this effect there came vnto vs a Xuum that is a captaine of a place called Coiberia with men priests and friers to request vs that we woulde for the loue of God helpe them saying that they were in a manner destroied by the locustes and that place was a daies iourney off towards the sea They came to vs about euening and at the same instant I and fower other Portugals departed awaie with them we went all night and came thither an hower within daie where we found that all those of the countrey with many of the other places adioining were assembled togither for they were also molested by the locusts And assoone as we were come we went our procession rounde about the land which was seated vpon an high hill from whence we might discerne manie countries and places all yellow by reason of the multitude of locusts Such inuocatious and ceremonies being ended as we performed in the other place we went to dinner the men that were borderers requested vs to goe with them promising vs great rewardes It pleased god that as soon as we had dined we saw all the earth so cleared that there was not soe much as one locust to be seene The people seeing this and not being satisfied with the fauour and grace receiued they requested vs to goe and blesse their possessions for they were yet afraid least the locusts would returne and so wee departed Of the dommage we sawe done in another prouince by the Locustes in two sundrie places Chap. 33. AN other time also we sawe the Locustes being in a towne called Abuguna Prete Ianni sent vs to this towne which is in the kingdome of Angote and distant from Barua where we continued thirtie daies iourney to the ende that there we might be furnished with victuals Being come 〈◊〉 I went with the ambassadour Zagazabo who came into Portugall and fiue Genoueses towards a certain towne a moūtaine called Aguoan we trauailed fiue daies through places all desert destroied which places were sowen with Maiz hauing stalkes as great as those props which we vse about our vines and we might see them all broken and troden vnderfoote as if there had beene a tempest and this had the locusts done Their wheate barley and Taffo da guza were so eaten as it seemed they neuer had beene either tilled or sowne The trees were without leaues and their barkes all gnawne eaten and there was not so much as a spire of grasse for they had deuoured euery thing and if we had not beene aduised and foreseene the same for when we departed we laded our mules with victuals we and our beastes had died togither for hunger The countrey was couered all ouer with winglesse locustes and they saide that those were the seede of them which had deuoured all and that when they had gotten wings they would go seeke out the rest the number of these was so great as I am loath to report bicause I shoulde not perhaps be credited but this I may well affirme that I sawe men women and children sit as it were amazed amongst these locusts and I saide vnto them why sit you thus halfe dead and doe not kill these creatures and so reuenge your selues of the wrong that their fathers and mothers haue done you or at least that those which you kill may be able to doe you no more harme They answered taht they had not the hart to withstand the scourge of God which hee had sent vpon them for their sins And all the people of this place departed hence so that we found the waies full of men and women on foot with their children in their armes and vpon their heads going into other countries where they might finde victuall and it was great pittie to behold them We being in the saide prouince of Abuguna in a place called Aquate there came such swarmes of locustes as were innumerable which one day began to fall vpon the grounde about nine of the clocke in the morning and ceased not while night where they lighted there they staide and then the next day in the morning went away so that at three of the clocke in the afternoone there was not one of them to be seene and in this short time they left the trees vtterly destitute of leaues On the same day and hower there came an other squadron and these left neither tree nor bough vngnawen and eaten and thus did they for fiue daies one after an other they said that those were yoong ones which went to seeke their fathers and they did the like as those we sawe without wings the space that these locustes tooke vp was nine miles for which circuit there remained neither barke nor leaues vpon the trees the countrey looked not as though it had bin burnt but as though it had snowed thereupon and this was by reason of the whitenes of the trees which were pilled bare by the Locustes and the earth was all swept cleane It was Gods will that the haruest was alreadie in wee coulde not vnderstande which way they afterwards went bicause they came from the sea warde out of the kingdome of 〈◊〉 which belongeth to the Moores who are continually in warre as also we coulde by no meanes knowe the ende of their iourney or course Thus much out of Francis 〈◊〉 Of the minerals And first of miner all salt THe greater part of Africa hath none other salt but such as is digged out of quarries mines after the maner of marble or free stone being of a white red and graie colour Barbarie aboundeth with salt and Numidia is indifferently furnished
euen to the women of Africa Of the root called Surnag THis roote growing also vpon the westerne part of mount Atlas is said to be verie comfortable and preseruatiue vnto the priuie parts of man being drunk in an electuarie to stir vp venereal lust c. Neither must I here omit that which the inhabitants of mount Atlas do commonly report that many of those damosels which keepe cattel vpon the said mountaines haue lost their virginity by none other occasion but by making water vpon the said roote vnto whom I would in merriment answere that I belceued all which experience had taught concerning the secret vertue of the same roote Yea they affirmed moreouer that some of their maidens were so infected with this roote that they were not only deflowred of their virginitie but had also their whole bodies puffed vp and swolne THese are the things memorable and woorthie of knowledge seene and obserued by me Iohn Leo throughout al Africa which countrey I haue in all places traueiled quite ouer wherein whatsoeuer I sawe woorthy the obseruation I presently committed to writing and those things which I sawe not I procured to be at large declared vnto me by most credible and substantiall persons which were themselues eie-witnesses of the same and so hauing gotten a fitte oportunitie I thought good to reduce these my trauels and studies into this one volume Written at Rome in the yeere of Christ 1526. and vpon the tenth of March. Heere endeth the description of Africa written by Iohn Leo borne in Granada and brought vp in Barbarie A briefe relation concerning the dominions reuenues forces and maner of gouernment of sundry the greatest princes either inhabiting within the bounds of Africa or at least possessing some parts thereof translated for the most part out of Italian AFricke hath euer beene the least knowen and haunted parte in the world chiefly by reason of the situation thereof vnder the torride Zone which the ancients thought to be vnhabitable Whose opinion although in very deede it is not true bicause we knowe that betweene the two Tropickes there are most fruitefull countries as namely Abassia and the kingdomes of Angola Congo with all India new Spaine and Brasile yet neither is it altogither false For no part of the world hath greater deserts nor vaster wildernes then this of Africa These deserts which extend themselues from the Atlanticke Ocean euen vnto the borders of Egypt for more then a thousand miles and runne out sometimes two hundred and otherwhiles 300. miles in bredth diuide Africke into two parts whereof the southerly part was neuer throughly knowne to the people of Europe as also Atlas which diuideth Numidia from Africa the lesse is some impediment to the same And towards the east it seemeth that nature also ment to conceale the same by those deserts that lye bewixt the Red sea and the lande of Egypt In the first times after the floud we finde mention very often made of the kingdomes of Egypt and Ethopia and as for Ethiopia the notice we had thereof was but obscure and confused But Egypt by reason of the commodious situation thereof betweene the Mediterran and the Red seas hath alwaies beene renowmed and famous yea king Sesostris that Egyptian monarch enlarged his empire from the Atlantick Ocean euen to the Euxine sea Afterwards the kings of Numidia Mauritania the Carthaginians flourished in those prouinces which are bounded by the Meditterran sea In our times wherein all Africke hath beene and is daily enuironed there is sufficient knowledge had of the Marine parts thereof but for the inland prouinces there is not so much knowne as might be rather through want of writers then for default of discouerie trade Now therfore leauing those parts of Africa which are possessed by the Turke and the king of Spaine to a briefe narration in the last place we haue reduced al the residue of our relations to three princes that is to Prete Ianni the Monomotapa and the Xeriffo who is king of Maroco and Fez for the rest referring you to Iohn Leo and the discourse prefixed before him the Xeriffo raigneth betweene Atlas and the Atlanticke Ocean Prete Ianni about the center of Africke and the Monomotapa hath his Empire towards the Sinus Barbaricus or the Barbarian gulphe The Empire of Prete Ianni THe Empire of Prete Ianni answereth not certainly in effect although it be very large vnto the fame and opinion which the common sort and most writers haue of it For lateliest of any other Hor atio Malugucci in a certaine discourse of his touching the greatnes of states at this day would needes haue his dominion to be greater then any other princes but the king of Spaine I confesse indeede that in times past his state had most ample and large confines as may be iudged by the multitude of kingdomes with which he adorneth and setteth foorth his stile for he entitleth himselfe king of Goiame a kingdome seated beyond Nilus and of Vangue and Damut situate beyond Zaire and yet it is at this day euidently knowne that his Empire scarcely reacheth vnto Nilus yea and Iohn Barros writeth that the Abassins haue little notice of that riuer by reason of the mountaines lying betweene them and it The hart or center of his state is the lake Barcena for on the east it extendeth from Suaquen as farre as the entrance of the Red sea for the space of an hundred and two and twentie leagues howbeit betwixt the Red sea and it there thwarteth a long ranke of mountaines inhabited by the Moores who also commaund the sea-coast On the west it hath another ridge of mountaines along the channell of Nilus enhabited by the Gentiles who pay tribute vnto the Prete On the north it consineth with an imaginarie line drawne from Suaquen to the furthest part of the isle of Meroe which is an hundred and fiue and twentie leagues long From hence it maketh as it were a bow but not very crooked towards the south euen to the kingdome of Adel from the mountaines whereof springeth that riuer which Ptolemey calleth Raptus and placeth to the south of Melinde for the space of two hundred and thirtie leagues all which distance is bordered vpon by the Gentiles from whence it turneth and endeth eastward at the kingdome of Adel whose head citie is Arar in the northerly latitude of nine degrees So that this whole empire little more or lesse amounteth to sixe hundred threescore and twelue leagues in circuite The countrie which is distinguished with ample plaines pleasant hils and high mountaines most of them manurable and well inhabited bringeth foorth barley and myll for it aboundeth not greatly with other sortes of graine and likewise Taffo da guza another good and durable seede But there is mill and Zaburro which we call the graine of India or Ginnie wheate great plenty with al sorts of our pulse and some also vnknowen to vs. Some of them weare clothes of cotton
as it were out of his crowne-landes another part he leuieth of the people that pay him so much for an house and the tenth of all those mines that are digged by others then by himselfe and a third reuenue he draweth from his tributarie princes and gouernours and these giue him the entire reuenues of one of their cities so as he choose not that citie wherein they make their residence But though his wealth and reuenues be great yet are his people of little worth as well because he holdeth them in the estimation of slaues by meanes whereof they want that generositie of minde which maketh men ready to take vp armes to be couragious in dāgers as also it seemeth they haue euer their handes bound with that awefull reuerence which they beare towards their Prince and the feare they haue of him and further in that they haue no armes of defence but bad headpeeces halfe sculles and coats of maile carried thither by the Portugals Hereunto may be added his want of fortresses for neither hauing strong places whither to retire nor armes to defend themselues they and their townes remaine as a pray to the enemie their offensiue armes being vnfeathered arrowes and some darts They haue a lent of fiftie daies continuance which through the great abstinence wherein they passe all that time doth so weaken and afflict them that neither for those daies nor many other following they haue the strength to stirre abroad whereupon the Moores attend this opportunitie and assaile them with great aduantage Francis Aluares writeth that Prete Ianni can bring into the field an hundred thousand men neuerthelesse in time of neede it hath beene seene that he could make nothing so many He hath a militarie religion or order of knighthood vnder the protection of Saint 〈◊〉 whereunto euerie noble man must ordaine one of euerie three male children but not the eldest And out of these are constituted twelue thousand knights or gentlemen for the kings guarde The ende of this order is to defend the confines of the empire and to make head against the enimies of the faith Princes confining vpon the Prete Ianni THis Prince as farre as we can certainly vnderstand confineth especially with three other mightie princes one is the king of Borno another the great Turke and the third the king of Adel. The king of Buruo ruleth ouer that countrey which extendeth from Guangara towards the east about fiue hundred miles betweene the deserts of Seu and Barca being of an vneeuen situation bicause it is partly mountainous and partly plaine In the plaines there dwelleth a very ciuill people in populous and much frequented villages by reason of the abundance of graine as also there is some concourse of merchants thither On the mountaines shepheardes of great and smal beasts do inhabite and their chiefe sustenance is mill They lead a brutish life without religion with their wiues and children in common They vse no other proper names but those which are taken from the qualitie or forme of mens persons the lame the squint eied the long the stuttering This king of Borno is most mightie in men vpon whom he laieth no other imposition but the tenth of their fruits their profession is to robbe and steale from their neighbours and to make them slaues in exchange of whom they haue of the merchants of Barbarie horses He hath vnder him many kingdomes and people partly white and partly blacke He molesteth the Abassines exceedingly with theftes leadeth away their cattell robbeth their mines maketh their men slaues They fight on 〈◊〉 backe after the Gynnet fashion they vse lances with two heads darts arrowes they assaile a countrey sometimes in one part and otherwhiles in another suddenly but these may rather be termed theeues and robbers then right enimies The Turke confineth with Abassia on the east as likewise the king of Adel who hemmeth it in betweene the east and the south They disturbe the Prete exceedingly restraining the limites of his Empire and bringing his countrey into great miserie For the Turkes besides the putting of a great part of Barnagasso to sacke and spoile vpon which they entred the yeere of our Lord 1558. although they were driuen out againe haue further taken all that from the Prete which he possessed on the sea coast especiallie the portes and townes of Suaquen and Ercoco In which two places the mountaines lying betwixt Abassia and the red sea doe open and make a passage for conueiance of victual and trafficke betweene the Abassins and the Arabians And it is not long since the Lord Barnagasso was constrained to accord with the Turke and to buie the peace of his countrie with the tribute of a thousand ounces of gold by the yeere Also the King of Adel procureth hym no lesse molestation This man confineth with the kingdome of Fatigar and extendeth his dominion euen to the Red sea where he hath Assum Salir Meth Barbora Pidar and Zeila At Barbora manie shippes of Aden and Cambaia arriue with their marchandize for exchange from whence they receiue much flesh honie wax and victuals for Aden and gold Iuorie and other thinges for Cambaia A greater quantitie of victuall is carried from Zeila because there is aboundance of waxe and honie with corne and diuers fruites which are laden for Aden and for Arabia and beastes also as namely sheepe with tayles wayghing more then fiue and twentie poundes with their heads and necks all blacke but the rest of them is white as also certaine other all white with tayles a fathome long and writhen like a vine branche hauing thropples vnder their throtes like bulles There be also certaine kine with branched hornes like to wild hartes being blacke in colour and sorne others red with one onely horne vpon their foreheads of an handfull and an halfe long turning backward The chiefe city of this kingdome is Arar eight and thirtie leagues from Zeila towards the South east This king being a Mahumetan by a perpetuall profession of making war against the christians of Abassia who are the subiects of the Prete hath obteined of those Barbarians the surname of Holy He stayeth his óportunitie while the Abassins be weakened and brought downe with that long and hard fast of fiftie daies when they can scarcely go about their domesticall affaires and then he entreth into the countrey sacketh the townes leadeth the people away into seruitude and doth a thousand iniuries vnto them The Abassin slaues are of great valew out of their owne countrey whereupon the bordering and other Princes both farre and neere esteeme them much and many of them by meanes of their industrie in seruice of slaues haue become captaines and great Commanders in Arabia Cambaia Bengala and Sumatra Bicause the Mahumetan princes of the east being all tirants ouer kingdomes vsurped from the Gentiles for securitie of their state put no trust in their owne subiects but arme themselues with a multitude of strange slaues to whom they commit their
persons and the gouernment of their kingdome And among all other slaues the Abassines beare away the bell aswell for fidelitie as for sound and good complexion And bicause the king of Adel with the multitude of these Abassin slaues which he taketh in the townes and territories of Prete Ianni filleth all Egypt and Arabia in exchange of whom he hath armour munition and soldiers both from the Turke and the Arabian Princes in the yeere of our Lord 1550. Claudius king of Abassia being after this sort sorely oppressed by Gradaamed king of Adel who now for the space of fowerteene yeeres had with continuall incursions greeuously molested and disturbed him enforcing him to leaue his confines and to retire into the hart of his empire demaunded aide of Stephano Gama the Indian Viceroy of Iohn the third king of Portugale who was then with a good fleete vpon The red sea Whereupon he sent him fower hundred Portugals with a good quantitie of armes and small shot vnder the gouernment of Christopher da Gama his brother With these men by the benefit of shot he ouerthrew the enimie in two battailes but in the third the king of Adel hauing receiued a thousand Turkish harquebuziers from the gouernour of Zebit with ten peeces of artillerie the Abassins were put to 〈◊〉 and discomfited and their captaine taken prisoner and put 〈◊〉 death But the king of Adel afterwards sending backe the said Turkes he and his people were sodainly assailed neere the riuer of Zeila and mount Saual by king Claudius with threescore thousand foote and fiue hundred Abassin horse togither with those Portugales who remained of the former ouerthrow one of whom wounded Gradamed dangerously But in the moneth of March the yeere of our Lord 1559. king Claudius being set vpon againe by the Malacai Mores he was slaine in the battaile and the enimie-king acknowledging so great a victorie from the handes of God triumphed vpon an asse Adamas brother vnto king Claudius succeeded him against whom for he was halfe a Mahumetan the best part of the Abassine nobilitie rebelled and he was defeated by the Barnagasso in the yeere 1562. who hauing thus for a while disturbed the affaires of Ethiopia it seemed that they were at length asswaged reestablished vnder Alexander by the aide of the Portugals who haue carried thither armes as well of offence as defence and stirred vp the mindes and courages of the Abassines by their example to warre For all those that remained of the discomfiture giuen to Christopher Gama and diuers others which came thither afterwards and do daily there arriue and staie do marrie wiues and haue children and Alexander permitted them to elect a iudge who might execute iustice among them So that they haue and do daily bring into Abassia the manner of warfare in Europe with our vse of armes and the manner of fortifying passages and places of importance Afterwards certaine Florentines went into those countries partly vpon pleasure and partly for affaires of merchandize For Francesco di Medici great Duke of Florence had some commerce with the Abassines The Prete therefore giues entertainment and maketh much of the Frankes for so do they call the people of Europe and hardly giueth them license to depart out of his kingdome Besides these the Prete Ianni hath diuers other enimies amongst whom is the king of Dancali to whom the towne and port of Vela vpon the red sea pertaineth he confineth with Balgada The Moores also vexe him greatly which inhabite the prouince called Dobas deuided into fowerteene Signiories for though they be within the confines of Prete Ianni his empire yet notwithstanding for the most part they rebell from him they haue a lawe that none of them may marrie before he first giue testimoniall that he hath slaine twelue Christians Of the Emperour of Monomotapa COncerning the state of this mightie Emperour and of his neighbour of Mohenemugi and of the limits of both their dominions as likewise of the Amazones and Giacchi the chiefe strength of their militarie forces and other memorable matters to auoide tedious repetitions I referre the reader to the discourse going before the booke saue onely that I will heere annexe a briefe testimony out of Osorius lib 4 de reb gest Eman. which may adde some small light vnto the treatise before mentioned But saith he in this part of Ethiopia lying beyond the cape of good hope which is bounded by the south Ocean there is a most ample kingdome called Benomotapa whereunto before such time as the Portugals discouered those parts all the kinges vpon that coast were most obedientlie subiect It aboundeth with gold beyond all credite which is taken euen out of their riuers and lakes Yea many kings there are which pay yeerely tribute of gold vnto this king of Benomotapa The people worship no Idols but acknowledge one God the creatour of heauen and earth In habite and apparell they are not much vnlike to other Ethiopians They worship their king with woonderfull superstition This king in his scutcheon or coate of armes hath two signes of maiestie One is a certaine little spade with a handle of iuorie The other are two small dartes By the spade he 〈◊〉 his subiects to husbandrie that they may not through sloth and negligence let the earth lie vntilled and so for want be constrained to play the theeues The one of his darts betokeneth that he will be a seuere punisher of malefactors the other that he will by valour force of armes resist all forren inuasions The sonnes of his tributarie kings are trained vp in his court both to the end that by this education they may learne loialtie and loue towards him their soueraigne and also that they may remaine as pledges to keepe their fathers in awe and due obedience He is continually guarded with a mightie armie notwithstanding he be conioined in most firme league with all his neighbour-princes For by this meanes he supposeth that warre cannot procure him any danger at all knowing right well that oftentimes in the midst of peace it is readie to disturbe the securitie of Princes Euery yeere this king sendeth certaine of his courtiers and seruants to bestow in his name newe fire vpon all the princes and kings within his dominions that from them it may be distributed vnto others also Which is done in manner following The messenger being come to the house of any prince his fire is immediately quenched Then is there a new fire kindled by the messenger and foorthwith all the neighbours resort thither to fetch of the said new fire for their houses Which whosoeuer refuseth to performe is helde as a traiterous rebell and receiueth such punishment as is liable to high treason yea if need be an armie is leuied to apprehend 〈◊〉 to the end that being taken he may be put to such torments as are correspondent to his disloialtie Hitherto Osorius The Xeriffo commonly called The king of Maroco 〈◊〉 and Fez.
acknowledge the kings of Fez for soueraigne Princes ouer that citie But on the other side the Xeriffi whose reputation and power daily encreased when the time of paying tribute came sent to certifie this yoong king that being lawfull successors to Mahumet they were not bound to paie tribute to any and that they had more right to Affrica then he so that if he would haue them his friends so it were otherwise if he ment to diuert them from this their warre against the Christians they should not want courage nor power to defend themselues Wherewith the Fessan king being offended proclaimed warre against them and went himselfe in person to the siege of Maroco but at the very first he was driuen to dislodge and afterwards returning with eighteene thousand horse amongst whom were two thousand harquebuziers or bowmen he was vanquished by the Xeriffi who had no more but seuen thousand horse and twelue hundred harquebuziers which were placed on the way at the passage of a riuer By meanes of this victorie the Xeriffi shooke off the tribute of that countrie and passing ouer Atlas they tooke Tafilete an important citie and partly by faire meanes partly by force they brought diuérs people of Numidia to their obedience as also those of the mountaines In the yeere of our Lord 1536. the yoonger Xeriffo who was now called king of Sus hauing gathered togither a mightie armie and much artillerie taken in part from the king of Fez and partly cast by the French Renegados he went to the enterprise of Cabo de Guer a very important fortification held then by the Portugals which was built and fortified sirst at the charge of Lopes Sequeira and afterward knowing their opportunitie from the king Don Emanuel there was fought on both sides a most terrible battell In the end fire taking hold on the munition and vpon this the souldiers being daunted that defended the fortresse the Xeriffo entred thereinto tooke the towne and made the greatest part of the garrison his prisoners By this victorie the Xeriffi brought in a manner all Atlas and the kingdome of Maroco to their obedience those Arabians who serued the crowne of Portugall Whereupon king Iohn the third seeing that his expences farre exceeded the reuenues which came in of his owne accord gaue ouer Safia Azamor Arzilla and Alcazar holds which he had on the coast of Mauritania This 〈◊〉 was an occasion of grieuous discord betwixt the Brothers the issue whereof was that the younger hauing in two battels subdued the elder whereof the second was in the yeere of our Lord 1554 and taken him prisoner he banished him to Tafilet and afterwards turning his armes against the king of Fez after hauing taken him once prisoner and then releasing him he yet the second time because he brake promise got him into his handes againe depriued him of his estate and in the end caused both him and his sonnes to be slaine and by meanes of his owne sonnes he also tooke Tremizen In the meane while Sal Araes viceroy of Algier fearing the Xeriffos prosperous successe gathered together a great army with which he first recouered Tremizen afterwards defeating the Xeriffo conquered Fez and gaue the gouernment thereof to Buasson Prince of Veles but this man ioyning battaile with the Xeriffo lost at one instant both his citie and kingdome In the ende Mahumet going to Tarodant was vpon the way slaine in his pauilion by the treason of some Turkes suborned thereunto by the viceroy of Algier of whom one Assen was the chiefe who together with his companions went into Tarodant and there made hauock of the kinges treasures But in their returne home they were all but fiue slaine by the people in the yeere 1559 and Mullei Abdala the Xeriffos sonne was proclaimed and saluted king Let thus much suffice to haue bin spoken of the Xeriffo whose proceedinges appeare much like to those of Ismael the sophie of Persia. Both of them procured followers by bloud and the cloake of religion both of them subdued in short time many countries both of them grew great by the ruine of their neighbours both of them receiued greeuous checkes by the Turkes and lost a part of their states for Selym tooke from Ismael Cacamit and diuers other cities of Diarbena And the viceroy of Algier did driue the Xeriffo out of Tremizen and his other quarters And euen as Selim won Tauris the head citie of Persia and afterwardes gaue it ouer so Sal Araes tooke Fez the head citie of Mauritania and then after abandoned the same The Xeriffo his reuenues or commings in THe Xeriffo is absolute Lord of all his subiects goods yea and of their persons also For though he charge them with neuer so burdensome tributes and impositions yet dare they not so much as open their mouthes He receiueth from his tributarie vassals the tenthes and first fruits of their corne and cattell True it is that for the first fruits he taketh no more but one for twentie and the whole being aboue twentie he demandeth no more then two though it amount to an hundred For euery dayes tilth of grounde he hath a ducate and a quarter and so much likewise for euerie house as also he hath after the same rate of euerie person aboue fifteene yeers old male or female and when need requireth a greater summe and to the end that the people may the more cheerefullie pay that which is imposed vpon them he alwaies demaundeth halfe as much more as he is to receiue Most true it is that on the mountaines there inhabite certaine fierce and vatamed people who by reason of the steep craggie and inexpugnable situation of their countrie cannot be forced to tributes that which is gotten of them is the tenth of their corne and fruits onely that they may be permitted to haue recourse into the plaines Besides these reuenues the king hath the towles and customes of Fez and of other cities For at the entring of their goods the naturall citizen payeth two in the hundred and the stranger ten He hath further the reuenues of milles and many other thinges the summe whereof is very great for the milles yeelde him little lesse then halfe a royall of plate for euerie Hanega of corne that is ground in Fez where as they say there are aboue foure hūdred mils The moschea of Caruuen had fourescore thousand ducates of rent the colledges and hospitals of Fez had also many thousands Al which the king hath at this present And further he is heire to all the Alcaydes and them that haue pension of him and at their deaths he possesseth their horses armour garments and al their goodes Howbeit if the deceased leaue any sonnes apt for the seruice of the warres he granteth them their fathers prouision but if they be but young he bringeth vp the male children to yeeres of seruice and the daughters till they be married And therefore that he may haue some interest in the goods of
Thomas and others neere adioining are immediately vnder his dominion These islands are maintained with their owne victuall and prouision and yet they haue also some out of Europe as in like manner they send some thither especially sugars and fruits wherewith the isle of Madera woonderfully aboundeth as also with wine And the iland of Sant Thomas likewise hath great abundance of sugars These States haue no incumbrance but by the English and French men of warre which for all that go not beyond Cape Verde At the ilands of Arguin and at Sant George de la Mina the Portugals haue planted factories in forme of fortresses by meanes of which they trade with the bordering people of Guinie and Libya and get into their hands the gold of Mandinga and other places neere about Among the adherent Princes the richest and most honorable is the king of Congo in that his kingdome is one of the most flourishing and plentifull countries in all Ethiopia The Portugals haue there two Colonies one in the citie of S. Saluador and an other in the island Loanda They haue diuers rich commodities from this kingdome but the most important is euery yeere about 5000. slaues which they transport from thence and sell them at good round prizes in all the isles and maine lands of the west Indies and for the head of euerie slaue so taken vp there is a good taxe paid to the crowne of Portugall From this kingdome one might easily go to the countrie of Prete Ianni for it is not thought to be very farre off and it doth so abound with Elephants victuall and all other necessarie things as would bring singular ease and commodity to such an enterprise Vpon the kingdome of Congo confineth Angola with whose prince of late yeeres Paulo Dias a Portugall captaine made war And the principall occasion of this warre are certaine mines of siluer in the mountaines of Cabambe no whit inferior to those of Potossi but by so much are they better as fine siluer goeth beyond that which is base and course And out of doubt if the Portugals had esteemed so well of things neere at hand as they did of those farther off and remote and had thither bent their forces wherewith they passed Capo de buena esperança and went to India Malaca and the Malucoes they had more easily and with lesse charge found greater wealth for there are no countries in the world richer in gold and siluer then the kingdomes of Mandinga Ethiopia Congo Angola Butua Toroa Maticuo Boro Quiticui Monomotapa Cafati and Mohenemugi But humane auarice esteemeth more of an other mans then his owne and things remote appeere greater then those neere at hand Betweene Cabo de buena esperança and Cape Guardafu the Portugals haue the fortresses of Sena Cephala and Mozambique And by these they continue masters of the trade with the bordering nations all which abound in gold and iuorie By these fortresses they haue speciall commoditie for their nauigation to the Indies bicause their fleetes sometimes winter and otherwhiles victuall and refresh themselues there In these parts the king of Melinde is their greatest friend and those of Quiloa and other neighbour-islands are their tributaries The Portugals want nothing but men For besides other islands which they leaue in a manner abandoned there is that of Saint Laurence one of the greatest in all the world being a thousand two hundred miles long and fower hundred and fower-score broad the which though it be not well tilled yet for the goodnes of the soile it is apt and fit to be manured nature hauing distinguished it with riuers harbours most commodious baies These States belonging to the crowne of Portugall feare no other but such sea-forces as may be brought thither by the Turkes But the daily going to and fro of the Portugall fleetes which coast along vp and downe those seas altogither secureth them In the yeere 1589. they tooke neere vnto Mombaza fower gallies and a galliot belonging to the Turkes who were so bold as to come euen thither The dominions of the great Turke in Africa THe great Turk possesseth in Africa all the sea-coast from Velez de Gumera or as some hold opinion from the riuer Muluia which is the easterne limite of the kingdome of Fez euen to the Arabian gulfe or Red sea except some few places as namely Mersalcabir Melilla Oran and Pennon which the king of Spaine holdeth In which space before mentioned are situate sundrie of the most famous cities and kingdomes in all Barbarie that is to say Tremizen Alger Tenez Bugia Constantina Tunis Tripolis and all the countrey of Egypt from Alexandria to the citie of Asna called of old Siene togither with some part of Arabia Troglodytica from the towne of Suez to that of Suachen Also in Africa the grand Signor hath fiue viceroies called by the names of Beglerbegs or Bassas namely at Alger Tunis Tripolis at Missir for all Egypt and at Suachen for those places which are chalenged by the great Turke in the dominions of Prete Ianni Finally in this part at Suez in the bottome of the Arabian gulfe is one of his fower principall Arsenals or places for the building repairing docking and harbouring of his warlike gallies which may lie heere vnder couert to the number of fiue and twentie bottomes A summarie discourse of the manifold Religions professed in Africa and first of the Gentiles AFrica containeth fower sorts of people different in religion that is to say Gentiles Iewes Mahumetans and Christians The Gentiles extend themselues along the shoare of the Ocean in a manner from Cabo Blanco or the white Cape euen to the northren borders of Congo as likewise from the southerly bounds of the same kingdome euen to Capo de buena Esperança from thence to that De los Corrientes and within the land they spred out from the Ethiopick Ocean euen vnto Nilus and beyond Nilus also from the Ethiopick to the Arabian sea These Gentiles are of diuers sorts for some of them haue no light of God or religion neither they are gouerned by any rule or law Wherupon the Arabians call them Cafri that is to say lawlesse or without law They haue but fewe habitations and they liue for the most part in caues of mountaines or in woods wherein they finde some harbour from winde and raine The ciuilest among them who haue some vnderstanding and light of diuinitie and religion obey the Monomotapa whose dominion extendeth with a great circuite from the confines of Matama to the riuer Cuama but the noblest part thereof is comprehended betweene the mightie riuer of Magnice or Spirito Sancto and that of 〈◊〉 for the space of sixe hundred leagues They haue no idols and beleeue in one only God called by them Mozimo Little differing from these we may esteeme the subiects of Mohenemugi But among all the Cafri the people called Agag or Giacchi are reputed most brutish inhabiting in woods and dens and being deuourers of
them forth of their dominions For then many went ouer into the kingdomes of Fez and Maroco and brought in thither the artes and professions of Europe vnknowne before to those Barbarians In Bedis Teza Elmedina Tefsa and in Segelmesse euery placeis full of them They passe also by way of traffick euen to Tombuto although Iohn Leo writeth how that king was so greatly their enemie that he confiscated the goods of those that traded with them It importeth me not to speake of Egypt because it hath euer beene as well by reason of the neernes of Palestina as for the commodity of traffick whereunto they are much enclined as it were their second countrie Here in great number and in a manner in all the cities and townes thereof they exercise mechanicall arts and vse traffick and merchandize as also take vpon them the receit of taxes and customes but aboue all other places in Alexandria and Cairo where they amount to the number of fiue and twentie thousand and the ciuiller sort among them do vsually speake the Castilian toung 〈◊〉 much may suffice to haue been spoken concerning the Iewes It now remaineth that we come to intreat of the Mahumetans of Africa Concerning whom before we make any particular relation it will not be amisse for the readers more perfect instruction to speake somewhat in generall as namely of the sinister proceedings of their first seducer Mahumet of the variety and propagation of their damned sects ouer the east and south parts of the world of the fower principall nations which are the mainteiners and vpholders of this diabolicall religion and of sundry other particulars most worthie the obseruation Of Mahumet and of his accursed religion in generall MAhumet his father was a certaine prophane Idolater called Abdalá of the stock of Ismael and his mother was one Hennina a Iew both of them being of very humble and poore condition He was borne in the yeere of our Lord 562. and was endowed with a graue countenance and a quick wit Being growne to mans estate the Scenite Arabians accustomed to rob and runne all ouer the countrie tooke him prisoner and sold him to a Persian merchant who discerning him to be apt and subtile about busines affected and held him in such account that after his death his mistresse remaining a widow scorned not to take him for her husband Being therefore inriched by this meanes with goods and credit he raised vp his minde to greater matters The times then answered very fitly for one that woulde disturbe or worke any innouation For the Arabians vpon some euill entreatie were malecontented with the Emperour Heraclius The heresies of Arrius and Nestorius had in a miserable sort shaken and annoied the church of God The Iewes though they wanted power yet amounted they to a great number The Saracens preuailed mightily both in number and force And the Romaine Empire was full of slaues Mahumet therefore taking hold on this opportunitie framed a law wherein all of them should haue some part or prerogatiue In this two Apostata Iewes and two heretikes assisted him of which one was Iohn being a scholler of Nestorius schoole and the other Sergius of the sect of Arrius Whereupon the principall intention of this cursed law was wholie aimed against the diuinitie of our Sauiour Iesus Christ wickedly oppugned by the Iewes and Arrians He perswaded this law first by giuing his wife to vnderstand and his neighbours by her meanes and by little and little others also that he conuersed with the angell Gabriell vnto whose brightnes he ascribed the falling sicknes which many times prostrated him vpon the earth dilating and amplifying the same in like sort by permitting all that which was plausible to sense and the flesh as also by offering libertie to all slaues that would come to him and receiue his law Wherefore being prosecuted hard by the masters of those fugitiue slaues led away by him he fledde to Medina Talnabi and there remained some time From this flight the Mahumetans fetch the originall of their Hegeira But questionlesse there was nothing that furthered more the enlargement of the Mahumetan sect then prosperitic in armes and the multitude of victories whereby Mahumet ouerthrew the Persians became lord of Arabia and draue the Romaines out of Syria And his successors afterwards extended their empire from Euphrates to the Atlantick Ocean and from the riuer Niger to the Pirenei mountaines and beyond They occupied Sicilia assailed Italy and with continuall prosperitie as it were for three hundred yeeres either subdued or encumbred both the east west But to returne to Mahumet his law it embraceth circumcision maketh a difference between meats pure vnpure partly to allure the Iewes It denieth the Diuinitie of Christ to reconcile the Arrians who were then most mightie it foisteth in many friuolous fables that it might fit the Gentiles looseth the bridle to the flesh which is a thing acceptable to the greatest part of men Whereupon Auicen though he were a Mahumetan writeth thus of such a law Lex nostra saith he quam de dit Mahumeth c. that is to say Our Law which Mahumet gaue vs regardeth the disposition of felicitie or miserie according to the body But there is another promise which concerneth the minde or the soule which wise Diuines had a farre greater desire to apprehend then that of the body which though it be giuen vnto them yet respect they it not nor hold it in any estimation in comparison of that felicitie which is a coniunction with truth Mahumet being dead Allé Abubequer Omar and Odoman his kinsemen each of them pretending to be his true successor wrote distinctly euerie one by himselfe Vpon which there did arise fower seuerall sects Allé was head of the sect Imemia being followed by the Persians Indians and many Arabians and Gelbines of Africa Abubequer gaue foundation to the sect Melchia embraced generally by the Arabians Saracens and Africans Omar was author of the Anefia which is on foote among the Turks in Syria and in that part of Africk which is called Zahará Odman left behim the Banefia or Xefaia as we may terme it which wanteth not followers among the foresaid nations Of these fower sects in processe of time growen sixtie eight other verie famous besides some of lesse renowme and fame Among the many Mahumetan sects there are the Morabites who lead their liues for the most part in Hermitages and make profession of Morall Philosophie with certaine principles differing from the Alcoran One of these was that Morabite which certaine yeeres past shewing Mahumet his name imprinted in his brest being done with Aqua Fortis as I suppose or some such thing raised vp a great number of Arabians in Africk and laide siege to Tripolis where being betraied by his captaine he remained the Turkes prisoner who sent his skin to the grand Signor This man being in prison said to an Italian slaue his familiar who went to visite him I
greeue at nothing but you Christians who haue abandoned me In that the knights of Malta onely sent him small succour of powder and shot These Morabites affirme to declare some of their fooleries that when Allé fought he killed ten thousand Christians with one blow of a sworde and that this sword was an hundred cubits long Then there is the foolish and 〈◊〉 sect of Cobtini One of these shewed himselfe not many yeeres sithence in the market places and quarters of Algier mounted on a reed with a bridle and raines of leather giuing the multitude to vnderstand that vpon that horse in one night he rid an hundred leagues and he was for this greatly honored and reuerenced In tract of time there grew amongst the Mahumetans through the vanitie of their law and the incredible variety and difference of opinions great disorders For their sect being not onely wicked and treacherous as we haue declared but also grosse and foolish those that made profession thereof to defend and maintaine it were enforced to make a thousand interpretations and constructions far sometimes from reason and otherwhiles from the expresse words of Mahumet him selfe The Califas endeuoured mightily to reforme this but their prouisions of greatest importance were two For first Moauia this man florished about the yeere of our Lord 770 called an assembly of learned and iudiciall men to establish that which in their sect should be beleeued and to this end he caused all the bookes of Mahumet and his successors to be gathered together But they not agreeing amongst themselues he chose out of them sixe of the most learned and shutting them within an house with the said writings he commaunded them that euery one should make choise of that which seemed best vnto him These men reduced the Mahumetan doctrine into sixe books setting downe the pennaltie of losse of life to them that should otherwise speake or write of the law But because the Arabians gaue their mindes to Philosophie in the vniuersities of Bagdet Fez Maroco and Cordoua and being of piercing and subtile wits they could not but looke into the fopperies of their sect There was added vnto this another prouiso which was a statute that forbad them the studie of Philosophie by meanes of which statute their Vniuersities before most flourishing haue within these fower hundred yeeres daily declined At this day the sects of Mahumetan impietie are distinguished more through the might and power of those nations that follow them then of themselues and the principall nations are fower that is to say Arabians Persians Tartars and Turks The Arabians are most superstitious and zealous The Persians stand more vpon reason and nature The Tartars hold much gentilisine and simplicitie and the Turkes especially in Europe are most of them Libertines and Martialistes The Arabians as they that esteeme it for great glorie that Mahumet was of their nation and buried in Mecca or as others thinke in Medina Talnabi haue laboured with all arte and yet procure to spread their sect ouer the whole world In India they first preuailed with preaching and afterwards with armes Considering that seuen hundred yeeres sithence king Perimal reigning in Malabar they began there to sow this cockle and to bring the Gentiles more easily within their net they tooke and at this daie take their daughters to wife a matter greatly esteemed of them by reason of these mens wealth By this policie and the traffike of spices which yeelded them infinite profite they quickly set foote and fastned it in India They built townes and planted colonies and the first place where they grew to a bodie was Calicut which of a small thing by their concourse and traffike became a mightie citie They drew king Perimal to their sect who at their perswasion resolued to go and end his daies at Mecca and for that purpose he put himselfe onward on the voiage with certaine ships laden with pepper and other precious commodities but a terrible tempest met him in the midst of his course and drowned him in the sea They inhabite in Malabar where two sorts of Arabians or Moores as we may terme them haue more exceedingly increased and preuailed then in any other part of the Indies one is of strangers that arriue there by reason of the traffike of Arabia Cambaia and Persia and the other be those that dayly are borne of a 〈◊〉 father and a mother Gentile or both of father and mother Moores and these who are called Nateani and differ from the other people in person customes and habit make as it were a fourth part of the inhabitants of that countrey From Malabar they went to the Maldiue and Zeilan Here they began to take vpon them the managing of the customs and impositions of cities and townes and by making them greater then in times past they attained to the grace and fauour of the Princes and Lords together with great reputation and authority yea preeminence and superiority ouer the common people and fauouring those who embraced their sect daylie preached and diuulged by the Papassi but holding their hands heauie ouer such as shewed themselues repugnant they incredibly aduanced mahumetisme Afterwards perceiuing themselues strong and mightie both in richesse and followers they seazed on the townes and cities So that at this day they commaund a good part of the Maldiuae and the ports of the most noble iland of Zeilan except that of Columbo where the Portugals haue a fortresse By like stratagem are they become masters of the west part of 〈◊〉 within little 〈◊〉 then these two hundred yeeres first preuailing by trade and commerce then by marriage and affinitie and last of all by armes From hence going forwarde they haue taken into their hands the greatest part of the ports of that large Archipelago of the Luçones Malucos Iauas c. They are Lords of the citie of Sunda in the greater Iaua they enioy the greatest part of the Ilands of Banda and Maluco they raigne in Burneo Gilolo They came once as far as Luçon a most noble Iland and one of the Philippinas had planted therein three colonies On the other side they conquered vpon the firme land first the rich kingdome of Cambaia there established their sect as they did the like in all the places adioining from hence they went to Bengala and became Lords thereof They cut off by little and little from the crowne of Siam the state of Malaca which the Portugals holde at this day as likewise those of Ior and Pam and more then two hundred leagues along the coast Finallie they are entred into the most ample kingdome of China and haue built Moscheas in the same and if the Portugals in India and the Malucos and afterwards the Spaniards in the Philippinas had not met them on the way and with the gospell and armes interrupted their course they would at this instant haue possessed infinite kingdomes of the east yea in this they are so industrious and bould to
Patriarke who aspiring himselfe to the Patriarkship and seeing that if he followed this vnion begun with the Romaine church he could not attaine to that dignitie but by the Popes authoritie which he altogither misdoubted he first made the decree of two natures to be deferred commanding afterwards that none should subscribe thereunto and finally caused the Patriarke wholie to giue ouer this busines and to retire himselfe into the wildernes whereas he continued for certaine months Afterwards the priests vnderstanding where he was wrot vnto him a letter signifying therein what a special desire they had to see him and what domage the retiring of himselfe would procure to the sillie sheepe recommended vnto him by God if he ratified not fully those things which were decreed vpon in the laft assemblie He curteously answered making shew that he would returne when he had visited his dioces and in the meane while they should expect him at Cairo But while he thought vpon returne his owne death interrupted him The Cofti haue a law or custome that betweene the death of one Patriarke and the creation of an other there must be in a maner an whole yeeres space for so long it is requisite say they that the church should bewaile the death of her spouse Whereupon the priests not to loose so much time determined to go home into Italy to acquaint the Pope with the successe of all things and afterwards neede so requiring to returne The Cofti vnderstanding thus much writ letters to the Pope wherin they partly thanked him for the care he had of them partly lamented that their recōciliation with the Romish church was not fully confirmed and finished While the priests were about to depart on Saint Mathewes day in the morning there came a route of armed Turkes to their lodging These layde hands suddenly on two priests and another companion of theirs and on three Fryers of the order of Saint Francis lodged in the same house No man knew the reason of this hurly burly but for as much as could be learned all this grew through the enuie of a Frenchman This man aspiring to the degree of Consull or Gouernor ouer his nation which Mariani had obtayned maliciously gaue the Bassa of Cairo to vnderstād that Mariani suborned the people against the grād Signor that he had order from the K. of Spaine to leuie Christian men And that to this end he kept in his house certaine priests who practised in this behalf with Mariani for the king There was nothing that more preiudiced the priests then the Cofties letters which bred a vehement suspition in the Turkes that such an vnion might be concluded with the Roman Church as might worke some extraordinarie innouation They were therefore cast into a filthie and stinking prison The Venetian Consull assayed first by word of mouth and after by suite and supplication to asswage the furie and anger of the Bassá Howbeit he receiued such bitter and nipping answeres that he himselfe was also afraid But nothing preuaileth further with the Turkes then money For it seemeth that with this onely their sauage furie is mitigated and their fiercenes appeased Fiue thousand crownes therefore were disbursed for the priests libertie wherein the Cofti shewed themselues verie friendly the richest of them offering one after another to lend money without any interest for the same But this matter cost Mariani more then ten thousand crownes and besides that he was depriued of his degree of Consulship The priests being thus freed out of prison and obseruing how things went returned one after another backe to Rome A relation touching the state of Christian Religion in the dominions of Prete Ianni taken out of an oration of Matthew Dresserus professour of the Greeke and Latine toongs and of Histories in the Vniuersitie of Lipsia Who hauing first made a generall exordium to his auditorie proceedeth at length to the peculiar handling of the foresaid argument in manner following NOndum saith hee vni us seculi aet as exacta est c. The space of one hundred yeeres is not as yet fullie expired since the fame of the Ethiopians religion came first vnto our eares Which because it is in many points agreeable vnto Christian veritie and carrieth an honest shew of pietie therewith is to be esteemed as a matter most worthie of our knowledge Of this therefore so far forth as the short time of an oration will permit I purpose to intreate to the end it may appeare both where and what manner of Christian church that of Ethiopia is and what were the first beginnings thereof This Ethiopian not vnfitly called The southerne church is situate in Africa far south namely vnder the Torrid Zone betweene the Tropique of Cancer and the Equinoctial some part thereof also stretching beyond the Equinoctial towards the Tropique of Capricorne Two summers they haue euery yeere yea in a manner one continual summer so that at the very same time in some fields they sowe and in others they reape Somewhere also they haue euery moneth ripe some kinde of earthlie fruits or other especiallie pulse The people are skorched with the heate of the sun and they are black and go naked saue onely that some couer their priuities with cloth of cotton or of silke The countrie is very great and containeth well nie twentie kingdomes so that it is almost as large as Europe or as all Christendome in these parts At the beginning indeed it had not aboue two kingdomes but in processe of time it was mightily enlarged by the conquest of countries adiacent For it is enuironed on all sides by vnbeleeuing gentiles and 〈◊〉 who are most deadlie enimies to the Christian religion with whome the emperour of Ethiopia is at continuall wars endeuouring by all possible meanes to reclaime them from their heathenish Idolatry to the faith of Iesus Christ. It is reported that certaine bordering Mores beare such implacable hatred against these Christians that none of them may 〈◊〉 before he bringeth testimony that he hath slaine twelue of 〈◊〉 The 〈◊〉 of Ethiopia is not called as some imagine 〈◊〉 or priest but Pretious Iohn For in the Ethiopian toung he is termed Belul Gian and in the Chaldean Encoe Gian both which additions signifie pretious or high so that in a maner he commeth neer vnto the titles of our princes who are called Illustres Excelsi Serenissimi c. to signifie that they are exalted and aduanced aboue other people And this is a common name to all the christian kings of Ethiopia as Pharao was to the Egyptian kings and Augustus to the Roman emperours Neither is this Pretious Iohn a priest by profession but a ciuil magistrate nor is he armed so much with religion and lawes as with military forces Howbeit he calleth himselfe The piller of faith because he is the maintainer of the Christian faith not onely enioining his owne subiects to the obseruation thereof but what in him lyeth enforcing his enemies
the emperour let Gonsaluo to vnderstand that he and his mother were resolued to become Christians and that therefore he should come to baptize them But he to instruct them better in the faith deferred it off for some daies Finally fiue and twentie daies after his arriuall with vnspeakeable 〈◊〉 and preparation he gaue the water of baptisme to the king and to his mother He was called Sebastian and shee Maria. And presently after about three hundred of the principall in this emperours court were baptized Gonsaluo for his wonderfull abstinence charity wisedome and for many other his singular vertues was so reuerenced and esteemed by those people as if he had come downe from heauen among them Now as matters proceeded thus prosperously and with so desireable successe behold an horrible tempest arose which drowned the ship There were in the court fower Mahumetans most deere vnto the king These men finding out some occasion suggested vnto him that Gonsaluo was a Magioian who by witchcraftes and 〈◊〉 could turne kingdomes topsie turuie and that he was come to prie into his estate and to stir vp his people to rebellion and so by this meanes to bring his kingdome vnder subiection to the Portugals With these and such like suggestions they brought the king who was but a young man to determine the death of Gonsaluo The effect whereof was that after long praier reposing himselfe a little he was by eight of the kings seruants slaine and his body throwne into the riuer Mensigine Neere vnto the same place were with like violence put to death fiftie new-conuerted Christians This rage and furie being ouer the king was aduertised by the Principall of his kingdome and then by the Portugals of the excesse and outrage he had therein committed He excused himselfe the best he could causing those Mahumetans to be slaine who had seduced him and he sought out some others also who lay hid to put them to death Whereupon it seemed that by the death of father Gonsaluo the conuersion of this great king and of his empire should haue bin furthered and no whit hindered if the Portugals would rather haue preuailed by the word of God then by force of armes The which I say bicause insteed of sending new preachers into those countries to preserue that which was alreadie gotten and to make new conuersions they resolued to reuenge themselues by warre There departed therefore out of Portugall a good fleete with a great number of noble Portugals therein conducted by Francisco Barretto At the fame of this warre mooued against him the Monomotapa full of feare sent to demaund peace of Barretto But he aspiring to the infinite mines of gold in that kingdome contemned all conditions offered him The effect of this enterprise was that this armie which was so terrible to a mightie Monarke was in fewe daies consumed by the intemperature of the aire which is there insupportable to the people of Europe Of the fortresses and colonies maintained by the Spaniards and Portugals vpon the maine of Africa by meanes whereof the Christian religion hath there some small footing VVhich albeit in other respects they haue beene mentioned before yet heere also in this one regard it seemeth not from our purpose briefely to remember them TO the propagation of Christianity those fortresses colonies woonderfully helpe which the Castilians but much more the Portugals haue planted on the coast of Africa For they serue very fitly either to conuert infidels vpon diuers occasions or by getting an habite of their languages and customes to make a more easie way to their conuersion For those who are not sufficient to preach serue for interpreters to the preachers And thus God hath oftentimes beene well serued and with excellent fruit and effect by the indeuour of some soldiers On the coast of Africa vpon the Mediterran sea the Spaniards haue Oran Mersalchibir Melilla c. and the Portugals Tanger and çeuta and without the streights of Gibraltar Arzilla and Mazagan and in Ethiopia Saint George de la mina They haue also a setled habitation in the citie of Saint Saluador the Metropolitan of the kingdome of Congo and in Cumbiba a countrie of Angola Beyond the cape de Buena esperança they hold the fortresses and colonies of Sena Cefala and Mozambiche Heere besides their secular clergie is a conuent of Dominicans who indeuour themselues to instruct the Portugals and the Pagans also which there inhabite and do trafficke thither Of the Islands of the Atlanticke Ocean where the Spaniards and Portugals haue planted religion THe Christian name is also augmented and doth still increase in the Atlantick Ocean by meanes of the colonies conducted thither partly by the Spaniards and partly by the Portugals The Spaniards vndertooke the enterprize of the Canaries in the yeere of our Lord 1405. vsing therein the assistance of Iohn Betancort a French gentleman who subdued Lançarota Fuerteuentura They were taken againe certaine yeeres after and were first subdued by force of armes afterwards by the establishment of religion so that at this present all the inhabitants are Christians Also the Portugals haue assaied to inhabite certaine other islands of that Ocean especially Madera which was discouered in the yeere 1420. This at the first was all ouer a thicke and mightie wood but now it is one of the best manured islands that is knowne There is in the same the citie of Funcial being the seate of a bishop Puerto santo which is fortie miles distant from Madera was found out in the yeere 1428. and this also began presently to be inhabited The isles of Arguin being sixe or seauen and all but little ones came to the knowledge of the Portugals in the yeere 1443. Heere the king hath a fortresse for the traffike of those countries The islands of Cabo Verde were discouered in the yeere 1440. by Antonio di Nolli a Genoway or as others affirme in the yeere 1455. by Aloizius Cadamosto These be nine in number the principall of them is Sant Iago being seuentie miles in length where the Portugals haue a towne situate vpon a most pleasant riuer called Ribera grande which consisteth at 〈◊〉 least of fiue hundred families The isle of Saint Thomas being somewhat greater then Madera was the last island discouered by the Portugals before they doubled the cape De buena Esperança They haue heere a colonie called Pouasaon with a bishop who is also the bishop of Congo and it conteineth seuen hundred families Vnder the gouernment of Saint Thomas are the neighbour islands of Fernando Pó and that del Principe which are as it were boroughs belonging to the same The island Loanda though it be vnder the king of Congo yet is a great part thereof inhabited by the Portugals For heere is the famous port of Mazagan whither the ships of Portugall and Brasile do resort Heere the fleetes are harboured and the soldiers refreshed and heere they haue their hospitall As also heere the Portugall
priests who indeuour the conuersion of the naturall inhabitants haue a place of residence Of the Negros MOst of the Islands inhabited by the Portugals especially those of Saint Thomas and Madera besides the Portugals themselues containe a great multitude of Negro-slaues brought thither out of Congo and Angola who till the earth water the sugar-canes and serue both in the cities and in the countrie These are for the most part gentiles but they are daily conuerted rather through continual conuersation then any other helpe that they haue and it is a matter likelie that in processe of some few yeeres they will all become Christians There is no greater hinderance to their conuersion then the auarice of their masters who to hold them in the more subiection are not willing that they should become Christians Of those poore distressed European Christians in Africa who are holden as slaues vnto the Turkes and Mores BVt the best and most sincere christianity in all Africa is that of those poore christians who are fettered by the feet with chaines being slaues to the Arabians Turkes For besides them that haue remained there euer since the daies of Barbarossa and other Turkish captaines which were brought into the mediterran seas by the French as also since the great losse at Gerbi and the battell of Alcazar wherein Don Sebastian the king of Portugal was ouerthrowne there passeth not a yeere but the rouers and pirates of those parts without graunting any league or respite to the Northren shore of the Mediterran sea take great numbers of Christians from off the coasts of Spaine Sardinia Corsica Sicilia yea euen from the very mouth of Tyber It is generallie thought that the number of slaues which are in Alger amount to eighteene thousand In Tunis Bona and Biserta there are great multitudes but many more in Fez and Maroco as likewise in Mequenez and Tarodant and in diuers other cities of those kingdomes The estate surely of these distressed people is most woorthie of compassion not so much for the miserie wherein they lead their liues as for the danger whereto their soules are subiect They passe the day in continuall trauaile and the greatest part of the night without repose or quiet vnder insupportable burdens and cruell stripes Beasts among vs labour not more nor are more slauishly intreated Yea albeit vnder those brutish Barbarians they endure all that toile which beasts do heere with vs yet are they neither so well fed nor so carefully looked vnto as our beasts commonly are They weare out the whole day in the sunne raine and winde in continuall labour sometimes carrying burdens sometimes digging or ploughing the fields and otherwhiles in turning of hand-milles feeding of beasts or in performance of other labours being bound to bring in so much euery day to their masters and they themselues to liue of the rest which many times is nothing at 〈◊〉 or if it were possible lesse then nothing They haue alwaies the chaine at their neckes and feete being naked 〈◊〉 and sommer and therefore are sometimes scorched with heate and otherwhiles frozen with cold They must not faile in any iotte of their duties and yet though they do not it can not be expressed with what cruelties they are tormented They vse for the chastizing torture of their bodies chaines of iron dried sinewes of oxen but-hoops steeped in water boiling oile melted tallow scalding hot lard The houses of those Barbarians resound againe with the blowes that are giuen these miserable men on the feete and bellie and the prisons are filled with hideous lamentations and yellings Their companions haire at this noise standes an end and their very blood freezeth within them by considering how neere themselues are to the like outrages They passe the nights in prisons or in some caues of the earth being hampered and yoaked together like brute beasts Heere the vapor and dampe choaketh them and the vncleannes and filth of their lodging consumeth them as rust doth iron euen aliue But though the labours of their bodies be so grieuous yet those of their minds are much more intolerable for besides that they want such as might feed them with the word of God with the sacramentes and might teach them how to liue and die well so as they remaine like plants without moisture it can not be expressed with whatforcible temptations their faith is continuallie assailed For not onelie the desire to come foorth of these vnspeakeable miseries doth tempt them but the commodities and delights also wherein they see others to liue that haue damnablie renounced their Christianity The persecutors of the primitiue church to induce the Martyrs to denie Christ and to sacrifice to their idols tried them first with torments and then with ease and delights which they propounded vnto them if they would become as themselues For to those who in the middest of winter were throwne into frozen lakes there were cōtrariwise appointed soft and delicate beds with a fier kindled hard by and a thousand other restoratiues and comforts to the end they might be doublie tempted both by the rigor of the cold which benummed them and by the sweetnes of thinges comfortable and nourishing which allured them The Christian slaues are at this day no lesse tormented for on the one side they are afflicted with beggerie nakednes hunger famine blowes reproches and tortures without any hope in a manner euer to come out thereof and on the other side they see them that haue reneged our holy faith for Mahumets superstition to liue in all worldly prosperitie and delight to abound with wealth to flourish in honour to gouerne cities to conduct armies and to enioy most ample libertie But amidst all these so great miseries they haue a double comfort The one is of priests who togither with themselues were taken captiue These men sometimes administring the sacraments other whiles deliuering the word of God in the best manner that they can are some helpe and assistance to others being for this greatly 〈◊〉 and respected amongst them The other is of the religious in generall who contend and labour for their freedome Wherein Spaine deserueth most high commendation For there be two most honorable orders whose exercise it is to mooue and sollicite for the freedome of captiues The one is called La orden de la merced and it flourisheth most in Aragon and the other which is farre greater is named Del Resgate or of raunsome or redemption the which although it largely extendeth ouer all France yet at this day aboue all other places it is most rife in Castilia From whence some of them haue gone into Sicilie to the kingdome of Naples and to Rome and haue there begun to lay foundations of their conuents These two religious orders gather euery yeere mightie summes of money wherewith they make speedie redemption of the forsaid captiues They send their Agents to Fez and to Alger who managing this affaire with no lesse diligence then loialtie
camels backs At this towne of Suez they haue no fresh water but all their water is brought them from a place sixe miles distant vpon camels backs being notwithstanding brackish and bitter The western shore of the Red sea is inhabited with people called in old time Troglodytae which at this present do all of them yeelde obedience to the great Turke who considering that the fleets of the Portugales entered very often into the Red sea and were there receiued by the subiects of Prete Gianni and did him great domage hath thereupon taken occasion not onely to conquer the Troglodytae but also to wast and subdue a great part of Barnagasso the most Northerlie prouince of the said Prete So that the audacious attempts of the Portugales in those partes haue bred two most dangerous and bad effects the one is that the Arabians haue most strongly fortified all their sea-townes which before lay naked and without fortification the other for that the Turke also hath bin occasioned thereby to make warre against the Prete Wherefore they ought not to haue vndertaken any such enterprise but with full resolution and sufficient forces to accomplish the same for lesser attempts serue to no other end but onely to rouze and arme the enimie which was before secure and quiet Neither is it heere to be omitted that in the foresaide sea a man can saile in no ships nor barks but only those of the great Turke or at least with his licence paying vnto him for tribute a good part of the fraight For this purpose he hath certaine Magazines or store-houses of timber which is brought partly from the gulfe of Satalia and partly from Nicomedia and other places vpon the Euxin sea vnto Rosetto and Alexandria from whence it is afterward transported to Cairo and thence to Suez This sea is called the Red sea not in regard that the waters thereofbe all red but as some thinke from certaine red rushes which growe vpon the shore and as others are of opinion from a kinde of red earth which in sundry places it hath at the bottome which earth dieth not the very substance of the water red but by transparence causeth it especially neere the shore to appeere of that colour Africa Troglodytica THat sandie barren and desert part of Africa which lieth betweene Nilus and the Red sea especially to the south of the tropike was in old times inhabited by the Troglodytae a people so called bicause of their dwelling in caues vnder the ground Along this westerne coast of the Red sea runneth a ridge of mountaines which being an occasion that the inland riuers can not fall into the saide sea they are forced to discharge themselues into Nilus The foresaide mountaines and sea coast are now inhabited by Mahumetans being partly Arabians and partly Turkes which not many yeeres ago haue attempted to saile that sea and to inuade the regions adioining The naturall inhabitants are a rude barbarous people and very poore and beggerly The chiefe places of habitation are Corondol a speciall good porte Alcosser a place well knowne bicause that neere vnto it the saide mountaines open themselues and giue passage to the bringing in of the fruits and commodities of Abassia Suachen esteemed one of the principall ports in all the streights and being made by an island Here resideth the Bassa of the great Turke which is called the gouernour of Abassia with three thousand soldiers or thereabout Next followeth Ercoco the onely hauen towne of the Prete lying ouer against the little isle of Mazua and heere the mountaines make an other opening or passage for transporting of victuals out of the lande of the saide Prete Ianni From hence almost to the very entrance of the Red sea the coast is at this present vninhabited forlorne and desert Likewise from Suachen to Mazua is a continuall woode the trees whereof are but of small woorth Iust within the saide entrance standeth the towne and port of Vela vnder the iurisdiction of the king of Dancali a Moore Vpon all this west shore of the Red sea as likewise vpon the contrary east shore scarcitie of water is the cause why there are so fewe and so small places of habitation and the people runne and flocke togither where they may finde any pit or fountaine of water Some curious reader might here expect because I haue nowe passed so neere the frontiers of Egypt that I should make an exact description of that most famous and fruitefull prouince and likewise of the great city of Alcair and of the inundation and decrease of Nilus all which because they are expressed in most orient liuelie colours by our author Iohn Leo I should shew my selfe both iniurious to him and tedious to all iudiciall readers in anticipating and forestalling that before the beginning of his booke which he so neere the end doth in such large and particular wise intreate of Now therefore let vs proceed to the vpper or inner Ethiopia beginning with the first and most northerly prouince thereof called Nubia Nubia PAssing therefore westward from the Island of Siene you enter into the prouince of Nubia bordering on the west vpon Gaoga eastward vpon the riuer Nilus towards the North vpon Egypt and southward vpon the desert of Goran The inhabitants thereof called by Strabo 〈◊〉 liue at this present as Francisco Aluarez reporteth a most miserable and wretched kinde of life for hauing lost the sinceritie and light of the gospel they do embrace infinite corruptions of the Iewish and Mahumetan religions At the same time when the foresaid Aluarez was in Abassia there came certaine messengers out of Nubia to make suit vnto the Prete that he would send them priests and such persons as might preach and administer the sacraments vnto them But he returned answere that he coulde not in regard of the scarcitie of great cler-giemen in his dominions The said messengers reported that the Nubians had sent often to Rome for a bishop but being afterward by the inuasions of the Moores and the calamitie of warre cut short of that assistance they fell for want of teachers and ministers into extreme ignorance of Christian religion and by little and little were infected with the impious and abominable sects of the Iewes and Mahumetans Some Portugals trauailing to those parts sawe many churches destroied by the handes of the Arabians and in some places the pictures of saints painted vpon the wals They are gouerned by women and call their Queene Gaua Their principall citie called Dangala and consisting of about ten thousand housholds is a place of great traffike bicause it is so neere vnto Egypt and the riuer Nilus All their other habitations are villages and base cottages Their houses are built of claie and couered with strawe The chiefe commodities of this region are rice stone-sugar sanders iuorie for they take many elephants as likewise abundance of ciuet and golde in great plentie The countrey is for the most part sandie howbeit there
legions of soldiers which this emperour for the defence of his great estate is forced to maintaine his Amazones or women warriers before mentionied are the most valiant being indeed the very sinewes and chiefe strength of all his militarie forces These women after the manner of the ancient Scythish or Asiatike Amazones so much spoken of in histories of former times seare off their left paps that they might not be an hinderance vnto them in their shooting They are most expert in warlike stratagems and swift of foote Their weapons are bowes and arrowes At certaine times for generations sake they accompany with men sending the male children home to their fathers but keeping their daughters vnto themselues They inhabite towards the west not farre from the beginning of Nilus in certaine places which themselues make choise of and which are graunted vnto them by the fauour of the Emperour This empire of Monomotapa comprehendeth not onely the foresaid great island but stretcheth it selfe farther also toward the cape of Buena esperanca as farre as the kingdomes of Butua or Toroa which being gouerned by particular lords do acknowledge Monomotapa for their soueraigne Throughout all this emperours dominions is found infinite quantitie of gold in the earth in the rockes and in the riuers The gold-mines of this countrey neerest vnto Sofala are those of Manica vpon a plaine enuironed with mountaines and those also in the prouince of Matuca which is inhabited by the people called Battonghi and situate betweene the Equinoctiall line and the Tropique of Capricorne These mines are distant from Sofala betweene the space of 300. and sixe hundred miles but those of the prouinces of Boro and Quiticui are fifteene hundred miles distant towards the west Others there are also in the kingdomes of Toroa or Butua so that from hence or from Sofala or from some other part of Monomotapa some are of opinion that Salomons gold for the adorning of the temple at Ierusalem was brought by sea A thing in truth not very vnlikely for here in Toroa and in diuers places of Monomotapa are till this day remaining manie huge and ancient buildings of timber lime and stone being of singular workemanship the like whereof are not to be found in all the prouinces there abouts Heere is also a mightie wall of fiue and twentie spannes thicke which the people asoribe to the workemanship of the diuell being accounted from Sofala fiue hundred and ten miles the neerest way All other houses throughout this empire as is aforesaid consist of timber claie and thatch And heere I may boldly affirme that the ancient buildings of this part of Africa along the coast of the east Indies may not onely be compared but euen preferred before the buildings of Europe The authors of which ancient monuments are vnknowen but the later African buildings haue beene erected by the Arabians In the time of Sebastian king of Portugale the emperour of Monomotapa and many of his nobles were baptized howbeit afterward being seduced by certaine Moores hee put Gonsaluo Silua to death who conuerted him to the Christian religion Whereupon Sebastian king of Portugall sent against him an armie of sixteene thousand consisting for the most part of gentlemen and men of qualitie vnder the conduct of Francisco Barretto The Monomotapa being afraid of the Portugall forces offered Barretto as good and acceptable conditions of peace as might be desired but he not contented with reason was quite ouerthrowne not by his enimies but by the vnholesome aire of Ethiopia and by the manifold diseases which consumed his people Cafraria the fift generall part of the lower Ethiopia CAfraria or the land of the Cafri we esteeme to be both the coasts and inlands of the extreame southerly point of Africa beginning from the riuer Magnice and thence extending by Cabo da pescaria Terra do Natal Bahia da lagoa Bahia fermosa about the cape of Buena esperança by the bay called Agoada Saldanha and thence Northward along the westerne coast of Africa as far as Cabo Negro or the blacke cape which is situate verie neere vnto eighteene degrees of Southerly latitude The saide Cape of Buena esperança is deuided into three smaller headlands or capes The westermost being called Cabo de buena esperança or The cape of good hope after the name of the whole promontorie and being cut from the rest of the firme land The middlemost is named Cabo falso because the Portugales in their voiage homewards from the east Indies haue sometimes mistaken this for the true cape beforementioned betweene which two capes runneth into the sea a mightie riuer called by the Portugales Rio dolce where their caraks often take in fresh water and by the naturall inhabitants Camissa which springeth out of a small lake called Gale situate among The mountaines of the moon so much celebrated by ancient geographers The third and eastermost cape stretching farthest into the sea is called Cabo das Agulhas or the cape of Needles because there the needles of dialles touched with the loadstone stand directly North without any variation either to the east or to the west betweene this cape and the foresaid westermost cape which ly forth into the sea like two hornes is the bredth of this mightie promontorie containing about fiue and twentie leagues the length whereof from the riuer of Fernando Poo where it beginneth to iuttie forth into the sea along the westerne coast southward to the cape das Agulhas amounteth to two thousand two hundred Italian miles and from Cabo das Agulhas along the easterne shore northward to Cape Guardafu are three thousand three hundred of the same miles This cape at the first discouerie thereof was called by Nauigators The Lyon of the sea Cabo tormentoso or The tēpestuous cape not so much as I take it for the dangerous and stormie seas more about this cape then any other but partly in regard of the chargeable dangerous and long trauels of the Portugals before they could attaine vnto it and partly bicause of the great compasse which in their voiages outward they are constrained to fetch for the doubling thereof and partly also in regard of some tempestuous and stormie weather wherewith they haue beene encountered at this Cape which notwithstanding at certaine times is an ordinarie matter vpon all shores and promontories ouer the face of the whole earth And albeit some will not come within sight of this cape but keepe a great distance off for feare of the dangerous seas beating thereupon as namely Francis de Almeida who sailed aboue an hundred leagues to the south in fortie degrees of latitude Pedro de Agnaia in fortie fiue and Vasco Carualho in fortie seuen where in the moneth of Iuly eight of his men died for cold yet we finde by the late and moderne experience of sir Francis Drake master Candish master Lancaster in his returne from the east Indies and of the Hollanders in their nauigations thither begun in the yeere