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A35762 A discription of Tangier, the country and people adjoyning with an account of the person and government of Gayland, the present usurper of the kingdome of Fez, and a short narrative of the proceedings of the English in those parts : whereunto is added, the copy of a letter from the King of Fez to the King of England, for assistance against his rebellious subjects, and another from Grayland to His Sacred Majesty Charles the Second : with divers letters and passages worthy of note / translated from the Spanish into English, and published by authority. Charles I, King of England, 1600-1649.; Charles II, King of England, 1630-1685.; Ghaylān, Aḥmad al-Khāḍir ibn ʻAlī, d. 1673.; Teviot, Andrew Rutherford, Earl of, d. 1664. 1664 (1664) Wing D1151; ESTC R12756 46,144 89

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their Complexion which is Tawny and inclining to black or their Condition as who are bafe in their Original and not very honourable in their present state Morocco hath on the East of it Maloa on the VVest from Tremison the Atlantick Ocean on the South Atlas and on the North Fez. It hath its chief denomination from the chief City of it Morocco it hath large Cities well inhabited as well fortified whereof one contained Anno 1659 when there went out an Enrolment from the Xeriff or chief Governour to Tax every Family by the Poll 150000 Families 486 Mosches or Churches on the Tower of the chiefest whereof or the Mother-Church as they call it there was a Globe that weighed 800 pound in Gold and was valued at 1300000 Duckats The Country is like Ireland rich and fertile and wants onely skilful and laborious inhabitants that may improve it to that rich advantage it is capable of that Country coming up as all Travellers aver to our Saviours proportion of increase some times and places thirty fold some fifty some sixty and some and hundred The Air is much after the temper of England but that there is a South-wind that ever and anon blows and brings along with it an extraordinary and a very hurtful heat like that at Scanderoon did not an Eastern blast bring with it four times a year viz. about the middle of July the latter end of August the beginning of March and most part of May as extraordinary cold that balanceth the former excess to a temper exceeding pleasant and healthful insomuch as it was observed by Mr. Tevillian that traveiled Morocco anno 1633. when King Charles the first of glorious memory upon the humble Request of the King of Fez sent 15 ships to assist him in the Conquest of the Pyrates of Sala who were too hard for him and to his great grief poor man infested all Europe and Asia that were concerned in the Eastern Trade that never any English VVelch or Scotch that were cast upon those coasts died before they were an hundred years old nor any French or Irish that lived there a twelve-month for some years together until Art helped Nature and they understanding the temperature of the Climate and their own constitution were taught those Rules and Prescriptions that corrected the first and assisted the second Of the eleven Mountains of Barbary four are fallen to the share of this part of it 1. Thanebes 2. Gous 3. Phocra 4. Usaletto from which spring up those pleasant and wholesome streams that run like so many Veins of Blood turning and winding through this uneven Ground dispensing their Refreshments and Verdure on all sides with equal kindness to Men to Beasts to the Grass and Corn. But Morocco and Fez are as it were all one as well in the state and condition of the Countrey as in the Government Come we then at last to Fez wherein lieth Tangier the place we have in our Eye Fez hath on the South of it Morocco which is no other then the other half of it on the North the Mediterranean on the East Malon and Tremeson on the West the Atlantick It is thought by that excellent Surveyor Maurus to be as big as Toledo that is almost twice as big as England and something over The Ground is very uneven and unequal no Hills higher then its Mountains no Wilderness wider and looser then its Deserts no Parks more woody than its Forrests no Valleys more Pleasant and Profitable than its Champaigns which what they want in length and breadth they gain in depth as if Nature had heaped one Acre upon two in the matchless fertility thereof Our Age barren of Belief affords not Faith so easily to the Story as this Land afforded Food to their ten hundred thousand men Anno 1569 when an hundred thousand fell at the famous Battel before Tangier The Soil of the Countrey of Armagh in Ireland is so rank of it self that if any compost or artificial improvement be added unto it it turns barren saith my ingenious Author out of fullenness and indignation that men should suspect the native fruitfulness thereof and Fat upon Fat is false Heraldry in Husbandry An English man once dunged two Acres of this Countrey towards Gosel and it 's barren to this day and called by the Inhabitants in the Punick Erapi vosci Dos Gods curse upon Europe Ships when sailing are generally conceived to have one moyety of them invisible under Water and some Countreys in like manner are counted to have their Wealth equally within the Earth and without it But the proportion holds not exactly in Fez whose visible Wealth far transcendeth her concealed Substance And yet we finde some Minerals therein of considerable use and value As 1. Brass and Iron so plentifully that though they have not the Blessing of Asher Thy shooes shall be iron and brass yet have they so competent a store of it that she is no Gentlewoman there that hath not her twenty great Iron Rings about her 2. Salt without which no Meat is savoury to Man no Sacrifice acceptable to God Abimelech sowed Sechem and Abdamelech Gasel with Salt There are two sorts of Salt 1. Fossilis digged 2. Coctilis boyled both here plentifully the first about Hea the last about Heahem and in Lakes near Fez where they set no Salt on their Tables but every one takes a little in his hand 3. Glass whereof the best in the World saith the great Historian of Nature is found on the River Belus and the next to that saith Solinus in Hevalous or as they call it now Hebal 4. Marble the great Ornament of their Cities and Temples 5. Precious Stones in abundance no doubt near Arzilla as we may guess by those few found there by chance by Vasquez in his second Expedition 6. Curious medicinal Waters arising from the sulphurious spring of Mount Anaba 7. For Gold and Silver though to avoid the Invasions of other Nations they say with St. Peter Silver and Gold have I none yet no doubt if the European Industry possessed the place of the Affrican sloth it would finde the Indies in its way thither for Fez the chief City of this Region hath its name from that Gold that is supposed to lie a breeding in the very Bowels of it But the upper fruitfulness of the Soyl makes them the more negligent in digging into the bowels thereof as those need not play beneath board who have all the Game in their own hands For this Countrey hath plenty 1. Of Oyl-Olive so called to difference it from Seed or Train-Oyl hereof there are three kindes or rather degrees whereof 1. the coursest makes lamps which they burn in their Mosques Temples and great Palaces Day and Night 2. A middle sort for fineness used for Meat or rather Sallad with their cold Herbs and colder Pap 3. The finest compounded with Spices for Ointment for Kings Priests and Ladies at their more solemn occasions of Pomp and State of
mince as they go how they paint their eyes and eye-brows and gild their nails Thus are they attired a man would now know how they are disposed Very idle I told you they are and what usually follows upon that very quarrelsome nothing more usual among them then deadly feuds 1000 against ●000 one Tribe as it were against another which nothing can compose but a forreign Enemy against whom their very hatred unites them more effectually then their love could do among themselves Yet I must say this for them Though they are the worst Enemies yet they are very good Friends i. e. very civil for let a stranger travel amongst them and come into town they will throw Dice who shall entertain him If the Pilgrim saith be will to his Inne thither they flock to him with their gifts and their presents if he is not provided then say they This mans house is yours Their reason for it they will give you Abraham entertained strangers and thereby angels unawares we are so journers as all our fathers were You would ask What is their Religion what is their Language I answer For their Religion in the uttermost parts of it it 's Heathenish and all that we ever observed them do was crossing their foreheads kissing their hands bowing their heads to the Sun and once a year offering a Kid once a month meeting at their Groves for these Heathens think it not fit to circumscribe any thing that hath the name of a god within any compass but that Heaven they say he dwells in But most of them are Turks and though that Countrey hath been most famous of old for the Studies of Mathematicks and Philosophy those great Philosophers Avicenna Averroes those ingenious Poets Terrence Apuleias those holy Fathers Cyprian Tertullian Lactantius Victor Fulgentius and as famous for the excellent Library in Fez wherein there were 4000 Volumes of History 2000 of Philosophy 3000 of Astronomy Geography and other Mathematicks that were more worth then all the Libraries in the world which that Tyrant made up of ignorance and fury Maleche Shegge destroyed all but two Books whereof the one was an ancient Book of the Mysteries of Mahomets Religion and Government and the other the State of Europe yet now is it but the seat of Barbarism and the habitation of gross ignorance in every thing but as you may read more anon in Mechanicks The Bishop of Dunkelden thanked God he knew not a Letter either in the Old Testament or the New but that he had his Proless and Ladies Psalter by heart The very Priest here pretendeth to no more skill then so much Chyrurgery as may serve him to circumcise a Childe and so much Divinity as may serve him to read his Alcoran or Testament It was dangerous to understand Greek and Heresie to profess Hebrew in this Land some two hundred years ago it may cost a man his life there to be wise above the age for that they call conjuring against the King But Cities are the Maps of Countries and Metropolis of Kingdomes as therefore he who would look into the nature of England had best take a Survey of London so he that would be satisfied about this Kingdome needs no more but look into Fez and Tituan whose Descriptions follow Of the Cities FEZ and TITUAN Of the Innes and Mills of Fez. THe Innes of this City are three stories high and contain an hundred and twenty or more Chambers a piece and are almost unparallelled for greatness of Buildings Herein also are Mills in four hundred places at least every Mill standeth in a large Room upon some strong Pillar or Post like unto our Horse-Mills A Description of the Occupations the Shops and the Market EAch Trade and Occupation hath a peculiar place allotted thereto the principal whereof are next unto the great Temple Then follow the Butchers Shambles next the Course-cloath-market afterwards the Shops of them that scowre Armours next unto them the Fishmongers then follow them that make hard Reed-Coops and Cages for Fowles Then the Shops of them that sell liquid Sope the Shops of them that sell Meal albeit they are diversly dispersed throughout the whole City Next are Seed-grain-sellers next to them are the ten Shops that sell straw then the Markers where thred and hemp use to be sold Next to the smoaky Place in the West part which stretcheth from the Temple to that Gate that leadeth unto Mecnase their habitations directly stand that make Leather-tankards to draw water out of Wells Unto these adjoyn such as make Wicker Vessels next to them are the Taylors shops then the Leather-shield-makers then the twenty shops of the Laundresses or Washers Next unto them are those that make trees for Sadles who dwell likewise in great number Eastward right in the way by the Colledge founded by King Abuhinam Next unto them are those that work Stirrops Spurs and Bridles From thence you may go into the streets of Sadlers then follow the long shops of them that make Pikes and Launces all the which shops begin at the great Temple Next standeth a Rock or Mound having two Walks thereupon the one whereof leadeth to the East-gate and the other to one of the Kings Palaces The Station or Burse of Merchants THis Burse being walled round about hath twelve Gates and before every Gate an Iron Chain which Burse is divided into twelve several Wards or Parts two whereof are allotted unto such shooe-makers as make shooes onely for Noblemen and Gentlemen two also to Silk-merchants or Haberdashers that sell Ribbons Garters Scarffs and such other like Ornaments Then follow those that make Womens Girdles of course VVool. Next unto these are such as sell VVoollen and Linen-cloth brought out of Europe Then may you come to them that sell Mats Matresses Cushions and other things made of Leather Next adjoyneth the Customers Office Next of all dwell the Taylors then the Linen-Drapers who are accounted the richest Merchants in all Fez. Next are VVoollen Garments to be sold Last of all is that place where they sell wrought shirts towels and other embroydered works as also where Carpets Beds and Blankets are to be sold The aforesaid Burse or Station of Merchants was in times past called Caesaria according to the Name of that renowned Conquerour Julius Caesar the reason whereof some affirm to be because all the Cities of Barbary in those days were first subject to the Romans and then to the Goths Next unto the said Burse on the North-side in a straight Lane stand an hundred and fifty Grocers and Apothecaries shops which are fortified on both sides with strong Gates The Physitians houses adjoyn for the most part unto the Apothecaries Then the Artificers that make Combs of Box and other Wood. Eastward of the Apothecaries dwell the Needle-makers Then follow those that turn Ivory Unto them adjoyn such as sell Meal Sope and Brooms whereof some are dispersed in other places of the City Amongst the Cotten-Merchants are certain that sell
Piety and Devotion and of Pleasure and Entertainment Three Carrects of Oyl was one of the designed Presents to the Renowned King CHARLES the First 1634 by Abdalla that were lost in the Mediterranean where Oyl it self sunk 2. Honey This is their Sugar as Salt is their Pepper whence it was called by the Ancients Terra Melliflua the Canaanites here for you shall hear anon how they fled hither from the face of Joshua as well as in their own Countrey enjoying a Land that flowed with Honey the Gentile part whereof use Honey after the Persian manner in their Sacrifices which Grotius saith is the reason why Honey was forbidden in the Jewish Oblations And to this Honey belongeth Wax wherewith they dress their Leather the best here if you will believe Valtolin that famous Shooe-Maker and Traveller whose Shooes were surely made of running Leather 3. Fruits The biggest and most plentiful that ever I read of As 1. Dates whereof there is this tradition amongst them That a Date-Tree over-shadowed an Olive-Tree and that Olive-Tree a Fig-Tree and that Fig-Tree a Pomegranate and that Pomegranate a Vine 2. Almonds 3. Nuts 4. Figs. 5. Pomegranates 6. Pears 7. Spices 8. Cherries 9. Plums and Apples Of which they made their most considerable Presents whereof good store were sent at several times to the Earles of Peterburrough and Tiveot from that excellent Rebel Gayland who wants nothing of a compleat man as Cromwel did not but that he hath not common Honesty 4. Barley It was the Humility of Christ it is the necessity of the Fezians to eat Barley-Loaves 5. Vines so good that notwithstanding the strict Laws of Mahomet to which they are most subject the inhabitants cannot but request their King to allow and the King cannot but grant them a liberty to drink Wine especially at Ezhaggen some fifteen Leagues off of Tangier where it 's a part of the City-Charter That they may drinke VVine on Mundays Tuesdays Thursdays and Sundays Yet as great as good so that what is prophesied of Judah may be true here That they may binde their foals to the Vine and their asses colts to the choice Vine though Vines with us are tied to other Trees for their support and that a Grape there in many places is as big as a Plum with us 6. Wood so that round Tangier the Countrey seemed formerly a continued Grove of sweet Firs shady Palms strong Oaks close Cypress c. and where Trees are wanting there Grass and Ferns look like thick Coppices so high that a whole Army may be lodged Horse and Foot in a field and not discerned as they did to our sorrow in the late action on the third of May 1664. These are their Vegetables Their Beasts are 1. Goats whose flesh is good Meat as their skins make good Leather and their Fleeces good Chamlets 2. Their Diet is so plain that they have very few Cattle for meat but many for shew and service as 1. Lyons so tame that they will gather stones up and down the streets in Fez and hurt none and his Highness Prince Rupert hath one of my Lord Rutherford's bestowing that will lie upon his Bed as quietly as any Lamb. 2. Elephants 3. Dragons 4. Leopards 5. Horses the handsomest the strongest and swiftest in the World A Barbary Horse is a Proverb I had almost forgot that Balm or Balsome whereof the first Plants Josephus saith Antiq. l. 8. the Queen of Sheba brought from this place to Judea This Balsome is two-fold 1. Xylo-Balsamum the Parent being the shrub out of which it proceeded 2. Opo-Balsamum being the Daughter which trickled like tears from the former Useful 1. for the Healthful making a most odoriferous and pleasant perfume 2. For the Sick being soveraign and medicinal 3. For the Dead being an admirable preservative against corruption To Balm I adde what is more necessary as well as more common I mean Water They think we Northern People are drowned with a Dropsie and we suspect they of the South are on fire with a Feavour This is a Land like Judea as it is described Deut. 8. 7. A land of brooks of waters of fountains and depths that spring out of valleys and hills 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Strabo A well-watered Countrey Object But you will say Our Englishmen talk of Mountains and Hills Answ Such fruitful Hills as make the Land insensibly larger in extent though no whit less in increase some Cattle as Goats some Fruits as Vines thrive never better than on these Mountains or on the side of these Hills 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Grassie and fair fruitful Hills which as they afford a plentiful Prospect so they conduce much to make the Cities impregnable that are built among them Object They talk of Desarts too Answ Indeed the word Desart sounds hideously in an English Ear and frights our Fancies with the apparitions of a place full of dismal shades salvage Beasts and doleful Desolation whereas among these People it imports no more than a woody Retiredness from publick Habitation most of them in extent not exceeding our great Parks in England and more alluring with the pleasure of privacy than affrighting with the sadnesse of Solitariness SECT II. TOuching the Inhabitants of this place we are to understand That when the Isles of the Gentiles were divided among the Sons of Noah this Coast fell to the lot of Mizraim and Phut the sons of Cham who first inhabited it upon the dispersion but thinly until upon Joshua's approach the Canaanites fled hither from the face of Joshua and built Tangier as will appear more particularly in the description of that place Of those Canaanites there were seven People whereof six came hither As 1. The Hittites those sons of Anak so formidable to their Foes that some conceive them named from Hittah to scare or frighten such the terrible impressions of them upon their Enemies 2. The Gergashites whom the Hierusalem-Talmud makes to dwell near Cinnereth on the East of Jordan whence they stole faith my Author into Egypt 3. The Canaanites particularly so called that dwelt by the sea and coast of Jordan 4. The Cadmonites or Easterlings 5. The Amorites 6. The Arvadites These men possessed the place until the Phoenicians and most remote Punicks dispossessed them and they until the Saracens turned them out of doors 1. Here are placed the Cynocephali that have heads like Dogs snouts like Swine and ears like Horses 2. Here are the Sciapodes that have such a broad foot and but one that they cover their heads from the heat of the Sun and the violence of the showrs by lifting this up over them 3. Here are the Gumnosophantes that go naked and fear nothing more then a cloathed man being ignorant of the use of Weapons and one being able without a miracle to chase 1000 of them 4. Here are the Blemmiae men that walk as St. Dyonis did from Paris to Rheimes without heads having their eyes and mouths in their breasts 5.