the middle of his Legs with a Cap of the same colour and a Shash about his waste much after the Garb we paint Cardinals in The other man was in the like habit and a lusty man too both about forty years of Age. When he was come up to us he asked who was the Commander of the Pinnace and having been told I was the Person he came to me in a kind and civil manner embraced me and bid us all welcome into the Country Then he asked how we came into those parts in so small a Vessel I answered That we came in a bigger but that she was cast away upon the Coasts and that out of her Ruines we had made this Pinnace Then he asked me if we were all that were saved I told him it was so and that the rest of our Company were drowned for I did not think it fit to speak of our People in the Camp until we were better acquainted with these men and saw what usage we should have amongst them He altering his Countenance as if he had been sorry for our loss told us he took great part in our affliction Then did he ask me several questions concerning our Voyage our Shipwrack and the present state of Europe To which I returned such answers as I thought convenient He seemed to be well pleased with my answers and told us we were come into a Country where we should find more kindness and civility than we could in our own and where we should want none of those things that are capable to make moderate men happy We returned him humble thanks and desired to know what the name of the Country was He told us it was called in their Language Sporumbè the Inhabitants Sporui that it belonged to a greater and happier Country beyond the Hills called Sevarambè and the people evarambi who lived in a great City called Sevarinde That we were not above fourteen Miles from another City but much less than the first called Sporunde where he intended to carry us Then perceiving some alteration in our faces caused by his last words he proceeded in this manner Gentlemen I told you at first you should not be afraid for no harm will be done you I assure you unless you will draw it upon your selves through your distrust and stubbornness Your best way is to rely upon Gods Providence and the assurances I give you that no wrong shall be done to the least of you either in his person or his goods You are but a small number of men in a little Pinnace in a strange Country destitute of all things and no way able to defend your selves against our Vessels which are many against one and full of men who no less understand how to fight than you as you will find if you put it to a trial They are no Barbarians as you may imagine but a very good charitable and civil people So consider what is best for you to do As soon as he had spoken those words he and his Companion went to one end of the Pinnace as it were to give us an opportunity to consult among our selves which we did and presently resolved to follow his directions and to trust to Providence He perceiving we intended to go to him came himself to us and asked what course we were resolved to take We intend to obey your Commands in every thing Sir and think our selves happy to be under your protection We are poor distressed men fitter Objects for pity than for anger and we hope to find Mercy and help at your hands You will find it in a great measure and see in these Countries such wonders as are not to be seen in any other part of the World Then he made sign to his Shallop to come near which they did immediately They brought us Bread Wine dry Dates Raisins Figs and several sorts of Nuts of which we made an excellent Feast and drank merrily of the delicate Wines that were given us After this welcom Meal the man told me his name was Carshidà his Companion 's Benoscar and desired to know mine I told him my name was Maurice and asked him withal how he came to speak Dutch and Spanish in so remote a Country I will satisfie you herein another time Maurice said he in the mean while we must give order for our going to Sporundè that we may be there to day before night Then did he speak to his men in his own Language and they made sign to another Vessel that stood near to come to us they presently came and having tied a rope to our Pinnace towed her up the Lake to the Southeast of it the other Vessel rowing after us in that manner we left the little Island and the Fleet which did not stir from their Station so long as we were in sight of them and rowed till two in the afternoon through that great Lake of salt water which looks more like a Sea than like a Lake About that time we had a gentle breeze which carried us in less than two hours clear out of the Lake into a River where we found sweet water and saw a fine Champain Country on each side of it We had not sailed two miles in this River but we came to a pretty narrow place where the water is kept in by two great and thick Walls and saw all along near these Walls great Buildings of Brick and Stone mixed together and built after the manner of a Castle in a perfect Quadrangle We went two miles further up along these Walls and Buildings before we came to the City of Sporundè which stands in the confluence of two great Rivers in a fine delicate Plain diversified with Corn-fields Meadows Orchards Gardens and Groves which make it very delightful to the eye the small Vessel which at first came after us was gone up a good while before we came to the Town to give them warning of our coming We rowed up to a great and stately Key where stood a great multitude of People who came out to see us Land Carshidà went on shore first where he was received by some grave men in black with whom having discoursed a while he turned himself towards us and made signs to Benoscar to bring us ashore He in a few vvords told us vvhat vve vvere to do and bid us to follovv him We vvent up the Stairs of the Key vvhich vvas pretty high and being come to the place vvhere the grave men stood vve inclined our selves down to the ground three several times The men bowed a little to us and the chiefest of them taking me in his Arms very kindly embraced me kissed me in the forehead and bade us all vvelcom to Sporundè From that place they carried us through a stately Gate and a noble Street as streight as a Line to a great square building after the manner abovesaid We vvent into it through a large gate that stood in the middle of the Building and found the
into the Temple in a triumphing manner and being come to the Altar laid down their Garlands upon it consecrating them to the Deity to the Sun their King and to their Country which is represented by the Statue I spake of before After this Consecration they went out dancing at the sound of the merry Tunes the Instruments played till they came to their homes This Festival lasted three whole days with a general joy and merriment throughout the whole Town Now our time was come to leave the City of Sporundè and to march to Sevarindè Sermodas gave us warning of it the day before we went and carried me Van de Nuits and Maurice to Albicormas to take our leave of him We went together to his house which we found to be a noble and stately Palace though much inferiour to the City Palace both in bigness and state He received us very kindly and told us that the day following we must take our Journey to Sevarindè to wait upon Sevarminas Then he asked us how we liked Sporundè and the Ceremonies we had seen in the celebration of the Osparénibon We answered We liked every thing even to admiration You have seen nothing yet and you are going to a place as far above this as the Sun is above the Moon I will not too much prepossess your minds with the glory of it knowing experience will teach you more than I can tell you Sermodas is to be your Guide he will be very tender of you and I admonish you to take his Counsel in every thing and to carry your selves so prudently that the great Sevarminas may love and cherish you as heartily as I have done Then he kissed us in the forehead and bid us farewell The next morning early we were carried to the Waterside on the West part of the City where we found several great Barges ready to receive us Sermodas brought me and three or four of my men into an indifferent big one but rarely carved gilt and painted Our other men and women were distributed into other Vessels and in that manner we rowed up the River which running through a very flat and Champain Country flowed down very slowly We saw along the Banks of it several great buildings like those we had seen below the City We had many Rowers who relieved one another from time to time so we went up with great speed and never stopped till we came to an indifferent great City called Sporumè about thirty miles above Sporundè We were expected there at that day and so we found great numbers of people upon the Key who came out to see us land A little before our Barge came to the City a Vessel full of several Officers cloathed like those of Sporundè came to meet us and some of them leaping into our Barge expressed a great deal of respect to Sermodas and much civility to us We went ashore with them where stayed for us the Governour of the place called Psarkimbas Sermodas and he embraced one another and had some discourse together after which he kindly saluted us and bid us welcom into the Country in the Latine Tongue Then addressing himself to me embracing me and kissing me in the Forehead he said he would be glad to have a little private discourse with me sometime of the next day I answered I was at his command after which we followed him into the City which we found to be built much after the manner of Sporundè and about half as big as it standing in a fine and fruitful soyl the best manured and tilled we had ever seen before We were received and used in this place as at Sporundè without any great difference and stayed there all the day following not observing any thing remarkable in it but the exemplary punishment which in the afternoon was inflicted upon fourteen Malefactors in this manner They were taken out of Prison fast tied together with Ropes and divided into three parts In the first were six men who as we were told had been condemned to ten years punishment some for Murther and others for committing Adultery In the second were five young women whereof two were condemned to suffer punishment during seven years to satisfie the Law and afterwards so long as their Husbands pleased and this was for having lain with other men The three others were condemned to suffer three years punishment for having been debauched before their Osparenibon was come or the time of their marrying which is at the eighteenth year of their age In the third were the three young men who debauched these maids and they were to suffer the like punishment and at last marry them They were carried from the Prison to the Palace Gate where stood a great multitude of people to see the execution These poor Prisoners were stript of all their cloaths from their shoulders to the middle of their bodies and we saw their naked skins very plainly I remember that one of the women who had committed Adultery was a very proper and lusty woman not above one or two and twenty years of age She had a very beautiful face black eyes brown hair and a delicate clear skin But her breasts which we saw quite naked were the loveliest I ever beheld This was the first time she was brought to her punishment so that her shame was extraordinary Tears trickled down her cheeks in great abundance and these instead of taking off from her natural beauty did on the contrary so much add to it that I never admired any thing like this beautiful Criminal Admirarion produced love and pity joyning with those two Passions did so move the hearts of all the Spectators that there was hardly any ingenious Person who was not moved to an extreme compassion But their pity was turned to a kind of generous indignation when they considered that within a few moments all these divine Charms were to be soiled and prophaned by the cruel stripes of a barbarous Executioner Yet this was an act of justice ordained by the Laws against a Crime which among those people is look'd upon as one of the greatest so there was no means to save this lovely Person from the rigour of the Law and the Officer had already lifted up his scourge and was going to strike when of a sudden her Husband running through the croud cried with a loud voice Hold hold hold All the Spectators and the Officers themselves hearing this voice were much surprized and turned their eyes on the side from which they heard the voice come suspending the execution till they knew what this mans meaning was He came to them almost out of breath as having with much ado passed through the crowd and addressing his Speech to the chief Officer said pointing at his Wife Sir I am that miserable womans Husband and therefore much concerned in this Execution Before she receive her punishment I desire to speak something to her in your presence after which you will know more
THE HISTORY OF THE Sevarites or Sevarambi A Nation inhabiting part of the third CONTINENT Commonly called Terrae Australes Incognitae WITH An Account of their admirable GOVERNMENT RELIGION CUSTOMS and LANGUAGE Written By one Captain Siden A Worthy Person Who together with many others was cast upon those Coasts and lived many Years in that Country LONDON Printed for Henry Brome at the Gun at the West End of St. Pauls Church-Yard 1675 THE PUBLISHER TO THE READER THere are many who having read Plato's Commonwealth Sir Thomas More 's Vtopia the Lord Verulam's New Atlantis which are but Ideas and ingenious fancies are apt to suspect all relatons of new discoveries to be of that kind and chiefly when they find in them any thing extraordinary and wonderful But although these persons are to be commended for being wary and cautious yet it is but so long as they keep within the bounds of moderation and do not pass to the excess of incredulity For as some men through a believing simplicity are easily imposed upon and receive that for a truth which in effect is not one So others on the contrary through a contrary humour are apt to reject as fabulous that which often proves to be a real truth This clearly appears in the case of Vergilius Bishop of Collen who was like to have suffered a severe punishment for affirming that There were Antipodes neither could any thing save him but a publick Recantation Columbus was looked upon here in England and afterward in France as a brain-sick Fellow for saying There was Land on the West parts of the Ocean Yet the Voyages since made round the World have justified Vergilius his opinion And the discovery of America where we have many flourishing Plantations has sufficiently evidenced the truth of Columbus his Assertion The Histories of Peru Mexico China c. were at first taken for Romances by many but time has shewed since that they are verities not to be doubted of Those remote Countries were for thousands of years unknown to the People of Europe and so are still many others perhaps and at this day we know little more of them than what lies upon the Sea-coasts But how should we have a perfect knowledge of remote Countries lately discovered since there are many parts of Europe very little known yet and some not at all Nay the British Islands are not perfectly described And before their last Civil Wars the Highlands of Scotland many parts of Ireland and other smaller Isles about were very little known to the People of England And their Customs Laws and Religion are things we have not yet had any very good account of Few Travellers make it their business to write Histories and make descriptions of those Countries they have travelled in for most of them being Merchants or Seamen they mind little more than their Trade and being intent upon gain and profit seldom busie themselves in making observations Besides few of them are qualified for the writing of Books if they were never so willing and fewer have time and opportunity to apply themselves to that study so it falls out that we have few exact relations of remote Countries although they be often seen and even described in Maps For an Instance The Isle of Borneo lies near Java and in the way to China it is one of the biggest in the world according to Geographical Descriptions and yet we have very little knowledge of it although the Dutch have very large Dominions in Java and other Islands about it and sail daily by it in their way to Jappan and China Many other places there are which Sailers take no more notice of than as it is necessary for their Ships to avoid them And how can it be expected we should have any good descriptions of them unless some great Powers should undertake it and send fit persons for that purpose with all the helps and encouragement requisite in so useful and honourable a design Among all remote Countries there is none so vast and so little known as the third Continent commonly called Terra Australis It is true Geographers give some small and unperfect descriptions of it but it is with little knowledge and certainty and most of their draughts may be suspected and look'd upon as imaginary and fictitious Sure it is that there is such a Continent many have seen it and even landed there but few durst venture far in it if any there were and I do not think that any body hath made any true description of it either for want of knowledge or other necessary means and opportunities This History will supply that defect in a great measure if it be true as I have reason to believe upon these grounds First Upon the testimony of the Reporter who doth not only herein affirm this History to be true but did it also by word of mouth a good while before and again near the time of his death when he gave his Papers to the Gentleman who did lately put them into my hands These two Gentlemen came to know one another at Smirna a little before the Dutch Fleet departed from thence in or about the year 1607. and being both bound for Holland they came together in the same Ship where by a daily converse they contracted a very strict friendship This Fleet being attacked in its return there were many men killed and wounded and among the rest the Author of this Relation called Captain Siden was mortally wounded and lived but little after the fight Upon his death-bed he made his Friend Heir of what he had in the Ship and spake to him in this manner as the Gentleman himself hath often declared to me Sir Since it is Gods Decree that I should live no longer I patiently submit to his Divine Will without any murmuring But before I die I am willing to dispose of a Chest I have in this Ship where you will find some Money and a few Jewels of no great value I confess but such as they are I give them to you and I am sorry they are not better worth your acceptance I give you also the Chest and every thing in it and though it seems the whole is worth but little yet you will find a great Treasure in it and that is the History of my Adventures in the South Continent as you have heard me relate to you several times You will find it in a great disorder and confusion for the most part and written in several Languages as being intended only to serve for memoires till I could digest them into an orderly contexture But since God will not permit me to do it my self I commit it to your care knowing you are an ingenious person and give you full power and authority to dispose of the said Papers as you will think most convenient assuring you upon my death bed as I have done before in several discourses that they contain nothing but truth which I hope time and further experience will
terrifie our Seamen and although they had time to take down their Sails tie fast their Guns and order every thing as they thought fit yet foreseeing the terrible Hurricane that hapned immediately after they could not chuse but dread the violence and fierceness of it The Sea began to foam and turn its smooth Surface into Mountains and Vales. The Winds ran all the points of the Compass in less than two hours time Our Ship was tossed to and fro up and down again in the horridest manner imaginable one Wind drove us forward and another beat us back again our Masts Yards and Tackling were broken and the storm was so violent that a great part of our Seamen being sick could hardly hear and obey command All this while our Passengers were kept under Deck and my Friend and I lay at the main Mast sadly cast down and both repenting he for his covetous desire of gain and I for my foolish curiosity We wished our selves a hundred times in Holland and as often despaired ever to see it again or any other Land for any would have served our turn then He was a very honest young man but no Souldier nor Seaman At the begining of the storm I was full of courage and well resolved to submit to the will of God without any murmuring or fear of dying but he did not understand that Philosophy the dreadful image of Death appeared to him with all his horrour and I think I might have seen it in his face if we had not been in the dark I have admired he did not die for the very fear of it At first he sigh'd and and groaned only but a while after when the storm increased he broke out into the saddest howling in the world He accused his Fathers Counsel and Command who had sent him but chiefly his own folly in obeying He called his dear Mother Brothers and Sisters and bad them an Eternal Farewel as likewise his beloved Country which he had no hopes ever to see again He lamented and deplored the cruelty of his Fate that put an end to his life in the flower of his Age by so horrid and untimely a Death In fine he made such sad complaints and was so eloquent in his affliction that I was moved with Compassion more than with the fear of being drowned Pity first wrought upon my heart and drove out of it all the Stoicity my reason had laid there in store then fear and infirmity came in so that I began to howl and lament with my afflicted Friend as if I had been as weak as he and had it not been for some ridiculous Expressions of his which made me sometimes laugh I think I had been as much dejected as he Mans weakness and simplicity is much to be admired in such occasions as this and shews that Custom Prejudices and Opinions have more influence upon his mind than true reason he so much boasts of and which in such occurrences as this forsakes him and leaves the mastery of his Soul to weak and silly Passions Death is but one and the same thing what shape soever it assumes to appear in and we commonly fear the manner of Death more than Death it self Before this storm wherein none of our People perished by the special Grace of God I had been exposed to a great deal more danger than I was now I had been exposed to the mouth of Canons I had fought in Battels and in Sieges where many thousands of men had lost their lives and where we marched upon the slain to a seeming inevitable Death Yet the fear of it did hardly make an Impression on my heart because it was an usual thing and the contempt of danger as much accounted courage and gallantry as the fear of it cowardliness and infamy yet death is still but one and the same thing While my Friend and I were thus lamenting the Master and his Crew were not asleep neither did they neglect any thing that could contribute to our preservation They used all their art and all their endeavours some about the Stern some about the Pumps and others about several other parts of the Ship and God did so bless their labour that they kept her up while the violent Hurrricane lasted which at last fell into one particular Wind that got the mastery of the others and drove us to the Southward with so great rapidity that we were not able to keep out of that Course but must yield to his violence After two days running that Course the Wind changed a little and drove us to the Southeast for the space of three days the weather being so foggy that we could see nothing at five or six yards distance On the sixth day the Wind slaked a little but drove us still to the Southeast till towards night when of a sudden we felt a very great Calm just as if our Ship had fallen into a Pool or dead Lake which caused no small wonder in us Two or three hours after we were thus becalmed the weather cleared up and we spied a great many Stars but could not make any good observation by them We judged in general that we were not far from Batavia and a great many Leagues from the South Continent But it proved afterwards we were much deceived in our Conjecture The seventh day we continued in this great Calm as if we had been ordered to celebrate the Sabbath day after six days labour and toyl during this Calm we searched and examined all the parts of our Ship and found her pretty tight though she was a new Ship and had never gone a Voyage before But she was so strongly built that she endured the rage of the Seas without springing any Leak able to endamage her The eighth day at Noon a fine breeze began to blow and drove us to the Eastward much to our joy and satisfaction for besides that it made for our purpose we were afraid of being becalmed at night the weather grew dark and misty and the Wind stiff and violent so that we feared another storm The Fog continued all the day following and the wind blowing by fits and puffs which did sometimes put us to great danger at night the Wind changed grew boisterous and drove us again to the Southeast with great impetuosity the Fog growing still thicker and thicker About the middle of the night the Wind being very high and our Ship running very swiftly she struck of a sudden upon a Bank much contrary to our expectation and stuck there so fast that she remained there without any motion as if she had been nailed to the place Then did we think our selves absolutely lost and looked every moment to see our Ship staved in pieces by the fury of the Seas and Wind and every body fell to his Prayers seeing neither Art nor Industry could avail But God whose mercies are great shewed us salvation where we expected nothing but destruction for the Morning being come and the Sun
having expelled the darkness of the Night and dissipated the thickness of the Fog we saw that our Vessel stuck upon a Bank near the shore of a great Island or Continent The discovery of this Land turned our despair into hopes for although it was unknown to us and we could not tell what good or bad fortune we should have in it Yet any Land was then welcome to men who had during many days been so miserably tossed upon the water betwixt life and death hopes and despair About Noon the weather grew very clear and hot the Sun over-powring the Mist and Fog and the Wind abating much of his violence so that the Sea did by degrees lose much of his rage and agitation In the Afternoon about three a Clock it Ebbed from the shore and left our Ship with less than five foot of water upon a kind of a muddy Sand where she stuck very fast The place where she stuck was not above a Musket shot from a pretty high but accessible shore whither we resolved to remove our selves and our goods whatever should come on 't and in order to it our Long-boat was let down and twelve of our stoutest men were sent ashore well armed to discover the Country and to chuse a place near the Sea where we might encamp with some safety without going far from our Ship As soon as they were landed they carefully viewed the Country from the top of a rising ground not far from the shore but saw neither Houses nor Inhabitants nor any signs of either the Country being but a Sandy barren Land where grew nothing but bushes and little shrubs wild and savage They could see neither River nor Brook in the parts they had discovered and not having time to make a farther search that day nor counting it prudence to venture any farther into so unknown a place they came back again to the Ship three hours after their landing The next Morning we sent them ashore again with provisions and order to send the Boat back again to fetch our People by degrees and likewise our Provisions and Goods which were all whole by Gods mercy without any the least damage All these Orders were executed with great care and diligence so that the day after our being cast upon the Bank we got all ashore with a good part of our Provisions and Goods most useful and necessary The first who landed pitched the Camp on the side of a rising ground near the Sea over against our Vessel which could cover us on the Land side from being seen by any body that should come towards the shore and afforded us a convenient station for a Sentinel to discover a good way round about Thither did we by degrees carry our goods leaving in the Ship but ten or twelve men to keep her till we could tow her off upon high water if it was possible or dispose of her otherwise One of the first things we did so soon as we were landed was to call a Council to advise what order we should take for our mutual preservation It was presently resolved that we should keep for the present upon the Land the same order and discipline we kept at Sea till such times we should think fit to alter it so after this resolution it was agreed we should humble our selves before God Almighty to give him most hearty thanks for preserving our lives and goods in so special a manner and to implore his divine assistance for the future in a place altogether unknown to us and where we might fall into the hands of some barbarous people or starve there for want of Provisions if he in his mercy did not provide for us as he had done heretofore After this Resolution and humiliation our Officers divided our People into three equal parts whereof two were ordered incessantly to work about the Camp in drawing of a Trench to secure us from any sudden invasion and the others were imployed in discovering the Country and fetching in Wood and such kind of supplies Those who were left aboard the Ship had orders to see what condition she was in and what could be done with her After an exact examination they found that her Keel was broke by the violent shock she gave against the Sand and that she stuck so fast in it that it was impossible to tow her off if she were never so sound so that they thought the best way was to take her in pieces and build a Pinnace or two out of her ruines to sent to Batavia with all speed and diligence That Counsel was approved of and the fittest men for that purpose were employed for the execution of it with all diligence The parties that were sent to discover durst not venture far in the Plain for fear of some danger or ill accident till such a time that the Camp was better fortified and the Guns carried thither from the Ship They brought in only Wood and some kind of wild Berries of which they found great quantities upon the bushes and shrubs of the place some spreading along the shore found a very great plenty of Oysters Muscles and other Shell fish which did not only refresh our People but did also much save our Provisions which upon examination we found could not hold out above two Months according to the ordinary allowance The consideration whereof made us think of some way to husband it which could be but by getting and saving In the first place we used all diligence to get our Nets and Hooks ready for we had found that the Sea thereabouts was very full of fish we fed as much as we could upon the Berries of the Plain and upon the Shell fish of the shore and on the other side we shortned every ones allowance and reduced it to eight ounces a day of the Ships Provisions But our greatest want was sweet water for although we had made a Well in the Trench that afforded as much of it as we could use yet it was somewhat brackish and ungrateful by reason of the nearness of the Sea Our adventurers made every day some new discovery and having gone so far as almost Ten Miles about the Camp without finding any the least sign that the Country was inhabited grew every day bolder and bolder They saw no living Creature in all this sandy Plain but some Snakes a kind of a Rat almost as big as a Rabbet and some kind of Birds like wild Pigeons but somewhat bigger who fed upon the Berries we have made mention of They killed some of them with their Guns and brought them to the Camp where after trial they were found to be very good meat especially the Birds These new discoveries made us a little remiss in our Fortifications and we contented our selves by drawing a small Trench about our Camp casting up the Earth inwardly and thought it was enough in a place where we found no Inhabitants We planted some Guns upon the most convenient places and setting all
Van de Nuits Over-seer General of all the Goods and Provisions we had or should hereafter have Swart Captain of the Artillery Arms and Ammunitions of War Maurice an expert and active Seaman Admiral of our Fleet which was to consist of a Long-boat a little Boat and another Pinnace we were a making out of the pieces of our broken Ship Morton an English man who had been a Serjeant in the Low Countries I made Captain of the Eldest Company De Haes a sober and vigilant fellow was made second Captain one Van Sluis third Captain one de Bosch fourth Captain and one Brown Major General I gave all these men leave to chuse their inferiour Officers with my approbation which they did accordingly I had two Servants with me the one called Devese who had been my Serjeant in Catalonia a stout and understanding fellow sober and trusty who had served me ever since I left the Wars and followed my fortune every where him I made my Lieutenant General and the other named Tursi my Secretary Our Officers being all chosen we numbred our People and found we were three hundred and seven Men three Boys and seventy four Women all in good health for although there were many of them sick when they first landed they were all well again in less than a Weeks time which was no small argument of the healthiness of the Country I distributed all these into four parts and gave Maurice six and twenty of the best Seamen and the three Boys to man his Navy Swart had thirty for his Artillery I disposed two hundred men into four Companies and Van de Nuits had all the rest to attend him and take Orders of him in the Camp or out of the Camp We had two Trumpetters which used to say Prayers in the Ship besides their Office of Trumpetting I took one of them and gave Van de Nuits the other and they both were confirmed in both their imployments after the Dutch fashion All our Affairs being so ordered and setled in the Evening I called our Superiour Officers together and told them that before our Provisions were all spent we should go about by Sea and Land to discover the Country and endeavour to get some fresh Provision as likewise to discover some fitter place for a Camp than that we were in where in a short time all things would grow scarce and where we had not so much as good water That my opinion was we should send several Parties of men well Armed to make new discoveries and go farther into the Country than we had gone yet They readily assented to my Proposals and told me they were ready to obey my Orders Whereupon I commanded Maurice to man his two Boats and to send them all along the Coasts as far as they could conveniently go the one on the right side of the Camp and the other on the left I ordered Morton to take twenty men out of his Company and to go all along the shore on the left hand De Haes was commanded to take thirty out of his and to go through the middle of the Country and I my self drew forty men out of the two other Companies and left my Lieutenant to command in the Camp in my absence We all took three days Provision and good store of Powder and Bullets with Swords and half Pikes and I commanded all my men to be ready early in the Morning and to wait for further Orders which they did accordingly The next day which was the twentieth since the first day of our Landing and from which we shall hereafter reckon as our principal Epoche all my men were ready by break of day and came to receive my Commands which were the same I had given the night before with this Addition only That if they should meet with any thing considerable they should presently send advice thereof to the Camp I likewise gave Orders to Morton to keep with the Boat as near as he could and to come every night to the shore to joyn with the Boats-Crew before Sun setting I my self intending to keep the same Method with Maurice As soon as these Orders were given we went our several ways all full of hopes and alacrity I marched my men in Rank and File and I divided them into three Parties the first that had the Van was composed of six Musketteers and a Corporal the second of twelve and a Serjeant I my self brought up the Rear We marched within Musket shot distance one from another in that manner as near the shore as we could that we might be within sight of our Boat The Sea was very calm and the Weather very still though something hot At noon the Boat came to us at a place where we stood near the shore and there we took some rest and refreshment for the space of two hours All the Country we came upon for ten or twelve Miles was much like to that about our Camp and we did not so much as find a Brook or a Spring in all our way all being dry Sands and nothing growing upon them but Bushes and Thorns After we had taken some rest we marched five Miles beyond the place where we had halted and there the ground began to grow more unequal and to rise here and there into small Hills Two Miles farther we found a Brook of sweet water which gave us no small occasion of joy chiefly when we saw that a little farther up in the Country there was some small plots of green Trees upon the Banks of the Brook there we halted again and made Signs to our Boat to come to us which they did immediately coming into the Brook with the Tide and finding it was a very good Harbour for such a Vessel as theirs they rowed up a Mile into the Land till they came to a plot of green trees where we pitched our Camp for that night Maurice brought us some Fish he had taken in the Sea and some Oysters and other Shell fish We strook fire went to Supper an hour before night and then to sleep keeping a good Guard about us and hiding our fire with green Boughs we fixed in the ground round about it lest it should be seen at a distance The next day early in the morning I sent three of my men back again to the Camp to give them notice of the Brook and the Trees we had found and to tell them we intended to proceed farther But before we removed from that place I sent five men up the Brook to discover more of the Country They came back two hours after and told us that the Country above was a little more Hilly than below but dry and barren and like that which lay towards our Camp Our Boat fell down towards the Sea after these men were come with this account and had carried us over the Brook which was deep and not fordable unless we went two or three Miles higher When we had got over we marched on along
Europe for fifty Millions of Livers yet the Industry of these People has done it without money for they use none in any part of their Dominions We were told that we should rest there three days and then we should go through the Mountains into Sevarambe whereof we intend to give the Description in the Second Part of this Story begging of the Reader that he would allow our Pen a little rest till we have put into a Method the Papers out of which we are to draw the Second Part where vve shall give him an account of the Country beyond the Hills FINIS A Catalogue of some Books Printed for and sold by H. Brome since the dreadful Fire of London to 1675. Divinity A Large Concordance by S. N. to the Bible Folio price 16 s. 130 Sermons by Mr. Farindon in three Vol. in fol. 2 l. 5 s. 51 Sermons in fol. by Dr. Franck 15 s. Dr. Heylin on the Creed fol. 15 s. A Guide to the Humble by Thomas Elborow B. D. in octavo 2 s. A Guide to Eternity by John Bona octavo 2 s. A Guide to Heaven with a Rule of Life 10 d. A Companion to the Temple or a help to Publick Devotion by Tho. Cumber in octavo 4 s. Holy Anthems of the Church 2 s. 6 d. A Looking-glass for Loyalty 2 s. Sermons Bishop Lanyes Sermon at Court against Comprehension 6 d Dean W. Lloyd's Sermon before the King about Miracles 6 d his Sermon at the Funeral of John L. Bishop of Chester 6 d his Sermon before the King in Lent 1673. 6 d M. Naylor's Commemoration Sermon for Col. Cavendish 6 d Mr. Sayers Sermon at the Assizes at Reading 6 d Mr. Tho. Tanner's Sermon to the scattered Members of the Church 6 d Mr. Stanhopp's four Sermons on several Occasions octavo bound 1 s. 6 d Papal Tyranny as it was exercised over England for some Ages with two Sermons on the fifth of Nov. in quarto 1 s. 6 d his Sermon at the Funeral of Dr. Turner Dean of Cant. 6 d Histories The Life of the Duke Espernon the great Favourite of France from 1598. where D' Avila leaves off to our times by Charles Cotton Esq in fol. price 18 s The State of the Ottoman Empire with Cuts by P. Ricaut Esq in octavo 6 s Bishop Cosin De Transubstantiatione octavo 2 s The same in English 2 s. 6 d The Commentaries of M. Blaiz de Montluck the great Favourite of France in which is contained all the Sieges Battels Skirmishes for three Kings Reigns by Charls Cotton Esq in fol. 14 s The Fair One of Tunis a new piece of Gallantry by C. C. Esq in octavo 2 s. 6 d Erasmus Coll. in English octavo 5 s Poems Elvira a Comedy by the Earl of Bristol 1 s M. A. Bromes S. and Poems oct 3 s. 6 d His with other Gentlemens Translation of Horace in oct 4 s Virgil Travestie by C. C. Esq 1 s. 6 d Lucian's Dialogues Burlesque 2 s. 6 d Horace with a Song at every Act by Charls Cotton Esq 1 s Mr. Cowlys Satyr against Separatists Physick Dr. Barbettes and Dr. Deckers excellent practice of Physick and Observations Sir K. Digby his excellent Receipts in Physick and Chyrurgery and of Drinks and Cookery The Anatomy of the Elder Tree Miscellanies Dr. Glisson De vita Naturae quarto 8 s Lord Bacons Advancement of Learning The Planters Manual very useful for such as are curious in Planting and Grafting by C. Cotton Esq The Complete Gamester 2 s Dr. Skinner's Lexicon in fol. 1 l. 5 s 14 Controversial Letters in quarto 4 s. 6 d Essays of Love and Marriage duod 8 d The Vindication of the Clergy 1 s. 6 d Toleration discussed by Roger L'Estrange Esq 2 s. 6 d A Treatise of Humane Reason in twelves 8 d School Books Nolens Volens or you shall make Latine 2 s. 6 d Centum Fabulae in octavo 1 s Artis Oratoriae in duodec 2 s Law The Lord Cook 's Institutes in four Vol. fol. 2 l. 5 s Sir James Dyer's Reports fol. 18 s The Clerks Guide in four Parts and the first part alone The Exact Constable Controversies The seasonable Discourse against Popery in quarto 6 d the Defence of it quarto 6 d the Difference betwixt the Church and Court of Rome in quarto 6 d The Papists Apology to the Parliament answered 6 d The Papists Bait or The way to get Proselytes by Ch. Gataker B. D. 1 s Dr. Du Moulin against the Lord Castelmain 6 d A Journey into the Country being a Dialogue between an English Protestant Physician and an English Papist Friendly and seasonable Advice to the Roman Catholicks of England in twelves 6 d Essays of Love and Marriage being Letters disswading from Love and answered with some Characters and other Passages of Wit in twelves 1 s. 6 d THE HISTORY OF THE Sevarites or Sevarambi A Nation inhabiting part of the third CONTINENT Commonly called Terrae Australes Incognitae WITH A further Account of their admirable Government Religion Customs and Language Written by one Captain Siden A Worthy Person VVho together with many others was cast upon those Coasts and lived many years in that Country The Second Part more wonderful and delightful than the First LONDON Printed by J. M. for Henry Brome at the Gun at the West End of St. Pauls Church-yard 1679. LICENSED Feb. 25. 1678 Roger L'Estrange TO THE READER I Have here recommended to thy perusal the Second Part of the rare Country of the Sevarites a Country so curious and so pleasant that if thou hadst ever been there thou couldest never have had the least inclination to dwell in any other part of the World I know some will be carping and quarrelling at this Narration like those unreasonable Animals that are always fretting to see things with which they are not well acquainted But these poor Souls that have seen nothing but the compass of their Cradle and have confined their knowledge within the narrow limits of their own Territory cannot well conceive nor imagine the glorious things and the strange Wonders that appear to Travellers beyond the Seas in Foreign Nations Captain Siden was one of the most famous of his Time a Man well known for a worthy and approved Person What account he hath given of these rare People is not so publick I confess as could be wished because the Persons and the Nation who have now a Correspondency in those Parts have discouraged all others by declaring these things to be fabulous because they intend to ingross all the Trade to themselves The Advantages many Dutch Families have received by them already is incredible The vast Treasure they have heaped up in a few years is beyond all belief They have met with some new Mines of Gold in this golden Country and raised their Families to an extraordinary Grandeur It is an idle humour in any of us to despise or reject strange Discoveries If all our wise Forefathers had
it is thought they took him with them into the place appointed for their abode and that there he lives with them without fear of death in expectation that all his Posterity should come to him But you must take notice That such of our Generation as are banished for their misdemeanors will be admitted one day to the same happiness if they bear patiently their punishment and are sorry for their wickedness but such also must be purged in a fire which is in the Air through which their bodies as well as ours must pass to mount up to the highest station designed for us but with this difference that the fire shall open to let us go by but they must burn a while there till their bodies be freed from all corruption and filth some more some less according to their dispositions but few stay there less than twenty years some an hundred others a thousand till such time as their bodies be sublimated and fit for an higher abode Such of us as are incorrigible shall be confined to a sad Pit where they shall be up to the Elbows in Mire and Dirt and be deprived of all comforts of life Whiles he was speaking this there happened an accident which caused him to stop and put an end to this good Discourse Ziribabdas was called to receive a dead Sevarite and open the Caves in which the deceased lay in Coffins of Ivory and Gold He excused himself and told me that he had much more to say concerning the Religion of their Country but could not remain with us any longer I was glad to have this opportunity to see their manner of burying the dead At the great Gate of the Temple stood near a thousand people with the friends of the deceased When Ziribabdas came to them one who stood before the Corps and the Bearers spoke to him in this manner as was afterwards interpreted to me Most holy Priest we have brought to you our Neighbour Suffarali a good man and a religious Sevarite who hath often expressed his Devotion in this place and his respects to your Holiness we desire that he may be admitted amongst the dead Sevarites as he hath lived amongst them with respect and honour Ziribabdas sate himself down in an Ivory Chair adorned with many precious Stones which stood in the Porch and then he called the Friends of the deceased inquiring of them whether he had committed no unworthy action in his life-time Whether he had lived peaceably with his Neighbours Whether he had not been privately guilty of drunkenness c Whether he had not at his departure bequeathed something to the Church How many children he had What were their names And such like questions to which they gave an answer and satisfied him fully Afterwards they carried in the Corps into the Temple and laid it upon a long Table of an Emerald-stone and the Priests anointed the body all over with an excellent Oyl called the Oyl of Botamine which signifies in their Language Uncorruption For such is its extraordinary virtue that it keeps a body from all manner of corruption or alteration an hundred years Now this is a Sacred Oyl which only the Priests who are learned in Chymistry make of several Ingredients for this cause it is no where to be found but in their Temples unto which they have their Laboratories annexed Now once in an hundred years they anoint over all the bodies of the deceased from the beginning of the World by this means the bodies are kept fresh and so lively and beautiful that if a dead body could stand upright at a distance no man could distinguish the dead from the living When the body was well anointed they opened a large Cave of a thousand yards broad and as many long It had as many Closets as there were houses in the City Ziribabdas at the opening of the mouth of the Cave caused some Ceremonies to be performed and then marched down a pair of stairs into this burying-place the Corps was carried after him and I and my Companions with Sermodas were admitted to behold the subterranean Rarities and to walk up and down in the Caves so full of transparent stones that the light entring in by two or three holes made on purpose caused it to be as light within as if the Sun had shined there in its Meridian In the Cave were six hundred thousand separations capacious enough to hold above an hundred thousand bodies they were all laid one upon another in very good order There were several Alleys and Walks between the separations unto which were doors of massie Gold and in several places stood great Pots full of that Oyl of Botamine which the Priests cast upon the bodies when they perceive any alteration in the bodies by their smelling By this means it happens that there is not the least noisom smell but there is every where the most blessed Perfume in every corner as if you were in a Garden of Roses or amongst blooming Beans When we had well viewed the Caves I intreated Ziribabdas to shew me the Sepulchres of their Kings for that purpose he led us out at another door when all the company was departed and shewed us all their Princes sitting in Chairs of State as if they were alive but this place was not in the Cave but round about their Temple in Closets made on purpose The Princes were all cloathed in their Royal Attire which they change once every year for that purpose the King that reigns is bound to send them Vestments according to the ancient Custom Ziribabdas shewed us all the ancient Kings sitting in their gravity and Majesty and pointed out to some who had been very remarkable in their Lives for some noted Actions by which they had obliged the Nation of the Sevarites and rendered their Names and Memories more sacred than others amongst their Posterity He shewed us King Bormarti who was so great a Lover of Justice that he banished his own Son for committing a fault and sent him to live and dye in the Islands He told of his King Robarmi who invented the Art of Painting and laid the Foundations of Sevarinde He shewed us the Body of King Darti who built the stately Palace for the Kings of the Sevarites and fetched the stones from the Diamant Rocks and the Mountains of Saphyr at a great distance from thence upon Carts driven with the Wind with Sails as Ships We saw King Marati who taught the Sevarites how to make Boats and to fish in the Rivers We saw the Bodies of King Bumorli Serabi Cussori Menari Menasti Nacri Labomor Apolori Ribolo Staraki Muraki Amlorod and many others who had been reverenced for some witty Invention or glorious Action by which they had benefited Posterity as well as their own Generation Therefore their Closets were more beautiful and richer than the rest and they had the Honour to have their Images placed in the noted Rendezvous of the City for all men to
of the excellent Wines of the Country to be brought he caused some to be poured forth into a great shell of a Fish which is the ordinary Drinking vessels of that Country He caused us to taste of it and obliged all the company before we went out to pledge us which when we had done Zidi Parabas led us to the door where we saw as many Dromedaries ready sadled as we were men we mounted upon them that were prepared for us but when I inquired for a Bridle they bid me take hold of the Ears for in this Country these Creatures have Ears of an incredible length they are commonly an Ell long but very slender so that they are fastened together as the Reins of a Bridle at the end with a Clasp or some such thing This men hold in their hands and with this they govern or turn them at their pleasure I must confess I was afraid when I was first mounted upon this strange beast which is so swift that in a day we rid over hedges and ditches and uneven places above one hundred and fifty miles We went through the streets to the Kings Palace where we attended not long before there came out a great Train with Sevarminas himself I and my Companions alighted to salute and do him reverence He inquired how we had thrived whether we wanted any thing we assured him that amongst so courteous and obliging a People as his Subjects were we thought that we could not possibly want any manner of thing needful for the life of man He bid us get up again and ride along with him we were in all near a thousand all on swift Dromedaries the Kings was as white as Snow all the rest either red or black It seems Sermodas had given the King an account of the passages of the former day so that to increase the more our wonder he was resolved to shew us the excellency of his Country and many other rare things for that purpose he had appointed in our Road towards the Confines all the ingenious men to meet us at every Town with their Talismans in their hands ready to shew us their skill and sport We had not gone above two Leagues Southward but we came to a Town called by the Sevarites Magmandi where thirty Philosophers met the King and to welcome him they had a Talisman ready to make a Louse grow in an instant as big as a Camel I saw the beast and admired how such things could be done by a man and as they told me that they did it by the natural causes alone without the concurrence of any other thing As soon as the Philosopher had turned the Louse into a Camel he mounted upon it and offered his service to Sevarminas to wait upon him in his Progress which was accepted And if I should say that this strange Camel gallopped or rather flew as fast as any of our Dromedaries scarce any person will believe it yet true it is that this new-made creature led the way before us and returned back with 〈…〉 the wing no signs of being weary in 〈…〉 Provender the Philosopher had 〈…〉 himself with a bottle of Spirits 〈…〉 he would sometimes as I took 〈…〉 pour into the Camels Ears and-by that means kept the beast alive and vigorous Another of these Philosophers had got a Flea in his hand which with an Image of Wax he turned into a Dromedary so like that which the King was upon that I could not tell how to distinguish them I saw the Flea which he held in a silken string he shewed it to all our company and before us by an application of the Talismanical Figure the Flea began to dilate it self into the body of a Camel and out of the body the legs and ears and head broke out almost like a Snail when it goes to creep or like a Tortoise All this was done in less than a quarter of an hour He also had a Saddle ready to ride along with us in the company of the King and his Nobles I confess I took these two Learned Sevarites for Conjurers if not for Devils in mens shape When Zidi Parabas perceived in our way that Maurice whispered to me he drew near to me and assured me that they could do more wonderful Feats than that by their great Art and that what they had done was done by the secret power of natural causes set on work by the influence of the Talisman I told him that I could wish that we in our Country had the same skill and knowledge but he answered That such Mysteries are not fit but for men of the most refined Wits and that no dull or vicious apprehensions can be capable of the sublime Notions that such men must have to act such Wonders and to find out the way to make such strange Talismans Another of these Philosophers who stood within some golden Rails adjoyning to the High-way had in his hand a naked Image of Wax representing a young Girl which Image he turned about his head with some hard words which he uttered out of his mouth and immediately there came to the place all the young Maidens within a certain distance and threw off their garments with their modesty in my judgment but the religious Sevarites are not ashamed to behold what Nature teaches other men to cover These Maidens leaped over the Rails about threescore in number and began a most pleasant Dance upon the green grass before all our company the Philosopher having appointed a Musician ready for that purpose who played all the while upon his Instrument of Musick according to which these Maidens leaped and danced up and down which gave Sevarminas much sport and to all his Court but when the Philosopher began to turn away and cover the waxen Image they took all their garments again and departed with much satisfaction because they had given some delight to their Prince whom all the Sevarites reverence as they do a visible God they are therefore very joyful when they can do any thing to please and delight him The rest of the Philosophers shewed every one in his turn what he was able to do One held a Mouse by the tail in one hand and his Talisman in the other and threw the Mouse behind Sevarminas upon his Dromedary which as soon as it was there but a moment it had the power to attract one of the most beautiful Virgins whom I saw straggling behind the King This thing caused the whole company to burst out in laughter for she was just putting on her Apparel with the rest of her Companions when the Talisman tyed her hands and feet and drew her on a sudden so that she was seen to leap all naked through the midst of us behind the King where she remained till the Philosopher drew her back with the Talisman and caused her to put on her cleaths and depart Another of these Makers of Talismans was blowing with a Pipe at the breech of a
means to get as far as the body of his murdered Darling which he brought ashore and seeing no sign of life he killed himself and fell upon her body In remembrance of this Tragedy the Town hath dedicated these two Images the one to Ziricus and the other to Malimna with a great many lesser Images of young Men and Maidens that are all weeping for the misfortune of these two constant Lovers This story Zidi Parabas told me whiles the Dinner was bringing in to the great Hall of Ivory where the King Sevarminas was to dine with all his Court When we were sate down we had all things needful presented before us with a Concert of Musick mingled with rare Voices of some Virgins of the City After this a Philosopher brought in a Silver Chain a great white Rat about the bigness of a good Rabbet which leaped upon the Table near Sevarminas and looked wishfully upon him when he was eating but when the Rat saw that the King said nothing the Rat reached forth its paw or foot and took some of the meat The King was not a little surprised with the Rats boldness How now said he did your Master teach you this The Philosopher by the Talismanical Art could make it speak what he listed for he could govern the tongue of the little creature in that manner that what was in his mind the beast would speak By your leave my Lord quoth the Rat to the King I am hungry The Rats speech surprised the King and all the company left their meat to hear the discourse between the King and the Rat for the Philosopher told his Majesty That it would give him any answer that he would desire They not knowing from whence it proceeded no more than we they stood to see what the Rat would say the Rat was neither ashamed nor afraid of the company but went from one dish to another to taste which was the best it met with an Ostrich-Pye on which it fell aboard without any manners the King bid it be gone I 'le fill my belly first answered the Rat now I am here King I command thee to be gone Rat I love this company too well to run away in haste King Make haste Rat We must do nothing rashly King Thou wilt eat all Rat There is enough in the Land for you and me too King Who tutored thee Rat My Master Several other discourses past between Sevarminas and this artificial creature which was made to speak not by its own understanding but by that of the Philosopher only by the Talismanical Art he could make use of the organ and tongue of the Rat to speak what was according to his mind This was a curious passage and gave the whole company great delight The Philosopher told Sevarminas That he could make any beast that was tame to speak in that manner and say any thing We found this to be too true for afterwards another Learned man had taught a Camel another an Ass another a Dromedary another a tame Lion to say any thing with as much reason as if they had been rational creatures whereas it was but the organ of their tongue that was made use of by the strong power of a Talisman to turn which way and articulate whatsoever the Author of the Talisman pleased We stayed not long in the place but as soon as we had all dined and refreshed our selves we mounted upon our Dromedaries and went on in our Journey The Louse Camel and the Flea turned into a Dromedary going with us in our company we passed by a curious Town that stood upon an Hill which had a plentiful stream of water rising from the top and falling from a steep place upon a Diamant Rock and then incompassed the Hill round with a deep Chanel over which there was a curious Bridge of precious Stones with Silver Globes on the top and the sides of the Walls with a most beautiful Arch the most regularly built that I ever knew The Towns name is Tiftani commanded by a Prince the most considerable of all the Subjects of Sevarminas he came out to meet us with a beautiful Guard of young Gallants all cloathed in Cloth of Silver The Princess also came to the entring in of the Town with a beautiful Attendance of Ladies in their rich Attire covered over with Pearls and the richest and most precious Stones They made a low obeisance to King Sevarminas and offered him the Keys of their City which he returned to the Prince Muraski that was the name of the Prince who was young about the age of thirty years We passed through the streets through the Acclamations and Applauses of all the Common people that are the happiest in the World in all respects for they pay but little or no Tribute and have all things in such abundance glory and plenty that there is no want nor complaints in all the Land the poorest Sevarite hath enough and the richest can have no more than they use for all the rest is superfluous The next Town was Tiptanicar where upon an high Tower stood a Talisman of Gold for what intent I could never learn We went through Muramni Borascot Malavisi and several other good walled Towns in our way We lodged that night in one of the Kings Palaces situate in a little Lake about ten miles in compass in an Island that stands in the middle Several Boats and Vessels waited for us to convey us and our Dromedaries over to the Island This place is one of the most pleasant abodes of the World Here we stop'd above a fortnight which we spent sometimes in fishing sometimes in hunting walking about and admiring the wonderful things that appeared every where Sometimes the Kings Philosophers together with the Musicians would make us such good sport that we were never weary we could have spent the days and the nights in seeing such sports and pass-times Sevarminas all this while sent for me often with De Nuits and Maurice to discourse with us and inform himself concerning the Affairs Commodities and Conveniencies of our Country in which particulars I always gave him such answers as would increase his desire to entertain a Trade and Correspondency with our Nation and the other People of Europe When we had lived here in this Castle and pleasant Island called the Isle of Foxes and in the Sevarites Language Cristako we set forward for another place called the Mount Timpani where the Kings of the Sevarites have another House of Pleasure it is about an hundred Leagues distant towards the Southwest from Cristako We passed through many Woods Vallies and an open Country in our way to it and had the sight of several rare Towns Seravi Puteoli Nanti Quarok Runtour and several others no less rich and beautiful than the former I cannot forget to mention a rare Invention which I saw at Seravi There is a large River about two miles distant from the Town which stands upon a Hill without any water
and consent to that which was not agreeable with the ancient Laws of the Sevarites But in regard we had behaved our selves so religiously since our being in the Country he thought it no disgrace to grant us more liberty than ordinary After this business had been debated in his Privy Council it was resolved that this course should be taken to oblige us the more and invite our Country men to trade with his People Therefore I had a leave to marry publickly my young Mistress and Maùrice also had a Dispensation to take to Wife his courteous Lady When all these things were agreed upon the day was appointed for both King Sevarminas and all the Nobles of his Court assisted at the Solemnity and brought us to his Royal Palace where he bestowed upon us most rich and glorious Gifts and entertained our new and young Wives with a sumptuous Feast at which they had the Honour to sit next the Queen The Ceremony of Marriage was performed in the great Temple of Sevarinde by breaking of bread and joyning of hands with many Prayers and Blessings from their Priests It was concluded with a Dance and Musick where all the young Ladies of the Court shewed their activity Before the Marriage was concluded a Ship was arrived amongst the Sporvi from Batavia where Meen Heer van Plumerick commanded in Chief As soon as we had news of this Ship we went and gave an account of its arrival to Sevarminas who desired us to send for the Captain Van Plumerick and promised that then we should have liberty to depart along with him with our Wives and such things as belonged to us to Batavia or whither we had a mind to go We thanked him for his great and extraordinary Civilities and told him that we would spread his Fame all over the World According to this Order Sermodas was sent back to Sporunde to fetch Captain Van Plumerick whose Ship had Orders to get into the River of Rocara He came with some kind of reluctancy not knowing the Civilities and good Entertainment that we had found amongst the Sevarites But when he was arrived and saw the Riches and Happiness of the People and Country and found them as well as we to be men of Faith good Behaviour and Honesty he was not sorry for his condescension to this request After his arrival to Sevarinde we remained there two months which we spent in merry Sports Feasts Banquets Hunting Hawking and all manner of Delights according to the custom of that glorious Court Sevarminas was well pleased with the Conversation of Van Plumerick for he was a gallant Man and knew so well how to hit the humor of Sevarminas that the King gave him very rich Presents His Ship had Orders to draw near to the Borders of the Sevarites into the River Rocara because we might more conveniently load our Goods and because Sevarminas had a great desire to go on board and see the manner and fashions of our Ships of War and the great Guns that were on board To comply with his desire we all went to the banks of the River Rocara where the Ship rode at an Anchor trimmed and flourishing with Garlands and Pendents of all colours Sevarminas accompanied by all his Court was carried in the Captains Pinnace that waited for him with several other Boats when he was aboard the Cannon and Trumpets bid him welcome The Captain presented him with some Rarities which they have not in that Country He gave him a Watch a Clock Guns of an extraordinary make with many other things of Europe After a Banquet in the great Cabin of the Ship he returned to the shore very well satisfied with his Entertainment He desired one or two of our great Guns for he intended to have some cast of Silver because he had no Brass nor Bell-metal in all his Country We returned with him to Sevarinde and then taking our farewel of all our Friends and Relations we carried away our Goods and shipped them aboard Van Plumericks Ship with our Wives and all our Company set sail towards Batavia but a storm or rather a Hurricane at Sea had a most driven us back again on the shore We escaped narrowly by the great skill of the Mariners and the watchfulness and vigilancy of the Captain so that in six days or thereabouts after the storm we had sight of a Cape in Batavia where we landed to the great joy of all our Country-men who were desirous to see the new Country that we had discovered when we shewed them our Riches and Jewels and gave them an account of the excellent People that inhabit there FINIS A Catalogue of some Books Printed for and Sold by H. Brome since the dreadful Fire of London to 1676. DR Woodford on the Psalms His Divine Poems The Reformed Monastery or the Love of Jesus Bishop Wilkins Natural Religion 130 Sermons by Mr. Farindon in three Vol. in Folio Dr. Heylin on the Creed Fol. A Guide to Eternity by John Bona. Practical Rules for a Holy Life Dr. Du Moulins Prayers A Guide to Heaven with a Rule of Life Bishop Wilkins Real Character A Companion to the Temple or a help to Publick Devotion by Dr. Comber in Octavo 4 Vol. Holy Anthems of the Church A Looking-glass for Loyalty The Fathers Legacy to his Children being the Whole Duty of Man Gerhard's Meditations in Latine Several Sermons at Court c. Papal Tyranny as it was exercised over England for some Ages with two Sermons on the fifth of November And several Tracts more against Popery Histories The Life of the Duke of Espernon the great Favourite of France from 1598. where D' Avila leaves off to our times by Charles Cotton Esq in Folio The History of the Charter-house The State of the Ottoman Empire with Cuts by P. Ricaut Esq in Octavo The Lives of the Grand Viziers Bishop Cosin against Transubstantiation The Common Law Epitomized The Commentaries of Mr. Blaiz de Montluck the great Favourite of France in which are contained all the Sieges Battels Skirmishes for three Kings Reigns by Charles Cotton Esq in Folio The Fair One of Tunis a new Piece of Gallantry by C. C. Esq in Octavo Erasmus Coll. in English Octavo Poems Elvira a Comedy by the Earl of Bristol Mr. A. Bromes Songs and Poems Octavo Horace his Works Englished by several Persons Virgil Travestie by C. C. Esq Lucian's Dialogues Burlesque Horace with a Song at every Act by Charles Cotton Esq Mr. Cowlys Satyr against Separatists Dr. Guidet's History of Bath Dr. Barbettes and Dr. Deckers excellent Practice of Physick and Observations Sir K. Digby his excellent Receipts in Physick and Chirurgery and of Drinks and Cookery The Anatomy of the Elder-tree Dr. Glisson De Vita Naturae Quarto His Anatomia The Universal Angler in three Parts Lord Bacons Advancement of Learning The Planters Manual very useful for such as are curious in Planting and Grafting by C. Cotton Esq The Complete Gamester Dr. Skinner's Lexicon in Folio 1 l. 5 s. Papists no Catholicks The Jesuits Loyalty answered 16 Controversial Letters in Quarto The Growth of Knavery and Popery Essays of Love and Marriage Duod Dr. Moulin's Education of Children The Vindication of the Clergy Toleration discussed A Treatise of Humane Reason in 12. School-Books Nolens Volens or you shall make Latine Pools Pernassus in English Centum Fabulae in Octavo Artis Oratoriae The Scholars Guide from the Accidence to the University Sir James Dyer's Reports Folio The Exact Constable Enlarged The Plague of Athens by Dr. Sprat Six Witty Conversations Mr. Sarazins Ingenious Works Coke of Trade Sir Ph. Meadows Wars of Denmark and Sweden The Geographical Dictionary Vossius's Motion of the Seas and Winds Mr. Sympsons Compendium of Musick His Division Viols Banisters New Airs and Dialogues Old Father Christmas Arraigned and Condemned Leyburns Arithmetical Recreations Dr. Fords Discourse on the Man whose Hands and Legs rotted off for stealing a Bible and denying it Five Love-Letters
understands well the Talismanical Art is able to do any thing in Nature to work wonders and miracles and to delight himself with any kind of sport when he pleaseth After these passages I saw another Philosopher very well skilled in this curious Art bring before Sevarminas threescore Lions roaring with an hundred Bears twenty wild Horses two hundred Mastiffs thirty Leopards forty wild Bulls which he caused first to cry every one according to his custom and nature then the Philosopher forced them to dance whiles he played upon a musical Instrument and they performed this as exactly as if they had been taught on purpose but when he saw his time he set them all together by the ears the Dogs the Lions and the Bears every one pitched upon his Enemy and began a pleasant Fight which lasted two full hours with a great deal of variety of sport which caused Sevarminas and all his Court ost-times to laugh heartily When he hath a desire to take any such diversion he sends for some of these men skilled in the Talismanical Art and they answer his expectations in all things and bring before him whom and what they please We returned our thanks to this worthy Philosopher for his great pains He answered that he was glad to give us any delight and that if we would visit him at some other more convenient time he would shew us some more of his skill in acting greater wonders than what we had seen but that he had done this only to divert us for the present because he saw that we could not stay with him long but if we would see more wonderful things that we should do well to come to him some morning and to spend a whole day with him and that then he would shew us what we had never seen nor never should see but by his and his Companions means We returned him our thanks again for his great kindness and then departed with Ziribabdas who led us next to see the Treasury of the Church which is a large Room joyning to the Porch all arched above with six Windows on the top the Walls were of Diamant niched with Saphirs and Emeralds in it were Chests and Coffers full of the rarest things in Nature offered to the service of the great God by the Citizens of Sevarinde We beheld with admiration the rare workmanship the curious things and the Excellencies that had been there laid up by many Ages and never made use of Some Pictures were upon the Walls of this Treasury of an admirable hand Ziribabdas told us that the Painter was an European cast upon their Coasts by a storm at Sea and that he lived and dyed in that Country and that the Father of Sevarminas had such an affection for him that he gave him a beautiful young Virgin to Wife one of the most considerable of his Court and gave him an Estate to live on having made him a Citizen of Sevarinde and that he lived there fifty years till he was an old man leaving behind him many children Girls and Boys to perpetuate his name amongst the Sevarites His name was Simeon van Zurich a Dutch man who had a great skill in Swimming for when he was cast away all the Ships company was lost but only him they were at a distance from the shore and could not so well swim or were devoured by the fishes It was his fortune to be carried stark naked on the Coast of the Sevarites in an Island full of Ladies of Pleasure who had been banished thither for their incontinency As soon as it was day he found himself surrounded by a whole Troop of the female Sex who had a great delight to see him and came to draw him into the Country but when he saw no men he was afraid to venture amongst them this caused him to swim up the River into the Land in the sight of these beautiful Creatures that accompanied on the shore and often made signs to him to land and go no further but he continued on till he landed amongst the innocent Sevarambi who cloathed and brought him to their King He was by him entertained courteously and nobly and provided for the rest of his days When we had taken notice of the Treasury and of all the great Rarities that are in it we marched into the Church or Temple again to see the excellent Workmanship the Carving and rare things that adorn this excellent place Ziribabdas caused us to take notice of three Partitions in the Temple the one which is at the higher end is only for their Priests and their King the second is for their Nobles the third is for all sorts of persons promiscuously without exception By that time we had seen all this the night drew on apace which caused us to withdraw towards our Lodgings Zidi Parabas led me and Sermodas went with Maurice our other Companions followed us to our Lodgings We took our leaves of the generous and civil Ziribabdas the Chief Priest of that stately and glorious Cathedral-Temple of Sevarinde and thanked him heartily for his great courtesie shewed to us When we came to our Lodgings we found our Supper ready and we were no less prepared for it but Zidi Parabas returned to the Palace to give Sevarminas an account of his Commission and of our Walk promising to return to us the next day Sermodas my self and Companions supped that night together the Musick playing all the while we were eating After Supper we had good store of rare Wines brought to us which we received and made good use of but as we understood that the Sevarites hate Drunkards and drunkenness I advised all my Companions to drink moderately for fear of giving an offence to those noble people They followed my advice and after an hour or two's discourse with Sermodas we went to our beds where we had been the night before Sermodas brought us into the Chamber and then bid us good night telling us that he would call us up the next day and shew us some other diversions as pleasant as those of the day before We thanked him and told him that we should be ready to wait upon him and that we had seen so many wonders already that we thought that we could never see any more at those words he departed smiling The next morning Zidi Parabas and Sermodas with twenty more Gentlemen of the Kings Court came to attend upon us Sermodas only entring the room the rest stayed in a Chamber hard by till we were dressed As soon as we were ready two Fellows with Flutes in their hands ready to play saluted us offering to conduct us to the company that stayed for us they marched before us making most curious Musick till we came to the company A grave Signior of them stood with Zidi Parabas and told us that we must that day ride with Sevarminas into the Country and that he had sent them to call upon us for that purpose Sermodas had caused some