raine And so it falleth out that by reason of these raines their winter as it is aforesaid is nothing so colde because the waters do engender a certayne kind of warmth in those hot regions This is then the cause of the increase of Nilus other riuers in that Climate whereof the ancients of old times made so great doubt and inuented so many fables and errours But in their sommer which is our winter there blow other windes that are quite opposite to the former euen in Diametro and are noted in the Carde from the South to the southeast which out of all question must needes be colde because they breath from the contrary Pole Antarctike and coole all those countreyes euen for all the worlde as our windes in Sommer doo coole our countreyes And whereas there with them these windes do make the ayre very fayre and cleere so doo they neuer come vnto vs but they bring with them great store of raine And this commeth to passe by a certain naturall disposition of the earth which is gouerned by the Heauens and the Clymates thereof and by the soueraigne prouidence of God who hath parted the heauen and the course of the sunne and of the other planets in such sort that euery countrey vpon the face of the earth doth inioy the vertue of their lightes both in heate and in colde and also in all other seasons of the yeare by a most singular measure and proportion And certainly if the breath of these winds did not refresh and coole these countries of Aethiopia Congo and other places neere about them it were not possible for them to endure the heate considering that euen in the night tyme they are constrayned to hange two coueringes ouer them to keep away the heat The same cooling and refreshing by windes is common also to the inhabitants of the Isle of Candie of the Islandes in Arcipelago and of Cyprus and of Asia the lesse and of Soria and of Aegypt which doe liue as it were with this refreshing of the foresaid winds of the Northwest and of the West so that they may well be called as they are in Greeke Zephyri quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 breeders of life Let it bee also remembred that in the mountaines of Aethiopia and of Congo the regions neere adioyning there falleth no snow neither is there any at all in the very toppes of them sauing onely towardes the Cape of Good-Hope and certaine other hilles which the Portugalles call Sierra Neuada that is to say the Snowie mountaines Neyther is there anye ice or snow to bee founde in all the Countrey of Congo which would bee better esteemed there then golde to mingle with their drinkes So that the riuers there doo not swell and increase by melting of snow but because the raine doth fall out of the cloudes for fiue whole Moones continually together that is to lay in April May Iune Iuly August the first raine sometimes beginning on the xv day and sometimes after And this is the cause why the newe waters of Nilus which are so greatly desired expected by the inhabitaunts there do arriue sooner or later in Aegipt Chap. 3. Whether the children which are begotten by Portugalles being of a white skinne and borne in those Countries by the women of Congo bee blacke or white or Tawney like a wilde oliue whom the Portugals call Mulati AL the auncient writers haue certainly beleeued that the cause of blacke colour in men is from the heate of the Sun For by experience it is founde that the neerer wee approach to the cuntries of the South the browner blacker are the inhabitants therein And contrariwise the farther you go towardes the north the whiter shall you finde the men as the French the Dutch the English and others Notwithstanding it is as certaine a thing as may be that vnder the Equinoctiall there are people which are borne almost all white as in the kingdome of Melinde Mombaza situate vnder the Equinoctial in the Isle of San Thomas which lieth also vnder the same Clymate and was at the first inhabited by the Portingalles though afterwardes it was disinhabited and for the space of a hundred yeares and vpwardes their children were continually white yea and euery day still become whiter and whiter And so likewise the children of the Portingals which are borne of the women of Congo do incline somewhat towards white So that Signor Odoardo was of opinion that the blacke colour did not spring from the heate of the Sunne but from the nature of the seede being induced thereunto by the reasons aboue mentioned And surely this his opinion is confirmed by the testimony of Ptolome who in his discription of the innermost partes of Lybia maketh mention of white Ethiopians which hee calleth in his language 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say white Moores and in another place also of white Elephants which are in the same countrey Chap. 4. Of the circuite of the Kingdome of Congo and of the borders and confines thereof And first of the Westerne coast THe Kingdome of Congo is distinguished by foure borders The first of the West which is watered with the Ocean sea the seconde of the North the thirde of the east the last which is towardes the South And to beginne with the border lying vpon the sea the first part of it is in the Bay called Seno delle Vacche is situate in the height of 13. degrees vpon the Antarctik side and stretcheth all along the coast vnto 4. degrees and a halfe on the North side neere to the Equinoctial which space contayneth 630. miles This Seno delle vacche is a hauen but of a moderate bignes and yet a good one able to receiue any ship that arriueth It is called Seno delle vacche that is to say the Bay of Cowes because thereabouts there are pasturing very many heardes of that kind of Cattel The country is plain aboundeth with all manner of victuailes and there you shall find some kinde of mettels to be publikely solde especially siluer and it is subiect to the King of Angola A little more forwarde lyeth the Riuer Bengleli where a certaine Lorde being subiect to the King of Angola doth specially commande and about the said Riuer is a great compasse of countrey much like to the former And a little further runneth the riuer Songa so called by the Portingalles wherein you may sayle 25. miles vpwardes in a country also like to the former The followeth the riuer Coanza which issueth out of a little lake fedde by a certaine riuer that floweth out of a great lake being the chiefe and principal spring or head of Nilus wherof in the other part of this discourse we shall haue occasion to write Coanza at the mouth of it is two miles broade and you may sayle with small barkes vpwardes against the streame about 100. miles but
hath no hauen And here it is to be noted that all this Country which we haue here described was wont to be subiect to the king of Congo but a while ago the Gouernour of that countrey is become the absolute Lorde thereof and professeth himselfe to bee a friende to the king of Congo but not his vassall and yet sometimes he sendeth the King some present in manner of a tribute Beyond the Riuer Coanza is the hauē of Loanda being in ten degrees made as it is said by a certaine Island called Loanda which signifieth in that lauguage Bald or Shauen because it is a Countrey without any hilles and very low for indeed it scarce rayseth it selfe aboue the sea This Island was framed of the sand and durt of the sea and of the riuer Coanza whose waues meeting together and the filthy matter sinking downe there to the bottome in a continuance of time it grew to be an Island It may be about 20. miles long and one mile broade at the most and in some places but onely a bowshoote But it is a maruellous thing that in such a sandy ground if you shall digge to the depth of two or three hande-breadthes you shall finde sweete water the best in all those Countreyes Wherein also there is a very strange effect that when the Ocean ebbeth this water becommeth somewhat salte but when it floweth to the top it is most sweete A thing that falleth out also in the Islande of Cadis in Spayne by the report and testimony of Strabo This Islande is the Mine of all the money which the King of Congo spendeth and all the people thereaboutes For vppon the shores you shall haue certayne women that vse to diue and ducke into the sea two yardes deepe and more and fill their baskets with sand and afterwardes diuide the grauell from certayne smal Shel-fishes that are among it which are called Lumache when these Lumache are seuered by themselues then doe they picke out the Males from the Females which they may easily do because the Female is more fine then the Male and greatly esteemed for her colour which is very neat bright and pleasant to the sight These Lumache doo breede in all the shores of the kingdome of Congo but the best of all are those of Loanda because they looke very fine and of a very bright colour some gray or ashecoloured and some of other colours not so precious And here you must note that gold and siluer and mettell is not of any estimation nor in vse of money in these countreyes but onely these Lumache so that neither with golde nor siluer in masse or in coine you shal buy any thing there but with these Lumache you shall buy both golde and siluer or any thing els In this Islande there are 7. or 8. Townes called in that Country language Libata the principal whereof is Spirito sancto and therein dwelleth the Gouernour which is sent from Congo to minister iustice and to gather the treasure of the moneyes of these Lumache Here are also Goates and Sheepe and Boares in great numbers which being tame at the first do afterwardes become wilde and liue in the woods Here groweth also a tree called Enzanda which is a great one and alwaies greene and endued with a singular qualitie For from the bowes of it that sproute vpwardes there hang downe certaine threedes as it were which creeping into the earth do take roots out from these roots do rise other trees so they multiply And within the outmost barke thereof there groweth a certaine kind of pil like fine linnen which being beaten and cleansed they spreade out in length and in breadth and therewith they cloath their men and women that are of the basest sort In this Islande they haue certaine vessels made of the bodies of Palme-trees ioyned together and framed after the manner of our boates with a prowe and a sterne wherin they passe from place to place both with oares and sayles In these boates they vse to fish about the riuers which are indeede exceeding full of fish and sometime also they will go ouer to the firme lande In that part of this Islande which is towardes the maine land in certaine lowe places there grow certaine trees which when the water of the Ocean ebbeth discouer themselues and at the feet thereof you shal find certaine other Shel-fishes cleauing as fast to the trees as may bee hauing within them a great fish as bigge as a mans hande and very good meate The people of the countrey know them very well and call them Ambiziamatare that is to say the Fishe of the Rocke The shels of these fishes they vse to burne and thereof make very good lime to builde withall And being like the corke or barke of the tree which is called Manghi they dresse their Oxe hydes withall to make their shooe soles the stronger To be briefe this Island bringeth forth neither corne nor wine but there is great store of victuaile brought thether from all parts thereaboutes to fetch away these Lumache For as in all other places all things may be had for money of mettell so all things here are had for Lumache Whereby may bee noted that not onely here in this kingdome of Congo but also in her neighbour Ethiopia and in Africa and in the kingdomes of China certaine others of the Indies they vse moneyes of other matter then of mettall that is to say neyther golde nor siluer nor copper nor any other mixture tempered of these For in Aethiopia their money is Pepper and in the kingdome of Tombutto which is about the Riuer Nigir otherwise called Senega their money is Cockles or Shelfishe and among the Azanaghi their moneyes are Porcellette and in the kingdome of Bengala likewise they vse Porcellette and mettall together In China they haue certaine Shelfishes called also Porcellette which they vse for their money in other places Paper stamped with the kings seale and the barks of the tree called Gelsomora Whereby it appeareth that the money which is payed for euerie thing is not mettall all the worlde ouer as it is in Europe and in many and sundry other countries of the earth This Islande in the straitest part of it is very neere to the firme lande and the people do oftentimes swimme ouer the channell there In this straite there arise out of the Ocean certaine Islettes which shewe themselues forth from the water when it ebbeth and are couered againe when it floweth And in those Islettes you shall see great trees and most excellent Shelfishes cleauing fast to the bodies of them such as I tolde you of before Neere to this Islande towardes the outwarde coast to the sea there swim an innumerable sorte of Whales that looke blacke and fighting one with another doe kill themselues which afterwardes being by the waues cast vp vpon the shore as bigge as a midling
marchants shippe the Negroes goe forth with their boates to fetch them and to take the oyle out of them which being mingled with pitch they vse to trimme their vessels withall Vpon the ridges or backes of these creatures there growe many Shelfishes made like Snailes Cockles and Whelkes whereof Signor Odoardo affirmed that hee had seene great store He was also of opinion that Amber commeth not from these fishes For ouer all the coast of Congo where there is an infinite number of them you shal not finde either Ambregriz or any other Amber blacke or white in any place And yet if it should come from these creatures there must haue beene of necessity great store of it founde vpon these Shores The principall hauen of this Island hath his entrance towardes the North and on that side it is halfe a mile broade and of a very great depth Vpon the firme land directly ouer against the Island is a towne called villa di San Paulo altogether inhabited with Portingalles and their wiues which they brought with them out of Spaine and yet it is not fortified All this channell is very full of fish especially of Sardinaes and of Anchioues whereof there is so great store that in the winter time they will of themselues leape vp to land Other kindes of most excellent fishes there are as Soles and Sturgeons and Barbelles and all manner of dainty fish and great Crabbes in straunge aboundance and all very wholesome so that the greatest parte of the people that dwel about the banks there do liue vpon them Into this channell runneth the Riuer called Bengo which is a very great one nauigable vpwardes xxv miles This Riuer with that other of Coanza whereof I tolde you before doe make the Isle of Loanda because when their waters do meete together they leaue their sande and filth behind them and so increase the Island There runneth also into it another great Riuer called Dande which wil receiue vessels of an hundred tunne then another Riuer called Lemba which neither hath Hauen neyther do any Shippes enter into it Very neere vnto this there is also another Riuer called Ozone which issueth out of the same Lake whence Nilus likewise springeth and it hath a hauen Next to Ozone there is another called Loze without any hauen and then another great one with a hauen called Ambriz which runneth within foure leagues neere to the Royall Citty of Congo Last of all is the Riuer Lelunda which signifieth a Trowtfish and watereth the rootes of that great hil wheron the pallace of Congo standeth called by the Portingalles the Oteiro This Riuer Lelunda springeth out of the same Lake from whence Coanza issueth and taketh into it by the way another Riuer that commeth from the great Lake and when it doth not raine then you may passe ouer Lelunda on foote because it hath so little store of water in it Next vnto this is the Zaire a huge Riuer and a large and in deed the greatest in all the kingdome of Congo The original of this Riuer commeth out of three Lakes one is the great Lake from whence Nilus springeth the second is the little Lake aboue mentioned and the third is the second great Lake which Nilus engendreth And certainely when you will consider the aboundance of water that is in this Riuer you will say that there was no nede to haue any fewer or lesser springes to make so huge a streame as this carrieth For in the very mouth of it which is the onely entraunce into it the Riuer is 28. myles broad and when it is in the height of his increase he runneth fresh water 40. or 50. miles into the sea and sometimes 80. so that the passengers doe refresh themselues withal by the troublesomnes of the water they know the place where they are It is nauigable vpwardes with great barkes about 25. miles vntill you come to a certaine straite betweene the rockes where it falleth with such a horrible noise that it may be hearde almost 8. miles And this place is called by the Portingalles Cachiuera that is to say a Fall or a Cataracte like to the Cataractes of Nilus Betweene the mouth of this Riuer and the fall thereof there are diuers great Islands well inhabited with townes and Lordes obedient to the king of Congo which sometimes for the great enmitie that is among them doo warre one against another in certaine boates hollowed out of a stocke of a tree which is of an vnmesurable bignes these boats they call Lungo The greatest boates that they haue are made of a certaine tree called Licondo which is so great that sixe men cannot compasse it with their armes and is in length of proportion aunswerable to the thicknesse so that one of them will carrie about 200. persons They rowe these boates with their oares which are not tyed to any loopes but they holde them at libertie in their handes and moue the water therewith at pleasure Euery man hath his oare and his bowe and when they fight together they lay downe their oare and take their bowe Neyther do they vse any other Rudders to turne and gouerne their boates but onely their oares The first of these Islandes which is but a little one is called the Isle of Horses because there are bredde and brought vp in it great store of those creatures that the Greekes call Hippopotami that is to say Water-horses In a certaine village within this Islande doe the Portingals dwel hauing withdrawen themselues thether for their better securitie They haue their vesselles to transporte them ouer the water to the firme lande vpon the south banke of the Riuer which lande is called the hauen of Pinda where many shippes doe ryde that arriue therein In this Riuer there are liuing diuerse kinds of creatures and namely mighty great Crocodiles which the Countrey people there call Caiman and Water-horses aboue named And another kind of creature that hath as it were two hands and a taile like a Target which is called Ambize Angulo that is to say a Hogge-fishe because it it as fat as a Porke The flesh of it is very good and thereof they make Larde and so keepe it neyther hath it the sauour or taste of a fish although it bee a fishe It neuer goeth out from the fresh water but feedeth vpon the grasse that groweth on the banks hath a mouth like the mozell of an Oxe There are of these fishes that weigh 500. poundes a peece The fishermen vse to take them in their little boates by marking the places where they feed and then with their hookes and forkes striking and wounding them they drawe them dead forth of the water and when they haue cut them in peeces they carry them to the king For who soeuer doth not so encurreth the penaltie of death and so doe they likewise that
because it is the plainer tonge but the people of Congo do very hardely learne the language of the Anzichi And when I once demaunded what their religion was it was tolde mee they were Gentils and that was all that I could learne of them Chap. 6. Of the East coast of the Kingdome of Congo and the confines thereof THe East Coast of the kingdome of Congo beginneth as we haue tolde you at the meeting of the Riuer Vumba and the Riuer of Zaire and so with a line drawen towardes the South in equall distance from the Riuer Nilus which lyeth on the left hande it taketh vp a great mountaine which is very high not inhabited in the toppes thereof called the mountaine of Christal because there is in it great quantity of Christal both of the mountaine and of the cliffe and of all sorts And then passing on further includeth the hilles that are called Sierras de Sol that is to say the hilles of the Sunne because they are exceeding high And yet it neuer snoweth vpon them neyther doe they beare any thing but are very bare and without any trees at all On the leaft hand there arise other hils called the hilles of Sal-Nitrum because there is in thē great store of that Mineral And so cutting ouer the riuer Berbela that commeth out of the first Lake there endeth the ancient bound of the kingdome of Congo on the East Thus then the east coast of this kingdome is deriued from the meeting of the two foresaid riuers Vumba and Zaire vntill you come to the lake Achelunda and to the Countrey of Malemba contayning the space of sixe hundred miles From this lyne which is drawen in the easterne coast of Congo to the riuer Nilus and to the two Lakes whereof mention shalbe made in conuenient place there is the space of 150. miles of ground wel inhabited and good store of hils which do yeeld sundry mettalles with much linnen and cloth of the Palme tree And seeing wee are now come to this point of this discourse it will be very necessary to declare vnto you the maruellous arte which the people of this countrey and other places thereabouts do vse in making cloathes of sundry sortes as Veluets shorne and vnshorne cloth of Tinue Sattens Taffata Damaskes Sarcenettes and such like not of any silken stuffe for they haue no knowledge of the Silkewormes at all although some of their apparell bee made of silke that is brought thether from our Countreys But they weaue their cloathes aforenamed of the leaues of Palme trees which trees they alwayes keepe vnder and lowe to the grounde euery yeare cutting them and watering them to the ende they may grow smal and tender against the new spring Out of these leaues being cleansed purged after their manner they drawe forth their threedes which are all very fine and dainty and all of one euennesse sauing that those which are longest are best esteemed For of those they weaue their greatest peeces These stuffes they worke of diuers fashions as some with a nappe vpon them like Veluet on both sides and other cloath called Damaskes braunched with leaues and such other thinges the Broccati which are called High and Lowe and are farre more precious then ours are This kinde of cloath no man may weare but the king and such as it pleaseth him The greatest peeces are of these Broccati for they contayne in length fower and fiue spannes and in breadth three and foure spannes and are called Incorimbas by the name of the countrey where it groweth which is about the Riuer Vumba The Veluettes are called Enzachas of the same bignesse and the Damaskes Insulas and the Rasi Maricas and the Zendadi Tangas the Ormesini Engombos Of the lighter sort of these stuffes they haue greater peeces which are wrought by the Anzichi and are sixe spannes long and fiue spannes broade wherewith euery man may apparell himselfe according to his habilitie Besides that they are very thicke and sounde to keepe out the water and yet very light to weare The Portingalles haue lately begun to vse them for tents and boothes which do maruellously resist both water and winde Chap. 7. Of the confines of the kingdome of Congo towardes the South THis Easterne Coast as it is before set downe endeth in the mountain called Serras de Plata that is the mountaines of siluer and there beginneth the fourth and last border of the kingdome of Congo towardes the South that is to say from the foresaide mountaine to the Bay of Cowes on the West contayning in length the space of foure hundred fifty miles And this Southerne line doth parte the kingdome of Angola in the middle and leaueth on the left hand of it the foresaide mountaines of Siluer and further beyond them towardes the South the Kingdome of Matama which is a great kingdome very mighty and absolute of it selfe and sometimes in amity and sometimes at vtter enmitie with the kingdome of Angola The king of Matama is in religion a Gentile and his kingdome stretcheth towardes the South to the riuer Brauagal and neere to the mountains commonly called the Mountaynes of the Moone and towardes the east bordereth on the Westerne bankes of the riuer Bagamidri and so crosseth ouer the riuer Coari This countrey aboundeth in vaultes of Christall and other mettalles and all manner of victuaile and good ayre And although the people thereof their neighbour borderers do trafficke together Yet the King of Matama and the king of Angola doo oftentimes warre one against the other as we told you before And this riuer Bagamidri diuideth the kingdome of Matapa from the kingdome of Monomata which is towards the East and whereof Iohn de Barros doth most largely discourse in the first Chapter of his tenth booke Towardes the sea coast there are diuers Lordes that take vpon them the title of kinges but indeed they are of very base and slender estate Neyther are there any portes or hauens of any account or name in the riuers there And nowe forasmuch as wee haue oftentimes made mention of the kingdome of Angola this will be a very conuenient place for vs to intreate thereof because it hath beene heretofore saide that the king of Angola being in times past but a Gouernour or Deputy vnder the king of Congo although since that tyme he is become a good Christian yet hath he made himselfe a free and an absolute Prince and vsurped all that quarter to his owne iurisdiction which before hee had in regiment and gouernement vnder another And so afterwards in time conquered other countries thereabouts insomuch as he is now growen to bee a great Prince a rich and in power little inferiour to the king of Congo himselfe and therefore eyther payeth tribute or refuseth to pay tribute vnto him euen at his owne good pleasure It came to passe that Don Giouanni the second being king of Portingall
one with the language of the people of Congo because as wee told you before they are both but one kingdome Onely the difference betweene them is as commonly it is betweene two nations that border one vpon another as for example betweene the Portingalles and the Castilians or rather betweene the Venetians and the Calabrians who pronouncing their wordes in a diuers manner and vttering them in seuerall sortes although it be all one speech yet do they very hardly vnderstand one another Wee haue signified vnto you heretofore that the Bay of Cowes doth diuide the kingdome of Angola in the middest and hitherto wee haue treated but of the one halfe thereof Now we will describe vnto you the seconde parte of it which lyeth from the said Bay of Cowes towardes the South From this Bay then to the black Cape called Capo Negro by the coast of the Ocean they doe reckon two hundred twenty miles of such country and soile as the former is and possessed by many Lordes that are subiect to the king of Angola From Capo Negro there runneth a line towardes the East through the middest of the Mountaynes that are called Monti Freddi that is to say the Cold Mountaines which also in some certaine parts of them that are higher then the rest towardes the Equinoctiall are tearmed by the Portingalles Monti Neuosi or Snowie Mountaines and so endeth at the rootes of other Mountaynes that are called the Mountaines of Chrystall Out of these Snowie Mountains do spring the waters of the Lake Dumbea Zocche This foresaid line from the mountaine of Christall draweth onwardes towardes the North through the Mountaines of Siluer till you come to Malemba where wee tolde you the kingdome of Congo was diuided and parted the Riuer of Coari in the middest And this is the Countrey possessed by the King of Angola whereof I haue no more to say then is already set downe neither of the qualities of his person nor of his Court. Chap. 8. Of the circuite of the Kingdome of Congo possessed by the King that nowe is according to the foure borders aboue described BEginning therefore at the Riuer Coanza and drawing towardes the Equinoctiall 375. miles you shal find the Riuer that they call Las Barreras Vermellias or the Redde Pittes which are indeed the ragged ruines of certaine rockes worne by the sea and when they fall downe doo shew themselues to be of a redde colour From thence by a direct line vpon the North that which the King possesseth is 450. miles And theÌ„ the said line diuiding it self towards the South passeth by the hilles of Christall not those that we told you before did belong to Angola but others that are called by the same name and so by the mountains of Salnitro trauersing the Riuer Verbela at the roots of the Mountaines of Siluer it endeth at the Lake Aquelunda which is the space of 500. miles The fourth line runneth along the Riuer Coanza which issueth out of the said Lake contayneth 360. miles So that the whole Realme now possessed by Don Aluaro the king of Congo is in compasse 1685. miles But the breadth thereof beginneth at the mouth of the Riuer Zaire where the point is which in the Portingal speech is called Padraon and so cutting the kingdome of Congo in the middle and crossing ouer the mountaines of the Sunne and the mountaines of Christall there it endeth containing the space of 6â—0 miles within 150. miles neere to the Riuer Nilus Very true it is indeed that in ancient time the predecessors of this Prince did raigne ouer many other countreyes thereaboutes which in processe of time they haue lost and although they bee now in the gouernement of others yet doo the Kings of Congo retaine still to this day the titles of those regions as for example Don Aluaro king of Congo and of Abundos and of Matama and of Quizama and of Angola and of Cacongo and of the seauen kingdomes of Congere Amolaza and of the Pangelungos and Lorde of the Riuer Zaire and of the Anziquos and Anziquana and of Loango Chap. 9. The sixe Prouinces of the kingdome of Congo and first of the Prouince of Bamba THis kingdome is diuided into sixe Prouinces that is to say Bamba Songo Sundi Pango Batta Pemba The Prouince of Bamba which is the greatest and the richest is gouerned by Don Sebastian Mani Bamba cosin to the King Don Aluaro last deceased and it is situated vpon the sea coast from the riuer Ambrize vntill you come to the riuer Coanza towardes the South This Don Sebastian hath vnder his dominion many Princes and Lordes and the names of the greatest of them are these Don Antonio Mani-Bamba who is Lieuetenant and brother to Don Sebastian and Mani-Lemba another and Mani-Dandi Mani-Bengo and Mani-Loanda who is gouernour of the Island of Loanda and Mani-Corimba and Mani-Coanza and Mani-Cazzanzi All these doo gouerne all the sea coast but within lande for that parte which belongeth to Angola there are another people called the Ambundos who dwelling on the borders of Angola are subiect to the saide Mani-Bamba and they are these Angazi Chinghengo Motollo Chabonda and many others of baser condition Note that this worde Mani signifieth a Prince or a Lord and the rest of the word is the name of the countrey and Lordeshippe where the Lorde ruleth As for example Mani-Bamba signifieth the Lord of the countrey of Bamba Mani-Corimba the Lorde of the countrey of Corimba which is a parte of Bamba and so likewise of the rest This Prouince of Bamba confineth with Angola on the South vpon the East of it towardes the Lake Achelunda lyeth the country of Quizama which is gouerned like a comon wealth and is diuided among a number of Lordes who in deed liuing at their owne libertie doo neyther obey the King of Congo nor the King of Angola And to bee short these Lords of Quizama after they had a long time quarrelled with Paulo Diaz yet at last they became his subiects because they woulde auoide the yoake of the King of Angola and by their good aid and assistance doth Paulo Diaz greatly helpe himselfe against the said King of Angola Nowe the aforesaid Countrey of Bamba as wee haue tolde you is the principall Prouince of all the Realme of Congo and in deed the very keye and the buckler and the sworde and the defence thereof and as it were the frontier which opposeth it selfe against all their enemies For it resisteth all the reuoltes and rebellions of those quarters and hath very valorous people in it that are alwaies ready for to fight so that they do continually keep their aduersaries of Angola in great awe and if it happen at any time that their king stande in neede they are alwaies at his commaunde to annoy the other countries whensoeuer When neede requireth hee may haue in Campe
this day you may see diuers of them that are kept for a maruaile And because they are very rare the Chiefe Lordes there doo curiously preserue them and suffer the people to worship them which tendeth greatly to their profite by reason of the giftes and oblations which the people offer vnto them There are there also to be found Chameleons which haue fower feete and breede vpon the rockes and liue of the winde and the aire of the bignesse and likenesse of an Efte with a sharpe heade and a tayle like a sawe They are for the most parte of the colour of the skie but somewhat more duskie and greenish and if you stand to looke a while vpon them you shall see them chaunge themselues into diuers colours They dwell much vpon high rockes and trees to the ende they may take aire wherewith they are nourished Other serpentes there are that are venemous that carrie vpon the tippe of their taile a certaine little roundell like a bell which ringeth as they go so as it may be hearde It may be it was there set by nature of purpose that people should beware of them and it is founde by experience that these belles and the heades of the serpents are very good remedies against an ague and against the trembling of the hart These kindes and sortes of lande-Creatures are to be founde in these regions besides others also that are commonly to be had in other countries It resteth now that we speake somewhat touching Birdes and first of all of the Eastriche because it is bigger then all the rest These Eastriches are found in those partes of Sundi and of Batta that are towardes the Muzambi The young Eastriches doo spring out of their egges being warmed and disclosed by the eye heate of the Sunne Their feathers are vsed in steede of Ensignes and Banners in warre mingled with some plumes of the Peacocke and are fashioned in the likenesse of a shadowe against the Sunne And forasmuch as I am fallen into the speech of Peacockes I must tell you by the way that in the partes of Angola there are Peacockes brought vp priuately in a certaine woode that is compassed about with walles and the king will not suffer any other bodie to keepe those birdes but onely himselfe because they are for the Royall Ensignes as I tolde you before And it is read in auncient histories of Alexander the Great that he did also priuiledge this Birde at such time as he first saw it in Europe There are also Indie-Cockes and Hens and Geese and Duckes of all sortes both wilde and tame Partriches so many as children take them with ginnes Other birdes they haue likewise as Pheasantes which they call Gallignoles Pigeons Turtles and of these small birdes called Becca fichi an infinite number Birdes of prey as Eagles-Royall Faulcons Gerfaulcons and Sparhaukes and others great store which notwithstanding the people neuer vse to hauke withall Birdes of the sea as Pellicanes for so the Portingalles do call them white and great which swimme vnder the water and haue their throates so wide that they will swallow a whole fish at once This bird hath so good a stomacke and naturally so hot that it easily digesteth the fish that it swalloweth whole and the skinne of it is so hoat that the people of that countrey do vse to weare them and to warme their colde stomackes withall and therefore make great reckoning of them There are many white Herons and Gray Bittours that feede in the washes there and are called Royall Birdes Other Fowles there are of the likenesse of a Crane with a red bill and redde feete as bigge as Storkes and their feathers for the most part redde and white and some darke graye Goodly birdes they are to looke too and the people of the countrey doo call them Flemminges because they doo much resemble them and are good meat to eate They haue Parrattes of gray colour great and very talkatiue others of greene colour but they are little ones not so talkatiue They haue likewise certaine smal little birds which they call Birds of Musicke and yet greater thē the Canarie Birds of feather bill red some greene with their feet bill only black some all white some gray or dunne some all blacke and this kinde is more sweet in their notes then all the rest aforenamed for you woulde thinke that they talked in their singing Others there are of diuers colours but they do all sing in sundrie sorts so that the chiefe Lords of those countreyes from auncient times to this day haue continually kept them in cages and greatly esteemed them for their song Chap. 10. Of the Prouince of Sogno which is the Countrey of the Riuer Zaire and Loango THis Countrey is bounded with the Riuer Ambrize towardes the North in seauen degrees and a halfe and so trauersing the Riuer Lelunda and the Riuer Zaire it endeth at the Rockes called Barreuras Vermellias that is to say the Redde pittes which are in the borders of the Kingdome of Loango In the middest of this Prouince there is a certaine Territory called by the same name Sogno where the Gouernour of the Countrey dwelleth The chiefe Lordes that rule this Prouince are called Mani-Sogno that is Princes of Sogno and are commonly of the blood Royall The Prince that gouerneth there at this day is called Dō Diego Mani-Sogno He hath vnder his dominiō many other petty Lords other prouinces that in olde time were free and liued by themselues as the people of Mombalas situate somwhat neere to the Cittie of Congo which are now subiect to this gouernement And on the other side of the Riuer Zaire towardes the North is the Prouince of Palmar that is to say of Palmes because there is great store of Palme trees growing therein Other Lordes there are that border vpon the King of Loango who was sometime subiect to the King of Congo but in processe of time he became a free Lord and now professeth himselfe to be in amity with the king of Congo but not to be this vassall The people that are vnder these Lords in those borders are called the Bramas and they reach within land vnder the Equinoctiall line towardes the East to the boundes of Anzicana all along the Mountaines which diuide them from the Anzichi vpon the North. They are called by the people of Loango Congreamolal because they were subiect to Congo In this Countrey of Loango there are many Elephants and great store of Iuory which they doo willingly exchaunge for a little iron so that for the naile of a shippe be it neuer so small they will giue a whole Elephantes tooth The reason thereof is either because there groweth no iron in that place or els they haue not the skill to get it out of the mines where it groweth But all the iron they can get they employ for heading of their
arrowes and their other weapons as we told you when we spake of the Bramas They make great store of cloth of the Palme trees whereof wee made mention before but these are lesser and yet very fine They haue greate aboundance of Kine and of other cattell before named They are in Religion Pagans their apparell after the fashion of the people of Congo They maintaine warre with their bordering neighbours which are the Anzichi and the inhabitants of Anzicana when they enterprise warre against the Anzichi then they craue aide of the people of Congo and so they remaine halfe in freedome and halfe in daunger of others They worship what they list and hold the Sunne for the greatest God as though it were a man and the Moone next as though it were a woman Otherwise euery man chooseth to himselfe his owne idol and worshippeth it after his owne pleasure These people would easily embrace the Christian Religion For many of them that dwell vpon the borders of Congo haue beene conuerted to Christendome and the rest for want of Priestes and of such as should instruct them in true religion do remaine stil in their blindnes Chap. 11. Of the third Prouince called Sundi THis Prouince of Sundi is the neerest of all to the Citty of Congo called Citta di San-Saluatore the Citty of Saint Sauiours and beginneth about 40. miles distant from it and quite out of the territory thereof and reacheth to the riuer Zaire and so ouer the same to the other side where the Caduta or Fall is which wee mentioned before and then holdeth on vpwardes on both sides towards the North bordering vpon Anzicana and the Anzichi Towardes the South it goeth along the said riuer Zaire vntill you come to the meeting of it with the Riuer Bancare and all along the bankes thereof euen to the rootes of the mountaine of Christall In the bounds of the Prouince of Pango it hath her principall Territory where the Gouernour lyeth who hath his name from the Prouince of Sundi and is seated about a daies iourney neere to the Fall of the Riuer towardes the South This Prouince is the chiefest of all the rest and as it were the Patrimony of all the kingdome of Congo and therefore it is alwaies gouerned by the Kinges eldest Sonne and by those Princes that are to succeede him As it fell out in the time of their first Christian King that was called Don Iohn whose eldest sonne that was Gouernour here succeeded him and was called Don Alfonso And euer sithence the Kinges of Congo haue successiuely continued this custome to consigne this Gouernement to those Princes which are to succeede in the kingdome As did the king that nowe is called Don Aluaro who was in this Gouernment before Don Aluaro the King his father died and was called Mani-Sundi And here by the way you must note that in all the Kingdome of Congo there is not any person that possesseth any proper goodes of his owne whereof hee may dispose and leaue to his heyres but all is the Kinges he distributeth all offices all goodes and all landes to whomsoeuer it pleaseth him Yea and to this law euen the Kinges owne sonnes are subiect So that if any man do not pay his tribute yearely as hee ought the King taketh away his Gouernement from him and giueth it to another As it happened to the king that now liueth who at the time that Signor Odoardo was at the Courte being of his owne nature very liberall and bountifull beyond measure and one that bestowed much vpon his seruants could not discharge those impositions that the king had layed on him Whereupon he was by the king depriued of his reuenews of his gouernement and of his royall fauour that is to say in that language hee was Tombocado as we will declare more at full in the seconde part of this discourse Many Lords there are that are subiect to the Gouernour or Sundi The people do trafficke with their neighbour Countries felling and bartering diuers things As for example falt clothes of sundry colours brought from the Indies and from Portingale and Lumaâ—â—â—â—â— to serue for their coine And for these commodities they doo exchaunge cloth of Palme trees and Iuory and the skinnes of Sables and Marternes and certaine girdles wrought of the leaues of Palme trees which are greatly esteemed in those partes There groweth in these countries great store of Christall and diuers kinds of mettall but Iron they loue aboue all the rest saying that the other mettalles are to no vse for with Iron they can make kniues and weapons and hatchers and such like instruments that are necessary and profitable for the vse of mans nature Chap. 12. Of the fourth Prouince called Pango THe Prouince of Pango in auncient time was a free kingdome that was gouerned of it selfe bordereth on the North vppon Sundi on the South vpon Batta on the West vpon the Countie of Congo and on the East vpon the mountaines of the Sunne The principal Territory where the Gouernours dwelling is hath the same name that the Prouince hath viz. Pango It standeth vpon the Westerne side of the Riuer Barbela and in olde time was called Pangue-lungos and in time afterwardes the worde was corrupted and chaunged into Pango Through the middest of this Prouince runneth the riuer Berbela which fetcheth his originall from the great Lake whence the riuer Nilus also taketh his beginning and from another lesser Lake called Achelunda and so dischargeth it selfe into Zaire And although this be the least Countrey of all the rest yet doth it yeeld no lesse tribute then the rest This Prouince was conquered after the Countrey of Sundi and made subiect to the Princes of Congo and is now all one with it both in speech and manners neither is there any difference at all betweene them The present Gouernour thereof is called Don Francesco Mani-Pango and is descended from the most auncient nobilitie of all the Lordes of Congo and in all consultations touching the State he is sent for because he is nowe an olde man and of great wisedome For hee hath remained in the gouernment of this region for the space of fiftie yeares and no man euer complained of him neither did the king at any time take his gouernement from him The trafficke of this Prouince is like the trafficke of Sundi Chap. 13. Of the fift Prouince called Batta THe boundes of this Prouince are towards the North the Countrey of Pango on the East it taketh quite ouer the Riuer Barbela and reacheth to the Mountaines of the Sunne and to the foote of the Mountaines of Sal-Nitre And on the South from the said Mountains by a line passing through the meeting of the riuers Barbela and Cacinga to the mountaine Brusciato that is to say Scorched Within these boundes is Batta contayned and the Principall Cittie where the Prince dwelleth
is the distance of an hundred miles contayning the largenesse and breadth of this famous Cape which being deuided into two points as it were into two hornes it maketh a Gulfe where sometimes the Portingall shippes doe take fresh water in the Riuer that they call the Sweet Riuer The inhabitantes of this coast which dwell betweene these two points are of colour blacke although the Pole Antarctike in that place be in the eleuation of thirtie and fiue degrees which is a very strange thing yea the rude people that liue among the most colde mountains of the Moone are blacke also This I write of purpose to aduise and moue the Philosophers and such as search the effectes of nature that they would fall into their deepe contemplation and speculation therevpon teach vs whether this blacke colour be occasioned by the Sunne or by any other secrete and vnknowne cause Which question I for this time doe meane to leaue vndecided Now forasmuch as this Promontory of Good-Hope is the greatest Cape of all and stretcheth out into the Sea farther then any other in the whole vniuersall worlde and is very daungerous to passe as all Promontories are and for that also the sea is there most terrible and from the lande there blow most horrible winds which cause that Ocean to be exceedingly tempestuous and stormie so that many Portingall shippes of admirable burthens haue beene cast away therein and lastly because the auncient Historiographers did neuer knowe it no not so much as by hearesay and it is not long ago since the King of Portingalles Fleetes did first discouer the same It shal not be impertinent but rather a matter of great conuenience in this place to decipher the measure thereof to make so manifest a declaration of it as may serue also to vnderstande how great the nauigation is from Portingall into India by compassing the Coast of the Cape of Good-Hope onely almost the space of sixe thousande miles as a little hereafter it shall be shewed vnto you For from the Riuer of Ferdinando Poo where the said Cape beginneth to iut-out into the sea as farre as to the Poynt which we call the Point of Needles there is contayned vpon the shoare more then two thousande and 200. myles from the North to the South and on the contrary side from the said Point to the Cape of Guarda-Fuy right ouer against the Islande of Socotora they reckon more then three thousande and three hundred miles by the coast from the South to the North. So that from Lisbone compassing about the shoares of Africa and all the Cape of Good-Hope vnto the kingdome of Goa there are moe then fifteene thousand miles And from thence afterwardes to Malaca and to China and so forwardes there remayneth so long a iourney that neuer yet in any time hetherto hath there beene so great and so daungerous a nauigation vndertaken and performed as this of the Portingalles neyther with great vesselles nor with small It is called the Cape of Good-Hope because all such as saile that way aswell in going forth as in returning home doo especially principally ayme at this marke that they may passe and get beyonde this Promontorie which when they haue doone they account themselues to bee out of all daunger and as it were to haue performed their iourney And vpon this their generall desire they gaue it the name of the Cape of Good-Hope Nowe to returne to our purpose and to talke further of the Coast of Africa beyonde the Cape or Poynt of the Needelles there are many competent harboroughes and hauens the principall whereof is Seno Formoso The faire Bay and Seno del Lago The Bay of the Lake For there the sea maketh a certaine Gulfe wherein are sundry Islandes and Portes and somewhat beyonde there runneth into the sea the Riuer of S. Christopher and at the mouth thereof there lye three prettie Islettes A little further forwardes the Coast runneth all along by a Countrey which the Portingalles call Terra do Natal the Land of the Natiuitie because it was first discouered at Christmasse and so reacheth to the Cape called Della Pescheria Betweene which Cape and the Riuer Magnice within the Land is the Kingdome of Buttua whose Territories are from the rootes or bottome of the mountaines of the Moone vntill you come to the riuer Magnice towards the North where the countrey of Monomotapa standeth and westwardes from the Riuer Brauagul towardes the sea all along the bankes of the Riuer Magnice In this kingdome there are many mynes of Golde and a people that is of the same qualities and conditions that the people of Monomotapa is as hereafter shall bee shewed vnto you And so going along the shores of the Ocean you come to the Riuer Magnice which lyeth in the very entraunce of the Kingdome of Sofala and the Empire of Monomotapa Chap. 9. Of the Kingdome of Sofala THis Kingdome beginneth at the Riuer Magnice which springeth out of the first Lake of Nilus and conueyeth it selfe into the sea in the middest of the Bay betweene the point Pescheria and the Cape called Capo delle Correnti situate in twentie and three degrees a halfe of the Pole Antarctik vnder the Tropike of Capricorne With this Riuer neere vnto the sea there ioyne three other notable riuers the principall whereof is by the Portingalles called Saynt Christophers because vpon the day of that Saintes feast it was first discouered but by the inhabitantes it is named Nagoa The second tooke the name of one Lorenzo Margues that first found it These two Riuers do spring originally from the mountains of the Moone so greatly renowned among the auncient writers but by the people of the country they are called Toroa out of which Mountains they did thinke that famous Nilus tooke also his beginning but they were vtterly deceyued For as we haue already tolde you the first Lake ariseth not out of those Mountaines but lyeth a great way distant from it and betweene it and them is there a very great and a huge low plaine Besides that the streames that flow from the said mountaines do runne towardes the East and bestow their waters vpon other great Riuers so that it is not possible for them to passe into the foresaide Lake much lesse into Nilus considering especially that the Riuer Magnice springeth out of that first Lake and by a farre different course from the course of Nilus runneth towards the East and so ioyneth it selfe with the two Riuers aforesaide The thirde is called Arroe and ariseth on another side out of the Mountaines of the Gold-Mines of Monomotapa and in some places of this Riuer there are founde some small peeces of Golde among the sand These three Riuers enter into the great Magnice neere vnto the sea and all fower together doo make there a great water in a very large channell and so dischargeth it selfe into
the Ocean From the mouth of this riuer all along the sea coast stretcheth the kingdome of Sofala vnto the Riuer Cuama which is so called of a certaine castel or fortresse that carryeth the same name and is possessed by Mahometans and Pagans but the Portingalles call it The mouthes of Cuama because at the entry into the sea this riuer diuideth it self into seauen mouthes where there are fiue speciall Islandes besides diuerse others that lie vp the riuer all very full and wel peopled with Pagans This Cuama commeth out of the same Lake and from the same springs from whence Nilus floweth And thus the Kingdome of Sofala is comprised within the saide two Riuers Magnice and Cuama vpon the sea coast It is but a smal Kingdome and hath but few howses or townes in it The chiefe and principall head whereof is an Islande that lyeth in the riuer called Sofala which giueth the name to all the whole Countrey It is inhabited by Mahometans and the King himselfe is of the same secte and yeeldeth obedience to the Crowne of Portingall because he will not be subiecte to the Empire of Monomotapa And therevpon the Portingalles there doo keepe a Forte in the mouth of the riuer Cuama and doo trade in those Countryes for Golde and Iuory and Amber which is founde vppon that Coast and good store of slaues and in steede thereof they leaue behinde them Cotton-Cloth and Silkes that are brought from Cambaia and is the common apparell of those people The Mahometans that at this present do inhabite those Countries are not naturally borne there but before the Portingals came into those quarters they trafficked thether in small barkes from the Coast of Arabia Foelix And when the Portingalles had conquered that Realme the Mahometans stayed there still and nowe they are become neyther vtter Pagans nor holding of the secte of Mahomet From the shoars and Coast that lyeth betweene the two foresaide riuers of Magnice and Cuama within the land spreadeth the Empire of Monomotapa where there is verye great store of Mines of Golde which is carryed from thence into all the regions thereaboutes and into Sofala and into the other partes of Africa And some there be that wil say that Salomons Golde which he had for the Temple of Ierusalem was brought by sea out of these Countreyes A thing in truth not very vnlikely For in the Countries of Monomotapa there doe remain to this day many ancient buildings of great worke and singular Architecture of Stone of Lime and of Timber the like whereof are not to be seene in all the Prouinces adioyning The Empire of Monomotapa is very great and for people infinite They are Gentiles and Pagans of colour blacke very couragious in warre of a middle stature and swift of foote There are many Kinges that are vassalles and subiectes to Monomotapa who doe oftentimes rebell and make warre against him Their weapons are bowes and arrowes and light dartes This Emperour maintayneth many Armies in seuerall Prouinces deuided into Legions according to the vse and custome of the Romanes For being so great a Lord as he is he must of necessitie be in continuall warre for the maintenance of his estate And among all the rest of his souldiers the most valorous in name are his Legions of women whom he esteemeth very highly and accounteth them as the very sinewes and strength of his military forces These women do burne their leaft pappes with fire because they should bee no hinderaunce vnto them in their shooting after the vse and manner of the auncient Amazones that are so greatly celebrated by the Historiographers of former prophane memories For their weapons they practise bowes and arrowes They are very quicke and swift liuely and couragious very cunning in shooting but especially and aboue all venturous and constant in fight In their battelles they vse a warlike kind of craft and subtiltie For they haue a custome to make a shew that they would flie and runne away as though they were vanquished and discomfited but they wil diuers times turne themselues backe and vexe their enemies mightely with the shot of their arrowes And when they see their aduersaries so greedie of the victory that they beginne to dispearse and scatter themselues then will they suddenly turne againe vpon them and with great courage and fiercenes make a cruell slaughter of them So that partely with their swiftnes and partely with their deceitful wiles and other cunning shifts of warre they are greatly feared in all those partes They doo inioy by the Kinges good fauour certayne Countries where they dwell alone by themselues and sometimes they choose certaine men at their owne pleasure with whom they doo keepe company for generations sake So that if they doo bring forth Male-children they sende them home to their fathers housen but if they be female they reserue them to themselues and breed them in the exercise of warfare The Empire of this Monomotapa lyeth as it were in an Islande which is made by the Sea-coast by the Riuer Magnice by a peece of the Lake from whence Magnice floweth and by the Riuer Cuama It bordereth towardes the South vpon the Lordes of the Cape of Good-Hope before mentioned and Northwarde vpon the Empire of Moenemugi as by and by shall be shewed vnto you But now returning to our former purpose that is to say to runne forwardes vpon the sea-coast after you haue passed ouer some parte of the Riuer Cuama there is a certaine little Kingdom vpon the sea called Angoscia which taketh the name of certaine Islandes there so called and lie directly against it It is inhabited with the like people both Mahometans and Gentiles as the Kingdome of Sofala is Marchaunts they are and in small vesselles doo trafficke along that coast with the same wares and commodities wherewith the people of Sofala doo trade A little beyonde suddenly starteth vp in sight the Kingdome of Mozambique situate in fourteene degrees and a halfe towardes the South and taketh his name of three Islands that lie in the mouth of the Riuer Meghincate where there is a great hauen and a safe and able to receiue all manner of shippes The Realme is but small and yet aboundeth in all kind of victuailes It is the common landing place for all vesselles that sayle from Portingall and from India into that Countrey In one of these Isles which is the chiefe and principall called Mozambique and giueth name to all the rest as also to the whole kingdome and the hauen aforesaide wherein there is erected a Fortresse guarded with a garrison of Portingalles wherevpon all the other Fortresses that are on that Coast doo depende and from whence they fetch all their prouision all the Armadas and Fleetes that sayle from Portingall to the Indies if they cannot finish and performe their voyage will go and winter I say in this Island of Mozambique and those that
to such an excessiue compasse and widenes that it is a wonder as may be seene in the discourse touching the Cape of Good-Hope and all these kingdomes of Congo and the Countreyes there adioyning where there are Lakes of so extraordinarie a bignesse that in the languages of those Regions they are not called Lakes but Seas And thus you see how the Riuer Nilus in the times and seasons before mentioned on the one side doeth runne most furiously from those Countries into the North to water Aegypt and the Riuer Zaire and the Riuer Nigir on the other side Westwarde and Eastwarde and towardes the South other huge and monstrous Riuers which at certaine determined and limited times doo neuer faile to encrease as Nilus doeth And this is the effect of them which is ordinarily seene euery yeare especially in Cairo and ouer all Aegypt where Nilus beginneth to ryse about the ende of Iune and continueth his rising till the twentith of September as I haue seene my selfe But the occasion and cause of this encrease hath beene vntill this present time very secret and obscure and although the ancient writers beginning euen at Homere haue after a sorte and in generall tearmes leaft in writing that Nilus doeth increase by raine yet haue they not so distinctly and plainely discoursed thereof as Signor Odoardo hath done and testified the same by his owne view and knowledge For some there were that haue assigned the cause of this ouerflowing to bee the raine that commeth from the Mountaines of the Moone Others haue attributed it to the snowes that are melted in those Mountaines yet Nilus doth not swell or ryse any thing neere to the Mountaines of the Moone but a great way from them towards the North and besides that the season of winter doeth rather breed Snow then yeeld any heate to melt it And now that I haue with good diligence enquired of Signor Odoardo these matters aboue written vpon such pointes as I had before plotted to my selfe and hee also propounding the rest vnto mee of his owne meere motion like a man of high conceite as in truth he is and satisfying me with such aunsweres as are set downe in this discourse yet I doo assure my selfe that euery man will not rest fully contented and satisfyed herewith especially such as are curious and practised in matters of the worlde and skilfull in the Sciences The Geographer woulde peraduenture desire to vnderstand more and the Phisician and the maister of Mineralles and the Historiographer and the Marchaunt and the Marriner and the Preacher and some others that are different from these in respect of their profession But Signor Odoardo hath promised with as much speed as possible he may to returne to Rome from Congo whether he sayled presently after he had finished this treatise which was in May 1589. with very ample informations and further instructions for the supplying of that which here wanteth touching Nilus and his originall and such other matter In the meane time that little which is contayned in these few leaues is not very little But yet if perhaps there be any thing found therein that may be eyther profitable or straunge or delightfull or fit to passe away the time and to driue away Melancholie let it bee wholly ascribed to the right noble and Reuerend Father my Lorde Antonie Migliore Bishop of San Marco and Commendador of Santo Spirito who was the authour of this worke to be published for the common benefit FINIS A TABLE OF THE CHAPTERS CONtayned in the first Booke of The Report of the Kingdome of Congo THe iourney by Sea from Lisbone to the Kingdome of Congo Chap. I. fol. 1. Of the temperature of the ayre of the kingdome of Congo and whether it bee very colde or hot whether the men bee white or blacke Whether are more or lesse blacke they that dwell in the hilles or those that dwell in the plaines Of the winds and the raines and the snowes in those quarters and of what stature and semblaunce the men of that Countrey are Chapter II. fol. 13. Whether the children which are begotten by Portingalles being of a white skinne and borne in those Countries by the women of Congo be blacke or white or tawney like a wilde Oliue whom the Portingalles call Mulati Chap. III. fol 18. Of the circuite of the kingdome of Congo and of the borders and confines thereof And first of the Westerne Coast. Chap. IIII. fol. 20. Of the North coast of the Kingdome of Congo and the confines thereof Chap. V. fol. 30. Of the East coast of the Kingdome of Congo and the Confines thereof Chap. VI. fol. 38 Of the Confines of the Kingdome of Congo towardes the South Chap. VII fol. 43. Of the circuite of the Kingdome of Congo possessed by the King that now is according to the foure borders aboue described Chap. VIII fol. 58. The sixe Prouinces of the Kingdome of Congo and first of the Prouince of Bamba Chap. IX fol. 60. Of the Prouince of Sogno which is the Countrey of the Riuer Zaire and Loango Chap. X. fol. 94. Of the third Prouince ealled Sundi Chap. XI fol. 96. Of the fourth Prouince called Pango Chap. XII fol. 99. Of the fifth Prouince called Batta Chap. XIII fol. 100. Of the sixt and last Prouince called Pemba Chap. XIIII fol. 104 A Table of the Chapters contayned in the seconde Booke OF the situation of the Royall Cittie of the Kingdome of Congo Chap. 1. fol. 107 Of the Originall beginning of Christendome in the Kingdome of Congo and how the Portingalles obtayned this trafficke Chap. II. fol. 118. Don Iohn the first Christian King being dead Don Alfonso his sonne succeeded Of his warres against his brother Of certaine miracles that were wrought and of the conuersion of those people Chap. III. fol. 133. The death of King Don Alfonso and the succession of Don Piedro How the Island of S. Thomas was first inhabited of the Bishop that was sent thether Other great accidentes that happened by occasion of Religion The death of two Kinges by the conspiracie of the Portingalles and the Lords of Congo How the Kings lineage was quite extinguished The banishment of the Portingals Chap. IIII. fol. 150. The incursions of the people challed Giachas in the Kingdome of Congo Their conditions and weapons And the taking of the Royall Cittie Chap. V. fol. 159. The King of Portingall sendeth ayde and an Embassadour to the King of Congo The knowledge of the Mettall Mines which abound in Congo is denyed the King of Portingall At the same time the King of Congo dispatcheth Embassadours to the King of Spaine to request Priestes of him and what befell vnto them He sendeth diuers proofes of the mettalles The vowe of Odoardo Lopes Chap. VI. fol. 163 Of the Court of the King of Congo Of the apparell of that people before they became Christians and after Of the Kinges Table and manner of his Court Chap. VII fol. 177 Of the
with vs. Forbid him not saith Christ for he that is not against vs is with vs. If we see a Turke or a Iewe or a Papist vpon what pretence soeuer seeke to drawe any to Christ or to driue the Deuill of Ignorance out of any let him alone forbid him not mislike him not for in that point hee is not against vs nay peraduenture hee may become one of vs. In the booke of Nombers word was brought to Moses that Eldad and Medad prophecied in the hoast And Iosua sayd My Lord Moses forbid them But Moses sayd Enuiest thou for my sake Would God that all the Lords people were Prophets And are we angrie or shall we finde fault that the Portingall Priests being Papists should be reported to haue conuerted the Realme of Congo to the profession of Christian Religion Shall we enuie them in their well doing I for my part do earnestly wish with all my hart that not onely Papists and Protestants but also all Sectaries and Presbyter-Iohns men would ioyne all together both by word and good example of life to conuert the Turkes the Iewes the Heathens the Pagans and the Infidels that know not God but liue still in darknesse and in the shadow of Death What a singular commendation would it be vnto vs if it might be left in Record that we were the first conuerters of such a Nation and such a people and first brought them to the knowledge of God and the true profession of his glorious Gospell Thus I haue gentle Reader laboured to satisfie such scruples as may arise in thy minde touching this Treatise which if it shall breede either profit or delight vnto thee I shall reioyce to my selfe If not I shall be sorie that I haue employed my precious time so idly Farewell in Christ. Abraham Hartwell Errata Folio 5. in the Margin The commodities of S. Elena Fol. 14. line 2. put out in Fol. 15. lin 11. Carde Fol. 19. lin 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fol. 21. in the Margin Songa Ibidem lin 22. language Fol. 30. lin 14. Equinoctiall Fol. 31. lin 25. Goate Fol. 39. lin 19. Tissue Fol. 40. lin 13. Infulas Fol. 49. lin 31. Peacocke Fol. 57. in the Margin Capo Fol. 63. lin 15. Diameter Ibid. in Margin Cap. 1. Fol. 67. lin 6. and for diuers Fol. 114. line 22. put out the comma Fol. 137. line 11. Naturall Fol. 172. lin 19. and. Fol. 192. lin 18. Marques Fol. 199. lin vlt. est Fol. 204. lin 14. come Fol. 211. lin 5. put out the comma Fol. eod lin 31. put out and. Fol. 212. lin 15. Ptolomée Fol. 216. in the Margine for head reade heauen In the Table Folio vlt. line 26. to the Red sea A REPORTE OF the kingdome of Congo a Region of Africa Gathered by Philippo Pigafetta out of the discourses of M. Edwarde Lopes a Portugall Chap. 1. The iourney by sea from Lisbone to the kingdome of Congo IN the yeare one thousande fiue hundreth threescore and eyghteenth when Don Sebastian king of Portugall embarked himselfe for the conquest of the kingdome of Marocco Edwarde Lopes borne at Beneuentum a place xxiiii myles distant from Lisbone neere vpon the South shore of the riuer Tagus sayled likewise in the moneth of Aprill towardes the hauen of Loanda situate in the kingdome of Congo in a shippe called S. Anthony belonging to an vncle of his and charged with diuerse marchandises for that kingdome And it was accompanied with a Patache which is a small vessell whereunto the ship did continually yeelde good guarde ministred great reliefe conducting and guiding the same with lightes in the night time to the ende it shoulde not loose the way which the ship it selfe did keepe He arriued at the Islande of Madera belonging to the King of Portugal distant from Lisbone about sixe hundred myles where he remained xv dayes to furnish himselfe with freshe vittaile and wine which in great aboundance groweth in that Islande yea and in mine opinion the best in the world whereof they carry abroad great store into diuers countries especially into England He prouided there also sundry other confections conserues of Sugar which in that Islande are made and wrought both in great quantity and also of singular excellency From this Islande they departed leauing all the Canaries belonging to Castile and tooke hauen at one of the Islandes of Capo verde called S. Anthony without hauing any sight thereof before they were come vpon it and from thence to another Islande called Saint Iacopo which commaundeth all the rest and hath a Bishoppe and a Chaplen in it that rule and gouerne them and here they prouided themselues againe of victuailes I doe not thinke it fitte in this place to tell you the number of the Canarie Islands which indeede are many nor to make any mention of the Islandes of Capo verde nor yet to set downe the history and discourse of their situations because I make hast to the kingdome of Congo and the shippe stayed here but onely for passage and especially for that there doth not want good store of Reportes and histories which in particularity doe make relation of these countries Onely this I will say that these Islandes of Capo verde were established by Ptolomee in the tables of his Geography to be the beginning of the West together with the Cape or Promontorie which he termeth Cornu vltimum or the Islandes Macarie or Blessed which we commonly call Fortunate In these Islandes of Capo verde the Portugalles do often arriue and in those countries do trafficke with sundry marchandises as little balles of diuers coloured glasse other such things wherein those people do greatly delight and Hollande cloth and cappes and kniues and coloured clothes In exchaunge whereof they bringe back againe slaues wax hony with other kind of food and cotton-cloth of sundry colours Moreouer right ouer against them within the lande are the countreyes riuers of Guynee and of Capo verde and Sterra Leona that is to say the Mountain Leona which is a huge great mountaine and very famous From the foresaide Islande of San Iacopo they directed their fore-decke towards Bresil for so they must do to gaine the winde and taking such harboroughes as were conuenient for the seasons that raigne in those places to arriue at the ende of their voyage Two are the waies whereby they saile from the Isle of San Iacopo to Loanda a hauen in the kingdome of Congo the one is by the coast of Africa the other by the mayne Ocean still enlarging their course with the North winde which very much ruleth there in those Monethes and for the most parte is called North euen by the Portugalles themselues by the Castilians by the French and by all those people of the North sea And so turning their foreshippe to the South and south-east they holde on forwarde till they be neere the Cape of Good-Hope leauing behind them
life of an Heremite in that wildernesse and so to doe penaunce for their sinnes Moreouer in the same place there is so great aboundaunce of fish as if the sea were very neere vnto them so that you shall not need but onely to cast your hooks into the water and you shall presently drawe them out againe loaden with fish I once demanded the questiō what reason there was why the Portingals did neuer make any accompt nor had any care to fortifie this Island considering it was so fit and necessary for saylers and founded there as it were by the prouidence of God for the reliefe of the Portingals which passe that way as Granata doth largely discourse vpon the Creede first written by him in Spanishe and since translated by my selfe into Italian But aunswere was made vnto mee that there was no need so to doo for that the Islande serueth to no purpose for the voyage into the Indies because there is another way for that passage and it is also a very harde matter to finde it out but in returning from thence it lyeth full in the way and is very easily descried So that it woulde not quite the cost to bestow money time in maintayning souldiers therein without any profite seeing none other vessels come thither but onely the Portugals And when I replyed that the English had nowe twice entred into those seas once vnder the conduct of Drake and secondly this year 1588. vnder another Pirate being also an English man and more valiant then hee called Candish who is returned home ful of great richesse It was aunswered that yet for all that it coulde not possibly bee brought to passe to fortifie the same within a sea being so farre off and seeing that all the prouision which should build there must of necessity bee brought out of Europe To be short besides all these naturall good giftes aboue rehearsed the climate is temperate the ayre pure cleane and holesome and the winds which blow there are very pleasaunt So that sicke persons and such as were halfe deade with the diseases of the sea arryuing at this Island haue beene presently healed and recouered their former strength through the benignity of this Country From the Islande of S. Helena they made sayle with the same weather and so within the space of xvij dayes came to the hauen of Loanda which is in the prouince of Congo the windes being somewhat more calme then they were afore This is a very sure and a great hauen so called of an Islande of the same name whereof wee shall speake hereafter I told you before there were two courses of sayling from the Islands of Capo verde to Loanda the one of thē is now declared which beeing neuer vsed afterwardes was at the first attempted and performed by the same ship wherein Signor Odoardo went being then guided by Francesco Martinez the kings Pilot a man very greatly experienced in those seas and the first that euer conducted vessell by that way the other is atchieued by passing along the coast of the firme lande From the Island of San Iacomo they come to Capo dos Palmas and from thence direct themselues to the Islande of San Thomas which lyeth vnder the Equinoctial so called because it was discouered vpon that day wherein the feast of that Apostle is vsed to bee celebrated It is distant from the firme lande CLxxx myles right against the riuer called Gaban which is so termed because it is in shape very like to that kinde of vesture that it is called a Gaban or a cloake The hauen thereof is fore-closed with an Island that raiseth it selfe in the chanell of the riuer whereunto the Portingalles do sayle with small barkes from S. Thomas Islande carrying thether such thinges as vsually they carry to the coast of Guinea and from thence carrying backe with them Iuory waxe hony Oyle of Palme and blacke-More slaues Neere to the Islande of S. Thomas towardes the the North lyeth another Islande called the Isle of the Prince distant from the firme lande an hundred and fiue miles being of the same condition and trafficke that the Isle of S. Thomas is although in circuite somewhat lesse This Islande of S. Thomas is in fashion almost rounde and in breadth contayneth Lx. miles and in compasse Clxxx. Very rich it is and of great trafficke discouered at the first and conquered by the Portingalles at such time as they began the conquest of the Indies It hath diuers hauens but the principal and chiefest of all whereinto the vesselles arriuing there doe withdraw themselues is in the place where the Cittie standeth The Islande breedeth an infinite deale of Sugar almost all kinds of victuals In the Citty there are some Churches and a Bishoppe with many Clerks and one Chaplen or Prieste There is also a Castell with a garrison and Artillary in it which beat vpon the hauen being a very great and a safe Port where many shippes may ride But a very straunge and admirable thing it is that when the Portugals did first come thether there was no sugar there planted but they brought it thether from other Countreys as they did Ginger also which tooke roote grew there in most aboundant manner The soyle in deed is moyst and as it were appropriated to foster the Sugar Cane which without any other watering multiplyeth of it selfe and fructifieth infinitely the reason whereof is because the dewe falleth there like rayne and moisteneth the earth There are in this Island aboue Lxx. houses or presses for making of Sugar and euery presse hath many cottages about it as though it were a village there may bee about some three hundred persons that are appointed for that kinde of worke They do euery yeare loade about fortie great shippes with sugar True it is indeed that not long ago the wormes as it were a plague to that land haue deuoured the rootes of the Canes and destroyed the fruites of their sugar in such sort as now of the forty shippes they do not load aboue fiue or sixe vessels with that marchandise And therevpon it commeth that sugar is growen so deare in those Countreyes The Island of S. Thomas holdeth trafficke with the people that dwell in the firme lande which do vsually resort to the mouthes or entries of their Riuers The first whereof to begin withal is named the riuer of Fernando di Poo that is to say of Fernando Pouldre who did first discouer the same and lieth in fiue degrees towardes our Pole Right against the mouth of it ryseth an Island of the same name lying thirty and sixe miles distant from it The seconde Riuer is called Bora that is to say Filth The thirde La riuiera del Campo The fourth di San Benedetto and the fifth that of Angra which in the mouth of it hath an Islande called di Corisco that is to say Thonder All these doe
take the Trowt and the Tenche and another Fishe called Cacongo which is shaped after the likenes of a Salmon sauing that it is not red but indeed so far it is that it quencheth out the fire whiles it is rosted or broiled Other fishes also there are that are called Fishes Royall which are carried to the king vpon very seuere and rigorous punishmentes by open proclamation to be inflicted on such as shall do the contrary besides other kindes of fishes that are taken in this Riuer the names whereof we thinke it superfluous here to recite Beyonde this Riuer of Congo there commeth downe another Riuer which the Portingalles call La Baia delas Almadias that is to say the Golfe of Barkes because there are great store of them that are made there by reason of the aboundance of woods trees that growe thereabouts which are fit for that vse and wherewith all the Countries round about do furnish themselues At the mouth of this Bay there are three Islandes one great Isle in the middle of the Channell which maketh a conuenient hauen for small vesselles and two other lesse but none of them inhabited A little higher runneth another streame not verye great which is called De las Barreras Rossas of the redde Clay-pittes because it floweth from among certaine Rockes of hils whose earth is died with a redde colour where also there is a very high mountain called by the Portingals La Sierra Gomplida that is to say The long Mountaine And yet going vp a little further there are two Golfes of the sea in the likenesse of a paire of Spectacles wherein is a good heauen called La Baia d' Aluaro Gonzales that is the Golfe of Aluaro Gonzales Beyonde all these are certaine hilles and shoars not worth the remembrance vntill you come to the Promontorie that is called by the Portingalles Capo de Caterina which is the border of the kingdome of Congo towardes the Equinoctiall and is distant from the Equinostiall line two degrees and a halfe which is 150 Italian miles Chap. 5. Of the North coast of the Kingdome of Congo and the confines thereof NOw from Capo de Caterina on the North side beginneth another border or Coast of the kingdome of Congo which Eastwarde stretcheth it selfe to the place where the Riuer Vuniba ioyneth with the Riuer Zaire contayning the space of 600. miles and more Beyonde this coast of Congo towardes the North and vnder the Equinoctiall lyne vpon the sea shoare and about 200. miles within lande comprehending in that reckoning the foresaide Golfe of Lope Gonzales the people called the Bramas doo inhabite in a Countrey that is nowe called the kingdome of Loango and the king thereof Mani-Loango that is to say the King of Loango The Countrey hath great aboundance of Elephantes whose teeth they exchange for iron whereof they make their arrowe heades their kniues and such other instrumentes In this Countrey also they weaue certaine cloath of the leaues of Palme trees in sundry sorts as wee shal tell you in some other place of this narration The king of Loango is in amity with the King of Congo and the report is that in times past he was his vassaile The people are circumcised after the manner of the Hebrues like as also the rest of the nations in those countries vse to be They do traffick together one with another sometimes make war against their neighbors are altogether of the same nature whereof the people of Congo are Their armour are long targets which couer almost all their bodies made of very hard thicke hides of a certaine beast called Empachas somwhat lesse then an Oxe with hornes like the hornes of a Coate this Creature is also bred in Germanie and is called a Dante The hides thereof are transported out of these countreyes and out of the kingdome of Congo into Portingale and from thence into Flanders where they are dressed and then they make ierkens of them as good as breastplates and corselets which they call iackets of Dante Their weapons offensiue are dartes with long and large heads of iron like Partizans or like the auncient Roman Pilum or Iauelin the staues whereof are of proportionable length to cast hauing in the middest of them a certaine peece of wood which they take in their hands and so with greater force and violence discharge their dartes They carry also certaine daggers which are in shape much like to the heads of their dartes Beyond the kingdome of Loango are the people called Anzigues of whom wee shall deliuer vnto you a history which in truth is very strange and almost incredible for the beastly and cruell custome that they vse in eating mans flesh yea and that of the neerest kinsefolkes they haue This countrey towards the sea on the West bordereth vpon the people of Ambus and towardes the North vpon other nations of Africa and the wildernes of Nubia and towardes the East vpon the seconde great Lake from whence the Riuer of Congo springeth in that parte which is called Anzicana and from the kingdome of Congo it is diuided by the Riuer Zaire wherein there are many Islandes as before is tolde you scattered from the lake downewardes some of them belonging to the dominion of the Anzigues by which Riuer also they do trafficke with the people of Congo In this kingdome of the Anzigues there are many Mines of Copper and great quantitie of Sanders both redde and graie the red is called Tauilla and the graie which is the better esteemed is called Chicongo whereof they make a poulder of a verie sweet smell and diuerse medicines They do also mingle it with the oyle of Palme tree and so annoynting all their bodyes ouerwithall they preserue themselues in health But the Portingalles vse it being tempered with Vinegar which they lay vpon their pulses so heale the French Pockes which they call in that language Chitangas Some doe affirme that this gray Sanders is the very Lignum Aquilae that groweth in India and Signor Odoardo affirmed that the Portingals haue proued it for the heade ake by laying it on the coales and taking the smoake of it The pith and innermost parte of the tree is the best but the vtter parte is of no estimation They make great store of linnen of the Palme tree both of sundry sortes and coloures and much cloth of silke whereof we will discourse more hereafter The people are subiect to a king that hath other princes vnder him they are very actiue and warlike They are ready to take armes and doo fight on foote Their weapons are different from the weapons of all other people rounde about them for their bowes are small and short made of wood and wrapped about with serpents skins of diuers colours and so smoothly wrought that you woulde thinke them to be all one with the wood And this they doo both to make the
more then two ioyntes In their feeding they vse to shake and roote vp the great trees with the force of their shoulders and strength of their whole backes But the smaller trees they take between both their teeth and so bowe them and plucke them downe that they may feede vpon the leaues of them insomuch as sometimes they breake one of their teeth with so doing And this is the cause why you shall find diuers of them in the fieldes that haue lost their teeth They chawe their meate with their short teeth which are not seene as their two long tuskes are and they carry it to their mouth by their long Snout or Tronke which is to them in steed of an arme a hand The tip of their Tronke is fashioned diuided into little slits and as it were fingers wherewith they will take vp very small thinges as Nuttes and Strawes and Berries so reach them to their mouth as I Philippo Pigafetta haue seene my selfe at Lisbone The Females of these creatures doe beare their broode in their wombe for the space of two yeares and no more And forasmuch as the younge Elephant cannot so quickly bee brought vp for it groweth very slowly the milke is kept from it and so it waxeth apt to feede of it selfe And therefore Mother Nature hath prouided that the Elephantes are not great with young but from seauen yeares to seauen yeares Their skinne is harde beyond all credite For being fower fingers thicke it cannot bee pearced no not with the shot of an Arcubuse And Signor Odoardo reported that with a little Gunne which is called a Petreraa one of them was stricken without any wound making but indeede he was grieuously bruised so that he ranne away from that place all in a rage the space of three daies iourney and there died after hee had slaine certaine slaues that he met by the way The people of that Countrey haue not the skill to tame these beastes Whereby they might reape great commodity and profite for carrying their stuffe from place to place for diuerse other good vses But yet they take them by digging certaine deepe trenches in the places where they vse to pasture which trenches are very narrowe at the bottome and broade aboue to the end the beast may not help himselfe leape out when he is fallen into them These trenches they couer with Soddes of earth and grasse and leaues because the beast shoulde not see their traine but passing ouer them remaine there entrenched Whereupon the Gentleman beforenamed tolde mee that hee had seene with his owne eyes a very straunge and admirable thing in Coanza namely that a younge Elephant following his damme fell downe by chaunce into one of these pittes and after that shee coulde not with all her skill and strength drawe him out of it she buried him therein and couered him with earth with branches and with bowes insomuch as she filled the pit vp to the toppe to the ende that the hunters shoulde not enioy her calfe choosing rather to kill it her selfe then to leaue it to the mercie of the cruell huntsemen This louing and kind mother not fearing the people that stood round about her shouted against her threatned her with sundryweapons vttered straunge clamours and noyses to affray her cast many fiers at her but assuring her selfe in her owne stronge and valiant nature did labour and toyle from morning till night that she might draw her calfe out of the pitte and when shee founde that it was not possible for her to atchieue what she desired then shee couered it in manner as wee haue tolde you The Elephant is a very gentle beast and trusteth greatly in his natural strength He feareth nothing nor hurteth any man that doth not trouble him and haunteth neere to mens houses without doing any harme at all If he espie men that go in his walke he wil not meddle with them vnlesse they seeke to molest him sauing that sometimes peraduenture hee will gently with his snowte hoyse them vpwardes into the ayre whom he meeteth withall in his way and that is all the hurt hee will doo vnto them These Elephantes doo greatly delight in waters and if a man be desirous to see them his best way is to lie somewhere nigh to the Riuers and Lakes where they vse to haunt about noone tide to drinke to refresh themselues and to bathe their bodies in the water for there they will stande vp to their bellies and all the rest of their bodie that is aboue the water they will wash all ouer with the water that they snuffe vp into their snout for that purpose And because there are so many foords pastures as is said in the kingdome of Congo therefore is there very great store of these creatures in that countrey For Signor Odoardo affirmed that in the way betweene Cazanze Loanda in a little grassie valley hee had seene about a hundred of them in a company olde and young that followed their dammes and these were the first young ones that euer hee saw till that day And herewithall you must vnderstand that they vse to go together in heardes as Kine and Camelles and other such like gentle Creatures doo and not alone like Lions and other such wilde beastes Now the reason why this country aboundeth so in Iuory is easy to be yeelded For so many Elephantes being bredde in that Region they made no account of that commodity in times past but onely after that the Portingalles began to trafficke with those countreyes it grewe in estimation and so hauing gathered together in so many ages an infinite quantity thereof which they found in their fieldes they haue sould them till this day at a very good penniworth It is not knowen whether there be in that countrey any other beast that is so big as an Elephant is nor whether there breed therein any Rinoceros which is a Creatures as bigge indeede as the Elephant and in India is called a Bada But yet there are brought into the countries of the Anzichi some of their hornes that growe vpon their noses that are both of great value estimation also vsed for the help of diuers diseases So that it is very credible and likely that there are some of them to bee founde in those quarters There are also to bee founde in this countrey certaine other foure-footed beastes somewhat lesse then Oxen of colour red with hornes like Goats horns which are very smooth and glistering and enclining to black whereof they make diuers prety knackes as they doe likewise of the Buffes hornes They haue their heades and their haires like the heads and haires of Oxen and their skinnes are of great estimation therefore they are carried into Portingall and from thence into Germany to be dressed and then they are called Dantes The king of Congo is very desirous to haue some men that had skill to cleanse
is likewise called Batta In auncient time it was called Aghirimba but afterwardes the word was corrupted and it is now called Batta It was in old time a very strong and a great Kingdome voluntarily of it selfe without any war it ioyned it selfe with the kingdome of Congo peraduenture because there was some dissention among their Lords and therefore it hath more preheminence then the rest of the Prouinces of the kingdome of Congo in priuiledges and liberties For the Gouernment of Batta is alwaies assigned to one that is of the bloode of the Kings of that countrey at their choise and pleasure hauing no more respect to one then to another so that he be of the stocke and bloud Royall neyther to the eldest sonne nor to the second Neither yet goeth this Gouernement by inheritaunce but the king of Congo as is told you before doth dispose it at his own pleasure to whō he thinketh best to the end they shold not vsurpe it by way of succession or by rebellion Hee dwelleth neerer the king then any other Gouernour or Lorde of the kingdom of Congo is the secōd person therin neither may any man gainsay his arguments reasons as they may any of the rest for it is so decreede among them Nowe if the line of the king of Congo should chaunce to faile so that there were none of that blood to succeed the succession shall fall vpon the gouernour of Batta Hee that now gouerneth there is called Don Pedro Mani-Batta Sometimes he eateth at the kinges owne table but yet in a baser seat then the kinges seat is and that also not sitting but standing which is not graunted to any other Lord of Congo no nor to the sons of the king himselfe His Court and his traine is little lesse then the Court traine of the king of Congo For he hath Trompets and Drummes and other instrumentes going before him as becommeth a Prince and by the Portingalles he is commonly called the Prince of Batta because as it is said if the succession shoulde faile in the bloode of the kinges of Congo the empire of the whole kingdome must light vpon some one of this stocke Hee doth holde continuall warres with the Pagans that border vpon him and hee is able to gather together about 70. or 80. thousand fighting men And because hee doth still mayntaine warre with the people that are next him he hath liberty graunted vnto him to entertaine Arcubusiers that shall bee of his owne naturall subiectes For the king of Congo will not suffer any other Gouernour of any other Prouinces nor any of their children to haue any Arcubusiers that are borne within their Countrey but onely the Portingalles Signor Odoardo demaunding once of the King why he did not giue leaue to his other Gouernours to retaine shot about them the King aunswered that if peraduenture they should rebell against him with a thousand or two thousande Arcubusiers he should not haue any possibility to make them resistance And forasmuch as wee haue told you that the King hath graunted licence onely to the prince of Batta to entertaine Arcubusiers in his owne countrey it is fitte you should vnderstand that hee doth it vpon very necessary occasion For towardes the East of Batta beyond the mountaines of the Sunne and of Sal-Nitre vpon the bankes of the East and West of the riuer Nilus in the borders of the Empire of Mohenhe-Muge there liueth a nation which by the people of Congo are called Giaquas but in their own language they are called Agag Very fierce they are and warlicke much giuen to fight and pillage and make continuall inroades into the Countries neere adioyning and sometimes among the rest into the Prouince of Batta So that this Countrey must needes be in continuall Armes and stande vpon good guarde and maintaine Arcubusiers to defende themselues from them The Prince of Batta hath many Lordes vnder him and the naturall people of this Prouince are called Monsobos and their language is well vnderstoode by the inhabitants of Congo They are farre more rude and rusticall then the Moci-Conghi and the slaues that are brought from thence doo proue more obstinate and stubborne then those that come from other Countries Their trafficke is the same that the trafficke of the other countreyes are whereof we haue last intreated And the profite which the king receyueth from Batta amounteth to double asmuch as he receiueth out of any two of the other Prouinces before mentioned Chap. 14. Of the sixt and last Prouince called Pemba THe Prouince of Pemba is seated in the heart and middle of the Kingdome of Congo compassed and comprised within the boundes before described whose Goueruernour is called Don Antonio Mani-Pemba seconde sonne to King Don Aluaro that dead is and brother to the king that raygneth at this present And forasmuch as his father did loue him dearely he assigned vnto him this Gouernement because he knew not what better thing to giue him sauing the Realme it selfe which in deed he would willingly haue bestowed on him for that he was more like vnto him in quality nature then his eldest son was But it would not be by reason of the lawe of the Kingdome which wold not haue yeelded therevnto This countrey is the very Center and middest of all the state of Congo and the originall of all the auncient Kings and the Territorie where they were borne and the chiefe and principall seat of all the other Prouinces and Principalities And therefore the chiefe and royall Citty of all that Empire is assigned to this Prouince whereof we will heareafter deliuer you a full information The Gouernour of Pemba dwelleth in a Territorie of the same name situate at the foote of the Scorched Mountaine along the Riuer Loze which riseth out of the Lake and runneth through the Region of Bamba into the sea The Courtiers and Lordes and seruitors belonging to the king of Congo haue their goods and possessions and reuenewes in this Prouince because it is neerest to the Court very conuenient for the conueighing of their victuailes and their other stuffe vnto the Court Some of these Lordes in that parte specially that bordereth vpon the aforesaid Prouince of Bamba haue much a doo to keep fight and defende themselues from the people of Quizama because they are neerest vnto them For this people as wee tolde you did rebell against the king of Congo and reuolted from him and doe professe that they will bee at libertie and gouerned of themselues And here will we end the first booke which consisteth of the description of the kingdome of Congo in generall and of his borders and in particular of all the sixe Prouinces thereof Now it remayneth that wee proceede forwarde to the second booke Wherein we will treate of the situation of the Cittie of Congo and of the Territorie therevnto belonging of the first christening of the king
of his manners of his Court and of other conditions appertayning to the politicke and militarie Gouernment of these people And afterward we will describe vnto you the kingdomes neere adioyning and all the regions thereaboutes towardes the South euen till you come to the Cape of Good Hope and the riuers and countries of the Ocean that is right against India and within land the kingdomes of Presbiter Iohn touching also by the way the spring and original of Nilus and the causes of his wonderful encrease which sundry fooles doe account to bee a Miracle THE SECOND BOOKE Chap. 1. Of the situation of the Royall Cittie of the Kingdome of Congo ALthough the chiefe and Royall Cittie of the Kingdome of Congo bee after a sort comprehended within the Prouince of Pemba yet notwithstāding forasmuch as the gouernement thereof and the territorie therevnto belonging which may in compasse amount to the space of twenty miles about doeth depende wholly of the king of Congo himselfe wee will place it in a seuerall regiment and intreate of it by it selfe This cittie is called San Saluatore or Saint Sauiours and in times past in that country language it was called Banza which generally signifieth the Court where the king or the Gouernour doeth ordinarily soiourne It is seated about 150. miles from the sea vpon a great and a high Mountaine being almost all of a rocke but yet hauing a veyne of iron in it whereof they haue great vse in their housing This mountaine hath in the toppe of it a great plaine very well manured and furnished with houses and villages contayning in circuite about ten miles where there doeth dwell and liue the number of a hundred thousand persons The soile is fruitfull and the ayre fresh holesome and pure there are great store of springes of indifferent good water to drinke and at certaine times doo not harme any man and of all sortes of cattell great aboundance The toppe of the mountaine is seuered and distinguished from all the rest of the hill which is about it and therefore the Portingalles doe call it The Otheiro that is to say a Viewe or a Watch Tower or a Singular height from whence you may take a sight of all the Champeigne round about Onely towardes the East and towardes the Riuer it is verye steepe and rockie For two causes did the first Princes of this Kingdome place this habitation in the foresaide Height of this Mountaine First because it lyeth in the very middest and as it were in the Center of all the Realme from whence he may presently send ayde to any part of his Kingdom that may stand in neede of reliefe secondly because it is situated in a Territory that is by Nature mounted aloft hauing a very good ayre and of greate safetie for it cannot be forced By the chiefe common high way that goeth vp to the Citie and looketh towardes the Sea being distant from thence 150. Miles as hath bene told you which way is very large and competent though it go somewhat about incompasse you shall ascende fiue Myles from the bottom to the toppe of the Mountayne At the foote thereof on the East syde there runneth a Riuer wherevnto the women doe descend by the space of a myles walke to washe their clothes In diuerse other partes thereof there are sundry valleyes planted manured neyther do they suffer any part of the countrey thereaboutes to be left vntilled or vnvsed because it is the countrey where the Court remaineth The Cittie is seated in a corner or angle of the hill towards the Southeast which Don Alfonso the first christian king did compasse about with walles and gaue vnto the Portingalles a seuerall place for themselues shut vp likewise within walles Then did he also inclose his owne pallace and the Kinges howsen with another wall and in the middest betweene these two enclosures left a great space of ground where the principal Church was built with a faire market place before it The doores and gates aswell of the lodginges of the Lords as of the Portingalles inhabitations do open on the side of the said Church For in the vppermost ende of the market place do diuers great Lords of the Court dwel and behinde the Church doeth the market place runne into a narrow street where there is also a gate and beyond that gate many houses towardes the East Without these walles which do inclose the kinges houses and the Cittie of the Portingalles there are a number of other buildinges erected by diuers Lordes euery man making his seuerall choice of the place which he thinketh most fit conuenient for his dwelling neere vnto the Court So that the greatnes of this Citie cannot well be determined or limited Beyond these walles also that thus do compasse this Citty there is a great champaigne plaine full of villages and sundry pallaces where euery Lorde possesseth as it were a whole Towne within him selfe The circuite of the Portingalles cittie contayneth about a mile and the kings housen as much The walles are very thick the gates are not shutte in the night time neyther is there any watch or ward kept therein And although that plaine doeth lie verie high aloft yet is there great aboundance of waters in it so that there is no want thereof But the Court and the Portingalles Cittie do al drinke of a certaine fountaine that springeth continually towardes the North and lyeth downe the hill as farre as a Gunne will shoote And from hence they doe fetch all their water and bring it to the Cittie in vesselles of wood of earth and of leather vpon the backes of their slaues All this plaine is very fruitfull and well manured It hath meadowes full of grasse and trees that are alwayes greene It beareth sundrie sortes of graine but the principall and beste of all is called Luco which is very like to Mustardseede but that it is somewhat bigger When it is grinded with Hand-Quernes for so they vse to doe it yeeldeth a very white meale whereof they make bread that is both white and also of a very good sauour and holesome withall neyther doth it giue place to our wheat in any sort sauing that they doe not celebrate the Sacramente with it Of these graines there now is great store ouer all the Kingdom of Congo but it is not long since that this seede was brought thether from that parte of the riuer Nilus where it falleth into the second Lake There is also a white kinde of Millet called the Mazza of Congo that is to say the Corne of Congo and another graine which they call Maiz but they make no account of it for they giue it to their hogges neyther doe they greatly esteeme of Rice The foresaid Maiz they commonly terme by the name of Mazza-Manputo that is to say the Portingalles Corne for they call a Portingall Manputo There are moreouer
diuerse and sundry sortes of trees that beare very great store of fruites insomuch as the greattest parte of the people doe feede vppon the fruites of the Countrey as Citrons Limons and specially Orenges very ful of liquour which are neither sweet nor sower are ordinarily eaten without any annoyance or harme at all And to shewe the fruitfulnesse of this countrey the said Signor Odoardo reported that hee had seene from a kernell of the fruit of a Pome-Citrone which was leaft within the rinde thereof there spronge vp within the space of fower daies a prettie tall sprigge Other fruites there are which they call Banana and we verily thinke to be the Muses of Aegypt and Soria sauing that in those countreyes they growe to be as bigge as trees but here they cut them yearely to the end they may beare the better The fruit is very sweet in smell and of good nourishment In these plaines there growe likewise sundry kindes of Palme-trees one that beareth Dates and another that beareth the Indian Nuttes called Coccos because they haue within them a certaine shell that is like to an Ape and therevpon they vse in Spaine to shewe their children a Coccola when they wold make them afraide Another Palme tree there groweth also very like to the former but of a more straunge and singular property For it yeeldeth Oyle Wyne Vineger Fruite and Breade The Oyle is made of the Shale of the fruite and is of the colour and substance of butter sauing that it is somewhat greenishe They vse it as other people do vse Oyle and butter and it will burne like oile They annoint their bodies withall and besides it is very good to eate They presse it out of the fruite as oyle is pressed out of the Oliues and then they boyle it and so preserue it The bread is made of the stone of the fruit it self which is like to an Almond but somewhat harder and within the same is there a certaine kernell or pith which is good to eate very holesome and of good nourishment The whole fruit together with the vtter shale is greene and they vse to eate it both raw and rosted The Wine is drawen from the toppe of the tree by making a hole therein from whence there distilleth a liquor like milke which at the first is sweet but afterwardes sowre and in processe of time becommeth very Vineger to serue for sallets This wine they drinke colde and it moueth to vrine very much so that in those countries there is not a man that is troubled with grauell or stone in the bladder It will make them drunke that drinke too much of it but in deede it is of a very good nutriment Wherein you must note that they doe not builde thus rustically and shephearde-like for want of stuffe to builde withal For in the mountaines of the Realme of Congo there are a number of places that yeelde most exquisite fine stone of diuers kindes From whence you may digge out whole pillers and principalles Bases and other peeces as big as you list if ye be disposed to build Insomuch as it hath beene confidently affirmed that there are to bee found among them many masses and lumpes of stone which are of such thicknesse and hugenesse that you may cut out a whole Church euen of one whole peece yea and of the same kinde of stone whereof the Obelisco is made that is erected before Portadel Popolo in Rome Besides this there are whole Mountains of Porphyrie of Iasper and of white Marble and of other sundry colours which here in Rome are called Marbles of Numidia of Africa and of Aethiopia certaine pillers whereof you may see in the Chappell of Pope Gregorie Other Stone there is that is speckled with graines or strakes but among all the rest that kind is most admirable which hath in it faire Iacinthes that are good iewelles For the strakes being dispearsed like vaynes ouer all the bodie of their Mother-Stone if you shall diuide them and plucke them out as you would picke the kernels out of a Pomegranate they wil fall into graines and little peeces of perfect Iacynth But if you please to make pillers or Obeliskes or other such like Memorialles of the whole Masse you shall see them shine and sparkle full of most faire and goodly iewels There are also other kinds of rare stones which make a shew of mettell in them as of Copper and of sundry other colours that are very fresh and bright and smooth whereof you may make Images or any other worke of singular beautie And therefore it is not the scarcitie of matter or stuffe that is the cause of this their simple building seeing that their mountains haue such plenty of the foresaid stone yea and perhaps more store of other kindes then is to be founde in any other place of the whole worlde besides lime and trees for beames and cattell both for carryage and drawing in the cart and all other manner of prouision that is requisite for building True it is in deede that they want Masons Cutters and Plaisterers and Carpenters and other such artificers for when the Churches and the walles and the other fabrickes in those countries were built the workemen were brought thether out of Portingall There are also Tamarindes and Cassia and Ceders in such multitudes growing all along the Riuer of Congo besides other trees of an vnmeasurable length and thicknesse that an infinite number of shippes and houses may be builded of them Their gardens do beare all manner of hearbes and fruites as Pompions Melions Cocombres Colewortes and such like besides other sorts that doo not agree with our Climates of Europe Chap. 2. Of the Originall beginning of Christendome in the Kingdome of Congo and how the Portingalles obtained this trafficke THe K. of Portingal Don Giouanni the secōd being desirous to discouer the East Indies sent forth diuers ships by the coast of Africa to search out this Nauigation who hauing founde the Islands of Capo Verde and the Isle of Saint Thomas and running all along that coast did light vpon the Riuer Zaire wherof we haue made mention before and there they had good trafficke and tryed the people to bee very courteous and kinde Afterwards he sent fourth for the same purpose certaine other vesselles to entertaine this trafficke with Congo who finding the trade there to be so free and profitable and the people so frendly leaft certaine Portingalles behinde them to learne the language and to trafficke with them among whom one was a Masse-priest These Portingalles conuersing familiarly with the Lorde of Sogno who was vncle to the King and a man well stroken in yeares dwelling at that time in the Port of Praza which is in the mouth of Zaire were very well entertained and esteemed by the Prince and reuerenced as though they had beene earthly Gods and descended downe from heauen into those
place they encountred other Lordes that for the same purpose were sent by the King to receiue the Christians who were the messengers and bringers of so great a ioy When they were come within three miles neere to the Cittie all the Court came to entertaine and welcome the Portingalles with all manner of pompe and ioyfulnes and with musicke and singing as in those countreyes is vsed vppon their solemnest feast-daies And so great was the multitude of people which abounded in the streets that there was neyther tree nor hillocke higher then the rest but it was loaden with those that were runne forth and assembled to viewe these strangers which brought vnto them this newe law of their saluation The King himselfe attended them at the gate of his pallace in a Throne of estate erected vpon a high scaffold where hee did publikely receiue them in such manner and sorte as the auncient kinges of that Realme accustomed to doe when any Embassadours came vnto him or when his tributes were paied him or when any other such Royall ceremonies were performed And first of all the Embassador declared the Embassage of the King of Portingall which was expounded and interpreted by the foresaid Priest that was the principall authour of the conuersion of those people After the embassage was thus deliuered the King raysed himselfe out of his seate and standinge vpright vppon his feete did both with his countenaunce and speech shew most euident signes of the great ioy that he had conceyued for the comming of the Christians and so sate downe againe And incontinently all the people with shouting and sounding their trumpets singing and other manifest arguments of reioycing did approue the kinges wordes and shewed their exceeding good liking of this Embassage And further in token of obedience they did three times prostrate themselues vpon the grounde and cast vp their feete according to the vse of those kingdomes thereby allowing and commending the action of their king and most affectionately accepting of the Gospell which was brought vnto them from the Lorde God by the handes of those religious persons Then the king tooke view of all the presentes that were sent him by the King of Portingall and the Vestimentes of the Priestes and the Ornamentes of the Altar and the Crosses and the Tables wherein were depainted the Images of Saintes and the Streamers and the Banners and all the rest and with incredible attention caused the meaning of euery one of them to bee declared vnto him one by one And so withdrewe himselfe and lodged the Embassadour in a pallace made ready of purpose for him and all the rest were placed in other houses of seuerall Lordes where they were furnished with all plentie and ease The day following the King caused all the Portingalles to bee assembled together in priuate where they deuised of the course that was to be taken for the christening of the king and for effecting the full conuersion of the people to the christian faith And after sundry discourses it was resolued and concluded that first of all a Church shoulde be builded to the end that the christening and other ceremonies therevnto belonging might be celebrated therein with the more solemnity and in the meane while the king and the Court should be taught and instructed in the Christian Religion The king presently commaunded that with all speed prouision should be made of all manner of stuffe necessary for this building as Timber Stone Lime and Bricke according to the direction and appoiutment of the Worke-maisters and Masons which for that purpose were brought out of Portingall But the Deuill who neuer ceaseth to crosse all good and holy proceedinges raysed new dissentions and conspiracies and lettes against this promoting of the Christian Faith which in deede began to ouerthrowe and destroy the power that hee had long helde in that Realme and in steed thereof to plant the most healthfull tree of the Crosse and the worship of the Gospell And this hee did by procuring a rebellion among certaine people of the Anzichi and of Anzicana which dwell vpon both the bankes of the Riuer Zaire from the foresaid falles vpwardes to the great Lake and are subiect and belonging to the King of Congo Now this monstrous Riuer being restrained and kept backe by these falles doeth swell there mightily and spreadeth it selfe abroade in a very large and deepe channell In the breadth whereof there are many Islandes some small and some great so that in some of them there may be maintayned about thirtie thousande persons In these Islandes and in other places adioyninge to the riuers thereaboutes did the people make an insurrection and renounced their obedience to the king and slew the Gouernours that hee had sent thether to rule And all this was done by the Deuill of purpose to interrupt the propagation of Christianity which was now begunne and to hinder it by the meanes of this rebellion But the King by the inspiration of God prouided a good remedy for this mischiefe and sent thether his eldest sonne called Mani-Sundi within whose Prouince that countrey lyeth And yet afterwardes the trouble and tumult fell out to be so great daungerous that the king must needes go himselfe in person to pacifie these broyles howbeit hee resolued to be baptised before his going and so was enforced to forbeare the building of the Church of Stone and with all speed in steed thereof to erect one of timber which Church hee in his owne person with the aduice of the Portingalles did accomplish in such manner and sort as it ought to be and therein did receiue the Sacrament of holy Baptisme and was named Don Giouanni and his wife Donna Eleonora after the names of the king and Queene of Portingall and the Church it selfe intituled and dedicated to S. Sauiour But here it is to be noted that all these stirs and rebellion of the people aforesaide arose by the cunning sleight instigation of the Deuill not of the poore soules themselues that dwell in those Islandes of the Great Lake as it is written in the first booke of the histories of the Indies lately set forth in latine For the Lake is distant from the confines of the Cittie of Congo about two hundred miles neyther had the inhabitants thereaboutes any knowledge of Congo but onely by hearesay in those dayes and very little they haue of it as yet at this day And besides that the booke is faultie in the name of that people that rebelled for it calleth them Mundiqueti whereas in deede the Portingalles do rightly call them Anziqueti The same day wherein the king was baptised diuers other Lords following his example were baptised likewise hauing first learned certaine principles of the Christian Fayth And when all this was done the kinge went in person to dispearse the turbulent attemptes of his aduersaries against whom he found the Prince his sonne and
the Lorde of Batta already fighting with a formall Armie But at the arriual of the king the enemies yeelded and submitted themselues to the obedience which before they performed and so he returned in triumph to the Cittie of Congo and the Prince his son with him who presently was desirous to become a Christian and was christened by the name of the first Prince of Portingall called Alfonso and with him also were christened many gentlemen and Caualieros and other of his seruantes that came with him out of his Prouince But see the Deuill once againe the vtter enemy of Christian Religion howe hee prosecuted his former intent to hinder Christianitie among these people For when hee perceyued that hee preuayled nothing by these wars he incensed the mind of the Kings second Son that hee woulde not agree to receiue the new Keligion which his Father his Mother his Brother so many other Lords had imbraced sowing his Cockle Darnel not onely in him but also in many other Lordes that fauoured him who being addicted rather to the sensualitie of the flesh then the puritie of the minde resisted the Gospel which beganne now to be preached especially in that Commaundement wherein it is forbidden that a man should haue any mo wiues but one A matter that among them was more harde and difficult to be receyued then any other Commandement whatsoeuer because they were vsed to take as many wiues as they would And thus the two brethren being diuided betweene themselues eyther of them did stiffly maintaine his seuerall opinion The eldest brother Don Alfonso did with great feruencie defende Christianitie burned all the Idoles that were within his Prouince The second brother called Mani-Pango because he was Gouernour of the Countrey of Pango did resist it mightely and had gotten the greatest part of the principall Lordes of Pango to bee on his side For there were diuers of the newe christned Lordes whose Ladies seeing themselues seperated and forlorne of their Husbande-Lordes by force of the Christian Lawe did take it as a great iniury and scorne done vnto them and blasphemed and cursed this new Religion beyond all measure These Lords vnited themselues together with others and began to plot treachery against Don Alfonso hoping that if they could ridde him out of the world the Christian Faith would vtterly cease of it selfe And therefore Mani-Pango and his complices gaue intelligence to his Father that the Prince Don Alfonso fauoured the Christian faction onely to the end that vnder the colour of his countenance and fauour they might rayse an insurrection and rebellion against him and so driue him out of his kingdome The king gaue credite to their informations and depriued his sonne of the Gouernement wherein hee was placed But the prouidence of God which reserued him for a greater matter did relieue him by the good mediation and counsell of his frendes who entreated the King his Father that he would not be moued to anger before he had examined the answeres reasons of the Prince his sonne Wherein the Kinge was especially perswaded by Mani-Sogno who as we tolde you was before christened and called Don Emanuel and by good happe was in Court at that present This man being the auncientest Courtier and Lorde of that time singularly well beloued of the king and all his people did with sound reasons and dexterity of wit procure the king to reuoke the sentence that was giuen against the Prince Don Alfonso so that the Kinge being afterwardes throughly informed both of the honest mind and actions of his sonne perceiued that the accusations plotted against him were false and malicious and therevpon restored him againe to his former gouernement with a speciall charge that hee shoulde not proceed with such rigour against the Gentiles for the propagation exaltation of the christian Religion But he being full of feruent charity and godly spirit ceased not for all that to aduance the faith of the Gospell and to put the commandements of God in execution Chap. 3. Don Iohn the first Christian King being dead Don Alfonso his sonne succeeded Of his warres against his Brother Of certaine miracles that were wrought and of the Conuersion of those people NOw together with the death of the king there was also published the succession to the Crowne of Don Alfonso being then present who in his owne person did accompanie the corps of his deade Father to the buriall withall the Lords of the Court and all the Christian Portingalles which was solemnised after the manner of Christendome with seruice and prayers for the dead and all this with such funerall pompe as was neuer seene before among those people But they which heretofore were aduersaries to this newe King doubting of their owne safetie if they should remaine in the Court vnited themselues with Mani-Pango who was nowe departed into the Prouince of his owne Gouernment and while his father liued was wholly employed in fighting against the Mozombi and certaine other people that had rebelled against him When he heard of the death of his Father and vnderstoode that his brother was already placed in the Seate Royall he tooke truce with his enemies and gathering together a great armie beganne to go in armes against his Brother and lead with him almost all the whole Realme which in deed fauoured him to the number of two hundred thousande men King Alfonso awaited his comming at the Royall Cittie with a very small number sauing that he was directed aduised and assisted by the good auncient Lord Mani-Sogno who vniting himselfe vnto him in the strength and vertue of the holy Christian Faith and making a list of all those armed frends that he had to defend him against so great an enemy found by computation that they did not amount to the number of ten thousand among which there were but about one hundred Christians naturall of that Countrey besides some few Portingalles which by chance arriued there at that time All these people were indeed too few for such an encounter and therefore not very resolute to abide any attempt but became very doubtfull and timorous by reason of the great power that Mani-Pango brought with him But the king trusting confidently in his strong faith and in the Celestiall aide and assistance comforted and strengthened his souldiers by all the meanes he could and so did the good olde Lorde his vncle who ceased not both night and day with words and deeds to encourage that smal number which they had to expect and endure the assaults of their aduersaries with all manhoode and courage assuring them that God would bee their helpe and succour Thus while they attended the procedinges of their enemies Mani-Pango and his forces set forwardes to the besieging of the Cittie with so great a noise of warlicke instrumentes and cries and shoutinges and terrible threatninges that the poore fewe which were in the Cittie aswel Christians as others fainted in
no mans life so that hauing diuided themselues into seuerall armies they ruled and gouerned sometimes in one Prouince and sometimes in another ouer all the kingdome With this persecution did God generally afflict and chastize all the inhabitantes of the saide Kingdome of Congo the King himselfe the Lordes the people the Portingalles and their Clergie euery one in their degree and calling As for the poore people they went wandring like vagabondes ouer all the Countrey and perished for hunger and want of necessaries And for the Kinge with those that followed him and had saued themselues in the Islande they also because the Isle was very little and the multitude great were oppressed with so terrible a scarsitie of victuailes that the most part of them dyed by famine and pestilence For this dearth so increased and meate arose to so excessiue a rate that for a very small pittance God wot they were faine to giue the price of a slaue whome they were wont to sell for tenne Crownes at the least So that the Father was of necessitie constrayned to sell his owne sonne and the brother his brother and so euery man to prouide his victuailes by all manner of wickednesse The persons that were solde for the satisfying of other mens hunger were bought by the Portingal Marchants that came from S. Thomas with their ships laden with victuailes Those that sold them said they were slaues and those that were solde iustified and confirmed the same because they were desirous to be ridde of their greedie torment And by this occasion there was no small quantity of slaues that were borne in Congo solde vpon this necessitie and sent to the Isle of S. Thomas to Portingall among whome there were some of the bloud Royall and some others principall Lordes By this affliction the King did manifestly learne know that all these great miseries and aduersities abounded for his misdeedes and although he was not much punished with hunger because hee was a King yet he did not escape the cruel infirmitie of the Dropsie that made his legges to swell exceedingly which disease was engendred partely by the ayre and very ill diet and partely by the moystnesse of the Islande and so it accompanied him euen vntill his death But in the meane while being stricken to the hart with these misfortunes and calamities he conuerted and turned to God requiring pardon for his offences and doing pennance for his sinnes and then was counselled and aduised by the Portingalles that he shoulde sende to request succours of the King of Portingall by certayne Embassadours that might recount vnto him all the mischiefes which had lighted vpon him This Embassage was accordingly performed at the same time that the K. Don Sebastiano began his raign who with great speed and kindnesse sent him succours by a Captaine called Francesco di Gouea a man well exercised in diuers wars both in India and also in Africa who lead with him sixe hundred Souldiers and many Gentlemen Aduenturers that did accompany him Chap. 6. The King of Portingall sendeth aide and an Embassadour to the King of Congo The knowledge of the Mettall mines which abound in Congo is denyed the King of Portingall At the same time the King of Congo dispatcheth Embassadours to the King of Spaine to request Priestes of him what befell vnto them He sendeth diuers proofes of the Mettalles The vow of Odoardo Lopes THis Captayne Francesco di Gouea carried with him a commandement from his Kinge that the Islande of Saint Thomas shoulde prouide him ships and victuails and whatsoeuer els was requisite for this enterprise And with this prouision hee arriued at the last in the Isle of Horse where the King of Congo was resident In whose company the Portingalles departing from thence gathering together all the men of warre in that Countrey with all speed possible put themselues onwardes against their aduersaries and fought with them sundry times in plaine battell so that at the ende of one yeare and a halfe they restored the King into his former estate Which victory they atchieued in deede by the noyse and force of their Arcubuses for the Giachi are exceedingly afraid of that weapon rather then by the valour and strength of their souldiers And so they were in spight of their teeth driuen out of the Realme of Congo but few of them there were that returned home againe to see their frendes But the Portingall Captaine stayed there for the space of foure yeares to settle the King in his Kingdome and then returned into Portingall with letters of request to his King that hee woulde sende ouer some moe Priestes to vpholde and maintaine the Christian Religion Howbeit a number of Portingalles that came by shippe with him remained behinde him in these Countries and are at this daye become very rich and wealthie men And the King being thus established in his former degree and the Kingdome all in quyet and peace became a very good Christian and married the Ladie Catarina who is yet aliue by whom he had fower daughters and by certaine Maide-seruants which he kept two sonnes and one daughter And because in those regions the weomen doe not succeede there remayned as heyre of his kingdome his elder sonne called also Don Aluaro who liueth at this day During the time that the foresaide Captaine stayed in Congo the King of Portingall Don Sebastiano vnderstanding that there were in that Kingdome diuers Caues and Mines of Siluer of Golde other Mettalles sent thether two persons that were cunning and skilful in that Arte for therein they had serued the Castilians in the West to make search for them and to drawe some profite thereof But the King of Congo was by a certaine Portingall called Francesco Barbuto that was his Confessour and great familiar perswaded to the contrary that he should not in any case suffer those Mines to be discouered signifying vnto him that thereby peraduenture the free enioying and possession of his Kingdome might by little and little be taken quite from him and therefore aduised him that he woulde cause these skilfull Maisters to bee ledde and guided by some other wayes where hee knewe there were no Mettall-Mynes to be founde which he did accordingly But assuredly it grew afterwardes to a great mischiefe that the King would not suffer this Arte of digging and melting of mettalles so greatly esteemed ouer all Europe to be exercised in Congo For therevpon beganne the great trade and trafficke in that Countrey to cease and the Portingall Marchants did not greatly care for venturing thether or dwelling there any more and so consequently very few Priestes resorted among them So that aswell vpon these occasions as also for other such causes afore rehearsed the Christian Religion waxed so colde in Congo that it wanted verye little of being vtterly extinguished But the King Don Aluaro as it hath beene tolde you after all these mighty afflictions laid
him a competent number of Confessors and Preachers that might bee sufficient to maintaine the Gospell in those remote Countries being but lately conuerted to Christianitie Moreouer that he should shew vnto him the sundrie trialles of Mettalles which hee had made and many other matters which were worthie to bee knowen and withall that he should proffer vnto him in his name free liberal trafficke of them which heretofore was euer denyed to his Predecessors Touching the Pope That he should likewise on his behalfe kisse his feete deliuer vnto him his letters and recount the miserable trouble and detriment that his people had suffered for the Christian Faith That he shold recōmend those poor soules to his Holines beseech him as the Vniuersal Father of all Christians to haue compassion vpon so many faithful persons who because they had no Priestes to deliuer the holy Faith vnto them and to administer the wholesome Sacramentes were by little and little falling into euerlasting perdition And being thus dispatched he departed from the Court and went about certaine seruices for the King wherein he spent about eyght Monethes So that in Ianuary being then Sommer time in Congo he embarked himselfe in a vessell of a hundred Tunne burthen which was bound with her lading for Lisbone Now as he sayled he came to the sea of the Islands of Cape Verde where the vessell being somewhat olde began to take in much water at a leake that was open in the foreship So that the wind blowing very lustely and strongely before and the Saylers being not able eyther to reach the Islandes aforesaid or to gayne the firme lande of Africa much lesse though they woulde neuer so fayne to follow on their voyage by sayling on with the halfe ship and to straine the vessel that leaked so much the Pilot thought it better to turne his course and taking the wind in the poope to goe saue themselues in the Islandes of Noua Hispania And so after terrible stormes and extreame dangers of drowning and of perishing with hunger for want of all kinde of meate they arriued with much adoo at a little Islande called Cubagoa and situate ouer against the Isle of Saynt Margarete where they fish for Pearles From thence when they had in some haste amended their shippe and somewhat refreshed themselues they sayled with a short cut to the firme lande and tooke hauen in a Porte called Cumana or as it is called by another name The new kingdome of Granado in the West Indies This battered and wetherbeaten vessell was no sooner arriued in this safe harbour but it sunke presently to the bottome but the persons that were in her were all saued although afterwardes they fell sicke to the death by reason of the great griefe which they had endured in hunger in thirst and in want of all other sustenance and chiefly by the horrible stormes of that tempestuous Ocean While the foresaide Embassadour endeauoured in this place to recouer his former health the company of shippes which is called La Flotta that is to say the Fleete and vseth euery yeare to sayle from the coast for Castile departed from thence so that he was constrayned to stay for a new Nauie and so consumed a whole yeare and a halfe without doing any good In this meane time the King of Congo hauing neuer receyued any tydinges of this his Embassadour Odoardo but accounting him for dead and not knowing that he was driuen by tempest into the West Indies continued still constant in his former purpose to procure some remedy for Christianitie in his kingdome And therefore hee sent another Embassadour with the selfe same commandements called Don Piedro Antonio the seconde person in all his Realme and with him one Gasparo Diaz a Portingall borne a principall man and very rich and an auncient inhabitant in that Countrey to the ende that hee shoulde accompany the saide Don Piedro and suffer him to want nothing and in any case ioyne his good helpe to procure that the request which he hoped to obtain of the king of Spaine might be fully effected with a further expresse commandement that if they did meete with the saide Signor Odoardo they should deale in their businesse with his aduise counsell But an infortunate end had this Embassadour for he was taken at sea by Englishmen and his shippe also which being drawen towardes Englande when it was neere vnto the Coast by great misfortune it ranne athwart the shoare ane there Don Piedro Antonio his sonne were both drowned but the Portingal and some fewe others with him escaped and arriued in Spaine at such time as the said Odoardo was come to the Court had entred vppon the charge of his Embassage And therefore this Gasparo wrote to Odoardo that hee was minded to returne home into Congo and not to goe to the Court at all whether it were for the death of the Cardinall or for any other respect I cannot tell but home he returned in deed as he said he would In the time that our Signor Odoardo remained in the West India which is situate vnder the same skie and vnder the same climate and of the same temperature of ayre that Congo is subiect vnto hee noted that the colour of the skinnes of the inhabitants in both countries was farre different For in Congo they are generally and for the most parte blacke and in India almost white that is to say of a middle colour betweene white and blacke which the Spaniardes call Mulato Browne or Darke-Tawney Whereby he would signifie that it is not caused by the Sunne as it hath beene recorded of long time but that it commeth of nature it selfe who worketh it by some secreat reason which neuer yet to this day eyther by auncient Philosopher or new writer hath beene fully set downe or vnderstoode When he had recouered his health he sayled to the Porte of the Cittie of San Domingo in the Island of Hispaniola that there at the first passage he might take some shippe that went towardes Castilia and by good chaunce he found a Portingall vessell among the rest of the Nauie which was minded to ioyne with the Fleete of shippes that passed from the firme lande to Castilia and so to goe in good companie and better safetie All these shippes being thus vnited together they arriued by the helpe of a very good winde at Terzera which is one of the Islandes called Azores that is to say the Sparre-Haukes and from thence to San Lucar di Barameda which is a hauen in the mouth of the Riuer Guadalchibir and so to Siuile from whence he tooke his iourney into Portingall to see his frendes and to furnish himselfe with all thinges necessarie for his businesse and at the last hee rode to the Court which was at that time in Madrill There hee was courteously entertained by his Catholike Maiestie to whom he propounded the contents of
as pleaseth and delighteth their sences well enough Besides all this which is a thing very admirable by this instrument they doo vtter they conceites of their mindes and doo vnderstande one another so plainely that euery thing almost which may be explaned with the tongue they can declare with their hande in touching and striking this instrument To the sounde thereof they do dance in good measure with their feet and follow the iust time of that musicke with clapping the palmes of their handes one against the other They haue also in the Court Flutes and Pipes which they sound very artificially and according to the sounde they daunce and moue their feet as it were in a Moresco with great grauity and sobrietie The common people doe vse little Rattles and Pipes other instrumentes that make a more harsh and rude sound then the Court-instruments do In this kingdome when any are sicke they take nothing but naturall phisicke as Hearbes and Trees and the barkes of Trees and Oyles and Waters and Stones such as Mother Nature hath taught them The Ague is the most common disease that raigneth among them and plagueth them in Winter by reason of the continuall raine that bringeth heat and moysture with it more then in Sommer and besides that the sicknes which here we cal the French disease Chitangas in the Congo tongue is not there so daungerous and so harde to be cured as it is in our Countries They heale the Ague with the poulder of a wood called Sandale or Saunders whereof there is both redde and gray which is the woode of Aguila This poulder being mingled with the oyle of the Palme-Tree and hauing annointed the bodie of the sicke person two or three times withall from the head to the foote the partie recouereth When their head aketh they let bloude in the temples with certaine little boxing hornes first by cutting the skinne a little and then applying the Cornets therevnto which with a sucke of the mouth will be filled with bloud and this manner of letting bloude is vsed also in Aegipt And so in any other parte of a mans body where there is any griefe they drawe bloude in this fashion and heale it Likewise they cure the infirmitie called Chitangas with the same vnction of Saunders whereof there are two sorts one redde as we tolde you and that is called Tauila the other gray and is called Chicongo and this is best esteemed for they will not sticke to giue or sell a slaue for a peece of it They purge themselues with certaine barkes of trees made into powder and taken in some drinke and they will worke mightely and strongly When they take these purgations they make no great account for going abroade into the ayre Their woundes also they commonly cure with the iuyce of certaine hearbs and with the hearbs themselues And the sayde Signor Odoardo hath affirmed vnto me that he sawe a slaue which was stabbed through with seauen mortall woundes of an Arrow and was recouered whole and sound onely with the iuyce of certaine hearbes well knowen vnto them by experience So that this people is not encumbred with a number of Phisicians for Surgery for Drugges for Sirruppes for Electuaries for Playsters and such like Medicines but simply doe heale and cure themselues with such naturall Plantes as grow in their owne Countrey Whereof they haue no great neede neither for liuing as they doo vnder a temperate clymate and not ingorging themselues with much varietie of meates to please their appetites nor surcharging their stomackes with wine they are not greatly troubled with those diseases that commonly are engendred of meates and drinkes that remaine vndigested Chap. 8. Of the Countries that are beyonde the Kingdome of Congo towardes the Cape of Good-Hope and of the Riuer Nilus NOw that we haue seene the Kingdome of Congo and the conditions both of the Countrey and people that dwell therein and also of the nations therevnto adioyning it remayneth that wee discourse a little further and that with all breuitie of the rest of Africa towardes the Cape of Good-Hope all along the Ocean whereby they vse to sayle into India euen as farre as the redde sea and then we will returne backe againe into the Inlande and treate of the Riuer Nilus and of Preti-Gianni and of all his kingdomes to the ende that so farre as our matter will beare we may make a perfecte relation of those Regions which hitherto haue not so well and so rightly been conceaued of euery man Beyond the Kingdome of Congo we haue signified vnto you that there are other countries belonging to the King of Angola and beyond that towardes the Cape of Good-Hope a King called Matama who ruleth ouer diuers Prouinces which are called Quimbebe This Realme as we tolde you from the first Lake and the confines of Angola contayneth all the rest of the countrey Southwardes till you come to the Riuer of Brauagul which springeth out of the mountaines of the Moone aud ioyneth with the Riuer Magnice and that springeth out of the foresaide first Lake These mountaines are diuided by the Tropicke of Capricorne towardes the Pole Antarctike and beyonde this Tropike lyeth all the Countrey and borders of the Cape of Good-Hope which are not ruled and gouerned by any one Kinge but by diuers and sundry seuerall Princes In the middest betweene that Cape and the Tropike are the saide Mountaines of the Moone so famous and so greatly renowned among the auncient writers who do assigne them to be the originall head and spring of the Riuer Nilus which is very false and vntrue as the situation of the countrey doth plainely shewe and as wee a little hereafter will discouer vnto you This Countrey is full of high and rough mountaines it is very coulde and not habitable It is frequented and haunted with a few persons that liue after the manner of the Arabians vnder little cabbins in the open fieldes and apparelled with the skinnes of certaine beastes It is a sauage and a rusticall nation without all faith and credite neyther will they suffer any straungers among them Their furniture is Bowes and Arrowes They feede vpon such fruites as the lande breedeth and also vpon the flesh of beastes Among these Mountains of the Moone there is a Lake called Gale a very little one it is and lyeth somewhat towardes the West Out of this Lake there issueth a Riuer called Camissa and by the Portingalles named The sweete Riuer which at the point of the Cape of Good-Hope voydeth it selfe into the sea in that very place that is termed The False Cape For the shippes of the Indies sayling that way doo first discouer another greater Cape which is called The Cape of the Needles and then afterwardes this lesser Cape Wherevpon they call it The False Cape because it is hidde and couered with the true and great Cape Betweene these two Capes or Promontories there
that are of a white colour and yeeld obedience sometimes to one of these two Princes and sometimes to the other They are men of a farre greater stature then all the rest of the people in those Countries Chap. 10. The rest of the Coast of the Ocean to the redde Sea Of the Empire of Prete Gianni and the Confines thereof Of the famous Riuer Nilus and the originall spring thereof ANd now to returne to our former treatise of the coast beyond the Realme of Melinde towardes the Cape of Guarda-Fuy there are many places inhabited with Mahometans all along the sea side of colour being white Vpon this shoare there are diuers good hauens where the shippes of sundry countries doo trafficke with the foresaide marchaundises The first of these places is called Patee the seconde Braua the third Magadoxo the fourth Affion and the last is the famous Promontory and Cape of Guarda-Fuy which because it is very great and iutteth out a good way into the sea is wel knowen to all saylers that come from India and from Ormuz from Arabia Foelix It is the place and harborough where the Portingalles are wont to attend and yearely with their nauies to watch for the vesselles of the Mahometans that being laden with precious marchaundises doo saile into those partes without their licence they being the Lordes of the trafficke and trade for spicery and all other commodities that are brought from India So that euery yeare the Portingall Fleete doth take great prises of Marchauntes shippes in that place as the English and the French doo at Cape Saint Vincent After you haue compassed about the foresaid Cape of Guarda-Fuy towarde the redde sea you shall come to other Townes and hauens of the Mahometans The first of them is called Methe and another beyond that called Barbora And this is the furthest place wherein you shall finde any people with white skinnes for here the men beginne to bee all blacke Then there is Ceila Dalaca and Malaca and Carachin and all this Coast is called in that Countrey language Baragiam The people that inhabite therein are all blacke valiant in armes and apparelled from the girdle downewards with cloth of Cotton but those that are of the best account among them doo weare vppon their shoulders certaine cloakes with whoodes called Bernussi such as the olde Romanes vsed and were termed Saga Romana It aboundeth in Gold and in Iuory and in Mettalles in victuailes of all sortes Then follow the mouthes or entrances into the red Gulfe otherwise called the Redde Sea well knowen to euery man In number they are two caused by an Islande that lyeth betweene them and is called Babelmandel The one of them towards the West is fifteene miles broade and hath a deep channell and through this doo all the great shippes enter the other is a little one and contayneth in breadth but fiue miles and yet is full of shallowes and shelfes of sande and some Rockes so that the whole mouth is but thirtie myles in all The one Cape on the side of Africa is called Rosbel and the other towardes Arabia Foelix is Ara. From this place all the Westerne Coast of the said Gulfe runneth vp to Suez which is the farthest towne thereof Northwardes and is distant from these mouthes twelue hundred miles All this Gulfe both on the one side and on the other neere to the bankes is much pestered with Islettes and shelfes that are very shallow and affordeth free and safe nauigation but onely in the middest For the sea following the motion streame of the Ocean with great swiftnes doth keepe the channell and the bottome in the middle very cleane and neat by casting vp the filth and sande vpon the bankes on both sides And now forasmuch as we are to speake of the Empire of Prete Gianni who is the greattest and the richest Prince in all Africa let vs tell you in briefe that his State and Gouernement at this day reacheth from the two mouthes of the redde sea vnto the Island of Syene which is vnder the Tropike of Cancer excepting the Coastes of the said sea For about fiftie yeares ago he lost them by negligence and suffered the Turke to take them from him So that the Confines of his estate are these viz. towards the North-East and the East the greater parte of the Red Sea towards the North Aegypt towardes the West the Desertes of Nubia and towards the South the countrey of Mohenemugi so in a grosse and generall account the Empire of this Christian King may happely bee in compasse some foure thousand miles The principall Cittie where hee most remayneth and keepeth his Court is called Bel-Malechi He ruleth ouer many Prouinces that haue their seuerall Kinges His estate is very rich and aboundeth in Golde in Siluer in precious stones and in all sortes of mettalles His people are of diuers colours as white blacke and a middle colour betweene both they are of a very good stature and haue good countenances His Courtiers and Lordes are apparelled with cloth of Silke and adorned with Golde and sundry Iewelles There is among them a lawe for apparell according to the seuerall degrees of men For certaine persons there are for whome it is not lawfull to weare any other garment but such as are made of dressed skins These people are in a manner Christians For they doo obserue certaine ceremonies of the Lawe of the Hebrewes Vpon the Feast day of our Ladie in August all the Kinges and principall Lordes assemble themselues together in the Cittie aforesaid to celebrate that feast euery man bringing with him his tribute that he oweth to the King and the people comming from all partes in pilgrimage to performe this their deuotion They haue a very solemne procession and out of the Church from whence they walke they carry with them an Image of the Blessed Virgin the Mother of God which is as bigge as any common person and all of Gold This Image hath for the eyes two very rich and great Rubies all the rest of the bodie is garnished adorned with iewels and curious workes and it is carryed vpon a frame made of Golde of a wonderfull and admirable workmanshippe In this procession also there commeth abroade in publike shew Prete Gianni himselfe eyther vpon a Charriot of Gold or els vpon an Elephant all garnished and trimmed with iewelles and such rare and precious thinges and couered all ouer with cloth of Golde The multitude of people that runneth to see this Image is so great that many are stiffled in the presse and die therevpon This King is called by a corrupt terme Prete Iani for the right name is Bel-Gian Now Bel signifieth that which is chiefest perfectest and excellentest in anything and Gian is a Prince or a Lorde and is applyed to euery man that hath a Gouernement and iurisdiction and therefore Belgian is asmuch to say as