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
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
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
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
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
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
planted the christian religion in the Kingdome of Congo and thereupon the king of Congo became a Christian. After which time the Lorde of Angola was alwaies in amitie and as it were a vassall of the forenamed King of Congo and the people of both countries did trafficke together one with another and the Lord of Angola did euery yeare sende some presents to the king of Congo And by licence from the King of Congo there was a great trade betweene the Portingalles and the people of Angola at the hauen of Loanda where they bought slaues and chaunged them for other marchaundises and so transported all into the Isle of Sainte Thomas Whereby it came to passe that the trafficke was heere vnited with the trafficke of S. Thomas so that the shippes did vse first to arriue at that Islande and then afterwarde passed ouer to Loanda And when this trade began in processe of time to increase they dispatched their shippes from Lisbone to Angola of themselues and sent with them a Gouernour called Paulo Diaz of Nouais to whome this busines did as it were of right appertaine in regarde of the good desertes of his auncesters who first discouered this trafficke To this Paulo Diaz did Don Sebastiano King of Portingale graunt leaue and authority to conquere for the space of xxxiij leagues vpwardes along the coast beginning at the Riuer Coanza towards the South and within the lande also whatsoeuer hee coulde get towardes all his charges for him and his heyres With him there went many other shippes that opened and found out a great trade with Angola which notwithstanding was directed to the foresaide hauen of Loanda where the saide shippes did still discharge themselues And so by little little he entred into the firme land made himselfe a house in a certain village called Anzelle within a mile neer to the riuer Coanza because it was the more commodious nigher to the trafficke of Angola When the trade here beganne thus to increase and marchaundises were freely caried by the Portingales the people of Congo to Cabazo a place belonging to the Lorde of Angola and distant from the sea 150. miles there to sell and barter them it pleased his Lordship to giue out order that all the Marchants should be slaine and their goods confiscated alleadging for his defence that they were come thether as spies and to take possession of his estate but in truth it is thought that hee did it onely to gaine all that wealth to himselfe considering that it was a people that did not deale in the habite of warriours but after the manner of Marchants And this fell out in the same yeare that the King Don Sebastiano was discomfited in Barbarie When Paulo Diaz vnderstoode of this course he put himselfe in armes against the King of Angola and with such a troupe of Portingals as he could gather together that were to bee founde in that countrey and with two Gallies and other vessels which he kept in the riuer Coanza he went forwarde on both sides of the riuer conquering and by force subdued many Lords and made them his frendes and subiectes But the king of Angola perceyuing that his vassalles had yeelded to the obedience of Paulo Diaz and that with all prosperous successe he had gayned much land vpon him he assembled a great army to go against him and so vtterly to destroy him Whereupon Paulo Diaz requested the King of Congo that he woulde succour him with some helpe to defende himselfe withall who presently sent vnto him for aid an army of 60 thousand men vnder the conduct of his cosin Don Sebastiano Manibamba and another captayne with 120. Portingale souldiers that were in those countryes and all of his owne pay for the atchieuing of this enterprise This army was to ioyne with Paulo Diaz and so altogether to warre against the King of Angola but arriuing at the shoare where they were to passe ouer the riuer Bengo within 12. miles of Loāda where they shoulde haue met with many barkes to carry the Campe to the other shore partly because the said barks had slacked their cōming partly because much time wold haue been spent in transporting so many men the whole armie tooke their way quite ouer the riuer and so going on forwardes they met with the people of the King of Angola that were ready to stoppe the souldiers of Congo from entering vpon their Countrey The military order of the Mociconghi for by that terme we do call the naturall borne people of the kingdome of Congo as wee call the Spaniardes those that are naturally borne in Spaine and the military order of the people of Angola is almost all one For both of them doo vsually fight on foote and diuide their armie into seuerall troupes fitting themselues according to the situation of the field where they doo incampe aduancing their ensignes and banners in such sort as before is remembrd The remoues of their armie are guided and directed by certaine seuerall soundes and noyses that proceede from the Captayne Generall who goeth into the middest of the Armie and there signifieth what is to bee put in execution that is to say eyther that they shall ioyne battell or els retyre or put on forward or turne to the right hand and to the leaft hand or to performe any other warlick action For by these seueral sounds distinctly deliuered frō one to another they doe all vnderstande the commandementes of their Captayne as we heere among vs doo vnderstande the pleasure of our Generall by the sundrie stroakes of the Drumme and the Captaines soundes of the Trompet Three principall soundes they haue which they vse in warre One which is vttered aloude by great Rattles fastned in certaine woodden cases hollowed out of a tree and couered with leather which they strike with certaine little handles of Iuory Another is made by a certaine kinde of instrument fashioned like a Pyramis turned vpwarde for the lower ende of it is sharpe and endeth as it were in a point and the vpper end waxeth broader broader like the bottom of a Triangle in such sort that beneath they are narrow like an Angle aboue they are large and wide This instrument is made of certayne thinne plates of iron which are hollowe and empty within and very like to a bell turned vp side downe They make them ring by striking them with woodden wandes and oftentimes they do also cracke them to the ende that the sound should be more harsh horrible and warlicke The thirde instrument is framed of Elephants teeth some great and some small hollowe within and blowen at a certaine hole which they make on the side of it in manner of the Fife and not aloft like the Pipe These are tempered by them in such sort that they yeelde as warlicke and harmonious musicke as the Cornet doth and so pleasant and iocund a noyse that it moueth and
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
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
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
had receiued the Water of Holy Baptisme and the knowledge of the liuing God Now the King hauing gathered together all these abhominable Images and put them into diuers houses within the Cittie and commanded that to the same place where a little before hee had fought and vanquished his brothers Armie euery man should bring a burthen of woode which grew to be a great heape when they had cast into it all the said Idoles pictures and whatsoeuer els the people afore that time held for a God he caused fire to be set vnto them and so vtterly consumed them When he had thus done he assembled all his people together and in steed of their Idoles which before they had in reuerence hee gaue them Crucifixes and Images of Saintes which the Portingalles had brought with them and enioyned euery Lord that euery one in the Cittie of his owne Gouernment and Regiment shoulde builde a Church and set vp Crosses as he had already shewed vnto them by his owne example And then he tolde them and the rest of his people that hee had dispatched an Embassadour into Portingall to fetch Priestes that should teach them Religion and administer the most holy and holesome Sacraments to euery one of them and bring with them diuers Images of Christ of the Virgin Mother and of other Saintes to distribute among them In the meane while hee willed them to bee of good comfort and to remaine constant in the faith But they had so liuely imprinted the same in their hartes that they neuer more remembred their former beliefe in false and lying Idoles He ordayned moreouer that there shoulde be three Churches builded One in reuerence of our Sauiour to giue him thanks for the victorie which he had granted vnto him wherein the Kinges of Congo doe lye buried and whereof the Cittie Royall tooke the name for as it was tolde you before it is called S. Sauiours The second Church was dedicated to the Blessed Virgin the Mother of God called Our Ladie of Helpe in memory of the succour which he had against his enemies And the thirde was consecrated to S. Iames in honour and remembraunce of the miracle which that Saint had wrought by sighting in the fauour of the Christians shewing himselfe on horsebacke in the heat of the battell Not long after this the shippes arriued from Portingall with many men that were skifull in the holy scriptures and diuers religious Friers of the orders of S. Frauncis and of Saint Dominike and of Saint Austine with sundry other Priestes who with great charitie and feruencie of spirite sowed and dispearsed the Catholike Faith ouer all the Countrey which was presently embraced by all the people of the kingdome who held the said Priests in so high reuerence that they worshipped them like Saintes by kneeling vnto them and kissing their hands and receiuing their blessing as often as they met them in the streetes These Priestes being arriued into their seueral Prouinces did instruct the people in the faith of Christ and taking vnto them certaine of the naturalles of the Countrey they taught them the true heauenly doctrine whereby they might the better declare the same to their owne Countreymen in their owne proper language So that in processe of time the Catholike Faith was rooted ouer all those Countreyes in such sorte as it perseuereth and continueth there euen till this day although it hath endured some small hinderance as in conuenient place we shall shew vnto you Chap. 4. The death of the King Don Alfonso and the succession of Don Piedro How the Islande of Saint Thomas was first inhabited and of the Bishop that was sent thether Other great accidents that happened by occasion of Religion The death of two Kings by the conspiracie of the Portingalles the Lordes of Congo How the Kinges linage was quite extinguished The banishment of the Portingalles WHile these matters were thus in working for the seruice of God that Christianitie was nowe begun and encreased with so happy successe it pleased God to call away to himselfe the King Don Alfonso who at the time of his death yeelded great signes which beautified and exalted his former life For he dyed in great faith declaring that his hower was now come and discoursed of the Christian Religion with so great confidence and charitie as it euidently appeered that the Crosse and Passion the true beliefe in our Sauiour Iesus Christ was imprinted in the roote of his heart To Don Piedro his sonne successour he did especially principally recommend the Christian doctrine which in deed following the example of his father he did maintain and vphold accordingly In his time there began to sayle into these quarters a great number of vessels and the Islande of S. Thomas was inhabited with Portingalles by the Kinges commandment For before those dayes it was all waste and desert within lande and inhabited onely vpon the shore by a few saylers that came from the countries adioyning But when this Islande in processe of time was well peopled with Portingalles and other nations that came thether by licence of the King and became to be of great trafficke and was tilled and sowed the king sent thether a Bishoppe to gouerne the Christians that were in that Islande and those also that were in Congo which the said Bishoppe did accomplish presently vpon his arriuall and afterwardes in Congo where hee tooke possession of his Pastorall charge When he was come into the kingdome of Congo it was a thing incredible to see with howe great ioy hee was entertained by the Kinge and all his people For from the sea side euen vnto the Cittie being the space of a hundred and fiftie miles he caused the streetes to bee made smooth and trimme and to be couered all ouer with Mattes commanding the people that for a certaine space seuerally appointed vnto them they shoulde prepare the wayes in such sort that the Bishoppe shoulde not set his foote vpon any part of the grounde which was not adorned But it was a farre greater wonder to behold all the countrey thereaboutes and all the trees and all the places that were higher then the rest swarming with men and weomen that ran forth to see the Bishop as a man that was holy and sent from God offering vnto him some of them lambes some kiddes some chickins some Partriches some venison and some fish and other kindes of victuailes in such aboundance that hee knew not what to do withall but leaft it behind him whereby he might well know the great zeale and obedience of these new Christians And aboue all other thinges it is to be noted for a memorable matter that the Bishoppe going on his way there met him an innumerable multitude of men weomen and girles and boyes and persons of fourescore yeares of age and aboue that crossed him in the streetes and with singular tokens of true beliefe
steede for Gouernour vnder the title of King one Don Aluaro a young man of twentie and fiue yeares of age sonne to his wife by another husband But Don-Henrico dyed shortly after the warre was ended and therevpon the saide Don Aluaro was with the common consent of them all elected King of Congo and generally obeyed of euery man And thus fayled the Royall Stocke of the auncient Kinges of Congo in the person of Don Henrico But Don Aluaro was a man of good iudgement and gouernenent and of a milde disposition so that he did presently appease all these tumults in his kingdome caused all the Portingals that by the last warres were dispearsed ouer all the countries thereaboutes to bee gathered together aswell religious persons as lay men by their meanes hee was much better confirmed in the Catholike Faith then he was before Moreouer he vsed them very courteously and cleared them of all faultes that were laide to their charge declaring vnto them by gentle discourses that they had not beene the occasion of the former troubles as euery man wold confesse and acknowledge and to that effect he determined with him selfe to write a large information touching al these accidentes to the King of Portingall and to the Bishoppe of S. Thomas which he did accordingly and dispatched certain Messengers vnto them with his letters When the Bishoppe of S. Thomas vnderstode these newes he was very glad thereof and whereas before he durst not aduenture to go into the Kingdome of Congo in the heate of all those troubles he did now presently take ship and sayled thether where he imployed himselfe wholly with all his authoritie to pacifie the former dissentions and to set downe order for all such matters as concerned the worshippe of God and the office of his Priestes And a while after hee had so done hee returned to his habitation in the Isle of Saint Thomas where by meanes of sicknes he finished his dayes And this was the third time that those partes remayned without a Bishop Nowe it came to passe that for want of Bishoppes the King and the Lordes and the people likewise began to waxe cold in the Christian Religion euery man addicting himselfe licentiously to the libertie of the flesh and especially the King who was induced therevnto by diuers yong men of his owne age that did familiarly conuerse with him Among whom there was one principall man that was both a Lorde and his kinsman called Don Francesco Bullamatare that is to say Catche-Stone This man because he was a great Lorde and wholly estranged from all instructions of Christianitie walked inordinately after his owne pleasure and did not sticke to defende openly That it was a very vaine thing to keepe but one wife and therefore it were better to returne to their former auncient custome And so by his meanes did the Deuill open a gate to the ouerthrowe and destruction of the Church of Christ in that kingdome which vntill that time with so great paine and trauaile had beene there established But afterwardes the man did so wander and stray out of the way of truth that he fell from one sinne to another and in the end quite relinquished and abandoned all true Religion Yet at the last the said Francesco dyed and was solemnely buried like a noble Lorde in the Churcb of Saint Crosses although he was notoriously suspected and spotted for his false Religion But it fell out and a maruellous case it is to confirme the righteous in their good belief to terrify the wicked that in the night time certain Spirits of the Deuill vncouered a part of the roofe of S. Crosses Church where he was enterred and with a great and horrible noyse which was heard all ouer the Cittie they drew him out of his Tombe and carryed him away And in the morning the Church doores were found shut the roofe broken and the graue without the body of the man By this extraordinarie signe the King was at the first aduertised of the great fault that hee had committed and so were the rest also that followed him in his course but notwithstanding because there was no Bishop in that kingdome to giue him good counsell and the King but a young man and vnmarried although he remained somewhat sound in the Christian Faith yet he continued still in the licentiousnes of the flesh vntill such time as God had chastized him with another seuere discipline as you shall hereafter vnderstand Chap. 5. The incursions of the people called Giachas in the kingdome of Congo Their conditions and weapons And the taking of the Royall Cittie FOr not long after there came to robbe and spoyle the Kingdome of Congo certaine nations that liue after the manner of the Arabians and of the auncient Nomades and are called Giachas Their habitation or dwelling is about the first Lake of the Riuer Nilus in a prouince of the Empyre of Moenemugi A cruell people they are and a murderous of a great stature and horrible countenance fed with mans flesh fierce in battell and valorous in courage Their weapons are Pauises or Targates Dartes and Daggers otherwise they go all naked In their fashions and dayly course of liuing they are very sauage and wilde They haue no King to gouerne them and they leade their life in the forrest vnder cabbins and cottages like shepheardes This people went wandring vp and downe destroying and putting to fire and sworde and robbing and spoiling all the countries that they passed through till they came to the Realme of Congo which they entred on that side where the Prouince of Batta lyeth Those that first came forth to make resistance against them they ouerthrew and then addressed themselues towards the Cittie of Congo where the King remained at that time in great perplexitie for this victorie that his enemies had gotten in the Countrey of Batta yet some comfort hee tooke to himselfe and went out against his aduersaries with such souldiers as he had in the same place where in times past Mani-Pango fought with the King Don Alfonso he ioyned battell with them In which encounter the King being halfe discomfited retired into the Cittie wherein when he perceyued that he could not remaine in good safetie being vtterly forsaken of the grace of God by reason of his sinnes and not hauing that confidence in him that Don Alfonso had he thought good to leaue it for a pray to his aduersaries and to betake himselfe io an Islande within the Riuer Zaire called Isola del Cauallo that is to say the Isle of Horse where hee continued with certaine Portingall Priestes and other principal Lordes of his Kingdome And thus were the Giachi become Lords and maisters of the Cittie Royall and of the whole Realme For the naturall inhabitants fled away and saued themselues in the mountains desert places but the enemies burned and wasted Cittie and Churches all and spared
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
the rest of their bodie all naked The women vsed three kindes of trauerses or as it were aprons beneath their girdlesteed One was very long and reached to their heels the second shorter then that and the thirde shorter then both the other with fringes about them and euery one of these three was fastened about their middle and open before From their breastes downewardes they had another garment like a kinde of dublet or iacket that reached but to their girdle and ouer their shoulders a certaine cloake All these seuerall garmentes were made of the same cloth of the Palme-Tree They were accustomed to goe with their faces vncouered and a little cappe on the head like a mans cappe The meaner sorte of weomen were apparelled after the same manner but their cloth was courser Their Maid-seruantes and the basest kind of women were likewise attyred from the girdle downeward and all the rest of the bodie naked But after that this kingdome had receyued the Christian Faith the great Lords of the Court beganne to apparell themselues after the manner of the Portingalles in wearing cloakes Spanish Capes and Tabards or wide Iackets of Scarlet and cloth of Silke euery man according to his wealth and abilitie Vpon their heads they had hats or caps and vpon their feet Moyls or Pantoffles of Veluet and of Leather and buskins after the Portingall fashion and long Rapiers by their sides The common people that are not able to make their apparell after that manner doe keepe their olde custome The women also go after the Portingall fashion sauing that they weare no cloakes but vpon their heads they haue certaine veyles and vpon their veyles blacke veluet cappes garnished with iewelles and chaines of golde about their their neckes But the poorer sorte keep the old fashion for onely the Ladies of the Court doo bedecke themselues in such manner as wee haue tolde you After the King himselfe was conuerted to the Christian Religion hee conformed his Court in a certaine sorte after the manner of the King of Portingall And first for his seruice at the table when he dyneth or suppeth openly in publike there is a Throne of Estate erected with three steppes couered all ouer with Indian Tapistrie and therevpon is placed a Table with a chaire of Crimzen Veluet adorned with bosses and nailes of Golde Hee alwaies feedeth alone by himselfe neyther doth any man euer sit at his table but the Princes stand about him with their heads couered He hath a Cupborde of Plate of Gold and Siluer and one that taketh assay of his meat and drinke He maintaineth a guarde of the Anzichi and of other nations that keep about his pallace furnished with such weapons as are aboue mentioned and when it pleaseth him to goe abroade they sounde their great instrumentes which may bee hearde about fiue or sixe miles and so signifie that the King is going forth All his Lords do accompany him and likewise the Portingalles in whom hee reposeth a singular trust but very seldome it is that he goeth out of his pallace Twice in a weeke hee giueth audience publikely yet no man speaketh vnto him but his Lordes And because there are none that haue any goods or lands of their owne but all belongeth to the Crowne there are but few suites or quarelles among them sauing peraduenture about some words They vse no writing at all in the Congo tongue In cases criminall they proceede but slenderly for they doo very hardely and seldome condemne any man to death If there be any ryot or enormitie committed against the Portingals by the Moci-Conghi for so are the inhabitants of the Realme of Congo called in their owne language they are iudged by the lawes of Portingall And if any mischiefe bee founde in any of them the king confineth the malefactor into some desert Island for he thinketh it to bee a greater punishmente to banish him in this sorte to the end he may doe pennance for his sinnes then at one blow to execute him And if it so happen that those which are thus chastized doe liue tenne or twelue yeares the King vseth to pardon them if they be of any consideration at all and doeth imploy them in the seruice of the State as persons that haue beene tamed and well schooled and accustomed to suffer any hardenesse In Ciuill disagreements there is an order that if a Portingall haue any suite against a Moci-Congo he goeth to the Iudge of Congo but if a Moci-Congo doe impleade a Portingall hee citeth him before the Consul or Iudge of the Portingalles for the King hath graunted vnto them one of their owne nation to be Iudge in that countrey In their bargains between them and the Portingalles they vse no writinges nor other instrumentes of billes or bondes but dispatch their businesse onely by word and witnesse They keepe no histories of their auncient Kinges nor any memoriall of the ages past because they cannot write They measure their times generally by the Moones They knowe not the houres of the day nor of the night but they vse to say In the time of such a man such a thing happened They reckon the distances of countries not by miles or by any such measure but by the iourneyes and trauell of men that goe from one place to another eyether loaden or vnloaden Touching their assembling together at feastes or other meetinges of ioy as for example when they are marryed they sing Verses and Ballades of Loue and play vppon certaine Lutes that are made after a strange fashion For in the hollowe parte and in the necke they are somwhat like vnto our Lutes but for the flat side where wee vse to carue a Rose or a Rundell to let the sounde goe inwarde that is made not of wood but of a skinne as thinne as a bladder and the stringes are made of hayres which they draw out of the Elephantes tayle and are very strong and bright and of certaine threedes made of the woode of Palme-Tree which from the bottome of the instrument doe reach and ascende to the toppe of the handle and are tyed euery one of them to his seuerall ringe For towardes the necke or handle of this Lute there are certaine rings placed some higher and some lower whereat there hange diuers plates of Iron and Siluer which are very thinne and in bignesse different one from another according to the proportion of the instrument These ringes doo make a sounde of sundrie tunes according to the striking of the stringes For the stringes when they are striken doo cause the rings to shake and then doo the plates that hang at them helpe them to vtter a certayne mingled and confused noyse Those that play vppon this Instrument doo tune the strings in good proportion and strike them with their fingers like a Harpe but without any quill very cunningly so that they make thereby I cannot tell whether I shoulde call it a melodie or no but such a sounde
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
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
and of Silke and of Golde and such other commodities This kingdome lyeth betweene the borders of Quiloa and Melinde and is inhabited with Pagans and Mahometans and yeeldeth obedience to the Empire of Mohenemugi A little beyond is the Kingdome of Melinde which being likewise but a little one extendeth it selfe vpon the sea coast as farre as the Riuer Chimanchi and lyeth in the height of two degrees and a halfe and vp the streame of that riuer it reacheth to the Lake Calice the space of an hundred miles within lande Neere vnto the sea along the bankes of this riuer there is a great deale of Countrey inhabited by Pagans and Mahometans of colour almost white Their houses are built after our fashion But there is one particularitie to be admired that their Muttons or Sheep are twice as great as the Sheepe of our countrey for they deuide them into fiue quarters if a man may so call them reckon the tayle for one which commonly wayeth some twentie and fiue or thirtie pounde The women are white and sumptuously dressed after the Arabian fashion with cloth of Silke About their neckes and handes and armes and feete they vse to weare iewelles of Gold and Siluer When they go abroade out of their houses they couer themselues with Taffata so that they are not knowen but when they list themselues In this Countrey there is a very good hauen which is a landing place for the vesselles that saile through those seas Generally the people are very kinde true and trustie and conuerse with strangers They haue alwayes entertained and welcomed the Portingals and haue reposed great confidence in them neyther haue they euer offered them any wrong in any respect In the sea betweene these two Capes of Mombaza and Melinde there are three Isles The first is called Monsie the second Zanzibar and the thirde Pemba all inhabited onely with Mahometans that are of colour white These Isles abound in all things as the others doo whereof we made mention before These people are somewhat enclyned to armes but they are in deed more addicted to dresse manure their ground For there groweth much Sugar which in small barkes they carry away to sell into the firme lande with other fruites of that Countrey Besides these three realmes last described Quiloa Melinde and Mombaza within the Lande is the great Empire of Moenemugi towards the West It bordereth vpon the South with the kingdome of Mozambique and with the Empire of Monomotapa to the riuer Coauo vpon the West with the riuer Nilus betweene the two Lakes and vpon the North it ioyneth with the Empire of Prete Gianni Towardes the sea this Emperour standeth in good termes of peace with the foresaide kings of Quiloa Melinde and Mombaza by reason of their trafficke together and the better to secure the entercourse and trade by sea by meanes whereof they haue brought vnto them much cloth of Cotton and cloth of Silke from diuers Countries and other marchandises that are well esteemed in these partes and particularly certaine little balles that are made in the kingdome of Cambaia of a kind of Bitumen or clammie Clay like vnto glasse but that it is as it were of a red colour which they vse to weare about their neckes like a payre of beades in steed of necklaces It serueth them also in steede of Money for of Gold they make none account Likewise with the silks that are brought vnto them they doo apparell themselus from the girdle downewardes In exchaunge and barter of all these commodities they giue Gold Siluer Copper and Iuorie But on the other side towardes Monomotapa there are continuall warres yea and sometimes so blooddy that it is hardely discerned who hath gotten the victorie For in that border there meet together two of the greatest and most warlike powers and forces that are in all those regions that is to say on the party of Monomotapa there came forth into the field the Amazones of whom wee tolde you before and on the partie of Mohenemugi are the Giacchi as the Moci-Conghi do call them but in their owne tongue they are called Agagi who did sometime so greatly afflict the kingdome of Congo as you may remember Neyther are these people lesse couragious or strong then the Amazones but are of a blacke complexion and presumptuous countenances They doo vse to marke themselues aboue the lippe vpon their cheekes with certain lines which they make with Iron instruments and with fire Moreouer they haue a custome to turne their eye liddes backewardes so that their skinne being all blacke and in that blacknes shewing the white of their eyes and those marks in their faces it is a strange thing to behold them For it is in deede a very dreadfull diuelish sight They are of bodie great but deformed and liue like beastes in the fielde and feede vpon mans flesh In fight they shew themselues exceedingly couragious and doo vtter most horrible shouting and crying of purpose to daunte and affray their enemies Their weapons are Dartes and Pauises of Leather that couer all their whole bodie and so defend themselues therewith Sometimes they will encampe together and sticke their Pauises in the grounde which are vnto them in steed of a trench Sometimes they wil go forwardes in the battell and shrowde themselues vnder them and yet annoy their aduersaries with the shot of their dartes And thus by warlike pollicie they doo ordinarily plague their enemies by endeauouring with all subtiltie to make them spende their shotte in vaine vpon their Targettes and when they see that they haue made an ende of shooting then doo they renew the battell a fresh and driuing them to flight make a cruell slaughter of them without all mercie And this is the manner which they vse against their enemies and the Amazones But the Amazones on the other side which are very well acquainted herewithall doo fight against them with other militarie stratagems as we haue aboue declared and doo ouercome the forces of their aduersaries with their swiftnes and great skill in matters of warre For they doo assure themselues that if they be taken they shalbe deuoured and therefore with doubled courage they fight for life that they might ouercome and in any case saue their liues from that fierce and cruell nation And in this sorte doo they maintaine continuall warre alwayes with great mortalitie on both sides These Agags dwell at the beginning of the Riuer Nilus where it runneth Northwardes out of the Lake vpon both the bankes of the Riuer till it come to a certaine limite wherein they are bounded and then Westwardes all ouer the banks of the said Nilus euen to the second Lake to the borders of the empire of Prete-Gianni Touching these Agags I thought it conuenient in this place to adde all this which before I had omitted Between the confines of this Moenemugi and Prete-Gianni there are sundry other pettie Lordes and people
The Chiefest Prince and being so ioyned together in one worde it appertayneth to the King alone and to no man else He beareth also the surname of Dauid as the Emperours of Rome doo vse the name of Cesars Now it remayneth that we doo discourse of the riuer Nilus which doth not spring in the Countrye of Bel-Gian much lesse out of the mountains of the Moone nor as Ptolomie writeth out of the two Lakes which he setteth down in Parallele from the East to the West with a distaunce of about foure hundred and fiftie miles betweene them For in the altitude of the same Pole wherein the said Authour placeth those two Lakes lyeth also the kingdome of Congo and of Angola towards the West and and on the other side Eastward is the Empire of Monomotapa and the Kingdome of Sofala with a distaunce from sea to sea of twelue hundred miles Now within all this space as Signor Odoardo affirmed vnto me there is but one onely Lake to bee founde which lyeth in the confines of Angola and Monomotapa and contayneth in Diameter an hundred ninetie and fiue miles Of the Westerne side of this Lake the people of Angola do giue sufficient information and of the other side Eastwarde those of Sofala and Monomotapa So that there is a ful and perfect knowledge of this one Lake but of any other thereabouts there is no mention at all made And therefore it may well bee concluded that there are none other to be founde in that altitude of degrees True it is in deede that there are two Lakes but they are situate in places quite contrary to that which Ptolemie writeth For he as it hath beene told you placeth his Paralleles from West to East but these are situate from the South to the North as it were in a direct line with the distance of about foure thousand miles betweene them Some that dwell in those countries do holde an opinion that Nilus after it is issued out of the first Lake hideth it selfe vnder the grounde and afterwardes riseth againe but others doo deny that it is so Signor Odoardo did iustifie it to me that the true history and certainty of this matter is that Nilus doth not hide it selfe vnder the grounde but that it runneth through monstrous and desert valleyes without any setled channell and where no people inhabiteth and so they say it sinketh into the bottome of the earth From this first Lake in deed doth Nilus spring which lyeth in twelue degrees towardes the Pole Antarctike is compassed about like a vault with exceeding high mountaines the greatest whereof are called Cafates vpon the East and the hilles of Sal-Nitrum and the hilles of Siluer on another side and lastly with diuers other Mountaines on the thirde part This Riuer Nilus runneth for the space of 400. miles directly towardes the North and then entreth into another verye great Lake which the inhabitantes doo call a Sea It is much bigger then the first for it contayneth in breadth two hundred and twentie miles and lyeth vnder the line Equinoctiall Of this second Lake the Anzichi who are neere neighbours to Congo doo giue very certaine and perfect information for they trafficke into those partes And they report that in this Lake there is a people that sayleth in great shippes and can write and vseth number and weight and measure which they haue not in the partes of Congo that they builde their houses with stone and lime and that for their fashions and qualities they may bee compared with the Portingalles Wherevpon it may bee well gathered that the Empire of Prete-Gianni cannot bee farre from thence From this second Lake the riuer Nilus runneth forwardes to the Islande of Meroe for the space of seauen hundred miles and receyueth into it sundry other riuers The principall of them all is the riuer Coluez so called because it issueth out of a Lake of the same name and situate in the borders of Melinde After that Nilus is come to Meroe it deuideth it selfe into two braunches and so compasseth about a good high Territory which is called Meroe Vpon the right hand whereof towardes the East there runneth a Riuer named Abagni that springeth out of the Lake Bracina and crosseth ouer the Empire of Prete Gianni till you come to the said Islande and on the other side Westwarde there are diuers other Riuers among which Saraboe is one When Nilus hath thus receiued these riuers into it hath compassed the Islande with both his armes hee waxeth greater then he was before and meeteth againe in one channell and by Aethiopia which is called Aethiopia aboue Aegypt runneth to the Falles as they call them which lie in a very lowe valley that is very narrowe and straite and shutteth the riuer within a very little channell so that it falleth from aloft downewards with a most horrible noyse neere to the Isle of Syene And from thence watring all Aegypt it disgorgeth his streames into the Mediterranean sea which lyeth directly ouer against the Islande of Cyprus by two of his principall braunches the one called at this day the Mouth of Damiata on the East and the other the Mouth of Rossetto on the West And forasmuch as wee are nowe come to the very ende of this discourse concerning Nilus it will be very conuenient that wee touch in briefe the occasion of his encrease As we haue tolde you before the principall cause of the encrease of Nilus is the great quantity of waters that raine from heauen at such time as the spring beginneth here in these countries but there with them in winter which may be to speake generally about the beginning of April This water falleth not as the water falleth in these Regions of Europe but it falleth most aboundantly and commeth downe not in smal drops like our raine but is powred down as it were with pailes and buckets So that because it falleth with so great violence and in so great a quantity the earth cannot sucke it vp nor drink it in for the ground being ragged and somewhat bending downward the water scowreth away with an exceeding furie and running into the riuers causeth them to swell and to rise in a maruellous manner and so ouerflowe the countrey You must herewithall consider especially that they haue these continuall raines for the space of fiue whole Moones together that is to say in Aprill May Iune Iuly and August but principally in May Iune and Iuly for then are the waters in their greatest pride And herevpon it commeth to passe that the Countrey being full of mountaines and very high hilles as hath beene told you and consequently replenished with diuers brookes and rillets and Lakes they all ioyning and meeting together in the channelles of the greater Riuers doo make them so great and so large that they containe and carry more water then all the Riuers of the vniuersall worlde and the Lakes growe
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
Countries that are beyond the Kingdome of Congo towardes the Cape of Good-Hope and of the Riuer Nilus Chap. VIII fol. 186 Of the Kingdome of Sofala Chap. 19. fol. 192 The rest of the Coast of the Ocean the redde sea Of the Empire of Prete Gianni and the Confines thereof Of the famous Riuer Nilus and the originall spring thereof Chap. X. fol. 215. FINIS M. R. Hackluyt M. H. Castelton Homer Style Rhetoric lib. 2. Philip. 1. 1◠Marke 9. Luke 9. Numb 11. Anno Dom. 1578. Patache 1. a Brigandine or a Pinnisse The Island of Madera The Canaries Isle of S. Anthony Isle of S. Iames The Islandes of Capo verde Two waies from S. Iacopo to Loanda The first way The Antarctik is the South Pole Isle of S. Elena The commodities of S. Elena Woode Vine trees Fruites Odysi H. Victuailes The Soyle Rootes and hearbes Riuers Fishe Why the Island of S. Elena is not fortified This slaunderous terme vsed here by this Portugal cannot impeach the credite of these two honourable gentlemen The Climate The Port of Loanda The seconde course of sayling to Loāda The Isle of S. Thomas The Hauen of S. Thomas The Isle of the Prince The Isle of S. Thomas Great traffick Sugar Churches A Castell Ginger 70. houses to make sugar in The Riuer Island of Fernando Poo R Bora. La Riuierae del Campo R. di San. Benedetto R di Angra The Isle of Corisco The Cape of Lupo Gonzale Zaire the greatest Riuer of Congo The situation of Congo The temperature of the kingdome The complexion of the people Small difference between their daies nightes Their winter sommer The winds in this Country in winter time The cause of the encrease of Nilus and other riuers in Ethiopia The Riuer Nigir or Senega runneth westwarde Nilus runneth northwarde It neuer rayneth in Egypt but onely in Alexandria Their winds in sommer time No Snow nor ice in Ethiopia or Congo The true cause of white blacke in the bodies of the inhabitantes of these countries The westerne border of Congo The Bay of Cowes The Riuer Bengleli The R. Son The R. Coāza The Island of Loanda The money of Congo The Lumache of Loanda Spirito Santo The tree Euzanda Their Boates. Shelfishes Ambiziamatare What kind of money is vsed in sundry countries Certaine Islettes Great store of Whales Amber commeth not from the Whales The hauen of Loanda Villa di San Paulo Store of fish The R. Bengo The R. Dande The R. Lembe The R. Ozone The R. Loze The R. Ambriz The L. Lelunda The Oteiro of Congo The R. Zaire Certaine Islandes Boates. The tree Licondo The Isle of Horses The hauen of Pinda Crocodiles Water-horses Hogge-fish Cacongo a fish like a Salmon La Baia de las Almadias The R. de las Barreras Vermeglias Baya d' Aluaro Gonzales Capo di Caterina The Northren border of Congo The Bramas The kingdom of Loango The people of Loango circumcised Their armour Empachias The countrey of Anzicos Sanders Medicines for the French Pockes For the headeache Their Bowes Their arrows Their weapons The nature of the Anzicos Their marchandise The Anzichi are circumcised and marked in their faces A shambles of mans flesh A strange beastly custome Their apparel Their language The Easterne border of Congo The mountaine of Chrystall The mountaines of the Sunne The mountains of Sal-Nitrum The arte of making Silkes in this Eastern Coast. The Southern Coast. The mountain of Siluer The K. of Matama The K. of Angola Iohn the second K. of Portingall first brought christianity into Congo Paulo Diaz the first discouerer of this trafficke Don Sebastian K. of Portingall Paulo Diaz buildeth a house in Anzelle The authour calleth him Lord because he was then but a petty king Paulo Diaz in armes against the K. of Angola P. Diaz demandeth succour of the K. of Congo The millitary order of the people of Congo How the souldiers doo vnderstand the pleasure of their Generall Three kinds of instruments vsed in their wars The vse of these instruments The Millitary apparell of the better sort Their weapōs The Military apparell of the meaner sort The issue of this battell P. Diaz at Luiola The hilles of Cabambe The weapons of the people of Angola Their military actions They are giuē to diuination by birdes Why so small a number as Paulo Diaz had with him was able to resist so huge an armie of the K. of Angola The Kingdom of Angola very populous The commodities of Angola A Dogge solde for 220. duccates The money of Angola The Religion of Angola The language of the people of Angola The rest of the Kingdome of Angola described Copo Negro 1. The blacke Cape Monti Freddi 1. the cold mountaines The mounainest of Christall The West cōtaineth 375. miles The North 540. The East 500 The South 360. The kingdom of Congo contayneth in cōpasse 1685. miles In breadth 600. miles The title or stile of the King of Congo The first prouince is Bamba and the description of it Sebastian chief Gouernour of Bamba and those that rule vnder him Mani what it signifieth The Confines of Bamba The country of Quizama Bamba the principall Prouince of all Congo Bamba yeeldeth for a need 400000 men of warre Panza the principall City of Bamba Mines of Siluer and other mettalles Valiāt mightie strong men in Bāba Certain creatures in Bamba Prouince Elephantes An Elephantes foot 4. spanne broad You may find hereby what the bignes of the whole Elephant was if you will vse the Arte of Proportion as Pithagoras did by the foot of Hercules Aul. Gelltus lib. 1. Cap. 10. The Elephant liueth 150. yeares An Elephants tooth of 200. waight Certain haires in the Elephants taile very precious An errour of ancient writers The manner of the Elephāts feeding The Shee-Elephant The Elephants skinne The manner of taking the Elephantes A straunge effect of Nature The nature of the Elephant Rinoceros The Dantes Wilde Buffes Wilde Asses Empalanga Other fruitful Cattell Wolues Foxes Hunting game In Pembae Ciuet Cattes In Batta Sables In Anziguâ Marternes In Sogno 〈◊〉 and Monkeyes Adders and Snakes of a huge scantling The Author doth not set downe the name Vipers Another strange creature Chamelions A straunge Serpent The Eastrich Peacocks Fowles of diuers sorts Birds of prey Birdes of the sea Other kinds of foule Parrats Birdes of musicke The second Prouince Sogno and the description thereof Sogno the chief towne of this Prouince Don Diego chiefe Gouernour of Sogno those that rule vnder him The Bramas The commodities of Sogno The manner of the life of the inhabitants The third prouince Sundi the description thereof The chiefe towne of Sundi This prouince of Sundi is alwaies gouerned by the heire apparent of the K. of Congo In al the kingdome of Congo no man hath any thing of his owne whereof hee may dispose or 〈…〉 The manner of y e life of Sūdi inhabitants The fourth prouince Pango and the
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
Countries But the Portingalles told them that they were men as themselues were and professors of Christianitie And when they perceyued in how great estimation the people held them the foresaide Priest others beganne to reason with the Prince touching the Christian religion and to shew vnto them the errors of the Pagan superstition and by little and little to teach them the faith which wee professe insomuch as that which the Portingalles spake vnto them greatly pleased the Prince and so he became conuerted With this confidence and good spirit the prince of Sogno went to the Court to enforme the King of the true doctrine of the Christian Portingalles and to encourage him that he would embrace the Christian Religion which was so manifest and also so holesome for his soules health Herevpon the king commanded to call the Priest to Court to the end he might himself treat with him personally and vnderstand the truth of that which the Lord of Sogno had declared vnto him Whereof when he was fully enformed he conuerted and promised that he would become a Christian. And nowe the Portingall shippes departed from Congo and returned into Portingall and by them did the King of Congo write to the King of Portingall Don Giouanni the second with earnest request that he would send him some Priestes with all other orders and ceremonies to make him a Christian. The Priest also that remayned behind had written at large touching this busines and gaue the King ful information of all that had happened agreeable to his good pleasure And so the King tooke order for sundry religious persons to be sent vnto him accordingly with all ornaments for the Church and other seruice as Crosses and Images so that hee was throughly furnished with all thinges that were necessary and needefull for such an action In the meane while the Prince of Sogno ceased not day and night to discourse with the Portingall priest whom he kept in his owne house and at his owne table aswell that hee might learne the Christian faith himselfe as also instruct the people therein so that he began to fauour christianitie with all his power And forasmuch as the Christian Religion had nowe taken roote and begun to bud in those Countries and for that both the people also the king himselfe did continue in their earnest desire to purge themselues from that abhominable superstition he did instantly deale with the Priest that he wold proceed in the sowing dispearsing of the Christian doctrine as much as hee could And in this good affection did they wait for the Portingall shippes that shoulde bring them all prouision for baptisme and other thinges therevnto appertayning At the last the shippes of Portingall arriued with the expected prouisions which was in the yeare of our saluation 1491 and landed in the port which is in the mouth of the Riuer Zaire The Prince of Sogno with all shewe of familiar ioy accompanied with all his gentlemen ran downe to meete them and entertained the Portingalles in most courteous manner and so conducted thē to their lodgings The next day following according to the direction of the Priest that remayned behinde the Prince caused a kinde of Church to bee builded with the bodies and braunches of certayne trees which he in his owne person with the helpe of his seruantes most deuoutly had felled in the woode And when it was couered they erected therein three Altars in the worshippe and reuerence of the most holy Trinitie and there was baptised himselfe and his young sonne himselfe by the name of our Sauiour Emanuel and his child by the name of Anthonie because that Sainte is the Protector of the Cittie of Lisbone Now if any man here demande of me what names the people of these Countries had before they receyued Christianitie of a truth it will seeme incredible that I must answere them that is to say that the men and women had no proper names agreeable to reasonable Creatures but the common names of Plantes of Stones of Birdes and of Beastes But the Princes Lordes had their denominations from the places and states which they gouerned As for example the foresaid Prince which was the first Christian in Congo was called Mani-Sogno that is to say the Prince of Sogno when hee was christened was called Emanuel but at this day they haue all in generall such Christian names as they haue learned of the Portingalles After a Masse was celebrated and songe one of the Priestes that came from Portingall went vp and made a briefe Sermon in the Portingall language declaring the summe of the new Religion faith of the Gospel which they had receiued This sermon the Priest that was left behinde hauing nowe learned the Congo speech did more at large expounde to the Lords that were in the Church for the church could not possibly holde the innumerable multitude of the people that were there gathered together at the conuersion of their Prince who afterwardes came abroade vnto them and rehearsed the whole sermon with great loue and charitie mouing and exhorting them to imbrace likewise the true beliefe of the Christian doctrine When this was done all the Portingals put themselues on their way towards the Court to baptise the King who with a most feruent longing attended the same And the Gouernour of Sogno tooke order that many of his Lordes should wait vpon them with Musicke and singing and other signes of wonderfull reioysing besides diuers slaues which he gaue them to carry their stuffe commanding also the people that they should prepare all manner of victuaill to be ready in the streets for them So great was the number of people that ran and met together to beholde them as the whole Champaigne seemed to be in a manner couered with them and they all did in great-kindnes entertaine and welcome the Portingall Christians with singing and sounding of Trompets and Cimballes and other instrumentes of that Countrey And it is an admirable thing to tell you that all the streetes and high wayes that reach from the Sea to the Citty of Saint Sauiours being one hundred and fiftie miles were all cleansed and swept and aboundantly furnished with all manner of victuaile and other necessaries for the Portingals In deede they do vse in those countries when the king or the principall Lordes go abroade to cleanse their waies and make them handsome and therefore much the rather vpon this speciall occasion when the Portingals whom they reuerenced as though they had bene some of the old Heroes did purchase for their King the Iewell of Religion and saluation of his soule and generally for euery one of them the cleere knowledge of God and of eternall life Three dayes iourney from the place whence they departed they descried the kinges Courtiers that came to meet them to present them with fresh victuailes and to doe them honour and so from place to