that hee could deuise Hee put on such a modest settled countenance that none of those that serued him could know by his outward carriage whether he were sorrowfull or ioyfull In good and ill successe his visage was alwaies alike and hee carried himselfe in such sort to wards those of his house that the ballance was euen between Loue and Feare for neither for great seruice done nor for neglect or omission of dutie could they know whether they were in fauour or disgrace Hee diuided the dayes of the weeke after this manner The Friday for matters of his Religion in which hee was very deuout The Saturday for matters of Iustice The Sunday for matters of Warre The Munday for the gouernment of his Kingdomes The Tuesday and Wednesday for his Recreation and his priuate affaires and the Thursday for matters of Learning The Friday as wee haue said hee medled with no affaires or businesse but went in solemnitie to the great Mesquita Eala. being his Church in this manner Hee set forth from his Palace attended with fiue hundred footemen with their Alfanges two of which on each side of their Captaine carried their naked Alsanges vpright the points vpward their Captaine hauing his Alfange girt about him as all the rest therby signifying the fortitude and iustice by which hee maintayned his Kingdomes in peace Next before those of his Guard went two hundred horsemen very well appointed with their Captaine and Standard Royall armed with their Curiasses Alfanges Lances and Targets Neere vnto his Person went the Alguazil Mayor or Camp-master after whom the Councell of Warre then his Councell of State or Gouernement of his Kingdomes and the Cadi or his chiefe Iustice In each of these Counsailes hee had foure Counsellors the ancient of which was President The Alcayde that was Captayne Generall or Admirall of the Sea if hee were in Court was before all next about his Person The Alfaqui Mayor of the Mesquita being the great Prelate or Church-man went on his left hand his eldest Sonne on his right and the rest of his Sonnes before him Being come to the Mesquita they went in all to their prayers which being ended they returned in the same order to the Palace where was placed a Seate for the King neere vnto a Fountaine where being sate hee receiued the Petitions and Supplications of all sutors whether Courtiers or strangers Then hee arose and an Huissier of his Chamber with a lowde voyce that all might heare said in this manner All they that haue giuen any Memorialls or Bills this day to the King Miramamolin Almansor our Lord whom the Soueraigne God make victorious are to repaire to morrow to his Royall Audience where hee will render them Iustice Then hee arose and went to his repast and a Mayordomo being as a Master of his houshold said after this manner alowd that all might heare All Sutors rich and poore that sue vnto the King are to stay and receiue their refection in the Royall Palace as hath beene accustomed Presently were prepared three Tables of such length and capacitie that two hundred persons might sit at euery of them The first for the Alcaydes and principall persons The second for those of the middle sort The third was for the poorer and for the seruants of the Alcaydes which Tables were all furnished with such aboundance of Prouision as became the house of so mighty a King And if there were much people they tooke each of them his turne and were all filled and satisfied Hee tooke his repast alwaies in priuate neuer in publike though he were in campe Neither in time of Peace or of Warre did hee vse to eate or drinke in vessell of gold or siluer albeit he had many neither had hee any Physician to direct his Diet much lesse any Alcayde to take the essay neither more then two seruants to serue him at the Table neither did he eate more then of two kinds of meate For hee said that if any meant to poyson him the taking of many essayes would not preuent his death and that two were sufficient to serue anyone man that in time of Health he had no need of the Physician and that the man that could not tell how to preserue himselfe from being sick by surfet of meat or superfluitie of drinke was rather to bee ranked among beasts then reasonable men After meat his exercise was alwaies moderate and about foure houres after he went to the Bath wherein he stayed an houre and then walked vntill it was time to retire to his rest Then came his Magordomo and gaue him a briefe account of that which was vnder his charge and what hee had done that day aduertising if there were any notable thing deseruing chastisement or reward in any of his houshold that hee might therein take such order as was most conuenient which he did accordingly with great wisdome and celeritie Then he betooke himselfe to his rest It was a thing worthy to bee obserued that during all his life hee euer went to bed before the third part of the night were spent and alwaies arose before the Sunne peeped out of the East except it were in that last sicknesse whereof hee died Hee slept not by day neither in Winter nor Summer nor ate any more then once Hee had a Prouerbe written on his Royall Seat where he vsually sate to doe Iustice which was writ ten in Letters of Gold in the lesser Arabicke verse which said after this manner Sixe Excellencies are found in a man worthy to bee noted THe first is Iustice which chiefely appertaineth to Kings The second is Charitie belonging especially to the rich The third is Patience whereof the poore haue most vse The fourth is Chastitie whereof young men haue most neede The fift is Contempt of the World which is principally seene in the wise The sixt is shamefastnesse which is most commended in women Somewhat lower the verse said after this manner THe King that obserueth not Iustice is compared to the Cloud that yeeldeth no raine The rich man hauing no charity is like the Tree that beareth no fruit The poore which is without Patience resembleth the Riuer which is without Water The yong man that hath no chastitie is as a Torch that lendeth no light The wise man that despiseth not the world is compared to the barren and fruitlesse ground The woman that hath no shame fastnesse is resembled to meat without Salt Another Prouerbe hee had written ouer his Bed in like verse which sayeth The man which consumeth the day in eating and drinking and in other delights and pleasures and all the whole night in sleeping by doing onely that which belongeth to beasts becommeth like vnto them Praised be God for euer and euer Amen CHAP. III. Of the manner obserued by the King Iacob Almanfor in administring Iustice. THis King Abilgualit Iacob Almansor was such a Louer of Truth that it was not obserued in him either whiles hee was a Child a
of any Iniustice done by any of his Gouernours receiuing their Complaints and Petitions that hee might confider and redresse their grieuances which he did very speedily vprightly and with great seueritie Albeit such accidents seldome hapned by reason that his Iustice was so feared that no Alcayde or Gouernour durst doe any Iniustice that none might haue cause to complaine Concerning Elections and choice of his officers and Ministers he carried himselfe after this manner Of all his Alcaydes and Captaines that had serued in his warres hee had particular notice and remembrance of the valour of their persons and the notable seruices they had done by the true Relations which his Generals had made him as before is rehearsed which hee kept registred summarily in a little booke together with the place of their Birth their Age and how long they had serued And when hee saw they were growne old and wearied in his seruice hee licensed them to take rest and honoured them with places and offices of Viceroyes of Kingdomes Alcaydes or Commanderies and Captainships of Castles and fortresses Some also with Gouernments of Prouinces and Cities giuing them good and honourable solaries receiuing still their pay which they had in the warres He obserued also this order that hee gaue them alwaies these places of Preferment amongst their friends kinred in the same Country where they were borne neuer taking their offices from them nor changing them to other places vnlesse they had done some Iniustice or committed some other fault and then hee vsed first to take from them their offices and then to chastise them according to the qualitie of their offence saying that hee that once did any Iniustice for his particular Interest no longer deserued to bee a Iudge not so much as a moment The principall reason on which this King grounded for this election and distribution of his offices was this Hee said that none could euer know the valour of men and that naturall talent with which the Soueraigne God and Nature had endowed them except it were in the militarie Art for therein the valiant are tryed and their courage and wisdome for Gouenment of Common-weales in Peace and warre is discerned There men discouer their good fortune in their deeds of Armes in ouercomming great armies in winning of rich spoiles in preseruing that place and Command which they haue gotten with so much trauaile and labour enduring so many euil dayes and worse nights putting their life and honour in hazard and in danger to lose all in a moment There men come acquainted with hunger and thirst nakednesse and want sleeping on the ground sicknesse cold and heat yea with intolerable trauaile with all which manifold experience they becom in their Age full of knowledge and skil how to rule gouerne Commonweales for with that valor and courage with which they won their Honour and their wealth with the same they preserue the common wealth in Peace gouerning it with vprightnesse obseruing Iustice and with those necessities and miseries which they haue passed through in the course of their life they condole those that are poore and miserable apt to relieue their miserie and necessitie and aboue all they which are couragious valiant zealous of their Law and Religion louers of their King and country and who with such care and vigilancie wonne that Reward in the warre that they deserued to bee Gouernors of Kingdomes with the same minde also would they gouerne the Common-wealth not being able to endure any Iniustice or euill to be done Hee neuer gaue any of their offices to any other priuate men how wise and valiant soeuer if they had not wonne Honour and Reputation by long seruice in the warres and were also of ripe yeares and counsell and had done some notable acts to restifie their wisdome courage valour and abilitie deseruing offices Administrations and Gouernments of Common-weales Kingdomes and Prouinces for hee said that men brought vp in obscuritie and liuing in corners had not the courage to aduenture and trye their fortune but being cowardly and pusillanimous were euer vnfortunate and that Fortune her selse neuer fauoured them in any thing but alwaies despised and disesteemed them and that therefore he made no reckoning of such for any employment as hauing in them no valor no naturall abilitie This King Iacob Almansor was so vigilant in the Gouernment of his Kingdomes that many times he went out by night disguised in the habit of a countryman or common-downe and toperson visited the publicke places romes and offices in his court and sometimes in the habit of a merchant hee would trauaile two or three dayes iourney otherwhiles hee put on the habit of a Souldier with two or three disguises when he would informe himselfe of any notable thing and how his Gouernours administred Iustice and how his Captaines and Generals carried themselues in Peace and Warre and so came to the verifying of what he sought with much dissimulation and many times chastised the delinquents when they were most secure And this he did so oft and so warily that his Subiects tooke a Prouerbe or common speech amongst them which they often vsed in their assemblies and meetings when any one spake of ought that was vnlawfull the rest would presently reprehend him It is to be noted that in those dayes the Arabians vsed to weare a vaile ouer their face saying take heede lest the King Iacob Almansor heare you For they thought he was in euery place because hee vsed in such manner to goe vp and downe and to doe such notable deeds as caused admiration with which hee held all his Subiects in great seare and awe and all the Alcaydes of Gouernment thought he was euer looking on them so that they durst not do any Iniustice or neglect ought that was vnder their charge knowing him to bee of so sharpe and seuere disposition that if once they fell into â—â—sgrace they should neuer hold vp their heads againe whiles they liued This was the mayne cause that he gouerned all his Kingdomes in peace and that none of his Alcaydes or Viceroyes durst any wayes attempt the least thing in the World CHAP. VI. Of the vertuous exercises in which the King Iacob Almansor spent the Tuesdayes and Wensdayes THis King as wee haue rehearsed in the Distribution which hee made of the dayes of the weeke chose the Tuesdayes and Wensdayes for his perticular Exercises which hee diuided in this manner The Tuesday morning his Huntsmen Mountaynmen Bowmen and other Seruants and Officers of that kind being assembled he went out to the Mountaines and there delighted and exercised himselfe in chasing and hunting all kind of game both of Bird and Beasts of which he had great store and varietie in the Woods Groues and Gardens of Hillan and Albasatim kept and ordered in the best manner that might be where he recreated himselfe with his followers and to those of them that had performed any notable exploit that day wherein he
much delighted hee rewarded with ten pieces of Gold This Exercise hee followed vntill noone and then dined in the midst of a great house of pleasure which hee had there where all that followed him did eate and many poore folkes were refreshed for hee vsed that day and place especially for matters of Almes and reliefe of the poore and would not by expresse order bee encombred therewith eslewhere When hee had dined a Mayordomo put into a purse a thousand pieces of Gold called Miâ—eâ—ales and then he sitting downe in a square Court there came the poore before him as well those of his Court as of other Townes and Cities which brought euery one his Certificate from his Alcayde or Gouernour of the estate of his necessities And if it were for Mariage of poore Orphanes or other such occasions he gaue direction for their reliefe And it they were some smaller wants hee supplyed them presently out of that purse which his Mayordomo had filled But if the matters were of more importance he subscribed his answere to those Relations or Certificates of his Gouernours giuing direction how euery one should be relieued and out of what receipt or reuenue in such good sort that all went away contented and satisfied Hee said to his followers that hee esteemed that the best day of his life in which hee relieued all those poore folkes for the loue of the souereigne God It was remarkable in him that it could neuer be noted that euer any sought for almes or succour at his hands whether he were Moore Christian or Iew that went away vnrelieued He held opinion that there was neuer any King poore and that if hee were so hee should bee very miserable and vnfortunate and that Kings should be as large in giuing as they are in demanding and receiuing of their Subiects without which they haue neyther power Empire nor command in the World more then a priuate person He was so readie to relieue the needy and to succour the succourlesse that going one day on hunting hee lost himselfe being seuered from his Seruants and holding on his course through the Wood hee found a poore trauayling man who being taken with some sodaine sicknesse was fallen on the ground vnable to goe any farther he therefore alighting laid him on his owne horse and hauing tyed him fast in his Saddle hee took the reines of the bridle in his hands and so walked on foote himselfe more then two leagues before hee met with his traine who albeit they offered to ease him of the care of the sicke and to mount him on another horse yet he would by no meanes yeeld vnto it but conducted him with his owne hands vntill hee had brought him to his house in the Wood and there caused him to be cured till hee was throughly recouered and when being become sound hee kissed his hand at parting with many thankes as was fitting for so great a auour he answered that there belonged no thankes vnto him but that all was due to the Soueraigne God who had sent him that day to succoun him for he assured him by his Royall Crowne that hee had lost his company wandering hee knew not where nor which way he went vntill he lighted happily on him in that place where hee found him sicke and that it could not possibly be but that he was guided by God seeing he wandered in that country in which hee was borne and bred and yet neuer had the like befallen him And when he that was healed would haue taken his leaue to depart he commanded a good summe of money to be giuen him out of his Treasurie that hee might liue in good sort and so did dismisse him These and other like things did the King Almansor that those about him might learne and take good and laudable examples out of his manners and customes The day following being Wensday hee gaue no Audience neyther treated with any but shut himselfe into his Chamber reposing himselfe after his Hunting and violent exerercising which hee had vsed the Tuesday before And there being alone hee wrought Astrolabes of Asrologie and other Instruments of great worth and high estimation amongst the wise of his time Otherwhiles hee made of inlayd warke such delicate things and of such great account that the skilfullest Masters and professors of that Art tooke example and patterne of those pieces which hee had wrought for in all these things hee had a singular dexteritie subtiltie and excell encie of hand Hee made Crosse-bowes also and other kind of Weapons and Armes especially Coates of Maile of such excellencie that I can witnesse that I saw one of them which hee had giuen to an Ale ayde being his Fauourite sold for the weight thereof in Siluer In these Exercises hee vsed to spend these dayes and not in any other sort CHAP. VII Of the Exercises which hee vsed on the Thursday and how hee exercised the Sciences among the Learned THis King Iacob Almansor was so learned in all Sciences and such a louer of learned men of what facultie soeuer they were that there neuer came any to his knowledge and acquaintance but hee honoured and loued him exceedingly and on the contrary hee no lesse hated and eschewed the foolish and ignorant For hee said that there was no greater miserie in the World then Ignorance neyther any Monster how fierce foule or abhominable soeuer that was comparable thereto Hee proclaymed ouer all his Kingdomes that whosoeuer should bring him any Booke that were not in his Librarie alreadie of what facultie soeuer it was should receiue double the value according to the iust estimation thereof and performed it accordingly And if they were exquisite Bookes and good hee paid much more to them that brought them giuing great rewards By this meanes hee gathered such a multitude of Books that when he numbred them in his Library hee found there fiftie fiue thousand seuen hundred twentie and two bodies of all kind of Sciences in their seuerall Languages and weighing them in a weight they weighed twelue hundred and nineteene Quintalls of Paper And for verifying of this Truth A Quintall is taken for a hundred weight the greatest part of them is yet at this present remayning in the Librarie of the Royall Palace which your Highnesse at this day possesseth and if any of the Bookes be wanting whereof I make no doubt the number and names of the Authors will bee found in the Catalogue which this learned King caused to bee made When Thursday was come hee went into a Royall Hall or large roome adioyning to his Librarie which was adorned with rich hangings and the floore couered with Carpets of great price and the roome replenished with costly Seates where by he honored those learned men with whom he had treated conferred about matters of Learning for hee would neuer permit any of them to stand nor heare him a word at those times appointed for conference vntill they were all set downe on their