Selected quad for the lemma: death_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
death_n	child_n	father_n	put_v	5,228	5	5.8876	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A05331	A geographical historie of Africa, written in Arabicke and Italian by Iohn Leo a More, borne in Granada, and brought vp in Barbarie. Wherein he hath at large described, not onely the qualities, situations, and true distances of the regions, cities, townes, mountaines, riuers, and other places throughout all the north and principall partes of Africa; but also the descents and families of their kings ... gathered partly out of his owne diligent obseruations, and partly out of the ancient records and chronicles of the Arabians and Mores. Before which, out of the best ancient and moderne writers, is prefixed a generall description of Africa, and also a particular treatise of all the maine lands and isles vndescribed by Iohn Leo. ... Translated and collected by Iohn Pory, lately of Goneuill and Caius College in Cambridge; Della descrittione dell'Africa. English	Leo, Africanus, ca. 1492-ca. 1550.; Pory, John, 1572-1636.	1600 (1600)	STC 15481; ESTC S108481	490,359	493

of the house which is for the most part on the seuenth day after the mariage he buieth great plentie of fishes which he causeth his mother or some other woman to cast vpon his wiues feete and this they from an ancient superstitious custome take for a good boading Likewise at the bridegroomes fathers they vse to make two other feasts the one vpon the day before the bride is married and so that night they spend in dauncing and disport The morrow after a companie of women goe to dresse the bride to combe her locks and to paint her cheekes with vermillion her hands and her feete they die blacke but all this painting presently looseth the fresh hew and this day they haue another banket The bride they place in the highest roome that she may be seene of all and then those that dressed the bride are condignely entertained Being come to the bridegroomes house his parents salute the new bride with certaine great cups full of new wine and cakes with other iuncats which wee wil here passe ouer in silence all which are bestowed vpon the bridegroomes companions The same night which we said was spent in dauncing there are present at the bridall-house certaine minstrels and singers which by turnes sometimes vse their instruments and sometimes voice-musicke they daunce alwaies one by one and at the end of each galliard they bestow a largesse vpon the musitions If any one wil honour the dancer he bids him kneele downe before him and hauing fastened peeces of money all ouer his face the musitions presently take it off for their fee. The women daunce alone without any men at the noise of their owne musitions All these things vse to be performed when the bride is a maide But the mariages of widowes are concluded with lesse adoe Their cheere is boiled beefe and mutton and stued hens with diuers iuncating dishes among In stead of trenchers the guestes being ten or twelue in number haue so many great round platters of wood set before them And this is the common custome of gentlemen and merchants The meaner sort present their guestes with certaine sops or bruesse of bread like vnto a pan-cake which being dipped in flesh-pottage they eate out of a great platter not with spoones but with their fingers onely and round about each great platter stand to the number of ten or twelue persons Likewise they make a solemne feast at the circumcision of their male children which is vpon the seuenth day after their birth and at this feast the circumciser together with all their friends and kinsfolks is present which being done each one according to his abilitie bestoweth a gift vpon the circumciser in manner following Euery man laies his money vpon a lads face which the circumciser brought with him Whereupon the lad calling euery one by his name giueth them thanks in particular and then the infant being circumcised they spend that day with as great iollitie as a day of mariage But at the birth of a daughter they shew not so much alacritie Of their rites obserued vpon festiuall dates and their manner of mourning for the dead AMong the people of Fez there haue remained certaine reliques of festiuall daies instituted of olde by the Christians whereupon they vse certaine ceremonies which themselues vnderstande not Vpon Christmas euen they eate a sallet made of diuers herbs they seeth likewise that night all kind of pulse which they feede vpon for great dainties Vpon New-yeeres day the children goe with maskes and vizards on their faces to the houses of gentlemen and merchants and haue fruits giuen them for singing certaine carols or songs When as the feast of Saint Iohn Baptist is hallowed among Christians you shall here see all about great store of fires made with straw And when their childrens teeth begin to grow they make another feast called according to the Latines Dentilla They haue also many other rites and customes of diuining or soothsaying the like wherof I haue seene at Rome and in other cities of Italie As touching their feasts prescribed by the Mahumetan lawe they are at large set downe in that briefe treatise which we haue written concerning the same law The women hauing by death lost their husbands fathers or any other of their deere friends assemble foorthwith a great multitude of their own sexe together who stripping themselues out of their owne attire put on most vile sackcloth and defile their faces with much durt then call they certaine men clad in womens attire bringing great fower-square drums with them at the noise of which drums the women-mourners sing a funerall song tending as much as may be to the commendation of the partie deceased and at the end of euery verse the said womē vtter most hideous shrikes outcries tearing their haire with much lamentation beating their cheekes breasts till they be all-imbrued with blood and so these heathenish superstitions continue for seuen whole daies together At which seuen daies ende they surcease their mourning for the space of 40. daies then they begin anew to torment thēselues for three daies togither in maner aforesaid howbeit these kinds of obsequies are obserued onely by the baser people but the gentlemen and better sort behaue themselues more modestly At this time all the widowes friends come about her to comfort her and send diuers kinds of meats vnto her for in the mourning house they may dresse no meate at all till the dead corpes be carried foorth The woman her selfe that looseth her husband father or brother neuer goeth foorth with the funerall But how they wash and burie the dead corpes and what superstitions they vse thereabout you shall finde recorded in my little treatise aboue mentioned Of their doue-houses DIuers there are in this citie that take much pleasure in keeping of doues which are here in great plentie of all colours These doues they keepe in certaine cages or lockers on the tops of their houses which lockers they set open twise a day to wit morning and euening delighting greatly to see them flie for those that out-flie the residue are accounted the best Oftentimes it falleth out that neighbours doues will be mingled together for which cause you shall see the owners goe together by the eares Some haue a certaine net bound vnto two long canes wherewith they vse to take their neighbours doues as they come flying foorth of their louers Amongst the colliers you shall find seuen or eight shops onely of those that sel doues Their manner of gaming at Fez. THe citizens vse most of all to play at chesse and that from ancient times Other games there are also but very rude and vsed onely by the common people At certaine times of the yeere the boies of one street wil fight with clubs against the boies of another street and that sometimes with so great furie that they 〈◊〉 themselues to other weapons and slay one another especially vpon their festiuall daies what

presently opening their gates receiued the merchant with all his troupes yeelded themselues to him to the king of Fez. The parents of the foresaid maid protested vnto the merchant ' that the gouernour by maine force had depriued them of his paramour Howbeit she herselfe was big with childe by the gouernour but after the merchant knew that she was deliuered of her childe he bore her affection againe and at length married her And the wretched gouernour was the same day by the iudges pronounced guiltie of fornication and was stoned to death Well the merchant remained gouernour and Lord of both townes establishing most firme peace between them duely paying vnto the king of Fez all the yeerly tribute which he had promised I my selfe afterward comming to the foresaide towne grew familiarly acquainted with this famous merchant The same yeere departing from Fez I tooke my iourney towards Constantinople Of Tagodast a towne in Hascora THis towne is built vpon the top of a certaine high mountaine hauing fower other high mountaines round about it Betweene which fower mountaines and the said towne are diuers most large and beautifull gardens replenished with all kinde of fruits quinces here are of an incredible bignes Their vines dispersing themselues vpon the boughes of trees doe make most pleasant bowers and walkes the grapes whereof being red are for their bignes called in the language of that people hennes egs They haue here great 〈◊〉 of oile and most excellent honie some of their honie being white and some yellow This towne hath many fountaines about it which ioyning into one streame do serue for many water-mils thereabouts Here are likewise great store of artizans who exercise themselues onely about things necessarie The inhabitants are somewhat ciuill their women are most beautifull being most gorgeously decked with siluer iewels Their oile they carrie vnto the next cities southward of them on this side Atlas but they send their leather vnto Fez and Mecnasa Their plaine is almost sixe miles long the soile being most fruitfull for corne in regard whereof the townes-men pay certaine yeerely tribute vnto the Arabiaus This towne hath iudges priestes and a great number of gentlemen Vpon a time as I trauelled this way it was my hap to meete with a certaine ancient gouernour of the same place who was growne blinde with extreme age This aged sire as by some I vnderstood was in his youth a most valiant and stout person insomuch that after many other noble exploits he slew with his owne hand fower captaines which were most deadly enemies vnto the people of Tagodast And afterward he handled the matter so wisely that he ioyned those in perfect league which before time had waged continual warre Here no commonwealth-matter is concluded by the magistrates of the towne without his speciall aduise and 〈◊〉 By this worthie Senatour my selfe with fowerscore 〈◊〉 were honorably entertained and had dainty meates euery day set before vs of game which was newly hunted He recounted most familiarly vnto vs all his labours which he had bestowed in concluding of the forefaid league neither had this good man any so entire and hidden secrets which he reuealed not vnto vs as to his louing friends At my departure I offered him money for my selfe and my companie but he like a liberall man would by no meanes accept of it saying that albeit he ought the king of Fez much dutie and good will yet did he not bestowe that liberalitie for his sake but that whatsoeuer wealth he enioied his parents bequeathed vnto him vpon this condition that he should shew himselfe kinde and bountifull vnto all his kinred acquaintance and strangers trauelling that way and although he were free from that condition yet his loue towards God and the liberalitie which God had planted in him could require no lesse at his hands Yea he said that by Gods good blessing and prouidence he had reaped the same yeere seuen thousand bushels of corne insomuch that himselfe and all his neighbours were prouided for in abundance Moreouer that he possessed of sheepe and goates moe then an hundred thousand the wooll whereof only and some small portion of butter he reserued to himselfe but as for the cheese and milke he gaue it all frankly vnto his shepherds In this towne there is none that selleth either cheese butter milk or any otber such commoditie though each one hath great abundance of cattell Howbeit their hides oile and wooll they vtter in the prouinces thereabout The reuerend sire added this moreouer If it shall please saith he the king of Fez to returne home from Duccala through this my region I will come foorth to meete him and will submit my selfe wholly vnto him as vnto my most liege and soueraigne prince Thus my selfe a meere stranger being so honorably dismissed by this woorthie Senatour could not sufficiently commend his courtesie and bounteous dealing towards strangers Of the citie of Elgiumuha NEere vnto the foresaid towne within fiue miles standeth Elgiumuha It was in our time built vpon the top of an high mountaine and containeth to the number of fiue hundred families besides so many families comprised in the villages of that mountaine Here are innumerable springs and fountaines and most pleasant and fruitfull gardens in all places Here are likewise walnut-trees huge and tall The little hils enuironing this mountaine doe yeeld barlie and oliues in great abundance In the said towne are great numbers of artizans as smithes leather-dressers and such like And because they haue here notable yron-mines they make plentie of horse-shooes And whatsoeuer commoditie proceedeth of their labour they carrie it to forren regions where they thinke it is wanting from whence they bring home slaues woad and the skins of certaine beastes whereof they make most defensiue and warlike shields these shields they transport vnto Fez exchanging them there for weapons cloth and other such things as they stand in neede of This towne standeth so neere vnto the high way that the boyes wil stand gazing and woondering at merchants as they come by especially if they weare any strange attire The residue of inhabitants vpon this mountaine are all commanded and gouerned by them of the towne They say that the people of Tagodast aforesaid were the first founders of this towne for so vpon a time it befell that whereas the principall men of Tagodast grew to dissension among themselues the common sort fauouring neither faction built Elgiumuha and left Tagodast to be inhabited by their gouernours hence it is that euen at this day they are here onely ignoble and base people whereas there they are all gentlemen Of Bzo a towne in Hascora THE ancient towne of Bzo is built vpon an high hill about twenty miles westward from the towne last mentioned Within three miles of Bzo runneth the foresaid riuer of Guadelhabid The townesmen are honest people exercising merchandize and going decently apparelled To them which inhabite the deserts they carie cloth oile and

heretiks howbeit the greatest part of the common people reuerence them as if they were gods notwithstanding they commit many things vnlawfull and forbidden by the Mahumetan lawe as namely whereas the said lawe forbiddeth any loue-matters to be expressed in any musicall ditties or songs these moralists affirme the contrarie In the foresaid Mahumetan religion are a great number of rules or sectes euery of which hath most learned patrones and protectours The foresaid sect sprang vp fowerscore yeeres after Mahumet the first author thereof being called Elhesen Ibnu Abilhasen and being borne in the towne of Basora this man taught his disciples followers certaine precepts but writings he left none behinde him About an hundred yeeres after there came another notable doctor of that sect from Bagaded called Elharit Ibnu Esed who left volumes of writings vnto his disciples Afterward those that were found to be his followers were all condemned by the Mahumetan patriarks and lawyers Howbeit 80. yeeres after that sect began to reuiue againe vnder a certaine famous professour who drew after him many disciples vnto whom he published his doctrine This man at length and all his followers were by the patriarke and lawyers condemned to die Which he vnderstanding wrote foorthwith vnto the patriarke requesting that hee might be licenced to dispute with the lawyers as touching his doctrine of whom if he were conuinced he would most willingly suffer death otherwise that it would be against all equitie that so many innocents should perish vpon an vniust accusation The patriarke thinking his demand to be reasonable condescended wholy thereunto But when the matter came to disputation the partie condemned soone put all the lawyers to silence Which when the patriarke perceiued he reuoked the sentence as vniust and caused many colleges and monasteries to be erected for the said partie and his followers After which time this sect continued about an hundred yeeres till the emperour Malicsach of the Turkish race came thither out of Asia the greater and destroied all the maintainers thereof Whereupon some of them fled vnto Cairo and the rest into Arabia being dispersed here and there for the space of twenty yeeres till in the raigne of Caselsah nephew vnto Malicsach Nidam Elmule one of his counsellers and a man of an high spirit being addicted vnto the said sect so restored erected and confirmed the same that by the helpe of one Elgazzuli a most learned man who had written of the same argument a notable worke diuided into seuen partes he reconciled the lawyers with the disciples of this sect conditionally that the lawyers should be called Conseruers of the prophet Mahumet his lawes the sectaries Reformers of the same This concord lasted betweene them til Bagaded was sacked by the Tartars which befell in the yeere of the Hegeira 656. at what time those sectaries so increased that they swarmed almost ouer all Africa and Asia Neither would they admit any into their societie but such as were very learned and trained vp in all kinde of liberall sciences to the end they might the better defend their owne opinions and confute their aduersaries but now adaies they admit all kinde of rude and ignorant persons affirming all sortes of learning to be needlesse for the holy spirit say they reuealeth the knowledge of the truth vnto such as are of a cleane hart and they alleage many reasons for the confirmation of this their opinion though not very forcible Wherefore despising their ancesters rites and the strict obseruations of the law they addict themselues to nought else but delights and pleasures feasting often singing lasciuious songs Sometimes they will rend their garments either alluding thereby to the verses that they sing or being mooued thereunto by their corrupt and vile disposition saying falsly that they are then rauished with a fit of diuine loue but I rather impute it to their abundance of meat and gluttonie For each one of them will deuoure as much meate as may well suffice three Or which is more likely they vtter those passionate clamours and out-cries bicause they are inflamed with vnlawfull and filthie lust For sometimes it happeneth that some one of the principall of them with all his scholers and disciples is 〈◊〉 to the mariage of some gentleman and at the beginning of the banket they will rehearse their deuout orizons and songs but so soone as they are risen from the table the elder of the companie being about to daunce teare their garments and if any one in the middest of their dauncing that hath drunke immoderately chaunceth to fall downe he is taken vp foorthwith by one of the scholers and to too lasciuiously kissed Whereupon this prouerbe grew among the people of Fez The heremites banket Which they vse in reproch of those masters that make their scholers their minions Of diuers other rules and sectes and of the superstitious credulitie of many AMongst these sectes there are some that haue not onely a diuers law but also a different beleefe from the residue whereupon by some others they are called heretikes Some there are also which hold that a man by good works by fasting and abstinence may attaine vnto the nature of an angell which good works fastings c. doe say they so purge and free the minde from all contagion of euill that by no meanes it can sinne any more though it would neuer so faine Howbeit they thinke themselues not capable of this felicitie before they haue ascended thereunto by the degrees of fiftie disciplines or sciences and although they fall into sinne before they be come to the fiftith degree yet they say that God will not impute that sinne vnto them These fellowes indeed in the beginning leade a most strict life and doe euen macerate and consume themselues with fasting but afterward they giue themselues to al licentiousnes and pleasure They haue also a most seuere forme of liuing set downe in fower bookes by a certaine learned man of their faction called Essehrauar de Sehrauard and borne in the citie of Corasan Likewise there was another author called Ibnul Farid that described all their religion in wittie verses which being fraught with allegories seemed to intreate of nought but loue wherefore one Elfargani expounded the said verses with a commentarie and thereout gathered the canons and orders of the sect and shewed the degrees to the attainment of felicitie Moreouer the said verses are so sweet and elegant that the maintainers of this sect will sing and repeate none other in their bankets for these three hundred yeeres no author hath so adorned their language as the said Ibnul These sectaries take the heauens the elements the planets and the fixed starres to be one god and that no law nor religion is erronious for euery man say they may lawfully worship that which his mind is most addicted to worship They thinke that all the knowledge of God was infused into one man whom they call in their language Elcorb

mans flesh They dwell vpon the left banke of Nilus betweene the first and second lake The Anzichi also haue a shambles of mans flesh as we haue of the flesh of oxen They eate their enimies whom they take in war they sell their slaues to butchers if they can light on no greater prise and they inhabit from the riuer Zaire euen to the deserts of Nubia Some others of them are rather addicted to witchcraft then to idolatrie considering that in a man the feare of a superior power is so naturall that though he adore nothing vnder the name and title of a God yet doth he reuerence and feare some superioritie although he know not what it is Such are the Biafresi and their neighbours all of them being addicted in such sort to witchcraft as that they vaunt that by force of enchantment they can not onely charme and make men die much more molest and bring them to hard point but further raise windes and raine and make the skie to thunder and lighten and that they can destroy all herbes and plants and make the flockes and heards of cattell to fall downe dead Whereupon they reuerence more the diuell then any thing else sacrificing vnto him of their beasts and fruits of the earth yea their owne bloud also and their children Such are likewise the priests of Angola whom they call Ganghe These make profession that they haue in their hands dearth and abundance faire weather and foule life and death For which cause it can not be expressed in what veneration they are held among these Barbarians In the yeere 1587. a Portugall captaine being in a part of Angola with his souldiers a Ganga was requested by the people to refresh the fields which were drie and withered with some quantitie of water He needed no great intreatie but going forth with diuers little bels in presence of the Portugals he spent an halfe hower in fetching suudry gambols skips vttering diuers superstitious murmurings and behold a cloud arose in the aire with lightning and thunder The Portugals grew amazed but all the Barbarians with great ioy admired and extolled vnto heauen their Ganga who now gaue out intolerable brags not knowing what hung ouer his head For the windes outragiously blowing the skie thundring after a dreadfull manner in stead of the raine by him promised there fell a thunderbolt which like a sword cut his head cleane from his shoulders Some other idolaters not looking much aloft worship earthly things such were the people of Congo before their conuersion and are at this day those that haue not yet receiued the Gospell For these men worship certaine dragons with wings and they foolishly nourish them in their houses with the delicatest meates that they haue They worship also serpents of horrible shape goats tygers and other creatures and the more they feare and reuerence them by how much the more deformed and monstrous they are Amongst the number of their gods also they reckon bats owles owlets trees and herbes with their figures in wood and stone and they do not onely worship these beasts liuing but euen their versy kins when they are dead being filled with straw or some other matter and the manner of their idolatrie is to bow downe before the foresaid things to cast themselues groueling vpon the earth to couer their faces with dust and to offer vnto them of their best substance Some lifting vp their mindes a little higher worship starres such be the people of Guinie and their neighbours who are enclined to the worship of the sunne the greatest part of them and they hold opinion that the soules of those dead that liued well mount vp into heauen and there dwell perpetually neere vnto the sunne Neither want there amongst these certaine others so superstitious as they worship for God the first thing they meete withall comming out of their houses They also hold their kings in the account estimation of Gods whom they suppose to be descended from heauen their kings to maintaine themselues in such high reputation are serued with woonderfull ceremonies neither will they be seene but very seldome Of the Iewes THe Iewes who haue bene dispersed by god throughout the whole world to confirme vs in the holie faith entered into Ethiopia in the Queene of Sabas daies in companie of a son that Salomon had by her to the number as the Abassins affirme of twelue thousand and there multiplied their generation exceedingly In that they not onely filled Abassia but spred themselues likewiseall ouer the neighbour prouinces So that at this day also the Abassins affirme that vpon Nilus towards the west there inhaibteth a most populous nation of the Iewish stock vnder a mightie K. And some of our moderne Cosmographers set downe a prouince in those quarters which they call The land of the Hebrewes placed as it were vnder the equinoctiall in certaine vnknowne mountaines betweene the confines of Abassia and Congo And likewise on the north part of the kingdome of Goiame and the southerly quarter of the kingdome of Gorham there are certaine mountaines peopled with Iewes who there maintaine themselues free and absolute through the inaccessiable situations of the same For in truth by this means the inhabitants of the mountaines speaking generally are the most ancient and freest people in that the strong situation of their natiue soile secureth them from the incursions of forraine nations and the violence of their neighbours Such are the Scottes in Britaine and the Biskaines in Spaine But to return againe to our purpose the Anzichi who extend from the bankes of the riuer Zaire euen to the confines of Nubia vse circumcision as also diuers other bordering people do a thing that must necessarilie haue been brought in by the Iewes yet remayning stil in vse after the annihilation of the Mosaicall law amongst them Some also think that the people called Cafri or Cafates at this day who are gentiles draw their originall from the Iewes but being enuironed on euery side by Idolaters they haue by little and little swarued from the law of Moses and so are become as it were insensibly Idolaters On the other side the Iewes being woonderfully increased in Spaine passed one after an other into Affricke and Mauritania and dispersed themselues euen to the confines of Numidia especiallie by meanes of traffick and the profession of goldsmithes the which being vtterly forbidden the Mahumetans is altogether practised amongst them by the Iewes as are likewise diuers other mechanicall crafts but principallie that of black smithes A thing which notablie appeareth in mount Sefsaua in the kingdome of Maroco and in mount Anteta It is said that Eitdeuet a towne in the kingdome of Maroco was inhabited by the Iewes of the stock as they affirme of Dauid who notwithstanding by little and little are growne Mahumetans The Iewes encreased afterwards in Affrick when first 〈◊〉 king of Spaine called The catholicke and after him Emanuell king of Portugal put

the emperour let Gonsaluo to vnderstand that he and his mother were resolued to become Christians and that therefore he should come to baptize them But he to instruct them better in the faith deferred it off for some daies Finally fiue and twentie daies after his arriuall with vnspeakeable 〈◊〉 and preparation he gaue the water of baptisme to the king and to his mother He was called Sebastian and shee Maria. And presently after about three hundred of the principall in this emperours court were baptized Gonsaluo for his wonderfull abstinence charity wisedome and for many other his singular vertues was so reuerenced and esteemed by those people as if he had come downe from heauen among them Now as matters proceeded thus prosperously and with so desireable successe behold an horrible tempest arose which drowned the ship There were in the court fower Mahumetans most deere vnto the king These men finding out some occasion suggested vnto him that Gonsaluo was a Magioian who by witchcraftes and 〈◊〉 could turne kingdomes topsie turuie and that he was come to prie into his estate and to stir vp his people to rebellion and so by this meanes to bring his kingdome vnder subiection to the Portugals With these and such like suggestions they brought the king who was but a young man to determine the death of Gonsaluo The effect whereof was that after long praier reposing himselfe a little he was by eight of the kings seruants slaine and his body throwne into the riuer Mensigine Neere vnto the same place were with like violence put to death fiftie new-conuerted Christians This rage and furie being ouer the king was aduertised by the Principall of his kingdome and then by the Portugals of the excesse and outrage he had therein committed He excused himselfe the best he could causing those Mahumetans to be slaine who had seduced him and he sought out some others also who lay hid to put them to death Whereupon it seemed that by the death of father Gonsaluo the conuersion of this great king and of his empire should haue bin furthered and no whit hindered if the Portugals would rather haue preuailed by the word of God then by force of armes The which I say bicause insteed of sending new preachers into those countries to preserue that which was alreadie gotten and to make new conuersions they resolued to reuenge themselues by warre There departed therefore out of Portugall a good fleete with a great number of noble Portugals therein conducted by Francisco Barretto At the fame of this warre mooued against him the Monomotapa full of feare sent to demaund peace of Barretto But he aspiring to the infinite mines of gold in that kingdome contemned all conditions offered him The effect of this enterprise was that this armie which was so terrible to a mightie Monarke was in fewe daies consumed by the intemperature of the aire which is there insupportable to the people of Europe Of the fortresses and colonies maintained by the Spaniards and Portugals vpon the maine of Africa by meanes whereof the Christian religion hath there some small footing VVhich albeit in other respects they haue beene mentioned before yet heere also in this one regard it seemeth not from our purpose briefely to remember them TO the propagation of Christianity those fortresses colonies woonderfully helpe which the Castilians but much more the Portugals haue planted on the coast of Africa For they serue very fitly either to conuert infidels vpon diuers occasions or by getting an habite of their languages and customes to make a more easie way to their conuersion For those who are not sufficient to preach serue for interpreters to the preachers And thus God hath oftentimes beene well serued and with excellent fruit and effect by the indeuour of some soldiers On the coast of Africa vpon the Mediterran sea the Spaniards haue Oran Mersalchibir Melilla c. and the Portugals Tanger and çeuta and without the streights of Gibraltar Arzilla and Mazagan and in Ethiopia Saint George de la mina They haue also a setled habitation in the citie of Saint Saluador the Metropolitan of the kingdome of Congo and in Cumbiba a countrie of Angola Beyond the cape de Buena esperança they hold the fortresses and colonies of Sena Cefala and Mozambiche Heere besides their secular clergie is a conuent of Dominicans who indeuour themselues to instruct the Portugals and the Pagans also which there inhabite and do trafficke thither Of the Islands of the Atlanticke Ocean where the Spaniards and Portugals haue planted religion THe Christian name is also augmented and doth still increase in the Atlantick Ocean by meanes of the colonies conducted thither partly by the Spaniards and partly by the Portugals The Spaniards vndertooke the enterprize of the Canaries in the yeere of our Lord 1405. vsing therein the assistance of Iohn Betancort a French gentleman who subdued Lançarota Fuerteuentura They were taken againe certaine yeeres after and were first subdued by force of armes afterwards by the establishment of religion so that at this present all the inhabitants are Christians Also the Portugals haue assaied to inhabite certaine other islands of that Ocean especially Madera which was discouered in the yeere 1420. This at the first was all ouer a thicke and mightie wood but now it is one of the best manured islands that is knowne There is in the same the citie of Funcial being the seate of a bishop Puerto santo which is fortie miles distant from Madera was found out in the yeere 1428. and this also began presently to be inhabited The isles of Arguin being sixe or seauen and all but little ones came to the knowledge of the Portugals in the yeere 1443. Heere the king hath a fortresse for the traffike of those countries The islands of Cabo Verde were discouered in the yeere 1440. by Antonio di Nolli a Genoway or as others affirme in the yeere 1455. by Aloizius Cadamosto These be nine in number the principall of them is Sant Iago being seuentie miles in length where the Portugals haue a towne situate vpon a most pleasant riuer called Ribera grande which consisteth at 〈◊〉 least of fiue hundred families The isle of Saint Thomas being somewhat greater then Madera was the last island discouered by the Portugals before they doubled the cape De buena Esperança They haue heere a colonie called Pouasaon with a bishop who is also the bishop of Congo and it conteineth seuen hundred families Vnder the gouernment of Saint Thomas are the neighbour islands of Fernando Pó and that del Principe which are as it were boroughs belonging to the same The island Loanda though it be vnder the king of Congo yet is a great part thereof inhabited by the Portugals For heere is the famous port of Mazagan whither the ships of Portugall and Brasile do resort Heere the fleetes are harboured and the soldiers refreshed and heere they haue their hospitall As also heere the Portugall

acknowledge the kings of Fez for soueraigne Princes ouer that citie But on the other side the Xeriffi whose reputation and power daily encreased when the time of paying tribute came sent to certifie this yoong king that being lawfull successors to Mahumet they were not bound to paie tribute to any and that they had more right to Affrica then he so that if he would haue them his friends so it were otherwise if he ment to diuert them from this their warre against the Christians they should not want courage nor power to defend themselues Wherewith the Fessan king being offended proclaimed warre against them and went himselfe in person to the siege of Maroco but at the very first he was driuen to dislodge and afterwards returning with eighteene thousand horse amongst whom were two thousand harquebuziers or bowmen he was vanquished by the Xeriffi who had no more but seuen thousand horse and twelue hundred harquebuziers which were placed on the way at the passage of a riuer By meanes of this victorie the Xeriffi shooke off the tribute of that countrie and passing ouer Atlas they tooke Tafilete an important citie and partly by faire meanes partly by force they brought diuérs people of Numidia to their obedience as also those of the mountaines In the yeere of our Lord 1536. the yoonger Xeriffo who was now called king of Sus hauing gathered togither a mightie armie and much artillerie taken in part from the king of Fez and partly cast by the French Renegados he went to the enterprise of Cabo de Guer a very important fortification held then by the Portugals which was built and fortified sirst at the charge of Lopes Sequeira and afterward knowing their opportunitie from the king Don Emanuel there was fought on both sides a most terrible battell In the end fire taking hold on the munition and vpon this the souldiers being daunted that defended the fortresse the Xeriffo entred thereinto tooke the towne and made the greatest part of the garrison his prisoners By this victorie the Xeriffi brought in a manner all Atlas and the kingdome of Maroco to their obedience those Arabians who serued the crowne of Portugall Whereupon king Iohn the third seeing that his expences farre exceeded the reuenues which came in of his owne accord gaue ouer Safia Azamor Arzilla and Alcazar holds which he had on the coast of Mauritania This 〈◊〉 was an occasion of grieuous discord betwixt the Brothers the issue whereof was that the younger hauing in two battels subdued the elder whereof the second was in the yeere of our Lord 1554 and taken him prisoner he banished him to Tafilet and afterwards turning his armes against the king of Fez after hauing taken him once prisoner and then releasing him he yet the second time because he brake promise got him into his handes againe depriued him of his estate and in the end caused both him and his sonnes to be slaine and by meanes of his owne sonnes he also tooke Tremizen In the meane while Sal Araes viceroy of Algier fearing the Xeriffos prosperous successe gathered together a great army with which he first recouered Tremizen afterwards defeating the Xeriffo conquered Fez and gaue the gouernment thereof to Buasson Prince of Veles but this man ioyning battaile with the Xeriffo lost at one instant both his citie and kingdome In the ende Mahumet going to Tarodant was vpon the way slaine in his pauilion by the treason of some Turkes suborned thereunto by the viceroy of Algier of whom one Assen was the chiefe who together with his companions went into Tarodant and there made hauock of the kinges treasures But in their returne home they were all but fiue slaine by the people in the yeere 1559 and Mullei Abdala the Xeriffos sonne was proclaimed and saluted king Let thus much suffice to haue bin spoken of the Xeriffo whose proceedinges appeare much like to those of Ismael the sophie of Persia. Both of them procured followers by bloud and the cloake of religion both of them subdued in short time many countries both of them grew great by the ruine of their neighbours both of them receiued greeuous checkes by the Turkes and lost a part of their states for Selym tooke from Ismael Cacamit and diuers other cities of Diarbena And the viceroy of Algier did driue the Xeriffo out of Tremizen and his other quarters And euen as Selim won Tauris the head citie of Persia and afterwardes gaue it ouer so Sal Araes tooke Fez the head citie of Mauritania and then after abandoned the same The Xeriffo his reuenues or commings in THe Xeriffo is absolute Lord of all his subiects goods yea and of their persons also For though he charge them with neuer so burdensome tributes and impositions yet dare they not so much as open their mouthes He receiueth from his tributarie vassals the tenthes and first fruits of their corne and cattell True it is that for the first fruits he taketh no more but one for twentie and the whole being aboue twentie he demandeth no more then two though it amount to an hundred For euery dayes tilth of grounde he hath a ducate and a quarter and so much likewise for euerie house as also he hath after the same rate of euerie person aboue fifteene yeers old male or female and when need requireth a greater summe and to the end that the people may the more cheerefullie pay that which is imposed vpon them he alwaies demaundeth halfe as much more as he is to receiue Most true it is that on the mountaines there inhabite certaine fierce and vatamed people who by reason of the steep craggie and inexpugnable situation of their countrie cannot be forced to tributes that which is gotten of them is the tenth of their corne and fruits onely that they may be permitted to haue recourse into the plaines Besides these reuenues the king hath the towles and customes of Fez and of other cities For at the entring of their goods the naturall citizen payeth two in the hundred and the stranger ten He hath further the reuenues of milles and many other thinges the summe whereof is very great for the milles yeelde him little lesse then halfe a royall of plate for euerie Hanega of corne that is ground in Fez where as they say there are aboue foure hūdred mils The moschea of Caruuen had fourescore thousand ducates of rent the colledges and hospitals of Fez had also many thousands Al which the king hath at this present And further he is heire to all the Alcaydes and them that haue pension of him and at their deaths he possesseth their horses armour garments and al their goodes Howbeit if the deceased leaue any sonnes apt for the seruice of the warres he granteth them their fathers prouision but if they be but young he bringeth vp the male children to yeeres of seruice and the daughters till they be married And therefore that he may haue some interest in the goods of

rich men he bestoweth vpon them some gouernment or charge with prouision Wherefore for feare of confiscation after death euery one coueteth to 〈◊〉 his wealth or to remoue far from the court and the kings sight For which cause the citie of Fez commeth far short of hir ancient glorie Besides his reuenues haue beene augmented of late yeeres by mightie sums of gold which he fetcheth from Tombuto and Gago in the lande of Negros which gold according to the report of some may yeerely amount to three millions of ducates His Forces THe Xeriffo hath not any Fortresses of great importance but only vpon the sea-coast as Cabo de Guer Larache and Tetuan for as the Turks and Persians do so he placeth the strength of his state in armed men but especially in horse And for this cause he standeth not much vpon his artillerie although hee hath very great store which his predecessors tooke from the Portugals and others in Fez Maroco Tarodant and in the foresaide 〈◊〉 causing also more to bee cast when neede requireth for he wanteth not masters of Europe in this Science He hath an house of munition in Maroco where they make ordinarily six and fortie quintals of powder euery moneth as likewise also caliuers and steele-bowes In the yeere of our Lord 1569. a fire tooke hold on these houses with such furie that a great part of the citie was destroied therewith But for the Xeriffoes forces they are of two sorts the first is of two thousand seuen hundred horse and two thousand harquibuziers which he hath partly in Fez but most in Maroco where he is resident being as it were of his daily guard The second is of a roiall squadron of sixe thousand gentlemen being all of noble parentage and of great account These men are mounted vpon excellent horses with furniture and armes for varietie of colour most beautifull and for riches of ornament beyonde measure estimable for euery thing about them shineth with gold siluer pearle iewels and whatsoeuer else may please the eie or satisfie the curiositie of beholders These men besides prouision of corne oile butter and flesh for themselues their wiues children and seruants receiue further in wages from seuentie to an hundred ounces of siluer a man The third sort of forces which he hath consisteth of his * Timariotti for the Xeriffo granteth to all his sons and brothers and other persons of account or authoritie among the people of Africke or to the princes of the Arabians the benefite of great Lordships tenures for sustentation of his Cauallarie and the Alchaides themselues till the fields and afterwardes reape rice oile barly butter sheepe hens and monie and distribute the same monethly to the souldiers according to the seuerall qualitie of their persons They also giue them cloth linnen and silke to apparell themselues armes of offence and defence and horses with which they serue in the warres and if they die or be killed they allow them other A thing which was also vsed in Rome towards them that serued on publike horses Euerie one of these leaders contendeth to bring his people into the fielde well ordred for armes apparell and horses besides this they haue betweene fower and twentie and thirtie ounces of siluer wages euery yeere His fourth militarie forces are the Arabians who liue continually in their Auari for so they call their habitations each one of them consisting of an hundred or two hundred 〈◊〉 gouerned by diuers Alchaides to the end they may be readie in time of need These serue on horse-backe but they are rather to be accounted theeues then true soldiers His fift kinde of forces militarie are somewhat like vnto the trained soldiers of Christian princes and among these the inhabitants of cities and villages of the kingdome and of the mountaines are enrolled It is true that the king makes but little account of them very seldome puts armes into their hands for feare of insurrections and rebellions except in the warres against the Christians for then he cannot conueniently forbid them For it being written in their law that if à Moore kil a Christian or is slaine by him he goeth directly into Paradise a diabolicall inuention men women and those of euery age and degree run to the warres hand ouer head that at least they may there be slaine and by this meanes according to their foolish opinion gaine heauen No lesse zeale to our confusion may we perceiue in the Turks especially for defence of their sect for one would thinke they went to a marriage and not to the warre scarcely being able with patience to attend their prefixed time of going thither They repute them holy and happie that die with armes in hand against their enimies as on the contrarie those men vnhappie and of little woorth that die at home amidst the lamentation of children and outcries of women By the things aboue set downe we may easily comprehend what numbers of men the Xeriffo can bring into the field but yet we may learne better by experience For Mullei Abdala in the yeere 1562. besieged Mazagan with two hundred thousand men choaking the ditch with a mountaine of earth and beating downe the walles thereof with his Artillerie but for all this he was enforced by the valour of the Portugals and the damage which he receiued by their mines to giue ouer his siege Besides this Prince can not continue a great war aboue two or three moneths and the reason hereof is because his forces liuing on that prouision which he hath daylie comming in as well for sustenance as for aparrell and not being able to haue all this conducted thither where the war requireth it followeth of necessitie that in short time they must needs returne home for their maintenance of life and further it is an euident thing that no man can protract a war at length except he be rich in treasure Molucco who ouerthrew Sebastian king of Portugal had in pay vnder his ensignes fortie thousand horse and eight thousand foote besides Arabians and aduenturers But it is thought he could haue brought into the field seuentie thousand horse and more foot then he did Of the dominions and fortresses which the king of Spaine hath vpon the Isles and maine landes of Africa and of the great quantity of treasure and other commodities which are brought from thence BEsides Oran Mersalquibir Melilla and Pennon which the king of Spaine possesseth within the streights as likewise çeuta Tanger and Arzil which by the title of Portugal he holdeth very neere the streights of Gibraltar and Mazagan in like sort without the streights mouth twentie miles to the southward of Arzil he hath along the coast of Affrick from Cape de Guer to that of Guardafu two sorts of states for some are immedidiately vnder him and others are as it were his adherents The Ilands of Madera Puerto Santo the Canaries the Isles of Arguin of Cabo Verde the isle Del Principe with that of Sant