Restauration being compell'd within eight years once more to fly to Spain for Assistance In which time of his absence his Son Amudas usurped the Kingdom putting to death his Father's Favourites and Friends but Muley Assez returning with some few Troops of Italians and the Garrison-Souldiers of Goletta soon routed the unnatural Rebel taking him with two other of his younger Sons Prisoners whose Eyes he immediately put out After a few years Abdimelech or Abdulmalech another of Muley Assez Sons fell foul with his Father forcing him once more to fly to his old Benefactor Charles the Emperor who maintained him the remainder of his life which was not long But Abdimelech enjoy'd his Usurpation onely one Moneth before he died and his Son Mahomet his Successor after four Moneths Reign was expell'd by his Uncle Amidas who held the Dominion till Uluzaly or Aluck Haly by some call'd Ochiali by order from the Grand Seignior in the Year Fifteen hundred sixty eight drove him from Tunis whereupon he fled to Goletta to the Spaniards At whose Suit in the Year Fifteen hundred and seventy Tunis was again overcome by Charles the Emperour Don Johan of Austria made himself Master of Tunis and of the whole Kingdom giving Mahomet the Brother of Amidas a Princely Allowance but set over Tunis as Lieutenant in behalf of the Emperor Gabriel Willon a Milanois and over Goletta Pedro Carrero a Spaniard In these continual Conflicts both the City and Castle were much weakened but Willon fortifi'd them anew with strong Ramparts and Palizadoes But the Turkish Emperor The Turks come against Tunis Morat or Amurath fearing this new Growth of the Spanish Kingdom in the Year Fifteen seventy four sent a Fleet of a hundred and sixty Gallies besides many other Ships Mann'd with forty thousand Turks and Moors the Conduct of the Admiral Occhially for Sea but the Land Army was committed to Sinan Bassa wherewith they besieg'd both Tunis and Goletta whereupon Don John who had the Supream Command of the Spanish Fleet endeavour'd to relieve the Besieged but to very little purpose for he had barely thirty Galleys whereof five and twenty were furnished in Spain with Warlike Provision and Souldiers and the Princes of Italy undertook for the Raising of the rest With these as we said he made an attempt but the Turk soon diverted both their Fury and Design and there shut them both up with a more close Siege than before Then raising Batteries by Land from thence without intermission they tore the Castle with their great Guns so that the Walls fell neither was the City or Goletta better able to resist such impetuous Thunder Tunis overcome by the Turks for all were taken and razed and the whole Kingdom wrested out of the Spaniards hands In the Overthrow of the City all the Christians were hewen to pieces except fourteen which were carri'd Captives to Constantinople Moreover the Conqueror demolished the Walls of Tunis and the Castle built by the Emperor Charles levell'd with the Ground erecting another of exceeding Strength to command the Haven From this time the Turks have always possessed Tunis in Peace and the Government thereof by Kings ended who had sway'd the Scepter there about three hundred and seventy years THE DOMINION and FORT OF GOLETTA THe Dominion of Goletta The Dominion of Goletta so call'd from the Fort lying on the Mouth of the Lake Goletta by Tunis containeth these Cities Marsa Napolis in Barbary Kammart Arriane and Carthago It is look'd upon as a Place of weighty Concernment being the Key of Tunis and Neighbour to Carthage Some hold it to be the Island Galatha or Galitha of Ptolomy and the Gorilon of Pliny but Sanutus and others make Goletta and Galatha to be two distinct Places The Name of Goletta cometh originally from the Italian word Gola signifying a Throat or according to Olivarius upon Mela from the Diminutive Goletta that is a Little Throat or as we term it a Gullet because this Fort is built upon the Neck or Throat of a Lake of that Name over which they pass in small Barques to Tunis so that in truth it is an Island The Mahumetans first built upon this Spot thereby giving a beginning to this Fort which the Turks afterwards having strengthened the Emperor Charles the Fifth after Overcome by Charles the Emperor together with Tunis took from them but at length regain'd by the Turks in the Year Fifteen hundred seventy four as before hath been more particularly related Since which time the Turks have besides the old one cast up two other Forts with two or three Redoubts between them and are as the Keys of their State in that Countrey Gramay says it contains a fair Haven fit for many Ships to harbour in with Store-houses for Merchandise a Custom-house two Mesquites and Prisons for Christian Slaves so that it seems much rather a City than a Fort. The first Fort appears surrounded with a double Wall flanked with Sconces and three great Works one within another encircling all to Command the Haven and City In the midst is a Well of fresh Water feeding a Stream which runs through the Fort. Little remains of the old Fort saving a Corner of a Bulwark Planted with ten Pieces of Ordnance where those of Tunis maintain forty Janizaries Marsa or Marca signifying in Arabick A small City Marmol says Marsa stands in the place where the Haven of the old City of Carthage was or according to Gramay opposite to it built after the destruction of Carthage by one Mehedi Kaliff of Cairavan It is adorned with a Royal Palace and some pleasant Places whether the Bashaws of Tunis in the Summer go to take their pleasure and keep their Court They say at present it boasts eight hundred Houses with a Mesquite and a Colledge built by Muley Mahomet Father of Muley Assez King of Tunis Nebel by the Moors call'd Nabis by the Africans antiently Napolis of Barbary Nebel is supposed to be that Colony which Ptolomy call'd Neapilis and by Strabo Leptis was built by the Romans at the Edge of the Midland-Sea three miles from Tunis on the East formerly well Inhabited but at this day Peopled onely with a few Families of Gardners and such like inferiour Persons Kammart another small City close by the Ruines of Carthage Kammart two miles Eastward of Tunis was formerly call'd Walachie as Aben Razid an African Writer affirms who also reports the Romans to have Founded it being encompassed with high Walls and very populous yet most of the Inhabitants Gardners who bring their Fruit and Herbs to sell at Tunis Arriane by Marmol call'd Abditane a small City a mile North of Tunis Arriane built by the Arian Gothes from whom and their Heresie it took the Name Leo. 5. D. which it hath hitherto kept without any alteration Lastly Arradez Arradez a very small Town in the way between Goletta and Tunis on the East This was formerly a
manner of an Umbrella set with Precious Stones The King never gives Audience to any Man when he Travels or is ready to take a Journey neither goes he out of his Palace but upon some well-order'd Beast an Elephant or the before-mention'd Alsinge The King may not Clothe himself but according to the manner of his Ancestors The Kings Clothing in a long Cloak made in that Countrey for he weareth no Foreign Garment for fear of Poyson and upon that a long and great Cloth in form of a Coat or Womans Gown which comes to his Knees and from thence to his Middle button'd up with a costly Knot upon his Shoulder He wears usually at his Girdle a Spade with an Ivory Handle and in his Hand two Arrows intending by the Spade to give his Subjects to understand That in time of Peace they ought to be diligent in Tilling the Land by one of the Arrows That he hath power to punish Evil-doers and by the other that he must offend his Enemies The Inhabitants go naked from their Necks to their Girdle Apparel but from thence down to their Feet they have Garments of Cloth of divers Colours and of Wild Beasts Skins and their Privacies hidden in small Purses The Eminentest Persons wear a Skin with a Tail behind them hanging down to the Ground But Sanutus saith Their Apparel is made of Cotton Cloth or great Indian Stuffs wrought through with Gold Wyre The Women go naked as long as they are unmarried only wearing a small Cotton Cloth before but as soon as they are married and have Children they cover their Breasts and Bodies with Cotton Clothes Every one may have as many Women as he can maintain but the first is accounted the Head of the Family and all the rest are at her service and her Children after the Fathers death inherit all the Estate The Women are here in so much esteem that the Kings Sons if they meet a Woman on the way must step aside The Houses are built of Wood like Tents and cover'd with Straw for a Defence from the Rain but the Richer and Persons of Quality have them somewhat more handsom and convenient The Inhabitants so honor their Dead Honor shew'd to the dead that if one of their Friends or a Woman that leaves Children Jos Barros lib. 10. dies after the rotting of the Flesh they preserve the Bones and mark them for distinction from others in an open Court whither they come every seventh day cloth'd in white Apparel and set boyl'd Flesh and Bread on a Table cover'd with a Cloth then having pray'd to them for the Wellfare of their King they eat up the Meat The People are charged neither with Taxes or other Payments to the King Revenue of the King but when they desire to have Audience from him they carry a Present with them by reason it is contrary to the Custom of the Place that an Inferior should speak to a Superior without bringing a Present for a sign of Obedience and Honor And all the Persons of Quality are bound to serve the King seven days in thirty The Merchants that Trade there must also give some Presents to the King for the neglect whereof they incur his Displeasure The Wealth of this Countrey consists in Gold found in Mines and Rivers Riches Ja rik lib ca 42. Sanut lib. 1. which though little valu'd yet they narrowly search for because they find it necessary for the Purchase of Outlandish Merchandizes This thirst of Gold hath made the Portuguese so industrious in their Quests that they possess some Mines thereof in a Tract of Land above sixty Miles from Monomotapa Their Arms are Bowes Arrows Ponyards and Hangers or Scymitars Arms. The Emperor keeps continually a strong Army consisting all of Foot for they have no Horse besides a stout Party of Valiant Amazonian Women which March and Fight as well as the Men burning off their left Breasts that they may shoot with the more readiness and ease They carry the same Arms with the Men and shoot backwards or behind them when they fly but when they observe the following Enemy to Retreat and draw off they suddenly face about and fall upon them committing great Slaughter None washes their Hands or Face during the Wars Every one carries his own ordinary Provisions but the King provides Sheep and Oxen. They cut off the Members of those they take in Battel and drying the same present it to their Wives to wear for an Ornament about their Necks and she that wears most of them hath most respect because it testifies her Husbands Valour Before the Portuguese became Masters of this Coast Government Osor de Rebus Emanuel lib. 4. all the Kings acknowledg'd this of Monomotapa for their Emperor and still several of them own him and pay Tribute yearly The Emperor hath several Great Lords his Vassals and for the better holding of them in Obedience according to an ancient Custom keeps their next Successors upon pretence to be honorably brought up in his Court though in truth to be as Hostages for their Fidelity He sends also Agents every year to his Substitute Kings and Lords to give them new Fire with command to put out all the other When the Agent comes to the Court of one of these Lords every one must put out his Fire and not kindle it again before the Agent has made a new one from whence all the Subjects of this Lord must fetch and carry it into their Houses He that seems unwilling in this Work is taken and punish'd for a Mutineer The King keeps commonly a thousand Women or more being all Daughters of his inferior Lords but the first married commands the rest let her be never so mean The Chief Sovereign is call'd Benomotapa that is Emperor or Munnemotapa Title of Honor. Jos Barres lib. 10. ca. 1. according to the Relation of Texeira a great Traveller The King receives and expects extraordinary Honors from his Subjects by whom serv'd on the Knee as we have said onely the Portuguese Moors and his chiefest Favourites may speak to him standing when he drinks all the Spectators sing aloud in his praise all his Attendance and Retinue remain sitting in his presence in alto silentio without daring to utter one word The King and all his Justices are very strict in the prosecution of their Office and Duty to punish Offenders with great severity The Sentences of these Judges are establish'd by the Emperor and the Offender immediately punish'd As soon as any one hath committed an offence he is punish'd in the Field while the Fact is fresh in memory but if it require to keep the Offender some days they tie him under a Tree and set upon him a Watch by reason they have no Prisons so that the Offender seeing no way to escape poysons himself so by a sudden death to be freed from the cruelty of a lingering punishment When any injures another without a cause
in his Name but continu'd their Dominon scarce two years before they were caught and punished whereupon Zerah of right took the Crown and Reign'd 34 Bethe-Marian his Son who died in the Year One thousand four hundred forty eight after he had held the Scepter upwards of 10 Schander that is Alexander died in the Year One thousand four hundred ninety three having Govern'd six moneths above 15 Amdezeon who died in the Year One thousand four hundred ninety three Rul'd onely six moneths  Nahu or Nahod the Brother of Alexander taken out of Mount Amara who died in the Year One thousand five hundred and seven having Reign'd 14 Then came David his Son otherwise Athanidinghil that is The Incense of Mary during whose Minority the Abyssines say his Mother Helen manag'd the State in his behalf This was that Helen who sent her Ambassador Matthias to Emanuel King of Portugal to pray his assistance against the Mammelucks and Moors Jovius writes that this King David subdu'd the Troglodites and took Casante the King of Mosambique Prisoner He vanquished and kill'd the General of the Queen of Bethsage near the Cape of Good Hope and handled the King of Congo and Torme so roughly that he compell'd him to pay a very great Tribute and gave Hostages He Fought with and got two Victories over the King of Adel or Zeila and in the Year Fifteen hundred sent four and twenty Ambassadors and Letters to Pope Clement the seventh with promise of Obedience Vignier saith he had one onely Wife Bibl. Hâ—stor and by her four Sons the eldest of whom with the Father lost his life in a Battel against the King of Zeila after he had held the Scepter 33 or 36 years Claudius his Son otherwise call'd Aznassaghet by Genebrard which signifieth He is worshipped to the utmost ends of the Earth He subdu'd the King of Adel in revenge of his Father's death and died in the Year One thousand five hundred fifty nine having Reign'd 20 years Adamas his Brother otherwise call'd Mena and by the Abyssines Adamas Saghet which signifieth Majesty he died in February One thousand five hundred sixty three after he had Reigned four years Sarsadenghil or Sarsadinghil the Son of Adamas by his own direction call'd Malak Sequet had two Brothers each of them having several Sons the King had but one and that illegitimate by Name Haste Jacob that is Lord Jacob Prince of Nerea who after his Fathers death possessed the Kingdom and continued saith Godignus seven years in the Government he endeavor'd to extirpate Christianity Whereupon a certain Prince by Name Susneos who favor'd the Professors thereof sided with them and making use of that occasion to set up his pretence to the Kingdom took up Arms against this Jacob. Till the Year Sixteen hundred and twenty eight this War continued when King Jacob wounded by the Shot of an Arrow found himself necessitated to retire to a Fort where after a few days he died leaving two Sons the one nam'd Cosme eighteen years of age the other about sixteen by Name Zaga-Christ that is to say The Treasure of God which were both then in the Island Meroe in the City Aich where usually the Children of Prester-John are Nursed and Educated The Queen-Mother Nazarena seeing this mishap in her Family arisen by the death of the King her Husband and that Prince Susneos the new King endeavoured to suppress all those whom his Predecessor had favored instantly sent her Sons notice of their Fathers death ordering them to retire from Meroe to some faithful Friends of the Emperor their late Father And to that end she sent them much Gold and rich Jewels to maintain them and to raise some Troops to revenge the death of their Father The Prince Cosmes the eldest took his way to the South towards the Cape of Good Hope the other Zaga-Christ drew Northwards with a Company of about five hundred Men to the Kingdom of Sanar his Inheritance from thence to the Kingdom of Fungi where he was nobly entertain'd by the King whose Name was Orbat a Vassal of Prester-Johns but not suffer'd to rest quiet there he was forced to withdraw being pursu'd by the Horsemen of King Susneos so close that he was necessitated to go through the sandy Desarts of Arabia but with the number of fifty Servants for all the other fearing the wearisomness of the Way left him then he came into Egypt to the City Corrigia and lastly to Grand Cair where he was well receiv'd by the Copticks and honorably entertain'd by the Bashaw for the space of two days Thence he withdrew scarce accompanied with fifteen Servants for the other remain'd because of weariness and sickness in Cair to Jerusalem into which he came at the Purification in the Year Sixteen hundred thirty and two He went out of Jerusalem but with three Servants and eight Clergy-men to Nazareth where he made Confession of the Christian Religion and after the stay of some Moneths left off all his Servants and from thence came by Ship to Rome to the Pope who gave him a Palace for his Residence where he stay'd two years and then went from thence into France and stay'd at Paris about three years and died at last at Ruel in the Year Sixteen hundred thirty eight Susneos in the Year Sixteen hundred twenty nine took upon him the Sovereignty and nam'd himself Saghed that is Worshipped of all employing all his Forces to extirpate the Stock of King Jacob And having confirm'd and setled his new-gain'd Dominion he died in the Year Sixteen hundred thirty and three and his Son Fasilatas succeeded him It is by many concluded that the Queen of Sheba by some call'd Nicaules Religion and by others Makede who came out of the South to hear the Wisdom of Solomon in Jerusalem and Commanded over these Countreys planted her Imperial Seat in the Island of Meroe having learn'd from Solomon the knowledge of the true God so that both she and her People began to embrace the Doctrine of Moses But after the encrease of Christianity they receiv'd that Doctrine first brought into Abyssine by the Eunuch of Queen Candace by Name Indich for he being Baptiz'd in the Way from Gaza to Jerusalem by Philip upon the command of the Angel as we hinted before he afterwards Baptiz'd the Queen and all the Subjects of the Countrey But after the Division of the World among the Apostles they say the Abyssines fell to St. Matthew who gather'd a rich harvest of Souls there Afterwards this People together with the Copticks receiv'd the Doctrine and Errors of Dioscorus and Eutiches and elected a Patriarch to oversee the Church who hath his chief Residence in the City of Alexandria and appoints a Substitute in Abyssine nam'd Eteche or Chomos who hath many Bishops under him The Abyssines captivated with the destructive Opinions of Eutiches and Dioscorus believe That the Souls of the Saints after their death do not go directly to Heaven
the Arabian Califs and thereupon took upon him in the Califs Name the Dominion of Egypt as his Governour From thence it was ordered by Deputies until the year Eight hundred fifty and one when Calif Mutamid dividing his whole Empire gave his Brother among many other Countreys Egypt who held it fifty years and upward Then in the year Nine hundred and four Calif Muktatos made it Provincial but the Calif Abubekre adding to it whatever the Syrians had possessed Muhamed Abuhur succeeded him with the Title of King and after him Casur In the year Eleven hundred thirty and five Ali Abulmansar after his Fathers Death came to the Throne and Reign'd to the year Eleven hundred sixty and three at which time Syracon or Xarracon call'd by others Asereddin Schirachoch an Armenian General or first Vizier of the King of Damas who had sent him with an Army to the assistance of the dispossess'd Souldan Sanat against the new Souldan Dargon by his lucky Conquest and victorious Arms taking captive the Calif of Egypt made himself Master there with the Title of Sultan or Souldan After whose death his Brother Joseph Nazir Saladin took Possession and by the overthrow of the former Calif Etzar so setled the Government that it continued in that Name and Race till the year One thousand two hundred and forty two when the Mamalucks the off-spring of a People on the Banks of the Euxine Sea vulgarly call'd The Circassians and by Melechsala The seventh Calif of Shirachochs Race made his Guard knowing their own strength and finding a fit opportunity by the Murder of their Lord made themselves Lords of the Countrey appointing for their Prince one Tarquimenis born in Turcomania in whose Race the Possession continu'd from 1255. for Elmutan the Son of Melechsala held War with them till then until the year 1517. The last Souldan of Egypt was call'd Tomumbey the second of that Name The last Sultan of Egypt which by the Warlike Mamalucks for his Vertue and Honesty was elected Sultan who having Wars with the Turkish Emperor Selim and defeated by him in Battel fled to Cairo where taken captive betrayed and deliver'd up by a Moorish Prince he was miserably in the said year Fifteen hundred and seventeen Murder'd and his Body ty'd to the Tail of a Camel and dragg'd through Cairo This with the Victory the year before gain'd against Souldan Campson Gauri so ruin'd the power of the Mamalucks that ever since Egypt together with other Countreys and Kingdoms by their Courage and Conduct kept in Subjection above Three hundred years as before is mentioned fell under the Command of the Turkish Empire to which with Cayar-Bey and Gazelle most of the Mamalucks joyned themselves though indeed Gazelle Souldan of Apamee and Aman the most Noblest of the Mamalucks held War a long time but finding his Power too weak at length he submitted with his Forces and was receiv'd into Favor by Selim and made Governor over Syria which Office he perform'd till the death of Selim with great Care and Fidelity but after his death Gazelle began to strengthen himself with Soldiers and endeavoured to draw to his Party Cayar-Bey though in vain for he perfidiously put to death the Messengers yet Gazelle did not leave his Enterprize unattempted but with a great Army drew into the Field though without any remarkable success Mamaluck signifieth in the Syriack A mercenary Soldier they were always kept in the Pay of the Souldan or Sultan being chiefly Horse and the most of them Christians or children of Christians for Arabians Saracens Moors Turks nor Jews may not be received into their Society The greatest part of them were of Circassia on the Banks of the Euxine Sea as we said where the Turks call them also Cercas or Zercas and we Circassiers These saith Jovius were taken in their Infancy by the Valaques Tartars Precopitans Podolians and the Inhabitants of Roxolania and sold to the Merchants who chose out the strongest and stoutest which they brought over the Midland-Sea to the Souldan who at Cairo caused them to be brought up in the Exercise of Arms as soon as they came to Age and learn'd to draw a strong Bow and shoot at a Mark with extraordinary Aim and Steddiness the whole Science of Defence and the exercise of their Arms for Battel Riding and well managing of Horses they received Pay of the Souldan and were immediately listed into the Number of his Life-Guard Thus these Mamalucks being in no likelihood to attain any Honour Office or Maintenance but by their Valor and Courage so enured themselves to Martial Discipline that of despicable Bond-men and purchased Slaves many of them became great Captains and mighty Princes This Government of the Mamaluck Souldans was Elective for no Son might by right Succeed his Father but went away content with the Heirship of his personal Estate In the Election every Mamaluck had a voice and as soon as a Souldan was chosen required of him a Serif or Ducat of Gold Since the subduing of Egypt by Selim Government Cesar Lambert Jacques Albert. his Successors the Grand Signieurs manage the Government by a Bashaw otherwise call'd Beglerbei and chief of the Sanjacks in the same manner as Alzier Tunis Tripolis and other Countreys subject to the Turks The Great Turk sends commonly every Three years a new Bashaw from Constantinople although for these fifty or sixty Years none of them hath continued in his Office for a whole Year nay sometimes in Three Moneths there have been two new Bashaws If a Bashaw offend the Commons especially the Leaders among them he is instantly as they say there Manzoul that is without Authority and secluded apart sometime within sometime without the Castle and in his Place the Kai Macam that is the antientest of the Sanjacks is substituted who often performs the Place better than himself That this is most certain we have a fresh Example that happen'd but in the year Sixteen hundred and thirty Mahomet Bashaw Nephew to the Grand Vizier Kampson Bashaw General of the Army for the Grand Signieur in Persia after his coming and Reception in Cairo stay'd there about five Moneths obliging all the Great Ones of the Countrey to him and putting to death five or six very Rich but intollerable Oppressors and Squeezers of the poor People At length in the year Sixteen hundred and thirty Gaetai Bey one of the richest Men in Egypt very ambitious and who had cast an eye upon the Kingdom came at eight of the Clock in the Morning to visit the Bashaw who received him with more than ordinary Kindness and shewing him greater Honor than expected After much Discourse held on both Sides and the Conclusion of the Beys Business which continued about two Hours he invited him to taste a dish of Sorbet and Coffee which done and he about to depart the Bashaw accompanied him three or four steps over against Door of his Chamber on that side of the Room where he
thing that is offensive Indeed it is true that there be several Slaves of the Divan appointed to take care to keep them cleanly besides the Turks have this peculiar to them of being very neat in their Houses Besides those above-nam'd there be six others of considerable bigness which they call Bagna's which are the Prisons in which they keep up the Christian Slaves He that would make a near compute of all the Houses of Algier shall finde at least Fifteen thousand which are as I said before all very close and sometimes contain in one of them five or six Families Many have affirmed Number of Houses and Inhabitants that this City containeth an hundred thousand Inhabitants accounting Natural Turks Moors Janizaries Slaves and Jews Of these last there may be about nine or ten thousand to whom it is permitted to have their Synagogues and a free Exercise of their Religion And yet for all that they are no better used there than in all the Parts of Christendom For besides the Imposts charged upon them it 's permitted to every one yea and to the Christians themselves to offer them a thousand Affronts They are distinguish'd from other men by a Bonnet which they are oblig'd to wear and which ought to be black as also all the rest of their Clothes The Circuit of the City is about by the Walls The Compast three thousand four hundred Paces in which Inclosure there are sundry Mosques in which they make their Sala the principal of which is that which stands along by Yessall near to the Sea which they call The Great Mosque although it have not in it any thing remarkable more than the rest As to Inns they have none amongst them No Inns. so that the Turks and the Moors which come thither must of necessity lodge with some one of their Acquaintance But if there come thither any Free Christians or Merchants they cannot take Lodgings in the Houses of Turks but in those of the Jews they may who have their Quarters assign'd them apart in the City and amongst whom there be always some which keep Chambers to that purpose unless that such Merchants to be the more private do chuse rather to take an House in the City which is permitted them to do in what Quarter they like best But in stead of these Inns But Taverns and by whom they are kept there are a great number of Taverns and Tippling Houses which are not lawful to be kept by any save Christian Captives In these are ordinarily sold Bread Wine and Victuals of all kinds Thither flock the Turks and Renegates of all sorts there to make their Debauches And although the use of Wine be very strictly forbidden them by their Law yet they do not in the least scruple to violate it and there do very few Evenings pass in which you shall not see some one or more of them drunk who carry themselves to such Christians as they meet in that humor with insolence and often strike and most commonly wound them There are usually six Gates open and others shut The first is that of Babason which is towards the East In its Suburbs which is very small are wont to lodge the Merchant Moors and Arabs which bring Provisions to the City It was on this side that Charles the Fifth batter'd and besieg'd it There they put the Turks to death and you at all times see one or other that is there empal'd or gauched as they call it and set upon the Walls as we shall shew more at large by and by The second which they call Porto-novo is of the same side by which one passeth to Castello del Imperador The third is the Gate of the Alcassaw so call'd for that it is near unto that Palace which is as it were the Arcenal and Magazine wherein they keep all their Ammunition of War The fourth is that call'd Babalowetta which looks towards the West Before this Gate there is a place which these Barbarians have appointed for the putting of Christians to death many of which have and still do there receive the Crown of Martyrdom chusing rather to suffer all imaginable Torments than to renounce the Profession of the true God to embrace the Impieties of Mahomet And this is the onely place of the City where they are put to death Without this Gate is the Turks Cemetery or Burying-place which is about a League in Compass at the end of which inclining towards the Sea is that of the Jews and fast by that of the Christians which the Sea doth often wash with its Waves The fifth is the Porta della Mole so call'd for that it looks directly upon it This Mole is a great Mass of Stones in the Form of an Half-Moon the Breadth is about six or seven Paces and its Length above three hundred This egregious Structure giveth shape to the Port where there are usually above an hundred Vessels for Piracy and others It is so unsecure in Autumn and Winter by reason of an East and by North Winde that in the Year One thousand six hundred and nineteen there were twenty five Vessels rackt in one day This is also call'd the Porta della Dogana because that there the Customs are wont to be paid The sixth and last Gate is towards the Sea-side directly opposite to the Arsenal of the Shipping and is call'd in la Lingua Franca La Porta della Piscaderia Where it is to be noted that in some of these Gates there be always three or four Turks for a Guard with great staffs in their hands which they do not seldom lay upon the shoulders of the poor Slaves when they pass that way which they most commonly do in sport but out of a malicious fancy There are reckon'd at this day above an hundred Fountains in the City of Algier that have been erected within this twenty five years onely whereas before they had none but Cisterns A Morisco nam'd Padron Moussa of the Race of those who were expell'd Spain in the Year One thousand six hundred and ten and One thousand six hundred and eleven did make them by means of an Aquaeduct which was brought two Leagues from without the City 'T is easie to believe that this Work cost much Sweat and Toil to the poor Christian Slaves that wrought in the same without intermission during the most violent Heats as they daily do now in making the Mole of the Port. The Walls of the City are reasonable good part of Brick The Walls and part of Stone with square Towers and certain Bastions of which the best are towards the Babason Gate where there be deep Trenches and towards the Sea-side the Wall stands upon a Rock against which the Waves beat I come next to the Fortresses of the City which are a considerable number all built regularly according to the Art of Modern Fortifications ¶ THe first is on the East-side flanked at the top of a Mountain The Fortresses from
always speak in these Terms of high Preheminence WE the Great and Small the Puissant and Invincible Militia of Algier and of its whole Realm have Determined and Resolved But the better to understand what concerns this Militia I do think fit to speak of it first in particular untill we come to speak of its Divan and Government When I consider this Militia I fancy it to be like unto a Basilisk which Nature hath crowned for the King of Serpents but whose Looks are contagious and mortal Even so doth this Monster carry Death in its Eyes so dangerous is it to all those whom it intends to hurt and it is onely its violence that hath put the Crown upon its Head It consists of Twenty two thousand Men of which some are Natural Turks of the Levant and Sons of Turks which they call Couloys and the rest Renegadoes or Strangers or Natives of the Place There is a necessity of having always some Natural Turks to the end the Advantage may be equal betwixt them and the Renegadoes without either getting the Mastery of the other Nevertheless the Renegadoes cannot be Souldiers or receive Pay in the Militia unless they be free and franck that is unless they have found out some means to Redeem themselves or their Masters have conferred on them the Priviledge of Freedom which they sometimes do when they have been well Served or when they become Renegadoes at their solicitation for although a Christian Captive do take the Turban and turn Turk yet do they not cease to be Slaves unless he be freed by one of those ways But if it chance that there remain but few Natural Turks in this Militia either for that they are dead or for that they are return'd into their Native Countrey in such Case the new Bashaws which come from Constantinople bring others along with them or send for them into the Levant insomuch that in such Case they take the first that come and very often the poor Shepherds or such like which they train up to handle Arms. The Moors and Arabs can have no Office in this Militia thereby to prevent the suspicion that might arise lest that being Natives of the Place they should conspire under-hand together to expell thence the Turks and Renegadoes and assume the Soveraign Authority into their own hands Nor are the Morisks who were driven out of Spain admitted to that Priviledge And if there be occasion to Enroll a Man which is most commonly done onely in Algier it is the Custom to go and find out the Aga who is the Chief of the Militia or the Colonel or the General as also the Clerk to the Divan who do take the Names of those that are listed and instantly put them into Pay which is Four Doubles a Moneth Their Pay each Double being worth Ten Sols of French Money They have moreover each day Four Ammunition-Loaves but if they be Married as they may be they have no Bread but may dwell in the City with their Family This Pay is encreased a Double by the Moneth as often as those who receive it are found to be in the Field gathering the Lismes or Tributes of the Moors or that a new Bashaw doth come and as often likewise as any Male-Child is born unto the Grand Seignior And thus the said Pay mounteth until it come to Forty Doubles the Moneth but can never rise higher according to the present Establishment for any Officer whatever And this was Enacted some years since by reason there was not found Money enough to pay the whole Militia From this Militia are drawn forth all the Souldiers of the Garrisons which are dispersed in the Frontier Towns of the Kingdom which are changed every Six Moneths and are called the Pubes of which the Brigades are composed as hath been said above Now when the question is made about Arming a Pyrate-Ship amongst the other Souldiers there are constantly some of this Militia of which Three or four thousand remain in Algier for a Guard to the City and to serve upon the occasions that may arise As for their Quarter it is ordinarily in Nine great Houses which they call Casseria's where or elsewhere they may follow any Trade that they are skill'd in In which doubtless that which doth much encourage them is that the least among them may attain when time shall serve according to his order of reception to be the chief Commander of this Militia for they successively rise from Degree to Degree and from Office to Office until they come to the Quality of Aga nor can any Favour or other Consideration change this method And because it is impossible to understand this but by knowing the Degrees and Names of those Officers it is requisite that I here insert them beginning at the lowest and ascending to the highest From simple Souldiers and Janizaries who are called Oldachy's after a certain time as their turn comes they are made Biquelars otherwise Cooks to the Divan which is the first step to rise unto the great Offices following These Biquelars are those that in the Casseria's Garrisons Camps or Armies are to take care about providing Meat and Drink for the Officers and principal Commanders of this Militia From Biquelars and Caterers they come to be Odabachy's that is Corporals of Companies or Commanders of Squadrons of which the number of Souldiers is not limited for they consist sometimes of Ten and sometimes of Twenty These have Six Doubles a Moneth for Pay and expectation of having it augmented to them as we have said already and they wear for a mark of Honour a great Trayle of half a Foot broad which hangeth down their Backs above a Foot in length with two long Ostrich Feathers From the Charge of Odabachy's they rise to that of Boulouchbachy's or Captains which one may know by a piece of Copper Gilt which they wear upon their Turban in fashion of a Pyramid and a very high Plume From Boulouchbachy's or Captains they come to be Ajabachy's which are but Twenty four and are the chief of the Divan From the quality of Ajabachy's they ascend to that of Aga Commander or Colonel-General of all the Militia They can continue but two Moneths at the most in this Charge and sometimes they change five or six of them in a day when they are not judged capable thereof by the Divan insomuch that sometimes there have been Three in a quarter of an hour But let them be never so unfit for it yet nevertheless the have all the honour to have presided in the Divan although that sometimes they have not been Seated in the Chair of the Aga nor declared such and in that case the Bashaw is obliged to give each of them a Scarlet Vest After they have past the Dignity of Aga they hold the Quality of Mansulaga's that is to say they are such as our Veterans called by the Romans Emeriti Milites for they are after that no longer obliged to the Function of
a short Narrative Not many years since the Janizaries and other Souldiers in Pay to the number of six or seven thousand partly Turks and partly Renegado's intermixt with Moors combined together to bereave the Bashaw of his Command and leave him nothing but the Honour and the Office to pay the Janizaries in prosecution of which Design they set up a Divan or Council of State like that of Algier which undertook the Management of all matters of War This continued till the Year fifteen hundred twenty four when Kara Osman a Native Turk and Janizary and formerly a Shoemaker by Trade but very subtle and ambitious so won the hearts of the Janizaries by Artifices and Presents that they declared him their Chief giving him the Title of Dey so that thence-forward neither the Divan nor Bashaw himself durst conclude any thing but with the consent of the Dey and his Participants With the like absolute Authority have all Successive Deys governed although the Grand Seignior hath a Titular Bashaw there who is onely concern'd in the Revenue as we mention'd before Neither at present do these Deyes undertake or conclude any matter of Concernment till first communicated to the Divan The Divan or Council which is a select Councel of Officers chosen out of the Janizaries consisting of an Aga a Chya or Lieutenant twelve Odabaschi's four and twenty Bouloukbassen two Secretaries and six Chiauses These determine all Matters both Civil and Military but not till they have first heard the Opinion of the Dey whose single Vote though contrary to all their Judgements is conclusive and binding Subservient to these superior Ministers of State are many Cadies who judge of lesser Causes to the great ease both of the Dey and his Council After the Decease of one Dey another is chosen by the Divan The Janizaries here transact all Affairs as those in Algier being distinguisht neither by Commanders or Justice Out of whom are yearly chosen two Field-Commanders to gather in the Custom and Tributes of the Arabians and for the increase of their Strength some few Moors by the name of Zovaners are admitted into Pay ¶ ANd here we shall succinctly render an Account of the several Revolutions that have happen'd in the Government of this Kingdom After that the Arabians by the Name of Mahumetane Saracens had brought a great part of Africa and all Barbary under their Command and made Cairo in Egypt the Head-Seat of their Empire they sent hither Abelchit an African by Birth who being a man of an ambitious and daring spirit and having withall a Strength answerable thereto resolv'd to take upon him Sovereign Rule and accordingly settled his Court at Cairavan about thirty miles from Old Carthage Kaim then Caliph of Egypt having intelligence of this Revolt sent thither a strong Army whose timely Arrival smother'd the Enterprize in the birth though he had promis'd himself a more happy Fortune yet was he not discourag'd or disabled Tunis is a Kingdom but that he transmitted to Hibraim one of his Sons the perfecting his Design in part for he soon after laid the Foundation of a new Kingdom in Tunis there settling his Court and making it the Metropolis of his Dominion This Kingdom Hibraim and his Successors held a long time with much Felicity and Honor till Joseph King of Morocco made an Invasion upon it whose Successors tracing the steps of his begun Attempt never ceas'd till they got all for Habdul Mumen having gain'd Mahadia from the Christians in process of time wore out the Race of Abelchit and got the total Possession thereof governing it by Vice-Roys or Lieutenants It cometh under the Kings of Morocco without any notable molestation during his own Reign and his Son Joseph's and his Successors Jacob and Mansor But after the Death of Mahumeth Ennasir Son of Mansor and his Brother Joseph The Mutiny of the Arabians who was overthrown in Battel by the King of Telensin the Abelchittin Arabians took advantage to resettle themselves in the Command of Tunis laying a close Siege and often storming it so that the Lieutenant sent to the King of Morocco for Assistance protesting that without timely help the City must of necessity fall into their hands Hereupon the King sent a Fleet of twenty Ships for their Relief under the Command of his approv'd General Abdulhedi a Native of Sevil which so politickly plaid his Game that instead of fighting his Mutineers he overcame them by Gifts and Rewards bestow'd among them by his Masters consent They are stilled for which great and good piece of Service the King made him Vice-Roy and after his Death continu'd the same Honor to his Son Abu Zacharias a man of no less prudence and Conduct than his Father whose Son Abraham or Abu Ferez took it upon him as by Right of Succession and being very ambitious and proud would not acknowledge the King of Morocco for his Supream Lord Abu Ferez sets himself up to be King of Tunis but made himself an absolute and independent Prince and soon after having conquer'd Telensin and put the Inhabitants to pay Tribute he call'd himself King and Lord of Tunis or as others will have it of all Africa Which came to pass in the Year 1210. After him followed his Son Nutman Nutman his Son cometh in his place who was more unhappy than his Father receiving many great damages and affronts from the King of Fez. But Hakmen his Son call'd by Gramay Autmen and by others Hutmen restor'd again tose decays leaving for his Successor the unfortunate Abu Bark for he was scarce warm in his Royal Seat ere he was treacherously murder'd by one of his near Kinsmen named Yahaia who boasted himself the Son of Omar third Kaliff of the Saracens in Asia But Gramay contradicts this Story averring that Aben Ferez before his death divided his State between his three Sons giving to one Bugie to Hamar Numidia and to this Hutmen which he call'd Autmen or Hakmen Tunis who barbarously put out his brother Hamar's Eyes and deprived him of his Dominion which he annexed to his own however he held the Scepter forty years which he left as we said before Emmoiâ—n to his unfortunate Son Abu Bark murder'd by Yahaia whose Nephew Abdul Mumen meeting in a Pitch'd Field overcame and depos'd him holding the Throne many years yet at last basely slain however his Son Zacharias the Second took the Soveraignty but in a short time dyed of the Pestilence without any Issue Then succeeded Mahomet and lastly Muly Assez But Marmol saith that after the death of Hutmen the First the Benemerins Kings of Fez waged many Wars against Hutmen's Successors and that Abu Heman of Fez having beaten Bulabez of Tunis made him fly to Constantine but pursued thither was taken Prisoner and brought to Fez but afterwards set at liberty by Abu Celem and made a League with him by which those Kingdoms afterwards continued an Amity and Correspondence
Fields intended for Rice cutting down the Wood Bushes and Weeds laying all even and smooth The Ground thus prepared one goes before with the Seed which he sprinkles upon the Ground while others with crooked Iron-Rakes turn it under the Soyl. This commonly sprouts on the third day but then must be carefully lookt after to keep it from Birds which flock thither in great numbers but after it hath taken firm Root they mind it no farther nor have more trouble till grown ripe and fit for gathering In some places they are forced to Fence their Fields to keep out wild Beasts especially Buffles and Water-Elephants which else would rob them of all the fruits of their labors and the hopes of the ensuing Harvest The second Rice-planting is begun in April in the High-land The second Planting of Rice and at the time of the first Rains Those that are good Husbands and diligent may sowe Rice three times in one Summer the first in the Low-land the second in higher and the third in the highest Land every one a moneth after the other because they will not have all ripe at a time not being able then to get it in for it must be cut off ear by ear with great leasure The first Crop growing in low and moist places is cut off in the beginning of April the second in the higher Land in June and July the third in September or October Such as are wary save commonly good quantities against the next Seed-time whereas more lazy and careless persons that eat up all their store are compell'd to betake themselves to other places as to Hondo Gala or Gebbe where they buy it for Basons Kettles Cloathes or other things The Women Manure and Dig the Fields The Work of the Women and Sowe the Rice and the Men cut down the great Trees and clear the Bushes and sometimes help the Women in the rest to dispatch the sooner But the chiefest business wherein the Men employ themselves is Fishing Hunting and building of Houses for those Sports of Hunting and Fishing are free Hunting is free yet all sorts of Hunting is used not by all for the Hunting of Elephants and Buffles is dangerous and undertaken by such onely as will venture their lives for few escape mischief or death at one time or other The King hath for his proportion The Revenue of the King of Elephants and Buffles one out of two of Boars Harts and other wild Beasts a third part but Water-Elephants and Sea-Cows belong wholly to the King who bestows upon the taker a Present of Rice and Mille but yet less than a tenth part All people are bound to offer the best of the Fruits and Plants to Belly their Idol for Junanen that is for the health of the Souls of their deceased Friends and Parents ¶ THe Houses Houses and Villages or rather Huts are round so likewise the Villages and inclosed with Trees standing close together and with their Boughs Plashed and interwoven make a good Defence or Bulwark the Gates are low and so narrow that but one man can go through at a time the whole Inclosure shadowed with Bangoela that is Branches of Vine-Trees or Tomboe bound together so close that they are forc'd to make certain Holes therein to Shoot through which they can open and shut at pleasure At every of the Gates there is a Hut or moveable Turret fifteen or sixteen Foot high which they can carry in time of need and set in any fit place made as the Walls wherein always some exquisite Archers keep Guard and are as Sentinels both for discovery of the Enemies approach and to defend against their assaults In the middle of the Town lies an open Green to play in cross ways leading to the Gates are Streets between whose ends and the Tree-Wall round about is a passage to go from place to place The Towns thus fenced with Trees they call Sansiah but other unfenced Fonferah that is an open place so that properly we may term the former Cities and the later Villages or Hamlets Into these Fortifications the Countrey people also without restraint repair in time of need to secure their lives and what they have from depraedations and also by their Persons and Valour to defend their Abodes By vertue of an antient Law made by the Tribe of the Karous The Karous may not eat Fish with Scales nor Beef the Inhabitants are prohibited to eat Beef or Fish with Scales which they observe very strictly believing that if they should break it they should either instantly die receive some remarkable judgement or else fall into phrensie The people in general are very libidinous The Lustfulness of the Inhabitants but their ability answers not their desire however such their too frequent actions and dealing with variety of Women draws upon them no small inconveniences Nor do the Women fall short of the men in their Unchastity wholly giving themselves up to Venerial Exercises and as if continually troubled with a Furor Uterinus at all times chaw and eat such Herbs and Barks of Trees as are the greatest Incentives to heighten their desires to almost hourly Congresses Both Men and Women are much inclin'd to drink Brandy yet they will not give Elephants Teeth in exchange for it but onely barter Provisions of Victuals They are courteous one among another holding firmly together They are gentle and courteous helping each other upon all occasions Whatever any wants wherewith his own store or penury cannot furnish him his friends and acquaintance supply freely They shew great Friendship to one another in Gifts of Clothes and sometimes of Slaves and in House-keeping live as it were in common every one participating of the others Diet without grudging None appears or makes any address to the King empty-handed insomuch that all Merchant-strangers having any occasion to speak to him make their way by Presents some few of the baser sort will steal from Strangers but yet be just among their own Countreymen they neither swear curse nor quarrel but have a natural antipathy against those that cause Bloudshed amongst their Neighbours There are found many among them which can work strange effects with Herbs Powders Characters and Figures They understand Sorcery very much and some Diabolically mischievous whom they enstile Savah-Monou that is Poisoners and Bloud-suckers because in the absence of any person they can fetch out his bloud and bring him by that means into a Malady They have amongst them another sort of people call'd Senearts that by Incantations and Charms can mischief a Childe spoil Rice and Plants and do other prestigious Facts This particular Art they call Pilly but all the rest Sovach-Monousin all which though so much practis'd yet if any Complaint be made against the users thereof they are punish'd with great severity and sometimes with Death ¶ THe Word Sovach signifies an Evil Imagination The signification of the word Sovach Atra-biliary Sadness or Melancholy
to carry their goods from place to place to save other extraordinary charge of carriage The Roads from Lovango to Pombo Sondy Monsel Great Mokoko and other places are much infested by the Jages so that it is dangerous for Merchants to travel that way though they usually go in whole Troops under a chief Commander that is very faithful to them But for the obtaining of free Trade in Lovango the Whites must continually give presents to the King and his Mother the Queen and two Noblemen appointed Overseers of the Factory call'd Manikes and Manikinga and several others In Trading the Blacks of Lovango use their own Language yet some Fishermen on the Shore speak broken Portuguese and there commonly serve as Brokers between the Buyers and Sellers as in Europe The King of Lovango hath several eminent Councellors Government with whom he advises in matters of State Entituled Mani-Bomme Mani-Mambo Mani-Beloor and Mani-Belullo Mani-Kinga Mani-Matta and others The first or Mani-Bomme which is as much as Lord Admiral hath under his Jurisdiction Lovangiri and is indeed the most eminent of all the rest The second Mani-Mamba supervises Lovangomongo but not alone for he hath generally two or three joyn'd with him in Commission The third Mani-Beloor is chief Superintendent over Chilongo and besides that Charge hath the Office of Searcher over the Dockies or Sorcerers and takes care of such as fall under the Bondes The great Province of Chilongatiamokango as free Lord he rules without acknowledging any subjection to the King Mani-Kinga is Lord Lieutenant of Piri and Mani-Matta Captain of the Guard for Matta signifies a Bowe and Mani a Prince The King for the better managing of his weighty affairs hath several other inferior Officers as Manidonga Governor of Pattovey to Guard the King's Wives two Manaenders that is Butlers to the King in the day and two other for the night Moeton Ambamma servant of the great Captain Bamma with a multitude of others Besides all these the great Butler bears no small sway his title Mabonde-Lovango that is Upper Butler of Lovango for he takes care of all Vyands and hath four other under him whereof as we said two in the day time when the King is in the Wine-House and two in the evening perform their service and lastly every division of the Countrey hath a particular Nobleman appointed by the King as we in Hundreds have Justices of the Peace The King of Lovango hath the repute of a potent Lord The Power of the King being able to bring numerous Armies into the Field and that not so much respected as dreaded by the Kings of Calongo and Goy yet he liveth in friendship with them and holds good correspondency with those of Angola his Jurisdiction extends into the Countrey Eastward almost as far as on the Sea Coast being known by the general name of Mourisse and Manilovango The administration of Justice and punishing of Vice Justice seems to be according to the Law of Retaliation for Theft is not punish'd by Death except it be against the King but when they take a Thief either in the very act or afterwards the things stoln must be made good by him or his Friends and the Thief bound expos'd for a scorn and derision of every one in the midst of the Street If any be found Guilty whose miserable poverty affords no means of satisfaction then may the offended seek remedy every man of the Tribe or Generation whereof he was and make them work for him till he receive the full recompence of his losses The King hath by the report of the Blacks near seven thousand Wives The King hath many Wives for after the decease of one King his Successor keeps all his Wives and brings also many besides to them These Wives are kept in no great respect for they must work no less than other women Some few of them he selects for his Amours and with them spends much time the other he shuts up as Nunns in Cloysters When one of these proves with Child one must drink Bonde for her to know whether this Woman hath had to do with any other besides the King Now if the Man who hath so drank be well they judge the Woman upright but if the Man falls she is condemn'd and burnt and the Adulterer buried alive The King as supream Governor A Mother is appropriated for the King appropriates to himself one to be as a Mother a grave Matron and of good and try'd experience which they call Makonda whom he reverences with more honour than his own natural Mother This Makonda hath a great prerogative and priviledge to do good offices both to the Nobility and common People that fall into the dis-favour of the King who is necessitated in all weighty affairs to use her Counsel for she hath such authority Her Authority that if the King provokes her any way and doth not grant her Suit speedily she may take away his life Besides she takes the advantage without any daring to controll her to satiate her unruly appetite as often and with whom she pleases and whatever Children she hath by such means bears all the same repute that proceeds of the Royal Race but if her Gallants meddle with other Women they are by authority of the Law punished with Death so that these accounted felicities carry with them their infortune and if they imagine themselves detected they have no way to preserve their Lives but by flight When the King dies The Inheritance of the Crown his Children succeed not but the Crown devolves to his eldest Brother and for want of Brothers to his Sisters Children Such as may pretend any right to the Crown have their Dwellings in several Cities and Towns and as they come nearer to the Government the nigher they draw towards Lovango now so soon as the King dies the Lord which dwelleth in the next Town of all cometh to the Dominion and he that dwelleth nearest to him supplieth his place again and so on to the last with this Proviso that they must be of Noble Blood by the Mothers side Mani-Kay the first Successor to the Throne dwelleth in a great City call'd Kay about a mile and a half North North-West from Lovango Mani-Bocke the second dwelleth in a Town four or five miles up into the Countrey call'd Bocke Mani-Cellage the third resides in a pretty large Town by Name Cellage ten or twelve miles Northward of Lovango Mani-Katt the fourth remains in the Village about fifteen miles from Lovango Mani-Injami the fifth holds his Seat in a Hamlet call'd Injami Southwards towards Calongo After the Decease of the old King Mani-Kay succeeded and Mani-Bocke came again in his place and every one follows his Lot The King 's youngest Brother hath his Mansion in Chilasia and from thence comes to Bocke upon the first Vacancy and if he hath a Child by his Wife and have offer'd Sacrifice to their Cares or banish'd Gods removes
to Kay the next place to the Royal Seat After the decease of the Mani-Kay immediately enters upon the Government yet comes not presently into the Court but continues near six Moneths in his own City till all Ceremonies of the Burial be perform'd The word Mani signifies Lord or Prince and is the greatest Title of Honour or Expression which they give one among another the King himself hath the Title of Mani-Lovango which signifies Prince of Lovango as Nani-Kay also signifies Lord of Kay Mani-Bocke Lord of Bocke The King and his Brothers are commonly jealous one of another for if any one of them happen to be sick they presently suspect State-policy The King commonly wears Cloth or Stuff which the Portuguese The King's Cloathing or other Whites bring to them The King and great Noble-men have on their left Arm the Skin of a wild Cat sew'd together with one end stuffed round and stiff The King hath peculiar Orders and Customs in Eating and Drinking Customs of the King 's in Eating and Drinking for which he keeps two several Houses one to eat in and the other to drink in and although he hath many Houses yet by vertue of this Custom he may use no other He makes two Meals a day the first in the Morning about ten a Clock where his Meat is brought in cover'd Baskets near which a Man goes with a great Bell to give notice to every one of the coming of the Kings Dishes whereupon the King so soon as he is acquainted with it leaves the Company he is withall and goes thither But the Servitors go all away because none He that sâ—â—s the King Eat must die neither Man or Beast may see him eat but it must die and therefore he eats with his Doors shut How strictly they observe this Custom appears by the ensuing relation A Portuguese of Lovango named St. Paulo lying in Angola to Trade had presented the King with a brave Dog which for his faithfulness he loved very much This Dog not so strictly look'd to by his Keeper while the King was eating ran smelling and seeking after his Master whom he missed and came at length without any body 's minding him to the Door which with his Nose he thrust open and went to the King whom he saw eating but the King caused his Servants instantly with a Rope to put the Dog to death for be it Man or Child Mouse Cat or Dog or any other living Creature that hath seen the King eat if it can be gotten it escapes not death It happened that a Noble-man's Child about seven or eight years old who was with his Father in the King's Banquetting-house fell asleep and when the King was drinking awaked whereupon it was instantly sentenc'd to die with a reprieve only for six or seven days at the Fathers request that time elapsed the Child was struck upon the Nose with a Smiths Hammer and the blood dropped upon the King's Makisies and then with a Cord about his Neck was dragg'd upon the Ground to a broad Way to which Malefactors are drawn which cannot bear the trial of the Bonde When the King hath done eating he goes accompanied in State with the Nobility Officers and common People to his Banquetting-house the greatest and most sumptuous Structure in all his Court scituate on a Plain fenced with Palm-Tree Boughs wherein the most difficult causes of difference are decided and determin'd in his presence This House stands with the fore-side open The King's Banquetting-house to receive all advantages of the Air about twenty Foot backward is a Skreen or Partition made cross one side eight Foot broad and twelve Foot long where they keep the Palm-Wine to preserve it from the sight of the People This Partition hath Hangings from the top to the bottom of fine Wrought Tufted or Quilted Leaves call'd by them Kumbel close to which appears a Tial or Throne made with very fine little Pillars of white and black Palmito-Branches artificially Wrought in the manner of Basket-work The Throne holds in length The Royal Throne a Man's Fathom in heighth a Foot and a half and in breadth two Foot on each side stand two great Baskets of the same work made of red and black Wicker wherein as the Blacks say the King keeps some familiar Spirits for the Guard of his Person next him sit on each side a Cup-bearer he on the right hand reaches him the Cup when he is minded to drink but the other on the left onely gives warning to the People to that end holding in his hands two Iron Rods about the bigness of a Finger and pointed at the end which he strikes one against another at which sound the People who are commonly as well within the House as without with all speed groveling into the Sand with their Faces and continue in that posture so long as the same Irons continue the voyce or signal that is till he hath done drinking and then they rise up again and according to custom signifie that they wish him health with clapping their hands which they hold for as great an honour as with us in Europe the putting off the Hat Now as none may see the King Eat or Drink without bazard of death None may see the King 〈◊〉 so no Subject may drink in his presence but must turn his Back towards him But the King drinks here seldom except for fashion-sake and then not till about six a Clock in the Evening or half an hour later if any difficult controversie hath been in debate but sometimes he goes thence at four and recreates himself among the Wines About an hour after Sun-set he comes the second time to the aforemention'd Place to Eat where again as before his Meal is made ready After which he visits his Banquetting-house again where he remains for about nine hours sometimes not so long as he finds himself dispos'd or indispos'd In the night one or two Torches are carried before him to Light him None may drink out of his Cup besides himself nor any eat of the Food he hath tasted but the remainder must be buried in the Earth The Stool or Seat whereon he then sits stands raised upon a Foot-pace The King's Seat dressed with white and black Wickers very artificially Woven and other sorts of curious adornings behind his Back hangs on a Pole a Shield cover'd with divers party-colour'd Stuffs brought out of Europe Near him stand also six or eight Fanns by them call'd Pos or Mani Fanne and containing in length and breadth half a Fathom at the upper end of a long Stick which runs through the middle of it having a round Brim in form of a half Globe fasten'd interwoven with little Horns and with white and black Parrots Feathers between Those Fanns certain People which the King keeps for that purpose move with great force which agitating the Air causes a refreshing and pleasant coolness Before the King's Seat lieth spread a
be brought before him whom they bind to the Tree and very severely whip all over his Body that the Blood runs down to his Feet After this being turned with his Face towards the King a sort of Gum or Rozin melted in a Pot is poured over his naked Body from his Neck running down upon his Breast so that the Skin immediately peels off then they let him loose and give him some Meat wherewith a little refresh'd they tie him again Neck and Heels and so leave him three days And lastly after the enduring all this pain he is sometimes banish'd and thrust from their Society When any are found in Fornication Incest the Parents force them to Marry immediately if they have a competency of Estate But if that cannot be effected then they wait to know if the Woman be with Child and then they enforce a Conjunction though the Person be so mean that he cannot maintain a Wife When any Person Rich or Poor is discover'd to have committed Incest they believe such People cannot be punished enough because they say it is an unpardonable offence and this from the meer Light of Nature And therefore they punish the Transgressors with death the manner this First of all the Man hath his Hands and his Feet drawn together with a Cord How they are punish'd and so put into a Tub till the next day and the Woman set by it The second day they take him out and so Manacled set him under a Tree fastning his Head to a strong Bough which one pulls and holds down then they cut off one Member after another Afterwards they let the Bough spring up again with the mangled Body upon it for a Spectacle to other Evil-doers The Man thus dead they bring forth the Woman whom bound round about with many dry Shrub-Bavins her Hands and Feet tied fast together they set Fire to the Bushes and so burn her to Ashes A little above five years ago it hapned that a certain Person a great Friend and Acquaintance of the Coehques or King of the Saldanhars committed Incest yet for all that without respect to his Person he did Justice upon him If any Man of Wealth and Quality Punishment for killing and wounding or reputed Wise through fury or rage stab or wound another to death they take him and beat his Brains out against a Tree and put him into the Grave with the murdered Person for they say Such a Person being endued with more Understanding ought to know better and to give a good Example to others Whereas on the other side poor simple People are permitted to ransom their Lives by a Payment of Cattel Some for Offences which deserve Death have their Knees nail'd through and an Iron Pin fast driven into each Shoulder so dying a lingring death They live like the Arabians Their Houses in the Fields in Huts made of slender crooked Poles set round and cover'd with Bulrush-Mats Some of these are so large that conveniently ten or twenty Men with Women and Children may dwell in one of them though others are much less and some so small that they can take them up and run away with them The Fire-place lieth in the midst of the House but they make no Funnels to carry up the Smoke They kindle Fire with an excellent dexterity by rubbing one little hollowed Stick upon another very hard for a great space All these Hottentots speak one and the same Language Language which for the difficulty of the pronunciation cannot be learn'd to the great retarding and hinderance of further Discoveries In all Discourse they cluck like a Broody Hen seeming to cackle at every other Word So that their Mouths are almost like a Rattle or Clapper smacking and making a great noise with their Tongues Some words they know not how to utter but with very much ado and they seem as if they fetch'd it out behind at the bottom of their Throats and as the People in Savoy that live near the Alps who by drinking Snow-water have great Crops or Swellings under their Chins Brokwa in their Language signifies Bread Kahou denotes to sit down Bou is an Ox Ba a Sheep and Kori Iron But now many of them which dwell close to the Fort of Good Hope by daily Converse with the Netherlanders speak Dutch as some who have been with the English in Bantam stammer some broken English They have no inclination to Trading Trade neither hold they any Correspondence with Foreign People iron and Copper were the onely Commodities desired by them the former for Arms the other for Ornament both which they so esteemed that in a Voyage to the Indies in the year Fifteen hundred ninety five the Dutch had in Barter with these People for a Cutting-knife a fair Ox for a Bar of Iron of seventy pounds broken into five pieces two Oxen and three Sheep for one Hook-knife one Bill one Ax one short Iron Bolt and some pieces of Iron three Oxen and five Sheep and for a Knife one Sheep But at this day grown wiser by Converse and the abundance of Commodities carried thither they prize their Cattel at a much higher rate and their former fair dealing is not now found amongst them Tobacco Brandy and Copper they chiefly desire at present but the yellower the better So that for four pieces of Copper as big as the Palm of ones Hand and a piece of Tobacco they usually buy two Cows Some of these People have Elective others Successive Kings or Governors Government but all their Powers not able to make above four or five thousand Men and those living dispersedly in several Plantations far distant from each other Religion is an absolute stranger among all these Salvages Religion insomuch that they never worshipped either God or Devil yet they say and believe there is a Divine Power which they call Humma which causeth Rain Winds Heat and Cold but will not worship him because he sends sometimes too much Heat and Drowth and another time an overflux of Rain contrary to their desires Secondly They imagine that they can stop the Rain and allay the Wind at their pleasure First To cause Rain to cease they lay a small Cole of Fire on a Chip in a little Hole digged in the Ground and upon that Hole they lay a Lock of Hair pull'd from their Heads and cover up the Hole with Sand when the Hair begins to stink then they make Water upon it and so run away shrieking To lay the Winds they hold one of the greasiest Skins upon a long Stick aloft in the Air till the Wind has blown down the Skin and then vainly think the power of the Wind smothered thereby When the New Moon begins first to be discerned they commonly in great Companies turn themselves towards it and spend the whole night in great joy with Dancing Singing and Clapping of Hands They have a Musical Instrument made with a String like a Bowe and a
in the Tartarian Tongue A Kingdom full of Mountains and Desarts contains Tartary Scythia and the Countreys of Gog and Magog Now Cathay is divided into the greater and the less Great Cathay spreads through an unfrequented Tract of Land namely from the Mountain Caucasus between that side of the Icy Sea and the Mountains of China to the Indian Sea whereas some will have it joyn at the out-lying Point of America But Little Cathay is that Countrey which borders on North-China commonly call'd Thebes In all this far spreading Countrey of Cathay one may see that this supposed most mighty Emperor Prester-John had the Dominion over seventy two Kingdoms partly Christians and partly Heathens though by the great numbers of Kingdoms he hath gotten many Names to the great distraction both of Historians and Geographers For some make him to be one and the same with the great Cham others call him Ashid some with the Abyssines call him Juchanes Belul that is Precious John Some as Godignus with no improbable Reasons will have it that by his Subjects for their high esteem of the Prophet Jonas he is call'd Joanne a Name common to all those that ever did possess this Kingdom though in these Western Parts he is commonly call'd by the Latin Churches Joannes with the additional surname of Prester not that he ever was a Priest but because according to the Custom of the Arch-bishop in the time of Peace had a Cross carried before him at his going out but ontring upon the Wars two Cross-bearers went before him the one with a Cross of Gold and the other with a Cross beset with Precious Stones for a token of his defending the Worship of God for which reason Scaliger derives his Name from the Persian Word Prestigiani which signifieth Apostolick which the Europeans understanding amiss call'd him in stead of Prestigiani Prester-John Many years did this Kingdom of Prester-John flourish in Asia till it fell to one David who by one of his supreme Commanders call'd Cinge chosen Emperor by the Army and the Scythians who in stead of Prester styl'd him Uncam In the Year Eleven hundred seventy eight it was overcome in Battel whereby the glory of this Empire and the Name of Prester-John came in effect to an end to the great loss and prejudice of Christendom But by what mistake the Name of Prester-John came to the Emperor of Abyssine we will in brief declare When the Portuguese with their Fleets were busie in discovering strange Countreys there was a great noyse through all Europe of Prester-John and his Excellency reported a most powerful Emperor Lord of many Kings and of the Christian Religion but unknown in what place he had his abode For which cause when Pike Kovillan sent by John the second King of Portugal first over the Mediterranean Sea and afterwards by Land to seek out this Prince coming into India and hearing that in Abyssine or that Ethiopia which lieth below Egypt was a great and powerful Prince who professed the Christian Religion he went thither and finding many things in him which was reported of the true Prester-John he took him for the same Person and was the first that call'd him by that Name which others that went the ensuing year into Abyssine follow'd and so easily brought the mistake into Europe the Emperor of Abyssine being ever since call'd Prester-John Yet Damianus a Goez in his Book of the Nature and Customs of the Abyssines positively denies that the King of Abyssine was ever call'd Prester-John so that in truth that Name properly belongs to the foremention'd Prince of Asia But seeing that Custom hath almost made it a Law and the Kingdom of Prester-John in Asia already overwhelm'd the Name of Prester-John may conveniently be applied and fixed upon the Abyssine King of Africa professing the Christian Religion Every Substitute Kingdom as Tigre Gambea Goiame Amara Narea hath a Deputy to Rule it in the Name of the Emperor and the like hath every Territory Besides the Vice-Roy of Tigre bears the Title Tigra Mahon and must always be of the Royal Stock Him of the Countrey next to the Red Sea they stile Barnagas that is King of the Sea not that he properly Commands over the Countreys by the Sea for they are under the Turks but because the Countrey over which he Commands lieth nearer to Sea than any other part of Tigre He hath his abode most in the City Barva or Debaroa and winneth great Respect as well among his own People as Strangers The Government of the Kingdom is administred with Discretion and Justice which hath advanced the honor of the King both at home and abroad The Judges shew great severity in punishing Offenders according to the several qualities of their Crimes viz. such as shrink from the right and true Faith and change their Opinion the People stone to death but those which totally Apostatize or blaspeme God and the Ghost are publickly burn'd alive Murderers they deliver to the nearest Relations of the Murthered to revenge themselves on him according to their pleasure Thieves have their Eyes put out and afterwards by Judgment are appointed for Slaves of the Empire and given to the Guides with whom they may go all the Countrey over to earn their Living by Singing and Playing on Instruments but with this Proviso not to stay above one day in a place upon penalty of losing their lives Other small Offences they punish with Whipping In the Succession of the Crown the eldest takes place after the Father but for want of Issue-male the most worthy Person of the next in Blood is chosen Others affirm that Seniority creates no Claim but that the Crown falls to him whom the Father makes choice of on his Death-bed but that seems improbable because the intended Successor lives at large in the Courts whereas the rest are kept on the Mountain Amara and if he die another whom the greatest at the Court do judge fittest for the Crown is sent for out The great and famous Island Meroe lies divided between three Kings which oftentimes War with one another the first is a Mahumetan Moor the second an Idolater descended from the Blood of the right Ethiopians the third a Christian Abyssine and acknowledges that King for his Lord. The first King of Ethiopia or Abyssinie The Order or List of the Kings of Abyssine whereof we have certain knowledge by the information of holy Scripture was Chus the Son of Cham who took possession thereof immediately after the Flood six other Kings following him whose Names and the time of their Reign remains unknown But when the Royal Seat was planted in the City Axum where it remained till the coming in of Christ they began to keep a Chronological Register but was afterwards transplanted to Sceva or Saba The Kings that Reigned in Axum and Saba are set down to the number of a hundred fifty eight by the following order  Years Arue Reigned 400 Agabo his Father a Murtherer