Richard a small Pinnasse of about twentie Tuns which tooke a Portugall Ship supposed of two hundred and fiftie that hauing about fourteene men and boyes this two hundred and fiftie These and other fights with them and more vnfortunate with the Dutch in those parts I haue deliuered at large in my Pilgrims or Bookes of Voyages which now together with this commeth to the publike view of the World §. V. Of the Trauels of diuers English-men in the Mogols Dominions OF the Trauells of Master Fitch in these parts wee haue alreadie spoken and of Captaine Hawkins In the yeere 1609. the Ascension by wilfulnesse of the Master as is reported foundred in the Sea twentie leagues from shoare which yet they attained being fiue and fiftie persons in the Riuer of Gandeuee from whence they trauelled twelue Course or eighteene Miles to Sabay and twelue Course more to Surrat from thence to Daytaotote which Citie hee saith could not bee conquered by the Mogol and yeelded vpon composition hauing still a Banyan King Sixe and twentie Course further is Netherbery a great Basar or Market of Brazen wares Armour and Beasts Eight and twentie Course beyond is the Towne Saddisee on the Riuer Tyndee which runs to Surrat and diuideth the Bannians and Guzurats Thence they trauelled twelue Course to a Monasterie and the next day came to Bramport where the Great Generall called Can Cannawe liueth who on the twelfth of October returned from the Warres with fifteene hundred Elephants thirtie thousand Horses ten thousand Camels three thousand Dromedaries This Citie is farre bigger then London of great Trade and faire From hence they went fifteene Courses to Caddor fourteene to Sawbon and thence with the Carauan many daies leauing which they ioyned with a Can of the Countrey bound for Agra trauelling sixe daies through a Desart wherein are store of wild Elephants Lions Tygres Cat of Mountaines Porpentines and other wild Beasts innumerable but these they saw and were forced to make fires in the nights about their Tents to guard them These Desarts are a hundred Course long each Course being a mile and halfe They had in their way after they were past this Desart the Citie Handee where the King hath a Castle and House cut out of the maine Rock and wrought with carued worke round about in it fiftie Peeces of Ordnance a Fort impregnable and made a Prison for great Men. Heere were also two Hospitals for Captaines maymed in the Warres The next day they came to Tamlico which runneth into Indus and two daies after to Agra He tells of Elephants fighting before the Mogol parted with Rackets of wilde fire made round like hoopes which they runne in their faces some fight with wild Horses sixe Horses to an Elephant which he kills with clasping his trunke about their necks and pulling them to him breakes their necks with his teeth Hee hath also Deere Rams Veruathoes or Bezors Lyons Leopards Wolues that fight before him Condemned persons may craue the combate with the Lyon one he saw that at the first encounter felled the Lyon with his Fist but was soone torne in pieces before the King Hee saw also Allegators or Crocodiles kept in Ponds for like purpose one of which killed two stoned Horses at one time There are foure great Markets euery day where things are very cheape a Hen for two pence a Sheepe for two shillings a good Hog sold by the Bannians for two shillings and other things proportionable They craued the Kings Passe for England who granting it vnder his Hand and Seale the Secretary went with them to the Third Queene of which he is said to haue ten and a thousand Concubines and two hundred Eunuchs which was Keeper of the Great Seale Hence they passed fiue in number to Fetterbarre twelue Course and twelue more to Bianie which is the chiefe Place for Indico in all the Indies where are twelue Indico Mills Indico growes on small bushes like Goose-berry bushes and beares a seed like a cabbage-Cabadge-seed and being cut downe lies on heapes for halfe a yeere to rot and then brought into a Vault to bee trodden with Oxen from the stalkes and so is grownd fine at the Mils and lastly boyled in Fornaces refined and sorted the best there worth eight pence a pound Thence they passed to Hendown fiue and twentie Course an ancient faire Citie to Mogol a small Market Towne fourteene to Halstot twelue to Chatsoe twelue to Ladanna twelue to Mosabad eight to Bandason twelue Thence to Paddar a Riuer that runnes into the Persian Gulfe and parts the Indostans and Hendownes Twentie Course beyond Roree Buckar and Suckar in the Riuer of Damiadee which runnes into the same Sea At Buckar lyes Allee Can Vice-Roy of the Bulloches a stubborne People this Towne stands like an Iland in the Riuer Sucker is a clothing Towne the first of the Bulloches and Roree the last of the Moltans which are Mahumetans Here they staid foure and twentie daies for a Califa or Carauan a great company of Merchants trauelling together because the Countrey was full of Theeues Seuenteene Course from Sucker is Gorra a Towne of the Bullochees which he saith worship the Sunne and are Man-eaters of Gyant-like proportion Notry ten Course the last Towne of the Bullochees the next Puttans Here for their entertainment Aprill the first 1610. they were beset with Theeues twelue Fiddlers first meeting them but their Musicke cost deere by bribes and composition the Mogols passe hindering further outrage Seuenteene Course they trauelled to Daddor foure and thirtie ouer the Mountaines to Vachesto from thence seuen and fiftie ouer the Mountaines to Candahar a great Citie of the Puttans where Sauder Can resided as Vice-Roy where are continually seuen or eight thousand Camels occupied in Trade to and fro The Gouernour hath fortie thousand Horses in redinesse for Warre Richard Still and Iohn Crowther were lately sent from Azmere Asimere or Agimere where the Mogoll now resides to Spahan in Persia to obtaine Trade for the English by Sir Robert Sherlies meanes which was effected They passed by the way of Lahore and therefore I would desire You to beare Them company for better knowledge of the Countrey Their way was first towards Agra and Fetipore which is a faire Citie and hath in it a goodly House of the Kings built by Echebar with many spacious Gardens now it goes to ruine much of the stone carried to Agra much ground sowne within the Wals April the ninth 1614. they came to Dillee a very great and ancient Citie where many Kings lye buried and as some say the Rites of Coronation are still solemnized many Nobles and Captaines haue their Houses of Pleasure and their Sepulchres the vulgar sort beggarly most Banians On the seuenteenth they came to Sinan an ancient Citie On the one and twentieth to the old Citie Sultan poare Sixe Courses from it they passed a Riuer as broad as the Thames called Viau which runnes West into Sinda
red colour which in the ripening becommeth yellow Cardamomum is of three sorts the Indians vse it in their meates and commonly chew it in their mouthes as being good against a stinking breath and euill humours in the head it is much like to Panike Lac is a strange drugge made by certaine winged Pismires of the gumme of Trees which they sucke vp and then make the Lac round about the branches as the Bees make honey and waxe The raw Lac is of a darke red colour but being refined they make it of all colours and therewith vernish their Beds Tables and vse it for other ornaments and for hard Waxe So saith Paludanus they beate the Lac to powder and so mixe all manner of colours vpon it as they list and make thereof such rolles as are heere sold for hard Waxe Iudico or Annil growes on small bushes like Gooseberry bushes and beares a Seed like a Cabbage as is before obserued cut vp and after long rotting trodden by Oxen and ground Linschoten sayth it is sowne as other Herbs in due time pulled and dryed and then made wet and beaten and then dryed againe and prepared first it is greene and after blue Of Sanders there are three sorts white yellow and red In Tymor an Iland by Iaua are whole Woods of Sanders the trees are like Nut-trees with a fruit like a Cherry but vnprofitable onely the wood which is the Sanders is esteemed Snakewood groweth in Seylon and is good against the stinging of Snakes and other poyson a Medicine learned of the beast Quit which being in continuall enmity with Snakes herewith healeth their bytings The trees of Lignum Aloes are like Oliue trees but somewhat greater the innermost part of the wood is best with blacke and browne veines and yeelding an Oyly moysture it is sold in weight against Siluer and Gold There is another kinde wherewith they burne their dead Bramenes The best which they call Calamba growes in Malacea and is vsed much for Beads and Crucifixes Monfart sayth the Portugals pay a hundred Crownes a pound for it to make their Beades Opium is the Iuyce of the heads of blacke Poppie beeing cut a dangerous drugge vsed much in Asia and Africa which makes them goe as if they were halfe asleepe they suppose I know not what coniunction and efficacy both of Mars and Venus therein but being once vsed must daily be continued on paine of death which some escaped in Acostaes company by the helpe of wine Bangue is another Receit of like vse especially with slaues and souldiers makes them drunke merry and so to forget then labour Ciuet or Algalia is the sweate of the Ciuet Cat and growes in the outermost part of the Cods and is hote and moyst Benioin is a kind of Gumme like Frankinscence and Myrrhe but more esteemed it growes in the Kingdome of Siam Iaua Sumatra and Malacca The tree is high full of branches with leaues like those of the Lemmon tree They cut the tree and from those slits proceedeth this Gumme which is best when the tree is young and is called Benioin of the sweete smell The old trees yeeld white the young blacke Of Frankincense wee haue spoken in Arabia it is also a Gum the best on those trees that grow on hils and stony places Myrrhe is a Gumme also brought out of Arabia Foelix and the Abexine Coast Manna is brought from the Vsbeks Countrey behind Persia and reckoned to Tartarâ—â—â—â—â—d â—â—d is a dew that falleth on certaine trees and hangeth on the leaues like Ice on the Tyles of houses It is gathered and kept in glasse Vials and much vsed in India Camphora is the Gumme of certaine trees in Borneo and China as great as Nut-trees sweating out from the midst of the same Tamarind groweth on a tree as great as a Plum-tree with leaues like Mirtle the flowers white like Orange flowers The leaues of the tree turne alwayes toward the Sunne and when it goeth downe they shut together and couer the huske The fruit is about a finger long crooked with shels wherein are kernels as bigge as a beane couered about with that which they call the Tamarind Of Mirobolanes are fiue sorts almost like Plummes Spiconard is sowne and growes on plants about two or three spannes high like Corne with great veines wherein the Spiconard groweth Cubebus growes like Pepper or Iuy against a tree the leaues like Pepper leaues and the huskes but euery graine hath a stalke of it selfe But if I should here recite the Indian Leafe the Galanga Canna Fistula with the rest I should tire the Reader with an Apothecaries Bill These as the rarest or chiefe I haue chosen so as it were to recreate our Reader with a walke and houres view in this Indian Garden being before full cloyed with our tedious Narrations of their Superstitions I might adde heere a Discourse of Gemmes as Diamonds Rubies Emeralds c. But it becommeth not my pouerty to talke so much of Iewels Monfart tels that the King of Biznega hath a Rock of Diamonds in which he keepes fifteene thousand men at worke reseruing all the greater to himselfe so that none are sold but smaller except by stealth Hee sayth hee saw one with the Great Mogoll as bigge as a Henne Egge purloyned from this King and cost the other little lesse then a Million It waygheth foure score and eighteene Mangelins euery Mangelin fiue graines The Bezar-stones are likewise taken out of the Maw of a Persian or Indian Goat which the Persians call Pazar And in the Countrey of Pan by Malacca they finde within the Gall of an Hogge a stone of greater force against Poyson and other Diseases then that Pazar-stone It is thought that these Stones doe proceede of the pasture whereon these Beastes feede The Amber is found as well in other places as in India Garcias thinkes it to bee the nature of the Soyle as Chalke Bole-armenike c. and not the Seed of the Whale or issuing from some Fountayne in the Sea as others hold Clusius tels a probable opinion of D. Marel that it was an excrement gathered in the Whales belly But of these and of inumerable other both sensitiue and vegetable creatures the Reader in our Pilgrims or Voyages now published may obserue from others eyes much more then here is place to expresse CHAP. XIII A generall discourse of the Sea and of the Seas in and about Asia §. I. Of the true place forme greatnesse and depth of the Sea AFter our long perambulation of the Asian Continent the Sea inuironing doth sollicite our next endeuours that the Reader might there refresh his wearied sense with a new succession of Natures varieties and Humane vanities And first while our Barke be made readie to ship vs ouer to some of those Ilands let vs as it were on the shore take view of this so strong so weake so constant and
dayes there to abide without any sustenance but when this time was expired and some wondered one more nose-wise then the rest smelled the sent of flesh the Sultan hearing it committed him and his disciple to the Cadilasher who by torments caused them to confesse the coozenage for thorow a hole which was made in the wall by a caue he had broth conueyed to him and therefore they were both put to death In the yeere 1478. Chozamirech an Armenian being in his shop in Tauris an Azi or Saint of theirs came to him and willed him to deny his Christian faith he answered him courteously and prayed him not to trouble him but when he persisted hee offered him money the Saint would not haue the money but importuned his first sute Chozomirech sayd hee would not deny his Christian faith whereupon the other plucked a sword out of a mans scabard which stood by and with a wound which hee gaue the Armenian in the head killed him and ranne away But the Armenians sonne complayning to the Sultan procured his apprehension at Merin two dayes iourney from Tauris and being brought before him he with a knife killed him vvith his owne hands and caused him to be cast on a dung-hill for the dogges to eate saying Is this the way to encrease the faith of Mahomet But when some of the more zealous people went to one Daruiscassun which was in guarding of the sepulchre of Assambei the former Sultan and as it were Prior of the Hospitall and requesting of him obtayned the body to burie it the Sultan hearing it sent for him and sayde to him Darest thou countermand my commands Away and kill him which was suddenly dispatched Hee further to be reuenged of the people committed the Towne to the sack which for the space of three or foure houres was done And then he forbad further spoyle and fined the Towne in a great summe of gold Lastly hee caused the Armenians sonne to come before him and with many kind words comforted him This long history I haue inserted to shew the extremity of blind zeale and religious fury in the seculars and votaries of these Persians if iustice should not withstand their rage Before is mentioned the commemorations of their dead which is thus performed ouer their Sepulchres Thither resort great multitudes of men and women olde and yong which sit on heapes with their Priests and with their candles lighted the Priests eyther reade or pray in their language and after cause to bee brought somewhat to eate in the place the place containeth betweene foure and fiue miles the pathes which leade thither are full of poore people which beg almes some of whom offer to say some prayer for their benefactors The sepulchres haue stones vpon them engrauen with the names of the buried parties and some haue a Chappell of stone thereon At Merdin he saw a naked man which came and sate by him and pulling forth a booke read thereon and after drew neere and asked him whence he was hee answered a strangerâ— I also am a stranger saith he of this world and so are we all and therefore I haue left it with purpose to goe thus vnto mine end with many words besides touching meekenesse and the deniall of the world He said I haue seene a great part thereof and finde nothing therein that contents me and therefore haue determined to abandon it altogether To this Merdina man cannot passe but by a way made of stone continuing a mile at the head therof is a gate and way to the Towne and within the Towne is another hill with a like way of fiue hundred pases in height There is an Hospitall for entertainment of all strangers made by Ziangirboi the brother of Vsuncassan and if they be of better sort they are entertained with carpets spread for them worth an hundred ducats a peece and victuals for all commers We might heere take further view of their stately Temples their great and populous Cities and other things worthy obseruation if that our Turkish History had not related the like also among them especially touching the persons and places religious For the rest I referre the Reader to other Authors The present King Abas more as it seemeth in policie to secure himselfe of factions and against the Turke then conscience is a great persecutor of that sect of Mahomet which followeth the interpretation of Vssen and Omar This hee labours to extirpate and make odious hauing in vse once a yeere with great solemnitie to burne publikely as maine heretikes the images of Vssen and Omar Then doth he cause his great men publikely in scorne of their institution to goe with a flagon of wine carried by a footman and at euery village or where they see any assembly of people to drinke which himselfe also vseth not for loue of the wine but to scandalize the contrarie religion Yet are there of the greatest exceeding precise Turkes if they durst shew it In a Letter of Iohn Ward written in Tauris May 14. 1605. this King is blamed for making slaues of poore Armenians and forcing many to Mahumetisme pulling downe Churches and vsing more rigour then the Turke §. IIII. Of Natures wonders and the Iesuits lyes of Persia THe wonders of Nature in these parts are neere Bachu a fountaine of oyle continually running and fetched into the farthest parts of Persia and another neere Shamakie of Tarre whereof we had good vse and proofe in our ship Hereabouts you shall haue in the fields neere to any Village in the night two or three hundred Foxes howling Kine they haue like ours and another sort great boned and leane as hard sauoured as those which Pharaoh dreamed of In Persia groweth great abundance of Bombasin cotton this groweth on a certaine tree or brier not past the height of a mans waste with a slender stalk like to a brier or carnation Iuly-flower with very many branches bearing on euery branch a fruit or cod round which when it commeth to the bignesse of a Wall-nut openeth and sheweth forth the cotton which groweth still like a fleece of wooll to the bignesse of a mans fist and then being loose is gathered the seeds are flat and blacke as big as pease which they sow in their fields and plowed ground in great abundance I had thought I had ended this Chapter and our Persian Expedition but our good friends the Iesuites would needs entertaine your wearie eyes with reading an exploit of theirs related by one sometimes their fellow Catholike now I hope our fellow Christian For the credit of this honest and loyall of their honest returne not with a non est and loyall with a â—â—e all societie was a French pamphlet by them dispersed a little before the Powder-treason amongst their Catholike friends in England reporting the miraculous conuersion of the King of Persia by one Campian a Iesuite an English-man that had expelled a Deuill out of a possessed partie and commanded the Deuill
flesh neither of their owne young nor of men as on the contrarie they worship the Storke for her pietie in nourishing her aged parents that I speake not of their wed-locke chastitie for breach whereof Crollius tells from the relation of an eye-witnesse That in a wood neere to Spire in Germanie the Male complayning to a congregation of Storkes caused them to teare his Mate in pieces The Egyptians also had a conceit That Swines milke would breede the leprosie and that Swine were beasts odious to the Sunne and Moone He citeth out of Endoxus That they spared them for treading their Seede into the ground which was their Harrowing and Tillage when Nilus had newly left the softned Earth to send these Labourers their Kine and Swine to tread in the myrie Earth the Corne which they sowed therein The Egyptians sware by the head of their King which oath whosoeuer violated lost his life for the same without any redemption The Priests in old time renowmed for their learning in Straboes time were ignorant and vnlearned No woman might beare Priestly function These Priests might not eate Egs Milke or Oile except with Sallads they might not salute Mariners nor looke vpon their children or kinsfolks They washed themselues in the day-time thrice and in the night twice they were shauen wore linnen garments alwayes new washed were daily allowed sacred meates Of their ancient Priests thus Du Bartas singeth in Syluesters tune The Memphian Priests were deepe Philosophers And curious gazers on the sacred Starres Searchers of Nature and great Mathematickes Ere any letter knew the ancient'st Attickes Tertullian speakes of the continence of Apis his Priests and addes That certayne women consecrated to the African Ceres voluntarily relinquished marriage and from thenceforth might not touch a Male no not so much as k sse their owne sonnes Their magicke skill appeared in Iannes and Iambres which withstood Moses and in Hermes testimonie of himselfe R. Salomon on Exod. 8. writeth That Pharao said to Moses and Aaron Doe you bring straw into Ophraim a Citie full of straw And doe yee bring inchantments into Egypt which aboundeth therewith Postellus deriueth the Egyptian and Orientall sciences from Abraham to whom he dareth to attribute their diuinations by the Aire Water Fire Earth Birds and alleageth Rambams authoritie That the greatest part of the Alcoran is taken out of the Egyptian learning and saith That Moses and Salomon studied the same and expounded in Scripture what Abraham had taught them to which also hee ascribeth the Iewish Exorcismes in casting out Deuils But some Deuill I thinke hath taught him so to commend these deuillish Arts as he doth no lesse the Alcoran and the Iewes Cabala calling them an excellent Appendix to Moses and both of I know not what magicall facultie first infused into Adam in the puritie of his creation and taught by the Angell Raziel by him deliuered in verball tradition written first by the Henoch the bookes whereof Nimrod stole from Noah which Abraham might learne either in that Chaldean Nation or from Melchisedech But let vs obserue these Priests further When they sacrificed they made choice of their beasts by certaine religious markes a Cow they might not sacrifice as consecrated vnto Isis They kindled a fire and sprinkling water ouer the Sacrifice with inuocation of their God killed it cut off the head which either they sold to the Grecians if they would buy it or cast it into the Riuer with imprecation That whatsoeuer euill was imminent to them or their Countrey might be turned vpon that head This ceremonie seemes to haue come to them from the Iewes And they haue beene as liberall of their Rites since to the Catholikes for so they will be called as appeareth both by this Relation and by the testimonie not onely of Moresinus a Protestant but Maginus Polidorus Boemus and Beroaldus Popish writers although dawbed ouer with new mysticall significations as in Bellarmine and other the purest Catholikes is seene Their Priests were their Iudges the eldest of which was chiefe in pronouncing sentence He wore about his necke a Saphire Iewell with the Image of Truth therein engrauen The Priests of Isis besides their shauings and linnen garments had paper-shooes on their heads Anubis in their hands a Timbrell or a branch of Sea-wormewood or a Pine-apple They had one chiefe Priest or Primate of Egypt as appeareth by Iosephus and Heliodorus who maketh Thyamis to succeede his father Calasyris in this high Priesthood at Memphis Manetho also enioyed this Pontificall Hierarchie as appeareth by his Epistle to Ptolemeus which after shall follow Philostratus speaketh of Gymnosophists which some ascribe to India Heliodorus to Ethiopia he to Ethiopia and Egypt These saith hee dwelt abroad without house on a Hill a little off the bankes of Nilus where grew a Groue in which they held their generall Assemblies to consult of publike affaires hauing otherwise their studies and sacrifices apart each by himselfe Thespesion was the chiefe of this Monkish Colledge when Apollonius after his visitation of the Babylonian Magi and Indian Brachmanes came thither These held the immortalitie of the soule and accounted Nilus for a god If a man at Memphis had by chance-medley killed a man hee was exiled till those Gymnosophists absolued him Hercules Temple at Canopus was priuiledged with Sanctuarie to giue immunitie to Fugitiues and Malefactors Thus elsewhere Osiris Apollo in Syria Diana at Ephesus euery Cardinals house saith a Pope in Rome Saint Peter at Westminster and other Popish Oratories priuiledged Dennes of Theeues §. III. Of their Feasts and Oracles THeir Feasts were many of which Herodotus reckoneth one at Bubastis in honour of Diana To this place the Men and Women at this festiuall solemnitie sayled in great multitudes with minstrelsie and showtings and as they came to any Citie on the waters side they went on shore and the women some danced some played some made a brawle with the women of the place and thus resorting to Bubastis they there offered great Sacrifices spending in this feast more Wine then in all the yeere besides Hither resorted of Men and Women besides Children seuen hundred thousand In Busiris was solemnized the feast of Isis in which after the sacrifice many thousands beat themselues but with what they did beate themselues was not lawfull to relate The Carians that inhabited Egypt did also cut their foreheads with swords signifying thereby that they were forreiners This Citie was in the midst of the Egyptian Delta and in it a very great Temple of Isis A third feast was at Sai in honour of Minerua where assembling by night they lighted candles full of Salt and Oile and therewith went about the walls of the Citie This solemnitie was called Light-burning or if you will Candle-masse This night they which came not hither yet obserued the setting vp of Lights throughout Egypt A fourth
lothsomenesse the prize of Beautie The Kingdome of Brocall extends to Gambea which Riuer is so great deepe and strong that the Sea in thirtie leagues from the mouth which opens it selfe fiue leagues in disgorging his full stomacke can scarcely subdue it vnto his salt qualitie Some thinke it proceedes from the same Fountayne with Niger whence these peoples are called Negros some that this and Zanaga proceed from the same head Midway betwixt both is the Greene Cape Alongst both sides of this Riuer dwell the Mandingae a perfidious and Idolatrous Nation which haue certaine Inchanters called Bexerini to performe their Priestly Holies The Riuer is sayled vp a hundred and threescore Leagues horrible Precipices and Cataracts forbidding further passage by water they call this fall a Bow for the obliquitie of the fall suffering men to passe vnder without wetting Many fertile and pleasant Ilands are contayned in the diuided armes of this streame The Inhabitants haue Shippes of good â—ignesse and strength Not farre hence to the South is Cape Saint Marie from which to the Riuer of Dominico is thirtie leagues peopled by the Arriari and Falopi Here is also the Riuer Casamanqua inhabited on the North by the Iabundi on the South the Benhuni to whom on the East adioyne the Casangae the King is subiect to the King of Iarem and hee to another more within Land and so in degrees vnto the Monarch of Mandinga whose chiefe Citie is Songus aboue a hundred leagues Eastward from the Cape of Palmes to this King the most of the former are subiect The Casangae worship an Idoll called China which is nothing else but a bundle of staues or poles pitched into the ground and fastened together with paste made of the meale of Rice and Millet which they sprinkle with the bloud of sacrificed Kine and Goates Some hang on the top thereof two or three skuls of Dogges The Temple to this goodly Deitie is some shadie Tree and there they offer also Millet and the Wine of Palmes To secure their Seede they sticke one of these poles in the ground The Portugals buy slaues in these parts sold by reason of the Kings vnreasonable tyrannie The Burami adioyne to the Casangae on both sides the Riuer Iarim or Dominico as farre as Rio Grand Here also they buy slaues The men and women file their teeth the women to keepe their tongues in order euery morning take a draught of water into their mouthes and there hold it till Dinner or Breakfast time meane-while doing their houshold businesse not spitting eating or talking The chiefe Towne of the Burami is eight leagues from the Hauen where the chiefe King to whom the rest are subiect resides Their Houses are of Earth couered with leaues The Bijags inhabit neere the great Riuer a fierce warlike robbing people possessing also seuenteene Iles the Portugals haue there the Towne of the Crosse The Beafares also in these parts are dispersed of whom the King of Guinala carrieth the greatest state and pompe at whose death all his Wiues and Seruants and dearest Clients and the Kings Horse are slaine and intombed with him to serue him in the other life The like vsage is in very many of these Guinean Kingdomes to which they adde further cruelty in the manner for they cut off their toes and fingers and beate their bones as it were in a Morter three houres longer then which they could not out-liue this torture and then in the sight of those which were to vndergo the like fate thrust them into the neck with a sharpe stake so finishing their blinde Martyrdome On the other side the Riuer is Biguba a Portugall Towne the best they haue in these parts the Natiues are Beafares whose King being dead the strongest is his Heire the cause of much Warre Betweene this and Cape Sierra Liona so called of the Lyon-like roring made there by the waues if not of the Thunders and dreadfull storme are the Mallusians Bagasians and Cozolines In these parts Grapes and Sugar-canes grow wilde store also of Cotton Brasill Wood of seuen colours Graines called Malegetta of the name of the Region long Pepper Millet besides Waxe and Iuory Out of their Palmes they draw Wine and Oyle and a certaine excellent Sope forbidden as is also the long Pepper for the excellence to bee carried into Portugall They haue Apes called Baris exceeding great and so industrious that being brought vp in the house they supply the roome of a seruant going on their hinder feete beating things in the Morter fetching water home in Vessels which yet if none bee ready to take from them they will cast downe and breake and then howle Heere is store of Iron better then ours but their best Commoditie is Gold but no Forreiners know the Mines whence they haue it The Portugals called their Castle here built Saint George of the Mine in the fift degree of Northerly latitude In Sierra Liona are thirteene Riuers which fall into the Sea On the Riuer Das Piedrus the Portugals haue a Towne Capor and Tambassire two other Riuers fall from the Hils Machamala in which is a great Rocke of most pure Chrystall Two of these Riuers Tagaris on the North and Bangua on the South of this Lion-hill make it a Peninsula in some places so neere that they carry their Boates by Land from one to the other The Inhabitants are the Cumbae and the Natiues called Capi these more ingenious then other Guineans They haue their Kings which administer Law hauing to that purpose round Galleries not farre from their Palaces called Funkes where is a high Throne for the King and lower Seates on both sides for his Counsellors called Solatequis Their Lawyers or Aduocates they call Troens which weare parti-coloured garments wouen with feathers hold staues in their hands whereon they leane whiles they pleade and haue Vizors to hide their blushing if any such cause happen in the Kings presence who hauing heard the pleading of these and the aduice of the Counsellors pronounceth sentence In the Creation of a Solatequis the rite obserued is this they place the person to be created in a faire seate of wood and then the King strikes his face with the inwards of a Goat that the bloud and filth runnes downe his brest then sprinkles him with meale and after puts a Cap on his head When the King dies his Sonne Brother or next Kinsman succeeds but before his full Regalitie they bind him at his house and lead him bound to the Palace there whip him after this they loosen him attire and leade him to the Iudgement Seat where the eldest Counsellor makes an Oration concerning his right and dutie which ended he puts a Hatchet into his hand which they vse in Executions and after this all acknowledge subiection No lesse strange is their custome for their Maydens In euery City or Village they haue a house seuered like a Monasticall Cloyster from the rest
that it was an inuiolable law amongst them that if their Souldiers did in any place publicke or priuate offer any licentious or iniurious behauiour to a woman he was assuredly put to death The people of this countrie were of a goodly stature well formed and of a good complexion There were among them Giants of an incredible greatnesse the skull of one of them is remaining in which there are eightie teeth and his bodie which was found buried in the Sepulchre of the Kings of Guymur of which race he was measured fifteene foot The people that dwell on the South-side of the Iland were of the colour of an Oliue but those that dwelt on the North-side were faire especially their women hauing bright and smooth haire Their common apparell was a certaine garment made of Lambes skins like a short coate without pleate or collor or sleeues fastned together with straps of the same leather The ordinarie garment for men and women of the common sort was called Tomarco onely the women for modesties sake had another couering vnder their Tomarco which was a side coate downe to the knees made of skins which reached downe to the ground for they held it an vnseemely thing in a woman to haue her breasts or her feete vncouered In this garment they liued and in this they dyed and in this they were commonly buried For their dyet they sowed Barly and Beanes Wheate was vtterly vnknowne to them They toasted their Barly by the fire then did grinde it in certaine hand mils such as are now in Spaine The floure so made they called Giffio wetting it with water milk or butter It serued instead of bread also and was their greatest and most Generall sustenance They eat the flesh of Sheepe of Goats and Pork but not commonly for they haue certaine assemblies like our festiuall Wake-dayes in England at which times the King in person with his owne hands did giue to euery twentie of them three Goates and a proportion of their Giffio After which Feast euery companie came before the King shewing their agilitie in leaping running wrastling darting dancing and other sports They haue a certaine kind of hony out of a fruit called Mozan of the greatnesse and bignesse of a pease Before they are ripe they are very greene when they beginne to ripe they are red and when they are ripe are blacke nothing vnlike our blackberries saue in their taste which is exceeding pleasant They eat no more but the iuyce of them which they call Yoya and the Hony which they make of them they call Chacerquem They gather these Mozans very ripe and do put them into the Sun for a weeke then they breake them in pieces and put them into water to bee boyled vntil they come to a sirrope and this is their Physick for the fluxe and the grieuings in the backe and for both these diseases they did also let bloud in the armes head and forehead with a flintstone At their time of sowing the King hauing appointed to euery man his portion of ground that was to bee sowne they digged vp the earth with Goats hornes and with certaine words threw their seed into the ground All other works appertained vnto and were performed by their women The King did make his habitation in naturall caues or hollow rocks of which there are infinite store remayning to this day When there was any Feast made in any Kingdome their Feasts had the priuiledge that men might with immunity passe to and fro through the enemies Countrey yea many times the enemies would feast one with another In their Marriages the men vsed to aske the consent of the Widdowes or Maids parents if there were any which being granted they were married with little or no ceremony that I could learne And the marriage was not so soone made but it might be as quickly broken for if the husband or wife were disposed to be separated they might be so and both of them marry again with others at their pleasures Notwithstanding all the children of the separated begotten afterwards were esteemed as bastards the King only for successions sake exempted from this custome to whom for that respect it was lawfull to marry with his own sister For many yeeres this Iland was subiect to one only King whom they called Adexe who being growne old his Sons which were nine in number conspiring against him parted the Iland into nine seuerall Kingdomes All their war was to steale cattle one from another and especially the spotted Goats which amongst them are in great and religious estimation there is very little difference betwixt the body colour and smothnesse of our English fallow Deere and their Goat The ancient Guanches of this Iland had an appointed Officer or Embalmer answerable to the sex man or woman who washing the dead corps did put into its body certaine Confections made of Goats Butter melted the powder of Furzes and of a kind of ruffe stones the rindes of Pine-trees and other herbs and did stuffe the body with this euery day for 15. dayes together putting the body against the Sun now on the one side now on the other vntill it were stiffe and dry All this space their friends bewayled their death At the end of 15. dayes they wrapped their body in Goats skins so cunningly sowed together that it was maruellous and so they carried the body to a deepe caue where none might haue accesse There are of these bodies remayning yet which haue been buried these 1000. yeeres The neerest port towne to the City called Cidade de Laguna is Santa Cruz from thence you ascend vp the steepe Mountaynes to the City which you shall finde to bee most miraculously seated in the midst of a flat of ten miles in compasse as if nature had prepared that place for man to build a City vpon being walled about with hils of wonderful height on al sides sauing to the Northwest from whence there being a leuel tract of land euen to the Seaside which is seuen leagues distant there doth continually arise from the Sea a vapour which being circulated among so many and intricate Mountaines groweth to be a wind and taketh his passage through those channels of Mountaynes to the City to its great refreshing and in this great Plaine like Enuy for want of opposition dieth And let the wind blow full Southeast at Sea yet shall you alwayes haue the wind full Northwest at the City like a true friend when you must need him from twelue a clocke in the day vntill night The extreame dew which falleth doth sufficiently coole the night Their buildings are all of an open rough stone nothing faire they are very plaine in their buildings two or three stories high and no more and commonly but one story high in the remoter parts of the City It is not walled they haue no chimneyes no not so much as in their kitchins They make only a
It flyeth so swift saith Ouiedo that the wings cannot be seene It hath a nest proportionable I haue seene saith he one of those birds together with her nest put into the scales wherein they vse to weigh Gold and both weighed but two Tomins that is foure and twenty graines Haply it is therefore called Tomineios as weighing one Tomin The feathers are beautified with yellow greene and other colours the mouth like the eye of an Needle It liueth on dew and the juice of herbs but sitteth not on the Rose The feathers specially of the necke and brests are in great request for those feather-pictures or portraitures which the Indians make cunningly and artificially with these natural feathers placing the same in place and proportion beyond all admiration The Indian Bats should not flee your light and are for their rarity worthy consideration but that wee haue spoken before somewhat of them They haue Birds called Condores of exceeding greatnesse and force that will open a sheepe and a whole Calfe and eate the same They haue abundance of Birds in beautie of their feathers farre surpassing all in Europe wherewith the skilfull Indians will perfectly represent in feathers whatsoeuer they see drawne with the Pensill A figure of Saint Francis made of feathers was presented to Pope Sixtus Quintus whose eye could not discerne them to be naturall colours but thought them pensill-worke till he made tryall with with his fingers The Indians vsed them for the ornaments of their Kings and Temples Some Birds there are of rich commoditie onely by their dung In some Islands ioyning to Peru the Mountaines are all white like Snow which is nothing but heapes of dung of certaine Sea-fowle which frequent those places It riseth many Ells yea many Launces in height and is fetched thence in Boats to hearten the Earth which hereby is exceeding fertile To adde somewhat of the Indian Plants and Trees Mangle is the name of a Tree which multiplyeth it selfe into a wood as before we haue obserued of it the branches descending and taking root in the Earth The Plane-tree of India hath leaues sufficient to couer a man from the foot to the head but these the Coco and other Indian Trees are in the East-Indies also and there we haue mentioned them Cacao is a fruit little lesse then Almonds which the Indians vse for money and make thereof a drinke holden amongst them in high regard They haue a kinde of Apples called Ananas exceeding pleasant in colour and taste and very wholesome which yet haue force to eate iron like Aqua fortis The Mamayes Guayauos and Paltos be the Indian Peaches Apples and Peares But it would bee a weary wildernesse to the Reader to bring him into such an Indian Orchard where he might reade of such varietie of fruits but like Tantalus can taste none or to present you with a Garden of their Trees which beare flowres with other fruit as the Floripondio which all the yeere long beareth flowres sweet like a Lilly but greater the Volusuchil which beareth a flowre like to the forme of the heart and others which I omit The flowre of the Sunne is is now no longer the Marigold of Peru but groweth in many places with vs in England The flowre of the Granadille they say if they say truely hath the markes of the Passion Nayles Pillar Whips Thornes Wounds exceeding stigmaticall Francis For their Seeds and Craines Mays is principall of which they make their bread which our English ground brings forth but hardly will ripene it growes as it were on a Reed and multiplyeth beyond comparison they gather three hundred measures for one It yeeldeth more blood but more grosse then our Wheat They make drinke thereof also wherewith they will be exceedingly drunke They first steepe and after boyle it to that end In some places they first cause it to be champed with Maids in some places with old women and then make a leauen thereof which they boyle and make this inebriating drinke The Canes and leaues serue for their Mules to eate They boyle and drinke it also for paine in the back The buds of Mays serue in stead of Butter and Oyle In some parts they make bread of a great root called Yuca which they name Caçaui They first cut and straine it in a Presse for the iuyce is deadly poison the Cakes dryed are steeped in water before they can eate them Another kinde there is of this Yuca or Iucca the iuice whereof is not poison It will keepe long like Bisket They vse this bread most in Hisponiola Cuba and Iamaica where Wheat and Mays will not grow but so vnequally that at one instant some is in the grasse other in the graine They vse in some places another root called Papas like to ground Nuts for bread which they call Chuno Of other their roots and fruits I am loth to write lest I weary the Reader with tedious officiousnesse Spices grow not there naturally Ginger thriueth well brought and planted by the Spaniards They haue a good kinde of Balme though not the same which grew in Palestina Of their Amber Oiles Gums and Drugs I list not to relate further Out of Spaine they haue caried great varietie of Plants herein Americo exceeding Spaine that it receiueth and fructifieth in all Spanish Plants that are brought thither whereas the Indian thriue not in Spaine as Vines Oliues Mulberies Figs Almonds Limons Quinces and such like And to end this Chapter with a comparison of our World with this of America Our aduantages and preferments are many Our Heauen hath more Stars and greater as Acosta by his owne sight hath obserued challenging those Authors which haue written otherwise of fabling Our Heauen hath the North-Starre within three degrees and a third of the Pole their Crosier or foure Stars set a-crosse which they obserue for the Antarticke is thirtie degrees off The Sunne commucateth his partiall presence longer to our Tropike then that of Capricorne remaining in the Southerne Signes 178. dayes one and twenty houres and twelue minutes in the Northerne 186. dayes eight houres and twelue minutes B. Keckerman System Astron L. 1. Tycho Brahe L. 1. reckoneth these a hundred fourescore and sixe dayes houres eighteene and a halfe dayes eight and one third part fere plus quam in Australi c. This want of the Sunne and Stars is one cause of greater cold in those parts then in these Our Earth exceeds theirs for the situation extending it selfe more between East and West fittest for humane life whereas theirs trends most towards the two Poles Our Sea is more fauourable in more Gulfes and Bayes especially such as goe farre within Land besides the Mid-Land-Sea equally communicating her selfe to Asia Africa and Europa This conuenience of traffique America wanteth Our beasts wilde and tame are farre the more noble as the former discourse sheweth For what haue they to oppose to our Elephants Rhinocerotes Camels Horses
To speake largely of New Gallicia Mechuacan Guastecan and other Regions would not be much to the Readers delight and lesse to to my purpose CHAP XI Of the Idols and Idolatrous Sacrifices of New Spaine §. I. Of their Gods THe Indians as Acosta obserueth had no name proper vnto God but vse the Spanish word Dios fitting it to the accent of the Cuscan or Mexican Tongues Yet did they acknowledge a supreme power called Vitziliputzli terming him the most puissant and Lord of all things to whom they erected at Mexico the most sumptuous Temple in the Indies After the Supreme God they worshipped the Sun and therefore called Cortes as he writ to the Emperour Sonne of the Sunne That Vitziliputzli was an Image of Wood like to a Man set vpon an Azure-coloured stoole in a Brankard or Litter at euery corner was a piece of wood like a Serpents head The stoole signified that he was set in Heauen He had the forehead Azure and a band of Azure vnder the nose from one eare to the other Vpon his head hee had a rich plume of feathers couered on the top with Gold hee had in his left hand a white Target with the figures of fiue Pine Apples made of white Feathers set in a crosse and from aboue issued forth a Crest of Gold At his sides he had foure Darts which the Mexicans say had beene sent from Heauen In his right hand hee had an Azured staffe cut in fashion of a wauing Snake All these ornaments had their mysticall sense The name of Vitziliputzli signifies the left hand of a shining feather Hee was set vpon an high Altar in a small boxe well couered with linnen Clothes Iewels Feathers and ornaments of Gold and for the greater veneration he had alwayes a Curtain before him Ioyning to the Chappel of this Idoll there was a Pillar of lesse work and not so wel beautified where there was another Idoll called Tlaloc These two were alwayes together for that they held them as companions of equal power There was another Idoll in Mexico much esteemed which was the God of Repentance and of Iubilees and Pardons for their sinnes Hee was called Tezcalipuca made of a blacke shining stone attired after their manner with some Ethnike deuices it had Earings of Gold and Siluer and through the nether lip a small Canon of Christall halfe a foot long in which they sometimes put an Azure Feather sometimes a greene so resembling a Turqueis or Emerald it had the haire bound vp with a haire-lace of Gold at the end whereof did hang an Eare of Gold with two Fire-brands of smoke painted therein signifying that he heard the Prayers of the afflicted and of sinners Betwixt the two eares hung a number of small Herons He had a Iewell hanging at his necke so great that it couered all his stomack vpon his armes Bracelets of Gold at his nauill a rich greene stone and in his left hand a Fan of precious Feathers of greene azure and yellow which came forth of a Looking Glasse of Gold signifying that he saw all things done in the World In his right hand he held foure Darts as the Ensignes of his Iustice for which cause they feared him most At his festiuall they had pardon of their sinnes They accounted him the God of Famine Drought Barrennesse and Pestilence They painted him in another forme sitting in great Maiestie on a stoole compassed in with a red Curtaine painted and wrought with the heads and bones of dead men In the left hand was a Target with fiue Pines like vnto Pine Apples of Cotton and in the right hand a little Dart with a threatning countenance and the arme stretched out as if he would cast it and from the Target came foure Darts The countenance expressed anger the body was all painted blacke and the head full of Quailes Feathers Quecalcauatl was their God of the Aire In Cholula they worshipped the God of Merchandize called Quetzaalcoalt which had the forme of a Man but the visage of a little Bird with a red bill and aboue a combe full of Warts hauing also rankes of teeth and the tongue hanging out It carried on the head a pointed Mitre of painted paper a Sithe in the hand and many toyes of Gold on the legs it had about it Gold Siluer Iewels Feathers and habits of diuers colours and was set aloft in a spacious place in the Temple All this his furniture was significant The name importeth Colour of a rich Feather No maruell if this God had many Suters seeing Gaine is both God and godlinesse to the most the whole World admiring and adoring this Mammon or Quetzaalcoalt Tlaloc was their God of Water to whom they sacrificed for Raine They had also their Goddesses the chiefe of which was Tozi which is to say Our Grand Mother of which is spoken before she was flayed by the command of Vitziliputzli and from hence they learned to flay men in Sacrifice and to clothe the liuing with the skins of the dead One of the Goddesses which they worshipped had a Sonne who was a great Hunter whom they of Tlascalla afterwards tooke for a God being themselues addicted much to that exercise They therefore made a great Feast vnto this Idoll as shal after follow They had another strange kind of Idoll which was not an Image but a true Man For they tooke a Captiue and before they sacrificed him they gaue him the name of the Idoll to whom he should be sacrificed apparelling him also with the same ornaments And during the time that this representation lasted which was for a yeere in some feasts sixe moneths in some in others lesse they worshipped him in the same manner as they did their God he in the meane time eating drinking and making merry When hee went through the streets the people came forth to worship him bringing their Almes with children and sicke folkes that hee might cure and blesse them suffering him to doe all things at his pleasure onely he was accompanied with ten or twelue men lest he should flee And hee to the end hee might bee reuerenced as hee passed sometimes sounded on a small Flute The Feast being come this fat Foole was killed opened and eaten The Massilians are said to haue vsed the like order nourishing One a whole yeere with the purest meats and after with many Ceremonies to leade him through the City and sacrifice him Lopes de Gomara writeth that the Mexicans had two thousand Gods but the chiefe were Vitziliputzli and Tezcatlipuca These two were accounted Brethren There was another God who had a great Image placed on the top of the Idols Chappell made of all that Countrey seeds grownd and made in paste tempered with childrens bloud and Virgins sacrificed whose hearts were plucked out of their opened brests and offered as first fruits to that Idoll It was consecrated by the Priests with great solemnitie all
as the Priests did This austeritie continued a yeere The Priests likewise rose at midnight and retired themselues into a large place where were many lights and there drew bloud as the former from their legs then did they set these Bodkins vpon the battlements of the Court stickt in straw that the people might see Neither might they vse one Bodkin in twice The Priests also vsed great fasts of fiue or ten dayes together before their great feasts Some of them to preserue their chastitie slit their members in the midst and did a hundred things to make themselues impotent lest they should offend their gods They drunke no Wine and slept little for that the greatest part of their exercises were by night They did vse also that the selfe-tyrannizing Catholike should not out-vie Merits to Discipline themselues with cords full of knots wherein the people likewise came not behinde in cruell Processions especially on the Feast of Tezcalipuca lashing themselues with knotted Manguey-cords ouer the shoulders The Priest fasted fiue dayes before that Feast eating but once a day and abstaining from their Wiues the whips supplying those delicacies Gomara speaketh of others besides those yong ones before mentioned which liued in those Cloysters some being sicke for their recouery some in extreme pouerty to finde reliefe some for riches for long life for good husbands for many children and some for vertue euery one abode there as long as they had vowed and after vsed their libertie Their offices were to spin Cotton Wooll and feathers and to weaue cloth for their gods and themselues to sweepe all thy holy roomes they might goe on Procession with the Priests but not sing nor goe vp the staires of the Temple their food was boiled flesh and hot bread receiued of almes the smoke whereof was offered vnto their gods They late and lay all together but lay in their cloathes The multitude of Idols and Idol-Temples in New Spaine was such that a Bishop of Mexico in his Letters 1532. saith that the Friers had defaced twenty thousand of the one and desolated fiue hundred of the other and where in Mexico they had vsed yeerely to offer more then twenty thousand Harts of Boyes and Girles to their Idols they now saith he offer them by good instruction to God God grant it §. III. Of their Priests and the many Rites belonging to their function TOuching their Priests in Mexico there were some high Priests or Popes euen vnder the same name called by the Mexicans Papas as they should say Soueraigne Bishops others as before you haue heard were of inferiour ranke The Priests of Vitziliputzli succeeded by linages of certaine quarters of the Citie deputed for that purpose and those of other Idols came by election or by being offered to the Temple in their Infancie They daily exercise of the Priests was to cast Incense on the Idols which was done foure times in the space of a naturall day at breake of day at noone at Sun-set at midnight At midnight all the chiefe officers of the Temple did rise and in stead of Bels they did sound a long time vpon Trumpets Cornets and Flutes very heauily which being ended he that did the Office that weeke stept forth attired in a white robe with a Censor in in his hand full of Coles which he tooke from the harth burning continually before the Altar in the other hand he had a purse full of incense which he cast into the Censor and entring the place where the Idol was he incensed it with great reuerence then tooke he a cloth with the which he wiped the Altar and the Curtains This done they went all into a Chappell and there did beat themselues and draw bloud with Bodkins as is said this was alwayes done at midnight None other but the Priests might intermeddle with their Sacrifices and euery one did employ himselfe according to his dignity and degree They did likewise preach to the people at some Feasts They had reuenues and great offerings They had conuenient houses for their habitation They ware blacke garments and cut not nor combed their haire in the time of their ministration The Mexican Priests were thus anointed they anointed the body from the foot to the head and all the haire likewise which hung like tresses or a Horse-maine for that they applyed this vnction wet and moist Their haire grew so that in time it hung downe to their hams insomuch that the weight made it burthensome for they neuer cut it vntill they dyed or were dispensed with for their great age or were employed in gouernments or some honourable charge in the Common-wealth They carried their haire in tresses of sixe fingers breadth which they dyed blacke with the fume of Sapine Firre or Rosine They were alwayes dyed with this tincture from the foot vnto the head so as they were like vnto shining Negros This was their ordinary vnction they had another when they went to sacrifice or incense on the tops of mountaines or in darke Caues where there Idols were vsing also certaine Ceremonies to take away feare and adde courage This vnction was made with diuers venemous beasts as Spiders Scorpions Salamanders and Vipers which the Boyes in the Colledges tooke and gathered together wherein they were so expert as they were alway furnished when the Priests called for them They tooke all these together and burnt them vpon the harth of the Temple which was before the Altar vntill they were consumed to ashes Then did they put them in Morters with much Tobacco or Petum which made them lose their force mingling likewise with these ashes Scorpions Spiders and Palmers aliue After this they put to it a certaine seed being ground which they called Olololuchqui whereof the Indians made drinkes to see Visions for that the vertue of this herbe is to depriue men of sence they did likewise grind with these ashes black and hairy wormes whose haire onely is venemous all which they mingled together with blacke or the fume of Rosine putting it in small pots which they set before their God saying it was his meat and therefore called it a diuine meat By meanes of this ointment they became Witches and did see and speake with the Diuell The Priests being slubbered with this ointment lost all feare putting on a Spirit of cruelty By reason whereof they did very boldly kill men in their sacrifices went all alone in the night time to the Mountaines and into obscure Caues contemned all wilde beasts beleeuing that Lyons Tygres Serpents and the rest fled from them by vertue hereof This Petum did also serue to cure the sick and for children all resorted to them as to their Sauiours to apply vnto them this Diuine Physicke as they called it They vsed manifold other superstitions to delude the people in tying small flowers about their necks and strings with small bones of Snakes commanding them to bathe at certaine times to watch all night at the Diuine
which I haue obserued in this long and tedious Pilgrimage there is some sparke left of Religion euen in the acknowledgement of a Deuill and of eternall rewards and punishments §. II. Of their Priests or Magicians THis is further confirmed by that which is written of certaine Magicians or Priests amongst them which perswade the people that they haue dealings with Spirits that by their meanes they haue their Roots and sustinance and may by them haue fortitude I saith Lerius was present at one of their Assemblies where sixe hundred were gathered together which diuided themselues into three parts the men went into one house the women into a second the children into a third The Cariabes forbade the women and children to depart their houses but to attend diligently to singing and we saith he were commanded to abide with the women Anon the men in one house fell to singing He He He answered by the women in the other with the same They howled it out for a quarter of an houre shaking their brests and foming at the mouth and as if they had had the falling sicknesse some falling downe in a swoune the Deuill in seeming entring into them The children also followed in the same harsh deuotions After this the men sung pleasantly which caused me to goe thither where I found them singing and dancing in three seuerall Rings in the middest of each three or foure Caraibes adorned with Hats and Garments of Feathers euery one hauing a Maraca or Rattle in both his hands These Rattles are made of a fruit bigger then an Ostriches Egge out of which they said that the Spirit would speake and they continually shooke them for the due consecration These Caraibes danced to and fro and blowed the smoke of Petum on the standers by saying Receiue yee all the Spirit of Fortitude whereby yee may ouercome your Enemies This they did often the solemnitie continued two houres the men ignorant of Musicke and yet rauishing my spirit with the delight I conceiued in their Song Their words sounded this that they were grieued for the losse of their Progenitors but were comforted in the hope that they should one day visit them beyond the Hils and then threatned the Ouetacates which dwell not far from them and are at enmitie with all their Neighbours as swift as Harts wearing their haire to the buttockes eating raw flesh and differing from all others in Rites and Language and now prophesied their destruction at hand Somewhat also they added in their Song of the floud that once had drowned all the World but their Ancestors which escaped by climbing high trees That day they feasted with great cheere This solemnitie is celebrated euery third yeere and then the Caraibes appoint in euery Family three or foure Maraca to bee adorned with the best Feathers and sticked in the ground with meate and drinke set before them and the people beleeue they eate it They minister vnto their Maraca fifteene dayes after which in a superstitious conceit they think that a Spirit speakes to them while they rattle their Maraca They were exceedingly offended if any tooke away any of this Prouision as the French sometimes did for which and denying other the Caraibes lyes those Priests hated them exceedingly Yet doe they not adore their Maraca or any thing else Peter Carder saith he could obserue no Religion amongst them but the worship of the Moone specially the New Moone whereat they reioyced leaping singing and clapping of hands Stadius tels as you heard that they ascribed his taking to the prediction of Maraca Hee tels of their consecration that the Paygi so hee cals them enioyne that euery one should carry their Tamaraka to the house where they should receiue the faculty of speech Euery ones Rattle is pitched in the ground by the steele or stalke and all of them offer to the Wizard which hath the chiefe place Arrowes Feathers and Eare-rings he that breathes Petum on euery Rattle puts it to his mouth shakes it and saith Nec Kora that is Speake if thou be within anon followeth a squeaking voyce which I saith Stadius thought the Wizard did but the people ascribed it to the Tamaraka Then those Wizards perswade them to make warres saying that those spirits long to feed on the flesh of Captiues This done euery one takes his Rattle and builds vp a Roome for it to keepe it in where he sets victuals requireth and asketh all necessaries thereof as we doe of God and these as Stadius affirmeth are their Gods These Paygi doe initiate Women vnto Witchcraft by such Ceremonies of smoke dancing c. till shee fall as in the Falling sicknesse and then hee sayth hee will reuiue her and make her able to foretell things to come and therefore when they goe to the Warre they will consult with these Women which pretend conference with Spirits Andrew Theuet which was in this Antarctike France with Villagagnon agreeth in many of the former Reports he addeth that for feare of Aignan they will not goe out but they will carry fire with them which they thinke forceable against him He writes that they acknowledge a Prophet called Toupan which they say makes it thunder and raine but they assigne no time nor place to his worship They tell of a Prophet which taught them to plant their Hetich or Root which they cut in pieces and plant in the Earth and is their chiefe food of which they haue two kinds The first Discouerers they much honoured as Caraibes or Prophets and as much haue distasted the Christians since calling them Mahira the name of an ancient Prophet detested by them But Toupan they say goeth about and reuealeth secrets to their Caraibes Theuet addes that they obserue Dreames and their Payges or Caraibes professe the interpretation of them which are also esteemed as Witches which conferre with Spirits and vse to hurt others with the poyson called Ahouay a kind of Nut. They doe a kind of worship to these Payages and will pray them that they may not bee sicke and will kill them if they promise falsly In their consultations they will prouide a new lodging for the Wizard with a cleane white bed and store of Cahouin which is their ordinary drinke made by a Virgin of ten or twelue yeeres old and of their Root-food into the which they conuey him being before washed hauing abstained nine dayes from his Wife Then doth he lye on that Bed and inuocate none being with him in the House and rayseth his Spirit called Hauioulsira which sometimes as some Christians affirmed to our Authour appeareth so as all the people may heare though they see him not And then they question him of their successe in their enterprises They beleeue the soules Immortality which they call Cherepiconare with rewards to the valiant Man-eaters in goodly Paradises and Agnans punishments to others But his boldnesse makes me the lesse bold in following him in these and other things which I