except one Suburb in the Peninsula to which men passe by a bridge of boats euery night dissolued for feare of the Arabs or stormes whence through the bountie of an Italian Merchant Sir Victorio Speciero they escaped for they were not vnsuspected with a Carauan of Persian Pilgrims wich came from Mecca Thirtie dayes they were on the way to the Confines and fifteene from thence to Casbin where they staied a moneth attending the Kings arriuall being in the meane time well vsed vpon conceit that the King would like well of their comming the people otherwise are ill in themselues and onely good by example of their King and strict obedience to him For of the ancient Persians there are few these being the posteritie of those which haue been here seated by the transplantations of Tamerlane and Ismael not to mention any more ancient out of other Countries The King himselfe by our Authors Relation in his vertues and gouernment is as if some Philosopher should discourse of what should be rather then an Historian declare what is as did Xenophon sometimes in his Cyrus Of those imputations of Paricide and ambition not a word His order of attaining the Crowne is thus reported The Persian custome being that onely the elder brother ruleth the rest are made blinde by burning basons hauing otherwise all contentments fit for Princes children when Xa-Tamas was dead without issue his brother so hee calleth him contrary to our former relations and to that of Mirkond the Persian which I more maruell at Xa-Codabent was called Blind to the Kingdome He had issue Sultan Hamzire Mirza the eldest who succeeded him and this present King called Abas The eldest in his fathers life time administred all things which blindnesse made the other vnfit for but Abas at twelue yeeres of age vnder the gouernment of Tutors held the Prouince of Yasde where the loue of the people made him suspected to his Father who secretly resolued his death Abas by his friends hearing it fled to Corasan a Tartar people on the East of Persia both by their religion and dependance Turkish and of themselues otherwise vnquiet and addicted to spoyle This King honoured Abas as his sonne His father soone after dying Sultan Hamzire succeeded who was forced to renew his truce with the Turk by reason of the rebellion of the Turcomans whom by force he subdued beheaded their Princes for his securitie slew twentie thousand of the ablest amongst them for the wars And then wholly bending his thoughts against the Turk was by treason slaine by his Barber His Princes Authors of this fact shared his State amongst them euery one making himselfe Lord of that Prouince which he gouerned vniting their resolutions against Abas whom also the Turke which had his hand in the businesse had vndertaken should bee kept still in Corazan Abas neuerthelesse so wrought that the King of Corazan dismissed him with three thousand horsemen to winne possession of that State which since hath deuoured the Tartars and is growne terrible to the Turke being no lesse in Extent then the Turke hath in Asia and better both peopled gouerned and deuoted to their Soueraigne But it was not easily atchieued In Sistane one of the neerest Prouinces hee was encountred with twenty thousand his troupes cut in pieces himselfe forced to flee to the mountaines where he liued three moneths vnknowen amongst the heardmen flitting vp and downe with tenne or twelue followers Wearie of this life hee determined to shew himselfe in Yasd his quondam Prouince which so well succeeded that numbers come flocking to him and Ferrat Can also a great Prince discontent with the present State no part of which had falne to him hauing at that time no Prouince in his gouernement when the King was slaine resorted to him with his brother and tenne thousand followers They were welcome but hee much more as a great Souldier and a wise Prince With these forces hee ouerthrew his neerest enemies which caused those of Shyras Asphaan Cassan assisted by the Kings of Gheylan and Mazandran to gather mighty forces In the meane time the Turkes armed at Tauris and the Prince of Hamadan hauing called in a strength of the Courdines was marching towards Casbin Thus beset with Armies hee leaueth Ferrat Can with Zulpher his brother and fiue thousand men in Casbin himselfe with the rest of his power marched towards the Can of Hamadan Now did Ferrat Can according to former agreement betweene the King and him professe himselfe altered from the Kings part and writeth to the Rebells offering to ioyne his strength with theirs and to mutinie the Kings Armie also which was lodged in the Mountaynes in shew to keepe the straits indeede to expect the euent Thus the Cans assembled at Casbin and after long deliberation concluded that it was needelesse and not safe to call in the Turkes forces and dispatched a messenger and present to the Bassa of Tauris to reserue his fauour till a time more needfull Hereof Ferrat sent word closely to the King and of a banquet which should bee at his house a few nights after where the Principalls of the Army should meet Hither Abas bid himselfe a guest posting thither with fiue thousand of his best horse which he disposed in the mountaine couered with Ferrats troupe expecting the appointed signe which being giuen late in the night when the whole company was heauie with wine and sleepe the King was receiued into the house with three hundred men where without any vprore he slew seuentie And at the breake of the day the Kings people made as great shouts noyse as if all the Army had bin there whereat the Alarme being giuen all betooke them to their armes repairing to Ferrats lodging to their Princes whose heads laced vpon a string were there presented to them out of a Tarras vpon which the King presently shewed himselfe with Ferrat Can Zulpher hauing his fiue thousand men ready in a troupe in the great place All these things together so amazed them that they thought the Kings pardon a high preferment which he freely granted both them and the succours sent thither by the Kings of Cheylan and Mazandran The reports hereof made Hamadans Armie to vanish and the King tooke order presently by new Cans for the gouernment of those parts Hee led his souldiers to Hisphaan giuing out that the treasures of the Kingdome were there layd vp by the Rebels a good policie to winne it which with as much pretended indignation he rased for fayling of his seeming hopes To satisfie his Souldiers better he led them against the Kings of Gheylan and Mazandran where the entrances by Nature difficult thorow the vnpassable woods and hilles were made easie by the reuolt of those to whom the charge of keeping the Straits was giuen whose liues Abas had before spared at Casbin The successe was the two Kings were slaine and the souldiers enriched with the spoyle of a Countrey exceeding fertile thus subdued
one they prouoke him to fight Whiles these are fastned in the encounter by the teeth or tuskes each striuing to ouerthrow the other some come behinde the wilde Elephant and fasten his hinder feet and so either kill him for his teeth or by famine tame him Anno 1612. Iune the two and twentieth Some of the English came to Patane with a Letter from His Maiestie to the Queene accompanied with a present from the Merchants of six hundred Rialls of Eight This Letter was deliuered in great pompe being laid in a bason of Gold carried on an Elephant furnished with many little Flags Launces and Minstrels The Queenes Court also being sumptuously prepared to this businesse They obtained grant of a Trade on like conditions to the Hollanders who had their Factory their ten yeeres before that time and their House in that space twice burned The Iaponites had twice destroyed Patane by fire in fiue or sixe yeeres space The Countrey adioyning was also full of warres the King of Ior ouer-runne and burned in September that yeere all the Suburbes of Paan those of Camboya Laniam and Iagoman ioyning their force against the King of Siam On the one and thirtieth of December the Queene of Pantanie went to sport Her selfe accompanied with sixe hundred Prawes where wee saith Floris saluted Her being a comely old woman about sixtie tall and full of Maiestie such as they had seene few in the Indies Shee had in company Her sister which is Heire apparant commonly called the young Queene vnmarried and about fortie sixe yeeres of age The Queene had not beene forth of her house in seuen yeeres before and now intended to hunt wild Bulls and Buffes of which there is great abundance The waters this yeere were extraordinarily high carrying away many houses The Queenes younger sister was married to the King of Pahan whom Shee had not seene in twentie eight yeeres notwithstanding Her often Embassies to that purpose At last prouoked with the Kings dallying and delaying to send Her Shee sent out a Fleet of seuentie Sayle with foure thousand men to Pahan to bring her Sister by force in April 1613. Hee being distressed by warres which the King of Ior had made on him burning his Houses Barnes and prouisions and the Queene of Patanie making stay of all Iunkes of Rice laden for Pahan arriued there Iuly the twelfth with the Queenes Sister and her two sonnes and all the Dogs were for his sake killed because he can indure none August the second hee was entertained with a feast at which the English were inuited guests where they saw a Comedie played all by women after the manner of Iaua with antique apparell very pleasant to behold Once before in the Queenes presence they had seene twelue women and children dance very well after them the Gentlemen and last of all the Hollanders and the English were requested to doe it This Queene is well monyed both the English and Dutch tooke vp money of Her at vse this and merchandise being in the Indies the practice of Kings On the first of October there happened a lamentable Fire on a strange occasion Two great men Datoe Besar and Datoe Laxmanna dwelling neere together both rich in Slaues it fell out that Besar hearing that his Iauan Slaues had treatned to kill him with Laxmanna and others caused two of his most suspected Slaues to be bound which the Ponyonla of the Slaues would not suffer and thereupon was stabbed by him with his Creese His Iauan Slaues seeing this would haue taken him but by rescue of his other Slaues hee escaped They neuerthelesse slew all that came in their way and presently set the houses on fire Laxmannas Iauan Slaues could not by any threats be detained from ioyning with them and set all on fire as they went so that the whole Town except the Queenes Court the Meskit and some few houses were burned The Iauans tooke such Bond-women as they best liked away with them and fled into the Countrey Few of them could be taken Iohor or Ior in this yeere 1613. was taken by the forces of the King of Achen after twentie nine dayes siege The Hope a Holland ship of sixe hundred Tun which set saile from Bantam in March with eightie men twentie foure Peeces and seuentie thousand Rials of Eight in Siluer and the worth of ten or twelue thousand in Cloth had the ill hap to come to this Riuer of Iohor and some went vp to the Towne but before they could returne the Achin Armada came to this Siege so that twenty three of their men were taken The rest came October the one and twentieth to Patanie Master Copland then at Achin with Generall Best writes that the Kings Armada returning arriued Iuly the third Gallies and Frigats a hundred and twenty or more with which Laxaman the Generall had subdued the Kingdomes of Ioar and Siak bringing with him both the Kings and two of their brethren which he saith were honourably sent backe and remained tributaries to Achin The Hollanders haue had much trading at Patane and the King of Iohar or Ior moued with their good successe against the Portugals ioyned his Nauie to theirs to chase them out of those parts Yea they haue braued the Portugals euen before Goa the Seat of their Vice-Roy and in Nouember 1604. at Calecut entred into solemne league with the Samaryn at least offered it Iarric denies the acceptation against them and the next yeere they wonne from the Portugals the Castles of Amboyne and Tidore not to mention many other Prizes taken from them by the Hollanders at Macao one ship worth a Million at Sincapura c. at sundry times In the yeere 1605. Cornelius Mateliuius was sent to the Indies with twelue Ships and the next yeare after Paulus à Caerden with twelue more And Mateliue besieged Malaca as before is said But in this attempt they had not successe answerable to their desire and yet not so ill as was likely For the Portugals vpon this newes returning from Achin vpon espiall of a Flemish Saile called a Counsell and made it the next day before they came vp in which space the Hollander had leisure to bring all his Ordnance then on shore for battery aboord his Ships and to prepare himselfe for fight which he held two dayes with the Portugall with two Ships losse on each side the Portugall giuing way So little counsell is sometimes in consultation and easily is opportunity lost in the very seeking Iarric writeth that the Hollanders hauing taken the Fortresses of Amboin and Tidor entred League with ten neighbour Kings enemies to the Portugals and with eleuen Ships seuen Barkes came before Malaca in the end of Aprill 1606. The Kings Confederate had of all sorts of Shipping three hundred twentie seauen with foure thousand men The Iapanders which were then in Malaca vpon affaires of Merchandize did performe good seruice for the distressed Portugal The Siege continued almost
more vnhappy tense when they were there was a Citie great strong and very faire with walls of Stone and great Ditches round about it with many Crocodiles in them There are two Townes the old in which the Merchants abide and the houses are made of Canes called Bambos and the new for the King and his Nobilitie the Citie is so subiect to fire that euery day Proclamation is made to take heed to their fire The Citie is square with faire walls hauing in each Square fiue Gates besides many Turrets for Centinels to watch made of wood and gilded very faire The Streets are strait as a line from one Gate to another and so broad that ten or twelue men may ride a-front through them On both sides at euery mans doore is set a Coco-tree yeelding a faire shew and comfortable shaddow that a man might walke in the shade all day The houses are made of Wood and couered with Tiles The Kings house is in the midst walled and ditched about and the houses within of Wood sumptuously wrought and guilded And the house wherein his Pagode or Idoll standeth is couered with Tiles of Siluer and all the walls are guilded with Gold Within the first gate of the Kings house was a large roome on both sides whereof were houses made for the Kings Elephants Among the rest hee had foure white Elephants a thing rare in Nature but more precious in his estimation For this is part of his Royall Title The King of the white Elephants And if any other hath any he will seeke by fauour or force to haue the same which some say was the cause of the quarrell betwixt him and the King of Siam Great seruice was done vnto them Euery one of these white Elephants stood in an house guilded with Gold and were fed in vessels of Siluer gilt One of them as hee went euery day to the Riuer to bee washed passed vnder a Canopie of Cloth of Gold or Silke carried by sixe or eight men as many going before playing on Drums or other Instruments At his comming out of the Riuer a Gentleman washed his feet in a Siluer Bason There were of blacke Elephants nine Cubits high The King was said to haue aboue fiue thousand Elephants of Warre There was about a mile from Pegu a place builded with a faire Court in it to take wilde Elephants in a Groue which they doe by the female Elephants trained to this purpose and anointed with a certaine Oyle which causeth the wilde Elephant to follow her When the Hunts-men haue brought the Elephant neere to the Citie they send word thereof and many Horse-men and Foot-men come out and cause the female to take a streight way which leadeth to the place where shee entereth and hee after her for it is like a Wood. When they are in the gate is shut and they get out the female The wilde one seeing himselfe alone weepeth and runneth against the walles which are made of strong trees some of them breake their teeth therewith Then they pricke him with sharpe Canes and cause him to goe into a strait house and there fasten him with a rope and let him fast three or foure dayes and then bring a femall to him with meat and drinke within few dayes taming him When they goe into the Warres they set a frame of wood vpon their backes bound with great Cordes wherein sit foure or six men which fight with Guns Darts Arrowes and other weapons All Authors agree that no beast commeth so neere the reason of a man as the Elephant yea they seeme to goe before some men in conceit haughtinesse desire of glory thankefulnesse c. The Peguans are beardlesse and carrie pinsers about them to plucke out the hayres if any grow They blacke their teeth for they say a Dogge hath white teeth The men of Pegu Aua Iangoma and Brama weare balls in their yards which they put in the skinne being cut and weare for euery childe one till they haue three and may take them out at pleasure the least as bigge as any Wall-nut the biggest as bigge as a little Hennes Egge They were inuented to preuent Sodomie which they vse more then any people in the world Abusing the Male-Sexe causeth the women also to weare scant clothes that as they goe their thigh is seene bare to prouoke men to lust Both these were ordained by a certaine Queene for those causes and are still obserued If the King giue any one of his Balles it is a great Iewell accounted they heale the place in sixe or eight dayes The Bramans that are of the Kings bloud pricke some part of their skinne and put therein a blacke colour which lasteth alway If any Merchant resort thither hee shall haue many maydes saith Linschoten offered him by their parents to take his choyse and hauing agreed with their parents hee may for the time of his abode vse her as his slaue or his Concubine without any discredit to her Yea if hee come againe after shee is marryed hee may for the time hee stayeth there demaund her in like sort to his vse And when a man marrieth hee will request some of his friends to lye the first night with his Bride There are also among them that sow vp the priuie part of their Daughters leauing onely passage for Vrine which when they marry passe vnder the Surgeons hand for remedie Gasper Balby and Got. Arthus tell of another custome of their Virgins if that name may bee giuen them For saith hee Virgines in hoc regno omnino nullas reperire licet Puellae enim omnes statim à pueritia sua medicamentum quoddam vsurpant quo muliebria distenduntur aperta continentur idque propter globulos quos in virgis viri gestant illis enim admittendis virgines arctiores nullo modo sufficerunt Their money is called Ganza and is made of Copper and Leade which euery man may stampe that will Gold and Siluer is merchandise and not money The tides of the Sea betweene Martauan and Pegu by Caesor Fredricke are reputed the greatest wonder which hee saw in his trauels being so violent that the ayre is filled with noyse and the earth quaketh at the approach of this watery element shooting the Boats that passe therewith as arrowes which at a high water they suffer not to anchor in the Channell which would betray them to the deuouring iawes of the returning tide but draw them toward some Banke where they rest in the ebbe on dry land as high vpon the Channels bottome as any house top And if they arriue not at their certaine stations they must backe againe whence they came no place else being able to secure them And when it encreaseth againe it giueth them their calls or salutations the first waue washeth ouer the Barke from stemme to sterne the second is not so furious the third raiseth the Anchor In Negrais in Pegu diuers people dwell in Boates which they call
Paroes the Countrey being full of Riuers in which they goe to and fro with their Families as strange is the dwelling here on the Land their houses being set on high posts and their going vp on Ladders for feare of Tygres From hence to Pegu is tenne as is said before or eleuen dayes iourney by the Riuers as before is expressed where their Markets are as their dwellings vpon the water in Boates with a great Sombrero like a Cart-wheele to keepe off the Sunne made of Coco-Leaues They vse in riding to carry bits in their mouthes which make them swell and puffing cheekes The husbands buy their wiues and if they mislike put them away And if the wiues Parents will take away their daughters they must restore that which was giuen in price for her If a man dies without children the King is his Heire And if hee hath children the King hath a third they the rest They vse to carrie men somewhat after the fashion of Congo in a kind of Couerlet of Cotton called Delingo of diuers colours made commodiously to keepe off the Sunne and Raine and easie to lie on as a bed carried by foure men which alway runne from morning to night resting onely once in the day The wife children and slaues of the Debtor are bound to the Creditor who may carry the Debtor to his house and shut him vp or else sell the wife children and slaues The Noble and Ignoble obserue one fashion of attire differing in the finenesse of the matter which commonly is bombast One piece for a shirt another large and painted tied vp betweene the legges On their heads a kind of Mitre of the same and some like a Hiue they goe bare-foot but the Nobles vsually are carried in Delingos or on Horse-backe The women weare a smocke to the girdle from thence a strait cloth of purpose to shew that they are Women in sort before related They goe bare-foote their armes laden with Hoopes of Gold and Iewels and their fingers full of precious Rings with their haire rolled vp about their heads Many weare a cloth about their shoulders in stead of a Cloake In Pegu they vse much Opium Aracan is mid-way betweene Bengala and Pegu on the Coast Hee is able saith Fredericke to arme many Austs by Sea and by Land hath certaine Sluces with the which if the King of Pegu his greatest enemy assaulted his Countrey hee could at pleasure couer a great part with waters In Pegu they haue a custome of buying and selling by Brokers which vndertake for the performance on both sides Also that others standing by may know what is bidden for commodities they haue their hands vnder a cloth and by touching the fingers and nipping the ioynts each finger and ioynt hauing his proper signification they make vp their bargaines CHAP. V. Of the Religion in Pegu and the Countreys sometime subiect thereto THeir Varellaes or Idol-Temples in the Kingdome of Pegu are many They are made round like a Sugar-Loafe or a Bell some are as high as a Church or a reasonable Steeple very broad beneath some a quarter of a mile in compasse in the making of them they consume many Sugar-Canes with which they couer them from the top to the bottome Within they bee all earth done about with stone They spend thereon much gold for they be all gilded aloft and many of them from the top to the bottome and euery ten or twelue yeeres they must bee new gilded because the Raine consumeth off the gold for they stand open abroad Were it not for this vaine custome gold would there be good cheape About two dayes iourney from Pegu there is a Varelle or Pagode which is the Pilgrimage of the Pegues It is called Dogonne and is of wonderfull bignesse and all gilded from the foot to the top This house is fifty fiue paces in length and hath in it three Iles or Walks and forty great Pillars gilded which stand betweene them It is gilded with gold within and without These are houses very faire round about for the Pilgrims to lie in and many goodly houses for the Tallipoys to preach in which are full of Images both of men and women all ouer gilded I suppose it the fairest place in the world It standeth very high and there are foure waies to it which all along are set with Trees of Fruits in such wise that a man may goe in the shade aboue two miles in length And when their Feast-day is a man can hardly passe by Water or by Land for the great prease of people which resort thither from all places of the Kingdome There are on the shoares of Dogon two Statues which from the head down-ward represent young men but haue the faces of Deuils and two wings on their backes In Pegu there is Varelle or Temple like to this which the King frequented to doe his Holies therein mounting vp staires at the foot whereof were two Tygers gaping wide seeming as if they had beene aliue Besides the many Magazins or Treasuries full of Treasure which the late Braman King had hee had neere vnto the Palace a Court walled with stone the gates whereof were open euery day Within this Court are foure gilded Houses couered with Lead and in euery of them certaine Idols of great value In the first house was a great Statue of Gold and on his head a Crowne of Gold beset with rare Rubies and Saphires and about him foure little children of Gold In the second House is another of Siluer as high as an House set as it were sitting on heapes of money crowned his foot is as long as a man In the third house there is the like Idoll of Brasse and in the fourth of Ganza which is their Mony-mettall tempered of Lead and Copper In another Court not farre from this stand foure other Colosses or huge Images of Copper in Houses gilded faire as they are themselues saue the head Balby tells of fiue made of Ganza so monstrous that the toes of their feeet were as big as a man and sitting crosse-legged were yet as high as one could hurle a stone and were all gilded Fernandes relateth of threescore and seuen Images of Gold richly adorned with Iewels and three hundred threescore and sixe Combalengas or Gourds of Gold molten by the Kings Father each weighing a hundred fourescore pound besides his other Treasures to conceale which he slew two hundred Eunuchs his attendants Their Tallipoys before they take Orders go to Schoole till they be twentie yeeres old or more then they come before a Tallipoy appointed for that purpose whom they call Rowli Hee as chiefe and most learned examineth them many times Whether they will leaue their Friends and the company of all Women and take vpon them the habite of a Tallipoy If hee be content then hee rideth vpon an Horse about the streets very richly apparrelled with Drums and Pipes to shew that hee leaueth the riches of the
they after obtained Eusebius in the first booke of his Chronicle attributeth the originall of Idolatry to Serug the Father of Nahor Beda saith In the daies of Phaleg Temples were built and the Princes of Nations adored for gods The same hath Isidore Epiphanius referreth it to Serug and addeth That they had not grauen Images of Wood or Metall but pictures of men and Thara the Father of Abraham was the first Author of Images The like hath Suidas Hugo de S. Victore saith Nimrod brought men to idolatrie and caused them to worship the fire because of the fiery nature and operation of the Sun which errour the Chaldaeans afterwards followed These times till Abram they called Scythismus The reason of their Idolatrie Eusebius alleageth That they thus kept remembrance of their Warriours Rulers and such as had atchieued noblest enterprises and worthiest exploits in their life time Their posteritie ignorant of that their scope which was to obserue their memorials which had been Authors of good things and because they were their forefathers worshipped them as heauenly Deities and sacrificed to them Of their God-making or Canonization this was the manner In their sacred Bookes or Kallenders they ordained That their names should bee written after their death and a Feast should be solemnized according to the same time saying That their soules were gone to the Isles of the blessed and that they were no longer condemned or burned with fire These things lasted to the dayes of Thara who saith Suidas was an Image-maker and propounded his Images made of diuers matter as gods to be worshipped but Abram broke his Fathers Images From Saruch the Author and this Practice Idolatry passed to other Nations Suidas addeth specially into Greece for they worshipped Hellen a Gyant of the posterity of Iapheth a partner in the building of the Tower Not vnlike to this we reade the causes of Idolatry in the booke of Wisdome supposed to be written by Philo but because the substance is Salomons professing and bearing his name which of all the Apochrypha-Scripture sustaineth least exception attaineth highest commendation When a Father mourned grieuously for his sonne that was taken away suddenly he made an Image for him that was once dead whom now he worshippeth as a God and ordained to his seruants Ceremonies and Sacrifices A second cause hee alleageth viz. The tyrannie of men whose Images they made and honoured that they might by all meanes flatter him that was absent as though hee had beene present A third reason followeth The ambitious skill of the workeman that through the beauty of the worke the multitude beeing allured tooke him for a God which a little before was honoured but as a man The like affirmeth Hierome Cyprian and Polydore de inuentoribus LACTANTIVS as before is shewed maketh that the Etymologie of the word Superstitio Quia superstitem memoriam defunctorum colebant aut quia parentibus suis superstites celebrabant imagines eorum domi tanquam deos penates either because they honoured with such worship the suruiuing memory of their dead Ancestors or because suruiuing and out-liuing their Ancestors they celebrated their Images in their houses as houshold gods Such Authors of new Rites and Deifiers of dead men they called Superstitious but those which followed the publikely-receiued and ancient Deities were called Religious according to that Verse of Virgil. Vana superstitio veterumque ignara deorum But by this rule saith Lactantius wee shall find all Superstitious which worship false gods and them only religious which worship the one and true GGD The same Lactantius faith That Noah cast off his sonne Cham for his wickednesse and expelled him Hee abode in that part of the Earth which now is called Arabia called saith he of his name Canaan and his Posteritie Canaanites This was the first people which was ignorant of GOD because their Founder and Prince receiued not of his Father the worship of GOD. But first of all other the Egyptians began to behold and adore the heauenly bodies and because they were not couered with houses for the temperature of the Ayre and that Region is not subiect to clouds they obserued the Motions and Ecclipses of the Starres and whiles they often viewed them more curiously fel to worship them After that they inuented the monstrous shapes of beasts which they worshipped Other men scattered through the World admiring the Elements the Heauen Sunne Land Sea without any Images and Temples worshipped them and sacrificed to them sub dio til in processe of time they erected Temples and Images to their most puissant Kings ordained vnto them Sacrifices Incense so wandering from the knowledge of the true GOD they became Gentiles Thus farre Lactantius And it is not vnlike that they performed this to their Kings eyther in flatterie or feare of their power or because of the benefits which they receiued from them this beeing saith Plinie the most ancient kinde of thankefulnesse to reckon their Benefactours among the gods To which accordeth Cicero in the Examples of Hercules Castor Pollux Aesculapius Liber Romulus And thus the Moores deified their Kings and the Romanes their deceased Emperours The first that is named to haue set vp Images and worship to the dead was Ninus who when his Father Belus was dead made an Image to him and gaue priuiledge of Sanctuary to all Offenders that resorted to this Image whereupon mooued with a gracelesse gratefulnesse they performed thereunto diuine honours And this example was practised after by others And thus of Bel or Belus beganne this Imagerie and for this cause saith Lyra they called their Idols Bel Baal Beel-zebub according to the diuersitie of Languages Cyrillus calleth him Arbelus and saith that before the Floud was no Idolatrie amongst men but it had beginning after in Babylon in which Arbelus next after whom raigned Ninus was worshipped Tertullian out of the Booke of Enoch before mentioned is of opinion That Idolatrie was before the Floud Thus to continue the memorie of mortall men and in admiration of the immortall heauenly Lights together with the tyrannie of Princes and policies of the Priests beganne this worshipping of the creature with the contempt of the Creator which how they increased by the Mysteries of their Philosophers the fabling of their Poets the ambition of Potentates the Superstition of the vulgar the gainfull collusion of their Priests the cunning of Artificers and aboue all the malice of the Deuils worshipped in those Idols there giuing answeres and Oracles and receiuing Sacrifices the Histories of all Nations are ample Witnesses And this Romane Babylon now Tyrant of the West is the heire of elder Babylon sometimes Ladie of the East in these deuotions that then and still Babylon might bee the mother of Whoredomes and all Abominations To which aptly agree the Parallels of Babylon and Rome in Orosius the Empire of the one ceasing when
Salomon made two doores in the Temple one for mourners and excommunicates the other for the newly married At this if any entred the Israelites which came on the Sabbaths and sate betwixt those doores said He whose name dwelleth in this house glad thee with children If any entred at the other doore with his vpper lippe couered they knew that he was a mourner and said He which dwelleth in this house reioyce and comfort thee If his lippe were not couered they knew that hee was Menudde Excommunicate and said He which dwelleth in this house put into thy heart to heare the words of thy fellowes c. When the Temple was destroyed they decreed that the Bridegroomes and Mourners should enter the Synagogue and the men which saw them reioyced with the one and sate on the ground with the other If they did not amend they were excommunicated with a greater curse or Anathema And if they persisted obstinate they did Samatize them The word Anathema is sometimes taken generally but heere for a particular kinde Maran-atha signifieth The Lord commeth and so doth Sem-atha For by Sem and more emphatically Hassem they vsed to signifie the name meaning that Tetragrammaton and ineffable name of God now commonly pronounced Iehouah It may also be compounded of Sama after the Chaldee forme or of Sam and mitha which signifieth There is death Some Authors ascribe this to the institution of Henoch which they gather out of Iudg. 14. CHAP. III. Of the Religious places of the Israelites their Tabernacle Temples Synagogues IN the discouery of their antient Religion it seemeth fittest to discourse first of Places secondly of Times Thirdly of Rites Fourthly of Persons consecrated to Religion And first of the first Neither were the first men nor first Hebrews very Religious in this point of dedicating Places to Religion as appeareth in Histories both holy and Prophane And if for some vision made vnto them in some places they did for a time hallow the same with Altars and Sacrifices yet neither were they alway or only thus esteemed But Hee Whose is the Earth and all that therein is did by his Law appoint as it were a place of his residence amongst these whom he had chosen for his owne people And commanded them to erect a Tabernacle in the wildernesse fitting that their peregrination Afterward Salomon built him an house in Ierusalem which therefore is called the holy Citie and the Citie of the great King The TABERNACLE a moueable Temple that might be taken asunder and ioyned together againe was by Gods commandement erected in the wildernesse in the same manner and of the same matter which God had both commanded and shewed to Moses in the Mount the matter and forme whereof with all that thereunto appertained the Arke the Candlesticke the Altar c. In the booke of Exodus are liuely declared It was after as we reade in the booke of Ioshua with great solemnitie carried miraculously thorow Iordan by the Leuites deputed to that seruice And after their conquest of the Countrey placed in Shilo a Citie of Ephraim There did Ioshua diuide the Land to her new Conquerors there were their solemne Assemblies for State and religion In the time of Heli they remoued the Arke from the Tabernacle into the Armie which they had gathered against the Philistims of whom the Arke was taken The Tabernacle in the time of Saul was carried to Nob and in the time of Dauid to Gibeon where Salomon offered a thousand burnt offerings The Philistims forced by Diuine iudgements sent backe the Arke receiued by the Bethsamites curious to their cost It was after placed in Kiriath-Iarim in the house of Aminadab next of Obed-Edom and then by Dauid in the place which hee had fitted for the same in Ierusalem Whence it was remoued into the Temple which Salomon had built where it was till the time of the deportation in which time it was saith the Author of the second booke of the Maccabees hiddne by Ieremia the Prophet But that Author is beholden to the Councell of Trent for his credit the Iewes themselues in that point not beleeuing him who affirme that the second Temple came short of the former by the want of the fire from Heauen of the Arke of the Vrim and Thummim of the succession of Prophets and the glory of God betweene the Cherubims The TEMPLE was built on Mount Moriah by Salomon according to the patterne which he had receiued of Dauid to which worke he had gathered a greater masse of wealth then easily we shall reade of in the Persian Greeke Romane or any other Christian Turkish or Heathen Empire namely one hundred thousand Talents of Gold ten hundred thousand talents of siluer and afterward three thousand Talents of Gold and seuen thousand Talents of Siluer to which was added by the offerings of the Princes ten thousand talents of siluer and more then fiue thousand talents of Gold besides Iewels and brasse and iron without weight with Cedars and stones without number The Gold amounteth after the common computation of the common talent at sixe thousand crownes to six hundred forty eight millions of crownes and vpward the siluer to about the same summe But that which by vs is vnderualued accounting to the talent but six thousand crownes as some doe Master Brerewood in his learned worke de ponderibus precijs c. raiseth to a higher summe estimating the talent at foure thousand fiue hundred pound so that the hundred thousand talents of Gold which Dauid had prouided for that worke amount to foure hundred and fifty millions of our pounds and his million of siluer talents each of which is three hundred seuenty fiue pound to three hundred seuenty fiue millions besides thirteene millions and fiue hundred thousand pounds in gold and two millions sixe hundred twenty fiue thousand pounds in siluer afterwards by Dauid offered to the same purpose and by his Princes twenty two millions fiue hundred thousand seuen thousand and fiue hundred pounds in gold and three millions seuen hundred and fifty thousand pounds in siluer That I speake not all other prouisions of iewels metals and timber and the rest Now all that Cyrus got by the conquest of an Asia is valued but at one hundred twenty fiue millions if wee summe his fiue hundred thousand talents after the Aegyptian account which is a great deale more then Alexander found in the Persian Treasury so much renowned both at Susis and Persopolis which as Strabo hath numbred were but thirty two millions and seuen hundred and fifty thousand pounds That summe of Dauid I confesse had often troubled mee nor could I euer finde satisfaction in that doubt But in my opinion Master Brerewoods coniecture is probable that the Hebrew word in that place doth not signifie a Talent or that the word Talent doth not alway signifie the same summe in Scripture euen as amongst other Nations it also varied and
beautifull as the Hyacinth and Pearles neuer deflowred of men or Deuils neuer menstruous sitting in pleasant shades with their eyes fixed on their husbands their eyes large with the white of them exceeding white and the blacke very blacke lying on the shining greene Faire young men shall serue them with Vials and other Vessels full of the most excellent liquor which shall neither cause head-ach nor drunkennesse and shall bring them the choisest fruits and flesh of fowles They shall there heare no filthy or displeasing word and Az. 86. In Paradise shall be administred to them in well-wrought vessells of glasse and siluer drink as the sauourie Ginger out of the fountaine Zelzebil they shall haue garments of silke and gold chaines of siluer blessed Wine Maidens likewise with pretty brests there shall be tall trees of colour betweene yellow and greene They shall haue in Paradise all pleasures and shall enioy women with eyes faire and as great as Egges sweet smelling Riuers of Milke and Honie and fruits of all sorts Az. 6. He saith Paradise is of as great capacitie as Heauen and Earth OF HELL hee fableth that it hath seuen gates that it shall make the wicked like to fleas that they shall be fed with the tree Ezecum which shall burne in their bellies like fire that they shall drinke fire and being holden in chaines of seuentie cubits shall be kept sure the fire shall cast forth embers like Towers or Camels They which contradict shall bee punished with the fire of hell they which feare shall goe into Paradise and as it were in a MIDDLE SPACE betwixt the one and the other there shall stand some other with hope and expectation of Paradise We haue set Angels ouer hell and haue appointed their members 84. 98. There shall be fountaines of scalding waters and they shall eate vpon a reede but shall not satisfie their hunger they shall be bound in chaines 121. He sometimes excuseth his owne basenesse as Azo 17. where he saith he could nor write nor read adding that his name and mention is in the Testament and Gospel and 36. The vnbeleeuers saith he murmure that he is followed onely of Weauers and the raskall-rour And 53. That the Alcoran was not committed to a man of great possessions and they say that it is Art-magike and that I haue fained it And in 64. The Moone was diuided and they say it is Sorcerie The tale is told by Frier Richard thus Mahomet pointed to the Moone with his thumbe and middle finger and it was diuided the two pieces falling on the Hils of Mecha which entring into Mahomets coat was made whole againe Hee sometimes extolleth himselfe blasphemously inducing Christ thus saying to the Israelites O yee Israelites I being sent a Messenger vnto you from GOD affirme by the Testament which I haue in my hand that a Messenger shall come after me whose name is Mahomet of whom they shall say he is a Magitian 71. His beastly prerogatiue he boasteth 43. saying he is the seale last of the Prophets To Thee O Prophet we make it lawfull to lie with all women which are giuen thee or which thou buyest and thy Aunts thy Kindred and all good women which freely desire thy company if thou be willing and this is permitted to thee alone Diuorce these couple thy selfe to those at thy pleasure And being by some other of his wiues found in bed with Marie the wife of a Iacobite Christian hee sware that he would neuer after vse her company but after being impotent in his lusts hee ordaines a Law to himselfe Az. 76. Why doest thou O Prophet make that lawfull for the loue of thy woman which GOD hath made vnlawfull GOD full of pittie and giuer of pardon hath commanded thee to blot out or cancell thine oathes Of his iourney to Heauen to receiue the Law he speaketh Az. 63. and 82. mingling iniunctions of deuotion 83. Thou O Prophet rising in the night spend halfe the night or a little more or lesse in watching and continually and deuoutly reade ouer the Alcoran bee thou iust patient and refuse not to wash thy garments O thou man cloathed in woollen 43. Let none enter into the house of the Prophet before hee call but let him stand without the gate let none doe dishonestie within his house let none hurt the Prophet in any thing or haue his wife after him Some Prophets hee mentioneth not named in Scripture and of those there named hee telleth many fables Ismael was a true Prophet and found a good man before GOD. Ioseph nine yeeres imprisoned for the Queene Abraham ouerthrew his Fathers Idols and should haue beene burned for the same but the fire lost his force The Mountaines and Birds that praise GOD were subiect to Dauid Salomon learned Magick of Arot and Marot Diuels so called hee knew the language of Birds and when hee was in the middest of his Armie consisting of Deuils Men and Birds the Lapwing brought him newes of the Queene of Saba's comming to whom by this Lapwing hee sent a Letter c. Of this Armie the Ants of Pismires being afraide one Ant perswaded her fellowes to get them into their holes lest they should bee troden on Moses married Pharaohs Daughter 37. One Ascemel made the golden Calfe in the Desart against Aarons will Pharaoh requested Homen to build a Tower whereon to climbe to heauen to the GOD of Moses 50. In the time of Noe they worshipped Idols whom hee nameth Huden Schuan Iaguta Iannea Nacem The Prophet Huth was sent to the Nation Haath to teach them the worship of one GOD and Schale to Themuth and Schaibe to Madian and Abraham and Lot to the Sodomites on whom because they were incredulous it rained yellow and sharpe stones Az. 21. Moses was sent to Pharaoh c. His scope of these Narrations is that hee is sent likewise a Prophet and therefore iudgement will pursue them which refuse him as it did those incredulous Nations These fauour of a Iewish helpe Hee telleth also of Alexander Mag. that hee had all knowledge he found the Sunne where it lay resting in a yellow fountaine and the mountaines in which it riseth And finding men without vse of speech hee diuided them from other men c. Az. 28. He proueth substantially that there shall be a RESVRRECTION by the History of the seuen Sleepers which slept in a Caue 360. yeeres 28. Az. and 49. Hee saith that at the time of death GOD taketh away the soule at an houre knowne restoring it to some to some neuer at the first sound of the Trumpet all shall die except those which shall bee protected by the will of GOD at the second sound all things shall reuiue and be iudged and 66. The earth shall tremble the mountaines shall be brought to dust and the whole company shall bee diuided into three parts some before others on the right hand both which sorts shall be blessed
and Moabites erected two Idols one of white stone called Mercurie in honour of Mars the other of blacke called Chamos in honour of Saturne Twice a yeere these men ascended to worship them when the Sunne entred into Aries in honour of Mars and then at their departure they cast stones as before is said when the Sunne entred into Libra in honour of Saturne at which time they sacrificed naked with their heads shauen The Arabians also worshipped them Mahomet did not abolish them but placed the Image of Saturne in a corner with his back-part forwards and buried the Image of Mars in the ground and laid a stone ouer it These stones he permitted them to kisse and with shauen crownes and naked backes to cast stones backwards betweene their legs which they say is done to scarre away the Deuill This is suffered to bee done at Mecca in honour of Venus But wee haue alreadie heard that Venus was the ancient Arabian and Seracenicall Deitie to whom they performed such Rites of old Mecca or as they call it Macca signifying an Habitation containeth in it about sixe thousand houses fairely built like those of Italy Other walls it hath not then such as Nature hath enuironed it with namely With high and barren Mountaines round about Some report That betweene the Mountaines and the Citie are pleasant gardens abundance of Figs Grapes Apples Melons and that there is store also of Flesh and Water But it seemeth that this is of later industrie not of Natures indulgence if it be true For Lud. Barthema or Vertoman being there in the yeere 1503. saith That the place was accursed of GOD as not bringing forth Hearbs Trees Fruites or any thing and besides hauing great scarcitie of water and is serued with these things from other places It is gouerned by a King tributarie then to the Soldan now to the Turke called the Seriffo lineally descended from their great Seducer by his daughter Fatima the onely issue of this libidinous poligamous Prophet married to Hali. All of this kindred are called Emyri that is Lords cloathed with or at least wearing Turbants of greene which colour the Mahumetans will not suffer other men to weare The number of Pilgrimes which resort hither is incredible From Cairo commeth a Carouan of deuotion some to Mammon some to Mahomet either for trade of Merchandize or for Superstition and another yeerely from Damascus besides those which come from the Indies Aethiopia Arabia Persia c. Lud. Barthema saith That at his being at Mecca of the Carouan of Damasco wherein he went were fiue and thirtie thousand Camels and about fortie thousand persons of that of Cairo were threescore and foure thousand Camels and now in these times about fortie thousand Camels Mules and Dromedaries and fiftie thousand persons besides the Arabian Carouan and of other Nations This Mart of Mecca is much impaired since the Portugales haue intercepted the Indian commodities which by a Carouan from thence were wont to be brought hither Let me desire the Reader to haue patience and goe along on this Pilgrimage with one of these Carouans thorow these Arabian Desarts to Mecca and Medina and because that of Cairo is the chiefe wee will bestow our selues in it and obserue what Rites they obserue before they set forth what by the way and at the intended places of their deuotion Touching the necessitie whereof they thinke that they which goe not once in their liues shall after death goe to the Deuill Yea some for deuotion plucke out their eyes after so holy a sight The moneth Ramazan or Ramadham the ninth moneth in their Kalendar containing thirtie daies as you haue heard is their Lent falling sometime high sometime low being that whole moneth during which time the Pilgrimes and Merchants resort to Cairo from Asia Greece Barbarie c. After their Lent ended they obserue their Easter or Feast called Bairam three dayes Twentie dayes after this Feast the Carouan is readie to depart Against this time they assemble themselues at a place two leagues from Cairo called Birca attending the comming of the Captaine This Captaine of the Corauan whom they call Amarilla Haggi is renewed euery third yeere and to him the Grand Signior euery voyage giueth eighteene Purses each containing sixe hundred twentie fiue Duckats of gold for the behoofe of the Carouan and also to doe Almes vnto needfull Pilgrimes He hath foure Chausi to serue him and foure hundred Souldiers two hundred Spachi mounted on Dromedaries and as many Ianizaries riding on Camels The Chausi and Spachi the Captaine maintaineth at his owne charges The Ianizaries haue their prouision from Cairo He hath eight Pilots for guides which Office is hereditarie They carrie sixe pieces of Ordnance to terrifie the Arabians and to triumph at Mecca The Merchandize that goeth by Land payeth no custome that which goeth by Sea payeth ten in the hundred At the Feast before the Carouan setteth forth the Captaine with his Retinue and Officers resort vnto the Castle of Cairo before the Basha which giueth vnto euery man a Garment and that of the Captaine is wrought with Gold the others according to their degree Moreouer he deliuereth vnto him the Chisua Tunabi or Garment of the Prophet a Vesture of Silke wrought with these letters of Gold La illa ill'alla Mahumet Resullala that is There are no gods but God and Mahomet is the Messenger of God After this he deliuereth to him a Gate wrought curiously with gold and a couering of greene veluet made in manner of a Pyramis about nine palmes high wrought with fine gold to couer the Tombe of the Prophet Mahomet and many other couerings besides of gold and silke to adorne it The two former are for the house of Abraham in Mecca Then the Captaine hauing taken his leaue departed accompanied with all the people of Cairo in manner of a Procession with singing shouting and a thousand Ceremonies besides and passing the gate Bab. Nassara laieth vp in a Mosquita the said Vestures very safely This Ceremonie is performed with such publike resort that it is not lawfull for any man to forbid his wife the going to this Feast for shee may vpon such a cause separate her selfe from her husband and lie with another man The Camels which carrie the Vestures being adorned with cloth of gold and many little bels the multitude streweth flowers and sweet water on them others with fine cloth and towels touch the same reseruing these for reliques Twentie daies after this Feast the Captaine taking the vestures out of that Mosquita repaireth to Birca where his Tent abideth some ten daies In this time they which meane to follow the Carouan resort thither and amongst them many women attired with trifles tassels and knots accompanied with their friends mounted on Camels The night before their departure they make great feasting and triumph with discharging their Ordnance Fire-works c. shouting till at the breake of day vpon the sound of a Trumpet
cloth sewed together Tritis pilea suta de lacernis the Kings differing from the common sort because his ascended strait with a sharp top not bowed any way to the other Persians it was deadly to weare a Tiara except the top bowed in token of subiection to their forehead Only the posteritie of those which with Darius Histaspis slew the vsurping Magus might weare them bending to the middle of their head and not hanging downe to their browes as the other The Kings Tiara was properly called Cidaris and was set on by the Surena which was an hereditarie dignitie next to the King About this Cidaris hee wore a Diadem which some Authors confound and make to be the same others otherwise it was a purple band or of blew colour distinguished with white which was wreathed about the Tiara The right or strait Tiara with that purple and white band was the note of royaltie as the Crowne in these parts The Diadem in other Countries was a white band wreathed about the forehead The new King was placed also in a golden Throne and if hee pleased changed his former name as Codomannus to Darius His subiects adored him as a god so did the Greekes interprete it and Mordecas which refused this ceremonie to Haman prostrating themselues on the ground with a kinde of veneration turning their hands behind their backe if they had any sute to the King Sperchies and Bulis Lacedemonians and Conon the Athenian refused this Rite Ismenias the Theban dissembled it with taking vp his ring which for that purpose hee lot flip from his finger when hee came before the King Timagoras was put to death by the Athenians for doing it In the time of Apollonius none might come to the presence of the King which had not before done the like adoration to his Image They also when they came into the presence of the King held their hands within their sleeues for default herein Cyrus Iunior slew Antosaces and Mitraeus as Xenophon writeth Likewise for the greater Maiestie they seldome were seene of the people and then neuer on foot neither might any enter the Palace without licence of the King signifying his attendance first by a messenger this honour was reserued to the Princes which slew Smerdis which might enter at all times but when the King was in bed with his wife which Intaphernes one of the seuen transgressing therefore lost his head Yea the Scripture noteth the danger hereof in Haman the Kings greatest fauourite and Ester the Queene neither of which had libertie of entrance without the Kings call or admission It was a capitall offence to sit on the Kings Throne to weare the Kings garment or in hunting to strike any beast before the King had stricken The King as before is noted of Cambyses was not subiect to any law the people were held in much slauery if that may be so called which is voluntarie In this affection they which were scourged at the Kings command were thankefull to him for that they were had in remembrance with him Their obedience appeared when Xerxes being in a ship in danger many at his word leaped into the Sea to lighten the ship Yea they would be their owne executioners when they had offended the King None might salute him without a present His birth-day was obserued a sacred and solemne festiuall His death was bewailed with a silence of lawes and sutes fiue daies and with extinguishing that Fire which euery one obserued in his house as his household deitie The Kings abode was according to the season seuen moneths saith Zonaras in Babylon three in Susa and two in Ecbatana Aelian therefore compares them to Cranes and Aristides to the Scythian Nomades alway by this shifting enioying a temperate season Susa or Shushan was so called of the abundance of Lillies which in that language are so named saith Stephanus a Region so defended by high mountaines from the Northerne blasts that in the Summer the vehement heat parched their Barly it is Straboes report and therefore they couered the roofes of their houses with earth two cubits deepe and it killed the snakes as they crossed the wayes It was situate on Choaspes and entertained the Kings Court in Winter as Ecbatana in Summer the chiefe Citie of the Medes Sometimes it also remoued to Pasargadae and sometimes to Persepolis the richest Citie if Diodorus bee beleeued vnder the Sunne wherein was a Tower enuironed with a three-fold wall the first of which was sixteene cubits high and made with battlements the second twice as much the third square and sixtie cubits in height of hard stone with brazen gates on the East thereof was a Hill of foure acres wherein were the Sepulchres of the Kings Alexander in reuenge of the burning of Athens and by instigation of wine and Thais his Concubine Mars Bacchus Venus three heauy vnruly tyrannicall enemies conspiring burned this sometime Treasure-house of Persia The Persian Court or Palace had many Gates and Guards which took turnes by lot you reade the words of Aristotle in his booke de Mundo hereby manifested to bee his or at least as ancient in that he writeth of the Persian State flourishing before Alexander in his time had subuerted it some hee saith were called the Kings eares others his eyes and others had other offices by which the King learned whatsoeuer was any where done and therefore holden as a God And besides his Posts which brought newes by Fires or Beacons he might in one day learne the State of that huge Empire extended from the Hellespont to India The Palace-roofe admirably shined with the brightnesse of Iuorie Siluer Amber and Gold His Throne was of Gold borne vp with foure Pillars beset with gemmes His bed was also of Gold which was propounded the reward to Zorobabel and his companions Ezra 3.3 yea Herodotus tells of a Tabernacle of Gold of a Plane tree and a Vine of Gold giuen to Darius by Pithius the Bythinian This Vine Athenaeus reporteth was adorned with iewels and hung ouer the Kings bed the Grape-clusters being all precious stones in a Parlour at his beds feet were three thousand Talents of Gold in another at the head called the Kings bolster were fiue thousand Talents Gardens were adioyning which they called Paradises some very large wherein were kept wild beasts as Lions Beares Bores for the Kings game with spacious Woods and Plaines inclosed in wall Tully out of Xenophon relateth the industrie of Cyrus which with his owne hand had measured planted ordered and husbanded one of those pleasant Paradises Alexander enriched them with Trees and Plants out of Greece The Persian Kings dranke the water of Choaspes onely which to that purpose was boyled and carried with them in Siluer vessells wheresoeuer they went The Parthian Kings dranke of this and of the Riuer Eulaeus a Riuer rising in Media which after it hath buried it selfe againe recouering
him placed to the East of Sarmatia diuided by the hill Imaus extending vnto the Region called Serica hauing on the North vnknowne places on the South the Sacae Sogdiana Margiana and India But our purpose is to take them here in their more generall sense vnderstanding all the North pars of Asia now Tartaria Asiatica for of Europe sauing wherein the Europaean Scythians agree with the Asian we are not now to speake And of these first to consider their ancient Scythian Rites and in the next place their later Tartarian appellation and Religion Iustin out of Tragus relateth the arguments vsed of the Egyptians and Scythians each seeking to challenge to themselues to bee the ancientest of Nations in which quarrell the Scythians preuailed Their manners and customes hee thus reporteth They haue no limitation of lands nor tillage nor house but alwaies wander thorow places not inhabited feeding their Heards Flocks They carrie their wiues and children with them on Carts which also being couered with hides they vse for houses No offence is more hainous amongst them then theft gold and siluer they as much contemne as others desire Milke and hony is their food their clothes skinnes of beasts for the vse of wooll they know not They haue three times sought the Empire of Asia neuer conquered of others They chaced Darius the Persian King out of their coasts they slew Cyrus with all his armie they ouerthrew Zopyron a Captaine of Alexander the Great with all his forces They onely heard of neuer felt the Roman armes and themselues founded the Parthian Empire That which credulous and fabulous antiquitie hath reported of the monstrous peoples inhabiting the Northerly and vnknowne parts of Scythia is not here to be recited the Countries being at this time discouered and knowne to haue no such men as either by nature are bald and flat nosed with huge chins or haue but one eye where there are also Gryphons keepers of their treasures or men with Goats feet or other monsters of men which Pliny Herodatus and others haue rather mentioned then beleeued Mandauil and Munster following them in like Relations Next to these both in place and credit wee may reckon the Hyperboreans of whom the Delians report that they sent to Delos Virgins with sacrifice to Lucina bound vp in wheat-straw through so many Nations inhabiting betweene Of the Issedones is reported that when one dieth his kindred bring thither beasts which they kill and cut and dresse and eat together with the flesh of the dead man whose skull also they keepe and gilde vsing it as an Idoll to which they performe yeerely ceremonies these exequies doth the sonne there performe to his dead father §. II. Of the Religion Diuination and other Scythian Rites GEnerally of the Scythian Religion thus Of the gods they worship first Vesta whom they call in their language Tabiti next of all Iupiter in their speech Papaeus and the Earth supposing her to bee the wife of Iupiter and call her Apia In the next place they worship Apollo and Venus by the names of Octosyrus and Artimpasa and Mars and Hercules Some of them sacrifice also to Neptune or Thamimasades Images Altars and Temples they thinke ought not to bee made except to Mars Their manner of sacrificing is generally this The sacrifice is presented with the fore-feet bound the Sacrificer at his back hauing laid aside his holy vestment woundeth the same and while it falleth calls vpon that god to whom he sacrificeth and then putteth a halter about the necke and strangleth it without kindling any fire or vowing or other ceremonie and slayeth it the flesh plucked from the bones hee casteth into a great Caldron the bones hee vseth for fewell to seeth the same for wood the Countrie doth not yeeld And if they haue not any such vessell they put all the flesh with water into the paunch and so the beast doth seeth it selfe After it is boyled he which sacrificed offereth the libaments or offerings of the flesh and inwards their sacrifices are besides other beasts especially of horses Their Temples to Mars they build on this manner They heape together bundles of twigges three furlongs in length and breadth and aboue on them is made a square plaine three sides thereof are vpright the fourth is made slope and the bending-wise thereby to get vp thither they bring euerie yeere an hundred and fiftie Waines of twigges to supply the waste of them Vnderneath this worke is erected an old iron sword and this is their Image of Mars to which they offer yeerely sacrifices both of other cattell and of horses and more to this blade then to other gods Of their captiues they offer one of an hundred but after another manner For after they haue offered wine on their heads they kill them by a certaine vessell and after lifting them vpon that their heape or Temple they embrew the Sword-god with the bloud This they doe aboue beneath in the Temple they cut off all the right shoulders of the slaine men and hurle them vp in the aire together with the hands wheresoeuer the hand shall fall there it lieth and the dead bodie apart When they haue performed all their solemnities they depart Swine are so odious to them that they will haue none of them nourished in their Countrie There are among them Diuiners whose Rites are these They bring great bundles of willow twigs which they lay on the ground and vntie and laying them asunder one by one diuine Some of them practise diuination with the leaues of the Teil-tree which they fold and vnfold in their hands The King when at any time hee falleth sicke sendeth for three choice men of those Diuiners who for the most part name some man vnto him which hath forsworne himselfe hauing sworne by the Kings Throne an oath vsed of the Scythians presently the man is brought forth who if he denieth what their art hath accused him of the King sendeth for twice the number of Diuiners and if they by new practise of their art find him guiltie his head is cut off and the first Diuiners share his goods but if they shall absolue him more Diuiners are sent for and if the most of them doe absolue him then those three first are thus done to death They lade a waine with twigs and binding the Diuiners hand and foot and stopping their mouthes cast them into the waines and set all on fire burning Oxen waine and men together vnlesse some of the Oxen by the burning of their harnes escape This punishment inflict they on their false prophets They make their leagues with other Nations in this sort They powre wine into a great bowle mixing therewith the bloud of them which ioine in league cutting some part of the body with a knife or sword and then dip in that bowle or mazer a sword arrowes an axe a dart and after curse themselues with many words last of all drinking the wine
any other people I talked sayth our Authour with certaine of them and finde that they acknowledge one God but represent him by such things as they haue most vse and good by and therefore they worship the Sunne the Ollen the Losy and such like The PERMACES and SEBYRIANS are of the Russe Religion The Yougorians are clothed after the Pormacke fashion but worship Images as doe the Samoeds The Tingoseys a people farre more Easterly are sayd to worship the Sun and Moone They weare their apparell all of Deere-skinnes made closer to them then the Samoeds being also a taller people Beyond the Tingoseys liue the Boulashees beyond them the Seelahee Beyond the riuer Yenisey the Imbaki and Ostaki a kind of Tartars Beyond the Tingoseys is a Riuer called Geta This space extending Eastward from Ob a Russe was a Sommer in trauelling and liued there sixe yeeres Onecko another Russe was first occasion of subduing the Samoyeds to the Russian Dominion in the raigne of Pheodor Iuanowich He sending his sonnes into the Samoyeds Country found that about the Riuer Ob they were gouerned by the ancientest had no Cities liued in hords or companies eate the beasts they tooke knew not corne nor bread were good Archers sharpning their Arrowes with fish bones and stones sewed Furres with bones and sinewes for their clothing which they ware inward in Winter outward in Summer couered their houses with Elkes-skinnes He grew rich by trading with them for Furres The Muscouite sent thither Messengers gallantly attired which easily obtayned leaue to erect Castles neere Ob to which he sent condemned persons and brought it into the forme of a petty Kingdome Boris the next Emperour built Tooma 200. leagues vp the riuer Ob and many other Townes on both sides the Riuer the which were peopled with Samoyeds Tartars Russes It is ten weekes trauell from Ob to the Tingoseys through the Desarts They in hords haue deformed swellings vnder the throat These trauelling Eastward passed a Riuer which they called Pisida heard the sound of brazen bels which if it be so is argument of some more ciuill people eyther of Cathay or the parts adioyning The Cathayans are said to trade to Sergolt From the mouth of Pechora to Ob is tenne dayes sayling Ob and Ienisey runne North and South The Samoyeds report that in Ienesey are great vessels drawne with ropes In the yeare 1611. Iosias Logan and William Pursgloue sailed to Pechora where they anchored Iuly the tenth and on the sixteenth came to Pustozera where Master Logan wintered but Pursgloue trauelled from thence by Land to Colmogro The nine and twentieth of Nouember hee departed with Russes and Permacks for Slebotca in a sled drawne with two Deere in their Argeshey so they call their whole company were two hundred and tenne sleds and they had aboue fiue hundred for change when the other were weary These kept company till the fourth of December and then in company of foure sleds and a Samoyed for a guide he left the laden sleds and went in post for Slebotca where he arriued the ninth day at night and thence trauelled day and night to Colmogro where he arriued the twelfth being two hundred and fiftie Versts or Russe miles somewhat shorter then ours He returned againe with a better passage to Pechora by reason of much snow falne in the meane while and frozen passing ouer the mountaines which are not high but a Champaine Countrey Hee left the company the fift of Ianuary and in forty houres continuall post passed by report three hundred and fifty versts About the mouth of the Riuer Ob is sayd to bee an ancient Idoll in forme of an olde woman holding in each arme a child and a third at her feet called by her worshippers the Iugri Obdarani and Condorani Zlata Baba that is the golden olde wife to which they offer precious Furres and sacrifice Harts besmearing the mouth and eyes of the Idoll with the bloud In the time of their sacrificing the Priest demands of the Idoll touching things to come and sometime receiueth answere Docter Fletcher found this to be a very fable Onely saith he in the Prouince of Obdoria on the Sea-side neere the mouth of Ob there is a Rocke which naturally being some what helped by imagination seemes to beare the shape of a ragged woman with a child in her armes as the Rocke by the North Cape the shape of a Fryer where the Obdorian Samoites vse to resort by reason of the commoditie of the place for fishing and there sometimes practise their Sorceries and ominous coniecturings about the good or bad successe of their iourneyes fishings huntings and such like The Samoits or SAMOYEDS are clad from head to foot in Deeres-skinnes or in Seale-skinnes with the hairy side outwards downe as low as the knees with their breeches and netherstocks of the same both men and women They are all blacke haired naturally beardlesse And therefore the men are hardly discerned from the women but by the lockes which the women we are downe their eares They liue a wilde and sauage life rouing from one place to another without any property of House or Land Their leader in euery company is their Papa or Priest The Samoyeds are Idolaters and Witches obseruing Deuelish superstitions as witnesseth Rich. Iohnson who on the fifth of Ianuary in the yeere 1557. saw amongst them as followeth The Samoyeds about the bankes of Pechore are in subiection to the Muscouite and when they will remoue from one place to another then they will make Sacrifices in manner following Euery kindred doth Sacrifice in their owne Tent and hee that is most Ancient is their Priest And first the Priest doth begin to play vpon a thing like a great Siue with a skinne on the one end like a Drumme his Drumme sticke is about a spanne long and one end is round like a ball couered with the skin of an Hart. Also the Priest hath as it were a white garland on his head and his face is couered with a peece of a shirt of male with many small ribbes and teeth of fishes and wild beasts hanging thereon Then he singeth as wee vse here in England to hollow whoope or shout at Hounds and the rest of the company answere him with this Outes Igha Igha Igha to which the Priest with his voyce replyeth And they answere him with the selfe same words so many times till in the end he become as it were madde falling downe as he were dead hauing nothing on him but a shirt and lying on his backe I perceyued him yet to breath and asked why he lay so they answered Now doth our God tell him what wee shall doe and whither we shall goe And when he had lyen still a little while they cryed thus three times together Oghao Oghao Oghao and as they vse these three cals he ryseth with his head and lyeth downe againe and then he rose vp sang with like voyces
them after that by helpe of Fresh-men sent in the Pinace they were got cleere of them certaine it is that all three driuing away vpon the ebbe the English had entered before and killed all they found fell on fire and running on the Sands there offered vp themselues at once to all the Elements the Sayles still standing embracing the Ayre the Keele kissing her Mother Earth till their more churlish brethren the Fire and Water put them out of possession and shared all betwixt them One of the Gallies lost her Nose with a shot and was content after that with their Other to looke on The Gallions rode beyond the Sands The Frigates could not but participate in their fellowes disaduentures many of them saith Leman were sunke and torne in pieces Masham another of the Hopes Company numbreth fiue and twentie thus perishing The Hope lost three men and had fourteene wounded the Hector lost two One shot of stone which the Hope receiued was measured seuen and twentie Inches about but the hurt was by fire in her tops by one of her owne men there slain whiles he sought to fire the Enemy The Portugals losse is vncertaine three hundred and fiftie men were said to be carried to Daman to be buried besides all that the Sea and Fire had shared betwixt them which were thought to make vp fiue hundred some report of eight hundred and yet themselues gaue out not aboue fortie or fiftie whereas the tide cast vp at one place eighteene drowned carkasses After this they tried experiments First by poyson and this was the Iesuites Iesuitisme I cannot call it Christianitie who sent to the Muccadan of Swally to entice him to poyson the Water of the Well whence the English fetched for their vse but the Ethnike had more honestie and put in quicke Tortoises that it might appeare by their death if any venemous hand had beene there But when Virtus virus wanted vires Dolus is added and the Vice-Roy hauing two ships sent him for supply two Iunkes eight or ten Boates these or the most of them were employed with great secrecie and subtiltie to fire our ships by night two full of fiery entrailes on the ninth of February the next night two others chained together and towed with Frigates and after that in the same night foure other chained together one of which being fired with an English shot burnt her selfe and her fellowes they put fire to all the rest which deuoured them all without harme to the English They tooke some of these Fire-workers one of which being examined confessed after M. Prings Relation thus The Admirall called Todos los Santos a ship of eight hundred tuns had sixe hundred men eight and twentie Peeces most brasse The Saint Benito Vice-Admirall of seuen hundred Tuns three hundred and threescore men twentie Peeces Saint Lorenzo a Ship of sixe hundred Tuns three hundred men twentie Peeces The Saint Christopher likewise The Saint Ieronimo of fiue hundred Tuns three hundred men and twentie three Peeces Saint Antonio foure hundred two hundred men and fifteene Peeces Saint Pedro two hundred a hundred and twentie men and eight Peeces Saint Paulo as many A Fly-boat of a hundred and fiftie Tuns fourescore men and foure Peeces The two Gallies had fiue and twentie Oares on a side and in both a hundred Souldiers Threescore Frigates with eighteene and twentie Oares on a side in each fifteene Souldiers So great their forces and blessed be God so little their force The Vice-Royes name was Don Ieronimo de Sanecko sometimes Captaine of Mosambike after that of Zeilan eighteene yeeres and now Vice-Roy by the Kings strait command and others importunitie drawne into this action Euery day was hee braued with the English Ordnance but neuer aduentured any other triall by fight the English riding neere his great Fleet and dispatching all their other affaires of Merchandise and mending the Hope which they sent home with this Newes when they departed from thence they seemed to stay for them in the way yet let them passe without any blowes This won them much glory among the countrey people Mocrob Chan giuing stately entertainment to the Generall in his Tents on shoare which one saith were a quarter of a mile about in the midst his owne of Crimson Sattin richly embroidered with Gold and Pearle and couered with Cloth of Gold he had many Elephants he gaue the Generall his Sword made said hee in his owne house the Hilts of massie Gold this is their custome to deseruing Captaines and He gaue him his Girdle Sword and Dagger and Hangers of as faire show but lesse worth Because I haue mentioned the Iesuites Arts in these parts let this also be added that Master Canning chiefe Merchant and Agent for the Company writ to Surat for some others to assist him being in great feare of poysoning by the Iesuites at the Court and before any could bee sent hee was dead May the nine and twentieth 1613. One English-man dying a little before was buried in their Church-yard whom they tooke vp and buried in the high-way but were compelled by the King to lay him in his former place threatning to turne them out of his countrey and their buried bodies out of that Church-yard But this later warres brought them into further miseries being denied their stipend and therefore forsaken of their new Conuerts who bringing them their Beades did vpbraid them the want of their pay one of the best Arguments though no great miracle wherewith they had perswaded them to their Religion A French Iesuit at Amadabar begged reliefe of the English wanting necessary sustenance Before the King allowed the Superior seuen Rupias a day and the rest three But now this and their faire Church also is denied them and they say their holies in their chamber Iohn Mildnall an English Papist had learned it is reported the Art of poysoning by which he made away three other English-men in Persia to make himselfe Master of the whole stock but I know not by what meanes himselfe tasted of the same cup and was exceedingly swelled but continued his life many moneths with Antidotes which yet here left him at Agra where hee left the value of twentie thousand Dolars after through the Kings Iustice recouered by the English Many other Sea-fights haue since happened in diuers parts of the Indies betwixt Our men and the Portugals as that by Captaine Ben. Ioseph in which he was slaine and Captaine Pepwel succeeded in the place and quarrell with Manuel de Meneses whose Carrack was consumed with fire by themselues as was thought rather then so great Treasures should be made English spoyles also in the Persian Gulfe by Captaine Shilling slaine therein Captaine Blithe and others which chaced the assayling Portugals Ruy Frere de Andrada their Commander called the Pride of Portugall getting a fall and since that Ormus it selfe taken by the Persians diuers other Portugall prizes and that especially of the
learned labours will giue him good directions He saith it is the same which Brocard in his Description of the Holy Land calleth Valania hee also correcteth the vsuall Translations of Ptolemey and Iosephus learned Casaubon is of his minde and addes other things ridiculous enough out of the Rabbines out of whose muddie Lakes this Riuer floweth to enclose the fabulous Iewes aforesaid If any maruell why in a Discourse of the Sea wee adde this I answere that wee cannot finde the Land whereto it is due and therefore one absurditie must follow another But let vs proceed §. III. Of the Red Sea Sir H. MIDDLETONS taking and of Rhodes and Cyprus THe Red Sea or Arabian Gulfe seemes vnwilling to be the Oceans subiect so many small Ilands doth she continually muster in resistance besides her vndermining the the Sea with her shallow Channell conspiring the destruction of many heedlesse Mariners that here will aduenture as tenants to the Sea in their mouing houses Once by a mightier hand was it helped to preuaile against the Seas force to discouer a dry Land in the middest thereof and with her watery erected wals to guard those new passengers till the same hand reuersed it or rather rewarded the then empty belly thereof with the prey of so many thousand Egyptians Babelmandel Camaran and Mazua are accounted amongst the chiefe of these Isolets Suachen hath most souereigntie being the Seat of the Turkish Bassa for Abassia Arianus in his Periplus of the Red Sea and Agatharchides in a Treatise of like Argument mention not many Ilands therein Orine Alalaeae Catacumene and that of Diodorus in the mouth of the Strait Don Iohn of Castro hath written an exact Treatise from his owne experience of these Seas and Ilands which Master Hakluit hath in a written Copy out of which we shall obserue more in our coasting about Afrike Thomas Iones who was in the Ascension in this Sea speaketh of twelue or thirteene desolate Ilands where they found refreshing with Cokos Fish and Turtle-doues whereof one may with his hands take twenty douzen in a day The Straits are a mile and an halfe ouer but now not chained Mokha is the chiefe Staple of Indian Commodities which passe that way to Cairo and Alexandria This Moha or Mokha is eighteene leagues within the Bab and hath beene often visited by English ships but in the yeere 1610. they dealt treacherously and barbarously with Sir H. Middleton and his Fleete both here and at Aden Aden hath beene of great trading a great Citie now ruinated neither shops of any account within it nor shippes of Merchandize without adorning the same as in times past Neither doe the Turkes deserue better who tooke it by treachery at first hanging vp the King comming to visit them and keeping or rather losing and lessening it still by like treachery Thus dealt they with Captaine Downton his Company in colour of Trade surprising twenty and making them prisoners and yet worse was the Generall dealt with at Moha The Aga after much protestation of loue and vesting him publikely to testifie the Grand Signiors Grace in cloth of Gold giuing leaue to set vp their Pinnasse with many offices and offers of kindnesse on the eight and twentieth of Nouember suddenly assaulted the English killed eight knocked downe the Generall and tooke him with eight and fortie of his company and Master Pemberton also with nine of his Men. They attempted presently to surprise the Darling with three great Boates full of Souldiers where they found the Trumpeter asleepe and slue him with another The decke vpon occasion of romeaging that day for Quick-siluer was couered with victuals none of the companie fearing or prepared for offence or defence Happily one threw forth a barrell of poulder and disturbed them with fire which when their Captaine Emer Bahare cryed to cut the ships cables made them mistake and cut the Boat-ropes so driuing away leauing their Captaine and sixe and twentie more behinde to the slaughter And with a Peece they gaue present warning to the Trades Increase Sir Henries ship so that their villanie succeeded not by Sea their intent being to become Masters of all The next day Sir Henrie Middleton with seuen more all chained by the necks were brought before the Aga who sternely demanded how he durst come into their Port of Moha so neere their holy Citie of Mecca being the Port and Doore thereof adding that the Bassa had order from the Great Turke to captiuate all Christians in those Seas although they had His Owne Passe He pressed the Generall to write to the Ships that they should come on shore out of the water into this fire and not preuayling caused Him to be taken out of his chaine and coller and clapping a great paire of fetters on his legs and manacles on his hands separated from the rest of his companie laid him in a dirtie dog-kennell vnder a paire of staires At night the Consull of the Banians intreated some mitigation so that he was remoued to a better roome but lodged on the bare ground continuing in this miserie They hoped meanewhile for want of water and victuall to obtayne the ships till December 20. Order then came from Ieffar Bassa to bring them to Zenan or Sinan chiefe Citie of Yeoman or Ayaman Then being re-examined as before His Irons were knocked off and with foure and thirtie more English hee was sent thither the Turkes themselues pitying their manacles and some of them doing them fauours Master Pemberton made a strange escape Zenan is ninescore miles from Moha North North-west in 16. 15. There they arriued januarie 5. being their Diuano or Councell day conueyed as in great pompe and triumph one by one The Generall was carried vp into the Castle to a roome twelue steps high where two great Men tooke him by the wrists and led him to the Bassa sitting at the vpper end of a long Gallerie couered on the floore with Turky carpets and when hee came within two yards of Him he was staid the Bassa with frownes demanding his countrey and other questions like those of the Aga. Then was he with foure or fiue more committed to the Keepers house ; the rest to the common prison clapped in Irons where they had with their small allowance starued if the Generall had not releiued them by the meanes of some of the Turkes themselues by promises and other meanes become their friends On Ianuarie 17. arriued nineteene more of those which had beene betrayed at Aden On the 11. of Februarie they were all freed of their Irons whereas they heard their intent had beene to cut off the heads of the chiefe and make slaues of the rest and at last with faire promises returned to Moha in the beginning of March And on the 11. of May the Generall made his escape by this deuice He sent to the ship for prouisions as for longer stay and especially for Wine and aquavite which hee gaue bountifully amongst his
Camels whose riches thereby acquired appeare in the Letters of Lawrence Madoc and wee before haue touched Gago is much frequented by Merchants and things are sold at excessiue rates In an hundred miles space you shall scarce find one in those parts that can reade or write and the King accordingly oppresseth them with taxations In Guber they sow their Corne on the waters which Niger with his ouerflowings brings vpon the Countrey and haue aboundant recompence Izchia King of Tombuto conquered the King of Guber of Agadez also and of Cano which haue great store of Merchants Likewise of Casena and Zegzeg and Zanfara in which I finde little worth the remembrance Cano hath some Relikes of Christianitie and they are named by the Apostles names Guangara was not onely oppressed by the said Izchia of Tombuto but by Abraham King of Borno Borno confineth with Guangara on the West and extendeth Eastwards fiue hundred miles The people haue no Religion neither Christian Iewish nor Mahumetane but like Beasts liue with their Wiues and Chrildren in common and as a Merchant which liued long amongst them and learned their Language told Leo they haue no proper names as in other Nations but as they giue him some name on distinction by his height fatnesse or other peculiar accidents The King warreth with his neighbours hee is descended of the Libyan people Bardoa For maintenance of his Warres he will giue great prices for Horses exchanging fifteene or twentie Slaues for one which Slaues he tooke from his enemies When I was in this Kingdome I found there many Merchants that were wearie of this Traffique because they stayed for their Slaues till the King returned from his Warres Yet the King Teemes to bee rich all his Horse-furniture Stirrops Spurres Bridles Bits were all of Gold and his Dishes Platters or whatsoeuer he did eate or drinke in yea his Chaines for his Dogges were for the most part or most fine Gold He hath many both white and blacke people subject to him Gaoga bordereth Westward on Borno and thence trendeth to Nubia betweene the Desarts of Serta on the North and another Desart confining on a winding crooke of Nilus about fiue hundred miles square It hath neither Ciuilitie Letters nor Gouernment The Inhabitants haue no vnderstanding especially they which dwell in the Mountaines who goe naked in the Summer-time their priuities excepted Their houses are made of boughes which easily take fire They haue store of Cattell A hundreth yeeres before Leo's time they were brought in subjection by a Negro slaue who first slew his Master and by helpe of his goods made preyes in the next Regions exchanging his Captiues for Horses of Aegypt and so became King of Gaoga His Nephewes Sonne Homara then raigned and was much respected by the Soldan of Cairo Leo was at his Court and found him a man passing liberall He much honoured all that were of the linage of Mahomet The Nubae in olde times were many Kingdomes as Strabo affirmeth not subject to the Aethiopians and were then Nomades or Wanderers and Robbers As it is now taken Iohn Leo being our Author Nubia stretcheth from Gaoga vnto Nilus hauing the Aegyptian Confines on the North and the Desarts of Goran on the South They cannot saile out of this Kingdome into Aegypt For the Riuer Nilus whiles it is couetous of largenesse loseth his deepnesse and couering certaine Plaines becommeth so shallow that both men and beasts may wade ouer Dangala is their chiefe Towne and hath ten thousand Families but ill built their houses being Chalke and Straw The Inhabitants with their traffique to Cairo become rich There is in this Kingdome great store of Corne and Sugar Ciuit Sandall and Iuorie They haue strong poyson one graine whereof giuen to ten persons will kill them all in a quarter of an houre and one man if he alone take it presently An ounce hereof is sold for an hundred Ducats It is not sold but to strangers which first take their oath that they will not vse it in their Countrey And if any sell thereof secretly it costs him his life for the King hath as much for Custome as the Merchant for price Some Portugals trauelling thorow Nubia saw many Churches ruined by the Arabians and some Images The Iewish and Mahumetan Superstition haue there almost preuailed In old time they had Bishops sent them from Rome which by meanes of the Arabians was after hindered The Nubian King warreth with the Inhabitants of Goran called Zingani who speake a Language that none else vnderstand and with others in the Desarts on the other side of Nilus towards the Red Sea whose Language seemes to be mixt with the Chaldaean and resembles the speech of Suachen in the Countrey of Prester Iohn They are called Bugiha and liue very miserably They had once a Towne on the Red Sea called Zibid whose Port answereth directly to that of Zidem which is forty miles from Mecca This Zibid for their robberies was destroyed by the Sultan Ortelius saith that in Nubia they were sometimes Christian and now are scarcely of any Religion at all They sent into Prester Iohns Countrey for Priests when Aluares d was there to repaire their almost ruined Christianitie but without effect Sanutus reckons here other Kingdomes Gothan Medra Dauma whereof because wee haue little but the names I can write nothing Now if any would looke that we should heere in our Discourse of the Negro's assigne some cause of that their Blacke colour I answere that I cannot well answere this question as being in it selfe difficult and made more by the varietie of answeres that others giue hereunto Some alleage the heate of this Torrid Region proceeding from the direct beames of the Sunne and why then should all the West Indies which stretch from the one Tropike to the other haue no blacke people except a few in Quareca which haply were not Naturals of the place And if this were the cause why should Africa yeeld white people in Melinde and neere the Line blacker at the Cape of Good Hope in fiue and thirtie then in Brasill vnder the Line Some leauing the hot impressions in the Aire attribute it to the drinesse of the Earth as though the Libyan Desarts are not more dry and yet the people no Negro's and as though Niger were heere dried vp Some to the hidden qualitie of the soyle and why then are the Portugals children and generations white or Mulatos at most that is tawnie in Saint Thomee and other places amongst them as also the Inhabitants of Melinde Madagascar and other places in the same height in and adioyning to Africa Some ascribe it as Herodotus to the blacknesse of the Parents Sperme or Seed and how made they the search to know the colour thereof which if it hath a thing by others denied by what reason should it imprint this colour on the skinne And how comes it that they are reddish at their birth yellowish in
because the Turkish Empire was so full of seditions and the Sophi had sent his Embassadour to them to chuse a fit warrior that they might with ioynt forces assault the Ottoman §. IIII. Of their Schooles and Cities THere are in all the Cities of Aethiopia two Schooles or Colledges for the instruction of youth one for the male sexe the other for the female each diuided into three parts the first for the Gentlemens children the second for Citizens the third for the baser vulgar with their seuerall instructers and without communion medling or conuersing of the one with the other the Seminarie or Colledge of Boyes is a quarter of a league without the City the other within There are they taught Letters and Religion All euen the Kings themselues are bound to send their children thither to be instructed and the Priests resort thither for Confession and ministring the Sacrament to them They may resort home at Festiuall times otherwise they are there detained The Virgins from ten to twenty the other from ten to sixteene yeeres of their age They haue not only this order in their wel ordered Schooles but in their disordered misorderly Stews the deuils work-houses and suburbs of Hell which yet in Rome and places of that Religion are permitted and admitted the Cities and his Holinesse selfe is not a little enriched with that which God prohibited The price of the Dogge and of the Whore The Ethiopians permit not any to bee strange women but strangers of other Countreys which may not enter into their Cities nor may the Nobles enter into the common houses which belong to the Citizens or these to those of the Plebians nor any but to those peculiarly designed their state vnder paine of death as adulterers to bee cast to Lyons These women are hired by certaine Officers at a common price and are not to take any thing of particular men they goe in pale-coloured garments and if they distaste and forsake that beastly trade they send them to some places subiect vnto the Portugals not admitting them to conuerse with their women for feare of infection But to leaue these Beasts the Ethiopians giue great respect to their Physicians which are onely of their Gentry and that not all that will but onely such as certaine Officers shall chuse of euery Citie to be sent to their generall Vniuersities of which there are seuen in Ethiopia there to be taught naturall Philosophy Logicke and other Arts they know not together with Physicke and the Arts of the Apothecarie and Chirurgian They are there maintained at the publike charge of the Cities that send them When the Doctors and Instructers see them fit for Graduates they go with them to the Monks of Alleluya and of Plurimanos who with a Monkes Cowle or Hood and other Doctoricall Ensignes doe inuest and inaugurate them in that Degree They are great Herbarists They make Mummia otherwise then in other parts where it is either made of bodies buried in the Sands or taken out of ancient Sepulchres where they had been laid being inbalmed with Spices For they take a captiue Moore of the best complexion and after long dieting and medicining of him cut off his head in his sleepe and gashing his body full of wounds and therein all the best Spices and then wrap him vp in Hay being before couered with a Seare-cloth after which they burie him in a moist place couering the body with earth Fiue dayes being passed they take him vp againe and remouing the Seare-cloth and Hay hang him vp in the Sunne whereby the body resolueth and droppeth a substance like pure Balme which liquor is of great price The fragrant sent is such while it hangeth in the Sunne that it may be smelt he saith a league off The priuiledges of Physicians are that they are freed from the common custome of giuing one in three of their sonnes for the Emperors warres that they may ride on Elephants in the Cities which is allowed onely to the Emperors Prelates and Priests that are Virgins They may also weare Miniuer-hoods and are free from Subsidies and Paiments Theologie and the Chaldee tongue is taught onely among their Priests and Ecclesiasticall persons in their Churches and Monasteries They reade Diuinitie in their natiue tongue the Text is the foure first generall Councels the Scripture they reade in Chaldee which is with them as Latine with vs They handle not questions as the Schoolemen in Logicall disputations and Arguings but copiously and eloquently interpret the Scriptures Because we haue mentioned their Cities Saba and Zambra let vs take some briefe view of them and so leaue this Spaniard whose Discourse hath I hope not without some delight thus long holden you Besides these two Cities none haue aboue three thousand houses in them But these are populous and magnificent with Towers Temples triumphant Arches Obeliskes Piramides and the like tokens of industry Antiquitie and Maiestie Saba was founded by that Queene which visited Salomon and was the mother-Citie of the Empire It hath fiue thousand houses great and sumptuous the streets spacious with Portals or Pent-houses that men may walke safe from the Sunnes violence It hath foure chiefe Gates all of Alabaster and Iasper wrought with Antique-workes the Gate-doores of Cedar curiously carued The wayes that leade to these Gates for the space of two leagues are set with Palmes Planes Oranges Cedars Cypresses and other trees on both sides for shade fruit the foure high streets goe thorow the Citie acrosse and where they meet is an Arch or Vault erected on high Pillars fairely wrought and gilded with the brazen Image of S. Matthew their supposed Patron as bigge as a Giant gilded also the worke of Architects sent by Francis Duke of Florence Neere to this Citie are Mines of Gold Gardens and other places of pleasure and profit Zambra is greater containing thirty thousand houses and innumerable concourse of people It stands in the Kingdome of Cafates and nigh that great Lake which hereof is called Zambra where the Emperor leauing his wonted maner of remouing vp downe in Tents haue fixed his Court-royall and yet without the Citie are many Tents that belong to the Court Here the Prete liueth with two and forty sons of Kings with his great Councell and the Latine Alexander the third built the Palace here 1570. by the Duke of Florence his workmen If I should follow the Frier further I could leade you on in a delectable way but doubtfull like the Poets writings and bring you into Elisian but fabulous fields fertile in al things but truth wherein let the Reader pardon that I haue already been so long rather then tedious in this Vtopian Aethiopia at the first much suspected by me as by many passages in the Story is expressed but since largely written against by Godignus a Iesuit and by latter Relations found eyther vncertaine or false whose paines shall helpe make vp another Chapter and then will we proceed in our
a Cap of the same the haire inwards a Rats skin about their priuities some of them haue soles tyed about their feet their neckes adorned with Chaines of greasie Trypes or guts also in many doubles which they would sometimes pull off and eate stinking and raw they did also eate the entrayles by vs throwne away halfe raw and would scramble for it like hungry Dogges lothsomely besmeared with the bloud they weare Bracelets of Copper or Iuory about their armes with Ostrich feathers and shels The habit of women is like the former which at our first comming seemed shamefast but at our returne would impudently vncouer that which here must bee couered with silence their brests hang downe to their middles Their haire is curled Copper with them is Gold and Iron Siluer their Houses little Tents in the Fields made of skins at their pleasure remoued On the high Hill called the Table may be seene an hundred miles about some ascended and thence tooke obseruation of many Bayes and Riuers Hee thinkes these parts might be profitably planted with an English Colony One sayth of this people that they are idle not so much as hauing a Canow nor knowing to take eyther fowle or fish whereof they haue store theeuish and swiftly running away with that which they haue stolne By trading with the Dutch and English their prices of things are raysed as you here see to some more Copper or Iron then at the first Discoueries Their Beasts are large their Sheepe smooth and short haired not woolly like a young Calfe with long and broad eares hanged like Hounds their hornes short and tender easily broken their tayles greater then any part of a mans legge some weighing 40. pounds Their Beeues are large and most of them leane The men haue but one stone the other being cut away when they are young the reason seemes to bee some reasonlesse Superstition towards the Sunne which they point vnto being demanded thereof The Hector brought thence one of these Saluages called Cory which was carryed againe and there landed by the Newyeeres gift Iune 21. 1614. in his Copper Armour but returned not to them whiles the Ships continued in the Road but at their returnes in March was twelue-moneth after he came and was ready to any seruice in helping them with Beeues and Sheepe The wilde beasts are dangerous in the night as Lions Antilopes and others some of which in one night carried away twelue pieces of meate laid in the Riuer to water couered with a stone of two hundred weight which was remooued also a very great distance The Pengwins in the Iland neere to Soldania haue stumps in stead of wings and with their feet swimme fast There are Seales a thousand sleeping in an Heard on the Rockes Myce and Rats and Snakes innumerable The weather in the midst of Winter is there temperate Penguin Iland is North Northwest and an halfe West three leagues from Soldania and this fourteene leagues North Northeast from Cape Bona Speranza and ten leagues North by West from Cape Falso which is Eastwards from the former The habitation of the Soldanians seemes moueable and following the best pastures There are fallow Deere Porcupines Land Tortoyses Snakes Adders wild Geese Duckes Pellicans Crowes with a white band about their necks Pengwins Guls Pintados Alcatrasses Cormorants Whales Seales c. HONDIVS his Map of Congo CONGI REGNŪ CHAP. IX Of the Kingdome of Congo and the other Kingdomes and Nations adioyning §. I. Of Angola THe Kingdome of Congo vnderstanding so much by the name as in times past hath beene subiect thereto hath on the West the Ocean on the South the Caphars and mountaynes of the Moone on the East those Hills from which the Riuers issue and runne into the Fountaynes of Nilus and on the North the Kingdome of Benin Of these Countries Pigafetta from the Relation of Odoardo Lopez a Portugall hath written two bookes out of whom P. du Iarric Botero and others haue taken most of their reports And in this we will begin with the most Southerly parts in which wee first come into the Kingdome of Matama this is the Kings proper name who being a Gentile ruleth ouer diuers Prouinces named Quimbebe This is a Kingdome great and mightie extending from Brauagal to Bagamidri the ayre thereof is wholsome the earth outwardly furnished with store of fruits inwardly with mines of Crystall and other metalls The Signiories toward the Sea-coast are very meane and want Hauens Angola sometime a Prouince of the Kingdome of Congo is now a great Kingdome it selfe and very populous They speake the same language with small difference of dialect that is vsed in Congo whose yoake they cast off since the Congois became Christians Diego Can first discouered these parts for the Portugals An. 1486. And the Portugals vsed to trade quietly with the Angolans but some of them trading as high into the Countrey as Cabazza the Royall Citie which is an hundred and fiftie miles from the Ocean were there by order from the King put to the sword vnder pretence of intended treason This was done 1578. Paulo Dias to whom the King Sebastian had giuen the gouernment of these parts with licence to conquer three and thirtie leagues alongst the Coast to him and his heires to reuenge himselfe for this despight done to his people armed such Portugals as hee had and with two Gallies and other Vessels which he kept in the Riuer Coanza hee went on both sides the Riuer conquering and subduing many Lords vnto him The King of Angola raysed a mightie Armie of a million of men as is supposed For they vse to leaue none at home that is fit to carrie a weapon and make no preparation for victuall but such as haue any carrie it vpon the shoulders of their seruants and therefore no maruell if their foode being soone consumed their camps be soone dissolued Small likewise is their prouision of armour for offence and for defence much lesse Diaz sent to the King of Congo for aide who sent him sixtie thousand men with which and his owne Nation he made his partie good against the confused rabbles of the Angolans The trade of Angola is yet continued and from thence the Portugals buy and carry to Brasil and other parts yeerly a world of slaues which are bought within the Land and are captiues taken in their warres Paulo Diaz at his death bequeathed to the Iesuites as much as might maintayne fiue hundred of that Societie in these parts Master Thomas Turuer one that had liued a long time in Brasil and had also beene at Angola reported to me that it was supposed eight and twentie thousand slaues a number almost incredible yet such as the Portugals told him were yeerly shipped from Angola and Congo at the Hauen of Loanda He named to me a rich Portugall in Brasil which had ten thousand of his owne working in his Ingenios of which he had eighteene
the Countrie together with their Characters and Witcheries For before euery man adored that which best liked him some those Dragons before spoken of others Serpents which they nourished with their daintiest prouisions Some worshipped the greatest Goats they could get some Tigres and the more vncouth and deformed any beasts were the more in their beastly and deformed superstition were they obserued Bats Owles and Scritch-owles birds of darknesse were the obiects of their darkned deuotions Snakes and Adders enuenomed their soules with a more deadly poyson then they could doe their bodies Beasts Birds Herbes Trees Characters and the formes of those things painted and grauen yea the skinnes of them being dead stuffed with straw had their shares in this diffused varietie and confused masse of irreligious religion The ceremonies they vsed to them were kneeling on their knees casting themselues grouelling on the earth defiling their faces with dust verball prayers reall offerings They had their Witches which made the people beleeue that their Idols could speake and if any man had recouered of any sicknesse after hee had recommended himselfe to them they would affirme that the angrie Idoll was now appeased All these Idols King Alphonso caused to be burned in one heape in stead whereof the Portugals gaue them Images of Saints and Crucifixes to worship This may seeme an exchange rather then a ceasing from superstition were not some fundamentall substance of Truth communicated besides those blinde shadowes wherewith no doubt God draweth some out of darknesse this darknesse notwithstanding in a true and sauing though a dim and shadowed light wherewith as farre going before vs in affection as we before them in knowledge I dare not but in the hope of saluation of some thanke God for this glimpse of heauenly light rather then rashly to censure and sentence them to a totall and hellish darknesse Emanuel since sent supplies of religious persons to confirme them in their Christianitie and his sonne Iohn the third sent also Iesuites to that purpose who erected Schooles among them and they also send their sonnes into Portugall to learne the Sciences and knowledge of Europe God Almighty grant that those Fountaines may be clensed of all Popish mire that thence more wholesome waters may flow to the watering of this Ethiopian Vineyard They vse in Congo to make cloathes of the Enzanda tree of which some write the same things that are reported of the Indian Fig-tree that it sends forth a hairy substance from the branches which no sooner touch the ground but they take root and grow vp in such sort that one tree would multiply it selfe into a wood if Nature set not some obstacle The innermost barke of the Inzanda by beating is made excellent cloth Other trees there are which the Tides couer and are discouered by the Ebs laden at the root with Oisters But more admirable is that huge tree called Alicande of which my friend Andrew Battell supposeth some are as bigge besides their wonderfull tallnesse as twelue men can fathome It spreds like an Oake Some of them are hollow and the liberall clouds into those naturall Caskes disperse such plenty of wa er that one time three or foure thousand of them in that hote Region continued foure and twenty houres at one of those trees which yeelded them all drinke of her watery store and was not emptied Their Negros climed vp with pegs for the tree is smooth and therefore not otherwise to be climbed and so soft that it easily receiued pegs of a harder wood driuen into her yeelding substance with a stone and dipped the water as it had been out of a Well He supposed that there is forty tunne of water in some one of them It yeeldeth them good opportunitie for honey to which end the Countrey-people make a kinde of Chest with one hole into the same and hang it vpon one of these trees which they take downe once a yeere and with fire or smoke chasing or killing the Bees take thence a large quantitie of honey Neither is it liberall alone to the hungry and thirstie appetite but very bountifully it cloathes their backs with the barke thereof which being taken from the yonger Alicundes and beaten one fathome which they cut out of the tree will by this meanes extend it selfe into twenty and presently is cloth fit for wearing though not so fine as that which the Inzanda tree yeeldeth It serues them also for boats one of which cut out in proportion of a State will hold hundreths of men Of their Palme-trees which they keepe with watering and cutting euery yeere they make Veluets Sattens Taffatas Damasks Sarcenets and such like out of the clensed and and purged leaues hereof drawing long and euen threds for that purpose And for their Palme-wines which they draw out of the top of a kind of Palme which at first is strong and inebriating wine and in time declineth to a sowre and holesome vineger of the stone of the fruit which is like an Almond they also make bread of the shale of the fruit Oyle which also serueth them for Butter Lopez distinguisheth this tree from the Coco tree which is there also growing and another Palme that beareth Dates others that beare Cola like a Pine-apple excellent for the stomacke and for the Liuer most admirable it being supposed that the Liuer of a Hen or other Bird putrified sprinkled with this matter recouereth the former freshnesse and soundnesse Other sorts of Palmes yeeld other fruits and of their leaues they make Mats wherewith they couer their houses Lopez saw a Pomecitron the kernell whereof left within the rinde yeelded a pretty tall sprigge in foure dayes Of stones they haue such store to build with that in some places they may cut out a Church of one piece There are whole Mountaines of Porphorie of Iaspar of white Marble and other Marbles one especiall that yeeldeth faire Iacinths that are good Iewels straked like as it were with naturall veines The Port and I le of Loanda lying ouer against the Portugall Towne of Saint Paul about twenty miles in circuit famous for many things deserueth especiall mention for this that it yeeldeth in lesse then halfe a yard digging Waters very sweet but of so contrarie a Nature to the Sea her mighty neighbour that when the Sea ebbeth the water is Salt and when it floweth the same is sweet and fresh as if the Sea imparted that which it selfe hath not or rather enuied that which he hath and therefore alway at his comming re-demandeth that saltnesse from those springs to attend vpon their Ocean-mother So doe wee see the Siluer Lampes of Heauen in the Sunnes absence to lighten the World which yet want light when it is most plentifull to shew themselues Euen Nature sealeth and confirmeth Monopolies to her principall Courtiers alway as prouided that it thereby better serueth for the Common good and therefore no precedent to such Dropsie and spleen-like Monopolies Mony-pollings with
whiles others attended and at last led him with a firebrand in stead of a Torch to his lodging When they intend any wars the Weroances or Kings consult first with the Priests and Coniurers And no people haue there beene found so sauage which haue not their Priests Gods and Religion All things that are able to hurt them beyond their preuention they after their sort adore as the Fire Water Lightning Thunder our Ordnance Peeces Horses Yea I haue heard Captaine Smith say that they seeing one of the English Bores in the way were striken with awfull feare because he brisled vp himselfe and gnashed his teeth and took him for the god of the Swine which was offended with them The chiefe god they worship is the Diuell which they call Okee They haue conference with him and fashion themselues vnto his shape In their Temples they haue his Image ill-fauouredly made painted adorned with Chaines Copper and Beads and couered with a skinne By him is commonly the Sepulchre of their Kings whose bodies are first bowelled then dryed on a hurdle and haue about the ioynts chaines of Copper Beads and other like trash then lapped in white skinnes and rowled in mats and orderly entombed in arches made of mats the remnant of their wealth being set at their feet These Temples and Bodies are kept by their Priests For their ordinarie burials they digge a deepe hole in the earth with sharpe stakes and the corps being wrapped in skins and mats with their iewels they lay them vpon sticks in the ground and couer them with earth The buriall ended the women hauing their faces painted with blacke coale and oyle sit foure and twenty houres in the houses mourning and lamenting by turnes with yellings and howlings Euery Territory of a Weroance hath their Temples and Priests Their principall Temple is at Vttamussack in Pamaunk where Powhatan hath a house vpon the top of certaine sandie hils in the woods There are three great houses filled with Images of their Kings and Diuels and Tombes of their Predecessors Those houses are neere threescore foot long built after their fashion Arbour-wise This place is in such estimation of holinesse that none but the Priests and Kings dare enter yea the Sauages dare not passe by in Boats without casting Copper Beads or somewhat into the Riuer Heere are commonly resident seuen Priests the chiefe differed from the rest in his ornaments the other can hardly be knowne from the common people but that they haue not so many holes at their eares to hang their Iewels at The High-Priests head-tire is thus made They take a great many Snakes skinnes stuffed with Mosse as also of Weasils and other vermines skins which they tye by their tayles so that all the tayles meet on the top of their head like a great tassell The faces of their Priests are painted as vgly as they can deuise in their hands they haue Rattles some Base some Treble Their deuotion is most in songs which the chiefe Priest beginneth the rest following sometime he maketh inuocations with broken sentences by starts and strange passions and at euery pause the other giue a short grone It cannot be perceiued that they haue any set Holy-dayes onely in some great distresse of want feare of enemies times of triumph and of gathering their fruits the whole Countrey Men Women and Children assemble to their solemnities The manner of their deuotion is somtimes to make a great fire all singing and dancing about the same with Rattles and shouts foure or fiue houres sometime they set a man in the middest and dance and sing about him he all the while clapping his hands as if he would keepe time after this they goe to their Feasts They haue certaine Altar-stones which they call Powcorances standing from their Temples some by their houses others in the woods and wildernesses vpon which they offer bloud Deere-suet and Tobacco This they doe when they returne from the warres from their huntings and on other occasions When the waters are rough in stormes their coniurers runne to the waters sides or passe in their boats and after many hellish out-cries and inuocations cast Tobacco Copper Pocones or such trash into the water to pacifie that god whom they thinke to be very angry in those stormes Before their dinners and suppers the better sort will take the first bit and cast it into the fire which is all the grane they are knowne to vse In some part of the Countrey they are said which since is found false to haue yeerely a sacrifice of children such a one was performed at Quiyoughcohanock some ten miles from Iames Towne in this manner Rapahannock Werowance made a Feast in the woods the people were so painted that a Painter with his pensill could not haue done better Some of them were blacke like Diuels with hornes and loose haire some of diuers colours They continued two dayes dancing in a circle of a quarter of a mile in two companies with antick tricks foure in a ranke the Werowance leading the dance they had Rattles in their hands all in the middest had black hornes on their heâ—ds and greene boughes in their hands next them were foure or fiue principall men diuersly painted which with bastinadoes beat forward such as tired in the dance Thus they made themselues scarce able to goe or stand When they met together they made a hellish noise and euery one flinging away his bough ranne clapping their hands vp into a tree and tare it to the ground and fell into their order againe thus they did twice Fourteene well-fauoured children or if you had rather heare Captaine Smith fifteene of the properest yong Boyes betweene ten and fifteene yeeres of age they painted white H uing brought them forth the people saith he spent the forenoone in dancing and singing about them with Rattles in the afternoone they put these children to the root of a tree all the men standing to guard them each with a Bastinado of Reeds bound together in his hand Then doe they make a lane betweene them all along thorow which there were appointed fiue yong men White cals them Priests to fetch these children Each of these fetched a child the guard laying on with their Bastinadoes while they with their naked bodies defend the children to their great smart All this time the women weepe and cry out very passionately prouiding mosse skinnes mats and dry wood vnknowne to what purpose When the children are in this manner fetched away the guard teares downe trees branches and boughes making wreathes for their heads or bedecking their haire with the leaues What else was done with the children was not seene but they were all cast on a heape in a Valley as dead where was made a great feast for all the company William White relating this Rite saith That they remoued them from tree to tree three times and at last carried them into a Valley where the King sate where
vnto his laborious Collections for which our English Nauigations both for the memoriall of passed incouragement of present and instructions to the future are as to Neptunes Secretarie and the Oceans Protonotary indebted beyond recompence whereby he being dead whiles we write these things yet speaketh And although in this third Edition I could not obtaine like kindnesse from him I know not how affected or infected with emulation or iealousie yet shall his Name liue whiles my Writings endure as without whose helpes and industrious Collections perhaps I had neuer troubled the World in this kind And this is my Epitaph in his memory who hath yet a better his owne large Volumes being the best and truest Titles of his Honour and if some Iuno Lucina would helpe to bring forth the Posthume Issue of his Voyages not yet published the World should enioy a more full Testimony of his paines in that kind CHAP. IX Of New Spaine and the conquest thereof by HERNANDO CORTES §. I. Of the first Discouerie by CORTES and others NOw are we safely arriued out of the South Sea and North vnknowne Lands where we haue wildered our selues and wearied the Reader in this great and spacious Country of New Spaine New Spaine is all that which lyeth betweene Florida and California and confines on the South with Guatimala and Iucatan how it came to be so called asketh a long Discourse concerning the Conquest thereof by Cortes whose History is thus related Hernando Cortes was borne at Medellin in Andulozia a Prouince of Spaine Anno 1485. When he was nineteene yeeres old he sayled to the Iland of Saint Domingo where Ouando the Gouernour kindly entertayned him Hee went to the conquest of Cuba in the yeere 1511. as Clerke to the Treasurer vnder the conduct of Iames Velasques who gaue vnto him the Indians of Manicorao where he was the first that brought vp Kine Sheepe and Mares and had heards and flockes of them and with his Indians hee gathered great quantitie of Gold so that in short time he was able to put in two thousand Castlins for his stocke with Andres de Duero a Merchant At this time Christopher Morante had sent An. 1517. Francis Hernandes de Cordoua who first discouered Yucatan whence he brought nothing except the relation of the Country but stripes whereupon Iames Velasques in the yeere 1518. sent his Kinsman Iohn de Grijalua with 200. Spaniards in foure ships hee traded in the Riuer of Tauasco and for trifles returned much Gold and curious workes of Feathers Idols of Gold a whole harnesse or furniture for an armed man of Gold thin beaten Eagles Lions and other pourtratures found in Gold c. But while Grijalua deferred his returne Velasques agreed with Cortes to be his partner in the Discouerie which hee gladly accepted and procured licence from the Gouernours in Domingo and prepared for the Voyage Velasques afterward vsed all meanes to breake off in so much that Cortes was forced to engage all his owne stocke and credit with his friends in the Expedition and with fiue hundred and fiftie Spaniards in eleuen Ships set sayle the tenth of February 1519. and arriued at the Iland of Acusamil The Inhabitants at first fled but by the kinde entertainment of some that were taken they returned and receiued him and his with all kinde Offices They told him of certaine bearded men in Yucatan whither Cortes sent and one of them Geronimo de Aguilar came vnto him who told him that by shipwracke at Iamaica their Caruell being lost twentie of them wandred in the boat without sayle water or bread thirteene or fourteene dayes in which space the violence of the Current had cast them on shoare in a Prouince called Maija where as they trauelled seuen died with famine and their Captayne Valdinia and other foure were sacrificed to the Idols by the Cacike or Lord of the Countrie and eaten in a solemne banquet and hee with sixe other were put into a coope or cage to be fatned for another Sacrifice But breaking prison they escaped to another Cacike enemie to the former where all the rest died but himselfe and Gonsalo Guerrer a Mariner Hee had transformed himselfe into the Indian Cut boring his Nose full of holes his eares iagged his face and hands painted married a wife and became a Captaine of name amongst the Indians and would not returne with this Aguilar Cortes with this new Interpreter passed vp the Riuer Tauasco called of the former Discouerer Grijalua where the Towne that stood thereon refusing to victuall him was taken and sacked The Indians here with enraged assembled an Armie of fortie thousand but Cortes by his Horse Ordnance preuayled the Indians thinking the Horse and Rider had beene but one Creature whose gaping and swiftnesse was terrible vnto them whereupon they submitted themselues When they heard the Horses ney they had thought the Horses could speake and demanded what they said the Spaniards answered These Horses are sore offended with you for fighting with them and would haue you corrected the simple Indians presented Roses and Hens to the beasts desiring them to eate and to pardon them Cortes purposed to discouer Westward because he heard that there were Mynes of Gold hauing first receiued their Vassalage to the King his Master to whom hee said the Monarchie of the Vniuersall did appertaine These were the first Vassals the Emperour had in New Spaine They named the Towne where these things were done Victorie before called Potonchan contayning neere fiue and twenty thousand Houses which are great made of Lime and Stone and Bricke and some of mudwals and rafters couered with Straw their dwelling is in the vpper part of the House for the moystnesse of the Soyle They did eate mans flesh sacrificed The Spaniards sailed further Westward and came to Saint Iohn de Vlhua where Teudilli the Gouernour of the Country came to him with foure thousand Indians He did his reuerence to the Captaine burning Frankincense after their custome and little strawes touched in the bloud of his owne bodie and then presented vnto him Victuals and Iewels of Gold and other curious workes of Feathers which Cortes requited with a Collar of Glasse and other things of small value A woman-slaue giuen him at Potonchan vnderstood their Language and she with Aguilar were his Interpreters Cortes professed himselfe the Seruant of a great Emperour which had sent him thither whose power is so highly extolled that Teudilli maruelled thinking there had beene no such Prince in the World as his Master and Souereigne the King of Mexico whose Vassal he was named Mutezuma To him he sent the representations of these bearded Men and their Horses Apparell Weapons Ordnance and other Rarities painted in Cotton-clothes their ships and numbers These painted Cottons he sent by Posts which deliuered them from one to another with such celeritie that in a day and night the message came to Mexico which was two hundred and ten miles distant
harth to eate no other bread but that which had beene offered to their Gods that they should vpon all occasions repaire to their Wisards who with certaine graines told Fortunes and diuined looking into keelers and pailes full of water The Sorcerers and ministers of the diuell vsed much to besmeare themselues There were an infinite number of these Witches Diuiners Inchanters and the like and still there remaine of them but secret not daring publikely to exercise their superstitions The Mexicans had amongst them a kinde of baptisme which they did with cutting the eares and members of yong children hauing some resemblance of the Iewish circumcision This Ceremonie was done principally to the sonnes of Kings and Noblemen presently vpon their birth the Priests did wash them and did put a little Sword in the right hand in the left a Target And to the children of the vulgar sort they put the markes of their callings and to their daughters instruments to Spinne Knit and labour The Mexican history afore-mentioned in the third part thereof sheweth in pictures their policie and customes When a child was borne as is there described it was laid in a Cradle foure dayes after the mid-wife brought it naked with the instrument of the trade as is said in the hand into the yard where were prepared Bul-rushes and a little pan of water in which she washed the same Three boyes sate by eating tosted Mars with sodden Frizoles in a little pan and at the mid-wiues appointment named the child with a lowd voice After twenty dayes they went with it into the Temple and presented the same in presence of the Priest with an offering and being of fifteene yeares committed him to the High Priest of that Temple to be taught if they would after haue him a Priest or if they would haue him a Souldier they committed him to the Master thereof with an offering of meat also In this booke is pictured how they instruct and feed them at three yeeres of age giuing them halfe a Cake how at foure with a whole Cake at fiue burthening and exercising their bodies and letting their daughters to spin how at sixe they exercise them in gathering vp corne spilled on the ground or the like at seuen in fishing There is likewise described their seuere discipline in punishing them with Manguez The Priests did exercise their Pupils in bodily seruices of the Temple in going to the Mountains to sacrifice in Musicke obseruing the time by the starres and the like Old men of threescore and ten might be publikely drunken without controll which to yong folkes of both sexes was death as was theft also and adultery The Priests also had their office in marriages The Bridegroome and the Bride stood together before the Priest who tooke them by the hands asking them if they would marry vnderstanding their will he took a corner of the vaile wherewith the woman had her head couered and a corner of the mans gowne which he tyed together on a knot and so led them thus tyed to the Bridegroomes house where there was a harth kindled Then he caused the wife to goe seuen times about the harth and so the married couple sate downe together and thus was the marriage contracted That booke of pictures describes it thus as Amantesa or Broker carried the Bride on her backe at the beginning of the night foure women attending with Torches of Pine-tree Rosenned At the Bridegroomes house his parents receiue her and carry her to him in a Hall where they are both caused to sit on a Mat neere a fire and tyed together with a corner of their apparell and a perfume of Copale wood is made to their gods Two old men and as many old women were present The married couple eate and then these old folke which after this separate them asunder and giue them good instructions for Oeconomicall duties In other parts of New-Spaine they vsed other marriage-rites at Tlaxcallan the Bridegroome and Bride polled their heads to signifie that from thenceforth all childish courses should be laid aside At michuacan the Bride must looke directly vpon the Bridegroome or else the marriage was not perfect In Mixteopan they vsed to carry the Bridegroome vpon their backs as if he were forced and then they both ioyne hands and knit their mantles together with a great knot The Macatecas did not come together in twenty dayes after marriage but abode in fasting and prayer all that while sacrificing their bodies and anointing the mouths of their Idols with their bloud In Panuco the Husbands buy the Wiues for a Bow two Arrowes and a Net and afterwards the Father-in-law speaketh not one word to his Sonne in-law for the space of a yeere When he hath a child he lyeth not with his wife in two yeeres after lest she should be with child againe before the other bee out of danger some sucke twelue yeeres and for this cause they haue many wiues No woman while she hath her disease may touch or dresse any thing Adulterie in Mexico was death common women were permitted but no ordinary Stewes The diuell did many times talke with their Priest and with some other Rulers and particular persons Great gifts were offered vnto him whom the diuell had vouchsafed this conference He appeared vnto them in many shapes and was often familiar with them He to whom he appeared carried about him painted the likenesse wherein be shewed himselfe the first time And they painted his Image on their doores benches and euery corner of the house Likewise according to his Protean and diuersified apparitions they painted him in many shapes It belonged also to the office of the Priests and religious in Mexico to interre the dead and doe their obsequies The places where they buried them were their gardens and courts of their owne houses others carried them to the places of sacrifices which were done in the mountaines others burnt them and after buried the ashes in the temples burying with them whatsoeuer they had of apparell stones and iewels They did sing the funerall offices like Responds often lifting vp the dead body with many ceremonies At these Mortuaries they did eate and drinke and if it were a person of qualitie they gaue apparell to such as came When one was dead his friends came with their presents saluted him as if he were liuing And if he were a King or Lord of some Towne they offered some slaues to bee put to death with him to serue him in the other world They likewise put to death his Priest or Chaplain for euery Noble-man had a Priest for his domestical holies that he might execute his office with the dead They likewise killed his Cooke his Butler Dwarffes and deformed men and whosoeuer had most serued him though he were his Brother And to preuent pouertie they buried with them much wealth as Gold Siluer Stones Curtains and other rich pieces And if they burned the dead they
of Iucatan Their Houses Temples apparell and trade of Marchandize all one their houses somewhere couered with Reeds and where Quarries were with Slate many houses had Marble pillars They found Ancient Towres there and the ruines of such as had been broken downe and destroyed there was one whereto they ascended by eighteene steps or staires The Gouernour whom they supposed to be a Priest conducted them to the Towre in the top whereof they erected a Spanish Banner and called also the Island Santa Cruce In the Towre they found chambers wherein were marble Images and some of Earth in the similitude of Beares These they inuoked with loude singing all in one tune and sacrificed vnto them with fumes and sweet Odours worshipping them as their Houshold Gods There they performed their diuine ceremonies and adoration they were also circumcised Gomara saith That heere and at Xiculanco the Diuell vsed to appeare visibly and that these two were great in estimation for holinesse euery Citie had their Temple or Altar where they worshipped their Idols amongst which were many Crosses of Wood and Brasse whereby some conceiue that some Spaniards had recourse hither when Roderigo was defeated and Spaine ouer-runne by the Saracens In both these places they sacrificed men which Cortes perswaded them to cease The Temple in Cosumil or Acusamil was built like a square Towre broad at the foot with steps round about and from the middest vpward were strait the top was hollow and couered with straw it had foure windowes and Porches In the hollow place was their Chappell where stood their Idols In a Temple by the Sea-side was an vncouth Idoll great and hollow fastened in the wall with lime it was made of Earth Behinde this Idols back was the Vestry where the ornaments of the Temple were kept The Priests had a litle secret doore hard adioyning to the Image by which they crept into his hollow panch and thence answered the people that came thither with Prayers and Petitions making the simple people beleeue it was the voyce of the god which therefore they honoured more then any other with many perfumes and sweet smels They offered Bread Fruit Quailes bloud and of other Birds Dogs and sometimes Men. The fame of this Idoll and Oracle brought many Pilgrimes to Acusamil from many places At the foot of this Temple was a plot like a Church-yard well walled and garnished with Pinnacles in the middest whereof stood a Crosse of tenne foot long which they adored for the god of raine At all times when they wanted raine they would goe thither on Procession deuoutly and offered to the Crosse Quailes sacrificed no Sacrifice being so acceptable They burnt sweet Gumme to perfume him with besprinkling the same with water and by this meanes they thought to obtaine raine They could neuer know saith Gomara how that the God of the Crosse came amongst them for in all those parts of India there is no memory of any preaching of the Gospell that had beene at any time What others thinke and what some Indians answered concerning it is said before Benzo writeth That they did not eat the flesh of those men which they sacrificed and that they wre first subdued by Francis Montegius whose cruelties were such that Alquinotep a Cacique or Indian Lord aboue an hundred and ten yeeres old and a Christian told him That when he was a yong man there was a sicknesse of wormes that they thought all would haue dyed they were not onely eiected by vomite but did eate out themselues a passage thorow mens bodies and not long before the Spaniards arriuall they had two battels with the Mexicans in which an hundred and fiftie thousand men perished But all this was light in respect of that Spanish burthen Guatimala commeth next to our consideration a Prouince of pleasant Ayre and fertile soyle where groweth abundance of their Cacao which is a fruit that serueth the Indians for meat drinke and money The Citie which beareth the same name was first at the foot of a Vulcano or Hill which casteth fire but because in the yeere 1542. on the sixe and twentieth day of December a Lake hidden in the bowels of that Hill brake forth in many places and with a terrible violence ruined the most part of the Citie it was remoued two miles thence together with the Episcopall Sea and the Kings Councell But in the yeere 1581. there issued from another Vulcan two miles off or somewhat more such an eruption of fire as threatned to consume euery thing The day following followed such a showre of Ashes that is filled the Valley and almost buried the Citie And yet were not all the throwes passed of this Hils monstrous trauels but the yeere after for the space of foure twenty houres thence issued a streame of fire that dranke vp fiue streames of water burned the stones and Rockes rent the Ayre with thunders and made it a wauing and mouing Sea of fire Before that first eruption of waters some Indians came and told the Bishop that they had heard an vncredible noyse and murmuring at the foot of the Hill but he reproued them saying they should not trouble themselues with vaine and superstitious feares about two of the clocke in the night following happened that deluge which carried away many houses and whatsoeuer stood in the way in which 520. Spaniards perished and scarce any mention of the houses remained It is worthy recitall which Benzo and Gomara haue recorded that Peter Aluarado the Gouernour who by licence of the Pope had married two sisters the Ladie Frances and the Ladie Beatrice della Culna hauing perished by a mischance his wife not onely painted her house with Sorrowes blacke Liuerie and abstained from meat and sleeps but in a mad impietie said God could now doe her no greater euill Yet for all this her sorrow shee caused the Citizens to be sworne vnto her Gouernment a new thing in the Indies Soone after this inundation hapned which first of all assailed the Gouernours house and caused this impotent and impatient Ladie now to bethinke her of a deuotion and betake her to her Chappell with eleuen of her Maids where leaping on the Altar and clasping about an Image the force of the water ruined the Chappell whereas if she had stayed in her bed-chamber she had escaped death They tell of vncouth noysts and hideous apparition which then were seene Benzo obserued by his owne experience that this Country is much subiect to Earth-quakes The Guatimalans in manner of life resemble the Mexicans and Nicaraguans Fondura or Hondura is next to Guatimala wherein were saith Benzo at the Spaniards first comming thither foure hundred thousand Indians but when I was there scarcely eight thousand were left the rest being slaine or sold or consumed by the Mines and those which are left both heere and in other places place their habitation as farre as they can where the Spaniard shall be no eye-sore
like vnto Kine or Mules which diue and goe but swimme not vnder the water Bores of two sorts Conies Pigs Ounces Foxes with bags to carry their yong vnder the belly The Tatu or Armadilla which digs as much as many men with Mattocks the Conduacu or Porcupine of three sorts the Hirara like Ciuet Cats which eate honey the Aquiqui bearded Apes blacke and sometimes one yellow which they say is their King hauing an Instrument from his gullet as bigge as a Duck-egge wherewith he maketh a loud sound so actiue that they sometimes are said to catch an arrow with the hand and redart it at the shooter and so cunning that they seeke a leafe chew it and put the same into their wounds There are of them many kindes The Cuati are like Badgers they climbe trees no snake egge or bird escapes him There are others greater as great Dogs with Tusks which deuoure men and beasts There are wilde Cats which yeeld good Furre and are very fierce the lagoarucu are Dogs of Brasile the Tapati also barke like Dogs The Iaguacinia is a kind of Foxe which feedeth on Sea-crabs and Sugar-canes The Birataca a kinde of Ferret of such stinking sauour that some Indians haue died thereof yea Dogges which come neere escape not the sent endureth fifteene or twenty dayes in those things which he hath come neere to and causeth some towne sometimes to bee disinhabited This commeth of a ventositie which it voideth and couereth in the earth or casteth it out being in danger to be taken it feedeth on birds Eggs and Amber Ten or twelue kinds of Rats all good meat Other beasts are before mentioned Of Snakes without venome hee numbreth the Giboya some of which are twenty foot long and wil swallow a Deere whole crushing it with the winding of his taile and bruising it with licking to that purpose The Guiaranpiaquana eateth eggs goeth faster on the trees then any man can runne on the ground with a motion like swimming The Camoiama is all greene and liueth on like food The Boytiapua eate Frogs the Indians strike this Serpent on womens hips as remedy to barrennesse The Gaitiaepia smelleth so that none can abide it such is also the Boyuma the Bam so termed of his crie is great and harmelesse the Baicupeganga hath venemous prickles on his backe There are other venomous Snakes as the Iararaca of which are foure kinds of musky sent one ten spannes long with great tuskes which they hide and stretch out at pleasure The Curucucu fifteene spannes long which lyeth on a tree to hunt his prey The Boycimiaga which hath a bell in his tayle so swift that they call it the flying Snake there are two kinds thereof The Ibiracua causeth by his biting the bloud to issue thorow all parts of the body eyes mouth nose eares c. The Ibiboca is the fairest but of foulest venome amongst them all The fields woods houses beds bootes are subiect to the plenty of Snakes which without helpe kill in foure and twenty houres There are also many Scorpions which ordinarily kill not but cause extreme paine for foure and twenty houres space Lizards couer the wals of houses and holes are full of them Their fundament-worms are very dangerous which Sir Richard Hawkins saith he saw like a long Magot greene with a red head creeping in and glewing himselfe to the gut where it groweth so great that it stoppeth the passage and killeth with cruell Colicke torments Master Kniuet speakes of one Serpent which he killed thirteene spans long with foure and twenty teeth great shels about the necke blacke and russet like a collar lesse on her bodie and darke greene vnder her belly all speckled with blacke and white with foure sharpe feet no longer then a mans finger and a tongue like a harping iron Her tayle like a strait bull-horne blacke and white listed If they finde fire they beat themselues in it till either the fire or themselues be extinguished They vse from a tree to fall on their prey passing by thrusting their tayle into the fundament The Indians will not goe vnder fiue or sixe to set vpon one of them this yet he killed with the helue of an axe Of Birds there are Parrots innumerable more then Starlings or Sparrows in Spaine the Guaminbig like Bees which sleepe sixe moneths the Tangara which haue the falling-sicknesse the rest dancing about that which is fallen with a noise from which they will not bee skarred till they haue done c. Of Fruits hee reckons the Iacapucaya like a pot as bigge as a great bowle two fingers thicke with a couer in it within full of Chesnuts being much eaten greene it causeth all haire to fall off Balsam trees pricked excellent for cure and sent Oyle-trees many one as a Well or Riuer growing in dry places where no water is it hath holes in the branches as long as ones arme full of water Winter and Summer neuer running ouer but alwayes at like stay fiue hundred persons may come to the foot of it and drinke and wash their fill without want the water is sauoury and cleere There are hearbs which seeme to sleepe all night and others which make shew of sence as wee haue before obserued from Master Harcourt in Guiana Of strange fishes in Brasil he nameth the Oxe-fish with eyes and eye-lids two armes a cubit long with two hands fiue fingers and nayles as in a man and vnder the armes the female had two paps inwards like an Oxe it cannot bee long vnder water it hath no fins but the tayle which is round and close two stones neere the braine of great esteeme the inwards of an Oxe and taste like Porke The Cucurijuba is a fresh-water Snake fiue and twenty or thirty foot long the Mamma is a greater kinde toothed like a dogge with a chaine striped along the backe very faire It catcheth a Man Cow Stag or any other prey winding it with the tayle and so swalloweth it whole after which she lyes and rots the Rauens and Crowes eating her all but the bones to which after groweth new-flesh by life deriued from the head which is hidden all this while in the mire which therefore they that finde seeke and kill They will sleepe so being full that they may cut off pieces he tels an instance from the tayle and they not awaken They found one which was fifty spans or twelue yards and a halfe long hauing two wilde Bores in the belly Thus much of the creatures in Brasile Let vs now take better view of their Warres Religion and other their Rites CHAP. V. Of the Customes and Rites of the Brasilians §. I. Of their warres and man-eating and of the Diuel torturing them THe Brasilians for the most part as you haue seene exercise irreconciliable hostilitie not to enlarge their dominions but onely to be reuenged for the death of their friends and Ancestors slaine by their enemies The Elder men as they sit or
prophecying that they shall not bee mourned for They wash and paint the dead curiously and then couer him ouer with Cotton yarne and put him in a great vessell vnder the Earth that no Earth may come to him and couering this vessell with the Earth make him a House where euery day they carry him meate For when he is wearied with dancing say they hee comes thither to eate Thus for a certaine time they goe to bewaile him euery day With him they bury all his Iewels if any had giuen him a Sword or other thing now he challengeth his gift againe The mourners eat not but by night This mourning lasteth a Moone after which they make Drinkings but many after this will forbeare them They rule themselues by the Sunne and goe two or three hundred leagues thorow the Woods no Horse will hold out with them they feare no Sea being able to continue a night and a day swimming When they returne from victory their women receiue them with shouts and buffeting themselues on the mouth The Keeper appointed to the Captiue is one giuen him to be as his Wife for bed and boord Some of these are so resolute that they will not be ransomed saying it is a wretched thing to dye and to stinke be eaten of Wormes Sometimes their Keeper will run away with them When they kill a Captiue at their Feasts if hee fall on his backe it is an ominous signe that the killer shall dye which presages they obserue in other circumstances The taker hath a new name as a title of dignitie added to him and must be content to fill his fancie with this new Gentility for nothing is left him to fill his belly euery one taking from him that which he hath He stands all that day on certaine logges of the Tree Pilan with strange silence he is presented with the head of the dead the eyes pulled out his pulses annointed with the strings and sinewes and cutting off the mouth whole they put it in manner of a Bracelet about his arme Thus lyeth he downe in his Net fearing if all Rites be not accomplished that the soule of the dead will kill him Within few dayes after they giue him the habit razing his skin with the tooth of a Cutia in forme of some worke putting thereon Cole and juyce of Broome-rape he lying still certaine dayes in silence hauing water meale and fruits set neere him After this they make a great Feast and then may hee lay aside his mourning and cut his haire and thence forwards may kill any without any painfull ceremonie Abaetes Marnbixaba Moczacara are names of Gentilitie amongst them The Fryers haue obtained some good liking with the Brasilians for teaching their children to write reade and cipher the Iesuits will be of esteeme euery where yet two and fifty of them sayling from Lisbon to Brasil Anno 1570. by Frenchmen at Sea were taken and slaine In Marriages they abstaine sayth Lerius onely from Mother Sister and Daughter they obserue no Marriage-ceremonies but vpon consent of her friends and her owne take her home It is a credit to haue many wiues amongst whom is no Leah to enuie Rachels greater portion of loue the Husband may kill the Adulteresse but for their vnmarried Maydens they are not scrupulous Our Author hearing a woman cry in the night thought shee had beene in some danger of deuouring by a wild beast but found her Husband playing the homely Midwife to her in her trauell byting the nauel-string and pressing downe the nose The Father washeth and painteth him They vse to put to their male-infants little Bowes and Arrowes into one end of the bed and herbs at the other which are the Enemies his Son must be supposed to kill and eate chatting out their hope of the childes valour in being auenged when he shall be a man vpon his Enemies They name their children at aduenture by the name of a Beast Bird or otherwise as this Child was called Orapacon that is Bow and Arrowes The men are modest in accompanying with their Wiues secretly The women haue not the ordinary feminine sicknesse Lerius thinkes that humour was diuerted in their youth seeing the Mothers cut their Daughters side downe to the thigh at twelue yeeres of age But twice while he was there did he see any in priuate brawling or contention if such happens as they began so they are suffered to end it if any hurt or kill other he sustayneth the like in his owne person inflicted by the Kindred of the party wronged They haue their proper pieces of ground which they husband with their Rootes and Mais When they entertayne a Stranger the Moussacat or Good-man seemes to neglect him a while and the guest sits him downe silent on the bed the women sit by on the ground and hold their hands before their eyes weeping with many prayses that hee is a good man a valiant man that if he be a Christian he hath brought them fine Wares The Stranger must endeuour in some measure to imitate the like weeping gesture The Moussacat is all this while whitling his Arrow not seeming to see his new Guest till anon he comes And are you come sayth hee How doe you with many termes of his best Rhetoricke and then askes if he be hungry and if he be sets his cheere before him on the ground which kindnesse is repayed with Glasses Combes or the like They are very kind both to their owne and to such Strangers as they are enleagued with They would carry burthen or man for the space of some miles when they needed their loue and hatred are in like extremes the one to their owne the other to their Enemies They haue Physicians called Pages They vse much mourning at the death of any and making a round pit bury him vpright therein sixe houres after his death with that wealth they had In their Villages liue some six hundred persons they remoue their Villages often which yet carry the same name Stadius sayth there are few Villages of aboue seuen Houses but those Houses are a hundred and fifty foot long and two fathoms high without diuision into plurality of Roomes and therein liue many Families all of one Kindred What our Countrimen haue done on this Coast I referre the Reader to Master Hakluyts Discoueries The Iesuits first came into these parts Anno 1549. which whiles they sought to reduce the Brasilians from their Man-eating Feasts had like to haue kindled a dangerous contention betwixt them and the Portugals whereupon the Iesuits sought to bee permitted to speake with them whom they kept for the Boucan instructing baptizing them but then also they complained the flesh was distastfull they said vnto them so that the Iesuits being forbidden that by stealth with a wet cloth following them to execution would performe a kind of Baptisme and that also being espyed was prohibited Since which by schooling their children teaching them to reade and
put vpon him And when they had spent much reasoning about his ransome a Souldier named Soto of whom you haue heard in our History of Florida said vnto him Wilt thou giue vs this house full of Gold and Siluer thus high lifting vp his Sword and making a stroke vpon the wall Atabaliba answered that if they would giue him liberty to send into his Kingdome he would fulfill their demand Whereat the Spaniards much maruelling gaue him three monethes time but he had filled the house in two moneths and a halfe a matter scarce credible yet most true For I saith Lopez Vaz know aboue twenty men that were there at that time who all affirme that it was aboue ten Millions of Gold and Siluer That Spanish Captaine in Ramusius relateth that he promised to giue them so much Gold as should reach vp to that marke a span higher then a tall man could reach the Roome being fiue and twenty foote long and fifteene wide and the Gouernour asking how much Siluer he would giue he answered he would fill vp an inclosure which should be made there with Vessels of Plate for his ransome which was promised him This Captaine was appointed Guardian of that Golden roome and saw it melted and reckoneth vp the parcels and particulars that were brought in Vessels and Plates of Gold and Siluer And the Gouernour sent to the Emperor his fift part parted the rest to euery Footman 4800. pieces of Gold which make 7208. Duckets to euery Horseman twice as much besides the aduantages that belonged to any To Almagros company which were 150. that came after the victory hee gaue 25000. Pezos and gaue 2000. to the Inhabitants of Saint Michel Many other gifts hee gaue to Merchants and others and yet after the Gouernour was gone there was brought more Gold then that which had beene shared This also is affirmed by Xeres that ten or twelue dayes after Pizarro was gone the Spaniards which had beene sent to Cusco brought as much Gold which was taken from the wals of a House and Roofe of a Temple in Cusco being Plates of ten or twelue pound weight a piece and other like as amounted to two Millions and a halfe and being molten proued on Million 326539. Pezos of fine Gold and 51610. Markes of Siluer He addeth that Atabaliba was by sound of Trumpet freed from his promise but was kept still vnder guard for the Spaniards securitie Howbeit they killed him notwithstanding and in a night strangled him But God the righteous Iudge seeing this villanous act suffered none of those Spaniards to die by the course of Nature but brought them to euill and shamefull ends During the time of Atabalibas imprisonment his Captaines had taken his Brother Guascar who spake with Captaine Soto and promised that if they would restore him to his liberty and to his Kingdome he would fill vp the roome at Caximalca to the Roofe which was thrice as much as Atabaliba had promised and added that his Father Guaynacapa on his death-bed had commanded him to be friend to the white and bearded men which should come and rule in those parts Atabaliba hearing of these things fained himselfe sorrowfull for the death of Guascar whom he had heard that Quisquiz his Captaine had slaine this hee did to try how the Spaniards would take his death which when hee saw they little respected hee sent and caused him to bee slaine indeed This was done in the yeere of our Lord God 1533. He had before slaine another of his Brethren and drunke in his Skull as hee had sworne to deale with Atabaliba The Indians hereupon hid the Treasures of Gold Siluer and Gemmes that were in Cusco and other places and had belonged to Guaynacapa which were far more then euer came to the Spaniards hands Chilicuchima one of Atabalibas chiefe Captaines which visited him in his imprisonment with great reuerence for hee and the chiefe of his company laid burdens on their shoulders and so entred into his presence lifting vp both his hands to the Sunne with thankes to him for this sight of his Lord and then with much crouching kissed his hands and feet told the Spaniards that Quisquiz another chiefe Captaine had conueyed away those Treasures of Guaynacapa or Cusco the elder as hee cals him and being forced by torments of fire put to him confessed where Atabaliba had a Tent full of Plate and Treasure The Spanish Captaine which reports this saith that he saw a great house full of Vessels of Gold and other pieces as a Shepherd and his Sheepe all of Gold as great as the liuing which were not shared amongst them and he saw 10080. Pezos of the Emperours fifth part ouer and aboue that which Pizarro sent by his Brother so that both Caesar and Souldier were deceiued He heard Atabaliba say that in an Iland in a Riuer of Collas was a very great House all couered with Gold and the beames with all whatsoeuer in the house was couered with plates of Gold yea and the pauement also But in such a diuided State where were so many Indian Captaines of the Two Brethren Inguas the Spaniards being but a handfull and iealous of each other the Countrey being so wide and rich that they could not so much as see and take view of the same in short space there was easie opportunitie offered to conuey away the greatest part of their Treasures especially Religion adding a helping hand both to conuey and to conceale from them which thus spoyled their Temples Idols and Altars The Spaniards so abounded with Gold that they would giue 1300. one gaue 1500. Castilians or Pezos for a Horse 60. for a small Rondlet of Wine forty for a paire of shooes likewise a Sword and other things after the same rate and Debters sought out their Creditors with Indians laden with Gold from house to house to pay them They carried into Spaine one Vessell of Gold another of Siluer each sufficient wherein to boyle a Kow besides a huge Eagle and other like Images as an Idoll of Gold as bigge as a Childe of foure yeeres old Dâ—ums of Gold and at the conquest of Cusco Xeres tels of many Images of women of Gold and as great which they worshipped and diuers like of Siluer Sheepe also in like pourtrature of fine Gold all well wrought §. III. The Kings of Peru their originall proceedings and treasures THe quarrell betweene the two Brethren grew about their Inheritance Guascar succeeding his Father in the rest and Quito being assigned to Atabaliba who seizing on Tumebamba a rich Prouince prouoked his Brothers forces against him which tooke him prisoner But he escaping to Quito made the people beleeue that the Sun had turned him into a Serpent and so he escaped thorow a hole in the Prison and on conceit of this miracle drew them into armes against Guascar with which hee made such slaughter of his Enemies that to this day there are great
Sunne and Moone which they worship shall be consumed and therefore they make grieuous lamentations when there is any Eclipse especially of the Sun fearing the destruction of it and the World They beleeue the immortalitie of the Soule as as we shall more fitly see when we come to their Buriall Rites CHAP XI Of the Religious Persons and Places Confessions and Sacrifices in Peru §. I. Of their Priests Oracles and Temples NO man might come to the Guacas or Idols but Priests These were clothed in white and when they came to worship they prostrated themselues on the ground and holding in their hands a white cloth did speake to their God in a strange Language that the people should not vnderstand These haue the authoritie in their holies and consecrate both the things liuing and the offerings of other things In the Sacrifices they diuined by inspection of the inward parts especially by view of the heart if it were of a man And if they find not signes answerable to their expectation they neuer cease off from sacrificing till they doe find them beleeuing and making the people beleeue that God is not till then pleased with their Sacrifices They bare incredible shew and were had in great reputation of holinesse When they were to sacrifice they abstained from women and if they had committed any trespasse they did expiate and purge the same with fasting in sacrificing they did binde and blinde their eyes and were sometimes so transported with Zeale that with their nayles they scratched or pulled out their eyes as hath beene seene Neyther did the people alone admire their holinesse but the Princes also who would doe nothing of moment without their aduice They also without feare or flattery declared vnto them what they had receiued from their Oracles The manner of their Deuils consultation was this In the night time commonly they entred backward to their Idoll and so went bending their bodies and heads after an vgly manner and thus consulted with him The answere he made was for the most part like vnto a fearefull hissing or to a gnashing which did terrifie them These Oracles are now ceased Apollonius speakes of two mighty Princes not farre from Chili one of them named Lychengorme they are able to bring into the field two hundred thousand men and are very rich but the cause why I heere mention them is that number of Priests which hee sayth are reported to belong to one of their Temples to the number of two thousand Cieza writeth that the doores of their Temples were Eastward that in euery Temple were two Images of the bignesse and likenesse of Goats before which they burnt sweet wood there were also Images of Serpents Euery profession had their seuerall God In some Temples were hanged the dead carkasses of men sacrificed In euery Prouince of Peru there was one principall house of adoration The ruines of the Temple of Pachacama are still to be seene That and the Temples of Collao and Cusco were lined within with Plates of Gold and Siluer and all their seruice was of the same which proued great riches to the conquerours In Pachacama the Sun was worshipped with great deuotion There were kept in the same many Virgins Francis Pizarro sent his Brother Hernando when he had taken Atabaliba to spoyle this Temple but the Priests and chiefe men had carried away aboue foure hundred burthens of Gold before he came and none doth know what became of it Yet did he find there some quantitie of Gold and Siluer remayning They sacked the Sepulchres also and thence drew abundance of the said Metals From that time hitherto the Temple went to ruine The Temple of Cusco was very sumptuous the pauement and stones yet remayne witnesses of the ancient splendour and magnificence This Temple was like to the Pantheon of the Romans for that it was the house and dwelling of all the Gods For the Inguas did there behold the Gods of all the Nations and Prouinces they had conquered euery Idol hauing his proper place whither they of that Prouince came to worship it with excessiue charge for the same And thereby they supposed to keepe safely in obedience those Prouinces which they had conquered holding their Gods as it were in hostage In this House was the Pinchao which was an Idoll of the Sunne of most fine Gold wrought with great riches of Stones the which was placed to the East with so great Art as the Sunne at his rising did cast his beames thereon which reflected with such brightnesse that it seemed another Sunne They say that at the spoyle of this Temple a Souldier had for his part this goodly Pinchao and lost the same in a night at play whence grew a Prouerbe of Gamesters in Peru They play the Sunne before Sun-rising This Temple towards the East if our Spanish Captaine in Ramusio deceiues not was couered with Gold which the Spaniards Religion forbidding Indian helpe tooke away There were many boyling pots and other Vessels of Gold In the houses of the Citie was great store of Gold In one house or Temple where they sacrificed was a seat of Gold which weighed nineteene thousand Pezos in which two men might sit The house wherein old Cusco lay buried the pauement and wals were couered with Gold and Siluer many Pots and Iarres were couered with like metal Xeres also reporteth the same who was Pizarros Secretary and his Relation subscribed by Pizarro and other Chieftaines that this Temple was on the pauement wals and roofe couered with plates of Gold and Siluer wrought one into another and that there were twenty other houses in that Citie the wals whereof within and without were couered with plates of Gold Both these Authors eye-witnesses report that at Caximalca was a Temple of the Sunne into which they entred vnshod walled and planted with trees round about the like is also in euery great Towne here were many other Temples besides In the middest was the stately Place of Atabaliba with pleasant Gardens and Lodgings in one of which was a Golden Cisterne whereto were by two Pipes from contrary passages brought both cold water and hot to vse them mingled or asunder at pleasure The Towne had about two thousand houses seuered by streets as straight as a line about two hundred pases long with wals of stone Ten dayes iourney from hence Atabaliba told the Spaniards that in the way toward Cusco was a Temple generall to all the Countrey which was very rich with Offerings of Gold and Siluer much honoured by his Father and himselfe other Temples had their particular Idols this Idoll was generall and that the custodie thereof was committed to a wiseman which they thought could foretell things future by reuelation of the said Idoll The Citie of Pachacama was famous for Peruuian deuotions Their Idoll was placed in a darkesome painted Roome stinking and close shut made of filthy wood hauing at his feete many Offerings of Gold none but
sheweth forth certaine beautifull colours in stead of flowres round stones of Golden Earth in stead of Fruits and thinne Plates in stead of Leaues From this Iland was yeerely brought foure or fiue hundred thousand Duckets of Gold They imagine some Diuine Nature to bee in Gold and therefore neuer gather it but they vse certaine Religious expiations abstayning from women delicate meates and drinkes and all other pleasures There is an Iland a little from Hispaniola which hath a Fountaine in it comming by secret passages vnder the Earth and Sea and riseth in this Iland which they beleeue because it bringeth with it the leaues of many trees which grow in Hispaniola and not in this Iland the Spaniards call the I le Arethusa Ouiedo mentions a little Iland betweene this and Iamaica called Nauazza halfe a league from which are many Rockes in the Sea about fiue foot couered with water out of which issueth and spouteth aboue the water of the Sea a spout of fresh water as great as a mans arme that it may bee receiued and taken sweet and good This was seene by Stephano della Rocca a man of good credit The I le of Hispaniola is much infested with Flyes or Gnats whose pricking causeth wonderfull swelling also there is a Worme called Nigua which creepeth into the soles of mens feet and makes them grow as bigge as a mans head with extremitie of paine for which they haue no remedy but to open the flesh sometimes three or foure inches and so digge them out The Gnats are so troublesome that the Inhabitants doe therefore build low Houses and make little doores which they keepe close and forbeare to light Candles Nature hath to this disease ordained a remedy namely certaine Creatures called Cucuij which is a kind of Beetles These haue foure lights which shine in the night two in the seate of his eyes and two which he sheweth when hee openeth his wings The people get these and bring them to their houses which there doe them a double seruice they kill the Gnats and giue so much light that men may see to reade and write Letters by the light of one and many of them seeme as so many Candles They had but three sorts of foure-footed Beasts and those very little Now men are exhaust and Beasts multiplyed in so strange manner that one which was Deane of the Conception carrying a Cow thither shee was aliue six and twentie yeeres after and her fruitfull generation was multiplyed in the Iland to eight hundred They are now growne wild as their Dogges also They kill their Kine for the Hides fiue and thirtie thousand were transported to Spaine when Acosta returned in the yeere of our Lord 1587. Ants haue beene as noysome to Hispaniola as Grashoppers in many parts of the World in the yeere 1519. and two yeeres after they ruined their Farme-houses and spoyled their Oranges Cannafistula and their fruit-trees They could keepe nothing in their houses which was fit to be eaten from them and if they had continued in like quantitie they would haue dishabited the Iland and left it desolate But they chose by lot a Saint to whose tuition they might commit themselues in that extremitie which fell vpon Saturninus who was faine to become their Patron against the Pismires These Ants were little and blacke another sort were enemies to these and wrought against them and chased them out of their holds and were not hurtfull but as good Benefactors if Ouiedo say true of them as I can beleeue of Saturninus Other sorts there are many of which some become winged and fill the Aire with swarmes which sometimes happens in England On Bartholomew day 1613. I was in the Iland of Foulenesse on our Essex shore where were such cloudes of these flying Pismires that we could no were flie from them but they filled our clothes yea the floores of some houses where they fell were in a manner couered with a blakee Carpet of creeping Ants which they say drowne themselues about that time of the yeere in the Sea Ouiedo tels of other Ants with white heads which eate through wals and timbers of houses and cause them to fall There are some Caterpillers a span long and others lesse but more venemous There are Wormes which doe so much harme in Timber that a house of thirty yeeres in this Iland would be ruinous and seeme as old as one of a hundred in Spaine and those which could not be old when hee wrote this seemed as if they had stood 150. yeeres Many other small creatures this our Author mentions but my Relations would be too great if I should follow him §. II. Of their Idols Songs and Dances Priests Oracles Superstitious Opinions and Customes BEfore the Discouerie of this Iland by Columbus and the Spaniards these Ilanders of Hispaniola were forewarned thereof by Oracle Their Cacikes and Buhiti that is their Kings and Priests reported to Columbus that the Father of Garionexius the present King and another Cacike would needs be importunate demanders of their Zemes or Gods of future euents and therefore abstayned fiue dayes together from all meate and drinke spending the time in continuall mourning The Zemes made answere That there would come not many yeeres after vnto that Iland a strange Nation clothed bearded armed with shining Swords that would cut a man asunder in the middle which should destroy the ancient Images of their Gods abolish their Rites and slay their children To remember this Oracle they composed a mournfull Dittie which they call Areito which on some solemne dayes they vsed to sing Their Priests were Phisicians and Magicians or Diuinours Ouiedo sayth that they danced at singing of their Areiti or Ballads which word I vse because it hath that deriuation which argueth dancing aswell as singing These dances are generall thorow America In this Iland they danced sometimes men alone and sometimes women alone but in great Solemnities they were mixed and danced in a circle one leading the dance the measures whereof were composed to the Areito of which one sang a Verse and all the rest followed singing and dancing and so thorow euery Verse of the same till it was ended which sometimes continued till the next day Anacaona the widow of the Cacique Caonabo entertained the Spaniards with a dance of three hundred Maids Thus these Areitos were their Chronicles and Memorials of things passed as we read of the Bards in these parts They vsed sometimes Drummes or Tabers to these dances made onely of wood hollow and open right against that place where they did strike In some places they couered them with Deere skins but here were no beasts in this Iland that could yeeld any for such purpose They had Tobacco in Religious estimation not onely for sanitie but for sanctitie also as Ouiedo writeth the smoke whereof they tooke in at the Nose with a forked Pipe fitted to both nosthrils holding the single end in the smoke
with English bodies the ground as fertile as any they say in the World Ambergreece Pearle Cedars and other vnknowne Timbers store of Whales and other Commodities which would bee tedious to rehearse which I hope and pray may further prosper to the profit of this and the Virginia Plantations From hence and thence I am now passing in an English Ship for England where to passe away tediousnesse of the Voyage I will entertayne my Reader with a Discourse of the more then tedious and fastidious Spanish cruelties CHAP. XV. Of the Spanish cruelties in the West Indies and of their peruerse Conuersion of the Indians vnto Christianitie FOr as much as the Papists doe vsually glory in the purchase of a New World vnto their Religion and would haue men beleeue that since this Scripture-Heresie hath made new Rome to tremble now no lesse then Hannibal did her Pagan-mother they haue a new supply with much aduantage in this Westerne World of America and they make this their Indian Conuersion one of the Markes of the truenesse and Catholicisme of their Church which hath gained if Posseuine lye not an hundred times as much in the New World towards the West South and East by new Conuerts as it hath lost in the North parts by Heretickes where through both the Hemispheres saith Hill these thousand yeeres nay as farre as the Sunne shineth there is no tongue nor people nor climate which hath not in some measure such a measure perhaps as he measured his truth and wit withall in this assertion the Catholike Roman Religion I would we could borrow the height of this Hill whereon to stand and ouer-view so many parts of the World yet vnknowne and learne of this Giant Atlas how easily may this Mute become a Liquid which beareth thus the Hemisphere of his Roman Heauen on his mounting shoulders a new Geographie But his impudencie is already sufficiently whipped and exposed to the Worlds derision by Him the neerenesse of whose presence doth now so much glad me after so long and farre a Pilgrimage His learned Pen hath shewed the like bold brags of Bristow and Stapleton his Masters and prooued them Fables For further confutation whereof it shall not be amisse to obserue the proceedings of the Spaniards in these parts And herein we will vse the witnesse of men of their owne Romish Religion Iosephus Acosta a Iesuite writeth that the Indians conceiue an implacable hatred against the Faith by the scandall of the Spaniards cruelties and that they haue baptized some by force Vega accuseth them of baptizing without making them know the faith or taking knowledge of their life And how could it otherwise be when we find it recorded of sundry of their Preachers that baptized each one of them aboue an hundred thousand and that in few yeeres In so much that as is storied by Surius it is to be found among the Records of Charles the fift that some old Priest hath baptized seuen hundred thousand another three hundred thousand Some of these were so good Christians that they still continued as Nunno de Guzman writeth to the Emperour the Sacrifices of humane flesh Ouiedo writeth that they haue but the name of Christians and are baptized rather because they are of age then for deuotion to the faith and none or very few of them are Christians willingly He that will read what they lately haue done in Spaine with the remnants of the Moores may perhaps satisfie himselfe with the reasons of Frier Fonseca in defence thereof But for the poore Indians Bartholomaeus de las Casas a Dominike Frier of the same Order with Fonseca and after a Bishop in America hath written a large and vnanswerable Treatise of the enormous cruelties and vnchristian Antichristian proceedings in the New World the summe whereof is this That the Indians were a simple harmelesse people loyall to their Lords and such as gaue no cause to the Spaniards of dislike till they by extreame iniuries were prouoked they are also docible and pliant both to good doctrine and liuing To these Lambes sayth he the Spaniards came as cruell and hungry Tygres Beares and Lions intending nothing those forty yeeres hee wrote this Anno 1542. but bloud and slaughter to satisfie their Auarice and Ambition insomuch that of three Millions of people which were contayned in Hispaniola of the Naturall Inhabitants there scarce remayned at that time three hundred and now as Alexandro Vrsino reporteth none at all onely two and twenty thousand Negros and some Spaniards reside there Cuba and the other Ilands had indured the like miserie and in the firme Land ten Kingdomes greater then all Spaine were dispeopled and desolate and in that space there had not perished lesse then twelue Millions by their tyrannie and he might truly say that fifty Millions had payed Natures debt In the Iland Hispaniola the Spaniard had their first Indian habitations where their cruelties draue the Indians to their shifts and to their weake defence which caused those enraged Lions to spare neyther man woman nor childe they ripped vp the great bellied women and would lay wagers who could with most dexteritie strike off an Indians head or smite him asunder in the middle they would plucke the Infants by the heeles from their Mothers brests and dash out their braines against the stones or with a scoffe hurle them into the Riuer They set vp Gibbets and in honour of Christ and his twelue Apostles as they said and could the Deuill say worse they would both hang and burne them Others they tooke and cutting their hands almost off bid them carry those Letters their hands dropping bloud and almost dropping off themselues to their Countrimen which for feare of the like lay hidden in the Mountaines The Nobles and Commanders they broyled on Gridions I once sayth our Author saw foure or fiue of the chiefe of them thus roasted which making a lamentable noyse the nicer Captaine bade they should be strangled but the cruell Tormentor chose rather to stop their mouthes so to preuent their out-cryes and to continue their broyling till they were dead They had Dogs to hunt them out of their couerts which deuoured the poore soules and because sometimes the Indians thus prouoked would kill a Spaniard if they found opportunitie they made a Law that a hundred of them should for one Spaniard be slaine The King of Magua offered to till the ground for them fifty miles space if they would spare him and his people from the Mynes The Captaine in recompence deflowred his Wife and hee hiding himselfe was taken and sent into Spaine but the ship perished in the way and therein that admirable graine of Gold which weighed in the first finding being pure so many thousand Crownes as in the first Chapter of the eight Booke is mentioned In the Kingdome of Xaraqua in Hispaniola the Gouernour called before him three hundred Indian Lords which he partly burned in a House and
put the rest to the Sword and hanged vp the Queene as they did also to Hiquanama the Queene of Hiquey Of all which cruelties our Author an eye-witnesse affirmeth that the Indians gaue no cause by any crime that had so deserued by any Law And for the rest that remayned after these Warres they shared them as slaues They which should haue instructed them in the Catholike Faith were ignorant cruell and couetous The men were spent in the Mines the women consumed in tillage and both by heauie burthens which they made them carry by famine by scourging and other miseries And thus they did in all other parts wheresoeuer they came In the Iles of Saint Iohn and Iamayca were sixe hundred thousand Inhabitants whereof then when the Authour wrote this there were scarcely left two hundred in eyther Iland Cuba extendeth furthest in length of any of these Ilands Here was a Cacique named Hathuey which called his Subiects about him and shewing them a Boxe of Gold said That was the Spaniards God and made them dance about it very solemnely and lest the Spaniards should haue it hee hurled it into the Riuer Being taken and condemned to the fire when he was bound to the stake a Frier came and preached Heauen to him and the terrors of Hell Hathuey asked if any Spaniards were in Heauen The Frier answered Yea such as were good Hathuey replyed hee would rather goe to Hell then goe where any of that cruell Nation were I was once present sayth Casas when the Inhabitants of one Towne brought vs forth victuall and met vs with great kindnesse and the Spaniards without any cause slue three thousand of them of euery Age and Sexe I by their counsell sent to other Townes to meet vs with promise of good dealing and two and twenty Caciques met vs which the Captaine against all faith caused to be burned This made the desperate Indians hang themselues which two hundred did by the occasion of one mans cruelty and one other Spaniard seeing them take this course made as though he would hang himselfe too and persecute them in the Regions of death which feare detayned some from that selfe-execution Sixe thousand children dyed sayth our former Author in three or foure moneths space while I was there for the want of their Parents which were sent to the Mynes they hunted out the rest in the Mountaynes and desolated the Iland Neyther did the other Ilands speed better The Lucaiae they brought to an vtter desolation and shipping multitudes of men for the Mynes in Hispaniola wanting food for them the third part commonly perished in the way so that an vnskilfull Pilot might haue learned this way by Sea by those floting markes of Indian carkasses This Spanish pestilence spred further to the Continent where they spoyled the shoares and the Inland Countries of people From Dariena to Nicaragua they slue foure hundred thousand people with Dogs Swords Fire and diuers tortures Their course of Preaching was to send vnder paine of confiscation of lands libertie wife life and all to acknowledge God and the Spanish King of whom they had neuer heard Yea they would steale to some place halfe a mile off the Citie by night and there publish the Kings Decree in this sort being alone by themselues Yee Caciques and Indians of this place or that place which they named Bee it knowne to you that there is one God one Pope and one King of Castile who is Lord of these lands Come quickly and doe your homage And then in the night while they were asleepe fired their houses and slue and tooke Captiues at their pleasure and after fell to search for Gold The first Bishop that came into these parts sent his men to be partakers of the spoyle A Cacique gaue the Spanish Gouernour the weight in Gold of nine thousand Crownes he in thankfulnes to extort more bound him to a post and put fire to his feet and forced him to send home for a further addition of 3000. They not satisfied persisted in their tormenting him till the marrow came forth at the soles of his feet whereof he dyed When any of the Indians employed by the Spaniards fayled vnder their heauy burthens or fainted for want of necessaries lest they should lose time in opening the Chaine wherein he was tyed they would cut off his head and so let the bodie fall out The Spaniard robbed the Nicaraguans of their Corne so that thirty thousand dyed of Famine and a Mother ate her owne childe fiue hundred thousand were carried away into bondage besides fiftie or sixtie thousand slaine in their Warres and now sayth Casas remayne foure or fiue thousand of one of the most populous Regions of the World Heere did Vaschus giue at one time foure Kings to be deuoured of Dogs In New Spaine from the yeere 1518. to 1530. in foure hundred and eighty miles about Mexico they destroyed aboue foure Millions of people in their Conquests by fire and sword not reckoning those which dyed in seruitude and oppression In the Prouince of Naco and Honduras from the yeere 1524. to 1535. two Millions of men perished and scarcely two thousand remayne In Guatimala from the yeere 1524. to 1540. they destroyed aboue foure or fiue Millions vnder that Aluarado who dying by the fall off his Horse as is before said complained when hee was asked where his paine was most of his Soule-torment and his Citie Guatimala was with a three-fold deluge of Earth of Water of Stones oppressed and ouer-whelmed He forced the Indians to follow him in his Expeditions in Armies of tenne or twentie thousand not allowing them other sustenance then the flesh of their slaine Enemies mayntayning in his Army Shambles of mans flesh In Panuco and Xalisco their state was much like one made eight thousand Indians wall about his Garden and let them all perish with Famine In Machuacan they tortured the King that came forth to meet them that they might extort Gold from him They put his feet in the Stockes and put fire thereto binding his hands to a Post behinde him and a Boy stood by basting his roasted feete with Oyle another with a Crosse-bow bent to his breast and on the other hand another with Dogges of these tortures he dyed They forced the Indians to deliuer their Idols hoping they had beene of Gold but their Golden hope failing they forced them againe to redeeme them Yea where the Fryers had in one place made the Indians to cast away their Images the Spaniards brought them some from other places to fell them In the Prouince of Saint Martha they had desolated foure hundred and fiftie miles of Land The Bishop wrote to the King that the people called the Spaniards Deuils or Yares for their Diabolicall practices and thought the Law God and King of the Christians had beene authors of this crueltie The like they did in the Kingdome of Venezuela destroying foure or fiue Millions and out of that firme Land carried