Gibbins was employed on this Discouerie in the Discouerie so was the ship called but withous any great discouerie that I haue heard of Persisting in their purpose the next yeere Robert Byleth one which had beene in three former Voyages was sent forth in that ship as Master and William Baffin his Mate with foureteene other Men and two Boyes which leauing England about the latter end of March stayed at Silly till the seuenth of April and were forced to put-backe to Padstow in Cornwall but weighing Anchor on the nineteenth on the sixt of May saw land on the Coast of Groen-land on the East-side of Cape Farewell On the first of lune they came into a good Harbour on the N. W. side of the Iland of Resolution which is at the entrance into Hudsons Strait in 61. degrees 45. minutes On the eight they came to Sauage Ilands in 62. degrees 30. minutes threescore Leagues from the entrance so called of some people they found in a Canow they were at their Tents also and found among other things a little bagge with many small images of men therein and one of a woman with a child at her backe The Tents were couered with Seales skinnes and about them some forty Dogs ranne vp and downe most of them muzzled as bigge as Mungrel-Maâ—â—iues of a brended blacke colour looking almost like Wolues these they vse to draw their sleds ouer the ice with collars and furniture fitting their sleds also being shod or lined with fish-bones The people are like those in Groenland but not so neat and ciuill ranging vp and downe as their fishing is in season vncertaine where they keepe in Winter The Master was confident in this and other places that the floud came from the West which Baffin saith by the floating of the ice he obserueth on land to be contrarie onely the Islands cause by their diuers points differing Sects and Eddie On the two and twentieth of Iune He obserued the Longitude hauing faire sight of the Sunne and Moone and found himselfe by Astronomicall account 74. degrees 5. minutes West from the Meridian of London which if some studious Mariners would practise in their remote Voyages wee should soone haue a farre more perfect Geographie I omit their icie sieges sometimes scarsly leauing them space to dip a paile of water They called one place in 65. latitude and 85. degrees and 20. minutes long Cape Comfort for the hopes they apprehended of a passage which soone they found to be frustrate Hence they passed to Sea-horse Cape so named of the plenty of Morses and fifteene leagues thence to Notingham Iland and thence to Digs his Iland in all those places obseruing the floud come from the South-east Captaine Button and Hudsons men being all deceiued as this our Authour affirmeth other Ilands sometimes keeping off the force of the tyde or by eddies causing an obscurity and their errour We will therefore leaue that spacious Sea called Buttons Bay with the great Ilands and some places not yet perfectly discouered within and beyond that Strait of Hudson and come to Baffins Bay so discouered to be This last yeere 1616. at the charges of the worthy Aduenturers before mentioned in the same ship by the same Master the same both their Pilot and ours The first land they saw after their departure from England was in Fretum Dauis on the Coast of Groenland in 65. degrees 20. minutes On the fourteenth of May where they saw people But they plyed to the North till they were in 70. degrees 20. minutes The people fled from them Here they tooke in fresh water but doubted the passage because the tydes were small not aboue eight or nine foot and vncertayne the floud from the South On the six and twentieth day they found a dead Whale floting and got from the roofe of her mouth 160. of those synnes or Whale-bones but could not get the rest by reason of foule weather following On the first of Iune they put in among diuers Ilands the people forsooke their Seale-skin-tents and fled some women they found whom they kindly intreated giuing them pieces of Iron for which they returned Seales skins and the fat or blubber of them as for our meate tasting they would not swallow it They called the place the Womens Ilands in 72. degrees and 45. minutes the floud comes from the South and the most of their food is the flesh of Seales dryed and eaten raw they cloth themselues with the skins whereof they also make couerings for their Tents and Boats dressing them very well The Women differ in their apparell from the Men razing their skins with sharpe Instruments and putting thereon an indelible blacke colour marking their faces with diuers blacke lines They haue a kind of deuotion to the Sunne which continually they will point vnto and strike their hand on their brest Crying Ylyout They bury their dead on the side of the Hils where they liue which is commonly on small Ilands making a pile of stones ouer them yet not so close but that the corps may be discerned the piercing ayre keeping them from stinke their Dogges also they bury in the same manner They came to other Ilands in 74. degrees 4. minutes which vse to be much frequented with people in the latter part of the yeere as it seemeth by the houses made of stones and turfe round like Ouens with doores to the South but they were not yet come Iune the ninth The floud ariseth not aboue fiue or sixe foot the ebbe runnes stronger by the abundance of melted Snow On the fifteenth day in the latitude of 73. degrees 45. minutes came forty two of the Inhabitants to them in Boats and gaue them Seales skins and many pieces of the bone or horne of the Sea-Vnicorne and shewed them pieces of Morses teeth They receiued in exchange small pieces of Iron Glasse Beades and the like thus they did foure times the place they called Horne Sound On the third of Iuly they passed by a faire Cape in 76. degrees 35. minutes which they named Sir Dudley Digs his Cape Twelue leagues beyond is Wolstenholme Sound a fit place for killing of Whales Proceeding a little further they found themselues embayed One place they called Whale Sound of their abundance in 77. degrees and 30. minutes Hakluyts Iland is neere and Sir Thomas Smiths Sound in 78. degrees The Compasse there varieth aboue 56. degrees to the Westward so that a North-east and by East of the Compasse is the true North which hath not beene obserued so much varied in any part of the World Putting off to the West side of the Bay they gaue names to Alderman Iones his Sound and that of Sir Iames Lancaster and in their returne recouered their sicke men by Scuruy-grasse or Cochlearia which they found on a little Iland in great plenty boyled in Beere and eaten in Sallads with Orpine and Sorrell and so returned home Thus wee see Fretum Dauis is no passage
Haruest and inuading some Country there stay as long as they find the Palmes or other sufficient meanes of mayntenance and then seeke new aduenture For they neyther plane or sowe nor breed vp Cattle and which is more strange they nourish vp none of their owne children although they haue ten or twenty wiues a man of the properest and comeliest slaues they can take But when they they are in trauell they digge a hole in the Earth which presently receiueth in that darke prison of death the new borne Creature not yet made happy with the light of life Their reason is that they will not bee troubled with education nor in their flitting wanderings be troubled with such cumbersome burthens Once a secret Prouidence both punisheth the Fathers wickednesse and preuenteth a viperous Generation if that may bee a preuention where there is a succession without Generation and as Plinie saith of the Esseni Gene aeterna est in qua nemo nascitur For of the conquered Nations they preserue the Boyes from ten to twenty yeeres of age and bring them vp as the hope of their succession like Negro Azimogli with education fitting their designes These weare a Collar about their necke in token of slauery vntill they bring an Enemies head slaine in battaile and then they are vncollared freed and dignified with the title of Souldiers If one of them runnes away he is killed and eaten So that hemmed in betwixt hope and feare they grow very resolute and aduentrous their Collars breeding shame disdaine and desperate fury till they redeeme their freedome as you haue heard Elembe the great Iagge brought with him twelue thousand of these cruell Monsters from Sierra Liona and after much mischiefe and spoyle settled himselfe in Benguele twelue degrees from the Line Southwards and there breedeth and groweth into a Nation But Kelandula somtime his Page proceeds in that beastly life before mentioned and the people of Elembe by great troupes runne to him and follow his Campe in hope of spoyle They haue no Fetisso's or Idols The great Iagge or Prince is Master of all their Ceremonies and is a great Witch I haue seene this Kelandula sayth our Author continue a Sacrifice from Sun to Sun the rites whereof are these Himselfe sat on a stoole in great pompe with a Cap adorned with Peacockes feathers which fowles in one Countrey called Shelambanza are found wild and in one place empaled about the graue of the King are fifty kept and fed by an old woman and are called Iugilla Mokisso that is Birds of Mokisso Now about him thus set attended forty or fifty women each of them weauing continually a Zebras tayle in their hands There were also certaine Gangas Priests or Witches Behind them were many with Drummes and Pipes and Pungas certaine Instruments made of Elephants teeth made hollow a yard and halfe and with a hole like a Flute which yeeld a lowd and harsh sound that may bee heard a myle off These strike and sound and sing and the women weaue as is said till the Sunne be almost downe Then they bring forth a pot which is set on the fire with leaues and roots and the water therein and with a kind of white powder the Witches or Gangas spot themselues one on the one cheeke the other on the other and likewise their foreheads temples brests shoulders and bellies vsing many inchanting tearmes which are holden to be Prayers for Victory At Sun-set a Ganga brings his Kissengula or War-hatchet to the Prince this weapon they vse to weare at their girdles and putting the same in his hand bids him be strong their God goes with him and he shall haue victory After this they bring him foure or fiue Negros of which with a terrible countenance the great Iagge with his Hatchet kils two and other two are killed without the Fort. Likewise fiue Kine are slaine within and other fiue without the Fort and as many Goats and as many Dogs after the same manner This is their Sacrifice at the end whereof all the flesh is in a Feast consumed Andrew Battle was commanded to depart when the slaughter began for their Deuill or Mokisso as they said would then appeare and speake to them This Sacrifice is called Kissembula which they solemnize when they attempt any great enterprize There were few left of the naturall Iagges but of this vnnaturall brood the present succession was raysed §. IIII. Of the Lakes and Riuers in these parts of Africa NOw that we haue thus discoursed of these former Nations let vs take view of the more in-land and Easterly borders which abut on Congo where wee shall finde the great Lake Aquilunda which with her many Riuers aforesaid watereth all that great Countrey assisted therein by a farre greater Lake called Zembre great Mother and chiefe Ladie of the Waters in Africa As for the Mountaynes of the Moone now called Toroa there is a Lake called Gale of no great quantity whence issueth a Riuer named Comissa and by the Portugals the sweet Riuer disembarquing at the False Cape an arme whereof had before entred the Sea in 32. degrees 40. minutes of Infante one of Dias his companions in the first Discouery of those parts called Infanto because hee there went first on Land But from those Hils of the Moone the Lake whence Nilus springeth hath no helpe Neyther are there two Lakes East and West distant from each other about foure hundred and fifty miles as Ptolemey describeth for then the one should be in the Confines of Congo and Angola the other about Sofala and Monomotapa where is found but one Lake for Aquilunde is no tributary to Nilus This Lake is betweene Angola and Monomotapa and contayneth in Diameter 195. miles There is indeed another Lake which Nilus maketh in his course but standeth Northward from the first Lake Zembre and not in East or West parallel Neyther doth Nilus as some affirme hide it selfe vnder the ground and after rise againe but runneth through monstrous and Desart Valleyes without any setled channell and where no pleople inhabited from whence that fabulous opinion did grow This Lake is situate in twelue degrees of Southerly Latitude and is compassed about like a Vault with exceeding high Mountaynes the greatest whereof are called Cafates vpon the East and the Hils of Sal-Nitrum and the Hils of Siluer on another side and on the other side with diuers other Mountaynes The Riuer Nilus runneth Northwards many hundred miles and then entreth into another great Lake which the Inhabitants doe call a Sea It is much bigger then the first and contayneth in breadth two hundred and twenty miles right vnder the Equinoctiall Line Of this second Lake the Anzichi giue certaine and perfect intelligence for they traffique into those parts And they report That in this second Lake there is a people that sayleth in great ships and can write and vseth number weight and measure which they haue not in the parts of
making a noyse downward that they worship the Deuill vnder them There is no flesh or fish which they find dead smel it neuer so filthily but they wil eat it without any other dressing Their Deere haue skins like Asses and feet large like Oxen which were measured 7. or 8. inches in breadth There are no Riuers or running Springs but such as the Sun causeth to come of snow Sometimes they will perboyle their meate a little in kettles made of beasts skins with the bloud water which they drinke lick the bloudy knife with their tongues This licking is the medicine also for their wounds They seeme to haue traffike with other Nations from whom they a small quantity of Iron Their fire they make of heath mosse In their leather Boats they row with one oare faster then we can in our Boats with all our oares §. IIII. Discoueries by IOHN DAVIS GEORGE WEYMOVTH and IAMES HALL to the North-West MAster Iohn Dauis in the yeere 1585. made his first voyage for the North-west discouery and in 64. degrees and 15. minutes they came on shore on an Iland where they had sight of the Sauages which seemed to worship the Sunne For pointing vp to the Sunne with their hands they would strike their breasts hard with their hands which being answered with like action of the English was taken for a confirmed league and they became very familiar They first leaped and danced with a kind of Timbrel which they strucke with a sticke Their apparell was of beasts and birds skins buskins hose gloues c. Some leather they had which was dressed like the Glouers leather The 6. of August they discouered land in 66. deg. 40. min.. They killed white Beares one of whose fore-feet was fourteene inches broad so fat that they were forced to cast it away It seemed they fed on the grasse by their dung which was like to Horse-dung they heard Dogs howle on the shore which were tame They killed one with a Collar about his necke hee had a bone in his pisle these it seemed were vsed to the Sled for they found two Sleds The next yeere he made his second voyage wherein hee found the Sauage people tractable They are great Idolaters and Witches They haue many Images which they weare about them and in their Boats They found a graue wherein were many buried couered with Seales skinnes and a Crosse laid ouer them One of them made a fire of Turfs kindled with the motion of a sticke in a piece of a boord which had a hole halfe thorow into which hee put many things with diuers words and strange gestures our men supposed it to be a sacrifice They would haue had one of the English to stand in the smoke which themselues were bidden to doe and would not by any meanes whereupon one of them was thrust in and the fire put out by our men They are very theeuish They eate raw Fish grasse and Ice and drinke salt-water Heere they saw a whirlewinde take vp the water in great quantitie furiously mounting it vp into the ayre three houres together with little intermission They found in 63. degrees 8. minutes a strange quantitie of Ice in one entire masse so bigge that they knew not the limits thereof very high in forme of land with Bayes and Capes like high-cliffe-land they sent their Pinnasse to discouer it which returned with information that it was onely Ice This was the 17. of Iuly 1586. and they coasted it till the thirtieth of Iuly In the 66. deg. 33. min.. they found it very hot and were much troubled with a stinging Fly called Muskito All the Lands they saw seemed to bee broken and Ilands which they coasted Southwards till they were in foure and fifty and a halfe and there found hope of a passage In the same voyage he had sent the Sun-shine from him in 60. degrees which went to Iseland and on the seuenth of Iuly had sight of the Gronland and were hindered from harbour by the Ice They coasted it till the last of Iuly Their houses neere the Sea-side were made with pieces of wood crossed ouer with poles and couered with earth Our men played at foot-ball with them of the Iland The third voyage was performed the next yeere 1587. wherein Mr Dauis discouered to the 73. degree finding the Sea all open and forty leagues betweene land and land hauing Groenland which hath an Iland neere it to the West for the loathsome view of the shore couered with snow without wood earth or grasse to be seene and the irkesome noise of the Ice called Desolation in 59. on the East and America on the West The Spanish Fleet and the vntimely death of Master Secretarie Walsingham the Epitome and summary of Humane worthinesse hindered the prosecution of these intended Discoueries In the yeere 1602. Captain George Weymouth made a voyage of Discouery to the Northwest with two Fly-boats set forth by the Muscouy Company saw the South part of Gronland and had water in 120. fadome blacke as thick as puddle and in a little space cleere with many such enterchanges The breach of the Ice made a noise as a thunder-clap and ouerturning had sunke both their Vessels if they had not with great diligence preuented it They had store of Fogges some freezing as they fell In 68 deg. 53. min.. they encountred an Inlet forty leagues broad and sailed West and by South in the same 100. leagues Iames Hall An. 1605. sailed to Groenland from Denmarke and had like encounters of Ice yeelding in the breach no lesse noise then if fiue Canons had beene discharged with people also like those which in Frobishers Voyage are mentioned they make sailes of guts sowed together for their fishing Boats and deceiued the Seales with Seales-skin garments Groenland is high Mountainous full of broken Ilands alongst the Coasts Riuers nauigable and good Bayes full of fish Betweene the Mountaines are pleasant Plaines and Vallies such as a man would scarce beleeue He saw store of Fowle no beasts but blacke Foxes and Deere The people seemed a kind of Samoydes wandering in Summer by companies for Hunting and Fishing and remouing from place to place with their Tents and Baggage they are of reasonable stature browne actiue warlike eate raw meat or a little perboyled with bloud Oyle or a little water which they drinke their apparell beasts of fowles skinnes the hairy or feathered side outward in Summer in the Winter inward their arrowes and darts with two feathers and a bone-head they haue no wood but drift they worship the Sunne Anno 1606. He made a second Voyage thither found their Winter houses built with Whales bones couered with Earth and Vaults two yards deepe vnder the Earth square They call Groenland in their language Secanunga Vp within the Land they haue a King carried on mens shoulders The next yeere he sailed thither the third time and in a fourth Voyage 1612. was slaine
there by a Sauage in reuenge as was thought for some of the people before shipped from thence They haue Hares white as snow with long furre Dogs which liue on Fish whose pisles as also of their Foxes are bone Their Summer worke is to dry their Fish on the Rocks Euery one both man and woman haue each of them a Boat made with long pieces of Firre couered with Seales skins sowed with sinewes or guts about twenty foot long and two and a halfe broad like a shittle so light that one may carry many of them at once so swift that no ship is able with any winde to hold way with them and yet vse but one oare which they hold by the middle in the middest of their Boat broad at both ends wherewith they row forwards and backwards at pleasure Generally they worship the Sunne to which they pointed at our approach saith Baffin striking on their brests and crying Ilyout not comming neere till you doe same They bury in out-lands on the tops of hils in the heapes of stones to preserue from the Foxes making another graue hard by wherein they place his Bow and Arrowes Darts and other his vtensils They bury them in their apparell and the cold keepes them from putrefaction Anno 1606. Mr Iohn Knights made a North-west voyage lost his Ship sunke with Ice and was with three more of his company surprised by the Sauages of whose language hee wrot a pretty Dictionary which I haue seene with M. Hakluyt §. V. Of King IAMES his Newland alias Greeneland and of the Whale and Whale-Fishing I Will not heere beginne with records of Discoueries in these parts written two thousand yeeres since out of which Mr Doctor Dee is reported to haue gathered diuers Antiquities antiquated by Antiquitie and rotten with age nor to shew that King Arthur possessed as farre as Greeneland nor that Sir Hugh Willoughby discouered hitherto as some coniecture but content my selfe with later Discoueries and Obseruations Much hath been spent both of Cost Industrie and Argument about finding a more compendious way to the Indies by the Northwest and by the North-East and by the North. Of the first somewhat hath been spoken Of the second were the Voyages of Master Stephen Burrough Pet and Iacman our Countrey-men and of the Hollanders in the yeere 1594. and the three following before by vs mentioned in a duer place as appertaining to Asia for they found themselues by Astronomicall obseruation in a hundred and twelue Degrees fiue and twenty minutes of Longitude and threescore and sixteene of Latitude in the place where they wintered They had touched more Northerly in some parts as is thought of greene-Greene-land sailing along by the Land from fourescore Degrees eleuen minutes vnto Noua Zemla I omit their red Geese in one place of this Voyage their azure-couloured Ice in another place and the losse of their Ship in the Ice which constrained them to set vp a house to Winter in that Land of Desolation This building they beganne about the 27. of September Stilo Nouo the cold euen then kissing his New-come Tenants so eagerly that when the Carpenters did but put a naile in their mouths after their wont the Ice would hang thereon and the bloud follow at the pulling out In December their fire could not heat them their Sack was frozen and each man forced to melt his share thereof before he could drinke it their melted Beere drinking like water They sought to remedie it with Sea-cole fire as being hotter then the fire of Wood which they had store of though none there growing by drifts and stopped the chimney and doores to keep in the heat but were suddenly taken with a swounding which had soone consumed them if they had not presently admitted the aire to their succor Their shooes did freeze as hard as horns on their feet and as they sate within doores before a great fire seeming to burne on the fore-side behinde at their backs they were frozon white the Snow meane-whiles lying higher then the house which sometimes in clearer weather they endeuoring to remoue cut out steps so ascended out of their house as out of a Vault or Seller They were forced to vse besides store of cloathes and great fires stones heated at the fire and applyed to their feet and bodies and yet were frozen as they lay in their Cabins yea the cold not onely staid their Clocke but insulted ouer the fire in some extremities that it almost cast no heat so that putting their feet to the fire they burnt their hose and discerned that also by the smell before they could feele the heat They supposed that a barrell of water would haue been wholly frozen in the space of one night which you must interpret of their twelue houres glasse for otherwise they saw no Sunne after the third of Nouember to the 24. of Ianuary reckoning by the new Calendar a thing strange to be without the Sunne fifttie dayes before the Solstice which happened after their account on December 23. and yet within forty one dayes after might see the vpper circle of the Sun-rising aboue the Horizon which made great question whether their Eyes had deceiued them or the Computation of time in that long Night which both being found otherwise by their obseruation and experience caused no lesse wonder whether this timely approach should be attributed to the reflexion by the water or the not absolute roundnesse of the Earth in those parts or the false accounting of the Solstice or which some affirme the falshood of their calculations But I leaue this to Philosophers Our Author affirmes that when the Sunne had left them they saw the Moone continually both Day and Night neuer going downe when it was in the highest Degree the twi-light also remaining many dayes and againe they might see some day-light sixteene dayes before they saw the returne of the Sunne The Beares which had held them besieged and often endangered them forsooke them and returned with the Sunne the white Foxes all that while visited them of which they tooke many whose flesh was good Venison to them and their skins in the linings of their Caps good remedies against that extremitie of Cold. As for their feet they vsed Pattents of wood with sheepe-skinnes aboue and many socks or soles vnderneath they vsed also shooes of Rugge and Felt. These Beares were very large and cruell some of them yeelding skins thirteene foot long and a hundred pounds of fat which serued them for Oyle in their Lampes the flesh they durst not eate some of them forfeiting their whole skinnes after they had eaten of the Liuer of one of these eaters which deuoure any thing not sparing their owne kinde For the Hollanders hauing killed one Beare another carried it a great way ouer the rugged Ice in his mouth in their sight and fell to eating it they made to him with their weapons and chased him from his purchase but found
could but touch and away we may aduenture notwithstanding the wonted danger vpon Bermuda Danger hath made it now not so dangerous nocuments haue beene documents For while some haue beene wracked there they haue made vertue of Necessitie and so well obserued the Coast that skill hath almost secured that which Nature had seemed to set there in defiance both of Habitation and Nauigation to both which it is now subiected by our Nation It was called Bermuda as Ouiedo sayth of Iobn Bermudez which first discouered it and Garza of the ships name wherein hee then sayled Ouiedo writeth that hee was iust by it and had thought to haue sent some Hogs on shore there to haue multiplyed but by force of tempest was driuen thence and others eyther of like purpose or by force of shipwracke haue since done it It is also called the Iland of Deuils which they suppose inhabit there and the Inchanted Iland but these are inchanted conceits Iob Hortop relateth That in the height of Bermuda they had sight of a Sea-monster which three times shewed himselfe from the middle vpwards in shape like a man of the complexion of a Mulato or tawny Indian But this name was giuen it not of such Monsters but of the monstrous tempests which here they haue often sustayned Sir G. Sommers hath deserued that it should beare his name by his indeuours thereabouts testified in life and death Hee with Sir Thomas Gates as before is said were wrackt on the Iland which losse turned to some gaine as if God would giue them this into the Virginia-bargaine Before Anno 1593. Henry May an Englishman in a French ship was wracked thereon and hath giuen vs some Discourse thereof more fully hath Syluester Iourdan one of that Virginian Company one of the company of those worthy Knights in a Treatise of that shipwracke and the Discouerie of Bermuda The Commodities whereof he reckoneth varietie of fishes plentie of Hogges which it seemeth haue escaped out of some wrackes diuers Fruits Mulberries Silke-wormes Palmitos Cedars Pearles Ambergrise But the most strange thing seemes the varietie of Fowle of which they tooke a thousand of one sort in two or three houres being as bigge as a Pidgeon and laying speckled Egges as bigge as Hens Egges on the sand where they come and lay them daily although men sit downe amongst them When Sir Thomas Gates his men haue taken a thousand of them Sir George Sommers men haue stayed a while by them and brought away as many more Another Fowle there is that liueth in holes like Cony-holes their Egges like in quantity and qualitie to Hen-egges Other Birds were so gentle that whistling to them they would come and gaze on you while with your sticke you might kill them Other Egges they had of Tortoyses a bushell in the belly of one very sweet they tooke forty of them in a day and one would serue fiftie men at a meale Two were there borne and other two married to make the most naturall possession thereof for our Nation which now in hope of good successe hath there planted an habitation That wracked Company built there a Ship and a Pinnasse and set saile for Virginia William Strachie in a large Discourse with his fluent and copious pen hath described that tempest which brought them to this Iland affirming that there was not an houre in foure dayes in which they freed not out of their almost captiued Ship twelue hundred Barricoes of water each contayning sixe gallons and some eight besides three Pumps continually going euery foure houres they bestowed an hundred tuns of water on the cruell Sea which seemed the more hungry after their bodies or thirstie for their bloud from Tuesday noone till Friday noone they bayled and pumped two thousand tunnes and were ten foot deepe nor could haue holden out one day longer when they first had fight of the Bermudas These he sayth are an Archipelagus of broken Ilands not fewer then fiue hundred if all may be so called which lye by themselues the greatest which lyeth like an halfe moone is in 32. degrees 20. minutes At their first landing they killed with Bats seuen hundred Fowles like to Guls at one time The Ilands seeme rent with tempests of Thunder Lightning and Raine which threaten in time to deuoure them all the stormes in the full and change keepe their vnchangeable round Winter and Summer rather thundring then blowing from euery corner sometimes 48. houres together especially when the Halo or circle about the Moone appeareth which is often and there foure times as large as with vs The North and Northwest winds cause Winter in December Ianuary and February yet not such but then young Birds to be seene Without knowledge a Boat of ten tuns cannot be brought in and yet within is safe harbour for the greatest Ships They found there for their sustenance wild Palmitos the tops of which trees rosted did eate like fried Melons sodden like Cabbages with the leaues they couered their Cabins Berries blacke and round as bigge as a Damson ripe in December and very luscious in the Winter they shed their leaues No Iland in the World had more or better Fish Of Fowles was great varietie They killed a wild Swan Some there are which breed in high Ilands in holes to secure them from the Swine They haue their seasons one kind succeeding another Besides this reliefe of Fowles they had plenty of Tortoise Egges which they lay as bigge as Goose Egges and commit to the Sun and Sands hatching nurserie They had sometimes fiue hundred in one of them Euen heere lest the Iland should lose that former name of Deuils some entred into Deuillish conspiracie three seuerall time Some were banished and after reconciled Henry Paine was shot to death Some fled to the Woods but all reduced except Christopher Carter and Robert Waters But these Ilands haue now beene possessed diuers yeeres by an English Colonie and my friend Master Barkley which hath beene there and is now onwards on a second Voyage thither seemeth rauished with the naturall endowments both for health and wealth of these Ilands which now are to be shared amongst the Aduenturers and fortified against all inuasions Nature it selfe being herein readie to further their securitie against the greatest forren force mustering winds which some say are violent further off but calmer neere the Ilands and Rockes many leagues into the Sea for their defence which now yet they are gone to strengthen both with men and munition The Colonie that is there haue not onely sent verball but reall commendations of the place as may appeare by a Treatise thereof lately set forth by one which in the Shippe called the Plough sayled thither Anno 1612. wherein is declared the Commodities there found as Mullets Breames Lobstars and Angel-fish Hog-fish Rock-fish c. as before is said The Ayre is very healthfull as their experience the best argument hath found and agreeing well
to hee called Iewish as brought by them from their Babylonish Captiuitie but the Canaan or Phoenician Letters which the Samaritans still vse and wherein Moses had innouated nothing as some will haue him neyther in the Letters nor in the Language but vsed them as 〈◊〉 were long before his times Warres and Traffique could not but further alter those Languages in continuance of time which appeared most after the Captiuitie when the Iewes spake not Hebrew but Syrian and that also in likelihood more and more by time altered Perhaps it was with these three Languages as with the Frankes Language when they first seated themselues in Gallia and that which is now called French or the Saxon and the present English for there were no lesse mutations and transmutations by times and Warres in those parts then in these It seemeth therefore probable that at the first diuision of Languages they that most disagreed did furthest separate themselues and they that spake eyther the same or neere in likenesse to the same speech obserued the same Neighbour-hood of Nation as of speech which the names and words of the Phoenician Syrian Persian Arabian and Egyptian Languages testifie The diuision of Tongues was about an hundred yeares after the Floud Anno Mundi a thousand seuen hundred fiftie seuen as Caluisius and Buntingus account Now that wee haue spoken of the first Authours of the principall and first Nations let vs suruey the Lands and Inheritance which GOD gaue vnto them which was the habitable Earth This Earth together with the Waters make one Globe and huge Ball resting on it selfe supported by the Almightie hand of GOD to the roundnesse whereof the high Mountaines in comparison of the whole can bee small impediments and are but as a few motes of dust sticking to a Ball Possidonius Eratosthenes Hipparchus Plinie Ptolomey and others skilfull in Geographie haue endeauoured by Art to finde out the true quantitie hereof and although there appeare difference in their summes yet that is imputed rather to the diuersitie of their furlongs which some reckoned longer then others then to their differing opinions But neuer had they so certaine intelligence of the quantitie of the Earth as in our time by the Nauigations of Spaniards English and Dutch round about the same is giuen vs Art and Experience consulting and conspiring together to perfect the Science of Geographie For whereas the Ancients deuided the World into three parts Asia Africa and Europe and yet neuer knew the East and North parts of Asia nor the South of Africa nor the most Northerly parts of Europe not onely these three are by Land and Sea farre more fully discouered but also three other parts no lesse if not much greater then the former are added to them namely America Mexicana and America Peruuiana and Terra Australis or the Land lying toward the South Pole As for the seuenth part which some reckon vnder the North Pole because we haue no relation but from a Magician a Fryer of Oxford called Nicholas de Linna which might with as good conscience lye to vs as by Art-Magicke take view of those Parts otherwise it is not certainly knowne whether it be ioyning to Asia or whether it bee Land or Sea I therefore leaue it out in this diuision Europe is diuided from Africke by the Mediterranean Sea from Asia by the Egean and Euxine Maeotis Tanais and a Line from the Fountaines thereof North-wards on the North and West parts washed with the Ocean which running by the Staights of Gibralter floweth along the Coasts of Africke to the Cape of Good Hope and thence passeth all alongst on the East-side thereof into the Arabian Gulfe where by a Necke of Land it is encountred This Necke the Mediterranean and Ocean doe limit the bounds of Africa The rest of the old World is Asia America Mexicana or North and the South called Peruniana are seuered by the narrow straights of Dariene in other places compassed by the Sea The South Continent is very little knowne and contayneth the rest of the World not bounded in the former limits But in their particular places wee shall heare of each of them more fully It cannot be without some great worke of GOD thus in the olde and decrepit Age of the World to let it haue more perfect knowledge of it selfe which wee hope and pray may be for the further enlargement of the Kingdome of CHRIST IESVS and propagation of his Gospell And as in former times in those then discouered parts the Iewes were scattered some violently some willingly through ASIA AFRICA and EVROPE to vsher the Gospell into those parts and make way for that which the most of themselues reiected who knoweth whether in the secret Dispensation of Diuine Prouidence which is a co-worker in euery worke able euen out of euill to bring good the Donations of Popes the Nauigations of Papists the preaching of Fryers and Iesuites may be fore-runners of a further and truer manifestation of the Gospell to the new-found Nations for euen alreadie it is one good step of an Atheist and Infidell to become a Proselyte although with some soyle and againe the Iesuites there cannot play the Statesmen as in these parts yea themselues in their Relations being witnesses they rather take Euangelical courses of those which heere they count Heretikes and by laying open mens sinne through the fall and Diuine Iustice onely by CHRIST satisfied doe beate downe Infidelitie with diligent Catechising although vpon that golden foundation they build afterward their owne Hay and Stubble with their racke of Confession and rabble of Ceremonies and the most dangerous to new Conuerts an exchanged Polytheisme in worshipping of Saints Images and the Host But if GOD shall once shew mercy to Spaine to make them truly Catholike and as a diuine Inquisitor condemne that Deuillish Inquisition to perpetuall exile how great a window may by that meanes be opened vnto this new World for their conuersion and reformation And why may not the English Expedition and Plantation in Virginia and the Nauigations of other Protestants helpe this way if men respected not their owne pride ambition and couetousnesse more then the Truth and Glory of GOD But hee that by Fishers conuerted the olde World and turned the Wisedome of the World into foolishnesse subdued Scepters by preaching the Crosse yea by suffering it in himselfe and in his members is able of those stones to rayse vp Children to Abraham and that by the mouth of Babes and Sucklings by weakest meanes when it pleaseth him Let vs therefore pray the Lord of the Haruest to send forth Labourers into these wide and spacious fields ripe thereunto But to returne to our parts of the World whence this Meditation hath with-drawne me The ancient Geographers were ignorant of a great part of that three-fold diuision as appeareth by their owne Writings The vse of the Load-stone found out by Iohn Goia of
Melfi an Italian or as Bellonius obserueth by one Flauius but Albertus Magnus was the first that writ of the Nature of it was a great and necessary helpe to further Discoueries especially after that Henrie sonne of Iohn the first King of Portugall beganne to make Voyages of Discouerie vpon the Coast of Africa and Iohn the second seconded that Enterprise and vsed the helpe of Mathematicians Roderigo and Ioseph his Physicians and Martin Bohemus by whom the Astrolabe was applyed to the Art of Nauigation and benefit of the Mariner before vsed only in Astronomie This Iohn also sent men of purpose into Arabia and Aethiopia and other Countries of the East to learne further knowledge thereof From these beginnings daily increasing hath Nauigation first in Portugall and by degrees in other Europaean Nations by the helpe of Astronomicall Rules growne to her present perfection and by it Geographie And if the longitude of places might as easily be found out as the latitude which our Countriman Master Linton made promise of wee should yet grow to better knowledge in those Sciences and of the World by them Moreouer as the Expedition of Alexander and those flourishing Monarchies in Asia brought some knowledge thereof to the Ancients So the Histories of later times but especially the great Trauels by Land of Marcus Paulus Odoricus Will de Rubruquis Ioannes de Plano Carpini our Countriman Mandeuile and others before this skill of Nauigation haue giuen much light to the knowledge of the In-land Countries of Asia which wee are first to speake of As for the Circles the Aequinoctiall which parteth the Globe in the middest the Tropickes of Cancer and Capricorne in twentie three degrees and a halfe from either side of the Aequinoctiall the Arctike and Antarctike Circles in twentie three degrees and a halfe from the North and South Poles or not much differing which are vsually set in Maps with red or double lines for distinction The Meridians which are Circles passing ouer our heads in what part of the World soeuer we be and also through both the Poles the Horizon which diuideth the vpper halfe of the World which we see from the nether halfe which wee see not the Parallels of Latitude from the Aequinoctiall towards either Pole The Climes or Climates which are the spaces of two Parallels Also the tearmes of Poles which are two the Arctike and the Antartike and the Axletree of the World a right line imagined to passe from the one to the other through the Centre of the Earth the Degrees containing sixtie miles or after Cornelius de Iudaeis sixtie eight thousand ninetie fiue paces and an halfe and after other Authors otherwise according as they haue differed in opinion touching the measure of the Earth or touching the furlongs miles and degrees which they vsed in their computation the variety whereof both auncient and moderne among the Greekes Romans Arabians Italians Spaniards and others Master Hues our Countriman hath studiously collected into ninetie of which degrees euery fourth part of the world is diuided amount in the whole to three hundred sixtie Also the Geographicall tearmes of Litius Fretum Insula Sinus Continens Promontorium Isthmus that is Shores straits Islands Bayes Continent Capes or Headlands Neckes of Land and such like All these I say and other things of like nature needfull to this kind of knowledge the studious shall find in those Authors which teach the Principles of Astronomy and Geography with the vse of Globes or Mappes as Master BLVNDEVILE Master HVES and others My intent is not to teach Geography but to bestow on the studious of Geographie a History of the World so to giue him flesh vnto his bones and vse vnto his Theorie or Speculation whereby both that skill may be confirmed and a further and more excellent obtained Geographie without Historie seemeth a Carkasse without life and motion History without Geographie mooueth but in moouing wandreth as a Vagrant without certaine habitation And whereas Time and Place are Twinnes and vnseparable companions in the chiefe Histories to set downe the true time of chiefe Accidents will adde much light to both a great taske in one Country but to take vp the whole World on my shoulders which haue not the strength either of Atlas or Hercules to beare it and in the whole to obserue the description of Places order of times and the History of Actions and Accidents especially Religions olli robur as triplex thrice happy hee that could happily atchieue it I confesse beyond my abilitie exactly to performe but with the wisest I hope that the haughtinesse of the attempt in a thing so full of varietie and hardnesse shall rather purchase pardon to my slips then blame for my rashnesse And how can I but often slip that make a perambulation ouer the World that see with others eyes that tell of matters past so many ages before I had a Beeing Yet such is the necessitie of such a History either thus or not at all But as neere as I can I purpose to follow the best euidence and to propound the Truth my fault where it is worst shall be rather mendacia dicere then mentiri and yet the Tales-man shall bee set by the Tale the Authors name annexed to his Historie to shield me from that imputation And first we must begin with ASIA to which the first place is due as being the place of the first Men first Religion first Cities Empires Arts where the most things mentioned in Scripture were done the place where Paradise was seated the Arke rested the Law was giuen and whence the Gospell proceeded the place which did beare Him in his flesh that by his Word beareth vp all things HONDIVS his Map of ASIA ASIA ASIA after some is so called of Asia the daughter of Oceanus and Thetis which was wife to Iapetus mother of Prometheus Others fetch this name from Asius the sonne of Manaeus both with like certaintie and credit It is greater then Europe and Africa yea the Islands thereof are larger if they were put together then all Europe It is compassed with the Easterne Indian and Scythian Oceans on three parts on the West it hath the Arabian Gulfe that Necke of Land which diuided it from Africa the Mediterranean Aegean Pontike Seas the Lake Maeotis Tanais with an imagined line from thence to the Bay of S. Nicholas Some make it yet larger and make Nilus to diuide it from Africa but with lesse reason Taurus diuideth it in the middest On the North side is that which is called Asia interior on the South is Asia exterior More vnequall is that diuision into Asia the greater and the lesse this beeing lesse indeed then that it should sustaine a member in that diuision Io. Barrius diuideth it into nine parts Ortelius into fiue Maginus into seuen which are these First That part of Tartaria betwixt Muscouia the Northerne Ocean the Riuer Ob and the Lake Kytai and
was called the Land of Israel after the diuision of the ten Tribes from the house of Dauid by Ieroboam in the time of Rehoboam the sonne of Salomon the name of Israel was more particularly appropriated to those ten rebellious Tribes and the other two were knowne by the name of the Kingdome of Iuda Yet Israel remayned in a generall sense the name of them all especially in the new Testament Paul of the Tribe of Beniamin calleth himselfe an Israelite and all Israel saith he in that Chapter shall be saued After the Babylonian captiuitie they were called Iewes of the chiefe and royall Tribe and their Countrey Iudaea It was also called Palaestina of the Philistims which inhabited the Sea-coast And after in the times of the Christians it was generally called the Holy Land Phoenicia also being vnder that name comprehended It is situated betweene the Mediterranean Sea and the Arabian Mountaynes Ptolemey calleth it Palaestina Syriae and Iudaea abutting it on the North with Syria on the East and South with Arabia Petraea on the West with part of Egypt and the Sea Adrichomius who hath bestowed a large Volume on this subiect which he calleth the Theater of the holy Land on the East confineth it with Syria and Arabia on the South the Desart Pharan and Egypt on the North Mount Libanus on the West the Sea Maginus placeth a part of Phoenicia on the North on the North-east Libanus on the South and part of the East Arabia on the West part of the Mediterranean Sea It is extended from the South to the North from the one and thirtieth degree to the three and thirtieth and somewhat more Others set it downe in other words but these and they agree for the most part in substance It is commonly holden to bee an hundred and sixtie Italian miles in length from Dan to Bersebee and sixtie in bredth An exact diuision thereof into twelue shires or shares Ioshua setteth downe at large with their Bounds and Cities from the thirteenth Chapter of that Booke to the one and twentieth as they were by lot and diuine dispensation allotted to the twelue Tribes the posteritie of Iacobs twelue sonnes onely Ephraim and Manasses the sonnes of Ioseph constituted two Tribes and therefore had the double portion descending of Iacobs eldest sonne by Rachel his first intended wife and Leui had no portion but was scattered in Israel to keepe Israel from scattering and to vnite them in one Religion to one GOD who disposed that curse into a blessing Reuben Gad and halfe the Tribe of Manasses had their portion on the East side of Iordan the other halfe of Manasses with Simeon Iuda Beniamin Ephraim Naphthali Aser Dan Izachar Zabulon had their portions assigned betwixt Iordan and the westerne Sea They which would be fully acquainted with their seuerall diuisions may finde in Ioshua himselfe to satisfie them and in the Commentaries which Andraeas Masius and others haue written on that Scripture Laicstaine More Stella Adrichomius and Arias Montanus haue in Maps presented them to the eye HONDIVS his Map of Terra Sancta TABULA CANANAEAE protit tempore Christi et Apostolorum divisa fuit Neither in the whole World beside is there I thinke found any Region hauing more Cities in so small a space then this sometime had except we beleeue that which is told of the thousands of Egypt Some reckon in each Tribe these as royall Cities in Aser Achsaph besides Sidon and Tyrus in Beniamin Bethel Gabaa Ierusalem Iericho in Dan Lachis besides Acaron and Gath in Ephraim Gazer Samaria Saron Taphua in Gad Rabba in Isachar Aphece in Iuda Arad Bezec Eglon Hebron Lebna Maceda Odolla Taphua in Manasse 1. Dor Galgal Iezrael Mageddo Tanac Thersa in Manasse 2. Astaroth Edrai Gessur Machati Soba Theman and Damascus in Nepthalim Asor Cedes Emath in Reuben Heshbon Madian Petra in Simeon Dabir Gerara in Zabulon Ieconan Semeron The like Catalogue hee maketh of Episcopall Cities in this Land while it was Christian My purpose is not to write of all but especially of such as are in some respect eminent And first let me dip my Pen in Iordan This saith Plinie is a pleasant Riuer and as far as the situation of places will permit ambitious prodigally imparting it selfe to the Inhabitants and as it were vnwilling passeth to that cursed Lake Asphaltites of which at last it is drunke vp losing his laudable waters mixed with those pestilent As soone therefore as the Valleyes giue opportunitie it spreadeth it selfe into a Lake called Genesara sixteene miles long and sixe broad enuironed with pleasant Townes Iulias and Hippo on the East on the South Tarichea and Tiberias on the West made wholesome with his hot waters The Fountaynes of this Riuer are two called Ior and Dan which compounding their Streames doe also compound their Names as Tame and Isis with vs bring forth happy Parents our Tames or Thamisis Here was the Citie Dan so called of the Danites before Laish Iud. 18.29 and Leshem Ios. 19.47 But before this time both the Riuer had the same name Iordan and the place it selfe at the foote of Libanus whence the Fountayne springeth was called Dan Gen. 14.14 when Moses wrote except wee beleeue Masius that the Pentateuch and other Scriptures were by Ezra after the captiuitie digested into that forme with those names which we now haue Here was after built Caesarea Paneadis called afterward of Philip the Tetrach Caesarea Philippi and after that by Agrippa Neronia This ioyning of Ior and Dan is the beginning of the apparant streame but the true and first conception of it is in Phiale one hundred and twentie furlongs from Caesarea a Fountayne of vnsearchable depth which yet like some miserable Churle alwayes contayneth the waters in it selfe till sinking and as it were buried in the earth those treasures being by Natures stealth conueyed vnder ground vnto Dan or Paneas who is liberall of that Vsurers wealth for into that Phiale powre as much as you will it neuer increaseth or decreaseth and thence it becommeth a Riuer Philip the Tetrach of Trachonitis by casting chaffe therein which was paid him againe at Dan first found out this vnder-earth passage The Saracens call that Phiale in this respect Medan that is the waters of Dan. Before it maketh the Lake of Genezareth it maketh another called Samachonitis This is especially filled when the snowes on Libanus are melted which causeth Iordan then to swell and ouer-flow his bankes in the first moneth yeerly and made the miracle in Ioshua's passage thorow it the more miraculous but in Summer it is almost dried vp and by reason of that matter which therein groweth is a harbor for wild beasts It is called the waters of Meron halfe way betweene Caesarea Philippi where the marriage betweene Ior and Dan is solemnized and the Lake of Genezareth Elias and after his assumption his cloke diuided these streames Naamans leprosie was here
gouernement of Aleppo and Damasco with the adioyning parts of Syria by that meanes to encroach vpon the Egyptian Caliph which accordingly they in short time did But these their haughtie attempts were stayed and being now in the flowre were cut shorter by that fortunate Expedition of the Christian Princes of the West agreed vpon at the Councell of Claremont and performed by Gualter Sensauier Peter the Hermite first and principall mouer hereof Godfrey Duke of Lorraine with his two brethren Eustace and Baldwin of the honourable house of Buillon Hugh surnamed the Great brother to Philip the French King Raymond and Robert Earles of Flanders Robert of Normandie sonne to William the Conquerour Stephen de Valois Earle of Chartiers Ademar the Popes Legate Bohemund Prince of Tarentum and others conducting as the most receiued opinion is three hundred thousand Souldiers in defence of the Christian Faith against the Turkes and Saracens which both ouerthrew the Turkes in the lesser Asia and recouered also the holy Land The Principalitie or as some stile it the Kingdome of Antioch was giuen him by common consent to Bohemund Prince of Tarentum the Kingdome of Ierusalem to Robert who hearing of his Fathers death refused it in hope of England and Godfrey of Buillon was saluted King The Turkes and Saracens seeking to recouer that which they had lost lost also themselues a hundred thousand of them being slaine in one battell the like successe had the Turkes after against Conrade the Emperour at Meander leauing for trophees and triumphall arches to the Christians huge heapes or hills rather of their bones Hereunto helped the dissentions among the Turkes and diuisions of their state among diuers brethren The Egyptians also paied tribute to the Christians which Dargan the Sultan detaining hee was by Almericus the King of Ierusalem ouerthrowne in battell Noradine the Turke King of Damasco sent thither also Saracon to aide Sanar the Sultan before expulsed to recouer his state from this Dargan but hee hauing won certaine Townes kept them to himselfe so that Sanar betooke him to the patronage of Almericus who ouerthrew Saracon in battell and after besieged and tooke Alexandria and Pelusium seeking also to conquer Egypt to himselfe but indeed as the euent proued so subuerted his owne state For Sanar sought helpe of Saracon and for feare of both their forces Almericus left Egypt Saracon moued with ambition treacherously slew the Sultan and by the Caliph was appointed Sultan the first of the Turkes that euer enioyed the same to whom Saladine his Nephew succeeded Hee not respecting the Maiestie of the Caliph as the Sultans before had done strucke out his braines with his Horse-mans Mace and rooted out all his posteritie the better to assure himselfe and his Turkish successours in the possession of that Kingdome vnder whom it continued to the time of the Mamalukes Noradine also the Turke being dead the Nobilitie disdaining the gouernement of Melechsala his sonne yet but a youth betrayed that state vnto Saladine And thus did he hem in the Kingdome of Ierusalem on both sides and not long after Aleppo was betraied vnchristianly into his hands by a traitor which gouerned the same for the Christians Neither was it long before he had through discord and treason amongst the Christians obtained Ierusalem it selfe Anno 1187. and after Ascalon and Antioch also Neither could the Christians of the West euer recouer the possession of that Kingdome the cause continuing the same which before had lost it viz. dissention and treacherie as the examples of Richard and Edward first of those names Kings of this Land doe shew About 1202. yeeres after Christ the Tartars of whom in their due place hauing conquered East West North and South among others ouerthrew that Togrian Kingdome of the Turkes in Persia one hundred and seuentie yeeres before founded by Tangrolipix The Turks which remained driuen to seeke shelter from this violent storme fled out of Persia into Asia the lesse where Cutlu-Muses his successours their Country-men enioyed some part of the Countrie And there many of them arriuing vnder the conduct of Aladin the sonne of Cei Husreu descended also of the Selzuccian Family in Persia taking the opportunitie offered by the discord of the Latines with the Greekes and the Greekes among themselues seized vpon Cilicia with the Countries thereabout and there first at Sebastia and afterward at Iconium erected their new Kingdome bearing the name of the Aladin Kings or Sultans The Tartars vnder the conduct of Haalon sent by Mango the great Cham hauing conquered and starued the Chaliph of Babylon as is before ouerthrew the Turkish Kingdome of Damasco and raced Aleppo the other arme of this faire and farre spreading Tree being surprized by the Mamaluke slaues who after Haalons departure recouered Syria and Palaestina and were againe with great slaughter dispossessed of the same by Cassanes a Tartarian Prince who repaired Ierusalem and gaue it to the Christians of Armenia and other the Easterne Countries But Cassanes retyring into Persia to pacifie new broiles the Sultan recouered the same the Christians of the West neglecting the iust defence thereof specially through the pride and contention of Boniface the Pope contrarie to his name filling a great part of Europe with faction and quarrells §. III. Of the Ottoman Turkes their originall and proceedings THe Turkes in Asia paid tribute to the Tartar Cham till succession in the bloud of Aladin failing this Kingdome was diuersly rent euery one catching so much as his might could bestow on his ambition The greatest of these sharers was one Caraman Alusirius who tooke vnto himselfe the Citie Iconium with all the Countrie of Cilicia and some part of the frontiers of Lycaonia Pamphylia Caria and the greater Phrygia as farre as Philadelphia all which was after him called Caramania Next neighbour and sharer to him was Saruchan of whom Ionia Maritima is called Saruchanili The greatest part of Lydia with some part of the greater Mysia Troas and Phrygia fell to Carasius called of him Carasi-ili some part of Pontus and the Countrey of Paphlagonia fell to the sonnes of Omer which Countrey is called Bolli These all were of the Selzuccian Family But the foundations of farre higher fortunes were then laid much lower by diuine prouidence exalting Ottoman of the Oguzian Tribe or Family who then held one onely poore Lordship called Suguta in Bythinia not farre from Olympus giuen before to his father Erthogrul in meed of good seruice which he increasing by winning somewhat from the weaker Christians his neighbours afterwards erected into a Kingdome which hath deuoured so great a part of the world as is at this day subiect to the Turkish greatnesse When the Tartars chased as is said the Turkes out of their Persian Kingdome which Tangrolipix had there established one Solyman a Turke of the Ogusian Tribe reigned in Machan ouer a small Realme which for feare of those Tartars he also forsooke and with a
at his departure to giue a signe thereof by striking downe the top of a steeple Which being effected the Kings conuersion followed together with many of the Nobilitie to the Roman faith libertie also being granted to preach it openly and to build Churches and Monasteries thorowout the Kingdome This was beleeued in England especially by a friend of our Authors vnto whom that Pamphlet was sent who requested him to say Masse in thanks-giuing to GOD for so great a benefit But in the end that Iesuite who sent the Pamphlet gaue out that it was but a thing deuised by French Hugonets to disgrace their societie Gracious societie that can sometime cure their lies with a distinction of piaefraudes sometime couer them with a robe of the new fashion Aequiuocation sometimes can expose their bastards at other mens doores to shield themselues from shame with laying the blame on others and haue a mint in their pragmaticall heads of such supersubtle inuentions what are they now disgraced and that by Hugonets Euen as truly as the Parliament-house should haue beene blowne vp by Puritans this also was the Ignatians deuice or like to that newes of the late Queene whose Ambassadours were at Rome for the Popes Absolution or that of Bezaes recantation and Geneuaes submission to the Pope Blessed Ignatius let mee also inuocate or let him deigne to reade in that all-seeing glasse this poore supplication infuse some better spirit or some cleanlier and more wittie conueyance at least into thy new progenie lest the Protestants grosser wits sent see feele the palpablenesse and impute the Iesuitical courses to that Author which said he would go out and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all ACHABS Prophets which when he speaketh a lie speaketh of his owne because he is a lier and the father thereof Hitherto wee tooke Ignatius for their father but now we find a New of whom they borrow Bankruptly shifts beseeming onely the Merchants of Babylon disgracing humanitie defacing diuinitie worthily raunged amongst the poore policies of the Hospitall of the desperate Since also Iansonius in his Mercurius Gallobelgicus hath told vs newes of the Kings graunt to build a Temple and Monasterie for Christians himselfe as hee saith much enclining to that religion whereupon many haue been baptized and not a few through the power of holy-water haue beene cured The King hath further sent to the Georgians to vnite them to the Romish Church and the Armenians also by an embassage to Rome haue protested all obedience to that Sea as they before had done in the Couent of Saint Augustine which is in the chiefe Citie of Persia He setteth downe the copie of King Abas his Letter to the Pope wherein he requested him to send a Prelate to gouerne at Tres Ecclesiae where the chiefe of the Armenian Christians vsed to reside The like he writeth in another letter to the King of Spaine which if it be so argueth rather his policie to obtaine good will and helpe of the Christians against the Turk then any loue to Christian Religion CHAP. X. Of the Scythians Sarmatians and Seres and of their Religion §. I. Of the Scythian Name People Region Language and manner of life VNder the name Scythia is contained a verie great part of the world It was diuided into Scythia Europaea and Asiatica Pliny saith That this name reacheth vnto the Sarmatians and Germans and to those farthest Nations which were vnknowne to other men And Strabo in his first booke saith That all knowne Regions towards the North were-called Scythians or Nomades and in his eleuenth booke he affirmeth that the Greekes called all those Northerne Nations Scythians and Celtoscythians Those beyond the Adriatike and Pontike Seas and the Riuer Ister or Danubius were called Hyperborei Sauromatae and Arimaspi those beyond the Caspian Sea Sacae and Massagetae Some will haue this name to be giuen them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth to be angrie Others of their Shooting called still of some of those Nations and in some other languages Schieten of which our word Shoot is deriued Mela in his third Booke and fifth Chapter calleth them all Sagae and in the fragment which beareth the name of Cato de Originibus is mentioned Scythia Saga this word Saga Berosus interpreteth a Priest saying that Noah left the Scythian Armenians his rituall bookes which onely Priests and that onely among Priests might reade who were therefore called Saga as Noah himselfe had been These peopled the Countries from Armenia to the Bactrians all which place was called Scythia Saga ouer which Sabatius reigning in the time of Iupiter Belus Araxa with his sonne Scythia possessed all from Armenia Westward to Samatia in Europe The Grecians fable Hercules to be the father of these Nations begetting Scythes on a monster whose vpper halfe resembled a Woman the nether part a Viper It were an endlesse and boundlesse worke to seeke and set out the true and proper beginnings and bounds of this so large a Tract of the world called Scythia the particular Nations of them would be but harsh to recite out of Pliny Mela Strabo and others the multitude wherof he that will may find in Ortelius his Thesaurus collected together The Sarmatae or Sauromatae are sometime made one peculiar people of the Scythians and sometimes the names are confounded Sarmatia also being diuided into Europaea and Asiatica whereof the one is interpreted by Oliuerus Polonia by Ortelius Russia and the other Tartaria Goropius in his Becceselana admiring his owne language coniectureth that while Nimrod and his company fell to babel or after our pronuntiation babble at Babel others namely the Cymbrians or posteritie of Gomer staied still in Margiana a Countrie fruitfull of Vines whither hee imagineth Noah descended out of the Arke and there abode after the Floud These he supposeth being not at Babel retained their old and first vniuersall language But Margiana growing too little for their multiplied numbers they were forced to send out Colonies And thus the Saxons Tectosages Sauromatae Getes or Gothes the Danes Galles and other Scythian Nations the true posteritie of Gomer and keepers of the first language as he by Dutch Etymologies gathereth peopled both Scythia and Sarmatia in Asia and Europe together with all Germanie France England Norway Denmarke and some parts of Asia Minor Hee that will bee further informed of his Reasons let him reade his Saxonica Gotodanica and other Treatises of his Becceselanian Antiquities Ptolomey distinguisheth Scythia from Samatia hee confineth Sarmatia Europaea with the Sarmatian Ocean and the land vnknowne on the North with Vistula on the West the Easterne border is Tanais from whence vnto the Hircanian Sea Eastward is Sarmatia Asiatica on the North abutting on the vnknown parts of the earth on the South with the Euxine Sea and a line drawne right from thence to the Caspian Sea Scythia is by
Citie Royall Now for custome of both whereas in China theeues and malefactors are seldome executed and none hath power to execute any without speciall Commission from the King but either they die by stripes hunger or imprisonment except some few once in a yeere Marcus Paulus and Iosafa Barbaro from the relation of eye-witnesses affirme That in Cambalu was such sudden and rigorous execution of Iustice that one taking a iarre of Milke from a womans head and beginning to drinke vpon the womans out-cry was apprehended and presently with a sword cut in sunder that the bloud and milke issued together a Tartarian Embassador affirming both this and that he had seene the like execution vpon another for taking a piece of Bayes from a woman so chopped in twaine But the relation of the Chinian and Cathayan differing Rites will further yeeld scruples in this case As for the name of Cathay ascribed to China by the Moores I answere That William de Rubruquis who was in the Court of Mangu Can supposeth Cathay to be Serica Regio described by Ptolomey farre more Northerly then the Iesuite reporteth China to bee by his owne Astrolabicall obseruation And to these Seres Ptolemey ioyneth the Sinae or Chinois on the South and our later Geographers generally concurre in this opinion Hee also which readeth Ioannes de Plano Carpini shall finde that the Tartars conquered the Kara-Kitai or blacke Cathayans and then the Emperour of Kithai be vndermining his Citie as is said in the daies of Cyngis and yet a great part of Kitai remained still vnconquered and withstood his forces and namely that part which is neerest the Sea And this wealthy countrie of great Cathaya hath many Prouinces the more part whereof doe yet withstand the Moals or Tartars it is the last Printed period in William de Rubriquis I hence gather that the name Kitai was applied to a great part of the North-East of Asia happily no lesse generall to many Regions on that side then India to the Southerly parts And why may not the name of Kathay as well by the Mogores and Persians bee giuen to the North parts of China one parcell of the North-East of Asia as the name of India not onely to so great a part of Asia but to America also which was called India because the first Discouerers thought they had encountered the Indian Continent And these parts of China may much fitter retaine the name of Cathay to which Empire it had so long been subiect and by the Cathayan conquest was first knowne to our world Since my first Edition I met with the other part of Rubruquis which Master Hakluit then whom I know none in this kind more industrious copied out of an entire booke in the Librarie of Bennet Colledge in Cambridge Where betweene Cataya and India he placeth a Sea which fitly agreeth to the Chinian Map made by the Chinois themselues who paint a great Bay or Gulfe of the Sea betwixt the Northern parts of China which we reckon to Cathaia and the Southerne which may be accounted to India Further hee addeth That all the Nations of Great Cathaya which Epithete is not a little to bee obserued are situate amongst the Caucasean hils on the North side euen to the Easterne Sea But they knew no countrie else so named True for the Lawes of the Cathayans forbidding egresse of the Natiues and ingresse of Aliens and a more forcible law of Mountains and Desarts wilde beasts and wilder men the manifold smaller and more beggerly Segniories betweene euerie one challenging their ninth if not themselues confiscating or theirs robbing all now in so long a space may burie euen the name and knowledge of the Great Can whereas neither Armes of Princes nor traffique of Subiects can open any new or retaine the olde notice of Nations What dreames did the West conceiue of the East in Asia and South in Africke till the Armies first and Merchants after of the Carthaginians Macedonians and Romanes discouered them And yet how did those flouds of barbarous people afterwards drowne with barbarous ignorance the knowledge of all Arts and this of Geographie amongst the rest And till the Tartarians like a terrible thunder-clap with the lightning and noyse of their Armies brought a more sudden then welcome knowledge of themselues to the world who euer in Persia or Assyria had heard of their names or of diuers people else and these Cathayans among the rest first knowne by their conquests Further the Iesuite himselfe to Paquin ascribeth iust fortie degrees and Marcus Paulus his Father and Vncle went from Boghar the altitude whereof Master Ienkinson at his being there obserued to be thirtie nine degrees and ten minutes or as Abilfada Ismael placeth it thirtie nine and an halfe North and North-East to goe into Cathay The like course did the same men hold going into Cathay from Armenia afterwardes with Marcus himselfe sempre alla volta di Graeco Tramontana whereas a course directly East or inclining to the South must haue beene taken if China had beene Catai Neither is is likely that their iourney would haue beene so much letted by Frosts and Snowes The same may be gathered out of the discourses following in Marcus Paulus where he abutteth the countries in succeeding linkes to Cathay from the East to the Northwards and from the North-East declining Westward in reckoning from thence And whereas Pantogia raiseth the most Northerly part of China but to fortie two degrees at the most wherein as to an eye-witnesse wee yeeld him credit How can it stand with reason how can it be likely that in those temperate climes the world can yeeld but a few Nations and those base Moores and Ethnikes when as a good part of Spaine halfe Italy Greece all France Germanie and Hungarie to omit other welthy parts of the world are subiect to the same parallels And indeed herein Pantogia hath well helped vs whereas our moderne Maps haue caused no small scruple to a diligent obseruer in placing Cathay a countrie reported to bee so fertile and ciuill in so Northerly a clime very indiscreetly raising Cambalu to the height of sixtie degrees and paralelling Cathay with Norwey which cannot stand with other things thereof reported howsoeuer the Tartars themselues were happily of a more Northerly climate then this mentioned Others go not so farre yet they place Cambalu too farre within land which Paulus saith is within two dayes iourney of the Sea It seemeth that now this great Tartarian Prince if there be any such hath no strength at Sea and therefore is lesse knowne And herein participate other great and mightie Princes Prester Iohn so called of Aethiopia in Africa and the Sophi and great Mogor in Asia ranked iustly amongst the greatest Emperours of the world who hauing some part of their Dominion adioyning to the Sea make little or no vse thereof Abilfada Ismael a Syrian Prince who wrote an exact Geographie in Arabike
is but the beginning of another our penance endureth all the way neyther haue we hope of Pardon and Indulgence from some seuerer Poenitentiaries and Censours whose greatest vertue is to find or seeke faults in Others Had the Muses beene propitious and the Graces gracious we would haue had some Musicall and gracefull harmony at least in Phrase and Method but euen the Muses which whilome so graced that Father of History Herodotus that each of them vouchsafed if yee vouchsafe it credit to bestow that Booke on him which hee entitled with their names seemed afraid of so tedious a iourney nor would the Graces grace vs with their company Many indeed offered themselues with their Rules Methods and Precepts of Histories as Bodinus Chytraus Posseuinus Mylaeus Folietta Viperanus Zuinger Sambucus Riccobonus Patritius Pontanus Foxius Robertellus Balduinus and Others which haue written Treatises of that argument but I thought such attendance would be chargeable especially to a Traueller and their many Rules would not haue added wings to my Head and Feet as the Poets paint their Mercury but rather haue fettered my Feet and made my weake Head forget it selfe with their remembrances I therefore followed Nature both within me and without me as my best guide for matter and manner which commonly yeeldeth Beauties as louely if not so curious as those which bankrupt themselues with borrowing of Art the issues of our bodies and minds herein being like Quas matres student demissis humeris esse vincto pectore vt gracilae sint saith Cherea in the Comedy Tametsi bona est natura reddunt curatura iunceas To conceited curiositie may hide rather then commend Natures bounty which of it selfe is alway more honest if not more honourable Neuer could the Persian Court parallel the goodlinesse of Ester and Aspatia which yet neglected the Persian delicacies Once I haue had sufficient burthen of the businesse in hand enough it was for me to goe though I did not dance vnder it But it is time to leaue this idle discourse about our course in this Asian History and bethinke vs of our African Perambulation RELATIONS OF THE REGIONS AND RELIGIONS IN AFRICA OF AEGYPT BARBARIE NVMIDIA LIBYA AND THE LAND OF NEGROS AND OF THEIR RELIGIONS THE SIXT BOOKE CHAP. I. Of Africa and the Creatures therein §. I. Of the Name and Limits of Africa WHether this name Africa bee so called of Epher or Apher the sonne of Midian and nephew of Abraham by his second wife Keturah as Iosephus affirmeth alleaging witnesses of his opinion Alexander Polyhistor and Cleodemus or of the Sunnes presence because it is aprica or of the colds absence of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Festus saith or of the word Feruca which in the Arabian tongue signifieth to diuide wherupon they call this part of the world Ifrichia because it is saith Leo diuided by Nilus and the Sea from the rest of the world or of Ifricus an Arabian King which chased by the Assyrians here seated himselfe or of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aphar the Hebrew word which signifies dust as Aphra the Syriake also fitly agreeing to the sandie and parched Soile or if any other can giue more probable Edymologie of the Name I list not to contend Nor is it meet for me to be religious in these questions of names in this Quest and Inquirie of Religions It is a great Peninsula by one Isthmus or necke of Land betweene the Red Sea and the Mediterranean ioyned to the Continent which with the Red Sea aforesaid is the Easterne limit of Africa as the Mediterranean on the North and elsewhere the Ocean For Nilus is a 〈◊〉 obscure and vncertaine Vâ—â— pâ—rn Some diuide the World into two parts Asia and Europe accounting Africa a part of Europe which opinion Vâ—â—râ— ascribeth to Aratosthenes Salust Lucan and Aethicus with Simlerus mention it It is twice as bigge as Europe and yet not so much peopled Nature hauing made here her soliâ—â—â—ie place or retyring accended by scorching heats and showres of sands as a counterfeit of those heauenly raines and mouing waters which the Aire and Seas affoord in other places Such are the many Desarts in Africa onely fertile in barrennesse although in other parts it is both fruitfull 〈◊〉 populous The Equinoctiall Circle doth in manner diuide it in the middest And yet old Atlas neuer sheddeth his inowie hairts but hath alwayes on his huge and high tops vnmolten snow whence sometime it is dispersed as from a store-house in such incredible quantitie that it couereth Carts Horses and the tops of Trees to the great danger of the Inhabitants and the Fountaynes are so cold as a man is not able to endure his hand in them Mount Atlas aforesaid stretcheth from the Ocean bearing name of him almost to Egypt Other Mountaynes of name are those of Sierra Leona and the Mountaynes of the Moone c. One Lake Zembre yeeldeth three mightie Riuers disemboking themselues into three seuerall Seas Nilus which runneth Northwards fortie degrees from hence in Astronomicall reckoning Cuama which runneth into the Easterne and Zaire into the Westerne Seas of which Riuers and of other like the Reader shall finde more in due place spoken AFRICAE DESCRIPTIO Some parts of Africa are beyond admiration for barrennesse some for fertilitie Plinie mentions a Citie in the middest of the sands called Tacape in the way to Leptis which hath a Spring of water flowing plentifully and dispensed by course amongst the Inhabitants There vnder a great Date-tree groweth an Oliue vnder that a Figge vnder that a Pomegranate vnder that a Vine vnder that Wheat Pease Herbs all at once The Vine beares twice a yeere and otherwise very abundance would make it as bad as barren Somwhat is gathered all the yeere long Foure cubits of that soile square not measured with the fingers stretched out but gathered into the fist are sold for so many Denarij This Budans sommes and proportions by the Acre after the Roman measure and saith that an Acre of that ground after that rate is prised at 12800 Sestertij nummi which maketh 320. French crownes not reckoning the defect of the cubic which bring added wâ—des much to the summe The Romans reckoned sixe Prouinces in Africa Ptolemey numbreth twelue But then was not Africa so well knowne as now Iohn Leo a Moore both learned and experienced hauing spent many yeeres in trauell diuideth Africa into foure parts Barbaria Numidia Libya and the Land of Negros Numidia he calleth Biledurgerid or the Region of Dares and Libya he calleth Sarra for so the Arabians call a Desart But he thus excludeth Egypt and both the higher and lower Aethiopia which others adde hereunto and make vp seuen parts of Africa §. II. Of the Beasts wilde and tame MAny are the Creatures which Africa yeeldeth not vsuall in our parts Elephants are there in plentie and keepe in
They haue no Fleas a small priuiledge for they haue infinite store of Scorpions Fighig hath industrious and wittie people whereof some become Merchants others Students and goe to Fez where hauing obtayned the degree of Doctors they returne into Numidia and are made Priests and Preachers and so become rich Tegorarin hath Traffique with the Negros They water their Corne-fields with Well-water and therefore are forced to lay on much soyle In which respect they will let Strangers haue their houses Rent-free onely the Dung of Themselues and their Beasts excepted They will expostulate with that stranger which shall in some nicer humour goe out or doores to that businesse and aske him if hee know not the place appointed thereunto Heere were many rich Iewes which by meanes of a Preacher of Telensin were spoyled and most of them slaine at the same time that Ferdinand chased them out of Spaine Techort is a Numidian Towne exceeding courteous to Strangers whom they entertaine at free-cost and marrie their Daughters to them rather then to the Natiues Pescara is exceedingly infested with Scorpions whose sting is present death wherefore the Inhabitants in Summer time forsake their Citie and stay in their Countrey-possessions till Nouember Libya extendeth it selfe from the Confines of Eloachat vnto the Atlantike betwixt the Numidians and Negros It is one other of the Seuen parts into which wee haue diuided Africa the Arabians call it Sarra that is a Desart Plinie in the beginning of his fift Booke sayth That all Africa by the Graecians was called Libya Taken in a more proper sence it is diuersly bounded by the Ancients and therefore wee will heere hold vs to Leo's description The name Libya is deriued from Libs a Mauritanian King as some affirme Herodotus saith of a woman named Libya Among the Libyans are reckoned the Libyarcha Libiophaenices Libyaegyptij and diuers other Nations euen of the Ancients accused for want of inward and outward good things cunning onely in Spoyle and Robberie The Libyans worshipped one Psaphon for their God induced thereunto by his subtiltie For he had taught Birds to sing PSAPHON is a great God which being set at libertie chaunted this note in the Woods and easily perswaded the wilde people to this deuotion which Aelian saith Annon had endeuoured in vaine It was the custome of Women to howle in their Temples whence some of the Bacchanall Rites were borrowed by the Graecians Vnto the Libyans are reckoned those Nations whose barbarous Rites are before related in the seuenth Chapter of this Booke Wee will now come to later Obseruations Men may trauell eight dayes or more in the Libyan Desarts ordinarily without finding any water The Desarts are of diuers shapes some couered with grauell others with sand both without water heere and there is a lake sometime a shrub or a little grasse Their water is drawne out of deepe pits and is brackish and sometimes the sands couer those pits and then the Trauellers perish for thirst The Merchants that trauell to Tombuto or other places this way carrie water with them on Camels and if water faile them they kill their Camels and drinke water which they wring out of their guts Their Camels are of great abilitie to sustaine thirst sometimes trauelling without drinke twelue dayes or more Otherwise they were neuer able to trauell thorow those Desarts In the Desart of Azaoad there are two Sepulchres of Stone wherein certaine letters engrauen testifie that Two Men were there buried one a very rich Merchant who tormented with thirst bought of the other which was a Carrier or transporter of wares a cup of Water for ten thousand Duckats and dyed neuerthelesse both buyer and seller with thirst Their liues for lewdnesse resemble the Numidians before mentioned but for length come much short of them few attayning to threescore yeeres They are as little need as they haue thereof often plagued with those clouds of Grashoppers which couer the ayre and destroy the earth The Libyan Desart of Zanhaga beginning at the Westerne Ocean extendeth it selfe farre and wide betweene the Negros and the Numidians to the Salt-pits of Tegaza From the Well of Azaoad to the Well of Araoan an hundred and fiftie miles space is no water for lacke whereof many both men and beasts there perish Likewise in the Desart Gogdem for nine dayes iourney no drop of water is found In the Desart of Targa is Manna found which the Inhabitants gather in little vessels and carrie to Agadez to sell They mingle it with their drinke and with their pottage It is very wholsome Tegaza is an inhabited place where are many veynes of Salt which resemble Marble they digge it out of pits and sell it to Merchants of Tombuto who bring them victuals For they are twenty dayes iourney from any habitation the cause that sometimes they all die of famine They are much molested with the South-east winde which maketh many of them to lose their sight Bardeoa was found out lately by one Hamar a guide vnto a Carauan of Merchants who lost his way by reason of a maladie that fell into his eyes yet blind as hee was hee rode on a Camell none else being able to guide them and at euery miles end caused some sand to bee giuen vnto him whereon hee smelled and thereby at last told them of an inhabited place forty miles before he came at it where when they came they were denied water and were forced by force to obtaine it The Riuers that arise out of Atlas and by the vnkindnesse of their Kinde fall this way finding these thirsty Wildernesses to yeeld them the readiest channels are trained alongst by the allurements of the sands stouping and crouching to them till being further from witnesses they are either swallowed vp on great Lakes or else whiles they hold on their pursuit for the Ocean lose themselues in the search and whiles they are liberall to the thirstie sands in the way at last dye themselues I cannot say diue themselues as else where in the World for thirst in the Desarts And yet through these waylesse wayes doth couetousnesse carry both the Arabians in their rouings and Merchants with their Carauans to the Negros for wealth whither I thinke at last you expect the comming of this our Carauan also CHAP. XIIII Of the Land of Negros §. I. Of the Riuer NIGER Gualata Senaga and Guinea NIgratarum terra or the Land of Negros either is so called of the Riuer Niger or of the blacke colour of the Inhabitants some thinke the Riuer is named Niger of the people it hath on the North those Desarts which we last left on the South the Aethiopike Ocean and the Kingdome of Congo on the East Nilus on the West the Atlantike Leo makes Gaogo in the East and Gualata in the West the limits thereof On the side of the Riuer Canaga it is sandie and desart beyond it is plentifull being watered with Niger
Pilgrimage CHAP. VI. Relations of Aethiopia by GODIGNVS and other Authours lately published seeming more credible §. I. The seuerall Countreyes of Abassia Their Situation Inhabitants Riuers and Lakes IF I should haue left out the former Chapter for the vncertaine truth or certayne falshoods therein contayned some perhaps would eyther for the Pilgrims words or the Friers inuention haue desired it were it but as a Comedie to delight our tyred Reader For my selfe had my Intelligence so well serued me at first it had been easier then not to haue admitted then here now to haue omitted it I haue therefore suffered it still to enioy a place rather for your delight then credit and here would giue you those things that are more likely I hope I cannot warrant more true such as Nicolaus Godignus and others haue written some things being the same which before out of Aluares others are mentioned besides other things exacter or later And first of the Countrey it selfe Ioannes Gabriel Captayne of the Portugall Souldiers in these parts hath written that the Abassine Empire contayneth sixe and twentie Kingdomes in ancient right diuided in foureteene Regions eight of these Kingdome lye in successiue order from Swachen towards to West the first of which is Tigrai contayning seuenteene great Tracts vnder so many Lieutenants or Gouernours which rule all affaires of Peace and War The Turkes possesse the Sea parts the Saracens the Coast adioyning the Inland is inhabited promiscuously by Christians and Ethnicks They are blacke of hue deformed in shape in condition miserable of conditions wicked They haue goodly Riuers dryed vp in Summer where yet with little digging both water is found and fishes called Sagasi The next Kingdome to Tigrai is Daneali hauing the Red Sea on the East thence extending Westwards not farre nor fertile inhabited by Moores tributaries to the Abassine Angote Amara Boa Leca are foure Kingdomes inhabited by Christians only The seuenth Kingdome is very large of seuenteene Tracts partly inhabited by Ethnickes partly Christians it is called Abagamedri Dambea hath also Ethnickes mixed with Christians being but two Tracts On the other side of Dancali towards the Red Sea Aucaguerle trends alongst the Coast possessed by the Moores not subiect to the Abassine Adel followeth in twelue degrees Northerly in which is Zeila sometimes called Aualites a famous Mart the whole Kingdome is inhabited by Moores vnneighbourly Neighbours to the Abassines whence came Gradagna or Gradamar the Mahumetan King which had wel-nigh subdued all Aethiopia when the Portugals opposed themselues who after diuers ouerthrowes tooke him and cut off his head After this is Dahali which trendeth towardes Membaxas the Inhabitants some Christians some Ethnikes pay tribute to the Prete Oecie followeth more within land the Inhabitants Moores and Ethnikes subiect to the Abassine Arium and Fatigaer the next Kingdomes are Christian Zinger Ethnicke Rozanagum the sixteenth Kingdome is Christian but not subiect to the Abassine Empire From hence extend other Kingdomes towards the North Roxa of Ethnickes Goma of Christians and Ethnickes Such is Nerea a large Kingdome towards Monomotapa Zethe is inhabited by Ethnickes subiect to the Emperour The next are Conche and Mahaola small and altogether Ethnicke Goroma a great Kingdomoe of twenty Tracts Christians and Heathens almost wholly compassed by Nilus able for plenty to feed many Armies with which it is vsually infestect The Seedman followes the haruest man presently after the reaping sowes new Seed without other tillage The three last Kingdomes lye towards Egypt Damote Sua Iasculum through this euery Lent passe great troupes of Pilgrimes to Ierusalem The foureteene Regions or Prouinces I forbeare to mention Of all these Kingdomes at this day onely Tigrai Abagamedri Dambea and Goroma are obedient to the Abassine There are foure principall Riuers in this Aethiopia Taucea running from the South to the North the sandy Earth in the way continually stealing and vnderearth passages robbing him of the watery Tribute which he intendeth to the Sea neere it are high vnpassable Mountaynes inhabited by Abassine Iewes which still obserue the Mosaicall Law fierce and terrible to their Neighbours and could neuer be conquered by the Abassines The second Riuer is Oara exceeding Nilus in watery store which he bestoweth in like manner on the Countrey by which he passeth into the Zeilan Sea The waters are pleasant but the Abassine Christians will not drinke thereof because passing through the Countries of Mahumetans it yeelds them nourishment The third Riuer is Gabea which neere to Mombaza visits the Ocean The fourth is Nilus There are as many Lakes The first Aicha in Angote The second Dambeabahar that is the Sea of Dambea not farre from Gubbai where the Emperours in these times reside if they betake themselues out of their Tents into the City This Lake is sixty miles long and fiue and twenty broad receiues on one side the waters of Nilus is full of fishes and Riuer-horses which sometimes are dangerous to passengers two Iesuits in one of their Boates made of Rushes hardly escaping their assaults Many small Ilands are in this Lake in one of which is a Towre their Treasury and to which Malefactors are confined The third Lake is Zella in Oecie the fouth Xacala not farre from it §. II. Of the Soyle Fruits Creatures Seasons and Climate ANtonie Fernandes in an Epistle dated here in Iune 1610. numbreth aboue fortie Prouinces in Abassia but in substance agrees in the former The Soyle hee sayth is hollow and full of deepe Clifts in the midst of the plaine fields you shall often see steepe and high Rockes of solid stone which in time of warre serue them in stead of Forts The whole Region is full of Metals but neglected partly by the sloth of the Inhabitants partly for feare to bring Turkish Inuasions vpon them if such baits were discouered They take so much Iron only as they finde without digging on the face of the Earth Corne Herbes Trees are there in variety but these not excellent in their fruits except one the fruit whereof saues their liues by the vertue it hath against Wormes whereto this people is much subiect by their eating of raw flesh and therefore euery moneth purge themselues with this fruit they haue Peaches Pomegranates Citrons Indian Figges but not in great plenty They haue Hares Harts Goats Swine Elephants Camels Buffles Lions Panthers Tigres Rhinocerots and other like Beasts One so huge that a man on horsebacke may passe vpright vnder his belly feeding on leaues from the tops of trees and formed like a Camell Their Riuer-horses doe much harme to the fruits of the Earth being of Vast bodies and their mouth three quarters of a yard in the opening In the night they come forth and if the Husbandmen did not keepe diligent watch would doe extreme harme to the Corne they feed also on grasse In the water they are very fierce and like Dogges assault men and teare them They are so afraid of fire
an Iland fourteene leagues from Zacotora from whence it is fifteen leagues to Cape Guardafu At Tamarind they had no raine in two yeers together Two small Iles lie to the North of Socotera called the two Sisters the Inhabitants of an oliue colour without Law among themselues or commerce with others There are also those two Iles the one of men the other of women which wee mentioned in our fift booke a matter how true I know not but very strange They are Christians subiect to the Bishop of Socotera and he to the Zatoia in Baldach Many other Ilands there bee of no great name in that Sea called Sinus Barbaricus as of Don Garcia the three and the seuen brethren of Saint Brandon Saint Francis Mascarenna Do Natal Comoro and many other besides those of Quiloa Mosambique and some other for their vicinitie to the Land before handled The I le of Saint Laurence so called by the Portugals by themselues Madagascar is meetest in all those parts to entertayne the Readers obseruation as being one of the greatest Ilands of the world It contayneth in breadth foure hundred and fourescore miles in length a thousand and two hundred M. Polo saith the Inhabitants were Saracens and were gouerned vnder foure Lords eate Camels flesh vse merchandize or artes Thus farre did the Great Can stretch his Tartarian Dominion and sent hither to spie the Land That which Polo saith he heard of a bird in this Iland called Ruch so bigge as it could take vp an Elephant hath no likelihood of truth He calls it Magascar It is situate from seuenteene to six and twentie ½ of Southerly latitude Onely vpon the coast they are Mahumetans within Land Idolaters black and like the Cafres the soile yeeldeth Cloues Ginger and Siluer It deserueth to haue better Inhabitants if Linschoten iudge rightly hauing many faire and fresh Riuers safe Harbours plentie of fruits and cattell therein are foure gouernments each fighting against other They vse not themselues to trade with others nor suffer others to traffique with them The Portugals haue some trade with them but goe not on land In the first discouerie of them by the Portugals 1506. they shewed themselues in hospitall and trecherous rewarding receiued kindnesse in their Canoas or Boats made of the body of a tree with shot There are said to bee some white people supposed to be of Chinian off-spring Of the people of Madagascar the Hollanders report that they are of colour blacke strong and well made they couer their priuities with cotton they haue large holes in their eares in which they weare round sticks They acknowledge one Creator and obserue Circumcision but know nothing of praying or keeping festiuals They haue no proper names whereby to distinguish one day from another neither doe they number weekes moneths or yeeres Nor doe they number aboue ten They are exceedingly afraid of the deuill whom they call Tiuuaddes because he vseth often to afflict them They liue most-what on fishing They marrie but one wife their time of marriage is for the men at twelue the women at ten yeeres of age Adulterie and Theft are punished with death The men vse to hunt abroad the women spin their Cottons at home whereof they haue trees yeelding plentie If any man kill any of his Kine all his neighbours may challenge part Cornelius Houtman saith they are sweet-spoken men They haue a kinde of Beanes or Lobos growing on trees the cod whereof is two foot long They haue a kind of seed whereof a little makes foolish a greater quantitie kils herewith they betrayed and killed threescore and eight Hollanders with their Captaine The English haue had some knowledge of this Iland to their cost as those of the Vnion before mentioned But not trusting them too farre they here finde good refreshing Captaine Downton arriued there in the Bay of Saint Augustine Aug. 10. 1614. and bought of them diuers Beeues at a reasonable rate The people are tall and swart their haire smooth and finely plaited their weapons are darts neatly headed with Iron Their cattell fairer then any I haue seene hauing on their fore-shoulders a lumpe of fat like the pomell of a saddle Here were Tamarin trees with greene fruit vpon them the pulpe whereof boyled cured our men of the Scorbute They haue store of cotton whereof they make striped cloth of diuers colours Another then in companie reports them to bee a strong actiue people not fearefull of gunnes or other weapons ciuill honest and vnderstanding their weapons small Lances Bowes Arrowes and Darts their Kine sold at three foure or fiue shillings a peece as sweet and fat as ours That bunch on the shoulder is very sweet in taste And as one reporteth he had seene the skin that compassed one of them contayned six or eight gallons Here are many Crocodiles The Vnion comming to Gungomar in the North-west corner of Madagascar was assaulted by a Nauie of an hundred Canoes by water arranged in order of a halfe moone the King trecherously assaulting them out of the woods and tooke Captaine Michelborne with other Merchants In Saint Marie an Iland by Madagascar they met with the King which was obserued of his subiects with great reuerence Here they buried one of their dead men the Ilanders being present who signified by signes that his soule was gone to heauen and would haue had them to cut off his legs by the knees The I le of Cerne they called Maurice Iland They found excellent Ebon trees there the wood whereof is as black as pitch and as smooth as Iuorie inclosed with a thick barke They found of the same kinde some red some yellow There were Palme-trees like the Cocos They found store of birds whereof they might take some in their nests with their hands There were no people inhabiting In the I le of Bata our men killed a Bat as great as a Hare in shape like a Squirrill with two flaps of skin which hee spred forth when he leaped from tree to tree which they can doe nimbly often holding only by their tailes The Hollanders in the Bay of Anton Gil Southwards from Madagascar in sixteene degrees saw the King blacke or hue wearing two hornes on his head and many chaines or bracelets of Brasse on his armes This place is fertile the people valiant In the channell betweene the firme land and Madagascar are many Ilands great and small all inhabited by Mahumetans the chiefe of which is S. Christopher more Northwards against Mombaza and Melinde are three Ilands Momsid Zanzibar and Pemba inhabited with Mahumetans of white colour In the time of M. Polo Zenzibar was Heathenish The inhabitants he saith very grosse and deformed and likewise the women Neere the Cape of Good Hope are the Isles of Don Aluares and Tristan d' Acunuha but of no great note The deepenesse of these Seas make them vncapable of many Islands CHAP. XII Of
all the face of the Earth and hath assigned the bounds of their habitation passed thither by some place where the Continent of our World ioyneth with America or where the Ilands thereof are found fit Mediatours for this passage being not farre distant from the Land And this on the North parts of the World where they place that fabulous Streight of Anian not yet certaynly discouered may be so besides that on the South men might passe from the Coasts of Malacca to Iaua and so to the South Continent and from thence by the Magellane Streights into America Groneland is found to bee the same Continent with Estotiland on the North. Some Negro's by force of tempest it is probable haue passed hither because in Careca some haue beene found betweene Saint Martha and Cartagena Of whom Iohn di Castellanos writeth Son todos ellos Negros comocueros c. They are all sayth hee as blacke as Rauens And of this minde is Botero and those French Worthies Du Bartas and Philip Morney It is not likely that the beasts could otherwise passe but by the Continent or by Ilands not farre off from the Continent or from one another Master Brerewood a man learned and iudicious in his Posthume worke of Languages and Religions affirmeth that America receiued her first Inhabitants from those parts of Asia where the Tartars first inhabited For those parts of America being most replenished which respect Asia and there being no token of the Arts or industry of China India or Cataya in many things also they seeming to resemble those old Tartars and their Countrey being eyther not at all or least of all other seuered from the North parts of America he concludeth as aforesaid A man may with like probable coniecture bring them from the Samoyeds bordering Northward from Russia and the Laplanders which by Northerne Ilands whereof there are some daily discouered might by passing from one to another seate themselues in Greenland Gronland Estotiland and other parts neere to or vpon America For the Inhabitants of the one are much like to the other And thus by many wayes Gods Prouidence might dispose Inhabitants to these parts that wee speake not of the South vnknowne Continent which is supposed to extend it selfe to the Line and from the Ilands of Asia might easily receiue and conuey Inhabitants hither As for Genebrards deriuation of the Americans from the ten Tribes prooued by the dreames of Esdras elsewhere alledged with like truth for the Tartars and some inscriptions out of Thenet they which will may beleeue Heere also ariseth another question how these beastes could passe from the parts of the knowne World where none such are knowne to which it may be answered That God hath appointed to euery Creature his peculiar nature and a naturall instinct to liue in places most agreeing to his nature as euen in our World , Non omnis fert omnia tellus Euery Countrey hath not all Creatures the Elephant Rhinoceros Riuer-horse Crocodile Camell Camelopardalis and others are not ordinarily and naturally in Europe nor the Zebra in Asia or Europe and the like may be said of many other Creatures Now as in the Arke it selfe the Cradle of Man and stall of Beasts wee must not onely obserue Nature and Art for the making and managing thereof but a higher and more powerful hand euen so in dispencing the creatures which came from thence they chose places by their owne naturall instinct and man disposed by his industrie according as he had vse of them but most of all the secret and mighty prouidence of God co-working in those works of Nature and industry and in likelihood infusing some more speciall and extraordinarie instinct in that replenishing and refurnishing of the World Assigning them their seasons and bounds of habitation hath thus diuersified his workes according to the diuersities of places and sorted out to each Countrey their peculiar creatures As for the comming by ship it is for the beasts improbable for the men by any great numbers or of any set purpose vnlikely except as before is said seeing in all America they had no shipping but their Canoes The beasts also haue not bin found in the Ilands which are in the Continent And if any hereunto will adde a supposition that there might be some Ilands or parts of the Continent in times past which is now swallowed by the mercilesse Ocean so that then there might be a way which now is buried in the waues as some suppose of Plato's Atlantis placed at the mouth of the Streits or Hercules Pillars which yet they would haue to be America and some of the Sea betwixt Douer and Callis once one firme Land as they doe imagine I list not to contradict them As for the Indians owne report of their beginning which some ascribe to a Fountaine others to a Lake others to a Caue or what other opinion they conceiue thereof we shall more fitly obserue in their proper places discoursing of their Religions and Opinions Now for he first certain Discouery of this New World the World generally ascribeth it to Columbus and worthily but Columbus himselfe is said to haue receiued his instructions from another §. II. Of Christopher Colon or Columbus his first Discouerie and three other Voyages THis Historie is thus related by Gomera and Ioannes Mariana A certaine Carauel sayling in the Ocean by a strong East winde long continuing was carried to a Land vnknowne which was not expressed in the Maps and Cards It was much longer in returning then in going and ariuing had none left aliue but the Pilot and three or foure Mariners the rest being dead of famine and other extremities of which also the remnant perished in few dayes leauing to Columbus then the Pilots host their Papers and some grounds of this Discouerie The time place countrey and name of the man is vncertaine some esteeme this Pilot an Andaluzian and that he traded at Madera when this befell him some a Biscaine and that his trafficke was in England and France and some a Portugall that traded at the Mina some say hee ariued in Portugall others at Madera or at one of the Azores all agree that he dyed in the house of Christopher Columbus It is most likely at Madera This Relation as it hath no witnesses to proue it the whole company being dead nor any good circumstances so Benzo and Ramusius plainely affirme it to be a fable and a Spanish tricke enuying a Forrenner and Italian that glory to be the first finder of the Indies And the most sincere and iudicious of the Spaniards themselues esteeme it but a tale as appeares by the testimonie of Gonzalo Fernando de Ouiedo in his Summary and more fully in his generall Historie of the Indies They shew and so doth he which then liued in the Court of Spaine Peter Martyr another cause that moued Columbus to this Discouery and not that Pilots papers or
Tome appeareth Perhaps this Voyage of Cabot was the same which is mentioned by Master Robert Thorne in a Treatise of his written 1527. that his Father and Hugh Eliot a Merchant of Bristow were the Discouerers of the New-found-lands and if they had followed their Pilots minde the Lands of the West Indies had beene ours Anno 1500. Gasper Corteregalis a Portugall minding new Discoueries set forth a ship at his owne charge from Lisbone and sayling farre North at last came to a Land which for the pleasantnesse thereof he called Greene The men as he reported were barbarous brown-coloured very swift good Archers clothed in Beasts skins They liue in Caues or base Cottages without any Religion but obserue Sooth-sayings They vsed Marriages and were very iealous Petrus Pasqualigi in a Letter concerning this Voyage sayth they brought from thence a piece of a gilded Sword which seemed to be of Italian workmanship a child also amongst them ware two siluer-earings which by the workmanship appeared to bee brought from these parts perhaps belonging to some of Cabots company Returning into Portugall hee sayled thitherward againe Anno 1501. But what became of him none can tell His Brother Michael Corteregalis the next yeere set forth two ships to make search for his Brother but he also was lost The King Emanuel grieued herewith sent to enquire of them but all in vaine Their Brother Vasco would haue put himselfe on this aduenture but the King would not suffer him The name Greene vpon this occasion was withered and the land was called Terra Corteregalis Thus farre Osorius It reacheth according to Boterus reckoning to the 60. degree Let vs come to our owne For of Steuen Gomes little is left vs but a Iest This Gomes hauing beene with Magellan a few yeeres before in his Discouery of the South Sea inlarged with hopes of new Streights in the yeere 1525. set forth to search this Northerly passage But finding nothing to his expectation he laded his ship with slaues and returned At his returne one that knew his intent was for the Moluccas by that way inquiring what hee had brought home was told Esclauos that is slaues Hee fore-stalled with his owne imagination of Cloues had thought it was said Clauos and so posted to the Court to carry first newes of this Spicy Discouery looking for a great reward but the truth being knowne caused hereat great laughter Dithmar Bleskens in his Treatise of Island relateth that in the yeere 900. the Nobilitie of East Frisia and Breame found that Iland and 200. leagues from thence discouered Groenland which he saith was named per antiphrasin of the contrary for want of greene and pleasant Pastures and that by Whirle-pooles and misty darknesse all their Nauie but one ship perished William Steere translated a Booke Anno 1608. before translated out of the Norsh Language 1560. for the vse of Henry Hudson in which is mention of diuers Townes of Groenland as Skagenford an Easterne Dorp or Village and from thence more Easterly Beareford where was great fishing for Whales by the Bishops licence the benefit redounding to the Cathedrall Church Allabourg sound where Fowle and Oxen were plentifull Fendbrother Hauen where in Saint Olaffs time some were drowned and their ship cast away Crosses being yet seene on their Graue-stones Corsehought where by authority from the Bishop they hunted for White Beares from hence Eastward nothing but Ice and Snow Westward stood Kodesford a Dorp well built with a great Church Wartsdale Peterswicke Saint Olaffes Monastery and another of Saint Benets Nuns here were many warme-water◠in the Winter intolerably hot and medicinable There was also a Church of Saint Nicholas and many other Parishes and Villages Desarts Beares with red patches on their heads Hawkes Marble of all colours great Streames Nuts and Acornes in the Hils Wheate Sables Loshes c. He affirmeth that it is not so cold there as in Island and Norway But let vs obserue the Discoueries of our owne Countrimen §. III. Discoueries by Sir MARTIN FROBISHER SIr Martin Frobisher deserueth the first place as being the first that in the dayes of Queene Elizabeth sought the Northwest Passage in three seuerall Voyages The first whereof was written by Christopher Hall the second by Dionise Settle the third by Thomas Ellis and all in one Discourse by M. George Best all which at large the Reader may find in M. Hakluyts laborious Discouery of Discoueries To speake briefly what may best befit vs in our Pilgrimage Sir Martin Frobisher sayled from Blackewall Iune the fifteenth and the seuenth of Iuly had sight of Frisland but could not get on shore for the abundance of Ice which was also accompanyed with an extreame fogge as double gard to that Iland vncertaine whether to fortifie it or to imprison them The twentieth of Iuly he had sight of and high Land which he named Queene Elizabeths Fore-land Here was he much troubled with Ice but sayling more Northerly descryed another Fore-land with a Great Gut Bay or Passage which he entred calling it Frobishers Straits supposing it to be the diuision of Asia and America Hauing entred threescore leagues hee went on shore and was encountred with mighty Deere which ranne at him with danger of his life Here had he sight of the Saluages which rowed to his ship in Boats of Seales skinnes with a Keele of wood within them like a Spanish Shallop saue onely they be flat in the bottome and sharpe at both ends They eat raw flesh and fish or rather deuoured the same they had long blacke haire broad faces flat noses tawny of colour or like an Oliue which neyther Sunne or Wind but Nature it selfe imprinted on them as appeared by their Infants and seemeth to be the generall Liuery of America Their apparell was Scales skins their women were painted or marked downe the cheekes and about the eyes with blue strakes These Saluages intercepted fiue of our men and the Boat Ours also tooke one of theirs which they brought into England where they arriued the second of October 1576. Hee had taken possession of the Countrey in right of the Queene and commanded his company to bring euery one somewhat in witnesse of the same One brought a piece of blacke stone like Sea-coale which was found to hold Gold in good quantity Whereupon a second Voyage was made the next yeere 1577. to bring Ore And comming to those Straits in Iuly found them in manner shut vp with a long Mure of Ice which sometime indangered their ships especially on the nineteenth of that moneth They found a great dead fish round like a Porcpis twelue foot long hauing a Horne of two yards lacking two inches growing out of the Snout wreathed and straight like a Waxe Taper and might bee thought to be a Sea Vnicorne It was broken in the top wherein some of the Saylers said they put Spiders which presently dyed It was reserued as a Iewell
Kettles of meat were set on seuerall fires sixe paces asunder The men sate on both sides of the roome each hauing a dish made of the barke of a tree one appointed to diuide to euery man his portion Before the meat was boyled one tooke his Dogge and danced about the Kettles from one to another and when he came before the Sagamo cast downe his Dogge and then succeeded another in the like exercise After their Feast they danced with the heads of their enemies in their hands some singing Their Canoas are of the barke of Birch strengthened within with little circles of wood eight or nine paces long fit for actiue and passiue carriage Their Cabins are low like Tents couered with the said barke the roofe open a foot space vncouered to let in light with many fires in the middest ten housholds sometimes together the lye vpon skinnes one by another and their Dogges with them After a certaine Feast the Algoumequins one of these three Nations in league went out apart and caused all their women and maids to sit in rankes themselues standing behinde singing suddenly all the women and maids cast of their Mantles of skinnes and stripped themselues naked not ashamed of their shame keeping on still their Matachia which are Pater-nosters and chaines enterlaced made of the haire of the Porkespicke dyed of diuers colours Their songs ended they cryed with one voice Ho ho ho and then couered themselues with their Mantles which lay at their feet and after a while renued their former songs and nakednesse Their Sagamo sate before the Virgins and Women betweene two staues whereon were hanged those enemies heads and hee exhorted the Mountainers and Estechemains to the like significations of ioy which then cryed all together ho ho ho. When hee was returned to his place the great Sagamo and all his company cast off their Mantles their priuities only remaining couered with a little skin and tooke each what they thought good as Matachias Hatchets Swords Kettles Flesh c. which they presented to the Algoulmequins After this two of each Nation contended in running and the best runners were rewarded with presents They are well set of Tawnie or Oliue colour by reason of their paintings they are lyers giuen to reuenge without law When a maid is fourteene or fifteene yeares old she hath many louers and vseth carnall filthinesse with whom she pleaseth so continuing fiue or sixe yeares and then takes whom she likes for her husband liuing with him chastely all her life after except for barrennesse he forsake her The husband is iealous and giues presents to her parents When one dies they make a pit and therein put all his goods with the corps couering the same with earth and setting ouer it many pieces of wood with one stake painted red and set vp on end They beleeue the immortalitie of the Soule and that the dead goe into farre Countries to make merry with their friends Monsieur Champlein discoursed with certaine Sauages yet liuing of whom hee learned touching their Religion that they beleeue in one God who hath created all things that after God had made all things he tooke a number of Arrowes and did sticke them into the ground from whence Men and Women sprung vp which haue multiplyed euer since Touching the Trinitie being asked a Sagamos or Gouernour answered There was one onely God one Sonne one Mother and the Sunne which were foure Notwithstanding that God was ouer and aboue all the Sonne was good and the Sunne also but the Mother was naught and did eate them and that the Father was not very good Being asked if they or their Ancestors had heard that God was come into the World He said that he had not seene him but that anciently there were fiue men who trauelling toward the setting of the Sun met with God who demanded of them Whither goe ye They answered We goe to seeke for our liuing God said You shall finde it heere but they not regarding passed further and then God with a stone touched two of them who were turned into stones And hee said againe to the three other Whither goe yee They answered and hee replyed as at first they yet passing further he tooke two staues and touched therewith the two formost and transformed them into staues Asking the third man whither he went he said to seeke his liuing whereupon he bade him tarry and he did so and God gaue him meat and he did eat and after he had made good cheere he returned among the other Sauages and told them all his tale . This Sagamos also told that at another time there was a man which had store of Tobacco and God came and asked him for his pipe which the man gaue him and he dranke much of it and then brake the pipe The man was offended hereat because he had no more pipes but God gaue him one and bade him carry it to his Sagamos with warning to keepe it well and then he should want nothing nor any of his Since the said Sagamos lost the pipe and found famine and other distresse this seemeth to be the cause why they say God is not very good Being demanded what Ceremony they vsed in praying to their God he said that they vsed no Ceremonie but euery one did pray in his heart as hee would They haue among them some Sauages whom they call Pilotoua who speake visibly to the Diuell and hee tels them what they must doe as well for warre as for other things And if hee should command them to put any enterprise in execution or to kill a man that they would do it immediately They beleeue also that all their dreames are true So farre Champlein In the yeere 1604. Monsieur de Monts according to a Patent granted him the yeere before for the inhabiting of Cadis Canada and other parts of New-France from the fortieth degree to the sixe and fortieth rigged two ships and bare with those parts that trend Westward from Cape Breton giuing names to places at pleasure or vpon occasion One Port was named Saualet of a French Captain who was there a fishing and had made his two and fortieth voyage hither another was named of Rossignol whose ship was confiscated for trading there with the Sauages a poore preferment to leaue name to a Port by his misery another was named Port-Moutton and within a great Bay they named another Port-Royall where after they fortified The inhabitants of these parts were termed Souriquois From them Westward are the people called Etechemins where the next Port after you are passed the Riuer of Saint Iohn is Saint Croix where they erected a Fort and wintered Threescore leagues West from thence is the Riuer Kinibeki and from thence the Land trendeth North South to Malabarre Authors place in that former extention of Land betwixt East and West a great Towne and faire Riuer called Norombega by the Sauages called Agguncia These French
Riuer ninety and odde miles from the mouth thereof which somewhat differs from the number before mentioned and within fifteene or sixteene miles of the Fals being our furthest habitation within land are eight and thirtie men and boyes of which two and twenty Farmers Captaine Smaley Commander in the absence of Iames Dauies who now is returning Master William Wickham Minister At Bermuda Nether Hundred seated on the South side the Riuer which almost encompasseth it and with a pale on a short necke of land boundeth this peninsula are a hundred and nineteene These are incorporated to Bermuda Towne which is made a Corporation according to certaine Orders and Constitutions Captaine Yeardly Deputy gouernour liues most heere Master Alexander Whitaker is Minister West and Sherley Hundred is three or foure miles lower on the North side the Riuer here are twenty fiue men commanded by Captaine Maddeson employed onely in planting and curing Tobacco to the publike benefit Lower by thirty seuen miles is Iames Towne where are fifty men vnder Captaine Francis West Brother to the L. La Ware and in his absence commanded by Lieutenant Sharp Master Buck Minister At Kequoughton thirty seuen miles lower neere the mouth of the Riuer are twenty Capt. Webbe commander Master Mays Minister Dales-Gift is vpon the Sea neere Cape Charles where are seuenteene vnder Lieutenant Cradock their labour to make salt and catch fish The numbers of Officers and Labourers are two hundred and fiue The Farmers eighty one besides sixty fiue women and children in euery place some in all three hundred fifty one persons These I haue thus particularly related as a witnesse to after-Ages of their little but now hopefull proceedings after ten yeeres habitation which as Iacobs little family in Egypt and Gedeons small Armie lesse then that which the Father of the Faithfull mustered in his owne houshold I hope and pray may grow into Townes Cities and Christian-English Churches in numberlesse numbers to the glory of God and honour of our Nation Euen in all the greatest workes of God and exploits of Men the beginnings are ordinarily slow and small How many of the foure hundred and thirtie yeares were almost if not more then halfe spent when Iacob was but a little Family and those in a strange land there suddenly growing vnder the Crosse into a multitude and great people From her Village-foundation how did Rome peepe and creepe forth by degrees vnto the height of Maiestie So may wee say of the Spanish Plantations in this American continent from contemptible and troublesome beginnings to their present Splendor Nor are our hopes lesse if our hearts bee sincere and minde as wee professe the propagation of Christianitie As for their transported Cattell there were the last of May of Buls Steeres Cowes Heifers Calues a hundred forty and foure Horses three and as many Mares Goates and Kids two hundred and sixteene Hogges wilde and tame not to bee numbred and great plenty of Poultry CHAP. VI. Of the Religion and Rites of the Virginians §. I. Of the Virginian Rites related by Master HARIOT NOw for the manners and Rites of the people thus hath Master Hariot reported They beleeue that there are many gods which they call Mantoac but of different sorts and degrees one onely chiefe and great God which hath bin from all eternity Who as they affirme when he purposed to make the world made first other gods of a principall Order to bee as meanes and instruments to be vsed in the Creation and Gouernment to follow and after the Sunne Moone and Starres as petty gods and the instruments of the other Order more principall First they say were made Waters out of which by the gods was made all diuersitie of Creatures that are visible or inuisible For Mankinde they say a Woman was made first which by the working of one of the gods conceiued and brought forth children And in such sort they say they had their beginning But how many yeeres or ages haue passed since they say they can make no relation hauing no letters nor other meanes to keep records of times past but onely tradition from Father to Sonne They thinke that all the gods are of humane shape and therefore they present them by Images in the formes of men which they call Kewasowock one alone is called Kewas Them they place in Houses or Temples which they call Machicomuck where they worship pray sing and make many times offerings vnto them In some Machicomuck we haue seene but one Kewas in some two in other three They beleeue the immortalitie of the Soule that after this life as soone as the soule is departed from the body according to the workes it hath done it is either carried to heauen the habitacle of Gods there to enioy perpetuall blisse and happinesse or else to a great pit or hole which they think to be in the furthest parts of their part of the World toward the Sun-set there to burne continually This place they call Popogusso For the confirmation of this opinion they tell tales of men dead and reuiued againe much like to the Popish Legends Thus they tell of one whose graue the next day after his buriall was seene to moue and his body was therefore taken vp againe who reported that his soule had beene very neere the entring into Popogusso had not one of the gods saued him and giuen him leaue to returne againe and teach his friends how to auoid that terrible place They tell of another which being taken vp in that manner related that his soule was aliue while his body was in the graue and that it had trauelled farre in a long broad way on both sides whereof grew most delicate pleasant Trees bearing more rare and excellent fruits then euer he had seene before or was able to expresse and at length came to most braue and faire houses neere which he met his father that had been dead before who gaue him great charge to goe back againe and shew his friends what good they were to doe to enioy the pleasures of that place which when he had done he should after come againe What subtiltie so euer be in their Weroances and Priests the vulgar are hereby very respectiue to their Gouernours and carefull of their manners although they haue also in criminall cases punishments inflicted according to the qualitie of the offence This I learned by speciall familiaritie with some of their Priests wherein they were not so sure grounded but that they lent open eare to ours with doubting of their owne The Priests in Secota haue their haire on the crowne like a Combe the rest being cut from it onely a fore-top on the forehead is left and that Combe They haue a garment of skins peculiar to their function They are great Wisards Our artificiall Workes Fire-workes Gunnes Writing and such like they esteemed the workes of Gods rather then of Men or at least taught vs by the Gods They bare
so many Deuils their feet alwayes and only agreeing in one stroke Landing at Kecoughtan the Sauages entertayned them with a dolefull noyse laying their faces to the ground and scratching the Earth with their nayles The Werowance of Rapahanna met them playing on a Flute of a Reed with a Crowne of Deeres haire coloured red fashioned like a Rose with a Chaine of Beads about his necke and Bracelets of Pearle hanging at his eares in each eare a Birds claw The women are of a modest proud behauiour with an Iron pounce and raze their bodies legges thighes and armes in curious knots and pourtraytures of Fowles Fishes Beasts and rub a painting into the same which will neuer out The Queene of Apametica was attired with a Coronet beset with many white bones her eares hanged with Copper a Chaine thereof six times compassing her necke The Maids shaue their heads all but the hinder part the Wiues weare it all of a length the Men weare the left locke long as is said already sometimes an ell which they tye when they please in an artificiall knot stucke with feathers the right side shauen The King of Paspahey was painted all blacke with hornes on his head like a Deuill He testifieth of their hard fare watching euery third night lying on the bare cold ground what weather soeuer came and warding the next day a small Can of Barley sodden in water being the sustinance for fiue men a day their drinke brackish and slimy water This continued fiue moneths The Virginians are borne white their haire blacke few haue beards and they plucke out the haires which would grow the women with two shels are their Barbers they are strong nimble and hardy inconstant timorous quicke of apprehension cautelous couetous of Copper and Beads they seldome forget an iniury and seldome steale from each other lest the Coniurers should bewray them which it is sufficient that these thinke they can doe They haue their Lands and Gardens in proper and most of them liue of their labour The cause of their blacknesse Master Rolph ascribes to their Oyntments which in their smokie Houses they vse euen as Bacon with vs is so coloured this within doores they vse against the fire abroad against the Sunne Master Wingfield sayth they would bee of good complexion if they would leaue painting which they vse on their face and shoulders He neuer saw any of them grosse or bald they would haue beards but that they pluck away the haires they haue one wife many Loues and are also Sodomites Their elder women are Cookes Barbers and for seruice the younger for dalliance The women hang their children at their backes in Summer naked in Winter vnder a Deere-skin They are of modest behauiour They seldome or neuer brawle in entertayning a stranger they spread a mat for him to sit downe and dance before him They weare their nailes long to flay their Deere they put Bow and Arrowes into their Childrens hand before they are sixe yeeres old In each eare commonly they haue three great holes whereat they hang Chaines Bracelets or Copper some weare in those holes a small Snake coloured greene and yellow neere halfe a yard long which crawling about his necke offereth to kisse his lips Others weare a dead Rat tied by the taile Their names are giuen them according to the humour of the Parents Their women they say are easily deliuered they wash in the Riuers their young Infants to make them hardie The women and children doe the houshold and field-worke the men disdayning the same and only delighting in fishing hunting warres and such manlike exercises the women plant reape beare burthens pound their Corne make baskets pots bread and doe their Cookery and other businesse They easily kindle fire by chasing a dry pointed sticke in a hole of a little square piece of wood Powhatan had aboue thirty Commanders or Wirrowances vnder him all which were not in peace only but seruiceable in Captaine Smiths Presidencie to the English and still as I haue beene told by some that haue since beene there they doe affect him and will aske of him Powhatan hath three Brethren and two Sisters to whom the Inheritance belongeth successiuely and not to his or their Sonnes till after their death and then the eldest Sisters Sonne inheriteth He hath his treasure of Skins Copper Pearles Beades and such like kept in a house for that purpose and there stored against the time of his buriall This House is fifty or threescore yards long frequented onely by Priests At the foure corners of this House stand foure Images as Sentinels one of a Dragon another of a Beare a third of a Leopard and the fourth of a Gyant He hath as many women as he will which when he is weary of he bestoweth on whom he best liketh His Will and Custome are the Lawes He executeth ciuill punishments on Malefactors as broyling to death being incompassed with fire and other tortures The other Werowances or Commanders so the word signifieth haue power of life and death and haue some twentie men some fortie some an hundred some many more vnder their command Some were sent to inquire for those which were left of Sir Walter Raleighs Colonie but they could learne nothing of them but that they were dead Powhatan was gone Southwards when our men came last thence some thought for feare of Opochancanough his younger Brother a man very gracious both with the people and the English iealous lest Hee and the English should conspire against him thinking that he will not returne but others thinke hee will returne againe His second Brother is Decrepit and lame His age is not so great as some haue reckoned the errour arising from the Virginian computation of yeeres they reckoning euery Spring and euery Fall seuerall yeeres So did Tomocomo at his comming into England marke vp his time accounting each day and because they sayled in the night when hee thought they would haue anchored by the shore each night another day CHAP. VII Of Florida §. I. Of the Acts of the Spanish and French in Florida And of the Soyle and Cities NExt to Virginia towards the South is situate Florida so called because it was first discouered by the Spaniards on Palme Sunday or as the most interprete Easter day which they call Pasqua Florida and not as Theuet writeth for the flourishing Verdure thereof The first finder after their account was Iohn Ponce of Leon in the yeere 1512. but wee haue before shewed that Sebastian Cabota had discouered it in the name of King Henrie the Seuenth of England This Region extendeth to the fiue and twentieth degree It runneth out into the Sea with a long point of Land as if it would eyther set barres to that swift current which there runneth out or point out the dangers of these Coasts to the hazardous Mariners Into the Land it stretcheth Westward vnto the borders of New Spaine and those other Countries
are dishonoured Their Husbands suffer them to lye with others in some Feasts of the yeare He that forceth a Virgin is a slaue or payeth her dowrie if a Slaue doe it with his Masters Daughter they are both buried quicke They haue common Brothels A Thiefe hath his haire cut off and is made the Slaue from whom he hath stolne vntill he hath made satisfaction which if he deferre long he is sacrificed They had no punishment for him which should kill a Cacique for they said such a thing could not happen §. III. Of the strange creatures in these parts of NOMBRE DE DIOS and the Spanish mysteries at their first Plantation THe riches of Nicaragua consisteth much in a great Lake three hundred miles long and being within twelue miles of the South Sea doth disembogue it selfe in the North-Sea a great way off In this Lake of Nicaragua are many and great fishes One strange kinde is that which the Inhabitants of Hispaniola call Manati as for the Inhabitants of the place the Spanish iniuries haue chased them thence This Fish somewhat resembleth the Otter it is fiue and twenty foot long twelue thicke the head and tayle like a Cow with small eyes his backe hard and hairy he hath onely two feet at the shoulders and those like an Elephants The females bring forth yong and nourish them with the Vdder like a Cow I haue seene and eaten of them saith Benzo the taste is like Swines flesh they eate Grasse There was a King in Hispaniola which put one of them being presented him by his Fishermen into a Lake of standing-waters where it liued fiue and twenty yeares when any of the seruants came to the Lake and called Matto Matto she would come and receiue meat at their hands and if any would bee ferried ouer the Lake she willingly yeelded her backe and performed this Office faithfully yea she hath carrien ten men at once singing or playing A Spaniard had once wronged her by casting a dart at her and therefore after that when she was called she would plunge downe againe otherwise to the Indians shee remained officious Shee would be as full of play as a Monkey and would wrastle with them especially shee was addicted to one yong man which vsed to her This proceded partly from her docible nature partly because being taken yong she was kept vp a while at home in the Kings house with bread This Fish liueth both on Land and Water The Riuer swelling ouer his Banks into the Lake this Fish followed the streame and was seene no more There was another strange creature in Nicaragua they call it Cascuij like a blacke Hogge with small eyes wide eares clouen feet a short trunke or snowt like an Elephant of so lowd a braying that he would make men deafe Anoth there is with a naturall purse vnder her belly wherein she putteth her yong it hath the bodie of a Fox handed and footed like a Monkey The Bats in these parts are terrible for biting The Inhabitants neere the Riuer Suerus are not differing from the rest but that they eate not mans flesh Next is that necke or narrow extent of Land stretching betweene the North and South-Seas and as it were knitting the two great Peninsul's of the North and South America together Nombre de Dios signifieth the name of God occasioned by the words of Didacus Niquesa who after disastrous aduentures elsewhere came hither and here bade his men goe on shore in the name of God whereupon the Colony and Plantation there was so called It hath a bad situation and small habitation Baptista Antonio the King of Spaines Surueyour counselled to bring Nombre de Dios to Puerto Bello It was remoued from the former seat in the yeare of our Lord 1584. Sir Thomas Baskeruile burnt it and went from thence with his Armie towards Panama in the yeare 1595. Darien was called Antiqua Dartenis because Ancisus vowed to our Lady at Siuill called Maria Antuqua if she would helpe him in those Indian Conquests hee would turne the Caciques house into a Temple there he planted a Colony It would be tedious to tell of the sturres and ciuill vnciuill brawles betwixt the Spaniards in these parts Vasques Valboa imprisoned Ancisus and after recouered his credit by discouerie of the South-Sea For whiles the Spaniards contented about the weight and sharing of their Gold which a Cacique had giuen them this Cacique being present hurled downe the Gold not a little maruelling as he said that they would so much contend for that as if they could eate or drinke it But if they liked it so well hee would carry them where their Golden-thirst should be satisfied He was deceiued in the nature of that dropsie-thirst which as a fire quenched with oyle receiues thence greater strength but hee deceiued not them in his promise bringing them to the South-Sea where Valboa named one Prouince Golden Castile And for that which he spake of their strife as if they could eate or drinke those Metals the cruelties of the Spaniards were such as the Indians when they got any of them would bind their hands and feet and laying them on their backs would powre Gold into their mouthes saying in insultation Eat Gold Christian This Valboa was put to death by Arias his Father-in-law But now we haue mentioned the first Spaniards which planted these parts it shall not be amisse to mention some hardships the Spaniards sustained before they could here settle themselues which may be an answere to those nice and delicate conceits that in our Virginian Expedition cast off all hope because of some disasters How the Spaniards dealt one with another and how the Indians dealt with them you haue heard worse hath not followed from any turbulent emulous spirit of our owne or hostile of the Virginian in this Plantation And as for famine Nicuesa's men were so pinched that not to speake of those which perished one sold an old leane mangie Dogge to his fellowes for many Castellans of Gold these flayed the Dogge and cast his mangie skin with the bones of the head among the bushes The day following one of them finds it full of Maggots and stinking but famine had neither eyes nor scent he brought it home sod and ate it and found many Customers which gaue a Castellan a dish for that mangie Broth. Another found two Toads and sod them which a sicke man bought for two fine shirts curiously wrought with Gold Others found a dead man rotten and stinking which putrified carkasse they roasted and ate And thus from seuen hundred and seuenty men they were brought so low that scarce forty shadowes of men remained to inhabite Dariena Much like to this was their successe at the Riuer of Plate in Florida and other places of the West-Indies What Iohn Oxenam Sir Francis Drake Master Christopher Newport and other our Worthy Country-men haue atchieued in these parts against the Spaniards Master Hakluyt in his
widest and to vomit out betweene these cleauing morsels into the Oceans lap so many streames and so farre is it from the Northerne and Southerne extremes three hundred miles distant The Inhabitants on the Northerne branches are the Tiuitiuas a goodly and valiant people which haue the most manly speech and most deliberate saith Sir Walter that euer I heard of what Nation so euer In the Summer they haue houses on the ground as in other places In the Winter they dwell vpon the trees where they build very artificiall Townes and Villages for betweene May and September the Riuer of Orenoque riseth thirtie foot vpright and then are those Ilands ouerflowne twenty foot high except in some few raised grounds in the middle This waterie store when the clouds are so prodigall of more then the Riuers store-house can hold whereby they become violent intruders and incrochers vpon the Land and not the violence of cold giueth this time the Title of Winter These Tiuitiuas neuer eate of any thing that is set or sowne Natures nurslings that neither at home nor abroad will be beholden to the Arte or Labour of Husbandry They vse the tops of Palmitos for bread and kill Deere Fish and Porke for the rest of their sustenance They which dwell vpon the branches of Orenoque called Capuri and Macureo are for the most part Carpenters of Canoas which they sell into Guiana for gold and into Trinidado for Tobacco in the excessiue taking whereof they exceed all Nations When a Commander dieth they vse great lamentation and when they thinke the flesh of their bodies is putrified and fallen from the bones they take vp the carkasse againe and hang it vp in the house where he had dwelt decking his skull with feathers of all colours and hanging his gold-plates about the bones of his arms thighs and legs The Arwacas which dwell on the South of Orenoque beat the bones of their Lords into powder which their wiues and friends drinke As they passed along these streames their eyes were entertained with a Pageant of Shewes wherein Nature was the onely Actor here the Deere came downe feeding by the waters side as if they had desired acquaintance with these new-come guests there the Birds in vnspeakeable varietie of kinds and colours rendering their seruice to the eye and eare the Lands either in large plaines of many miles bearing their beautifull bosomes adorned with Floraes embroidery of vnknown Flowres and Plants and prostrating themselues to the eye that they might be seene or else lifting vp thēselues in Hils knitting their furrowed brows and strouting out their goggle eyes to watch their treasure which they keepe imprisoned in their stony walls and now to see these strangers the Waters as the Graces dancing with mutuall and manifold embracings of diuers streames attended with plenty of Fowle and Fish both Land and Water feasting varietie of senses with varietie of obiects onely the Crocodile a creature which seemeth Vassall now to the land now to the Water but to make prey on both wel-nigh marred the Play and turned this Comedie into a Tragedie euen in their sight feasting himselfe with a Negro of their company One leuell passed hence to Cumana an hundred and twenty leagues to the North wherein dwell the Sayma the Assawai the Wikiri and the Aroras a people as blacke as Negros but with smooth haire Their poisoned Arrowes like cruell Executioners doe not onely kill but with vncouth torments make death to be as the last so the least of their fury especially if men drinke after they are wounded At the Port of Morequito they anchored and the King being an hundred and ten yeeres old came afoot fourteene miles to see them and returned the same day They brought them store of fruits and a sort of Paraquitos no bigger then Wrens and an Armadilla which seemeth to be all barred ouer with small plates somewhat like to a Rhinoceros with a white horne growing in his hinder-parts as big as a great hunting horne which they vse to winde in stead of a Trumpet They after eate this beast Monardus saith it is in bignesse and snout like a Pigge liues vnder the earth as a Moule and is thought to liue on earth They passed further till they came in sight of those strange ouer-fals of Caroli of which there appeared ten or twelue in sight euery one as high ouer the other as a Church-Tower They had sight at Winicapora of a Mountaine of Cristall which appeared a farre off like a white Church-Tower of an exceeding height There falleth ouer it a mighty Riuer which toucheth no part of the side of the Mountain but rushing ouer the top falleth to the ground with so terrible noise as if a thousand great bels were knocked one against another No maruell of these roaring out-cries if we consider that double penalty of Sense and Losse which this Riuer seemeth to sustaine the one in that dreadfull downfall bruising and breaking his vnited streames into drops and making it foming and senselesse with this falling-sicknesse the other in leauing behinde his Cristall purchase further enriched with Diamonds and other Iewels which euen now hee embraced in his waterie armes but himselfe such is the course and curse of couetousnesse will not suffer himselfe to enioy Now for the Monsters of Men there are said to be not seene by our men but reported by the Sauages and other an Amazonian Nation further South which Gomara thinkes to bee but the wiues of some Indians a thing common as you haue euen now read shooting and following the warres no lesse then their husbands Once about Iucatan about Plata about the Riuer called of this supposition Amazones about Monomotapa in Africa our Age hath told but no man hath seene this Vnimammian Nation Yet here they speake not of searing of the brest and what need they if there bee such seeing the women are so good Archers in other places their brests notwithstanding Againe they tell of men with mouthes in their brests and eyes in their shoulders called Chiparemoi and of the Guianians Ewiaponomos very strong and of others headed like Dogges which liue all the day time in the Sea These things are strange yet I dare not esteeme them fabulous onely as not too prodigall of faith I suspend till some eye-intelligence of some of our parts haue testified the truth §. II. Relations and discoueries thereof by other Englishmen FRANCIS SPARREY left in Guiana by Sir W. Raleigh 1595. hath also written of these parts He relateth of a place called Comalaha Southwards from Orenoque where at certain times they sell women as at a faire He saith he bought eight the eldest of which was not eighteene for a Red-hafted Knife which in England cost a halfe-peny he gaue them to the Sauages Hee was afterwards sent Prisoner into Spaine Anno 1604. Captaine Charles Leigh set saile from Woolwich on the one and twentieth of March for Guiana May 10. he came
his Pinnasse left him in forty seuen The Ro-bucke kept with him to thirtie sixe Captaine Barker transgressing his directions was slaine with fiue and twenty men on Land and the Boat lost and soone after 25. others followed the like fortunes ten others by the cowardise of the Master of the Ro-bucke forsaken at Spirito Sancto which stole away with sixe monethes victuals for an hundred and twenty persons they being but forty sixe At Sebastians happened another mutinie by treacherie of an Irish man here Master Kniuet and other sicke persons were set on shore Intending againe for the Straits he beate and was beaten vp and downe the frowning Seas and came within two leagues of Saint Helena but could not attaine it and professeth he had rather haue put himselfe on an Iland if hee could not attaine it and professeth hee had rather haue put himselfe on an Iland if he could haue found one which the Charts place in eight degrees then returne and now was scarce able to hold a Pen when he wrote this Hee dyed homewards Since that Sir Richard Hawkins passed the Straits into the South Sea of which his Voyage I haue read a long Discourse written by himselfe Hee fell into the hands of the Spaniards which tooke him in the South Sea Let me adde this touching these Straits that possession thereof was formally taken by turfe and twigge after the English manner in the first Voyage Captaine Drake deliuering the said seisin to Captaine Winter in the name of Queene Elizabeth and her Successors This did Captaine Winter himselfe relate to me at Bathe in the presence of many desiring to haue it published this last September 1618. forty yeeres after the performance with many other particulars of that his Voyage CHAP. VII Of Terra Australis and Chili AS for the Land on the Southerne side of the Straits it is called the Land of Fire either because the Discouerers saw fire thereabouts or because that cold Climate so much needeth fire More Easterly against the Cape of Good Hope is the Land Terra di Vista This Land about the Straits is not perfectly discouered whether it be Continent or Ilands Some take it for Continent and extend it more in their imagination then any mans experience towards those Ilands of Salomon and New Guinnee esteeming of which there is great probabilitie that Terra Australis or the Southerne Continent may for the largenesse thereof take vp a fift place in order and the first in greatnesse in the diuision and parting of the whole World Master Brerewood our Learned Countriman as is before obserued perswadeth himselfe that it is as large as the Easterne Continent which containeth Europe Africa and Asia altogether His reasons are that touching latitude it is knowne to approch neere if not on this side the Aequator and touching Longitude to runne along in a continuall circuit about the Earth fronting both the other Continents Another reason which he deemeth of more certaine importance is this that the Land to the North side of the Line in the other Continents of the Old and New World is at least foure times as large as that part of them which lyeth to the South Now for as much as the face of the Sea is leuell so hee argueth being therefore called Aequor Aqua and secondly the Earth beeing equally poysed on both sides of her owne Centre and thirdly this Centre being but one to the Water and the Earth euen no other then the Centre of the World it followeth thereupon that the Earth should in answerable measure and proportion lift it selfe and appeare aboue the face of the Sea on the South side of the Line as it doth on the North. And consequently that what is wanting in the South parts of the other Continents towards the counteruailing of the North parts which is about three fiue parts of both the other Continents layed together must of necessitie be supplyed in this Continent of the South Lopez Vaz writeth That the Gouernours which the King of Spaine sendeth for Peru and New Spaine haue a custome to discouer new Countries The Licentiate Castro being Gouernour of Peru sent forth a Fleet from Lima which sayling 800. leagues Westward found certaine Ilands in 11. degrees to the South of the Equinoctiall with a kind of people of yellowish complexion and all naked Heere they found Hogs Dogges Hens Cloues Ginger Cinamon and some Gold The first Iland they named Izabella the greatest Guadalcanal on the Coast whereof they sayled 150. leagues where they tooke a Towne and some graines of Gold hanged vp in the Houses They burnt their Towne because they had in a sudden surprize killed fourteene of their men They spent fourteene moneths in this Discouery and named them the Ilands of Salomon that by that name men might bee further induced to discouer and inhabit them imagining that Salomon had his Gold from thence Noua Guinea was discouered by Villalobos sent from New Spaine in the yeere 1543. going to discouer the Moluccas Herera saith it was discouered by Aluaro of Saauedra Anno 1527. and the Ilands of Salomon in the yeere 1567. by Lope Garcia of Castro which are many and great but eighteene principall some of them 300. leagues in compasse two of 200. others of 100. and of fifty and lesse the Inhabitants some blacke some white some browne the greatest named Saint Isabel 150. leagues in length and eighteene in breadth Saint Nicholas 150. leagues in compasse The Inhabitants are blacke of hue and wittie The Spaniards haue coasted it 700. leagues and yet cannot tell whether it bee an I le or Continent Hesselius Gerardus hath largely set forth the Petition or Memoriall of Peter Ferdinandez de Quir vnto the King of Spaine about his discouery of those Southerne vnknowne Ilands for the Plantation of the same I haue since seen this his Supplication to the King in Spanish with other memorials thereof wherein he saith that hee was sent with two ships to discouer the Ilands of Salomon and taking his course about the height of the Magellan Straits discouered a mayne Land and sayled eight hundred Leagues on the Coast till hee came in fifteene degrees Southward from the Line where he found a fruitfull Countrey He discouered a Bay into which fall two great Riuers where they purpose to settle a Plantation Order was taken that he should presently be sent from Peru with commission to take vp 1200. men with shipping and other necessaries and as many the yeere after out of New Spaine He found out three and twenty Ilands 230. leagues from Mexico Taumaco Chicayma where are great Oysters with Pearles Guaytopo the people whereof are as white as the Spaniards Tucopio Fonofono c. They pray to the Deuill which hath conference with an Indian vnseene from a piece of wood and to him and all the rest many times by night he toucheth the face and brest with cold touches but they could neuer learne what he was
He foretold of the Spaniards comming This Pedro Fernandez de Quiros fourteene yeeres busied himselfe to no small endamagement of his state and person about this Discouerie The length thereof he equalleth vnto all Europe and as much of Asia as thence extendeth to the Caspian Sea and for the wealth and riches he cals it a Terrestriall Paradise The Inhabitants hee affirmeth are innumerable some white some like the Mulatos and some otherwise in colour and habit of body diuersified They neither haue King nor Lawes nor Arts They are diuided and warre one vpon another with Bowes Arrowes and other weapons all of wood They haue their Oratories and places of Buriall Their Bread is made of three sorts of Roots They haue varietie of Fruits Cocos Almonds of foure sorts Pome-citrons Apples Dates there are also Swine Goats Hens Partriches and other Fowles and as the Indians report Kine and Buffals Hee saw amongst them Siluer and Pearles others added Gold and the Coast Countries seemed to promise great wealth within Land Many Riuers Sugar Canes Bayes Hauens and other commodities of Lands and Seas making shew of another China the ayre very wholesome and temperate He tooke possession thereof in the name of the King and set vp a Crosse and a Chappell in the name of the Lady of Loretto These Regions trend euen as high as the Aequinoctiall When this Discouery was made he mentioneth not onely hee sueth to the King for employment therein It is rightly called Terra Australis Incognita and therefore I will not take vpon me to be your Guide in another sense one of our Countrimen hath wittily and learnedly according to his wont described this Countrey and paralelled therewith the Countries of Europe and hath let vs see that wee are acquainted in those Coasts too much and need a Pilot or Guide to conduct vs out of them But let vs come backe to our Straits of Magellan that we may coast from thence and visit the Countries of Chili and Peru for of the Westerne borders of Chica girt in betweene the salt waues and cold Hils little can be said fitting our purpose Hauing sailed out of the Straits we haue a wide Sea before vs and on our right hand the Countrey is so barren and cold that I would not hold the Reader in any cold or tedious Narration thereof Iohn Ellis which was with Sir Richard Hawkins in his South-sea Voyage reporteth That being past the Straits they sayled North-west and by North forty leagues into the Sea and then due North till they came at Mocha in 38. degrees 30. minutes and thence held their course Northerly to Saint Maries in thirtie sixe and so to Val Paresa in thirtie three Where they made good purchase and prize if they could haue kept it From hence they came as farre as Arecca in two and twentie and so passed the Line to Tacame where they were taken But our trauell must bee by Land as was theirs after against their will where wee first encounter with Chili This name some extend euen to the Straits where we haue placed Chica and the Patagones others straiten it in shorter bounds betweene Chica on the South Charchas and Collao on the North Plata on the East and the Sea on the West it is called Chili of the chilling cold for so the word is said to signifie The Hils with their high lookes cold blasts and couetous encrochings driue it almost into the Sea onely a narrow Valley vpon lowly submission to her swelling Aduersaries obtayneth roome for fiue and twentie leagues of breadth where it is most to extend her spacious length of two hundred leagues on that shore and to withstand the Oceans furie shee payes a large tribute of many streames which yet in the Night-time shee can hardly performe the miserable Hils in their Frozen charitie not imparting that naturall bountie and dutie till that great Arbiter the Sunne ariseth and sendeth Day with his Light-horse-troupe of Sun-beames to breake vp those Icie Dungeons and Snowie Turrets wherein Night the Mountaynes Gaoler had locked the innocent Waters Once the poore Valley is so hampered betwixt the tyrannicall Meteors and Elements as that she often quaketh with feare and in these chill Feuers shaketh off and loseth her best Ornaments Arequipa one of her fairest Townes by such disaster in the yeere 1582. fell to the ground And sometimes the Neighbour Hils are infected with this Pestilent Feuer and tumble downe as dead in the Plaine thereby so amazing the fearefull Riuers that they runne quite out of their Channels to seeke new or else stand still with wonder and the motiue heate failing fall into an vncouth Tympanie their bellies swelling into spacious and standing Lakes the tydes seeing this hold backe their course and dare not approch their sometime beloued streames by diuers miles distance so that betwixt these two stooles the ships come to ground indeed The sicke Earth thus hauing her mouth stopped and her stomacke ouerlayed forceth new mouthes whence she vomiteth streames of oppressing waters I speake not of the Beasts and Men which in these Ciuill warres of Nature must needs be subiect to deuouring miserie These are the strange effects of cold and Earthquakes not strange in Chili where we are now arriued The people are fierce and cruell and some as is reported Giants Almagro one of the first Conquerours of Peru in hope of Gold passed from thence hither but was deceiued by the Indians which led him the wrong way In passing the Deserts of Chili the Aire is so piercing as before is obserued that men fall downe dead or else lose their members suddenly in manner without feeling Ierome Costilla the General one of Acostaes Acquaintance had lost three or foure toes which fel off without any paine many of his Armie dyed whose bodies at his returne he found lying there without stinke or corruption and one Boy remayned aliue which had mayntained himselfe by eating Horse-flesh The Horses also were found whole as Apollonius writeth and the men sitting on them as if they had beene aliue with the Bridles in their hand In six and thirty degrees is that famous Valley of Arauco which defend their persons and freedome maugre all the force and furie of the Spaniards These killed two of Sir Francis Drakes men and wounded himselfe they destroyed also three and twenty Hollanders of the company of Cordes both which they did in detestation of the Spaniards of whom they esteemed the English and Dutch because of their Apparell They haue destroyed many of the Spaniards they tooke the City Baldiuia in the yeere 1599. and slue the Spaniards Twice before if not oftner they had burnt and spoyled it Yea Baldiuia himselfe the first Conquerour of Chili for Almagro stayed not and of whom that Citie receiued name was taken by these Indians his Horse being slaine vnder him They bid him feare nothing hee should haue Gold enough and making