and Hyrcanians pag. 352 § I. Of Parthia ibid. § II. Of the Hyrcanians Tappyri and Caspians pag. 355 CHAP. IIII. OF Persia and the Persian State in the first second Persian Dynasties pag. 356 § I. Of the beginning of the Persian Monarchie by Cyrus ibid. § II. Of the Successors of Cyrus and of Cambyses pag. 358 § III. Of the succeeding Monarchs vntill Alexanders Conquest pag. 359 § IIII. Of the Persian Chronologie pag. 360 § V. Of the second Persian Dynastie pag 361 CHAP. V. OF the Persian magnificence and other their Antiquities pag. 365 CHAP. VI. OF the Persian Magi. pag. 369 CHAP. VII OF the Religions and other Rites of the ancient Persians pag. 373 § I. Of their Gods and Superstitions out of Herodotus ibid. § II. Of the same and other Rites out of Strabo pag. 374 § III. Of the same out of Christian and other Authors pag. 375 § IIII. Of the Persian Education Schooles p. 376 § V. Of the Persian Luxurie and Marriages Funerals c. pag. 377 CHAP. VIII OF the alteration of the State and Religion in Persia vnder the Saracens p. 378 § I. Of the Saracenicall Conquest and Schisme in Persia the third Dynastie pag. 378 § II. Of the Tartars ruling in Persia which was the fourth Dynastie pag. 379 § III. Of Ismael Sofi first founder of the present Persian Empire or fifth Dynastie pag. 381 § IIII. Of Shaugh Tamas the Persian troubles after his death pag. 385 § V. Of Mahomet Codabanda and his Sonnes Abas pag. 386 § VI. An Appendix touching the present Persian King out of Sir Anthony Sherley pag. 388 CHAP. IX OF the Sophian Sect or Persian Religion as it is at this present pag. 390 § I. The differences betwixt the Turke and Persian with the zeale of both parts ibid. § II. Of the spreading of the Persian opinion pag. 391 § III. Of their Rites Persons Places and opinions Religious pag. 392 § IIII. Of Natures wonders and the Iesuits lyes of Persia pag. 395 CHAP. X. OF the Scythians Sarmatians and Seres and of their Religion pag. 396 § I. Of the Scythian Name People Region Language and manner of Life ibid. § II. Of the Religion Diuination and other Scythian Rites pag. 397 § III. Of particular Nations in Scythia their Acts and Rites pag. 398 § IIII. Of the Seres pag. 400 CHAP. XI OF the Tartarians and of diuers Nations which they subdued with their Pristine Rites pag. 401 § I. Of the beginning of the Tartarian Nation ibid. § II. The great Exploits of Cingis or Cangius the first Tartarian Emperour pag. 403 § III. Of Occoday the next Emperour Cuine Can. pag. 405 § IIII. Of Mangu Can and his Successor Cublai pag. 406 CHAP. XII A Continuation of the Tartarian Historie and the question discussed whether Cathay and China be the same and the iourny of Benedict Goes by land from Lahor pag. 408 § I. Of the Tartarian succession to our dayes ibid. § II. The question discussed whether Cathay be the same with China pag. 409 § III. The long and dangerous iourny from Lahor a Citie of the great Mogol to China by Benedictus Goes pag. 413 CHAP. XIII OF the Religion of the Tartars and Cathayans pag. 415 CHAP. XIIII OF the festiuall solemnities and of the magnificence of the Grand Can. pag. 419 CHAP. XV. OF the alteration of Religion among the Tartars and of diuers Sorts Sects and Nations of them now remayning pag 421 § I. Of the Precopite or Crimen Tartars ibid. § II. Of Tartaria Deserta pag. 423 § III. Of the Zagathayan Tartars pag. 425 § IIII. Of the Cathayan and Mogol Tartars c. pag. 426 CHAP. XVI OF the Nations which liued in or neere to those parts now possessed by the Tartars and their Religions and Customes pag. 428 CHAP. XVII OF other Northerne people adioyning to the Tartars pag. 431 CHAP. XVIII OF the Kingdome of China pag. 435 § I. Of the Names Prouinces Cities and situation thereof ibid. § II. Of the Commodities of China and commodious Riuers and Shipping with two Mappes one made by Hondius the other taken out of a China Map made there by the Chinois p. 436 § III. Of the Cities and Castles in China and of Quinsa pag. 439 § IIII. Of their Persons Attire and many strange Rites pag. 443 § V. Of the Mechanicall Arts in China their Printing c. pag. 445 § VI. Of their Language Writing Astrologie Philosophie and Physicke pag. 446 § VII Of their Ehickes Politickes and Degrees in Learning pag. 448 § VIII Of the King his Court Issue Reuenue and Maiestie pag. 451 § IX Of the Magistrates Courts and Gouernement pag. 454 § X. Of their punishments diuine and humane and a Catalogue of their Kings pag. 457 CHAP. XIX OF the Religion vsed in China pag. 460 § I. Of their Gods Idols in former times ibid. § II. Of their present Gods and Idols pag. 461 § III. Of their three Sects and first of that of Confutius pag. 462 § IIII. Of the Sect Sciequia pag. 463 § V. Of the third Sect Lauzu pag. 464 § VI. Of their Superstitious Diuinations and curious Arts pag. 466 § VII Of the Marriages Concubines and other vices and errors of the Chinois pag. 468 § VIII Of their Temples pag. 470 § IX Of their Funerals pag. 472 § X. Of Strangers and forreigne Religions in China pag. 475 THE FIFT BOOKE Of the East Indies and of the Seas and Ilands about Asia with their Religions CHAP. I. OF India in generall and of the ancient Rites there obserued pag. 477 § I. The limits and the ancient people and inuasions of India ibid. § II. Of their Philosophicall or Religious Sects pag. 478 § III. Many doubtfull and fabulous reports of the Indians pag. 481 CHAP. II. OF later Indian Discoueries and an Apologie for the English Trade in the East Indies pag. 483 § I. Of the Portugals and Dutch ibid. § II. Of the English Trade there many Arguments in defence of it pag. 484 § III. Answere to obiections made against the Indian Trade and Society with other Arguments for it pag. 486 § IIII. The conclusion with commendation of the Mariner c. pag. 487 CHAP. III. OF the Indian Prouinces next adioyning to China pag. 488 § I. Of Cauchin China Camboya and the Laos ibid. § II. Of the Kingdome of Siam pag. 490 § III. Of the Kingdome of Malacca pag. 493 § IIII. Of Patane and the neighbouring petty Kingdomes pag. 495 CHAP. IIII. OF the Kingdome of Pegu or Brama and the subiect and neighbouring Kingdomes pag. 498 § I. Of the greatnesse of the King of Pegu ibid. § II. Of the destruction desolation of Pegu p. 500 § III. Of the Peguan Rites and Customes p. 502 CHAP. V. OF the Religion in Pegu and the Countries sometime subiect thereto pag. 505 CHAP. VI. OF Bengala and the parts adioyning and of the holy Riuer Ganges pag. 508 § I. Of Bengala ibid. § II. Of Ganges and the
Kingdome Kings and City of Marocco ibid. § II. Of the Kings of the Seriffian Family p. 695 § III. Of the ciuill Wars in Barbary and of some other parts of that Kingdome pag. 697 CHAP. XII OF the Arabians populations and depopulations in Afrike and of the Naturall Africans and of the beginnings and proceedings of the Mahumetan Superstition in Africa of the Portugals Forces and Exploits therein pag. 701 CHAP. XIII OF Biledulgerid and Sarra otherwise called Numidia and Libya pag. 706 CHAP. XIIII OF the Land of Negros pag. 709 § I. Of the Riuer Niger Gualata Senaga and Guinea ibid. § II. Obseruations of those parts out of Cadamosta and other ancient Nauigators pag. 712 § III. Other obseruations of later Times by Engglishmen and others pag. 715 § IIII. Of the Marriages Manners Religion Funerals Gouernment and other Rites of the Guineans collected out of a late Dutch Authour pag. 717 § V. Obseruations of the Coast and Inland Countries out of Barrerius and Leo and of the cause of the Negroes blacknesse pag. 721 THE SEVENTH BOOKE Of Aethiopia and the African Ilands and of their RELIGIONS CHAP. I. OF Aethiopia Superior and the Antiquities thereof pag. 725 § I. Of the name and diuision of Aethiopia ibid. § II. Of the Nations neere the falls of Nilus and of Meroe pag. 727 CHAP. II. A Continuation of the Aethiopian Antiquities and of the Queene of Saba p. 730 CHAP. III. OF Presbyter Iohn and of the Priest-Iohns in Asia whether that descended of these pag. 734 CHAP. IIII. RElations of the Aethiopian Empire collected out of Aluares Bermudesius and other Authors pag 738 CHAP. V. RElations of Aethiopian rarities collected out of Frier Luys a Spanish Authour pag. 743 § I. Of the Hill Amara ibid. § II. His liberall reports of the Library and incredible Treasures therein pag. 744 § III. Of the Princes of the bloud there kept and of the Election of the Emperour pag. 745 § IIII. Of their Schooles and Cities pag. 747 CHAP. VI. RElations of Aethiopia by Godignus and other Authors lately published seeming more credible pag. 749 § I. The seuerall Countries of Abassia their Scituation Inhabitants Riuers and Lakes ibid. § II. Of the Soile Fruits Creatures Seasons and Climate pag. 750 § III. Of their Customes in Priuate Life and Publike Gouernment and their late Miseries pag. 751 § IIII. Of the Sabaeans and their Queene which visited Salomon pag. 753 CHAP. VII OF other Countries betweene the Red Sea and Benomotapa pag. 754 § I. Of Adel Adea Zanzibar Melinde ibid. § II. The Portugals Exploits in Mombaza and of the Imbij pag. 755 § III. Of Quiloa Sofala and Ophir pag. 756 § IIII. Of Monoemugi the Moores Baduines Caphars in these parts pag. 757 CHAP. VIII OF Benomotapa and the parts adioyning pag. 759 § I. Of the Empire of Monomotapa ibid. § II. Of Caphraria the Cape of Good Hope and Soldania pag. 761 CHAP. IX OF the Kingdome of Congo and the other Kingdoms and Nations adioyning p. 765 § I. Of Angola ibid. § II. Of Congo pag. 766 § III. Of their Heathenish Rites also of their strange Trees and of the I le Loanda pag. 768 CHAP. X. OF Loango the Anzichi Giachi and the great Lakes in those parts of the World pag. 770 § I. Of Loango ibid. § II. Of the Anzigues pag. 772 § III. Of the Giacchi or Iagges ibid. § IIII. Of the Lakes and Riuers in these parts of Africa pag. 773 CHAP. XI OF the Seas and Ilands about Africa the ancient and moderne obseruations Nauigations and Discoueries pag. 775 § I. Of the Red Sea and why it is so called ibid. § II. Of the chiefe Townes and Ilands in the Red Sea pag. 777 § III. Of Socotora Madagascar and other Ilands on the Easterne Coast of Africa pag. 778 CHAP. XII OF the Ilands of Africa from the Cape hitherwards pag. 781 § I. Of Saint Helena Thomee Cape de Verd and diuers others betwixt them and of the Weeds and Calmes of those Seas ibid. § II. Of the Canaries Madera and Porto Santo pag. 783 § III. Extracts taken out of the obseruations of the Right Worshipfull Sir Edmund Scory Knight of the Pike of Tenariffe and other Rarities which he obserued there pag. 784 § IIII. Of Malta and the Nauigations about Africa pag. 788 AMERICA THE EIGHTH BOOKE Of New France Virginia Florida New Spaine with other Regions of America Mexicana and of their Religions CHAP. I. OF the New World and why it is named America and the West Indies with certaine generall Discourses of the Heauens Ayre Water and Earth in those parts pag. 791 § I. Of the names giuen to this part of the World and diuers opinions of the Ancients concerning the Torrid Zone ibid. § II. Of the nature of Metals in generall of Gold Siluer Quicksiluer and the plentie and Mines thereof in America pag. 795 CHAP. II. OF the first Knowledge Habitation and Discoueries of the New World and the rare Creatures therein found Beasts Birds Trees Herbs and Seeds pag. 798 § I. Whether the Ancients had any knowledge of America and whence the Inhabitants first came ibid. § II. Of Christopher Colon or Columbus his first Discouerie and three other Voyages pag. 801 § III. Of the Beasts Fowles and Plants in America pag. 804 CHAP. III. OF the Discoueries of the North parts of the New World and toward the Pole and of Greene Land or New Land Groen-Land Estotiland Meta incognita and other places vnto New France pag. 807 § I. Of the Discoueries made long since by Nicolo and Antonio Zeni ibid. § II. Discoueries made by Sebastian Cabot Cortregalis Gomes with some notes of Groenland pag. 809 § III. Discoueries by Sir Martin Frobisher pag 811 § IIII. Discoueries by Iohn Dauis George Weymouth and Iames Hall to the North-west pag. 813 § V. Of King IAMES his New-land alias Greene-land and of the Whale and Whale-fishing pag. 814 § VI. Of Hudsons Discoueries and death pag. 817 § VII Of Buttons and Baffins late Discoueries pag. 819 CHAP. IIII. OF New-found-land Noua Francia Arambec and other Countries of America extending to Virginia pag. 821 § I. English Discoueries and Plantations in New-found-land ibid. § II. The Voyages and obseruations of Iaques Cartier in Noua Francia pag. 823 § III. Late Plantations of New France and Relations of the Natiues pag. 825 CHAP. V. OF Virginia pag. 828 § I. The Preface Sir Walter Raleighs Plantation and the Northerne Colonie ibid. § II. Of the Southerne Plantation and Colonies and many causes alleaged of the ill successe thereof at the first pag. 831 § III. Of the Soyle People Beasts Commodities and other obseruations of Virginia pag. 834 § IIII. Of the present estate of Virginia and the English there residing pag 836 CHAP. VI. OF the Religion and Rites of the Virginians pag. 838 § I. Of the Virginian Rites related by Master Hariot pag. ibid. § II. Obseruations of their Rites by Captaine Smith and others pag. 839 §
à religendo of choosing againe Hunc eligentes vel potius religentes amiseramus enim negligentes vnde religio dicta perhibetur This word Religens is cited by Nigidius Figulus in Aulus Gellius Religentem esse oportet Religiosum nefas Religiosus being taken in bad sense for Superstitiosus The same Father elsewhere in his booke de vera Religione acknowledgeth another originall of the word which Lactantius before him had obserued à religando of fastning as beeing the bond betweene vs and GOD. Ad Deum tendentes saith Augustine ei vni religantes animas nostras vnde religio dicta creditur Religet ergo nos Religio vni omnipotenti Deo Lactantius his words are Diximus nomen religionis a vinculo pietatis esse deductum quòd hominem sibi Deus religauerit pietatè constrinxerit quia seruire nos ei vt Domino obsequi vt patri necesse est Melius ergo quà m Cicero id nomen Lucretius interpretatus est quia ait se religionum nodo exoluere And according to this Etymologie is that which M. Camden saith Religion in old English was called Ean-fastnesse as the one and onely Assurance and fast Anchor-hold of our soules health This is the effect of sinne and irreligion that the name and practise of Religion is thus diuersified else had there beene as one GOD soone religion and one language wherein to giue it with iust reason a proper name For till men did relinquere relinquish their first innocencie and the Author of whom and in whom they held it they needed not religere to make a second choice or seeke reconciliation nor thus relegere with such paines and vexation of spirit to enquire and practise those things which might religare bind them surer and faster vnto God and in these respects for seuerall causes Religion might seeme to be deriued from all those fountaines Thus much of the word whereby the nature of Religion is in part declared but more fully by the description thereof Religio est saith Augustine quae superioris cuiusdam naturae quam diuinam vocant curam ceremoniamque affert Religion is here described generally whether false or truely professing the inward obseruation and ceremoniall outward worship of that which is esteemed a higher and diuine nature The true Religion is the true rule and right way of seruing GOD. Or to speake as the case now standeth with vs True Religion is the right way of reconciling and reuniting man to GOD that hee may be saued This true way hee alone can shew vs who is the Way and the Truth neither can we see this Sunne except he first see vs and giue vs both eyes to see and light also whereby to discerne him But to come to Adam the subiect of our present discourse His religion before his fall was not to reunite him to GOD from whom he had not been separated but to vnite him faster and daily to knit him neerer in the experience of that which nature had ingrafted in him For what else was his Religion but a pure streame of Originall Righteousnesse flowing from that Image of GOD whereunto he was created Whereby his mind was enlightened to know the onely very GOD and his heart was engrauen not with the Letter but the life and power of the Law louing and proouing that good and acceptable and perfect will of GOD. The whole man was conformable and endeauoured this holy practise the body being plyant and flexible to the rule of the Soule the Soule to the Spirit the Spirit to the Father of Spirits and God of all Flesh which no lesse accepted of this obedience and delighted as the Father in his Child in this new modell of himselfe How happy was that blessed familiarity with God societie of Angels subiection of Creatures enuied onely of the Deuills because this was so good and they so wicked Nature was his Schoolmaster or if you will rather GODS Vsher that taught him without learning all the rules of Diuine Learning of Politicall Oeconomicall and Morall wisedome The whole Law was perfectly written in the fleshie Tables of his heart besides the especiall command concerning the trees in the middest of the Garden the one being an vniuersall and euerlasting rule of righteousnesse the other by speciall authority appointed as the manifestation of GODS diuine prerogatiue in commanding and a triall of mans integritie in obeying For the first part hereof since it was so blurred in our hearts it was renued by the voyce and finger of God on mount Sinai giuen then immediately by GOD himselfe as GOD ouer all whereas the other parts of the Law containing the Ceremoniall and Politicall ordinances were immediately giuen by the Ministerie of Moses as to that particular Nation Neither know I any that make doubt of this whole Law naturally and originally communicated saue onely that some make question of the Sabbath Howbeit I must confesse that I see nothing in that Commandement of the Decalogue prescribed but is Naturall and Moral for both the Rest is so farre Morall as the outward acts of Diuine worship cannot be performed without suspending for a while our bodily labours although Rest as a figure bee Iewish and in it selfe is either a fruit of wearinesse or idlenesse And that the seuenth dayes obseruation is naturall I meane the obseruing of one day of seauen in euery weeke appeareth both by the first order established in Nature when GOD blessed and sanctified the seuenth day the streame of Interpreters especially the later running and ioyning in this interpretation the Elder beeing somewhat more then enough busied in Allegories by the reason in the Commandement drawne from Gods example and Sanctification in the Creation by the obseruation of a Sabbath before this promulgation of the Law Exod. 16. and by the diuision of the dayes into weekes both then and before by Noah Gen. 8.10.12 by the necessitie of a Sabbath as well before the Law in the dayes of the Patriarkes as in the times of Dauid or Salomon by the perfection of the number of seuen in the Scriptures by the generall consent of all that it is Morall to set apart some time to the Lord of times and an orderly set time to the God of order which men might generally agree on for their publike deuotions which the Patriarkes practised in their Sacrifices and Assemblies the Heathens blindly as other things in their Feasts Thus saith Philo This is a feast day not of one Citie or Region but of the whole world and may be properly called the generall birth-day of the world And Clemens Alexandrinus sheweth out of Plato Homer Hesiod Callimachus and Solon that the seuenth day was not sacred alone to the Hebrewes but to the Greekes also and how mysticall was the number of seuen not onely among the Iewes but also among the Heathens both Philosophers and Poets as Philo Macrobius and others haue related Hereunto
was first inhabited both before and after the Floud : and from thence were Colonies sent into Syria and Phoenecea , which held their Language pure by reason few Strangers had recourse to them till after the 〈◊〉 of the first Temple as appeareth by Coynes of the Tyrians and Sidonians which are digged out and found daily PSAMMETICHVS King of Egypt caused two Children to bee closely brought vp by a Shepheard who should at times put Goates to them to giue them sucke without euer hearing humane voyce After two yeares they vttered the word Bec Bec which was the voyce that they had heard of their Nurses the Goates but not so interpreted by Psammetichus for hee inquiring in what Language Bec was significant and hearing that the Phrygians so called Bread ascribed to them the prioritie of all Nations and Languages Melabdim Echebar the great Mogor as the Iesuites Epistles declare made the like tryall of thirtie Children whom hee caused without hearing of man to be brought vp setting Guards to obserue the Nurses that they should not speake to them purposing to bee of that Religion whereto they should addict themselues But neither could they euer speake or would he euer addict himselfe to one certaine Religion Goropius by a few Dutch Etymologies grew into conceit and would haue the World beleeue him that Dutch was the first Language which if it were wee English should raigne with them as a Colonie of that Dutch Citie a streame from that Fountaine by Commerce and Conquests since manifoldly mixed But his euidence is too weake his authoritie too new The common and more receiued opinion is that the Hebrew was the first confirmed also by Vniuersalitie Antiquitie and consent of the Christian Fathers and Learned men grounding themselues vpon this Reason That all the names mentioned in Scripture before the Diuision are in that Language onely significant besides it is not like that Shem conspired with these Babylonians and therefore not partaker of their punishment Now it is very probable and almost manifest that hee was the same which after is called Melchisedech King of Salem betwixt whom and Abraham in that familiaritie it is not likely that there was much dissonance in Language Hee is also called the Father of all the Sonnes of Heber by a peculiar proprietie although hee had other Sonnes because the puritie of Religion and Language remayned in Hebers Posteritie And why should Heber call his Sonne Peleg Diuision but of this Diuision which then happened The Nation and Language of Israel borrow their name Hebrew of him And if it had happened to himselfe why should hee more then others haue so named his Sonne CHAP. IX A Geographicall Narration of the whole Earth in generall and more particularly of ASIA TYPUS ORBIS TERRARUM Domini est terra plenitudo ejus orbis terrarum universi qui habitant in eo Psalmo 24. יהוה WE haue all this time beene viewing one Nation which alone was knowne in the Earth vntill confusion of Language caused diuision of Lands and haue taken notice of the Heads and Authours of those Peoples and Nations that from that time were scattered ouer the World and after setled in their proper Habitations We haue not followed the opinion of some both of the Ancients and later Writers in defining the number of Nations and Languages through the World reckoned by them seuentie two For who seeth not that Moses in that tenth of Genesis is most carefull to describe the Posteritie and bounds of Canaan which GOD had giuen to Israel which it were absurd to thinke in so small a Territorie to bee of so many that is eleuen seuerall Languages And how many Nations were founded after that by Abrahams Posteritie not to mention so many other Fountaines of Peoples by the sonnes of Hagar and Ketura and Esau the Sonne of Isaac Neyther could the World so suddenly bee peopled and of that which then was peopled Moses writing a Historie of and for the Church so farre mentioneth the Affaires and Nations of the World as it was meete for the Church and especially that Church of the Israelites to know according as it was likely they should haue then or after more or lesse to doe with them Africanus hath reckoned the seuentie two by name But how easie were it in these dayes to set downe seuentie two more of differing Nations both in Region and Language and how little of the World was then knowne shall presently bee shewed Besides it may bee a question whether diuers of those there mentioned did not speake the same Language as in Chaldaea Syria and Canaan with some diuersitie of Dialect a little more then in our Northerne Westerne and Southerne English Which may appeare both by the Pilgrimages of the Patriarkes Abraham Isaac and Iacob in those parts which had needed new Interpreters by that rule in euery two or three dayes trauell except themselues had beene almost miraculously skilfull in Languages and by the Chaldaean and Syrian Monuments and Bookes which some obserue to come nigh to the Hebrew Doctor Willet reproueth Philoes opinion That the Chalde and Hebrew was all one because Daniel an Hebrew was set to learne the Chalde or that the Syrian and Chalde according to Mercerus opinion was the same yet grants that in the first times the Syrian and Chalde little differed Scaliger a fit man to speake of Languages who could speake so many saith as before is obserued That in Assyria was the first both Man and Language euen the same which thence passed with their Colonies into Syria and Canaan where it remayned pure euen then when in Assyria it selfe it was corrupted by entercourse of strangers Abraham spake this corrupted Syrian which tooke place only in the Tracts of Euphrates at the first but after both he and his Posteritie vsed the Language of Canaan so that Laban whose Kindred Countrey and Language was the same with Abrahams yet spake another and differing Language from that of Iacob one calling that Galed which the other calleth Iegarsabadutha Thus it appeareth by him that the ancient Syrian Assyrian and Chaldaean were first that which is now called Hebrew because the Hebrewes obserued and retayned it and onely haue left Bookes to vs written therein whom the Cananites called Hebrewes as Scaliger and Montanus affirme because Abraham had passed ouer the Riuer Euphrates vnto them but after degenerated first in the parts neare Euphrates where it was first spoken and when the Tyrians and Sidonians had the Empire of the Sea by reason of their Traffique it proued impure there also howsoeuer in the time of Elisa or Dido the Phoenician or Punicke which shee carryed into Africa was pure Hebrew as were also their Letters The later Carthaginian Letters were read from the left hand to the right as the Latine and Greeke but those from the right hand yet not the same which now are called Hebrew but ought rather
hee saith of Frankincense In Panchaea is the Citie Panara whose Inhabitants are called the Ministers of Iupiter Tryphilius whose Temple is thence distant threescore furlongs admirable for Antiquitie Magnificence and nature of the place it is two hundred foot long the bredth answerable hauing in it large Statues and about it the houses of the Priests Many fountaines there springing make a nauigable streame called the water of the Sunne which is medicinable to the bodie The Countrey about for the space of two hundred furlongs is consecrated to the gods and the reuenue thereof spent in Sacrifices Beyond is a high mountaine called the seate of heauen and Olympus Triphylius where Coelus is said to haue instituted the Rites there yeerely obserued The Priests rule all in Panchaea both in ciuill and religious cases and liue very deliciously attired with linnen Stoales and Mitres and party-coloured Sandals These spend their time in singing Hymnes and recounting the acts of their gods They deriue their generation from the Cretan Iupiter They may not goe out of their sacred limits assigned them if they doe it is lawfull to kill them The Temple is enriched with gifts and offerings The doores excell for matter and workemanship The bed of the god is six Cubits long and foure broad all of gold faire wrought The Table stands by nothing inferiour In the middest is another bed of gold very large grauen with Aegyptian letters in which are contained the gests of Iupiter Coelus Diana and Apollo written by Mercurie Thus farre Diodorus Iustine mentioneth Hierotimus an Arabian King which had six hundred children by Concubines Some are of opinion that the Wise-men which by the ancient conduct of a Starre came to Ierusalem the first fruites of the Gentiles came out of Arabia Scaliger mentioneth a conquest antiently made and holden by the Arabians in Chaldaea Philostratus saith the Arabians are skilfull in Auguries or Diuinations because they eate of the head and heart of a Dragon That they eate Serpents Solinus affirmeth Athenaeus saith That the Arabians vsed to maime themselues if their King hapned to bee maimed and that in the same member and in another place hee citeth out of Heraclides Cumaeus the delicacies of this Arabian King and his quiet or idle course of life committing matters of iudgement to Officers and if any thinke himselfe wronged by them hee pulls a chaine fastned to a window in the highest part of the Palace Whereupon the King takes the matter into his hand and whether part hee findeth guiltie dyeth for it His expences were fifteene Babylonian Talents a day The Arabians kill Mice as a certaine supposed enemy to the gods a custome common to them with the Persians and Aethiopians The women couer their faces contented to see with one eye rather then to prostitute the whole face They kill not vipers but scarre them away with Clappers from their Balsame-trees saith Pausanias when they gather that commoditie because they thinke them consecrated to those Balsame-trees vnder which they liue and feed of that liquor with which also they cure themselues if they are bitten of them The Arabike tongue is now the common language of the East especially among such as embrace the Mahumetan Religion this language in the first diuision of tongues according to Epiphanius was begun in Armot the first speaker and Author thereof It is now the most vniuersall in the world as Bibliander Postellus Scaliger Aldrete and Claude Duret in his late Historie del ' Origine des Langues de cest vniuers doe proue at large from the Herculean pillars to the Molluccas and from the Tartars and many Turkes in Europe vnto the Aethiopians in Afrike extending it selfe which was neuer granted to any other language since that first confusion and babbling at Babel CHAP. II. Of the Saracene Name Nation and proceeding in Armes and the succession of their Chalifaes §. I. Of the Saracens before MAHOMETS dayes THe Arabians are distinguished by many sir-names the chiefe whereof saith Scaliger are the Hagarens so called of Hagar the hand-maid of Sara whom the Arabians call Erabelhagiari and Elmagarin and the Saracens still called by their neighbours Essarak that is theeuish The Hagarens were more ciuill whose chiefe hold was Petra and their Princes were all entituled Aretae as the Egyptians Ptolemaei Hierome in many places affirmeth that the Ismaelites and Hagarens are the same which now are called Saracens so in his Commentarie on the second of Ieremie Cedar saith he is the Region of the desart and of the Ismaelites whom now they call Saracens And on the twentie fiue of Ezekiel the Madianites Ismaelites and Agarens are now called Saracens And on Esay twentie one he extendeth their desart from India to Mauritania and to the Atlantike Ocean Epiphanius likewise affirmeth That the Hagarens and Ismaelites in his time were called Saracens Plinie mentioneth that the Saracens placing them neere to the Nabathaeans Ptolemey likewise nameth the Scenites so called of their tents which with themselues their flockes and substance they remoued vp and downe from place to place Posteritie hath called all these Tent-wanderers saith Scaliger out of Ammianus Marcellinus Saracens and so doth Ptolemey in the next words call the next adioyning people seating them in the Northerly bounds of Arabia Foelix In the same Chapter he setteth downe Saraca the name of an Arabian Citie Some Authors haue written that because Ishmael was sonne of Hagar a bond-woman his nicer posteritie haue disclaimed that descent and deriued their pedegrece and name from Sara Peruersonomine saith Hierome assumentes sibi nomen Sarae quòd scilicet de ingenua domina videantur esse generati Iosephus Scaliger in his Annotations vpon Eusebius Chronicle after that hee hath cited the former testimony of Ammianus and of Onkelos on the thirtie seuen of Genesis addeth the authoritie of Stephanus who affirmeth Saraka to bee a Region of Arabia neere the Nabathaeans of which hee thinketh that the Saracens borrowed their name Wee know saith Scaliger that the Arabian Nomades are so called for SARAK in Arabike soundeth as much that is furaces 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 theeuish or robbers such as the Cosak-Tartars bordering on the Turkes the Bandoliers in the Pyrenaean hills and the Borderers sometimes betwixt England and Scotland De Sara peridiculum To call them Saracens of SARA is ridiculous for then either they must bee called SARAEI or shee SARACA Mr. Brerewood saith that Sarra signifies a Desart and Shakan to inhabit in the Arabike and therefore as they are called Scenites of their Tents so might they also of the Desarts their not habited habitation be called Saracens Booke of Lang. c. 13. And Erpenius saith that this name is vnknowne to themselues but all the Muhammedans generally call themselues Muslimos or Muslemans which signifieth Beleeuers as if all else were Infidells or Heretikes Marcellinus thus writeth of them this people
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
him placed to the East of Sarmatia diuided by the hill Imaus extending vnto the Region called Serica hauing on the North vnknowne places on the South the Sacae Sogdiana Margiana and India But our purpose is to take them here in their more generall sense vnderstanding all the North pars of Asia now Tartaria Asiatica for of Europe sauing wherein the Europaean Scythians agree with the Asian we are not now to speake And of these first to consider their ancient Scythian Rites and in the next place their later Tartarian appellation and Religion Iustin out of Tragus relateth the arguments vsed of the Egyptians and Scythians each seeking to challenge to themselues to bee the ancientest of Nations in which quarrell the Scythians preuailed Their manners and customes hee thus reporteth They haue no limitation of lands nor tillage nor house but alwaies wander thorow places not inhabited feeding their Heards Flocks They carrie their wiues and children with them on Carts which also being couered with hides they vse for houses No offence is more hainous amongst them then theft gold and siluer they as much contemne as others desire Milke and hony is their food their clothes skinnes of beasts for the vse of wooll they know not They haue three times sought the Empire of Asia neuer conquered of others They chaced Darius the Persian King out of their coasts they slew Cyrus with all his armie they ouerthrew Zopyron a Captaine of Alexander the Great with all his forces They onely heard of neuer felt the Roman armes and themselues founded the Parthian Empire That which credulous and fabulous antiquitie hath reported of the monstrous peoples inhabiting the Northerly and vnknowne parts of Scythia is not here to be recited the Countries being at this time discouered and knowne to haue no such men as either by nature are bald and flat nosed with huge chins or haue but one eye where there are also Gryphons keepers of their treasures or men with Goats feet or other monsters of men which Pliny Herodatus and others haue rather mentioned then beleeued Mandauil and Munster following them in like Relations Next to these both in place and credit wee may reckon the Hyperboreans of whom the Delians report that they sent to Delos Virgins with sacrifice to Lucina bound vp in wheat-straw through so many Nations inhabiting betweene Of the Issedones is reported that when one dieth his kindred bring thither beasts which they kill and cut and dresse and eat together with the flesh of the dead man whose skull also they keepe and gilde vsing it as an Idoll to which they performe yeerely ceremonies these exequies doth the sonne there performe to his dead father §. II. Of the Religion Diuination and other Scythian Rites GEnerally of the Scythian Religion thus Of the gods they worship first Vesta whom they call in their language Tabiti next of all Iupiter in their speech Papaeus and the Earth supposing her to bee the wife of Iupiter and call her Apia In the next place they worship Apollo and Venus by the names of Octosyrus and Artimpasa and Mars and Hercules Some of them sacrifice also to Neptune or Thamimasades Images Altars and Temples they thinke ought not to bee made except to Mars Their manner of sacrificing is generally this The sacrifice is presented with the fore-feet bound the Sacrificer at his back hauing laid aside his holy vestment woundeth the same and while it falleth calls vpon that god to whom he sacrificeth and then putteth a halter about the necke and strangleth it without kindling any fire or vowing or other ceremonie and slayeth it the flesh plucked from the bones hee casteth into a great Caldron the bones hee vseth for fewell to seeth the same for wood the Countrie doth not yeeld And if they haue not any such vessell they put all the flesh with water into the paunch and so the beast doth seeth it selfe After it is boyled he which sacrificed offereth the libaments or offerings of the flesh and inwards their sacrifices are besides other beasts especially of horses Their Temples to Mars they build on this manner They heape together bundles of twigges three furlongs in length and breadth and aboue on them is made a square plaine three sides thereof are vpright the fourth is made slope and the bending-wise thereby to get vp thither they bring euerie yeere an hundred and fiftie Waines of twigges to supply the waste of them Vnderneath this worke is erected an old iron sword and this is their Image of Mars to which they offer yeerely sacrifices both of other cattell and of horses and more to this blade then to other gods Of their captiues they offer one of an hundred but after another manner For after they haue offered wine on their heads they kill them by a certaine vessell and after lifting them vpon that their heape or Temple they embrew the Sword-god with the bloud This they doe aboue beneath in the Temple they cut off all the right shoulders of the slaine men and hurle them vp in the aire together with the hands wheresoeuer the hand shall fall there it lieth and the dead bodie apart When they haue performed all their solemnities they depart Swine are so odious to them that they will haue none of them nourished in their Countrie There are among them Diuiners whose Rites are these They bring great bundles of willow twigs which they lay on the ground and vntie and laying them asunder one by one diuine Some of them practise diuination with the leaues of the Teil-tree which they fold and vnfold in their hands The King when at any time hee falleth sicke sendeth for three choice men of those Diuiners who for the most part name some man vnto him which hath forsworne himselfe hauing sworne by the Kings Throne an oath vsed of the Scythians presently the man is brought forth who if he denieth what their art hath accused him of the King sendeth for twice the number of Diuiners and if they by new practise of their art find him guiltie his head is cut off and the first Diuiners share his goods but if they shall absolue him more Diuiners are sent for and if the most of them doe absolue him then those three first are thus done to death They lade a waine with twigs and binding the Diuiners hand and foot and stopping their mouthes cast them into the waines and set all on fire burning Oxen waine and men together vnlesse some of the Oxen by the burning of their harnes escape This punishment inflict they on their false prophets They make their leagues with other Nations in this sort They powre wine into a great bowle mixing therewith the bloud of them which ioine in league cutting some part of the body with a knife or sword and then dip in that bowle or mazer a sword arrowes an axe a dart and after curse themselues with many words last of all drinking the wine
foure Gunners with great Peeces and goe not before the Armie lest they should hinder their sight or being hurt disturbe the rankes and therefore are set in the Rere a Sword bound to their trunke and Daggers fastened to their great teeth King Echebar was borne in the Prouince of Chaquata which hath Indostan on the South Persia on the West the Tartars East Their Language is Turkish but the Courtiers to this day speake Persian Baburxa his grand-father chased the Parthians vnto Bengala before possessors of the Region of the Mogors after whose death the Parthians or as they are now called Pataneans of Patanau before mentioned recouered themselues and warred on his sonne Their descent is from Tamerlan whose third sonne was Miromcha grandfather to Abusayd who slue Abdula successor to Abdelatife which had slaine Oleghbek the sonne and successor of Mirzah Charrok the fourth sonne and first successor of Tamerlan Sultan Hamed sonne of Abusayd obtayned Maurenahar and after him Babor his sonne which in the yeere 1500. was dispossessed by the Vsbechs yet still possessed Gaznehen and some parts of India succeeded by his sonne Homayen the father of this Achabar Thus Mirkand The Iesuites say they are Parthians descended of Cingis therefore rather to be called Tartars Achabars grandfather they call Baburxa which by his sword entred Industan and chased those Tartars into Bengala But they againe preuailed after his death insomuch that Achabars father Emmaupaxda as the Iesuites report being driuen to great straights by the Parthians Tartars or Pataneans was driuen to aske aide of the Sophi or Persian King which he obtained with condition of submitting himselfe to the Persian Religion The Mogors speake the Turkish language The Empire of this Mogor is exceeding great contayning the Countries of Bengala Cambaya Mendao and others comprehended by some vnder the name of Industan This Mendao is said to be ten leagues in circuit and that it cost the Mogor twelue yeeres siege Agra and Fatipore are two Cities in his Dominion great and full of people much exceeding London and the whole space betweene is as a continuall populous Market Many Kings he hath conquered and many haue submitted themselues and their States voluntarily to his subiection Twentie Gentile Kings are numbred in his Court which attend him equalling the King of Calecut in power Many others pay him tribute In his Countries are many Spices Pepper Ginger Cassia and others many precious Stones Pearles Metals of all sorts Silkes Cotton Horse and other Commodities which yeeld him many millions yeerely beyond his expences About the yeere 1582. the Iesuites first entred there after whose report his Dominions were then as followeth since much more enlarged Eleuen great Riuers run through his Dominions Taphi Haruada Chambel Iamena Ganges the other sixe are Indus or Schind as they call it and Catamul Cebcha Ray Chenao Rebeth tributaries to Indus The whole Monarchie enuironeth nine hundred leagues King Echebar hath many Lords each of which is to maintayne eight ten twelue or fourteene thousand Horse in readinesse for the warre besides Elephants of which in the whole Kingdome are said to bee fiftie thousand Himselfe can further bring of his owne into the Field fiftie thousand Horse and Foot-men innumerable To those Lordes hee alloweth certaine Prouinces for such Militarie seruice for hee is Lord of all nor hath any else possession of any thing but at the will of the King Once a yeere they appeare before the King where they present a view of those their enioyned Forces Many millions of Reuenue doe besides accrew vnto his Coffers yet his Port and Magnificence is not so great as of many other Princes eyther for Apparell Diet or the Maiestie of his Court-seruice Hee cannot write or reade but heareth often the Disputations of others and Histories read before him being of deepe iudgement piercing wit and wise fore-cast In execution of Iustice hee is very diligent insomuch that in the Citie where hee resideth he heareth all Causes himselfe neither is any malefactor punished without his knowledge himselfe giuing publike Audience twice euery day For which purpose he hath two wide Halls or rather open Courts and in them Royall Thrones where hee is attended with eight Councellors besides Notaries Yet doth hee stand and not sit and at other times sit on Carpets after the Turkish manner notwithstanding his Chayre of Estate standing by He hath twelue Learned men alway about him which ordinarily reason and dispute in his presence or relate Histories Hee is a curious discourser of all Sects Hee is both Affable and Maiesticall Mercifull and Seuere delights himselfe in diuers Games as fights of Buffals Cockes Harts Rammes Elephants Wrestlers Fencers Dances Comedies and in the Dances of Elephants and Camels thereto instructed In the midst of these Spectacles he dispatcheth serious affaires He delights in Hunting vsing the Panther to take wild Beasts Hunting Dogs hee had none They vse tame Harts to take the wild with Nets fastened to their hornes wherewith they intangle the other When hee goes to warre hee will cause a whole Wood to bee round beset with men hand in hand sending others in which raise the Beasts and driue them into the others armes which if they let them goe are punished to make sport that way He was skilfull in diuers Mechanicall Trades as making of Gunnes casting of Ordnance hauing his Worke-house in the Palace for that purpose But we haue obserued that this is common to all Mahumetan Priests and Princes the Great Turke yea the Great Challfa himselfe as Tudelensis writes of his Times practising some Mechanicall Mysterie Theeues and Pyrates He punished with losse of the hand Murtherers Adulterers Robbers by the high way with empaling hanging or other doaths not executed till the Sentence had beene thrice pronounced Loued and feared of his Owne Terrible to his Enemies Affable to the Vulgar seeming to grace them and their Presents with more respectiue Ceremonies then the Grandes of sparing Dyet scarce eating Flesh aboue foure times in the yeere but feeding by Rice Whit-meats and Electuaries sleeping but three houres in the night curiously industrious This King detesteth the Mahumetan Sect which as you heard his Father embraced for his aduantage and therefore hath ouerthrowne their Moschees in his Kingdome razing the Steeples and conuerting the rest to Stables and more trusteth and employeth the Gentiles in his affaires then the Moores whereupon many of them rebelled against him and stirred vp the Prince of Quabul his Brother to take Armes against whom Echebar opposed himselfe as is said and caused him to retire into his owne Countrey It is vncertaine what Religion hee is of some affirming him to bee a Moore some a Gentile some a Christian some of a fourth Sect and of none of the former Indeed it appeareth that he wauereth vncertaine which way of many to take able to see the absurdities of the Arabian and Gentile professions and not able to beleeue the high mysteries of the
Camels whose riches thereby acquired appeare in the Letters of Lawrence Madoc and wee before haue touched Gago is much frequented by Merchants and things are sold at excessiue rates In an hundred miles space you shall scarce find one in those parts that can reade or write and the King accordingly oppresseth them with taxations In Guber they sow their Corne on the waters which Niger with his ouerflowings brings vpon the Countrey and haue aboundant recompence Izchia King of Tombuto conquered the King of Guber of Agadez also and of Cano which haue great store of Merchants Likewise of Casena and Zegzeg and Zanfara in which I finde little worth the remembrance Cano hath some Relikes of Christianitie and they are named by the Apostles names Guangara was not onely oppressed by the said Izchia of Tombuto but by Abraham King of Borno Borno confineth with Guangara on the West and extendeth Eastwards fiue hundred miles The people haue no Religion neither Christian Iewish nor Mahumetane but like Beasts liue with their Wiues and Chrildren in common and as a Merchant which liued long amongst them and learned their Language told Leo they haue no proper names as in other Nations but as they giue him some name on distinction by his height fatnesse or other peculiar accidents The King warreth with his neighbours hee is descended of the Libyan people Bardoa For maintenance of his Warres he will giue great prices for Horses exchanging fifteene or twentie Slaues for one which Slaues he tooke from his enemies When I was in this Kingdome I found there many Merchants that were wearie of this Traffique because they stayed for their Slaues till the King returned from his Warres Yet the King Teemes to bee rich all his Horse-furniture Stirrops Spurres Bridles Bits were all of Gold and his Dishes Platters or whatsoeuer he did eate or drinke in yea his Chaines for his Dogges were for the most part or most fine Gold He hath many both white and blacke people subject to him Gaoga bordereth Westward on Borno and thence trendeth to Nubia betweene the Desarts of Serta on the North and another Desart confining on a winding crooke of Nilus about fiue hundred miles square It hath neither Ciuilitie Letters nor Gouernment The Inhabitants haue no vnderstanding especially they which dwell in the Mountaines who goe naked in the Summer-time their priuities excepted Their houses are made of boughes which easily take fire They haue store of Cattell A hundreth yeeres before Leo's time they were brought in subjection by a Negro slaue who first slew his Master and by helpe of his goods made preyes in the next Regions exchanging his Captiues for Horses of Aegypt and so became King of Gaoga His Nephewes Sonne Homara then raigned and was much respected by the Soldan of Cairo Leo was at his Court and found him a man passing liberall He much honoured all that were of the linage of Mahomet The Nubae in olde times were many Kingdomes as Strabo affirmeth not subject to the Aethiopians and were then Nomades or Wanderers and Robbers As it is now taken Iohn Leo being our Author Nubia stretcheth from Gaoga vnto Nilus hauing the Aegyptian Confines on the North and the Desarts of Goran on the South They cannot saile out of this Kingdome into Aegypt For the Riuer Nilus whiles it is couetous of largenesse loseth his deepnesse and couering certaine Plaines becommeth so shallow that both men and beasts may wade ouer Dangala is their chiefe Towne and hath ten thousand Families but ill built their houses being Chalke and Straw The Inhabitants with their traffique to Cairo become rich There is in this Kingdome great store of Corne and Sugar Ciuit Sandall and Iuorie They haue strong poyson one graine whereof giuen to ten persons will kill them all in a quarter of an houre and one man if he alone take it presently An ounce hereof is sold for an hundred Ducats It is not sold but to strangers which first take their oath that they will not vse it in their Countrey And if any sell thereof secretly it costs him his life for the King hath as much for Custome as the Merchant for price Some Portugals trauelling thorow Nubia saw many Churches ruined by the Arabians and some Images The Iewish and Mahumetan Superstition haue there almost preuailed In old time they had Bishops sent them from Rome which by meanes of the Arabians was after hindered The Nubian King warreth with the Inhabitants of Goran called Zingani who speake a Language that none else vnderstand and with others in the Desarts on the other side of Nilus towards the Red Sea whose Language seemes to be mixt with the Chaldaean and resembles the speech of Suachen in the Countrey of Prester Iohn They are called Bugiha and liue very miserably They had once a Towne on the Red Sea called Zibid whose Port answereth directly to that of Zidem which is forty miles from Mecca This Zibid for their robberies was destroyed by the Sultan Ortelius saith that in Nubia they were sometimes Christian and now are scarcely of any Religion at all They sent into Prester Iohns Countrey for Priests when Aluares d was there to repaire their almost ruined Christianitie but without effect Sanutus reckons here other Kingdomes Gothan Medra Dauma whereof because wee haue little but the names I can write nothing Now if any would looke that we should heere in our Discourse of the Negro's assigne some cause of that their Blacke colour I answere that I cannot well answere this question as being in it selfe difficult and made more by the varietie of answeres that others giue hereunto Some alleage the heate of this Torrid Region proceeding from the direct beames of the Sunne and why then should all the West Indies which stretch from the one Tropike to the other haue no blacke people except a few in Quareca which haply were not Naturals of the place And if this were the cause why should Africa yeeld white people in Melinde and neere the Line blacker at the Cape of Good Hope in fiue and thirtie then in Brasill vnder the Line Some leauing the hot impressions in the Aire attribute it to the drinesse of the Earth as though the Libyan Desarts are not more dry and yet the people no Negro's and as though Niger were heere dried vp Some to the hidden qualitie of the soyle and why then are the Portugals children and generations white or Mulatos at most that is tawnie in Saint Thomee and other places amongst them as also the Inhabitants of Melinde Madagascar and other places in the same height in and adioyning to Africa Some ascribe it as Herodotus to the blacknesse of the Parents Sperme or Seed and how made they the search to know the colour thereof which if it hath a thing by others denied by what reason should it imprint this colour on the skinne And how comes it that they are reddish at their birth yellowish in
doe it in which respect not onely a third part of the old World but another new-found World is now named India Therefore Acosta and Adrianus Turnebus esteeme India to be a generall name to all Countries which are farre off and strange to vs although it be properly attributed to the East Indies Now if any wonder at such an extrauagant discourse of India heere let him know that in our search for Presbyter Iohn which then was knowne to withstand the Tartars in Asia I cannot see how hee can bee the Abessine or Aethiopian but rather thinke that when a mightie Christian Prince was found in Aethiopia they did imagine him to bee that Presbiter Iohn of which they had heard in Asia being furthered in this errour by the name India which as is said did generally comprehend both the true India and this more truely called Ethiopia Now for that Presbiter Iohn in India I take him for some Christian King for at that time there were many Christians as appeareth by Venetus in manner dispersed throughout Asia and some called Saint Thomas Christians remaine in India to this day Why I thinke it not to agree to the Abissine my reasons besides the former are the distance of place all that huge tract of Arabia with the wide Seas on each side separating India from Ethiopia the vnpassable Desarts by Land No mention in Historie who should dispossesse them of that India Maior where the Tartar had neuer any great power the Histories which wee haue of those Indian Princes the Kings of Malabar of Decan the Samorin c. are against it the difference of Religion for those Indian Christians of Saint Thomas are not branded with hote Irons nor Circumcised nor agree in other Rites with the Ethiopian the Ethiopian Historie challengeth no such large extents to their Empire except in Africa where they seate them in a continuall descent from the time of Salomon till now whereas those Presbiter Iohns had their dwelling and abode in Asia as their Stories signifie And further the name Priest Iohn is a name vnknowne in Ethiopia and by ignorant mistaking of the Europaeans applied to that Ethiopian Emperour when first they heard of him as saith Zaga Zabo his Embassadour to the King of Portugall who reproueth the men of these parts saying that he is named of them Belul which signifieth Excellent or precious and in the Chaldean tongue Ioannes Encos which signifieth the same Sabellicus saith the Ethiopians called him Gyan Linschoten affirmeth Bel Gyan Bel signifieth the highest and Gyan Lord But Frier Luys out of Baltasar the Aethiopian sheweth that in the hill Amara are ancient records which testifie that from the time of that Queene that came to Salomon the Emperours haue beene called Beldigian the signification whereof is a precious Stone or a thing of great value which Title hath continued to those Emperours as Pharao to the Egyptians and Caesar to the Romanes Some also of the Royall bloud which are vsually kept as after shall appeare in the hill Amara when they are elected to the Empire if there bee many of that Imperiall issue take Orders and become Priests not procreating any Children Such saith hee in our times haue beene Daniel the second Paphnutius that succceeded to Naum and Alexander the third his successour all which were both Priests and Kings and therefore by the Ethiopians which resort to the Holy Sepulchre at Ierusalem and vsed to speake Greeke were called Priest Beldigian This by corruption of the name by Merchants and such as knew not the signification and also for breuities sake was pronounced Priest Gyan or Iohn Now for the Priest Iohn in Asia hee tels that when Saint Thomas was martyred in India the three Mags who had visited CRIST by the leading of a Starre in his Infancie and had after beene consecrated Bishops ouer their seuerall Kingdomes you must not deny their royaltie by the Apostle chose one amongst themselues to bee Priest and King who was called Priest Iohn If you beleeue not Peter de Natalibus out of whom the Frier cites this I should bee too much troubled in perswading you Hee telleth also out of Otho Frisingensis that about the yeere 1145. one Iohn a Christian both King and Priest reigning in the furthest parts of the East warred vpon and ouer-came the Medes Assyrians and Persians and had intended to free Ierusalem out of Saracenicall seruitude but not finding passage ouer Tigris was forced to returne This is like to bee that Presbyter Iohn whose posteritie vsed that stratageme before mentioned against the Tartars And to him I thinke might fitly agree that Title of Prestegian easily deflected and altered to Priest Iohn whereof you haue heard out of Ioseph Scaliger I haue seene a Manuscript in old French pretended to bee a Letter from Prester Iohn to the Emperour Frederike wherein is discoursed of the site greatnesse puissance wealth and other rarities of his estate but finding so many monsters and vncouth relations therein I could not bee so prodigall of faith or penurious of iudgement as to value his authoritie at any high rate wherein Sir Iohn Mandeuill seemes to haue beene a lender or borrower so iustly doe they agree in disagreeing from both probabilitie and possibilitie of truth yet both in the one and the other wee may obserue the like situation of Prester Iohns dwelling in these parts of Asia neere Persia and that such a multitude of fables could not but haue some truth for their ground My conclusion is That for that name of Prestegian I like well Scaligers interpretation and thinke that it may agree either to this or some other Christian Prince at those times in India which is farre neerer to Persia and from whence the Indians borrowed their Royall Titles both in those times and since as Garcias ab Horto and Linschoten shew Idalham or Adelham the Title of the King of Goa and the Countries about commonly called Idalcan is not a proper name but a Title of honour signifying as Adonizedek Iosh 10.1 Lord or King of Iustice Nisamaluco the speare of the Kingdome and such like Ismael the Sophi which name also is by some interpreted Elect because they pretended to bee or doe so and others the reprobate followers of a reprobate Religion added the Title of Xa or Sha to such as embraced his new Sect as Nisomoxa c. If the borrowing of names from the Persian language so generall in those parts bee still obserued no maruell if some Christian King in those times might stile himselfe Prestegian or Apostolicall which others not vnderstanding called Priest Iohn or Prete Ianni as being compassed with so many Saracens the enemies of the Apostles besides Heretikes and Heathens At Mosul is yet a Patriake who in Paulus time was of farre greater iurisdiction and as an Easterne Pope ordayned Archbishops and Bishops through all the parts of India besides Cairo and Baldach and therefore no
175 CHAP. XIIII OF the Iewish opinions of the Creation their Ceremonies about the birth of a Childe of their Circumcision Purification and Redemption of the first borne and Education of their Children pag. 177 § I. Of their Exposition of Scripture a taste in Gen. 1.1 ibid. § II. Their Dreames of Adam pag. 178 § III. Of their Iewesses conception and trauell and of Lilith ibid. § IIII. Of the Iewish manner of Circumcision p. 179 § V. Of the Iewish Purification Redemption and Education pag. 181 CHAP. XV. OF their Morning Prayer with their Fringes Phylacteries and other Ceremonies thereof pag. 183 § I. Of their behauiour before they goe to the Synagogue ibid. § II. Of their Zizis and Tephillim and holy Vestments pag. 184 Of their Schoole or Synagogue Rites and their Mattins pag. 185 CHAP. XVI OF their Ceremonies at home after their returne at their meales and otherwise and of their Euening Prayer pag. 188 CHAP. XVII THeir weekly obseruations of Times viz. Their Mundayes and Thursdayes and Sabbaths pag. 190 § I. Of their Mundayes and Thursdayes ibid. § II. Of their Law Lectures pag. 191 § III. Of the Iewish Sabbath pag. 192 CHAP. XVIII THe Iewish Passeouer as they now obserue it and other their Feasts and Fasts pag. 194 § I. Of their Passeouer ibid. § II. Of Pentecost pag. 195 § III. Of the Feast of Tabernacles 196 § IIII. Of their new Moones and New yeeres day ibid. § V. Of their Lent Penance and Reconciliation Fast pag. 197. § VI. Of their other Feasts pag. 199 CHAP. XIX OF their Cookerie Butcherie Mariages Punishments and Funerals pag. 200 § I. Of their Cookerie ibid. § II. Of their Butcherie pag. 201 § III. Of their Espousals and Mariages ibid. § IIII. Of Coniugall duties pag. 203 § V. Of Diuorce and other Marriage obseruations pag. 204 § VI. Of the Iewish beggers Diseases and Penances pag. 205 § VII Of their Visitation of the sicke and Funerall Rites pag. 206 CHAP. XX. THe Iewes Faith and Hope touching their Messias pag. 207 § I. Of the Signes of the comming of their Messias ibid. § II. Iewish Tales of monstrous Birds Beasts Fishes and Men. pag 210 § III. Their Messias his Feast pag. 211 CHAP. XXI OF the hopes and hinderances of the Iewes conuersion pag. 212 CHAP. XXII THe later Inhabitants of Palestina and the parts adioyning since the dispersion of the Iewes till this day pag. 214 § I. Of the Christian times before the Saracens ibid. § II. Of the Saracens and Turkes in Palestina pag. 215 § III. Of the exploits of the Frankes and other Westerne Christians in Palestina pag. 214 § IIII. Of the Azopart and Assysine pag. 218 § V. Of the Dogzijn and Drusians and other Pagans there pag. 220 § VI. Of the vnchristian Christians pag. 222 THE THIRD BOOKE Of the Arabians Saracens Turkes and of the ancient Inhabitants of ASIA MINOR and of their Religions CHAP. I. OF Arabia and of the ancient Religions Rites and Customes thereof pag. 223 CHAP. II. OF the Saracene Name Nation and proceeding in Armes and the succession of their Chalifaes pag. 229 § I. Of the Saracens before Mahomets dayes ibid. § II. Of the Saracenicall beginnings and proceedings vnder Mahomet and his Successors of the Maraunian Race pag. 232 § III. Of the Abasian Chalifaes their Citie Bagadet with many Persian Indian and other occurrences vnder them pag. 236 § IIII. Of their Titles Greatnesse and Learning pag. 240 CHAP. III. THe life of Mahumet Mohammed or Muhammed the Saracen Law-giuer pag. 241 § I. Mahumets life after the Histories of Christians ibid. § II. The Saracen Storie of Mahomets life pag. 244 CHAP. IIII. OF the Alcoran or Alfurcan contayning the Mahumetan Law the summe and contents thereof pag. 248 § I. Of the composition of the Alcoran ibid. § II. The doctrine of the Alcoran brought into common places pag. 251 § III. The Saracens opinion of their Alcoran pag. 258 CHAP. V. OTher Mahumetical speculations and explanations of their Law collected out of their owne Commentaries of that Argument p. 259 CHAP. VI. OF the Pilgrimage to Mecca pag. 267 CHAP. VII OF the Successors of Mahomet of their different Sects and of the dispersing of that Religion through the World pag. 274. CHAP. VIII OF the Turkish Nation their originall and proceedings pag. 278 § I. Of the Turkish name and first original ibid. § II. Of the Turkish Kingdome in Persia and their other Conquests pag. 279 § III. Of the Ottoman Turkes their originall and proceedings pag. 281 CHAP. IX A Continuation of the Turkish Warres and affaires together with the succession of the Great Turks till this present yeere 1616. p. 284 § I. Of Solyman the Magnificent ibid. § II. Of Selim the Second and Amurath the Third pag. 285 § III. Of Mahomet the Third pag. 287 § IIII. Of Achmet which now reigneth pag. 288 § V. Of Sultan Achmets Person Family Gouernment and greatnesse of State pag. 291 § VI. An Appendix touching the Succession of Mustapha twice and of Osmans murder and other ciuill vnciuill late Combustions pag. 293 CHAP. X. OF the opinions holden by the Turkes in their Religion and of their Manners and Customes pag. 297 § I. Of their eight Commandements ibid. § II. Of other their opinions and practices in Religion pag. 300 § III. Of the Turkish manners their ciuill and morall behauiour pag. 303 CHAP. XI OF the religious places amongst the Turks their Meschits Hospitals and Monasteries with ther Lyturgie and Circumcision pag. 306 § I. Of their Temples a description of Saint Sophies ibid. § II. Of their Hospitals and Monasteries pag. 308 § III. Of their publike Prayers and Church-rites ibid. § IIII. Of their Sabbaths and of their Lent and Easter pag. 310 § V. Of the Turkish Circumcision pag. 311 CHAP. XII OF the Sepulchres Funerall Rites and opinions touching the dead among the Turkes pag. 312 CHAP. XIII OF the religious Votaries amongst the Turkes and of their Saints Sects Miracles and hypocriticall holinesse pag. 314 CHAP. XIIII OF their Priests and Hierarchie with a digression touching the Hierarchie and miserie of Christians subiect to the Turke p. 319 A digression touching the Hierarchie and miseries of Christians vnder the Turke p. 322 CHAP. XV. OF the Regions and Religions of Asia Minor since called Natolia and Turkey pag. 325 CHAP. XVI OF Asia proprie dicta now called Sarcum pag. 330 CHAP. XVII OF Ionia and other Countries in that Chersonesus pag. 336 THE FOVRTH BOOKE Of the Armenians Medes Persians Parthians Scythians Tartarians Chinois and of their Religions CHAP. I. OF Armenia Maior and Georgia and the neighbouring Nations p. 343 § I. Of the Armenians and Turcomanians ibid. § II. Of Iberia pag. 346 § III. Of Albania ibid. § IIII. Of Colchis or Mengrelia pag. 347 § V. Of the present Mengrelians and Georgians ibid. § VI. Of the Circassians pag. 348 § VII Of the Curdi pag. 349 CHAP. II. OF the Medes pag. 349 CHAP. III. OF the Parthians
Superstitions there obserued pag. 509 § III. Of Patane Couche Orixa Botanter Candecan pag. 511 § IIII. Of Arracan and the Warres betwixt them and the Portugals pag. 512 CHAP. VII OF the Great Mogor or Mogol pag. 515 § I. Of the Mogors Countries and of Melabdim Echebar ibid. § II. Of the Conquests and death of Echebar and of his Sonne and Successor Selim now reignening pag. 517 § III. The Relations of Captaine Hawkins Embassadour there pag. 520 § IIII. Of the setling of the English Trade in these parts and of the two Sea-fights betwixt ours and the Portugals pag. 524 § V. Of the trauels of diuers Englishmen in the Mogols Dominions pag. 529 § VI. Of the Rasboots and other people subiect to the Mogol and of their Countries Religion and Rites pag. 534 CHAP. VIII OF Cambaya Decan and the neighbouring Nations pag. 536 § I. Of the Cambayans ibid. § II. Of the Kingdomes of Decan pag. 539 § III. Of the Banian and Cambayan Superstitions pag. 540 CHAP. IX OF the Indian Nations betwixt Cambaya and Malabar their Religions pag. 542 § I. Of the seasons of the yeere and of the parts next to Cambaya ibid. § II. Of Goa the Heathens and Christians liuing therein and the Countrey about pag. 544 § III. Of the Indian Bramenes both Secular and Religious pag. 547 CHAP. X. OF the Regions and Religions of Malabar pag. 549 § I. Of the Kingdome of Calicut ibid. § II. Of the King of Calicut pag. 551 § III. Of their differing Sects pag. 553 CHAP. XI OF the Kingdome of Narsinga and Bisnagar pag. 555 § I. Of their Funerall and Idolatrous bloudie Rites ibid. § II. Of the Kings and Bramenes in this Kingdome pag. 558 § III. Of many other strange Rites and of Saint Thomee pag. 560 CHAP. XII OF the Creatures Plants Fruits and Drugs in India pag. 563 § I. Of their Beasts and liuing Creatures ibid. § II. Of the Indian Trees Fruits and strange Plants pag. 566 § III. Of Spices and Drugs pag. 569 CHAP. XIII A Generall Discourse of the Sea and of the Seas in and about Asia pag. 571 § I. Of the true place forme greatnesse and depth of the Sea ibid. § II. Of the Saltnesse and Motions of the Sea pag. 573 § III. Of the originall of Fountaines and other commodities of the Sea pag. 574 § IIII. Of the varieties of Seas and of the Caspian and Euxine pag. 575 CHAP. XIIII A Briefe suruey of the Ilands adioyning to Asia also some fancies of the Sabbaticall Riuer and inclosed Iewes pag. 577 § I. The Ilands from Iapan to the Persian Gulfe ibid. § II. The Persian Gulfe and of the passage downe Euphrates thither the Sabbaticall streame and inclosed Iewes pag. 579 § III. Of the Red Sea Sir H. Middletons taking and of Rhodes and Cyprus pag. 582 CHAP. XV. A Larger relation of some principall Ilands of Asia and first of the Ilands of Iapon pag. 586 § I. A Preface touching the Iesuites and a description of Iapan with some of their strange customes ibid. § II. The Voyages of some English to Iapan and their abode there pag. 588 § III. Of the gouernment and courage of the Iaponians pag. 590 § IIII. Of their Sects and Bonzian Colledges p. 593 § V. Of their Feasts their bloudie Pilgrimages and Confessions pag. 595 § VI. Of their Idols Temples Funerals pag. 597 § VII Of the strange Earthquakes and Tempests in Iapon with some other obseruations pag. 599 CHAP. XVI OF the Philippina's pag. 602 § I. Of the Spanish Ilands others adioyning ib. § II. Of the Moluccos Banda Amboyna and Selebes pag. 604 § III. Of the Iauas other adioyning Ilands p. 609 CHAP. XVII OF Samatra and Zeilan pag. 612 § I. Of Samatra ibid. § II. Of Zeilan pag. 616 § III. The conclusion of this Asian Pilgrimage pag. 618 AFRICA THE SIXT BOOKE Of Aegypt Barbary Numidia Libya and the Land of Negro's and of their Religions CHAP. I. OF Africa and the Creatures therein pag. 619 § I. Of the Name and Limits of Africa ibid. § II. Of the Beasts wild and tame pag. 621 § III. Of Crocodiles Serpents and other strange Creatures pag. 623 CHAP. II. OF Aegypt and the famous Riuer Nilus and first Kings Temples and Monuments according to Herodotus Diodorus and others pag. 626 § I. The names of Aegypt and of the Riuer Nilus ibid. § II. The diuision of Aegypt and the great workes of their ancient Pharaos pag. 630 CHAP. III. OF the Aegyptian Idols with their Legendary Histories and Mysteries pag. 635 § I. Of Osiris and Isis their Legends of the Creation c. ibid. § II. The causes of consecrating their Beasts and the mysticall senses of their Superstitions p. 636 § III. Of Hermes Trismegistus pag. 637 CHAP. IIII. OF the Rites Priests Sects Sacrifices Feasts Inuentions and other obseruations of the Aegyptians pag. 638 § I. Of their Apis and other Beasts Serpents and other Creatures worshipped ibid. § II. Of their Sacrifices their Iewish Rites and of their Priests pag. 641 § III. Of their Feasts and Oracles pag. 643 § IIII. Of the inuentions and disposition of the Aegyptians pag. 644 CHAP. V. OF the manifold alterations of State Religion in Egypt by the Persians Grecians Romans Christians Saracens Turks p. 647 § I. Of the Persians and Grecians acts in Aegypt and the famous Vniuersity and Library at Alexandria ibid. § II. Of the Schoole and Library at Alexandria pag. 648 § III. Of their Deuotions in these Times p. 650 § IIII. Of the moderne Aegyptians of Cairo and Alexandria pag. 652 § V. Of the Saracens their Acts and Sects of the Mamalukes and Cophties pag. 657 CHAP. VI. THe Aegyptian Chronologie out of Manetho High Priest of the Aegyptians and others pag. 660 CHAP. VII OF the Oracle of Iupiter Ammon and of Cyrene and diuers peoples adioyning mentioned by the Ancients pag. 665 CHAP. VIII OF that part of Barbary now called the Kingdome of Tunis and Tripolis p. 668 § I. The name Barbary the Kingdome of Tunis and Antiquities of Carthage ibid. § II. Of Cairaoan and the Kingdome of Tripolis pag. 673 CHAP. IX OF the Kingdome of Tremisen Algier and other places anciently called Mauritania Caesariensis pag. 675 § I. Of Tremisen and of the ancient Maurusij ibid. § II. Of Barbarussa of Algier and the parts adioyning pag. 676 CHAP. X. OF the Kingdome of Fez part of Mauritania Tingitana pag. 679 § I. Of the Poeticall and Historicall Antiquities and part of Temesna ibid. § II. Of the Citie Fez as it was in Leo's dayes and the customes of the Inhabitants pag. 682 § III. Of their Diuiners and Sects and other parts of the Fezan Territorie pag. 686 § IIII. Of the fiue other Prouinces of this Kingdome and some later obseruations pag. 668 CHAP. XI OF the Kingdome of Marocco with a discourse of the Kings thereof and of the Seriffe Xarif or Iarif and his posterity now reigning in Barbary pag. 690 § I. Of the
orient Suidas Hieron da S. Stephano Thom. Steuens Stephanus Byzant Srabot Strabus Georg. Stampellus Henry Stephanus Surius Ludolph Suchenensis Stuckius Suares I. Bap. Scortia Sinod Constantinop Suetonius Io. Chr. Caluetus Stella Did. Stella Io. Mar. Stella Tileman Stella Summa Saracen Sectae D. Sutcliffe Edwardus Syluius Sulaka T TAtianus Corn. Tacitus Io. Tasnier Fr. Thamata Franc. Tarapha Theodoretus Theophilus f. Theoph. Antiochenus Tertullianus Terentius Theophilactus Temporarius Thesoro Politico R. Aben Tybbon William Thorpe Thaiso Sinensis Lit. Theophrastus Relat. del Temistitan Theophanes F. A. Theuet Thucidides Tibullus Ro. Thorne Timberley Ro. Tomson W. Towerson Trelcatius Tremellius Mas Transiluano Tripartita hist Mer. Trismegistus Trithemius Nic. Trigautius Increase of Trade Defence of Trade Toletus Adrianus Turnebus Cosm Turrianus G. Tyrius G. Trapezunt Con. Trident. Turselius L. de May. Turquet Tyndarus Ioannes Tzetzes V LOp Vaz Cor. Valerius Fr. Vaez Ioa. Vadianus Ioach. Vagetius F. Vatablus Caspar Varerius Martin de Valentia A. Valignanus Ioan. Vasaeus R. Verstegan Com. de Vena L. Vertomannus Eman. de Veiga Io. Verrazano Verhuffi Nauig Viperanus Viaggio in Persia N. life of Virginia F. a Victoria P. Victor S. A. Victor Victor Vticensis Nic. Villagagnon Gasp Vilela Gerar. de Veer Virgilius Pol. Virgil Ant. du Virdier Iacob a Vitriaco Vitruvius Viguerius Voy du Villamont L. Viues Fr. de Vllca R. Volateranus Vrsinus Luys de Vrreta Fla. Vopiscus Americus Vesputius Ger. Io. Vossius W THomas Walsingham Lord De la Ware D. Whitakerus Alexander Whitaker D. Willet Whitney Ia. Welsh Webs Trauels T. Windam L. Warde Ward and Dansker Siluester Wiet Seb. de Wert Io. White Nau. D. White George Wilkins T. Wiars The World Descrip. of the World Henr. Wolfius Io. Wolfius Theol. Fr. Wendelinus Richard Whitborne Edward Winne Io. Wolfius I. C. Wolf Wissenberg S. H. Willoughby Nau. I. Wragge X XEnophon Franc. Xeres F. Xauier Hier. Xauier Z ZAbarella Hier. Zanchius A. Zachuth Zaga Zabo Zonaras Zeui Nau. c. Zoroaster f. Io. Zygomalas Theodos Zygomalas Theod. Zuingerus THE NAMES OF MANVSCRIPTS TRAVELLERS AND OTHER AVTHORS the most of which are published in our Bookes of VOYAGES which together with this Impression is made publike WIlliam Anthon. Samuel Argal Lit. Aleppenses Thomas Bernhere Ambros de Armariolo William Baffin Andrew Battell Brasill Treatise Iames Beuersham Hen. Brigs George Ball Banda Surrenders Hist. Barnwell George Barkly Nic. Bangam Capt. Tho. Best Sir Tho. Button Rich. Blithe Chr. Browne Samuel Castleton Thomas Candish Na. Courthop Io. Chambers Io. Catcher Thomas Crowther Iohn Crowther Peter Carder Thomas Clayborne Tho. Cowles William Clark Iohn de Castro B. Churchman H. Challenge Thomas Carmer William Colston Patrike Copland Discouerie of Chesipeak Richard Cocks Sir T. Dale Iames Dauies Beniamin Day Cassarian Dauid Doctor Dee Iohn Dauies Nicholas Dounton Capt. Dodsworth Thomas Dermer Edward 2. Litterae Tho. Edge Iohn Eliot John Ellis Capt. Elkington Expeditions Iournall Peter Willamson Flores Rob. Fotherby Christopher Fortescue Hum. Fotherbert Richard Finch William Finch Io. Iuan de Fuca Raleigh Gilbert Anthony Goddard William Goodlard Thomas Glouer Walsingham Grisley William Gourdon Greenland Voyages Gronland Treatise Iohn Guy Iames Hall Iohn Hatch William Hoare W. Harborne Roger Hawes Antony Hippon Thomas Hanham Edward Harleigh Sir Richard Hawkins Iosias Hubert Ro. Hayes William Heley William Hawkins Sir Ierome Horsey Io. Iordan Lewis Iacktan Robert Iuet George Iackson Richard Jobson Master Keble Iohn Knights Tho. Knolles Antony Kniuet Ia. Lane Henry Lello Iohn Leman Letters of diuers Easterne Kings Charles Leigh Iosias Logan Michael Locke Sir Iames Lancaster Nathaniel Martin Mexican history William Methold Sir Ed. Michelborne D. Duart de Meneses William Masham Iohn Mildnall G. Muschamp Sir Henry Middleton Dauid Middleton I. Milward Iohn Newbury Ric. Nash William Nicholls Ogoshasama R. Lit. Walter Payton Abacuck Pricket Ionas Pooley Patents diuers Martin Pringe Iohn Playse George Popham G. Pettys Pedrucka R. Ach. Lit. George Percy Newp Voy to Powhatan William Parker E. C. taking Port Ricco 2. Pilgrimage in Rime Lit. Presb. Iohan. As Albert. de Prato William Pursgloue Pachaturunuras Richardus Canonicus Master Rolph Sir Thomas Roe Iohn Rut Nathaniel Salmon Rob. Salmon Ioseph Salbank Iohn Selden Iohn Sanderson A. Spaldwin Captaine Saris William Strachie Thomas Sherwin Sir Ed. Scory Th. Spurway Rob. Swan Rob. Smith Francis Sparrie Edward Terry Thomas Turner William Turner L. Tribaldus Toletus Kellum Throgmorton Alexandro Vrsino Virginia Voy. Diuers Anonim Ind. Voyages Diuers Anonim Declaration of Virginia George Weymouth Ed. Maria Wingfield Iohn Wilson Th. Wilson Ralph Wilson William White Thomas Widhouse Iohn Ward Nic. Withington Mat. Willes And many other Relations and Reports of Gentlemen Merchants Mariners c. RELATIONS OF THE WORLD AND THE RELIGIONS OBSERVED IN ALL AGES AND PLACES DISCOVERED FROM THE CREATION VNTO THIS PRESENT Of the first beginnings of the World and Religion and of the Regions and Religions of BABYLONIA ASSYRIA SYRIA PHOENICIA and PALESTINA THE FIRST BOOKE CHAP. I. Of GOD one in Nature three in Persons the FATHER SONNE and HOLY GHOST THE Poets were wont to lay the Foundations and First Beginnings of their Poeticall Fabrikes with invocation of their gods and Muses although those workes were sutable to such worke-men who according to their names were Makers of those both Poems and gods I as farre short of their learning as beyond them in the scope of my desires would so farre imitate their manner in this matter which I intend that although I enuy not to some their foolish claime of that Poeticall not Propheticall inheritance to make my Maker and my matter as in a Historie not a Poeme must be made to my hands Yet in a Historie of Religion which hath or should haue GOD to be the Alpha and Omega the Efficient from whom the End to whom it proceedeth the Matter of whom the Forme by whom and whose direction it entreateth I could not but make a Religion to begin this discourse of Religion at him this being the way which all men take to come to him First therefore I beseech him that is the First and Last the Eternall Father in the name of his Beloued and Onely Sonne by the light of his Holy and All seeing Spirit to guide mee in this Perambulation of the World so to take view of the Times Places and Customes therein as may testifie my religious bond to him whose I am and whom I serue and the seruice I owe vnto his Church if at least this my Mite may be seruiceable to the least of the least therein that as he is in himselfe the Beginning and Ending so he would be in some measure of this Worke the Author and Finisher that in the beholding this Mappe of so infinitely diuersified Superstitions we may be more thankefull for and more zealous of that true and onely Religion which Christ by his Bloud hath procured by his Word reuealed by his Spirit sealed and will reward eternally in the Heauens And hereto let all
him the Reader may find satisfaction He sheweth out of Curtius Plinie and Solimus the miraculous fertilitie of that part of Babylonia which Ptolomy calleth Auranitis or Audanitis easily declined from Heden the name giuen by Moses mentioned after Moses time 2. Reg. 19.12 and Esay 37.12 For the foure Riuers he sheweth them out of Ptolomy Strabo Plinie Dion Marcellinus c. to be so many diuisions of Euphrates whereof Baharsares or Neharsares is Gihon that which passeth through Babylon is for the excellencie peculiarly called Perath or Euphrates Nehar-malca or Basilius Pishon Tigris Chiddekel For the fiery sword he obserueth out of Plinie lib. 2. c. 106. a certaine miracle of Nature in Babylonia where the ground is seen burning continually about the quantitie of an Acre But this place will not serue to dispute this point If those Riuers doe not now remaine or haue altered either channell or names it is no new thing in so old a a continuance of the World It is more then probable that herein these parts Paradise was although now deformed by the Floud and by Time consumed and become a Stage of Barbarisme I haue here for the Readers pleasure set before his eyes Mercators Mappe or Topography of Paradise PARADISUS Neither hath the place alone been such a pitched field of Opinions but the fruit also which Moses expresseth to be the instrument and occasion of Adams ruine hath set some mens teeth on edge who tell vs what it is as if they had lately tasted of it a certaine signe indeede and fruit of that once vnlawfull tasting Goropius a man addicted to opinions which I know not whether he did hold more strangely or strongly though he enlargeth Paradise ouer the World yet he maketh Adam an Indian maruell he placeth him not in Dutchland for that was his language if Becanus be to be beleeued About the Riuer Acesines bebetwixt Indus and Ganges saith he groweth that admirable Figge-tree which he at large describeth out of Plinie Theophrastus and Strabo whose branches spreading from the bodie doe bend themselues downewards to the earth where they take hold and with new rooting multiply themselues like a maze or wood One told Clusius that hee himselfe hath beene one of eight hundred or a thousand men which had hidden themselues vnder one of these trees adding that some of them were able to couer three thousand men Strange is this tree and Becanus is with conceit hereof rauished into the pleasures of Paradise This tree Linschoten describeth growing about Goa and to bring vs out of Goropius Paradise saith that it hath no fruit worth the eating but a small kind like Oliues which is food onely for birds He telleth vs of another Indian Figge-tree growing rather like a Reed then a Tree a mans height a spanne thicke the leaues a fathome long and three spans broad The Arabians and Indians suppose this to be that dismall fruit The cause of this opinion Paludanus in his Annotations vpon Linschoten ascribeth to the pleasantnesse of the smel and taste Being cut in the middle it hath certaine veines like a Crosse whereon the Christians in Syria make many speculations Yea the same Author telleth of a hill in the I le of Seilan called Adams hill where they shew his foot-print to prooue that hee liued there of which reade our discourse of that Iland Boskhier in his Ara coeli citeth out of Moses Barcepha That wheate was the Tree of Knowledge of good and euill and so doe the Saracens hold so curious and vaine is blind Reason without a guide And the Cabilists saith Ricius say that Eues sinne was nothing but the wringing out of grapes to her husband which yet he interpreteth allegorically But I thinke I haue wearied the Reader with leading him thus vp and downe in Paradise small fruit I confesse is in this fruit and as little pleasure in this Paradise but that varietie happily may please some though it be to others tedious And for a conclusion it is I think worth the noting that M. Cartwright an eye-witnesse by the counsell of the Nestorian Patriarke at Mosull or Niniuie visited the I le of Eden still so called and by them holden a part of Paradise ten miles in circuit and sometime walled which if it be not part of that Garden-plot mentioned by Moses yet it seemes is part of that Countrey sometime called Eden in the East part whereof Paradise was planted and not farre according to Iunius Map from that happy vnhappy place CHAP. IIII. Of the Word Religion and of the Religion of our first Parents before the Fall HAuing thus made way to our History of Religions the first and therefore best Religion is in the first place to be declared Onely somewhat may be not vnfitly spoken before of the word Religion in it selfe is naturall written in the hearts of all men which will as here we shew rather be of a false then no Religion but the name whereby it is so called is by birth a forreiner by common vse made a free-denizon among vs descended from the Romanes which by their Swords made way for their Words the Authors both of the thing it selfe and of the appellation to a great part of this Westerne world But as the Latines haue accustomed themselues to multiplicity and varietie of Rites so haue they varied not a little about the Parents as I may say of this child as the Grecians sometimes about Homers birth-place some giuing one Etymologie deriuation of the word and some another that there needeth some Herald to shew the true petigree or some Grammarian Dictator to cease the strife Seruius Sulpitius as Macrobius citeth him calleth that Religio◠which for some holinesse is remooued and separated from vs quasi relictam à relinquendo dictam Seruius deserueth to be relinquished and his opinion remooued and separated euen with an Anathema if hee would remooue and separate Religion from vs which is the life of our life the way to our happinesse The like is added of Ceremonia à carendo dicta a iust name and reason of the most of the present Romish ceremonies whose want were their best company Massurius Sabinus in A. Gellius hath the like words Religio with Tully is Cultus deorum the worship of the gods hereby distinguisht from Superstition because they were saith he called Superstitious that spent whole dayes in prayer and sacrifices that their children might be Superstites suruiuors after them or rather as Lanctantius Qui superstitem memoriam defunctorum colunt aut qui parentibus suis superstites celebrant imagines corum domi tanquam Deos penates But they which diligently vsed and perused the things pertaining to diuine worship tanquam relegerent were called Religious Religiosi ex relegendo tanquam ex elegendo elegentes intelligendo intelligentes Saint Augustine better acquainted with Religion then Cicero commeth neerer to the name and nature thereof deriuing it
the Sacrifices of Aaron Gedeon Manoah Dauid Salomon Elias or by some other meanes both comfortable to Abel and enuied of Caine who therefore slew him thus in this member bruising the heele of that blessed seed as a type of that which the Head himselfe should after sustaine Here is the first Apostasie after that first Euangelicall promise and the first diuision of Religion Caine beeing the first builder of the Earthly Citie not that which hee called after the name of his Sonne Henoch but of that spirituall City of the Wicked the seed of the Serpent which he founded in his Brothers bloud euen as that later Compendium thereof which called her selfe Caput mundi the head of the World and indeed the World is vsually in Scripture applyed to that seed of the Serpent as it is opposite to the seed of the Woman was by Romulus her first Founder by like example of Fratricide in the murther of Remus dedicated as it were to the future mysterie of iniquitie the seat of the Beast and of the Whore by whose authoritie Christ himselfe was slaine drunken after with the blood of his Saints and still breathing blood and slaughter to euery Abel that will not communicate in her spirituall whooredomes that will not with her offer the fruits of the ground the Sacrifice of Caine which neither came from heauen nor can guide to Heauen being earthly sensuall deuillish Caine was for this his fact conuented by that All-seeing Iustice who both by open sentence and inward terrors accused and accursed him continuing his life euen for the same cause that other Murtherers loose it that he might liue an example which then in that vnpeopled world by his death he could not haue been to the future generation branded also by the Lord with some sensible marke to exempt him and terrifie others from that bloudy crueltie this mercy being mixed with this iudgement a longer time of repentance GOD before cursed the earth for Adam he now cursed CAINE from the earth to be a runnagate and wanderer thereon For how could he that had so forsaken God but be forsaken of the Earth and of himselfe the stable and mercifull earth which before had opened her mouth to receiue his Brothers bloud shrinking and as it were grudging to support such wicked feet and by denying him her strength forcing him to his manifold shifts and shiftlesse remoouing Wretched man alwayes bleeding his brothers bloud not daring to looke vp to Heauen fearing to looke downe to Hell the World without him threatning a miserable life his Body branded to contempt and shame till his death his soule become a stage of Anguish Feare Horrour and other Furies the Harbingers of Hell not able to suffer which yet he cannot but suffer the guilt of passed wickednesse gnawing him the waight of present misery pressing him the dread of a death and a death attending him restlesse in himselfe hated of the World despairing of reliefe from God a liuely Map of the deadly and damnable state of sinne and sinners without Christ dead whiles they liue moouing sepulchres the Deuils captiues hels heires exiled from heauen and vagabonds on the earth euen on that which they call their owne land Caine more vexed with the punishment then at the fault of his sinne departed from the presence of the Lord which is meant either of his iudiciall conuenting him or in regard of the visible societie of the Church cradled yet in his Fathers houshold where God did especially shew his present prouidence protection and grace who otherwise filleth the Heauen and Earth of whom in whom they are from hence as Adam before out of Paradise so Cain was as it were excommunicated expelled out-lawed and dwelt in the Land of Nod which some take to be appellatiuely spoken as if his miserie had giuen name of Moouing vnto the place where he dwelled or roamed rather Iosephus saith hee built Naida applying it to a proper place which was either Eastward from Eden or Eastward towards Eden from Canaan where Adam is supposed to haue dwelt and after with his Wife to haue beene buried at Hebron Afterward his posteritie beeing multiplied his Wife Epiphanius out of Leptogenesis calleth Shaue Comestor calleth her Chalmana Philo Themech he built a Citie which he called by the name of his sonne Henoch to crosse that curse of his wandering to and fro on the earth or to arme him against others which his guilty conscience caused him to feare or to be a receptacle and store-house of those spoyles which Iosephus saith hee robbed from others by violence when as the earth was barren to him Philo if we may so entitle that Author which hath written of the Antiquities of the Bible ascribeth vnto him other Cities Mauli Leed Tehe Iesca Celet Iebbat adding that hee liued 730. yeeres These things may bee probable although that Author be otherwise fabulous considering that men did ordinarily liue many hundred yeeres in those times and were also exceeding fruitfull especially after that Polygamy was embraced of that Family And if that in Abrahams posterity the seed of Iacob in lesse then three hundred yeares was multiplyed to so great a people it is like that the Cainites were no lesse populous liuing in more freedome Hee first saith Iosephus found out weights and measures and assigned proprieties in possessions of Land before common as the ayre and light and was Author to lewd persons of a lewd and vngodly life Probable it is that the Citie was called Henoch because the Curse suffered not the father to stay in a place but to leaue a hasty inheritance to his Son to finish and rule it Iabal and Iubal and Tubalcain were inuenters of Arts the first to dwell in Tents and keepe Cattell the second of Musicall instruments the third of working in Mettals and making of Armour which some thinke to be Vulcan by the neerenesse of name and occupation His Sister Naamah is accounted by some Rabbines the first inuenter of making Linnen and Woollen and of vocall Musique yea they make her the wife of Noah also Thus let vs leaue this Family multiplying in numbers in Sciences in wickednesse sauouring nothing diuine or at least nothing but humane in their Diuinitie therefore called the sonnes of men and let vs looke backe to Adam who in this wicked fruit of his body might read continual Lectures of repentance for the sinne of his soule Adam begat a child in his own likenesse that is not in that likenesse of God wherein he was created but like vnto himselfe both in humane nature natural corruption his name he called Seth of whose posteritie the whole world was by Noah re-peopled Vnto Seth was born Enosh Then began men saith MOSES to call vpon the name of the Lord This some interpret of the beginning of Idolatry that men began to profane the name of the Lord
a line thence drawne to the Caspian Sea and that Isthmus which is betwixt that and the Pontike Sea secondly the great Chams Countrey from thence to the Easterne Sea betwixt the frozen Sea and the Caspian thirdly That which is subiect to the Turke all from Sarmatia and Tartaria Southwards betweene Tygris and the Mediterranean Sea fourthly The Persian Kingdome betweene the Turke Tartar India and the Red Sea fiftly India within and beyond Ganges from Indus to Cantan sixtly The Kingdome of China seuenthly The Islands These diuisions are not so exact as may be wished because of that variety vncertainty in those Kingdomes Many things doth Asia yeeld not elsewhere to be had Myrrhe Frankincense Cinamon Cloues Nutmegs Mace Pepper Muske and other like besides the chiefest Iewels It hath also Minerals of all sorts It nourisheth Elephants Camels and many other Beasts Serpents Fowles wilde and tame as in the ensuing Discourse in their due places shall appeare yet doth it not nourish such monstrous shapes of men as fabulous Antiquitie fained It brought foorth that Monster of Irreligion Mahumet whose Sect in diuerse Sects it fostereth with long continuance of manifold Superstitions It hath now those great Empires of the Turke Persian Mogore Cathayan Chinois it had sometimes the Parthian and before that the Persian Median Assyrian Scythian and first as it seemeth before them all the Babylonian Empire vnder Nimrod which is therefore in the next place to be spoken of CHAP. X. Of Babylonia the originall of Idolatrie and the Chaldaeans Antiquities before the Floud as BEROSVS hath reported them COnfusion caused diuision of Nations Regions and Religions Of this Confusion whereof is alreadie spoken the Citie and thereof this Countrey tooke the name Plinie maketh it a part of Syria which hee extendeth from hence to Cilicia Strabo addeth as farre as the Pontike Sea But is vsually reckoned an entire Countrey of it selfe which Ptolomey doth thus bound On the North it hath Mesopotamia on the West Arabia Deserta Susiana on the East on the South part of Arabia and the Persian Gulfe Luke maketh Babylonia a part of Mesopotamia Ptolomey more strictly diuideth them whereunto also agreeth the interpretation of the Land of Shinar that it was the lower part of Mesopotamia containing Chaldaea and Babylon lying vnder the Mount Sangara In this Countrey was built the first City which we read of after the Floud by the vngratefull World mooued thereunto as some thinke by Nimrod the sonne of Cush nephew of Cham. For as Caines posteritie before the Floud were called the sonnes of Men as more sauouring the things of men then of God more industrious in humane inuentions then religious deuotions so by Noahs curse it may appeare and by the Nations that descended of him that Cham was the first Author after the Floud of irreligion Neither is it likely that he which derided his old Father whom Age Holinesse Fatherhood Benefits and thrice greatest Function of Monarchy Priesthood and Prophecie should haue taught him to reuerence That he I say which at once could breake all these bonds and chaines of Nature and Humanitie would be held with any bonds of Religion or could haue an eye of Faith to see him which is inuisible hauing put out his eyes of Reason and Ciuilitie Had hee feared God had he reuerenced man had hee made but profession of these things in some hypocriticall shew hee could not so easily haue sitten downe at ease in that Chaire of Scorning whence we read not that euer hee rose by repentance From this Cham came Nimrod The mightie hunter before the Lord not of innocent beasts but of men compelling them to his subiection although Noah and Sem were yet aliue with many other Patriarches As for Noah the fabling Heathen it is like deified him The Berosus of fabling Annius calleth him Father of the gods Heauen Chaos the Soule of the World Ianus his double face might seeme to haue arisen hence of Noahs experience of both Ages before and after the Floud The fable of Saturnus cutting off his Fathers priuities might take beginning of that act for which Cham was cursed Sem is supposed to be that Melchisedech King of Salem the figure of the Lord and the propagator of true Religion although euen in his posteritie it failed in which Abrahams Father as witnesseth Ioshua serued other gods Iaphets pietie causeth vs to perswade our selues good things of him Cham and his posteritie we see the authors of ruine Philo and Methodius so are the two bookes called but falsly tell That in these daies they began to diuine by Starres and to sacrifice their children by Fire which Element Nimrod compelled men to worship and that to leaue a name to posteritie they engraued their names in the brickes wherewith Babel was builded Abraham refusing to communicate with them and good cause for he was not yet borne was cast into their Brick-kill and came out long after from his Mothers wombe without harme Nahor Lot and other his fellowes nine in number saued themselues by flight Others adde that Aram Abrams brother was done to death for refusing to worship the Fire Qui Bauium non odit amet tua carmina Maeui To come to truer and more certaine reports Moses saith That the beginning of Kimrods Kingdome was Babel and Erech and Acad and Calne which three some interpret Edessa Nisibis Callinisum And whereas commonly it is translated in the next words Out of that Land came Ashur and built Niniueh Tremellius and Iunius read it Out of this Land hee Nimrod went into Ashur or Assyria and built Niniue and Rehoboth Calah and Resen But most vsually this is vnderstood of Ashur the sonne of Sem who disclayming Nimrods tyrannie built Niniue which after became the chiefe City of the Assyrian Empire to which Babylon it selfe was subiected not long after Xenophon de Aequiuocis if his authority be current saith That the eldest of the cheife families were called Saturni their Fathers had to name Coelum their wiues Rhea and out of a piller erected by Semiramis to Ninus alleageth this inscription My Father was Iupiter Belus my Grandfather Saturnus Babylonicus my great Grandfather Saturnus Aethiops who was sonne of Saturnus Aegyptius to whom Coelus Phoenix Ogyges was Father Ogyges is interpreted Noah therefore called Phoenix because of his habitation as is thought in Phoenicia not farre from whence in Ierusalem Sem raigned Saturnus Aegyptius may be the name of Cham of whose name Egypt is in Scripture tearmed the land of Cham. Saturnus Aethiops is Cush Nimrod Babylonicus the father of Belus who begat Ninus But this cannot be altogether true For Niniue hath greater antiquitie then Nimrods Nephew howsoeuer the Greeke Histories ascribe this to Ninus and Babylon to his wife Semiramis except we say that by them these two Cities formerly built were enlarged and erected to that magnificence which with the growth of the Assyrian Empire
on three hills to wit Sion on which the Iebusites built their Tower and which in Dauids time was further builded on and called the Citie of Dauid The second hill was Mount Moriah which Dauid bought of Arauna to erect thereon the Temple The third was the higher Acra called the Suburbe These were compassed with one wall without and within diuided with three walls by which the Citie of Dauid and Moriah and the higher Acra were seuered In the circuit of the walls were nine gates Hee that desireth further to reade or rather to see the old Ierusalem with her holy Fabriques let him resort to Arias Montanus his Antiquitates Iudaicae where he both relateth and in figures presenteth these things It is supposed that Melchisedech built it about the yeere of the World 2023. and called it Salem Hierome in his 129. Epistle hath these words Ipsa Metropolis tua prius Iebus postea Salem tertio Hierosolyma nunc Aelia As if it were called Iebus before it had the name of Salem which is not so probable Yea Ierome himselfe in his 126. Epistle confutes Iosephus and the vulgar opinion that Salem was Ierusalem and sayth that Salem was a Towne neere to Scythopolis which remayned to his time where also were still shewed the ruines of Melchisedeks Palace the monument of her ancient and antiquate splendor The like Saint Ambrose in his Commentarie on Hebr. 7. The Kings thereof were anciently called Melchi-zedek or Adoni-zedek that is Kings or Lords of Iustice or of Zedek which some will haue the first name thereof and Salem the second this signifieth Peace Righteousnesse indeed and peace did here kisse each other when the Lord our righteousnesse here preached peace and was made our peace and righteousnesse the true Melchizedek whose Kingdome is righteousnesse peace and ioy in the holy Ghost It was after called Ierusalem by addition of the word Iereth as some thinke to the former name Salem For so it is said of Abraham when GOD tried his obedience in here offering his sonne hee called the place Iehoua iereh the Lord will prouide from which and Salem by composition ariseth this name so fitting both the Citie and mysterie Iosephus sayth it was first called Solyma and by Melchisedech named Hierosolyma of a Temple by him there built as if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 had beene the language of Ierusalem elsewhere he attributeth it to Dauid from an Hebrew deriuation which and other like Etimologies haue caused Masius to pronounce him ignorant of the Hebrew and educated onely in the Greeke as Scaliger somewhere affirmeth of Philo his companion in Nation learning and in that Grecian eloquence wherein they neuer had companions neither of their owne nor scarse of any other Nation The Iebusites after possessed and of them some deriue the name Ierusalem quasi Iebussalem till Dauid expelled them who had before raigned in Hebron called Cariatharbe the Citie of foure men say some because of Adam Abraham Isaac and Iacob their both dwelling and buriall there yet Adam others say was buried in mount Caluarie with other speculations curious and vncertaine Hee translated the highest seat both of spirituall and temporall Regiment to Ierusalem where he raigned after three and thirtie yeeres to whom succeeded Salomon and the rest in order It then contayned in circuit fiftie furlongs compassed with a great ditch threescore foot deepe and two hundred and fiftie broad Nabuchodonosor destroyed it Nehemias re-edified it three and thirtie furlongs in circuit The Machabees Herod and others added to her excellence till Titus befieged and tooke it in which siege are said to haue perished eleuen hundred thousand people and being now a Sepulchre of dead carkasses was made a spectacle of diuine vengeance for murthering the Lord of Life But those struggling spirits and small remnants of life which remayned in this forlorne carkasse of the sometime Ierusalem breathed a new rebellion in the time of Adrian and thereby breathed her last as before is said Bernard de Breidenbach sayth he neuer saw any place which had a fairer prospect then Ierusalem presenting to the eye Arabia the Plaine of Iericho and the dead Sea But what doe wee now in Aelia or the now Ierusalem whose rarities the iournals of many testifie Concerning the former The Historie of this Citie the Scripture hath recorded and where Diuine Historie endeth Iosephus and Hegesippus that I speake not of late Writers haue largely supplied especially concerning her latest fates and as I may terme it in her funerall Sermon Strabo Iustine and others haue written of this people but not sincerely But the fountaines are cleere enough to acquaint vs with their true originall which commeth next to bee considered CHAP. II. Of the Hebrew Patriarchs and their Religion before the Law also of their Law and Politie §. I. Of the Patriarchs and Religion before the Law THe name of Hebrewes some deriue from Abraham as if they were called Hebraei quasi Abrahai Arias Montanus telleth vs that this name of Hebrewes was not appropriate to any familie but common to all such as hauing passed ouer the Riuer Euphrates fixed their Tents and abode betweene that Riuer and the great Sea Hee gathereth this from the Hebrew word which signifieth to passe ouer Such an one first of all was Heber seeking a life answerable to his name whose example sayth hee Thare imitated and after Abram for his twofold transmigration from Chaldaea and from Haran deserued that name and left it to his posteritie But Iosephus Augustine and others more fitly in my mind of Heber the fourth from Shem the sonne of Noah with whose familie as wee haue sayd continued the ancient Language of the world called of his name Hebrew his sonne Peleg or Phaleg bearing the name of that diuision which at the time of his birth the rest of the world in their Languages sustained This Peleg was grand-father to Serug whom some affirme to haue beene the first maker of Idols which were afterwards worshipped by Nahor his sonne and Thare his Nephew the father of Abram who preached openly that there was but one God Creator and Gouernour of all things and by this doctrine prouoking the Chaldaeans against him warned by Oracle departed towards Canaan Bellarmine so eagerly swalloweth this opinion that he taxeth Caluine of heresie for attributing to Abraham the contrarie namely that Abraham before GOD called him out of Vr was an Idolater an opinion so much more probable then the other as hauing better authoritie For Ioshua obiecteth to the Israelites their fore-fathers Idolatrie and nameth Abraham amongst them And Genebrard doth so interprete it Masius in his Commentaries on that place both zealous and learned Papists yea Lindanus specifieth the Idolatrie and calleth him a worshipper of Vesta Suidas sayth that Abraham by the obseruation of the Creatures in his studie of Astronomie lifted vp his mind aboue the starres
as if he had touched a stranger They liue long feare not death not by any tortures of the Romans could be compelled to transgresse their lawes but derided their tormentors rather beleeuing to receiue their soules againe presently holding the bodies to be corruptible and the prisons of the immortall soules which if they haue been good haue a pleasant place assigned them beyond the Ocean but the euill to be in tempestuous stormie places of punishments Some of these Essens also foretell things to come And another sort is of them which allow of marriage but make a three yeeres tryall first of the woman and if by a constant purgation they appeare fit for child-bearing they wed them not for pleasure but procreation and therefore after conception do not accompanie with them These women when they wash haue their sacred linnen garments also as the men Thus far Iosephus who in his Antiq. addeth to these their opinions of Gods prouidence ruling all things and that they thinke their Ceremonies more holy then those of the Temple and therefore send thither their gifts but do not there sacrifice but by themselues following the same course of life which the Plisti do amongst the Dacians Some of these Essees liued solitarie like to Hermites as is said before Happily that Baenus was of this sort to whom Iosephus resorted for imitation He liued in the wildernesse cloathing and feeding himselfe with such things as the trees and plants of their owne accord yeelded him and with often cold washings in the night and day cooling the heate of lust with him Iosephus abode three yeeres §. VI. Of the Scribes THE Gaulonites or Galilaans had their beginning of Iudas elsewhere hee calleth him Simon a Galilaean whose doctrine was That Only GOD was to be accounted their Lord and Prince In other things they agreed with the Pharises but for their libertie they would rather endure any the most exquisite tortures together with their kindred and friends then call any mortall man their Lord Theudas happily mentioned Act. 5. and that Egyptian Act. 21. were of this rebellious and trayterous Sect and those Sicarij which wore short weapons vnder their garments therewith murthering men in assemblies That Egyptian Iosephus cals a false Prophet who vnder pretence of Religion and name of a Prophet assembled almost thirtie thousand men to Mount Oliuet hee was defeated by Foelix the Gouernour Such were their Zelotae in the siege of Ierusalem vnder the mantle of Religion all of them harbouring and cloaking Treason and villanie The Scribes are not a Sect but a function of which were two sorts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the one expounders of the Law the other publike Notaries or Actuaries Recorders Secretarie Epiphanius maketh difference betwixt the Scribes that were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Teachers of the Law and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Lawyers which prescribed formes of Law Law-cases and taught Ciuill actions But these are often taken one for the other Ezra is called a Scribe whose Pulpit is mentioned Nehem. 8. and Moses Chaire was the Seate of the Scribes that is they taught the Law of Moses which they vsed to do sitting as Christ also did Math. 5.2 Their expositions Epiphanius saith were of foure sorts one in the name of Moses the second in the name of their Rabbine Akiba he is said to haue liued a hundred and twentie yeeres and to be standard-bearer to Barchozba the third in Andan or Annan the fourth after the Assamonai But little is to bee said of these Scribes more then what is before said of the Pharises this being not a differing Sect but an Office or Ministerie wherof the Pharises also were capable and are for false teaching blamed by our Sauiour together with the Scribes The Scribes are said in their expositions to haue beene more textuall the Pharises more in their Glosses and Traditions The Scribes had chiefe reputation for learning the Pharises for holinesse taking more paines saith our English Iosephus to goe to hell The Scribes professed both disputation and obseruation of many things saith Arias Montanus but not so exact as the Pharises For the Pharises though not so learned as the other thought themselues more holy then them because they obserued not onely those things which in the common opinion were thought meete but those things which were least which the people obserued not which others had added This they were ambitious of as of some great perfection for there was a threefold state of men The Doctors Pharises and people of the Land The Prouerbe was The people of the Land are the foote-stoole of the Pharises And this The people of the Land is not holy and they discerne not the Law nor wisedome yea saith the booke Musar hee shall not take the daughter of the people of the Land because they are abomination and their wiues are abomination and of their daughters it is said Cursed be hee that lyeth with a beast Thus did these proud Doctors and Pharises treade the way to the Popish Clergie in contemning the Laytie as vnworthie of the Law and Scripture which in an vnknowne tongue was sealed from them and feasted them at high Feasts with an halfe Sacrament and in their ordinarie priuate Masse with none at all Were not these faire reasons The Laytie might if they had a whole Communion touch the Cup and some of them haue beards and some haue the palsie and their dignitie is inferior to the Priestly c. The Booke Aboth sheweth how the people of the Lord required this supercilious generation talking of them and scoffing at them for their obseruations When I was of the people of the Land R. Aquiba there saith I said Who will giue me a Disciple of the wise I would bite him as an Asse for that insolence and because they would not suffer themselues to be touched of them The people were tyed to obserue the precepts mentioned or by necessitie of consequence drawne out of the Bible The Pharises as is said added their Traditions The Scribes manner of teaching was colde and weake consisting in certaine arguments which rather afflicted then affected the mindes of the hearers in certaine niceties and scrupulous questions and sometimes inextricable And therefore the people heard Christ as speaking with authoritie and not as the Scribes But to let passe these Schoole-men and those Canonists let vs come to their other Sects and sorts of professions §. VII Of many other Iewish Sects and Heresies THe Hemerobaptists are numbred by Epiphanius among the Iewish heresies which saith hee in other things differ not from the Scribes and Pharisies but in their doctrine of the resurrection and in infidelitie are like to the Sadduces And euerie day in all times of the yeere they are baptized or washed whence they haue their name But this custome of daily washing saith Scaliger was common
the writing being cancelled should bee neglected and perhaps the Name of God cast with it on the dung-hil the wise-men abolished that order on the third of Tisri which they instituted a holy-day As for the name of Maccabees Iunius saith it came from the inscription of those foure letters M. C. B. I. in the banners of those Princes which deliuered the Iewes from the Macedonian thraldome Scaliger saith that Iudas onely and properly was so called but by abuse of speech was not onely giuen to all of that kindred but to all which suffered in those times persecution for Religion as the seuen brethren and others The name Hasmonaei began with that Hircanus Scaliger thinketh because in the sixty eight Psalme it is by the Iewes interpreted Prince Aristobulus sonne of Hircanus first after the captiuitie called himselfe king and raigned one yeere Ioannes Alexander his brother twentie seuen after him his wife Alexandra nine Hircanus her sonne three moneths Aristobulus his brother three yeeres Ierusalem was taken of Pompey and Hircanus recouered the Priest-hood which he held two and twentie yeeres Antigonus by aide of the Parthians possessed Iudae a fiue yeeres and in his second yeere Herod was proclaimed King by the Romans who tooke the Citie the fift yeere of Antigonus and raigned foure and thirtie Scaliger ascribeth to Herods kingdome the number after Eusebius account reckoning from the birth of Abram 1977. he died 2016. Archelaus his son was made by Augustus Tetrarch of Ierusalem 2016. was banished 2025. Agricola was made king by Caligula 2053. Agrippa his son by Claudius 2060. and died 2116. thirtie yeeres after the destruction of the Temple The Dynastie of the Herodians lasted 139. yeeres Thus Scaliger He attributeth the Natiuitie of Christ to the 3948. yeere of the world Here we must leaue the Chronologers contending of the yeere of the world in which this blessed Natiuitie happened some adding many more yeeres some not allowing so many It is certaine by the Scripture that he was borne in the one and fortieth or two and fortieth of Augustus baptized in the fifteenth of Tiberius then beginning to be about thirtie yeeres of age in the thirtie three yeere he was crucified In the seuentie two as Baronius and seuentie one yeere of Christ as Buntingus and Liuely account Ierusalem was destroyed by Titus in the second of Vespasian Arias Montanus reckoneth this the yeere of the World 3989. and saith that the Hebrewes reckon it the 3841. which must needes be false The fault ariseth from the false computation of the Persian and Graecian Monarchies Iosephus counteth from the time of Herod to the destruction of the Temple twentie eight high Priests and a hundred and seuen yeeres After Scaliger in his Can. Isag. l. 3. this yeere 1612. is the 1614. of Christ of the World 5461. after the Iewish account of Hillel 5372. of the Armenians 1061. of the Iulian Period 6325. of the Hegira 1021. Anno 4. Olymp. 597. The Dionysian account which wee vsually follow was not generally receiued till after the time of Charles the Great CHAP. XII Of the Iewish Talmud and the Composition and estimation thereof also of the Iewish Learned men their succession their Cabbalists Masorites their Rabbines Vniuersities Students Rabbinicall creations their Scriptures and the translations of them §. I. Of the Talmud RAbbi Mosche Mikkotzi in a worke of his set forth Anno 1236. as Buxdorfius citeth him saith that the Written Law which GOD gaue to Moses and Moses to the Israelites is obscure and hard because it speaketh some things contradictorie which hee seeketh to proue by some places mis-interpreted and because it is imperfect and contayneth not all things meete to be knowne For who shall teach vs saith he the notes of Birds and Beasts a Franciscan might answere him out of the Legend of Saint Francis the Patron of his Order who shall teach them the proprietie and nature of points accents of Letters Also what fatte might be eaten what not c. Many such things are defectiue in the Law and therefore there is neede of some other Exposition of the written Law whence these things might be learned This Exposition for-sooth must be their Talmud the generation of which Viper touched before we will here more fully declare They say that Moses on Mount Sinai was not with GOD fortie daies and fortie nights to keepe Geese And GOD could haue written those Tables of the Law in an houre and sent him away with them so to haue preuented that Idolatrie with the Golden Calfe But GOD brought Moses into a Schoole and there gaue him the Law in writing first and then in all that long time expounded the same shewing the cause manner measure foundation and intention thereof in the true sense This vnwritten and Verball Law did Moses teach Ioshua be the Elders from these it was deriued to the Prophets After Zacharie and Malachie the last of these it came to the great Sanhedrib and after them by Tradion from father to sonne And Rabbi Bechai saith That Moses learned the Law written in the day time and this Traditionall Law by night for then he could not see to write Rabbi Mosche Mikkotzi sheweth the cause why God would deliuer the same by mouth onely and not in writing lest I wisse the Gentiles should peruert this as they did the other which was written And in the day of Iudgement when GOD shall demand who are the Israelites the Gentiles shall make challenge because of the Law written but the Iewes onely shall be acceped as hauing this Simani this verball exposition GOD also say they gaue them Chachamim Wise-men authors of diuers ordinances amongst them as to blesse GOD at the Sunne-rising and Sunne-setting And of Schooles where children should be taught the Law of Moses in euery Citie and where the Law of Moses should be read weekely and that the Israelites should not eate or drinke with the Gentiles nor what they had dressed after the example of Daniel c. But when the Temple was destroyed and the Iewes carried away captiues then arose vp Rabbi Iuda Hannasi who is called for his humilitie and godlinesse our Great Master to whom GOD procured such fauour in the eyes of Antoninus the Emperour that hee had authoritie to assemble out of all places of the Empire the most learned Iewes to consult in this their almost desperate Estate what course to take for the preseruation of the Law amongst the people And although this Kabala or Law giuen by word of mouth might not bee committed to writing yet in consideration and commiseration of their miserie whatsoeuer thereof was remayning in memorie hee writ in a booke which hee called Mischna that is a Deutronomie or Law reiterated contayning sixe summes diuided into sixtie lesse parts or tractates and these into fiue hundred thirtie two Chapters Thus farre R. Mikkotzi The contents of the sixe summes and their seuerall Tractates
Epiphanius reporteth of the Gnostikes as great or worse abhominations for euen the Diuell himselfe may bee slandered But long before his time Iacobus de Vitriaco did write of a certaine miserable people liuing in the Mountaines and not farre from Tripoli which in great part obserued the Law of Mahomet but had another hidden Law which they said they might reueale to no man but to their owne Children when they grew to be of ripe age Their wiues and daughters with an implicite faith professe a beliefe in the same but know it not And if the Sonne should vpon any cause reueale it to his Mother the Husband would slay his Wife and the Father his Sonne These eate Swines flesh and drinke Wine and of other Saracens are accounted Heretikes These haue their workes of darknesse in secret wherein they practise filthinesse and such things as are contrarie to the Female sexe and therefore feare lest their wiues would not endure their execrable rites if they were therewith acquainted Howsoeuer the case standeth a filthy Sect it was and is For euen still it continues and if my coniecture deceiue not these are those Drusians of which many Authors haue written falsely surmising them to bee the Relikes of the Latine Armies and of those Frankes which sometime possessed these parts of Syria I deny not but that some of these might ioyne vnto them in and for that fellowship of filthinesse as heere in these parts many debauched beasts with those beastly Gypsies yea I thinke that the Assassines and these since the Tartars destroyed the chiefe of that Sect in Persia and possessed the parts of Syria haue growne into one people receiued also into their societie whatsoeuer dregges of Nations male-contents exiles and vnruely borderers those Mountaines could secure in and thorow all the changes of State and Dominion which those Countries haue suffered which freedome they retayned not onely in the weaker and more vnsetled gouernment of the Mamalukes and Aegyptian Soldans but euen still continue in some sort notwithstanding the Ottoman greatnesse Circumcision they embrace with the Turkes vse the libertie of Christians in drinking Wine and more then beastly licentiousnesse in incestuous copulations with their owne Daughters Thus Botero Knolls in his Turkish Historie saith they follow one Isman a Prophet of their owne and are not Circumcised But I haue learned of a friend of mine one Master Pountesse who hath had acquaintance with them that they are Circumcised And that they are of those Dogzijn which Beniamin mentions it is apparant by their place of abode by their hereticall Sect and Customes so like and by their name easily changed from Dogzijn to Dorzijn and so to Drozijn or Druzijn an easier change then so long a time and forraine pronunciation vsually admit Biddulph writes that they retaine still Baptisme and the names of Christians but are called Rafties that is Infidels Selym the second sought to bring them vnder the Turkish yoke and his successors likewise till these dayes yet both these and the Arabians were neuer made fully subiect Thus the ancient Scythians the Reisbuti in the Mogols Countrey of Cambia the Curdi other Mountaine inhabitants and borderers as also a long time the Welshmen in Wales vnder the greatest soueraignties haue enioyed a kinde of freedome secured by the mountainous situation their naturall hardinesse and the greatest cause their pouertie as a bootlesse bootie and worthlesse conquest to buy barenesse and barrennesse with the price of bloud These Drusians are a people warlike and religious obseruers of their owne superstition yeelding due obedience vnto their naturall Lords they weare long coats reaching to the knees but toned before and no breeches and vse the Arcubuse and Scimatar They are increased in numbers which might come to passe by the long warres which the Westerne Christians with often inuasions made in those parts after they were dispossessed of the Kingdome of Ierusalem the same seconded by the Tartars a long time and after it was the confines of the Turkish and Mamalukes Empires so that it is no maruell if they bee of sundry Nations and Religions being the confluence of so many people and sinke of so many Sects howsoeuer the Drusians name bee predominant They inhabit from Ioppa to Caesarea and Damasco Some dissensions among their Princes gaue opportunitie to Ebrain Bassa An. Dom. 1585. to spoyle their Countrey and extort what hee could one of them helping to cut the others throat yet neuer could he force Man-Ogli to come in and submit himselfe although herein he vsed the Turkish forces and wiliest stratagems then also inuesting Aly Ebre-Carfus in the soueraigntie sweating him to the Turke and carrying with him Ebne-Mansur and Serafadin two of the Drusian Princes which had submitted themselues in his Galleyes as prisoners to Constantinople They are still it is the Relation of a Traueller gouerned by a succession of Princes whom they call Emyrs The present Emer of Sidon is Faccardine a man neuer seene to pray nor in a Mosque small of stature couragious and tyrannicall Hee neuer commenceth battell nor executeth any notable designe without the consent of his Mother a woman skilled in Magicke To his Towne hee hath added a Kingly Signiorie what by his sword and what by his stratagems He pickt a quarrell with Ioseph Emer of Tripoli and dispossest him of Barut and after sackt Tripoli it selfe and forced the Emer to flie to Cyprus and when with the forces of Damasco for hee got to be made Seidar or Gouernour of the Souldierie there he sought to repayre his losses in the field the Damascens were foyled and pursued to the gates of their Citie the conquerours lodging in the Suburbs whence they were remooued by the force of fifteene hundred thousand Sultanies This was Anno 1606. Thus vnder the tytle of a Subiect to the Turke but yeelding obedience at large he holdeth Gazir Barut Sidon Tyrus Acre Saffet or Tyberias Diar Camer Elkiffe the two heads of Iordan the Lake Bemochonthis now called Houle and Sea of Tyberias with the hot Bath adioyning Nazareth Cana and Mount Tabor Saffet is his principall Citie in which are many Iewes The grand Signior often threats his subuersion both for his incroaching and intelligence with the Florentines which hee diuerteth with gifts and fauour but yet prouides for it by fortifying his holds able to hold out a long warre hauing also fortie thousand expert souldiers in continuall pay besides the aduantage of the Mountaines and in greatest extremitie the Sea and the Florentine Hee hath the fifth part of the increase of all things and head-money for all Cattell within his dominions and two Dollers yeerely for the head of euery Iew and Christian The Marchants are there so safe that they may trauell with their purses in their hands yet subiect to tyrannicall seizures vpon the death of Factor or Owner But more then enough of these Drusians and other people 's mingled with them Biddulph mentions Vseph Beg
betweene Euphrates and Nilus he inuaded Persia where the Persians lost both their King Hormisda their State Religion and Name of Persians being conuerted into Saracens This victorious Homar made Ierusalem his Royall seat and while he was praying was murthered by his seruant Ozmen the succeeding Caliph sent a great Armie into Africa vnder the leading of Hucba who ouercomming Gregorius Patritius and destroying Carthage subiected all that Prouince to their Empire making Tunes the Mother-citie but soone after translated that honour to Chairoan which he built thirtie six miles from the Sea and a hundred from Tunes In the third yeere of his raigne Muauias the Deputie of Egypt with a Nauie of seuen hundred or as others say of a hundred and seuentie saile assailed Cyprus and taking Constantia wasted the whole Iland and hauing wintred his Armie at Damascus the next yeere besieged Arad in Cyprus and won it and dispeopled all the I le Thence hee inuaded the continent of Asia and carried away many prisoners and after in a Sea-fight with Constans the Emperour dyed the Lycian Sea with Christian bloud Hee wan Rhodes and sold to a Iew the brazen Colosse or pillar of the Sun which laded nine hundred Camels sometimes reckoned one of the worlds seuen wonders made in twelue yeeres space by Chares After this hee afflicted the Cyclides Ilands in the Archipelago and then sent his Fleet against Sicilia where they made spoile with fire and sword till by Olympius they were chased thence Muauias himselfe with an Armie by land entred into Cappadocia Iaid hauing ouer-run all the neighbouring Armenia vnto the hill Caucasus But meane while Ozmen besiged in his house by Ali his faction slew himselfe when hee had liued eightie and seuen yeeres and raigned twelue The Saracens could not agree about their new Prince Muaui and Ali with great armies being Corriuals of that dignitie and Ali being treacherously murthered by Muauias meanes in a Temple neere Cufa a Citie of Arabia was there buried and the place is of him called Massadalle or Alli his house for if you beleeue the Legend his corps being laid on a Camell which was suffered to goe whither hee would he staid at this place Of this Ali or Hali Mahomets Cousin the Persians deriue their sect and tell of him many Legendary fables Bedwell calls this place in his Arabian Trudgman Masged Aly that is the Mesged Mosque or Temple of Ali. Alhacem the sonne of Ali and Fatima Mahumets daughter was by Muauia his owne hands crowned and by him soone after poysoned Thus was Muaui sole Caliph who granted peace to the Emperour on condition that hee should pay him euery day tenne pounds of gold and a Gentleman-seruant with a horse Damascus was now made the Seat-Royall Of which Citie although wee haue said somewhat in our first booke yet let vs bee a little beholden to Beniamin Tudelensis to shew vs the Saracenicall face thereof In his time it was subiect to Noraldine as hee termeth him King of the children of Thogarma that is the Turkes The Citie saith hee is great and faire containing on euery side fifteene miles by it slideth the Riuer Pharphar and watereth their Gardens Amana is more familiar and entreth the Citie yea by helpe of Art in Conduits visiteth their priuate houses both striuing in emulous contention whether shall adde more pleasure or more profit to the Citie by Naaman therefore in the heate of his indignation preferred before all the waters of Israel But no where is so magnificent a building saith Beniamin as the Synagogue of the Ismaelites which is therein the people call it the Palace of Benhadad There is to be seene a wall of Glasse built by Art-Magicke distinguished by holes as many as the yeere hath dayes and so placed that euery day the Sunne findeth them fitted in order to his present motion each hole hauing therein a Diall with twelue degrees answering to the houres of that day so that in them is designed both the time of the yeere and of the day Within the Palace are Baths and costly buildings so rich of gold and siluer as seemeth incredible I saw there hanging a ribbe of one of the Enakims or Giants nine Spanish palmes long and two broad on the Sepulchre was written the name of Abchamaz After this in the time of Tamerlan the magnificence of their Temple was not quite extinct but as is reported it had fortie great Porches in the circuite thereof and within nine thousand Lamps hanging from the roofe all of gold and siluer For the Temples sake at first he spared the Citie but after prouoked by their rebellion he destroyed it and them Neither were the walls of Damascus rebuilded till a certaine Florentine for loue of the Gouernours daughter denying his faith became Mahumetan and after that both Gouernour and repairer of the Citie in the walls engrauing a Lyon the Armes of Florence He was honoured after his death with a Moskee and worshipped after the manner of their Saints the Saracens visiting his tombe and hauing touched the same stroking their beards with their hands There did our Author see a large house compassed with high walls which was inhabited with Catts The reason forsooth is this Mahomet sometime liuing in this Citie made much reckoning of a Cat which he carried in his sleeue by lucky tokens from her ordred his affaires From this dreame the Mahumetans make so much of Catts and hold it charitable almes to feede them thinking that he should prouoke the iudgement of God which should suffer a Cat to starue And many of them are found in the shambles begging or buying the inwards of beasts to nourish Catts a superstition more likely to descend from the Egyptians who for the benefit they receiued by Catts in destroying their vermine of which that Countrey yeelds store in a Heathenish superstition deified them But let vs returne to Muaui hee subdued the Sect of Ali in Persia and after inuaded Cil icia and sent to aide Sapores a band of Saracens which afflicted Chalcedon and sacked Armaria a City of Phrygia and with a Fleete inuaded Sicill tooke Siracuse and carried away with them the riches of Sicilia and of Rome it selfe lately fleeced by the Emperour and here horded Another Armie of Saracens ouer-running the Sea-coast of Africa led away eight hundred thousand prisoners Muamad and Caise on the other side subdued to Muaui Lydia and Cilicia and after with Seuus another Saracen Generall besieged Constantinople from Aprill to September and taking Cizicum there wintred their forces and in the spring returned to their siege which they continued seuen yeeres but by Diuine assistance and force of tempest they were chased thence And Constantine slew three hundred thousād Saracens in a battell not long after against Susia the Nephew of Muaui and compelled the Saracens to pay a great tribute Iezid raigned after the death of Muaui his father a better Poet then Souldier
insert out of this Iew because I know none other Author that can acquaint vs with the State of Bagded in the time of her chiefe flourishing before it was destroyed by the Tartars Thus haue wee giuen you a Chronographicall view of the ancient Chaliphaes with their first and greatest Conquests omitting the lesser and later as in the yeere 807. in Sardinia and Corsica in 826. in Creete 843. in Sicil and presently after in Italy ouer-running Tuscan and burning the Suburbes of Rome it selfe with the Churches of Peter and Paul 845. the next yeere in Illyria Dalmatia besides the taking of Ancona in 847. chased by Pope Leo from Ostia These with other their affaires of warre in Lucania Calabria Apulia at Beneuentum Genua Capua which Cities they tooke I passe ouer After this great bodie grew lubberly and vnweldie it fell vnder the weight of it selfe none so much as the Saracens ouerthrowing the Saracens as their Sects and Diuisions make plaine Neuerthelesse this dis-ioyning and disioynting notwithstanding their Religion euen still couereth a great part of the world For besides the triumphing sword of the Turke Persian Mogore Barbarian and other Mahumetan Princes such is the zeale of the superstitious Mahumetan that in places furthest distant this their Religion hath beene preached which they trade together with their Marchandize euen from the Atlantike Ocean vnto the Philippinaes It hath sounded in China it hath pierced Tartaria and although the name of Christian extendeth it selfe into so many Sects and Professions in the Countries of Asia Afrike and America besides Europe almost wholly Christians yet it is hard to say whether there bee not as many Disciples and Professors of this ridiculous and impious deuotion as of all those which giue their names to Christ in whatsoeuer Truth or Heresie Master Brerewood accounteth the Mahumetans more then the Christians in proportion of sixe to fiue Thus hath the Field and the Church stooped to Mahomet wee may adde more Saul among the Prophets learning hath flourished among the Mahumetans at first vnlearned and rude but enemies to learning in others Yea they sought to propagate their impious Mahometrie and extirpate the Christian truth by that pollicie of Iulian prohibiting all learning to their Christian subiects Such a decree of Abdalla A. 766. is recited by Theophanes When the Kings of Africa possessed Spaine they founded Vniuersities both at Marocco it is Scaligers report and in Spaine allowing yeerely stipends to the Professors And in those times was great ignorance of good learning in the Latine Church when good Disciplines flourished exceedingly amongst the Muhammedans Yea whatsoeuer the Latines writ after the industrie of the Arabians had acquainted them with their ignorance is wholly to be ascribed to the Arabians both their Philosophie Physicke and Mathematikes For they had no Greeke Author which was not first translated into Arabike and thence into Latine as Ptolomey Euclide and the rest till Constantinople being taken by the Turkes the Greeke Exiles brought vs backe to the Fountaines Iohn Leo testifies that many ancient Authors and great volumes are amongst them translated out of the Latine which the Latines themselues haue lost But now the Muhammedans are growne artlesse in Africa only in Constantinople may good Arabike Persian works be gotten by the helpe of the Iewes Lud. Viues saith That they translated Arabike out of the Latine but he was not so well able to iudge therof although he rightly ascribeth the corrupting of Arts to vnskilful translations and sheweth the difference of Abenrois or Auerrois his Aristotle as the Latins haue him from the Greeke But his inuectiue is too bitter in condemning all the Arabians as vnlearned doting and sauouring more of the Alcoran then of Art and the Spaniard might beare some grudge to that Nation which so many hundred yeeres had spoyled Spaine still leauing the fourth part of the Spanish Language as Scaliger testifieth thereof Arabike in monument of their Conquest Of their learned men were Auicen Auerrois Auempace Algazel c. Philosophers Mesue Rasis and many other Physicians and Astrologers mentioned in the Chronicles of Zacuthi Leo and Abilfada Ismael Geographers Cairaon Bagded Fez Marocco Corduba c. were Vniuersities of Saracen students But now Learning and Schooles are decayed and ruined euen as at first also it was amongst some of them little countenanced as appeareth by that Hagag in the 96. yeere of the Hegira who being Gouernor or King of Irak in his sicknesse consulted with an Astrologer Whether the Stars had told him of any Kings death that yeere he answered That a King should die but his name was Cani Whereupon Hagag remembring that at his birth his mother had imposed that name on him I shall die saith he but thou shalt go one houre before and presently caused his head to be smitten off An vnhappie Harbengership in regard of his Art an vnhappie Art which can better tell others Destinies then their owne But no maruell in Hagag who was fleshed in bloud that his Herodian Testament should bee thus bloudie who in his life had in that Median Prouince slaine an hundred and twentie thousand men besides fiftie thousand men and fourescore thousand women which perished in his imprisonments Baghdad which is also called Dar-assalam that is The Citie of Peace receiued that name of a Monke called Bachdad who as Ben-Casen writeth serued a Church builded in that Medow But Abu-Giapar Almansur the second Abassaean Chalipha who wanne it A. Heg. 150. named it Dar-assalam It is the Citie Royall of Mesopotamia now called Diarbecr which the said Almansur placed in a large Plaine vpon Tigris and diuided by the Riuer into two Cities ioyned by a Bridge of Boats This Citie built in this place Almansur ruled many yeeres and after him other Chaliphaes till the 339. yeere of the Hegira in which King Aadhd-eddaule and Saif-eddaule tooke it who with their Successours enioyed it till Solymus the Ottoman Emperour subdued and is now ruled by a Bascia with many Ianizaries But hereof Ahmad Abi Bacr of Bachdad in his Annals will shew you more This Citie is famous for Schooles of all Sciences both in former and the present time Here Ahmad Assalami a famous Poet wrote his Verses Here Alpharabius the renowned Philosopher and Physician borne at Farab in Turcomannia professed these studies publikely with great applause and leauing many of his Schollers in this Cities went to Harran of Mesopotamia where finding Aristotles Booke De Auditu hee read it fortie times and wrote vpon the Booke that he was willing againe to reade it Hence hee went to Damascus and there dyed A. H. 339. Thus Ben-Casem in his Booke De viridario Electorum Bochara is an ancient Citie vpon Euphrates in a Village belonging whereto Honain Ali Bensina whom the Latines call Auicenna was borne A. H. 370. Hee gaue himselfe to Physicke very young and was the first which became Physician to
but those on the left hand in their left hands shall receiue the scroll or sentence of their condemnation And 79. In the last Iudgement the earth shall be ouerthrowne the heauen shall be powred forth 8. Angels shall beare vp the Throne of God And 80. The heauens shall vanish as smoke and the earth shall bee plucked as wooll And 111. There shall be set vp the ballance of Iudgement they to whom shall befall a light weight shall liue but they which haue a heauie weight shall be cast into fire The booke of bad Workes shall bee kept in the bottome of the earth the booke of good Workes in a high place In diuers places of the Alcoran the better to colour his filthinesse hee hath dispersed good SENTENCES like Roses scattered on a dung-hil and flowers in a puddle concerning Almes Prayer Tithing Iustice c. Others he hath of another sort establishing his owne Tyrannie and Religion Az. 26. Swines-flesh Bloud that which dieth alone and that which hath the necke cut off not in Gods Name is vnlawfull Be chaste euery where but with your owne wiues or such as are subiect to you and doe serue you Euery Adulterer shall haue an hundred stripes in the presence of many He which accuseth a woman of Adulterie not prouing it by foure witnesses shall haue eightie The iealous husband accusing his wife must sweare foure times that hee chargeth her truely and a fifth time curse himselfe if it bee otherwise The woman must doe the like to cleere her selfe 43. After a woman be diuorced from one any other may marrie her 19. Trust not a sonne or a brother except hee be of your owne Law 72. On Friday when they are called to prayer they must lay all businesse apart when prayers be ended they may returne to their commodities Redeeme captiues and thy sinnes by good workes About Circumcision I finde no iniunction in the Alcoran In the 3. 8 and 9. Az. Hee permitteth all licenciousnesse with all women which they haue of their owne but prescribeth washings after Venery and after naturall easements Loue not your enemies the women of another faith proue first and if they fauour the vnbeleeuers diuorce them 52. The women must couer their faces 43. Wilfull murther is prohibited Az. 10. But casuall killing is to be satisfied with redemption of some good man and the kindred recompenced except they forgiue it THE going on PILGRIMAGE and the perpetuall abode at the Temple of Haran that is vnlawfull because nothing but there holies are there lawfull we repute of equall merit They which loue it not or doe it iniurie shall sustaine grieuous euils Abraham founded this Temple Az. 6. and blessed it and cleansed it for them which abode there and for the Pilgrims Hee preached one GOD without partaker and the pilgrimage to this Temple that on the dayes appointed they might in naming GOD sacrifice beasts wherewith to feast themselues and the poore and might fulfill their vowes and goe in Procession round about the old Temple a worke which GOD will greatly reward Az. 32. and 19. In the times of fasting and pilgrimage hunting by land is vnlawfull except that so gotten bee bestowed on the poore at Mecca taking fish by Sea as they goe or returne is lawfull Az. 13. The vnbeleeuers are not worthy to visit the Temple Haran And these good Pilgrims are not equall to the good warriours 38. He entred into the Temple Haran with his head shauen Az. 2. We enioyne vnto you as to your Predecessors FASTING in the time thereto appointed and in a certaine number of dayes that is in the moneth Romadan in which this Booke which discerneth betweene good and euill was sent you from heauen Euery one must obserue it but the sicke and traueller and let them doe the same in the remainder of the time The rich vse to satisfie their fasting with almes let them doe both the one and the other He permitteth you the vse of your wiues in the night because it is hard and impossible to abstaine But let none vse their company in the Temples Fast all the day and when night is come eate and drinke as much as you please till the morning By the Moone is knowne the time of Pilgrimages and of Fastings whereby is knowne that you loue and feare GOD. Spend your money in the loue of GOD in Pilgrimage not despairing Hee that is impotent and that is not accompanied with his wife in the Pilgrimage must fast three dayes in the voyage and seuen after his returne To the sick fasting with almes is sufficient They which purpose this Pilgrimage let them not giue their mindes to any euill Let them not be ashamed to aske necessaries 2. Hold it for iust and good to enter the house at the doore not at the side or back-side thereof 35. Salute those which yee meete when ye enter into the house Ridiculous is the confirmation of this holy Law by such variety of OATHES as I am almost afraide to mention in regard of our Gull-gallants of these times who would sometimes bee at a set in their braue and brauing phrases if they should not haue variety of Oathes and curses to daube vp with such interiections all imperfections of speech and make smoother way for their current of their gallantrie But yet euen for their sakes let vs mention a few that they may see Mahomet had as braue a humor this way as they He induceth GOD swearing by lesse then himselfe as by the order of Angels by the Alcoran by the blowing Windes by the waterie Cloudes by the sayling Ships by the Mount Sinai the Heauen the Sea the euening Sarre the West his Pen and Lines the guiltie Soule the Deuils by the Morning ten Nights the Passeouer by the Figges and Oliues by the Dawning and Twilight and a World more of the like onely he saith Azoara 100. that he may not sweare by the earth nor by the Sonne like to the Father Yet he allowes not others to sweare or forsweare as after you shall see Az. 8. They which eate the inheritance of Orphans euerlasting fire shall eate them Be faithfull in keeping and deliuering their goods for GOD taketh knowledge of all accounts Let one Sonne haue as much as two Daughters In barganing vse no lying slaying your owne soule The couetous shall haue endlesse punishment he that killeth vnwillingly shall giue to the Kindred of the partie slaine another man or if he cannot doe that let him fast two monethes together he which killeth wilfully shall be cast into the fire Az. 70. It is no sinne to reuenge iniuries Salute him which saluteth thee for salutation is much pleasing to GOD. Az. 27. Worship one GOD alone Honour thy Father and Mother and doe them good Giue them no bad word when they are old Be subiect with all humility and pray GOD to pardon them Giue to the poore and to your kindred but not
reported to me they haue a superstitious custome at Cairo of carrying the leg of Mahomets Camell as they affirme in a Coach the women in zeale of their blinde deuotion hurling their Shashes to receiue thence some holy and blessed touch for their Mahumeticall edification as the Papists ascribe no small holinesse to the touch of our Ladies Image at Loretto with their beades or other implements of their superstition as my friend Mr. Barkley an eye-witnesse hath told me Maruell much we may that the Souldiers which crucified Christ and parted his garments by lot and Iudas which kissed him and the Deuill also which carried his bodie out of the wildernesse and set it on a pinacle of the Temple did not from such holy touches acquire much holinesse But here a good intent was wanting which though the Mahumetans haue yet a Camels leg is not so holy as our Ladies Image Grant it but they pretend Tradition and Deuotion no lesse then these and otherwise there is as little warrant for that house and Image of our Ladie that they are true as of the other Blessed VIRGIN whom all generations call blessed and iustly admire for that holinesse which with thankefulnesse to God and charitie to man wee are to imitate then these stones and blockes should thus vsurpe thy name and in a worse sacriledge diuine worship yea more then those holies of diuine institution which were so farre from conueying holinesse by touching that being themselues touched by any vncleane thing they receiued thence infection of vncleannesse And if Christ himselfe should thus be honoured where in all the Christian world are such Vowes Pilgrimages and Deuotions in his name as here to the supposed Ladie of Loretto As if they would rather be Mariani then Christiani in their Religion But who brought vs now to Loretto Nay who can but in reading the one thinke of the other both being frequented so generally in Pilgrimages Offerings and I know not what superstitions Only in this is Loretto worse that it abuseth more holy names of God and his Saints to like vnholy holies But of this subiect that Reuerend and learned Deane Dr. Sutcliffe hath largely and learnedly written both in confutation of that impious Pamphlet of Giffords Caluino-Turcismus and plainely paraleling the Mahumetans and Turkes in verie many points of their Religions To him I referre the industrious Reader Yea the verie Narration of the Saracenicall and Turkish Rites by vs in this Booke shall bee sufficient to them which know the Popish in many things to discerne and acknowledge the Kindred and like hellish descent both like Sampsons Foxes hauing their tayles knit together with fire-brands which both fill and emptie the world with their flames howsoeuer their heads looke contrarie one toward Christ the other toward Mahomet That which I speake of Popish I vnderstand of that which our Aduersaries maintaine by authoritie not from Scriptures or the ancient Councels and Fathers but from the Popes pretended Supremacie and visible Monarchie as Head and Vice-God in the Church the Alcoran whereof is his Decretals Extrauagants Consistorie Constitutions and such Canons as their holy Ghost sent from Rome in a boxe lately thundered at Trent besides and against the Canonicall Scripture which holy men of God writ as they were moued by the holy Ghost But let vs backe to Medina On the other side of the Citie are Tombes of the holy Mahumetans Abubachar Ottoman Omar which Bartema saith were buried in the same Temple with Mahumet and all vnder the earth A daies iourney from Medina is a steepe mountaine hauing no passage but one narrow path which was made by Hali who fleeing from the pursuing Christians and hauing no way of escape drew out his sword and diuided this mountaine and so saued his life The Captaine at his returne to Cairo is with a sumptuous Feast receiued of the Basha and presented with a garment of cloth of gold he againe presenteth the Alcoran out of the chest to the Basha to kisse and then it is laid vp againe By this time your pilgrimage hath more then wearied you I haue made bold to trouble you a little longer with this argument of Mahomets Meccan Pilgrimage out of the Maronites collection from Arabike Authors Mecca chiefe Citie of Arabia Deserta is called also in the Alcoran Becca the holy Citie of the Moslemans both for Mahomeds reuelations there had and for the Temple especially called by them Kabe or The Square House which they fable was first built by Angels and often visited by Adam himselfe and lest it should bee destroied by the Floud was lifted vp to the sixth Heauen called Dar-assalem The habitation of peace after the Floud Abraham built another house like to the former by the shadow thereof sent from heauen to him Thus writeth Iacub Ben-Sidi Aali This is a Chappell not very large of square figure open with foure Gates by one of which the Ministers haue accesse the other are opened but once in the yeere It glittereth all with Gold and is couered with vests of Gold an encompassed with elegant Iron-worke to keepe off neere commers No man may enter it but certaine Elders which haue long beards to their breasts and remaine there night and day Neere to this Chappel is a large marble Floore adorned about with eight huge Lights and sixe and thirtie Lamps of Gold perpetually burning Three pathes leade thereto whereon men and women goe bare-foot to the Chappel which they compasse seuen times with great reuerence mumbling their deuotions kisse the corners sigh and implore the aide of Abraham and Mohamed Round about all this space is a stately building of very elegant structure as it were a wall in which are numbred sixteene principall Gates to goe in and out where hang innumerable Lamps and Lights of incredible greatnesse Within this space betwixt the rewes of Pillars are Shops of Sellers of Gemmes Spices Silkes in incredible store from India Arabia Aethiopia that it seemes rather the Mart of the World then a Temple Here doe men kisse and embrace with great zeale a certaine stone which they call Hagiar Alasuad or The Blacke stone which they say is a Margarite of Paradise the light whereof gaue lustre to all the Territorie of Mecca Before this saith Iacub Ben-Sidi Aali Mohamed commanded to weepe to aske God pardon for sinnes and to crie with sighs and teares for ayde against their enemies After they haue visited that Chappel and the Stone they goe to another large Chappel within the Temple where is the Well called Zam Zam which is saith the said Author the Well which flowed from the feet of Ismael when hee was thirstie and wept which Hagar first seeing cried out Zam Zam in the Coptite or old Aegyptian Tongue that is Stay stay There are many which draw water thence and giue to the Pilgrimes who are commanded to wash therewith their bodie and head three times to drinke thereof and if they can to carrie some of
chuse that should seeme best These reduced the Doctrine of Mahomet into six bookes forbidding any on paine of death to speake or write otherwise of their Law But because the Arabians of subtle and piercing wit which studied Philosophy in the Vniuersities of Bagdet Marocco Cordoua and other places could not but spie and discerne the mad folly of the law so palpable to any reasonable iudgement It was therefore ordained that the Phylosophy Lecture should be taken away and in place thereof they should read the Alcoran prouiding for all these Students of their Law their expences out of the publike charge and inhibiting all further studie in Philosophy insomuch that they now saith our Author who himselfe was a Student in that Vniuersity repute him not a good Saracen who is addicted to that studie This Frier Richard mentioneth another Prophet named Solem had in estimation with these Babylonians which was after slaine by the Tartars He and Cardinall Cusanus affirme that the Saracens of the East differ in their Alcoran from those of the West making the first fiue Chapters but one and that they differ in the exposition thereof and in the same Schooles or Vniuersities one Sect condemneth another But in these times the Mahumetane Professors are chiefly distinguished by the seuerall Nations of which are foure principall the Arabians Persians Turkes and Tartars to which wee may adde the Mogore as a fifth whom the Iesuites in their Epistles report to halt from his former Mahumetisme and to incline to Gentilisme Of all these the Arabians are most zealous in their superstition the Persians most agree to Reason and Nature the Tartars are more Heathenish and simple the Turkes are the freest and most Martiall The Arabians account it their peculiar glory that Mahumet was of that Nation and that Mecca and Medina are there seated and therefore haue laboured in the dayes of their former puissance by the sword since by their traffique and preaching to spread their Mahumetisme through the World Their first Seducers had possessed Syria and Palestina Homar had added Egypt and in a short time their Successors had preuailed in Asia Afrike and Europe as we haue before shewed All Mahumetans are called by vs Saracens which Erpenius in his Annotations on his Ioseph saith is a name to them vnknowne so is China to the Chinois Peru to the Peruans c. but giuen them by others They call themselues Muslimos or Muslemans of a word which signifieth Beleeuers as one would say in their sense Catholike and Orthodoxe beleeuers They haue beene such in Armes and in diligence of Preaching they haue beene as forward and so continue Seuen hundred yeeres since Perimal raigning in Malabar they there sowed their Tares and the more easily to take those Ethnikes in their net they tooke their daughters in marriage a matter of much consequence in regard of their wealth and practised of them to this day They were Authors of great gaine vnto them by their trades and traffique for Spicery and were suffered to inhabite and plant Colonies amongst them By their meanes Calicut of a small thing became a great and rich Citie And Perimal himselfe was peruerted by them to their faith who zealously inclined to their perswasions resolued to end his dayes at Mecca and put himselfe on the voyage with some ships of Pepper and other things of price but perished by tempest in the way From Malabar they passed to the Maldiuae and Zeilan Somatra Iaua Molucca the Philippinaes and in the Continent to Cambaia Bengala Siam Malucca Ior Pam and the huge Kingdome of China preaching and planting their superstitions as in the particular Histories of these Nations shall further appeare They are in this respect so zealous that euen the Arabian Mariners will stay behinde in the Countries of the Ethnikes there to diuulge this their Sect and in the yeere 1555. one of them pierced as farre as Iapon there to haue laied their Leauen but the Portugalls in these Easterne parts treading in the same steps by their traffique and preachings haue much hindered their proceedings The Tartars Persians and Turkes require longer and seuerall discourses in their due place and first we will speake of them which are first in this ranke the greatest of all Mahumetane States the Turkes CHAP. VIII Of the Turkish Nation their Originall and Proceedings §. I. Of the Turkish Name and first Originall ALthough some may thinke that I haue beene so tedious in the relation of the Mahumetan opinions and superstitions that to speake any thing more would seeme but as powring water into a full Sea Yet because there is in this World nothing certaine but vncertaintie it being diuine prerogatiue to be yesterday to day the same for euer and that this Saracenicall Religion hath sustained her chances and changes according to the diuersitie of times and places where it is and hath beene professed so doe I hold it fit as wee haue seene the foundation to behold also the frames and fabriques thereon builded and from that Fountaine or sinke-hole rather of superstitition to lead you along the gutters and streames thence deriued And because the Turkes are preeminent in all those things which this profession accounteth eminent it is meetest to giue them the first place heere which elsewhere take it and after we haue set downe a briefe Historie of that Nation and the proceedings of their state to ascribe their theorie and opinions and then their practice and rites of Religion But before we come to the discouerie of their Religion it is not amisse to search the beginning and increase of this Nation The name of Turkes signifies saith Chitraeus Shepheards or Heard-men and such it seemeth was their ancient profession as of the rest of the Scythians vnto this day Nicephorus and before him Simocatta from whom Nicephorus borroweth it speaketh of the Turkes and placeth them about Bactria their chiefe Citie he calleth Taugast which is supposed to be the worke of Alexander Their Religion hee saith at that time was to worship the Fire Aire Water and Earth which they adore and sing Hymnes to They acknowledge God the maker of Heauen and Earth to whom they sacrifice Horse Kine and Sheepe they haue Priests which diuine things to come The Prince of Taugast they called the sonne of God They worship Images The Prince spendeth the night with seuen hundreth women The Tartars haue now possessed the same Countrie but long before the same rites as you may reade in our Historie of them To deriue them as some doe from Troians and Iewes is somewhat farre fetched nor is there much likelihood that they should receiue their name of Turca a Persian Citie the name is ancient and applied by Mela and Plinie to a Nation of the Scythians and their original is accounted Scythian by the most and best Authors Beniamin Tudelensis calleth them alway by the name Togarma There are which bring a long Genealogie from Noahs Arke
soot and tastes not much vnlike it good they say for digestion and mirth Of the boyes which some Coffa-men keepe as stales wee haue spoken before Optum they much vse it seemes for the giddinesse and turbulent dreames it causeth which they as all kinde of stupifying astonishment and madnesse religiously affect This perhaps the cause why Tobacco is so liked a thing brought them by the English the worst here passing currant and excellent there But Morat Bassa not long since caused a pipe to be thrust through the nose of a Turke and so be led in derision through the Citie They take it through reeds with great heads of wood annexed The vnder garments of the women differ little from those of the men These weare on their heads a cap sugar-loafe-fashion the better sort vse Bracelets and Iewells When they goe abroad they weare ouer all long gownes of violet or scarlet cloth tyed close before the large sleeues hanging ouer their hands They haue the sweetest children that are lightly seen which they carry astride on their shoulders They anoint their bodies with the earth of Chios which makes the skinne soft white and shining freeing the face from wrinkles For the Readers further pleasure I haue here presented a Turkish Woman in Picture They vse their bond women with little lesse respect then their wiues Their Markets yeeld Men Women Virgins Children to as ample tryall and full purchase as Horses with vs saue that the Men-slaues may compell their Masters before the Cadi to limit the time of their bondage or set a price of their redemption or else to sell them to another But Galley slaues are seldome released or those that belong to great men beyond the Cadies authoritie They buy little children and geld many of them as you haue heard which some say was begun by Selym the second after he had seene a Gelding couer a Mare and by Menauinus his relation of himselfe seemes not practised in his father Baiazets time These are in great repute with their Masters yea the second Vizier of the Port is now an Eunuch For Arts some haue some little knowledge in Philosophie Necessitie hath taught them the practise of Physicke not the grounds of Arts In Astronomie they haue some insight and vndertake to tell fortunes They haue a good gift in Poetrie Their Musicke is very vile The Grand Signior was once perswaded to heare some Italian Musick but while they spent much time in tuning hee perhaps esteeming that their Musick commanded them to depart Logick and Rhetorick they reiect Some write Histories but few read them thinking none dare write the truth of the present or can of the times past Printing they reiect the most of their Priests liuing by writing Euery one hath some trades such lightly as serue their owne turnes a lazie people more esteeming ease then profit yet very couetous seldome holding compact with the Christians that holds not with their commoditie CHAP. XI Of the Religious places amongst the Turkes their Meschits Hospitalls and Monasteries with their Liturgie and Circumcision §. I. Of their Temples A description of S. SOPHIES THE places of most Religion to the Turkes abroad are those which Mahumet himselfe polluted with his irreligion as Mecca Medina c. The places of most Religion amongst themselues are their Mosches or Meschits that is their Temples and Houses of Prayer whereof they haue many in all Turkie and next thereunto their Hospitals for the reliefe of the poore impotent and Pilgrims Neither are the Turkes sparing in these or the like seeming charitable expences For when a Turke falleth sicke and thinketh he shall thereof dye hee sends for his friends and kinsfolkes and in their presence maketh his Testament the greatest Legacies whereof are bequeathed to publike vses which they thinke will be meritorious to their soules Such are the making and repayring of Bridges Cawseyes Conduits to conuey water to their Hospitalls or Temples Some also giue to the Redemption of Captiues Many of their Women the deuouter Sexe whether in Religion or superstition bequeath money to bee distributed amongst such Souldiers as haue slaine any certaine number of Christians a deed in their conceit very religious These are the Wills and Deeds of the inferiour sort But the Emperors and great Bassaes appoint Legacies to expresse a greater magnificence with their deuotion as the building of Temples and Hospitalls Their Temples or Meschites are for the most part foure square not much vnlike to our Churches but larger in length then bredth The Temple of St. Sophie in Constantinople is of all other in the Turkes Dominion the most admirable built long since by Iustinian and by Mahumet the Conqueror peruerted to this Mahumetan vse aboue nine hundred yeeres after Of this Temple they write that it was first built by Constantius sonne of Constantius the Great with a roofe of timber and burnt by the Arrians in the time of Great Theodosius who againe repayred it Sozomenus saith that in the broyles which hapned not long after in the raigne of Arcadius and Honorius about Chrysostome the Church was fired his enemies ascribing it to his partakers and they againe to his Aduersaries It is reported that Theodosius Iunior rebuilt it But in the time of Iustinian Procopius testifieth that base and wicked men burnt it againe which Iustinian built a-new in such sumptuous and manificent sort that in regard of this change it might haue beene wished that it had perished long before His chiefe worke-men were Anthemius and Isidorus who raised it into a most goodly frame which might amaze the beholders and seeme incredible to the hearers Both he and Euagrius recite the particulars The length was two hundred and threescore feet the bredth one hundred and fifteene the height a hundred and fourescore Zonaras Agathias and Georgius Cedrenus tell of the harmes it receiued by Earthquakes whiles Iustinian liued which yet he repaired as did Basilius and Andronicus after him Nicephorus saith that Constantine raised the Temple of Peace which before was but small to that large and stately greatnesse which in his dayes it retayned and his sonne Constantius finished the Temple of Sophia so neere it that they seemed to haue but one wall It was founded by Constantine his fa her and was burnt in a sedition of the people in the raigne of Iustinian in which rebellion thirtie thousand of the people were slaine and partly to pacifie the wrath of GOD saith hee for so great a slaughter hee built this Temple From the side of the Temple hee tooke foure hundred twentie and seuen Pillars or Images of Heathen gods and of the twelue signes of the Zodiake and fourescore Statues of Christian Emperours which hee didistributed in the Citie But more then enough of the ancient structure thereof As it is at this day diuers haue described it but of them all most diligently Petrus Gellius The walls and roofes thereof are of
that the Chederles and Gaib-erenlers are diuers and perhaps that Martiall Nation in conquest of the Christians of those parts would soone reconcile themselues to that Martiall Saint and drinke in those further deuotions which his horse pissed Such Emblemes were those of Christopher Catherine George which the Papists inuocate as Saints an errour proceeding from those pictures as it seemeth in Churches according to that of the Prophet The stocke is a doctrine of vanitie and the image is a teacher of lies The ruder posteritie in that mist of Antichrist and smoke from the bottomlesse pit not being able to discerne an Emblem and Historie asunder haue made Saint George the Mars of the Christians quem nostra iuuentus pro Mauorte colit Bellarmine struggleth much rather then hee will lose his Saint and yet confesseth the Historie Apocryphall Baronius his fellow Cardinall but beyond in truth acknowledgeth it an Image of a Symbole rather then of a Historie which Iacobus de Voragine without good authoritie in his Golden Legend maketh historicall He saith the Virgin representeth some Prouince which imploreth the Martyrs helpe against the Deuill But Hyperius and Villauicentius Posseuini interpret it more fitly to signifie the Church assaulted by the Diuell protected by the Christian Magistrate in which respect our Defender of the Faith may iustly be termed the Patron of that renowned Order which hath now learned their George to be Symbolicall not a Cappadocian and as Princes of Gods husbandrie which gaue name to Saint George to fight against the Dragon and the beast with hornes like the Lambe but speaking like the Dragon As for the Popish George Baronius also hath another originall from the Arrians worshipped of them for a Martyr But if any would bee further acquainted with this Knightly Saint let him resort to Doctor Rainolds his larger Discourse touching these Romish Idolatries which howsoeuer Serarius seekes to confute mustering a huge Armie of eight and twentie Arguments to fight for this fighting Saint Yet doe none of these Georgian Souldiers strike one stroke to proue that their Legendary Martyr nor so much as conclude his Horse tayle or Dragons teeth or his owne sword or speare no nor shew whether This George thus related pointed worshipped bee the childe of Historie or Mysterie heire of the Painter Poet or Historian Symbolicall or Historicall As for George Christopher Catherine Hippolitus that some Saints haue beene called by these names wee much deny not care not if these thus deliuered in their Stories bee but monsters or mysteries CHAP. XIIII Of their Priests and Hierarchie with a digression touching the Hierarchie and Miserie of Christians subiect to the Turke AFter the discourse of their Regulars which in estimation of deuotion haue with the Turkes and therefore in this Historie the first place their Secular Priests follow to be considered These are of differing degrees which Menauino thus reckoneth first the Cadilescher vnder which the Mofti or Mufti the third the Cadi and after these in subordinate orders the Modecis Antippi Imam Meizini and besides these the Sophi A certaine Ragusian in an Oration before Maximilian the Emperour doth not much disagree but for Cadilescher he calleth the first Pescherchadi whereof hee saith there are two one in Romania the other in Natolia chiefe Iudges of the Armie hauing power to reuerse the sentence of the Emperour if it be against the law of Mahomet A second Magistrate saith hee is called Muchti the chiefe Interpreter of the law from whose sentence is no appeale Nic. Nicolai saith the same of their two Cadileschers and that they are chosen out of their most learned Doctors of their Law and alway follow the Court and with the consent of the Bassaes constitute and depose the Cadi hauing for their annuall stipend seuen thousand or eight thousand duckets besides their ordinary gaines They haue tenne Secretaries kept at the Grand Seigniors charge and two Moolorbassis which are busied about the horses they haue also two hundred or three hundred slaues They vse few words but such as are of their Law and Religion altogether with very much shew of grauitie Ariuabene in his Preamble to the Italian Alcoran maketh Cadilescher to be a generall name to all their Orders of Priests Others doe place the Mufti in the highest place and the Cadilescher in the second ranke and perhaps others gaue the Cadilescher the first place because their life was more in action and gouernment as attending on the Court and on the warres but the Mufti being highest Interpreter of their law though without gouernment must indeed haue preeminence And so Menauino seemeth to affirme who though he placeth the Cadilescher first yet saith that when happily appeale is made from his sentence they haue recourse to the Mophti And this opinion is now generall and most current which ascribeth to the Mufti the chiefe place Master Harborn sometime Embassador into Turkie for Englands Queene the worlds wonder our Westerne Hesperus that shined so farre ouer and beyond all Christendome into the East but my words are too base to vsher in that renowned name ELIZABETH thus reporteth The Turkes doe hold for head and chiefe of their Religion the Mufti the choice of whom is made by the Great Turke himselfe such a one as is knowne to be wise and learned and chiefly of a good life His authoritie is so esteemed that the Emperour will neuer alter a determination made by him He intermedleth in all matters as best him liketh whether they be ciuill or criminall yea or of State And yet he hath no power to command but is in each mans free libertie when there happeneth any doubt of importance to make in some few words by writing a declaration of his matter in forme of a question to whom the said Mufti in writing likewise called Zetfa giueth a briefe answere containing his iudgement thereon This Zetfa brought to the Iudge is the rule of his sentence prouided that the declaration made before to the Mufti contained no vntruth Also the Grand Signior to shew that he is religious and iust doth serue himselfe of the authoritie of this Mufti in affaires of warre and peace demanding his iudgement in manner aforesaid by this course the subiects being inclined to more forward obedience But yet the Mufti will commonly flatter him and leane to that part to which he seeth him incline as in the time of Selym the second the Mufti hauing discouered the Emperours intent to warre vpon Cyprus approued the same in his Zetpha But after vpon great offers made to Mehemet the Visier to breake that resolution the Mufti by him wonne to fauour the matter affirmed still that the warre against Cyprus was good and iust but that his Maiestie had a greater obligation in conscience which hee was bound to take in hand namely to procure the reuolt of the Moores in Spaine there oppressed by the Christians wherein
Brittish Athens or rather an Attike Britaine where whilome our Ancestors euen after Learning and Religion had here now flourished found through the Danish pestilence a brutish barbarisme Alfred the sonne of a King and after King himselfe could not finde a Master in all his Dominions to teach him the Latin tongue and procuring with care and cost forreiners to teach him first learned that language at sixe and thirtie yeeres of his age hauing begun to reade the vulgar at twelue yeeres which his elder and lesse studious brethren could not then doe And himselfe in the Preface of Gregories Pastoralls to vse his owne words in our later English saith That learning was so fallen in the English Nation that very few were on this side Humber which their seruice could vnderstand in English or an Epistle from Latin into English declare and I weene that not many beyond Humber were not So few of them were that I also one onely may not remember by South Thamise when as I to raigne vndertooke I could shew the like in Italie also by testimony of Pope Agatho in the sixth Synode at Constantinople vpon like cause But I forget my Greekes as they haue done their Greeke I feare rather I seeme to remember them too much and that seuere Censors will iudge this an abortiue issue borne before the time I will therefore stay my willing pen till fitter time referring the more studious to those which haue written of this subiect especially to Martin Crusius his Turcograecia where out of the Letters of Gerlach and others as also of the Greekes themselues Iohn and Theodosius Zygomale and of the Patriarchs Metrophanes Ioasaphus Ieremias betweene this last Patriarch and D. Andreas Crusius there passed some writings of Religion they may haue further satisfaction Their stile is Ieremies by the mercie of God Archb. of Const. New Rome Oecumenicall Patriarch Michael by the mercie of God Patriarch of great Theopolis Antiochia and of all the East Sophronius by the mercie of God Patriarch of the holy Citie Ierusalem and of all Palestina In a Testimoniall to D. Albert Lewenstein the Patriarch of Alexandria stileth himselfe I Ioachim Pope and Patriarch of the great Citie Alexandria Iudge of the World c. Others Humilis Metropolita Rhodi Callistus Gabriel Archb. of Philadelphia And if to the Patriarch Archb. of P. Seruant to your Holinesse Gabriel A Bishop 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or humilis Episcopus N. Gerasimus They make publike mention of the foure Patriarchs in their Church Lyturgies The Venetians allow the Greekes free vse of their religion through all their Dominion and Crete is a chiefe place for their learned men The greatest misery which accompanieth the Turkish thraldome is their zeale of making Proselytes with manifold and strong inducements to such as haue bin more nuzzled in superstitions then trained vp in knowledge and see such contempt of Christians and honours which befall to many Renegadoes and very many are peruerted and bewitched therewith Yea many voluntarily offer themselues to Apostasie and others by hopes feares griefes despaires importunities distracted by that vizor of vertue in the Turkish grauity sobriety bodily purity and spirituall zeale after their sect with whole rabbles of Satanicall miracles deluded wanting all intercourse of Sacraments preaching reading and all Christian holies and full of wants in necessaries for this life forget a better and turne Turke Thus do they sell to the Deuil their soules bought by the bloud of Christ Iesus We may well despaire of words to vtter this misery and to describe this Mart of Hell seeing it exceedeth all words to see the Markets made of Christian bodies the remainders of cruell and bloudy warres chained together in more then beastly bondage so brought to the markets if any bee sicke by the way driuen on as long as they can goe and when their feet faile laid ouer a horse like as butchers deale with small cattle and if thy die left for a prey to the fowles and beasts the places of their abode by the way filled with cryes of younglings of both sexes abused to vnnaturall lust In the markets they are stripped viewed and modestie forbids to speake O Image of God thus abased openly in the secretest parts handled bee they male or female forced to goe runne leape and if shame or disdaine make them vnwilling by whips and stripes compelled the infant plucked from the mothers breast and sold from euer againe seeing her or libertie the wife thus openly deluded and dealt with before the husbands face and for a base price giuen by some baser Turke euerlastingly diuorced from his face his daughters virginitie openly secretly my words are swallowed vp with horrour of the fact himselfe at home reuerend for his yeeres now in that respect contemned and hanging long on hand as vnprofitable ware before hee finde a buyer Priest Souldier Merchant Artificer Husbandman all equally subiect to this iniquity saue that Gentlemen and those of most liberall education are least esteemed and most abused because they can bring least profit to their Masters Where besides filthy lusts they suffer hunger thirst cold and stripes and which redoubleth those blowes euen there is the passion of Christ in this passion of their owne vpbraided to them Some in impatience reuolt some runne away and are brought backe to a worse estate if possible some kill themselues and some But I can say no more Let vs pray for them and let vs at last leaue this Tragedie and take view of former Antiquities CHAP. XV. Of the Regions and Religions of ASIA MINOR since called Natolia and Turkie NExt after the Turkish Religion thus related it seemeth fittest to discourse of the ancient names and limits of Regions and of the former Heathenish Religions of that part of the Turkish Dominion which among Authors hath since in a singular eminencie obtained the name of Turkie And if it seeme strange that the Turkish Religion a new vpstart be declared before those former of the Pagans the matter wee had in hand hath thus altered our methode that after wee had described the deformed disioynted lineaments of the Mother an Arabian Saracen her more mis-shapen Daughter this Turkish Mopsa might attend her hard at her heeles As for the Region we haue followed the Turkish forces hither and now that we haue glutted our selues with the view of their later affaires of State and Religion let vs cast our eyes about vs and obserue the Countrey it selfe which because of her long and entire subiection to this Nation is styled by their name The Greekes called it Natolia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because it was the Easterne part of that Empire as they called Thracia the Countrey about Constantinople which was named 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Romania This Natolia or Anatolia is of others called Asia Minor and yet Asia in most proper and strict account is peculiarly applied to one Region in this great
Kings ordinarie guard night and day guarded the Palace the most of them Persians another band of 10000. choice horse-men were wholly Persian and were called Immortall one thousand of the best of them called Doryphori and Melophori were chosen into the Kings guard They receiue no money but allowance of victuall for their wages Curtius mentioneth a guard next to the Kings person called the Kings kinsemen which were 15000. But it were too tedious to recite the Homotimi Megistanes and other his court-officers and attendants the Surena which was the chiefe Magistrate and others whereof Brissonius hath written As their liues were burthened with voluptuousnesse so they prepared for their deaths that they might descend suddenly into the graue as Iob saith of the prosperitie of some wicked without any bands to vse Dauids phrase of a lingring death certaine poysons tempered of the excrements of the Dircaerus an Indian bird which in short time without sense of griefe depriued them of life After the Kings death they extinguished the SACRED FIRE which rite Alexander obserued in Hephaestions funerall In Persepolis were erected vnto them stately Monuments with Titles and Epitaphs inscribed The Monuments of the Kings there with other Antiquities haue conquered Time and Alexanders Fires yet remaining so fresh as if they were new made many still shining like glasse Among which a Iasper Table is remarkable inscribed with letters which none can reade all of a Pyramide or Delta forme in diuersifyed postures Twentie such Pillars remaine of admirable greatnesse beautie and likenesse of a lasting Marble with Images in long habits like the Venetian Senators with wide sleeues and long beards others sitting as in high arched seats with footstooles in great Maiestie There are also huge Colossean horses with giantly riders of Marble And although a goodly fertile Countrey doth inuite habitation of ten leagues extent euery way yet is there now but one poore village of foure hundred housholders called Margatean in this plaine of Persepolis Our Author acknowledgeth Diodorus his relations iustly agreeing with his eyes and esteemeth these Monuments farre beyond all other the worlds miraculous Artifices I might here terrifie the delicate and already-wearied Reader with representation of their Martiall marching discipline numbers armors and the like of which Brisson hath written a whole booke Yet because wee haue thus farre waded in matters of the Persian Magnificence let vs take a little view of the Heyre and Successour to that Greatnesse Great Alexander in state entring Babylon thus by Curtius related Many came forth to meet him the wayes were all strowed with flowers and garlands on both sides were erected siluer Altars laden with Frankincense and all kinde of odors There followed him for presents droues of Horses and Cattell Lions and Leopards in grates were carried before him The Magi after their manner of Procession singing had the next place after them the Chaldaeans and the Babylonians both Diuiners and Artificers with musicall Instruments Then the Horsemen furnished beyond magnificence in excesse of prodigalitie The King with his Armie followed and last of all the Towns-men Hee that will compare with these relations that which in the bookes of the Romane Ceremonies is written of the Popes strait Tiara enuironed with a triple Crowne the veneration performed to him by all euen Emperours kissing his feet holding his bridle and stirrop putting their shoulders vnder his Chaire when hee lists to ride on mens shoulders holding water to his hands and bearing the first dish to his Table the change of his name at his election his Palfrayes alwayes white like the Nisaean led before him one of which carryeth his God vnder a Canopie his Scala Processions and other Rites shall see some hence borrowed most exceeding the Persian Excesse Once all Religion with them seemeth turned into State and Ceremonie the soule being fled and this bodily exercise bodie of exercise in exercise of the body onely left CHAP. VI. Of the Persian Magi. THe name of Magi is sometimes applied say some to all the Persians or else to a particular Nation amongst them sometime it signifieth the most excellent in Philosophie and knowledge of nature or in sanctitie and holinesse of life Thus Suidas calls the Persian Magi Philosophi and Philothei studious of knowledge of nature and of God Sometimes it signified such as wee now call Magicians practisers of wicked Arts Among the Persians this name was ancient and honourable saith Peucerus applyed onely to the Priests which liued in high reputation for dignitie and authoritie being also Philosophers as the Chaldaeans were To these were committed the custodie of Religion of ancient Monuments of later Histories of publike records and the explanation of the Persian wisdome whose account appeareth in that after Cambyses death one of them is reported to succeed in the Throne Now whereas the Ethnicks had a tradition of two Genij which attend euery man one good the other euill proceeding in likelihood from Diuine Truth concerning good and euill Angels which are either ministring Spirits for mans good or tempters vnto euill curious men hence tooke occasion to deuise new Arts which were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the one calling vpon the good Daemon or Genius by the other on the euill which euill One could easily turne himselfe into an Angel of light to delude blind people being indeed as in our White and Blacke witches at this day worse when an Angel then when a Deuill Hereof were diuers kindes Necromancie which inuocated the spirits of the dead of which smoaky Soot the Heathens Diuine Poets and our Poeticall Diuines in the tales of Hell and Purgatory striue who shall haue the blackest tincture They had also their Lecanomanciae which was obserued in a Bason of water wherein certaine plate of gold and siluer were put with Iewels marked with their iugling Charactars and thence after pronuntiation of their words were answeres whispered Gastromancie procured answere by pictures or representations in glasse-vessels of water after the due Rites Catoptromancie receiued those resemblances in cleere glasses Chrystallomancie in Crystall Dactyliomancie was a diuination with Rings which perhaps Gyges vsed consecrated by certaine position of the heauens and diuellish Inchantments Onymancie with Oyle and Soote daubed on the Nayle of an vndefiled Childe and held vp against the Sunne Hydromancie with water Aeromancie with ayre But what should I adde the many more names of this Artlesse Art vnworthy the naming Tibi nomina mille Mille nocendi artes Infinitely diuersified are these blind by wayes of darknesse and mischiefe Delrio hath other diuisions of Magicke which from the efficient hee diuideth into Naturall Artificiall and Diabollicall from the end into Good and Bad and this bad which is by explicite or implicite compact with Deuills into Magia specialis Diuinatio Maleficium Nugatoria Zoroaster is supposed Author both of the good and bad vnto
principalitie of the elements to the ayre the Image whereof they worshipped stiling it with the name of Iuno or Venus the Virgin whom the Quires of their Priests worshipped with effeminate voyces and gestures their skin polished and attire fashioned like women Yea their Priests became impure Ganymedes and sustained the Sodomiticall lusts of others in the Temples not shaming but glorying of such deuotions and composing themselues to all delicate lasciuious filthy behauiour and thus wantonly dressed with much minstrelsie call vpon the Goddesse to infuse into them a diuining and propheticall spirit Easily may that Impure spirit finde accesse and entertainment in such impure bodies But the Persians and all the Magi preferre the fire These diuide Iupiter into two powers metamorphosing his nature into both sexes They make the woman with a three formed countenance wound about with monstrous Serpents fit ensignes for the Deuils worship and worship a man which had driuen away kine applying his holies to the power of the Fire him they call Mithra whose blinde deuotions were done in places answerable namely in hidden Caues §. III. Of the same out of Christian and other Authors HESYCHIVS saith that Mithras or the Sun was chiefe god with the Persians and therefore the most religious and inuiolable oath of the King was by Mithra And this is confirmed by Firmicus also who saith that the Persians preferre the Fire before all the other Elements and that they call the same Mithra The reason is because they held as in the beginning of this worke we noted out of Zoroaster that the Sun and all the Stars are celestiall fires They performed their deuotions to the same in dark Caues where they could not see the brightnesse of that light This Hierome calls Mithras Den and Tertullian affirmeth that Mithras Knights or Souldiers were initiated in the same To whatsoeuer god they sacrificed they first called vpon the Fire and poured out their praiers thereto To this Fire they dedicated certaine Chappels or Oratories wherein to keepe it alway burning these were called Pyreia of which Claudian penetralibus Ignem Sacratum rapuere aditis They supposed that it came downe from heauen They worshipped all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whatsoeuer had any resemblance of fire as the Carbuncle stone They obserued differing ceremonies in their Fire tnd Water-deuotions To the Fire they vsed these set words when they added fewell thereto Lord Fire eat They offered wine in a cup which they called Condy. The costly sacrifices of their Kings wee haue alreadie mentioned Plutarch tels that Artaxerxes married his owne daughter Atossa Heraclides addeth his other daughter Amestris And when Atossa was leprous his loue notwithstanding continued and he besought Iuno for her touching the ground with his hands replenishing the way between the Temple and Palace which was sixteene furlongs with offering of gold siluer purple horses Plutarch writeth that Amestris the wife of Xerxes in sacrifice to Pluto for her health buried twelue men quicke in the earth To Mithra saith Photius they offered men women and children And as they tell of Molochs seuen ambries so also is related of Mithra according to the number of the seuen Planets We may further adde from Gramay his Collections out of diuers Authors and from others concerning the Persian Religion that they sometimes obserued the Graecians Deities calling Iupiter Bel Hercules Sandes Venus Anaitis To Iupiter was sacred a Chariot with a beame of gold They Sunne the worshipped by the name of Mithra and Eldictus at Sun-rising and adored also the painted Image thereof They accounted the Horse the Suns peculiar beast and offered vnto him white Horses Ouer Darius his Tabernacle the Image of the Sunne enclosed in the Christall shone forth so that it might bee seene of all The order also of Darius his march when he warred against Alexander had in their first place their Fire which they called Sacred and Eternall carried on siluer Altars Next hereunto the Magi singing their country-Hymnes followed by three hundred sixtie fiue young men so many as their yeere had dayes clothed in bright red then came Iupiters Chariot drawne by white Horses after whom followed a horse of exceeding greatnesse consecrated to the Sun Their riders had white garments and golden rods Likewise both sides of the Kings Chariot were adorned with Images of gold and siluer two being most eminent among them the one of Peace the other of Warre That Souldier which was initiated in Mithraes hollowed orders was first proued by eightie seuerall kindes of punishment and if he continued stedfast he was washed putting on his head a crowne with a sword interposed Chaste Virgins were hollowed the Sunnes Priests or Nuns They worshipped Diana whom they called Nannea as some will haue it in that History of Antiochus They solemnized certaine Feasts the chiefe whereof was that of Mithra Another holy day they called the Destruction of vices in which the Magi killed venemous things and offered and the seruants lorded it fiue dayes together ruling both the Family and their Masters Magophonia they celebrated in memory of the Magi slaine by Darius Histaspis and his Colleagues Of their holy-day Sacaea before is spoken in which some report that the seruants changed offices and garments with the masters Minutius Foelix obiecteth against them their incestuous copulation with their mothers Arnobius derideth their worshipping of Riuers The Christian Fathers and Heathen Authors are plentifull in the narration of the Persian vanities Eusebius citeth a saying of Bardesanes Syrus Among the Persians there was a law to marry their sisters daughters and mothers which custome the Persians obserued also in other Countries and therefore other Nations hating them called them Magussaei of which are many in Egypt Phrygia and Galatia whose posteritie succeedeth them in the same wickednes This name Magussaei is deriued of Magi. §. IIII. Of the Persian Education and Schooles BVt of all other things this is most commendable and admirable which the Persians obserued for learning and practise of vertue if we giue like credite to Xenophon herein as others haue done They had a kinde of publike Schoole called the Free or liberall Market not for the sale of merchandize which kinde of Markets the ancient Persians wanted but the learning of ingenuous liberall and vertuous conditions This was diuided into foure parts one for children till seuenteene yeeres of age the second for youths to seuen and twentie the third for men till fiftie the fourth for old men In this liberall Market or Colledge was a Palace and Iudgement-place Early in the morning the children resort hither here also were the striplings and the riper-aged men daily the old men often The striplings boarded and lodged there except they were married and presented themselues to the Magistrates in Armour Each Court had twelue Prefects according to the number of the Persian Tribes To the children are old graue men appointed likewise
eares but no rings on their fingers Both men and women weare long garments with wide sleeues The men weare shooes of silke with curious workes and knots none weares of leather but the basest yea their soles they make of cloth The learned men weare square caps or hats others round They bestow long time euery morning in trimming their haire They vse no shirts but weare their inmost garment of white cloth and vse often washing They haue visants or vmbrellas to keepe off the sunne or raine borne ouer them by their seruants the poorer carrie them of lesse forme themselues The generall colour of the Chinois is white more or lesse according to the climate Their beard is thin long before it comes of a few staring haires in some none noses little scarse standing forth eyes prominent blacke little of egge-fashion many dreames they had of Pantogia's eyes of a darke gray colour as if iewels and precious things might thereby be knowne where they were hidden their eares are small If they would paint a deformed man they giue him a short garment great eyes and beard with a long nose like to vs Their custome of names is very strange The surname is ancient vnchangeable and significant of which there are not a thousand in all China The name is also significant and arbitrary at the fathers pleasure if a sonne For daughters haue no names besides the surname but are called after their age and order the sonnes also are so called by others first second or otherwise with their surname the parents onely and ancestors calling them by their names and themselues in their writings It would bee accounted an iniurie if any other should call them thereby or if he should call his father or kinsman by his name When first a childe betakes himselfe to studie his Master giues him another name which hee and his schoole-fellowes may call him by and no man else When he puts on his Mans hat and marries a wife some chiefe man giues him another name more honorable by which all men may call him but his seruants or such as are subiect to him This they call the Letter Lastly when he is of full ripe age some graue man giues him his most honorable name which they call Great and by this any one may stile him which yet his parents and elders doe not but onely by the Letter If any make profession of Religion in any of their Sects his ghostly Father or Authour of his profession giues him a new name which they call of Religion When one visits another if hee doe not write in his letter of which afterwards his honorable name or surname the Visitee askes him of it that he may call him thereby without iniurie And the Iesuites did also take to themselues in China-fashion such honorable names They are studious of Antiquities Pictures artificially drawne with inke without other colours they haue in highest price the characters also and writings of the Ancients with their Seales annexed For many will seeke to gull men with counterfeits All Magistrates haue the Seale of their office deliuered to them by Humvu which if they lose they are both depriued and punished most diligently therefore preserued carrying it with them to all places and laying it vnder their heads at night Men of good sort goe not in the streets on foot but are carried in a close chaire by foure men the curtens drawne on all parts but before to distinguish them from Magistrates whose chaires are euery way open The Matrons are also carried in chaires closed euery way by the forme easily knowne from those of Men. Coaches and Chariots the law forbids Dice and Cards are common playes in China Chesse also somewhat vnlike ours for the King goes not out of foure places next him and the two Bishops haue their Queenes two men also goe before the Knights besides the ordinary pawnes They haue another play which makes the skilfull therein well esteemed though he can doe nothing else with two hundred men some white some blacke on a table of three hundred diuisions This is vsed by the Magistrates Women goe not abroad except seldome to see their neerest kindred or some of basest condition In their offices of vrbanitie and courtesie they goe beyond all others haue many bookes thereof and reckon it one of those fiue vertues which they call Cardinall I feare to be in the relation as they in action tedious and will but salute their salutations They vncouer not the head to any nor stirre the knee or foot or vse embraces or kissing the hand Their hands are hid and ioyned in their wide sleeues except they doe some worke or with a fanne coole themselues and in salutations first lift vp both sleeues and hands aloft in a modest manner and then let them fall againe standing face to face and saying Zin Zin which word is a rituall interiection without any signification When one visits another or when friends meet in the streets they doe thus bowing also their bodies with their heads almost to the ground they call this Zo ye the inferiour placing the superiour and the visited the visitor on the right hand in the Northerne Prouinces on the left and then turne themselues both to the North. In solemner salutations on high dayes or after long absence after the first bowing they kneele and touch the ground with their forehead and then rise and doe it againe three or foure times ouer In visitations after other officious ceremonies they offer him Chia to drinke of which we haue spoken with other iunkets Except there bee great familiarity he which will salute a friend must at the doore deliuer to the seruant a letter before for his harbenger to signifie his name in modest termes and affection towards him with termes answerable to his estate He is hereby warned to prepare himselfe for entertainment clothing himselfe with apparell for that purpose as must the guest also If they were vnknowne to each other they prostrate themselues and knocke the ground diuers times with their foreheads If they send a Present they send withall a Letter contayning the Inuentorie of the things sent with termes very complementall which he must answere with another Letter of thankes and a Present of like or greater value besides a recompence to the messenger Their parting 's from each other are as full of ceremonie In their feasts they set each guest to tables one furnished with flesh and fish the other with fruits and iunkets They send a Paitre or Letter the day and sometime fiue or sixe dayes before to inuite them and he which cannot come with another Letter must excuse himselfe On the day with the first light he sends new inuitations and againe a little before the time or else his guests will not come Much curtesie is in the meeting exceeding much strayning and striuing about the place of sitting as much solemne ceremonie in eating as if they were bidden to be witnesses of their
vprore that they fell together by the eares and another quarrell happening betweene a Religious and a Secular Priest the Chinois gaue out that Cataneus the Iesuite went about to make himselfe King of China as one that knew the Countrey and had bin in both the Royall Cities with the helpe of the Iesuites there residing Iapanders and others This made the Chinois to flye from Macao and to divulge such rumors in Canton that there was a sudden muster of souldiers through the Prouince and one thousand houses of the chiefe Citie without the Walls pulled downe one of the Iesuites Societie apprehended and beaten with Canes to death and with much adoe this little adoe was after pacified And now the Iesuites thinke themselues in better case then euer and haue as they say conuerted fiue thousand to their Faith in this Kingdome after thirty yeares labours hauing foure or fiue places of Residence And would God as I professe my selfe indebted to them for this Light of History so they might haue iust cause of thankefulnesse to God and them for the Christian Light and that it were not confused with such Heathenish exchange of one Image for another and rather the names then substance of deuotion altered Beads Tapers Single Votaries Processions Monasteries Altars Images hee and she Saints with other Rites being there alreadie and the very art of their Images causing an Ethnike adoration as they tell of a Vice-roy that would not looke vpon one of them but in a Chappell in the higher part of his house set on an Altar with Tapers and Odours dayly burning thereto and their manner of Preaching being not by Word so much as by Writing and that not by Authorities of Scripture but by Arguments of Reason furthered by their owne Philosophie and commended by Mathematicall Sciences strange Ground-workes to Faith and Theologie OF THE EAST-INDIES AND OF THE SEAS AND ILANDS ABOVT ASIA WITH THEIR RELIGIONS THE FIFTH BOOKE CHAP. I. Of India in Generall and of the Ancient Rites there obserued §. I. The Limits and the ancient People and Inuasions of India THe name of India is now applyed to all farre-distant Countries not in the extreme limits of Asia alone but euen to whole America through the error of Columbus and his fellowes who at their first arriuall in the Westerne world thought that they had met with Ophir and the Indian Regions of the East But the Ancients also comprehended vnder this name a huge Tract of Land no lesse in the iudgement of Alexanders followers in his Eastern Inuasions then the third part of the Earth Ctosias accounted it one halfe of Asia Yea a great part of Africa also is comprehended vnder that name So Turnebus in his Aduersaria not onely findeth the Barbarians and Parthians called by that name in Virgil but Thebes in the higher Egypt and Ammone Temple in Higinus and Aethiopia also as in our discourse thereof will further appeare But taking India more properly Dionysius bounds it betweene Caucasus and the Red-Sea Indus and Ganges Ouid likewise in that Verse Decolor extremo quâ cingitur India Gange But Ptolemy and other Geographers did vsually diuide India by the Riuer Ganges into two parts one on this side Ganges and the other beyond Although here we finde no lesse difficultie concerning Ganges which the most with my selfe account the same with Guenga that falleth into the gulfe of Bengala which they also imagine to be that which of the Ancients is called Sinus Gangeticus Others esteeme the Riuer Canton whereon standeth the supposed Canton chiefe City of one of the Chinian Prouinces whereof wee haue so lately taken our leaue to be that Ganges of which minde are Mercator Maginus Gotardus Arthus and their disciples M. Paulus diuideth India into three parts the Lesse the Greater which hee calleth Malabar and Abassia betwixt them both Dom. Niger reckoneth the same number The Name of India flowed from the Riuer Indus Semiramis is reported to inuade India with three millions of foot-men and 500000. horse besides counterfeit Elephants made of the hides of 300000. Oxen stuffed with hay Yet Staurobates at that time the Indian Monarch brake her Forces and chased her out of the field Megasthenes reckoneth one hundred twentie two Indian Nations Arrianus in his eight booke makes a large description of this Indian world saying That they liued like the Scythians without Houses Cities Temples in a wandring course with their Tents on the barke of the Tree Tala and wild Venison the skins where of were there garments In all India were no seruants but all free-men These things were altred by Bacchus or Dionystus who made an Expedition hither not so much with Armes as with Arts He taught them the vse of Wine Oyle and Sacrificing in memorie whereof Posteritie honoured him for a god Of this the Poets and Histories of Alexander others make much mention So doth Suidas tell of one Brachman that prescribed the Rites and Lawes of the Brachmanes Solinus of Hydaspes and others of Ganges Hercules the rest with much vncertaintie Postellus strangely conceiteth himselfe that Abrahams posteritie by Keturah seated themselues in India and were there knowne by the name of Iewes before the Iewes in Palestina that they obserued Circumcision and dispersed it into Syria Egypt Armenia Colchis Iberia Paphlagonia Chaldea and India before Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt and that the Brachmanes were so called quasi Abrahmanes as following the instructions of Abraham Abraham wee beleeue the Father of the faithfull but cannot father on him such vnfaithfull and degenerate generations no more then with the same Postellus wee acknowledge the Turkes the posteritie of the ten Tribes and the Tartars to be the remainder of those Turkes following Cabalisticall coniectures But that which he speaketh of the name Iewes and Abrachmanes in India may perhaps arise from a testimony cited out of Megasthenes his Indica by Clem. Alex. That all things obserued by Naturall Phylosophers in Greece bad beene handled before partly by the Brachmanes amongst the Indians partly of those which in Syria are called Iewes in which testimonie he ioyneth Iewes and Brachmanes in Profession of the same learned Science of Naturall Philosophy Apuleius maketh the Brachmans first Founders of the Pythagorean learning and reporteth further That at dinner-time the Table was made readie and the youths from diuers Places and Seruices resorted thither at which time the Masters questioned with them what good they had done that day one answereth Hee had beene a Peace-maker to reduce such such which were at oddes to amitie another had done this or that for his Parents another had studied or meditated on such a point Once he which could not giue good account of his mornings worke might not be admitted to receiue any dinner-wages Strabo in his fifteenth Booke is large in this Indian subiect Hee reporteth out of Aristobulus that the Riuer Indus by force of
need not this ruder but iust and true Apologie As for other Obiections they are friuolous and either ridiculous or meerely accidentall and it is Puritanisme in Politie to conceit any great Good without some Euills attendant in any Enterprise whatsoeuer where the Heauens Great Lights are subiect to Eclipses the longest Day hath a Night the Summer yeelds vicissitude to Winter all Bodies are mixed and compounded and in the greatest Lustre make an apparant Shadow Apparant Shadowes are the obiected expence of Victuall as if these mouthes would not exceed farre more in quantitie and qualitie at home of Timber as if this be not the most honourable vse thereof though Ireland yeeldes supply in this kind of eclipsing or sinking other Trades sic inter Stellas argentea Luna minores will they be angrie that so few Starres appeare when Aurora is preparing the Sunnes Chariot They adde Oppressions and Dealing cruelly I know not whether this be a cruell lye and many other alledged against these Indian Nauigations bee but English Knauigations This I know that the Wisest hath forbidden to answere a foole according to his foolishnesse lest thou also bee like him Easie it is for fooles to moue Scruples in the Actions of the Wisest and not hard for euill mindes to make that which they find not euill But Christians are to imitate Him rather which commanded the Light to shine out of Darkenesse with a candide Mind the true Image of GOD alway construing doubtfull things to the best which the best will doe to whom and for whom this is intended As for Cauillers they haue their Dos here according to Salomons Prescipt Answere a foole according to his foolishnesse lest he be wise in his owne conceit §. IIII. The Conclusion with commendation of the Mariner c. NOw that I haue after my ability answered the obiections and produced so many Arguments the most of which are Store-houses and Heads of many Let this be the last argument which to me was not the least and here was placed first the Increase of learning and knowledge by these worthy Discoueries of Marine Worthies How little had we knowne of the World and the Wonders of God in the World had not the Sea opened vs a Passage into all Lands Pegasus the winged Horse which the Poets fained with the stroke of his foot first made Helicon the Muses Well to spring was the issue of Neptune and that snaky-headed Monster Medusa The Mariner seemes rough-hewen and rude according to the Ocean that breeds him but hee that can play with those dangers which would transforme others into stones and dares dwell within so few inches of death that calls the most tempestuous Elements his Parents Hee I say is the true Pegasus that with his wing-like Sailes flies ouer the World which hath helped to deliuer Andromeda Geography before chained to the Rockes and ready to bee deuoured of that Monster Ignorance and out of whose salt waters wisely distilled Clio Vrania and the best of the Muses drinke their sweetest and freshest liquors Howsoeuer Others My Selfe must confesse and this Booke will witnesse that My Helicon hath in great part flowne from the footing of this Pegasus And let it be the Honour of Our Honourable SMITH that His hand hath fitted this Foot of Pegasus to this Indian Iourney whither he is now carrying you at Whose Forge and Anuill haue beene hammer'd so many irons for Neptune not like Xerxes his Arrogance which proudly cast Fetters into the Hellespont but with true effects of Conquest Mee thinkes I here see the Sterne that with little locall stirring Stiereth so many Ships to so many Ports visited by your Pilgrim HONDIVS his Map of the EAST-INDIA INDIA Orientalis CHAP. III. Of the Indian Prouinces next adioyning to China §. I. Of Cauchin China Camboia and the Laos CAuchin-China is an Indian Kingdome situate betweene the Prouince of Canton on the North and Camboia on the South in the bottome of a great Bay diuided into three Prouinces and as many Kings but one of them is Paramount It aboundeth with Gold Siluer Aloes Porcelane and Silke They are Idolaters and Pagans and haue had some deuotion to the Popish Christianity moued thereto by certaine Pictures of our Lady of the last Iudgement and Hell a new kind of preaching and haue erected many Crosses amongst them of which the Friers report after their fashion some miracles Their Religion seemeth little to differ from that of the Chinois to whom they are also Tributaries and vse their Characters One Richard Cocke Englishman in a Letter dated December the tenth 1614. from Firando in Iapan where hee was left in Factory by Captaine Saris writes of an vnhappy accident which befell Master Tempest Peacocke who with Walter Caerwarden arriued not long before with our Kings Letter in Cauchin-China with a Present also and goods to the Value of seuen hundred and thirty pounds But whiles hee with some principall Hollanders who were there likewise entertained was passing by water they were set vpon and slaine with harping irons together with their interpreters and followers Iapanders neither had they heard further what became of the rest of the Company The cause was reported to bee a quarell against the Hollanders for fraud and violence deceiuing them with false money and burning a Towne Here is much of the wood called Palo Daguilla and of the most sweet wood Calamba with other merchandize of China Betweene this and the I le Aynao tenne miles from the land is a fishing for Pearles To the South of this Kingdome is Champa the name of a Kingdome and chiefe Citie thereof of great Traffique especially of Lignum Aloes which groweth there in the Mountaines prized at the weight in Siluer which they vse in Bathes and in the Funerals of great Princes In Religion they are as the former This Tract beares also the name of Camboia Camboia on the North abutteth on Cauchin China on the South the Kingdome of Siam on the East the Sea It is a great and populous Countrey full of Elephants and Abada's this Beast is the Rhinoceros Here also they begin to honour the Crosse as Frier Siluester a man as they say much reuerenced by the King and honoured of the people hath taught them When the King dieth his women are burned and his Nobles doe voluntarily sacrifice themselues in the same fire The women are generally burned with their husbands at their death The Camboyans dealt treacherously with the Hollanders Anno 1602. whom they inuited to the shore with promise of certaine Buffolos and then cruelly slew them They detained the Admirall on shore to be redeemed with some of their Ordnance When they intend a iourney they vse diuination with the feete of a Henne to know whether it will be luckie or no and as the Wizard shall answere they dispose of themselues either to goe or stay This Land hath much of the sweet Wood Calamba which being good
Paroes the Countrey being full of Riuers in which they goe to and fro with their Families as strange is the dwelling here on the Land their houses being set on high posts and their going vp on Ladders for feare of Tygres From hence to Pegu is tenne as is said before or eleuen dayes iourney by the Riuers as before is expressed where their Markets are as their dwellings vpon the water in Boates with a great Sombrero like a Cart-wheele to keepe off the Sunne made of Coco-Leaues They vse in riding to carry bits in their mouthes which make them swell and puffing cheekes The husbands buy their wiues and if they mislike put them away And if the wiues Parents will take away their daughters they must restore that which was giuen in price for her If a man dies without children the King is his Heire And if hee hath children the King hath a third they the rest They vse to carrie men somewhat after the fashion of Congo in a kind of Couerlet of Cotton called Delingo of diuers colours made commodiously to keepe off the Sunne and Raine and easie to lie on as a bed carried by foure men which alway runne from morning to night resting onely once in the day The wife children and slaues of the Debtor are bound to the Creditor who may carry the Debtor to his house and shut him vp or else sell the wife children and slaues The Noble and Ignoble obserue one fashion of attire differing in the finenesse of the matter which commonly is bombast One piece for a shirt another large and painted tied vp betweene the legges On their heads a kind of Mitre of the same and some like a Hiue they goe bare-foot but the Nobles vsually are carried in Delingos or on Horse-backe The women weare a smocke to the girdle from thence a strait cloth of purpose to shew that they are Women in sort before related They goe bare-foote their armes laden with Hoopes of Gold and Iewels and their fingers full of precious Rings with their haire rolled vp about their heads Many weare a cloth about their shoulders in stead of a Cloake In Pegu they vse much Opium Aracan is mid-way betweene Bengala and Pegu on the Coast Hee is able saith Fredericke to arme many Austs by Sea and by Land hath certaine Sluces with the which if the King of Pegu his greatest enemy assaulted his Countrey hee could at pleasure couer a great part with waters In Pegu they haue a custome of buying and selling by Brokers which vndertake for the performance on both sides Also that others standing by may know what is bidden for commodities they haue their hands vnder a cloth and by touching the fingers and nipping the ioynts each finger and ioynt hauing his proper signification they make vp their bargaines CHAP. V. Of the Religion in Pegu and the Countreys sometime subiect thereto THeir Varellaes or Idol-Temples in the Kingdome of Pegu are many They are made round like a Sugar-Loafe or a Bell some are as high as a Church or a reasonable Steeple very broad beneath some a quarter of a mile in compasse in the making of them they consume many Sugar-Canes with which they couer them from the top to the bottome Within they bee all earth done about with stone They spend thereon much gold for they be all gilded aloft and many of them from the top to the bottome and euery ten or twelue yeeres they must bee new gilded because the Raine consumeth off the gold for they stand open abroad Were it not for this vaine custome gold would there be good cheape About two dayes iourney from Pegu there is a Varelle or Pagode which is the Pilgrimage of the Pegues It is called Dogonne and is of wonderfull bignesse and all gilded from the foot to the top This house is fifty fiue paces in length and hath in it three Iles or Walks and forty great Pillars gilded which stand betweene them It is gilded with gold within and without These are houses very faire round about for the Pilgrims to lie in and many goodly houses for the Tallipoys to preach in which are full of Images both of men and women all ouer gilded I suppose it the fairest place in the world It standeth very high and there are foure waies to it which all along are set with Trees of Fruits in such wise that a man may goe in the shade aboue two miles in length And when their Feast-day is a man can hardly passe by Water or by Land for the great prease of people which resort thither from all places of the Kingdome There are on the shoares of Dogon two Statues which from the head down-ward represent young men but haue the faces of Deuils and two wings on their backes In Pegu there is Varelle or Temple like to this which the King frequented to doe his Holies therein mounting vp staires at the foot whereof were two Tygers gaping wide seeming as if they had beene aliue Besides the many Magazins or Treasuries full of Treasure which the late Braman King had hee had neere vnto the Palace a Court walled with stone the gates whereof were open euery day Within this Court are foure gilded Houses couered with Lead and in euery of them certaine Idols of great value In the first house was a great Statue of Gold and on his head a Crowne of Gold beset with rare Rubies and Saphires and about him foure little children of Gold In the second House is another of Siluer as high as an House set as it were sitting on heapes of money crowned his foot is as long as a man In the third house there is the like Idoll of Brasse and in the fourth of Ganza which is their Mony-mettall tempered of Lead and Copper In another Court not farre from this stand foure other Colosses or huge Images of Copper in Houses gilded faire as they are themselues saue the head Balby tells of fiue made of Ganza so monstrous that the toes of their feeet were as big as a man and sitting crosse-legged were yet as high as one could hurle a stone and were all gilded Fernandes relateth of threescore and seuen Images of Gold richly adorned with Iewels and three hundred threescore and sixe Combalengas or Gourds of Gold molten by the Kings Father each weighing a hundred fourescore pound besides his other Treasures to conceale which he slew two hundred Eunuchs his attendants Their Tallipoys before they take Orders go to Schoole till they be twentie yeeres old or more then they come before a Tallipoy appointed for that purpose whom they call Rowli Hee as chiefe and most learned examineth them many times Whether they will leaue their Friends and the company of all Women and take vpon them the habite of a Tallipoy If hee be content then hee rideth vpon an Horse about the streets very richly apparrelled with Drums and Pipes to shew that hee leaueth the riches of the
which hee might heare as hee passed and once also saw them the Eunuch purposely putting on a thinner cloth ouer his head there being of them some hundreds His wife had more accesse at Chan Channas Court whose daughter sometimes wife to the elder brother of this Mogol and liuing still a widdow had a desire to see the English-woman and Chan-Channa intreated her husband to permit it Shee was fetched in a close Chariot drawne by white Oxen attended by Eunuchs and was first brought into an open Court in midst of which was a Tanke or Well of Water where sate many women slaues to Chan-Channas daughter of diuers Nations and complexions some blacke exceeding louely and comely of person notwithstanding whose haire before did stand vp with right tufts as if it had growne vpward nor would ruffling disorder them some browne of Indian complexion others very white but pale and not ruddy many of them seemed goodly and louely all sitting in their slight but rich garments on the floore couered with carpets The Lady came forth in meaner attire whereat they all arose and did her reuerence with their faces to the ground Mistresse Steele made her three courtsies after the English fashion being also in English attire and deliuered her a Present without which there is no visitation of great persons and the Lady caused her to sit by her and after discourse entertained her with a Banket and began familiaritie with her continued and increased with often visitations and rewarded with many gifts as of womens vestments of of those parts some of which I saw the vpper garment like a smocke of thin Calico vnder which they weare a paire of breeches close aboue the neather parts very long and slender loosely ruffling about their legs of thin stuffe also the mans garment differing from the womans by the fastning on the side vnder the arme whereas the womans is fastened before both tyed with ribbands Chan Channa caused his Taylor to take view of Master Steele and without other measure hee made him a cloake of cloth of gold after the English fashion very comely which I also saw §. VI. Of the Rasboots and other people subiect to the Mogol and of their Countries Religion and Rites THus haue we delineated this huge Giantly Body of the Mogol Empire The Soule or Religion thereof is more inuisible What lurking places and labyrinths the breasts of the Kings haue had in their vnknowne curious vncertaine Faith yee haue heard and may there by guesse at the rest As the people are manifold so are their Rites some of which about Ganges and in other parts haue alreadie beene touched and some hereafter as the People and their Rites are diffused and dispersed in diuers Tracts of India we shall elsewhere mention Besides Christian Forreiners the principall Religion is Ethnike though that of the Prince be Mahumetan The Reisbuti Rasbootes or Rasbooches the ancient Inhabitants of the Countrey of Sinda are Gentiles How strong one of them is you haue heard Captaine Hawkins report His name as I haue since learned of Mr. Rogers Mr. Clarke and Mr. Withington is Ranna some of them affirming That hee is lately come in and hath sent his sonne a pledge to the Mogols Court who for this cause and his sake hath beene so long resident at Azmere But Mr. Clarke employed in these wars saith That it is not a subiection but voluntarie friendship and neighbourhood with acknowledgement of himselfe the Inferior A Rebell or Outlaw he cannot be called because hee was neuer subiect accounting the Mogoll Superior in power but not his Lord There are of these many Casts or Tribes each of which haue supreame and independent Lords Nature building them with little helpe of Art impregnable Fortresses or inaccessable Hils One of which called Dewras is said to haue very many populations able on the Hill tops to gather sufficient prouisions for themselues and the neighbour-Markets impossible without corruption to be conquered When any of these Casts or Tribes disagree the Mogoll interposeth himselfe professing to take part with the right Their Countrey lies in the direct way from Surat to Agra the wayes by Amadauar or by Brampore both much about yet frequented by Merchants for feare of them The Countrey people are rude naked from the waste vpwards with Turbants differing from the Mogol fashion Their Armes are Sword Buckler and Launce Their Buckler is great in fashion of a Bee-hiue in which they will giue their Camels drinke and Horses prouender Their Horses are good swift and strong which they ride vnshod and back at a yeere old A resolute people which the Mogoll saith knowes as well to die as any in the world They eate no Beefe nor Buffolo but haue them in superstitious respect The Rasbutche husband dying the wife is burned The manner is this The wise accompanies the dead bodie of her husband in her best array pompously attended with her friends and kindred and with Musick The fire being made she compasseth the same twice or thrice first bewayling her husbands death and then reioycing that she shall now liue with him againe and then embracing her friends sits downe on the top of the pyle taking her husbands head in her lap and bids them kindle the fire This done her friends throw Oyle and other sweet Perfumes on her shee enduring the fire with admirable patience loose and not bound I haue seene many it is M. Withingtons report the first at Surat the woman being but ten yeeres old and not yet a woman hauing not knowne her husband who was slaine in the wars and his clothes brought home Yet would she needs burne with his clothes and the Gouernour not permitting because shee was a Virgin her friends intreated and bribed him thereto shee seeming impatient of that delay and saying her husband was a great way before her with much blind ioy entring into endlesse sorrowes The kindred of the deceased husband doe not force this vnkind kindnesse but the wiues owne kindred holding it a disgrace to their family if shee refuse which she hath power to doe but few will and then shee must shaue her haire and breake her iewels and is not suffered to eate drinke sleepe or company with any bodie till her death If after purpose to burne impatient of the flame she leapes out her father and mother will bind and burne her perforce But such weaknesse seldome happens In some places they obserue it with Rites a little differing carrying the woman in great pompe on a Pageant and binding her to a stake all her kindred kneeling round about her and praying to the Sun and their other Idols Shee hath betwixt her legs and vnder each arme a bag of Gun-powder the fire made all of sweet Woods Wee shall mention other Rites in other places The Hendownes possesse the Countrey North from Asmere toward the Multans degenerate Gentiles and refusing no manner of Flesh or Fish They pray naked dresse and eat
superstition They marry but one wife and admit no second succeeding marriage The Bramenes must descend of the Bramene Tribe and others cannot aspire to that Priesthood but some are of higher account then other For some serue for messengers which in time of warre and among theeues may passe safely and are called Fathers They will not put a Bramene to death for any crime Heurnius reporteth that they haue bookes and Prophets which they alledge for confirmation of their opinions that they thinke God to be of blacke colour that they worship the herbe Amaracus or Marioram with many superstitious Ceremonies that they haue in their writings the Decalogue with the explanation thereof that they adjure all of their Society vnto silence touching their mysteries that they haue a peculiar language as Latine in these parts wherein they teach the same in their Schooles that their Doctors hallow the Sundayes in diuine worship adoring the God which created heauen and earth often repeating the sentence I adore thee O God with thy grace and aide for euer to take food from the hands of a Christian they account as sacrilege When they are seuen yeeres old they put about their necke a string two fingers broad made of the skinne of a beast called Cressuamengan like a wilde Asse together with the haire which he weareth till he is fourteene yeeres old all which time he may not eate Betelle That time expired the said string is taken away and another of three threeds put on in signe that hee is become a Bramene which hee weareth all his life They haue a Principall amongst them which is their Bishop which correcteth them if they doe amisse They marrie but once as is said and that not all but onely the eldest of the brethen to continue the Succession who is also heire of the fathers substance and keepeth his wife straitly killing her if he finde her adulterous with poison The yonger brethren lie with other mens wiues which account the same as a singular honour done vnto them hauing libertie as Balby affirmeth to enter into any mans house yea of the Kings no lesse then of the Subjects of that Religion the husbands leauing the wiues and the brethren their sisters vnto their pleasures and therefore departing out of the house when they come in And hence it is that no mans sonne inheriteth his fathers goods and I knowe not whether they may inherite that name of father or sonne but the sisters sonne succeedeth as being most certaine of the bloud They eate but once a day and wash before and after meate as also when they make water and goe to stoole They haue great cournuâ—s belonging to their Churches besides offerings and at set houres of the day resort thither to sing and doe other their holy Rites Twice in the day and as often in the night their Pagode is taken out of the Altar and set on the Bramenes head looking backward and is carried in Procession three times about the Church the Bramenes wiues carrying lights burning euery time they come to the principall doore of the Church which is on the West side thereof some Churches haue two doores on a side they set it downe on their offering-stone and worship it Twice a day they bring it to eate of their sod Rice as often it seemeth as the Bramene is hungry When they wash them which is often they lay a little ashes on their heads foreheads and breasts saying that they shall returne into ashes When the Bramenes wife is with childe as soone as he knoweth it he cleanseth his teeth and abstaineth from Betelle and obserueth fasting till shee bee deliuered The Kings of Malabar will scarce eate meate but of their dressing They are of such estimation that if Merchants trauell among theeues and robbers one Bramene in the companie secureth them all which Bramene will eate nothing of another mans dressing and would not become a Moore for a Kingdome Nic. di Conti saith he saw a Bramene three hundred yeeres old hee addeth that they are studious in Astrologie Geomancie and Philosophie To be short they are the Masters of Ceremonies and the Indian Religion in whose precepts the Kings are trained vp The Bramenes haue it seemeth much familiaritie with the Deuill so strangely doe they foretell things to come though they bee contingent They also interpret Prodigies Lots Auguries and thereby growe into great credit the people depending on them and the Kings becomming of their Order They perswade the people that their Pagodes doe often feast together and therefore would haue such dainties offered which they and theirs deuoure threatning if they be sparing and niggardly plenty of Plagues and diuine wrath Besides these Secular There are other Religious or Monasticall Bramenes which are called Iogues anciently called by the Greekes Gymnosophists because they went naked and so they still doe professing much austeritie of life at least for a time with long Pilgrimages and much bodily exercise little profiting the soule possessing nothing but want and beggarie seeking thereby to winne credite to themselues and their Sect The Verteas I take to bee another Sect the religious Votaries of the Banians or Pythagoreans Both those and these are kindes of Ethnike Monkes which professe by strict penance and regular obseruations to expiate their sinnes and procure saluation to their soules There are also some that liue as Heremites in Desarts some in Colledges some wander from place to place begging some an vnlearned kind are called Sanasses some contrary to the rest nothing esteeme Idols obserue chastitie twenty or fiue and twenty yeeres and feed daily on the pith of a fruit called Caruza to preserue in them that cold humour neither doe they abstaine from flesh fish or wine and when they passe along the way one goeth before them crying Poo Poo that is way way that women especially may auoid for their vow will not permit the sight of a woman These weare not the three threads which the other Bramenes weare neither are their bodies burned after death as of the rest yea the King himselfe honoreth them and not they the King some liue inclosed in iron Cages all filthie with ashes which they strew on their heads and garments some burne some part of their body voluntarily All are vain-glorious and seeke rather the shell then the kernell the shew then the substance of holinesse Xauerius once in conference with the Bramens demanding of them what their God commanded to those that would come to Heauen was answered Two precepts one to abstaine from killing of Kine in whose shape the Gods were worshipped and the other to obserue the Bramenes the Ministers of their Gods But they haue more mysticall learning which one of them secretly disclosed to the Iesuite This was of a famous Schoole College or Vniuersity of those Bramenes all the Students whereof at their first Admission he said were sworne by solemne Oath vnto
Moores traded there and still enioy many possessions These marry one Wife and their Children inherit and they may touch the Nayro's The Cagianem are a Sect of the Nayros hauing a Law and Idols by themselues which they may neuer alter They make Tiles to couer the Temples and the Kings Palace The Nayro's may be with their women but must wash themselues before they goe home Another Sect is called Manantamar which are Landerers nor may they or their Posteritie be of other function nor may they mingle themselues with any other Generation They haue Idol ceremonies and Temples by themselues The Nayros may vse their Wiues or Women rather Their Brethren or Nephewes are their Heires The Calton are Weauers and haue a distinct Idolatrous Sect otherwise are as the former Besides these of better condition there are of baser sort eleuen Sects which may not marrie nor meddle with others The first of these are called Tiberi Husbandmen the second Moger and are Mariners both hauing their proper Superstitions and vse their women in common the third are Astrologers whom they call Canius Great men aske their counsell but may not touch their persons The Aggeri are Masons and Workers in Metals The Muchoa or Machoe are Fishers dwelling in Villages by themselues the men Theeues the women Harlots with whom they please The Betua are Salt-makers the Paerun are Iugglers Inchanters and Physicians if such damnable Deuillish practices may deserue so honourable Name which when any are sicke and require their helpe vse Coniuration to cause the Deuill to enter into some of them and then by his suggestion declare the euent of the Disease and what Sacrifices or other things are to be performed They may not touch or bee touched of other men The Reuolat are a baser sort of Gentiles which carry wood into the Citie to sell and herbs The Puler are as excommunicate persons and liue in Desarts where the Nayros haue no occasion to passe and when they goe neere any of these Nayros or any of the better sort they cry as lowd as they can as the Lepers among the Iewes that others may auoid them For if any touch them their Kindred may for such action or passion stay them and as many of these Puler also as may make satisfaction for such disparagement Some nights they wil go of purpose seeking to touch some of the Nayro women with hand sticke or hurling of a stone which if they effect there is no remedie for the woman but to get her forth and liue with these Villaines or to be sold to escape killing by the hands of her Kindred These Puler are Theeues and Sorcerers The Pareas are of worse esteeme and liue in Desarts without commerce of any reputed worse then the Deuill These ten sorts or eleuen if you reckon two sorts of the Tiberi as our Author doth whereof one are Warriors distinguished by a certaine cudgell which they must carry in their hands from the Nayros are as well differing in Religions matters of common life though for their seuerall Rites it were wrong to the Reader at large to recite them if we had the particulars to deliuer But this is common in India that each Trade and Tribe distinguish a new Sect There are besides these Gentiles Naturall of Malabar many strangers of Indians Moores and Christians But in other Kingdomes of Malabar the Heathenish Religion is little differing from that in Calicut Cranganor is a small Kingdome the Inhabitants of the Citie which giueth name to the Region are Christians of Saint Thomas profession about seuentie thousand in number Cochin is now growne great by the Portugals traffique and friendship Of the rest there is not much worth the recitall The Papall honour among the Bramenes was by ordination of Perimal which placed there the Supremacie of the Bramens because He to whom he gaue Coulam was a greater Man then the rest This Papall title was Cobritin a dignity which the King of Cochin still retayneth to be supreme Head of the Bramenes For the ancient Kings of Coulan remooued their seate to Cochin which was then in their Territories But Warres haue since much altered the face of things in those parts In these parts are now many Christian Proselites of the Iesuites Conuersion besides many of the olde Thomas Christians Both Men and Women in Cochin account it a great Gallantry to haue wide Eares which therefore they stretch by Art hanging Waights on them till they reach to their shoulders Porca is a Kingdome Southwards from Cochin but little we can say of it In Trauancor betweene Coulan and the Cape were many Christians if they may be so called which want Sacraments For in fifty yeeres together they had not seene a Priest only they had the priuiledges and name of Thomaean-Christians These Thomaeans are now as the Iesuites report reduced to their Catholicisme The King of Trauancors Dominion stretcheth beyond the Cape Comori where Malabar endeth on the East-side fourescore and ten miles as farre as Cael which diuers great Lords hold vnder him Among the rest is the Signiory of Quilacare In the City of Quilacare is an Idoll of high account to which they solemnize a Feast euery twelfth yeere where the Gentiles resort as the Popish Christians in the Romish Iubilee The Temple sacred to this Idoll hath exceeding great reuenue The King for so he is called at this Feast erecteth a Scaffold couered with silke and hauing washed himselfe with great solemnity he prayeth before this Idoll and then ascendeth the Scaffold and there in presence of all the people cutteth off his Nose and after that his Eares Lips and other parts which he casts towards the Idoll and at last he cutteth his throate making a butcherly sacrifice of himselfe to his Idoll He that is to be his Successor must be present hereat for he must vndergoe the same Martyrdome when his twelue yeeres Iubilee is come Along this Coast dwell the Paraui simple people and Christians which liue by fishing of Pearles The Nayros make such holes in their Eares that Caesar Fredericke sayth hee thrust his arme vp to the shoulders in one of them They are prodigal of their liues in the honour of their King Osorius telleth of some which like the renowmed Decij had vowed themselues to death and not to returne from the enemy without victory Aloisius Goueanus numbreth in the Sea Coast of Coulam three and twenty townes of which nineteene had Christian Churches The Malabars are generally of one Language and one kind of writing This their writing was in leaues of Palme which they call Olla two fingers broad and long as the matter they intended written on both sides with a stile of Iron which they binde vp in Bookes betweene two boords in greater or lesser forme as they please Their writing is from the left hand to the right They reckoned their times before the Portugals came into the Indies from the departure of
without any fault but the defect of our Treasurie who therefore poysoned himselfe and the I le became tributarie Sextus Rufus saith as much Amasis was the first if we beleeue Herodotus f that euer conquered Cyprus and made it tributarie He also saith lib. 4. That the Cyprians were partly from Salamine and Athens partly from Arcadia partly from Cythnus from Phoenicia and from Aethiopia Plinie affirmeth That it was sometime the seate of nine Kings and was diuersly named as Acamantis Cerastis Aspelia Amathusia Macaria Cryptus and Colinia It was such a Forrest of Trees that when as their shipping and Mines were not able to waste them it was made lawfull for any man to fell and destroy them and for his labour to possesse the land which he had so cleered Bartholomaeus Saligniacus sayth he saw flying fishes in the Sea about Cyprus which in the Atlantike Ocean are common he saw also a Ramme in Cyprus with seuen hornes HONDIVS his Map of Cyprus CYPRUS In the time of Constantine it was forsaken of the Inhabitants as before forsaken of the Elements which refused to water with any drops of raine that Iland sometime called Macaria or happy the space of seuenteene yeeres together or as others haue it sixe and thirtie repeopled from diuers parts by Helena the Mother of Constantine and remayning to the Greeke Empire till that Lion of England made it a prey and the Knights purchase who sold it to Guido Lusignun whose posterity failing the Venetians succeeded till SEYLIM the Second minding to erect a Religious Hospitall to testifie his magnificence beganne with an irreligious foundation For whereas their holy Lawes will not suffer any thing to bee dedicated to holy vses which their owne Sword hath not conquerd hee brake league with the Venetian and robbed them of this Iland which they are thought not with the iustest title before to haue possessed But it is high time to bethinke vs of our Indian shore whence we haue taken so large a prospect where we are stayed to be transported into the chiefe of those Ilands there to take a more leisurely view of their Regions and Religions And if any be desirous to reade the ancient names and descriptions of the Seas and Ilands about Asia Marcianus Heracleotes and Sculax Carnandensis haue written especiall Treatises thereof which Dauid Hoeschelius hath published in Greeke very profitable to the learned Students of the ancient Geographie as are the workes also of Isidorus Characenus Artemidorus Ephesius and Dicaearchus Messenius which he hath ioyned with them CHAP. XV. A larger Relation of some principall Ilands of Asia and first of the Ilands of Iapon §. I. A Preface touching the Iesuites and a description of Iapon with some of their strange Customes THe Iesuits haue not more fixed the eyes of the World vpon them in the Westerne parts then they haue fixed their owne eyes on the Easterne heere seeking to repaire with their vntempered-Morter the ruines of their Falling Babylon there laying a new foundation of their after-hopes heere by their Politike Mysteries and Mysticall Policies endeuouring to recouer there by new Conquests to make supply to their losses heere for busie intruding into affaires of State suspected by their owne hated by their Aduersaries there by seeming to neglect Greatnesse and to contemne Riches of the mightiest are not feared whiles Others beleeue obserue and admire them Both heere and there they spare not to compasse Sea and Land to winne Proselytes euery of their Residences or Colledges being as so many Forts to establish this new Romane Monarchie but with vnlike aduantage encountring there with Reason or rather with the carkasse of Reason attended with Ignorance and Superstition whose Owlish eyes cannot endure the enteruiew of Truth though darkened with those Cloudes wherewith they ouer-cast it Heere with Truth yea the Soule of Truth true Religion whose Shield of Faith and Sword of the Spirit these the stronger part of the strongest Gate of Hell cannot preuaile against A Spanish Faction of Spanish humour and successe more easily conquering a World of the naked Americans and effeminate Indians then keeping all they had in Europe Such are the armes of the one and the preaching of the other Yet would I faine be thankful to the one and the other the first for furthering Geographic with knowledge of a new World the other for making a possibility of a better World to some whereas otherwise there was a generall desperation of all Neyther are the wounds of Popish Superstition so absolutely mortall as the Ethnike Atheisme the one hauing no foundation at all the other shewing the true foundation although their Babylonish slime euen heere supply the roome of better morter besides their stubble hay and wood built vpon it Better a mixed truth then a totall errour and a maymed Christ then none at all But howsoeuer they bee beholden to them for their Diuinitie it were inhumanitie in vs not to acknowledge a beholdingnesse to them for that they giue vs the knowledge of many peoples although in all their Discourses this caution is necessary not to yeeld them a Catholike and vniuersall credit where we any way may spie them dawbing the wals of their pretended Catholike Church In relating their Miracles and such like we will remember they are Iesuits in other things not seruiceable to Rome we will heare them as Trauellers when lying doth not aduantage them nor hurt vs But as the labours of the Iesuites may euery where breed shame to our negligence in a better quarrell so in Iapon it is most of all admirable that the furthest part of the World should be so neere to their industry And that you at last may bee acquainted with Iapon wee will borrow of them to pay your hopes by this long introduction suspended Maffaeus who hath translated and set forth more then thirty of those Iaponian Epistles in the twelfth Booke of his Indian History doth thus describe it Besides other lesse three principall Ilands beare the name of Iapon which the first and greatest more particularly challengeth and contayneth in it three and fifty Kingdomes or Principalities the chiefe City whereof is Meaco The second is Ximum diuided into nine Signiories The third Xicoc quartered into foure Lordships so that there are in all of this Iaponian Dominion three score and sixe Shires or pettie Kingdomes The space of Land is measured two hundred leagues in length in bredth some-where ten in other places thirtie betweene the thirty and thirtie eight degrees of Latitude Eastward from China Our Countrey-man William Adams which now liues there and hath done these many yeeres and therefore hath better meanes to know the truth placeth it from the 35. to the 48. degree of Northerly latitude the length East and by North and West and by South for so it lyeth is two hundred and twenty English leagues that way and South and North two hundred and three score leagues almost
people of little stature These of Yedzo were as tall as the Iaponians with whom they haue continuall traffique hauing little apparell but from them Of Corea hee was also told that there are many bogges for which cause they haue Waggons with broad wheeles to keepe them from sinking and obseruing the Monson or season of the wind of which you haue heard how certaine it comes yeerely in all the East they haue sayles fitted to those Waggons and so make their Voyages on land With such Waggons full of Souldiers Taicosama as he was told had intended to assaile China but was preuented by One which to poison him poisoned himselfe CHAP. XVI Of the Philippina's §. I. Of the Spanish Ilands and others adioyning IT is already shewed that those Ilands receiued this name of Philip the second King of Spaine and that this name sometime is in a large sense attributed to all these Ilands in those huge Seas but more properly to those which Lagaspi discouered in the yeere 1564. and where the Spaniards haue since that time had some places of abode Mendenao Tendaya Luzon and their neighbours lying farre-into the Sea before Cauchinchina and Cambaya betwixt the seuenth degree and the twentieth of Northerly latitude but first of all other Tendaia was called Philippina by the Spaniards which discouered it out of New-Spaine 1542. as Iuan Gaetan one of them testifieth They are many in number some of them very great rich in Rice Honey Fruits Birds Beasts Fishes Gold and enriched further with trade from China Seuentie of these Ilands are Subiects or friends to the Spaniards Of ancient time they were subiect as some say to the Chinois vntill they did voluntarily relinquish them the cause of much Ciuill warre amongst themselues that Anarchie prouing worse to them then a Tyrannie or rather the worst tyrannie euery man becomming a Tyrant and as hee had meanes of wit strength and followers preying vpon others vsing or selling them for slaues which their diuisions made an easie way to the Spanish Conquest They worshipped the Sunne and Moone obseruing in their honour solemne and sumptuous Feasts In the Illocos they worshipped the Deuill and offered to him many Sacrifices in recompence of a great quantitie of Gold which they said he had giuen them Their Feasts and Sacrifices were done by women which were Witches of them called Holgo reuerenced amongst them as Priests These had ordinary talke with the Deuill and many times in publike These wrought strange Witchcrafts they answered vnto all Questions that were demanded of them although their Answeres were often eyther Lyes or Riddles they vsed Lots as the Chinois and were obseruers of times If they beganne a Iourney and met with a Lizard or other Worme they would returne home saying the Heauens prohibited their proceeding They haue now amongst them many Preachers and Monasteries of the Augustinians Franciscans and Iesuits But the wicked life of the Spaniards is so offensiue to the Inhabitants that the Discourser himselfe a Frier telleth heere of a notable Story A certayne Ilander soone after his Baptisme died and appeared after to many of his Countreymen perswading them to be baptized as a way vnto that happinesse whereof hee now had in himselfe most blessed experience onely they must be baptized and obserue the Commandements which the Spaniards preached to them of whom and of others like vnto them there were in that happy place infinite numbers Hereupon he vanished and some were perswaded but others of them refused saying that seeing there were Spanish Souldiers in glory they would not go thither because they would not bee in their company A like History Bartholom de las Casas relateth of a Westerne Indian at the time of his death answering to a Dominicke Frier which counselled him to dye a Christian and so to bee capable of Heauen when hee heard there were Spaniards in Heauen hee would rather bee in Hell with his Fore-fathers then in Heauen with the Spaniards The Spaniards haue their Bishop and Archdeacon and besides other Religious seuen Colledges of Iesuits Boterus sayth That the King of Spaine had thought to haue made Manilla an Archbishopricke and added three other Archbishoprickes Captaine Noort a Dutchman that compassed the World lost a ship heere in fight with the Spaniards and sunke one of theirs he affirmes that the Conuerts of these parts are more Popishly Christian then in the midst of Rome or Spaine and more addicted to their Superstitious follies In these Philippina's some carue and cut their skinne with sundry streakes and deuices all ouer their body Moreouer as we haue spoken of Bals worne in their yards or Bels rather for they make a lowd ringing as they goe if they wrap them not vp very close by the men of Pegu so heere the men and men-children amongst them haue nayles of Tin thrust quite thorow the head of their priuy part being split in the lower end and riueted which is done when they be young and the place groweth vp againe without any great paine They take it out and put it in as occasion serueth This here as that in Pegu is said to haue beene practised to auoid the sinne of Sodomy whereto before they were prone The Males also are at least in some of the Philippina's circumcised The people worship the Deuill who oft times appeareth to them in conference in most vgly and monstrous shape There is amongst them an Iland of Negro's inhabited with blacke people almost as bigge as England in nine degrees Here also bee those blacke people called Os papuas Man-eaters and Sorcerers among whom Deuils walke familiarly as companions If these wicked Spirits find one alone they kill him and therefore they alwayes vse company Their Idols they adorne with Ostrich feathers They vse to let themselues bloud with a certayne Hearbe layd to the member and licked with the tongue with which they can draw out all the bloud in their body They are like the Cafers or Ethiopians and are diuided into many Kingdomes as Nunnes writeth Migindinao Mindanao or Vendenao is a great Iland contayning by Iuan Gaetans obseruation three hundred and foure score leagues in compasse It is inhabited of Moores and Gentiles there are many Kings In stead of bread they vse Rice and Sagu There is Pepper Ginger and Gold singularly good Tendaia enuironeth a hundred and sixty leagues from twelue to fifteene degrees of latitude the people Idolatrous abound with Pepper Ginger Gold and Mynes When as Magellan first of all men by the West discouered these Easterne Ilands in the Ilands of Buthoan and Caleghan hee could learne no other Religion obserued amongst them but that lifting vp their hands closed together and their face towards Heauen they called on their God by the name of Abba In Zubut in token of friendship hee and the King did let themselues bloud on the right arme for so was their wont to confirme leagues of amity The King
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
DIODORVS and others §. I. The names of Aegypt and of the Riuer Nilus AFter our generall view of Africa Egypt may justly challenge the principall place in our African discourse as being both in situation next to Asia whence we are lately come and consequently from thence first peopled besides that Religion our Load-Starre hath heere found the soonest and solemnest entertainment And not in Religion alone but in Policie Philosophie and Artes the Grecians which would seeme the first Fathers of these things haue beene Disciples to the Egyptians as Am. Marcellinus and D. Siculus Plutarch and many others affirme Hence Orpheus Musaus and Homer fetched their Theologie Lycurgus and Solon their Lawes Pythagoras Plato Anaxagoras Eudoxus Democritus Daedalus here borrowed that knowledge for which the World hath euer since admired them Let it not then be imputed to me as a tedious officiousnesse If I longer detaine the Reader otherwise delighted with the view of those rils which hence haue flowed among the Greeke and Latine Poets and Philosophers in Surueighing these Aegyptian Fountaines and Well-springs whence haue issued especially a deluge of Superstition that in elder times drowned all the neighbouring parts of the World Nor let it be tedious vnto vs to behold in this Historicall Theater those Egyptian Rarities the sight whereof hath drawne not Philosophers alone but great Princes too and mightie Emperors to the vndertaking of long and dangerous journeyes As Seuerus who though hee forbad Iudaisme and Christianite yet went this Pilgrimage in honour of Serapis and for the strange sights of Memphis Memnon the Pyramides Labyrinth c. Vespasian also and others did the like The name of Egypt saith Iosephus is Mesre of Misraim the sonne of Cham as the Egyptians themselues are called Mesrai So the Arabians at this day call it as Leo affirmeth but the Inhabitants they call Chibth This Chibth they say was he which first ruled this Countrey and built houses therein The Inhabitants also doe now call themselues thus yet are there not now left any true Egyptians saue a few Christians the Mahumetans hauing mingled themselues with the Arabians and Africans These Christians are hereupon called Cophti of their Nation as Master Brerewood obserueth not of their Religion which is the same with the Iacobites And the Egyptians in some ancient Monuments are tearmed Aegophti and the name Aegyptus which some deriue from Aegyptus brother of Danaus is likelier to come of that Chibth or this Aegophti and all these names may seeme to borrow their originall from Koptus a chiefe Citie in Egypt as both Scaliger and Lidyat are of opinion quasi Ai Koptus the Land of Koptus so is Aethiops of Ai and Thebeth or Thebais Ignatius the Patriarch of Antioch in an Arabicke Epistle written to Scaliger calleth Egypt the Land of Kopti where he speaketh of Aera Kopti or the computation of yeeres by those Koptite Christians reckoned from the nineteenth yeere of Dioclesian at which time hee destroyed the Christian Churches and slue an hundred and forty foure thousand Martyrs in Egypt and other seuen hundred thousand exiled The Turkes call both the Countrey it selfe and principall City Cairo by the name of Misir Thus singeth an olde Pilgrime in written Rimes without name of the Authour In Egypt is a Citie faire That height Massar or else Kare Egypt was before called if wee may beleeue Stephanus and others Aeria and otherwise also by the names of Aeria Potamia Ogygya Melambolos Haephestia Ethiopia Some adde Hepia as Nilus was also called Melas of the blacknesse The Riuer was first called Oceanus then Egyptus and after that Nilus and Triton Egypt hath on the East the Gulfe and some part of Arabia on the South the fals and Mountaynes of Aethiopia on the West the Desarts of Libya on the North the Mediterranean Sea all which Nature hath set not only as limits but as fortifications also to this Countrey Nilus is by Ouid called aduena for his forreine Springs by Tibullus fertilis which supplyeth the place of showres to Egypt whereupon Claudian sings Egyptus sine nube ferax imbresque serenos Sola tenet secura poli non indiga venti and Lucan Terra suis contenta bonis non indiga mercis Aut Iouis in solo tanta est fiducia Nilo Egypt no raines nor Merchandise doth need Nilus doth all her wealth and plenty breed Hereupon the Romanes accounted it their Granary and the Turke Selym when he conquered it said he had now taken a Farme that would feed his Gemoglans without it the earth is sand perhaps had not beene earth nor is there aboue one Well of sweet springing water nor brackish in all Egypt The water of Nilus is sweet wholesome and yeelds no mystie vapours This Riuer runneth through the midst thereof sixty miles from Cairo making by diuision of himselfe that Delta to which some appropriated the name of Egypt refuted by Iupiter Ammon whose Oracle sayth Herodotus reckoned all that Egypt which Nilus ouerflowed Ptolemaus numbreth three of those Deltas Touching the head of Nilus Bredenbachius affirmeth that many Soldans haue sent men on purpose furnished with skill and prouision for the Discouery who after two or three yeeres returning affirmed that they could find no head of this Riuer nor could tell any certainty but that it came from the East and places not inhabited both of like truth And before the Soldans Sesostris Cambyses Alexander Nero are reported to haue made search for the head of this Riuer Neros men by the helpe of the Aethiopians passed farre vp to large vnpassable Marishes full of weeds the extents vnknowne Later Geographers relate that Nilus ariseth out of a Lake in twelue degrees of Southerly latitude out of which not onely this Riuer runneth Northwards into the Mediterranean but Zaire also Westward Zuama and Spirito Sancto Eastward into the Ocean as is said all ouerflowing their Territories in the same time and from the same cause What this cause should be many both old and later Writers haue laboured to search Herodotus Diedorus Pliny and Solinus haue lent vs the coniectures of Antiquity herein Fracastorus and Rhamusius haue bestowed their Discourses on this Subiect as Goropius also and others of later yeeres haue done The most probable cause is the raines which Goropius in his Niloscopium deriueth from a double cause For the Sunne in places neere the Line doth shew more mighty effects of his fiery presence exhaling abundance of vapours which in terrible showers he daily repayeth except some naturall obstacle doe hinder as in some places of Peru where it seldome or neuer raineth And hence it is that the Indians both East and West and the Africans reckon their Summer and Winter otherwise then in these parts of the World for this time of the Sunnes neere presence with them they call Winter in regard of these daily stormes which hee seemes to
Iupiter Ammon or Cham which wee before spake of instituting vnto them Priests and golden statues Menas is reckoned the first King after those Demi-gods who built a Temple to Vulcan and taught the people to sacrifice and other rites of Religion Long after him Busiris built Thebes which was said to haue an hundred Gates and many stately erections of Temples Colosses Obeliskes by the one name they call their more then giantly Images by the other their pillars of one stone fashioned like a needle Pomponius Laetus and Martianus speake of two of these Obeliskes with hieroglyphicall inscriptions carryed from Hieropolis in Egypt by Augustus to Rome the one fourescore foote high the other an hundred and thirtie which was broken in the raysing Plinie mentions these and others at Rome one of which hee made serue for the measuring of the Sunnes shadow in Campus Martius in Dyall-wise He speaketh of an Obeliske at Thebes made and raysed by twentie thousand men Of foure Temples there was one contayning in circuit thirteene furlongs in height fiue and fortie cubits the wall foure and twentie foote thicke The ornaments answered to the structure But the Gold Siluer Iuorie and Iewels were taken away by the Persianâ— when Cambyses burned the Egyptian Temples Out of those fires they report flowed three hundred talents of gold and two thousand and three hundred of siluer Amongst the seuen and fortie Sepulchres of their Kings that of Simandius was reckoned most sumptuous the gates whereof were two hundred foote long and fiue and fortie cubits high within was a square Cloyster contayning in each square foure hundred foote borne vp with statues of beasts in stead of pillars of sixteene cubits the roofe made of stones of two paces broad beautified with starres Then was there another gate like to the former but fuller of worke with three huge statues to himselfe his mother and daughter Within this was another Cloyster more beautifull then the former But for the particulars of these things let our Reader refort to Diodorus Siculus who partly from the Priests relations and in great part from his owne sight deliuereth them at large He addeth that there was an inscription contayning the cost and charges hereof to be three thousand and two hundred millions of Minae These summes are admirable and scarcely to bee paralleld in any Historie excelling euen those summes which Dauid left Salomon for the Temple and onely surmounted by those which Sardanapalus is said to haue consumed together with himselfe in his funerall fire For if we account euery Mina three pound two shillings and sixe pence as Master Brerewood hath obserued of the Atticke Mina out of many Authors which yet is lesse then the Egyptian and but halfe so much as that of the Hebrewes and Alexandrians it comes to ten thousand millions of our pounds a summe incredible improbable that I say not impossible Yea neither are those things credible which Ctesias tells of Sardanapalus which Brerewood summeth after the Attick Talent at two and twentie thousand and fiue hundred millions of pounds in gold and eighteene thousand two hundred and fiftie millions of pounds in siluer Euen in those things also which the sacred Historie auoucheth of Dauid howsoeuer the truth is beyond all names of certaintie yet the interpretation of that truth is not fully agreed vpon as we haue elsewhere shewed This cost of Samandius although inlarged in the telling doth not disagree to that Egyptian opinion esteeming their houses their Innes and their Sepulchres their eternall habitatations Of the race of Simandius was Ogdous that built Memphis called in the Scripture Noph compassing a hundred and fifty furlongs at the parting of Nilus into that Delta-diuision where the succeeding Kings abode forsaking Thebes till Alexandria was after built by Alexander Thebes was called Diospolis or Iupiters City where as Strabo reporteth was consecrated to Iupiter a beautifull Virgin of noble birth who vntill the time that shee had her naturall purgation had the carnall company of whomsoeuer shee pleased and at this her menstruous accident was bewayled as dead and after married Such Virgins the Greeks sayth he called Pallades Many yeeres after Ogdons succeeded Sesostris Iosephus is of opinion that Herodotus erred in the name and ascribed the deeds of Shoshak to Sesostris to which also the computation of Herodotus doth agree reasonably in the time Others account him the same with Sesachis in Diodorus The huge Conquests of this Sesostris are beyond all that euer Alexander atchieued if we credit Authors At his returne he builded in euery City of Egypt a Temple to their chiefe God at their owne costs and offered a ship of Cedar two hundred and eighty Cubits in length siluered on the in-side gilded on the outside to the chiefe God at Thebes and two Obeliskes one hundred and twenty Cubits high wherein were ingrauen the greatnesse of his Empire and Reuenues At Memphis in the Temple of Vulcan he dedicated Statues of himselfe and his wife thirty Cubits high of his children twenty And when he went to the Temple or through the City his Chariot was drawne by Kings as Lucan singeth Venit ad Oceasum mundique extrema Sesostris Et Pharios currus Regum ceruicibus egit Sesostris in the Westerne World by Warre Compelled Kings to draw his Memphian Carre Thus we reade in our owne Chronicles of Edgarus Pacificus sometimes King of England rowed in a Boat by eight Kings himselfe holding the Sterne Tacitus telleth of Rhameses an Egyptian King who conquered the East and South parts of the World helped herein as the Priests told Germanicus with the forces of Thebes who had then seuen hundred thousand fighting men This was written in Egyptian Characters at Thebes interpreted by one of the Priests together with his reuenues not inferiour to the Romane or Parthian Empires Pheron the Sonne and Successor of Sesostris enraged at the rage of Nilus swelling aboue eighteene Cubits cast a Dart against the streame and thereupon lost his sight which by the aduice of the Oracle in Butis was restored by the vrine of a woman which had neuer knowne man but her husband which caused him to burne his owne wife and many other fayling in this new experiment and to marry her whom at last he found by this proofe to be honest He set vp in the Temple of the Sunne two Pillars each of one stone of 100. Cubits high and eight broad After succeeded Memphites Rhasinitus and Cheopes This last shut vp all the Temples in Egypt and busied them in his owne workes one hundred thousand by course ten yeeres together in building a Pyramis for his Sepulchre The least stone was thirty foot and all grauen Nilus passeth vnder it by a Trench It was reckoned among the Wonders of the World His daughter and brother made two other odious therefore to the Egyptians who will not once name them This was hollow the other solid They did it sayth
both heere and else-where The Moores saith another worshipped Iuba as a God and the Poeni Vranus the Libyans Psaphon This Psaphan otherwise a base fellow had taught Birds to sing Psaphon is a great God and let them flie into the Woods where chanting their lesson they inchanted the rude people with this superstition Aelianus telleth the like Historie of Annon a Carthaginian whose birds at libertie in the Woods forgat this their Masters Lesson The Paeni being as is said Phoeni or Phoenicians brought in all likelihood the Phoenician Religion with them from thence Yee may reade in our first booke of Moloch whence come the Carthaginian names of Milicus Imilce Amilcar Bomilcar Yea Athenodoros reports of Amilcas a Carthaginian Deitie which is like to be this Moloch or Milcom in a little differing Dialect Some are of opinion that these sacrifices had their beginning from a diabolicall imitation of Abrahams offering his onely sonne Isaac For so Porphyrius and Philo Biblius relate out of the Phoenician Annals that an ancient King called Israel in great danger of warre offered his onely sonne Porphyrius cals him Ieud as Moses also Gen. 22.2 Iehid that is vnigenitum which hee had by Anobreta whom Scaliger interpreteth Sara Neither is it any great maruell that the names and Story should bee thus peruerted to any that reade what relations Iustin Strabo and others write of the Iewes or how the Deuill is the great Seducer of the world bringing darkenesse out of light it selfe Silius mentioneth these their damnable Rites of humane Sacrifices Mos fuit in populis quos condidit aduena Dido Poscere caede Deos veniam ac flagrantibus aris Infandum dictu paruos imponere natos Carthage t' appease the offended Deities Was wont to offer humane Sacrifice And tender Babes abominable shame Were made the fewell of the Altars flame So Ennius in that verse of his cited by Nonius Marcellus Ille suos Diuis mos sacrificare puellos Tertullian writes that this custome continued till the time of Tiberius who being Proconsull crucified the Priests authors of this villanie on the very Trees which shadowed the Temple in this bloody groue yet this continued to Tertullians dayes but more closely Sed nunc in occulto perseuerat hoc sacrum facinus Ipsi parentes sui offerebant libentes exponebant infantibus blandiebantur ne lachrymantes immolarentur These are the words of Tertullian To Saturne saith Sardus were humane Sacrifices offered by the Rhodians Phoenicians Curetes and Carthaginians the Sardi their Colonie offered the fayrest of their Captiues and such as were aboue threescore and tenne yeeres olde who to shew their courage laughed whence grew the Prouerbe Sardonius risus this was done also to Saturne The Carthaginians in time of plague offered their Children to Saturne which Gelo caused them to leaue Yea such was their zeale in this superstition that if they had no Children of their owne they bought for this purpose of the poore the Mother assisting this Butcherly sacrifice without once sighing or weeping for then shee had lost the price and her Child neuerthelesse And least the crying of the Children should bee heard all resounded with Instruments of Musicke Thus Plutarch in his treatise of Superstition Being ouercome by Agathocles they sacrificed two hundred of the chiefe mens Children to Saturne Clitarchus and others write cited by Suidas That in their solemne supplications at Carthage they put a childe into the armes of Saturnes Brazen Image vnder which was set a Furnace or Ouen which being kindled the childe in his burning seemed to laugh This custome might haply bee the occasion of that desperate act before spoken of in the destruction of Carthage by the Romanes so many perishing in Aesculapius Temple Other their Rites are likely to bee the same with those which we haue reported of the Phoenicians somewhat perhaps in time inclining also to the Greekish superstition Their deuotion to Venus the Phoenician Goddesse Augustine mentioneth in these words Regnum Veneris quale erat Carthagini vbi nunc est regnum Christi Carthage was called Iustiniana of Iustinian Iunonia of Gracchus Hadrianopolis of Hadrian and of Commodus Alexandria Commodiana Togata It was sacked the second time of Capellianus President of Mauritania thirdly vnder Gensericus of the Vandals fourthly of the Maurusians fiftly of the Persians sixtly of the Aegyptians lastly of the Mahumetanes Tunis was a small Towne till after the destruction of Carthage it grew in some reckoning as before is sayd It hath in it about ten thousand Housholds Abdul Mumen joyned it to his Kingdome of Marocco And when that Kingdome declined the Vice-Roy which before was subject to Marocco now vsurped the State to himselfe calling himselfe King of Africa In our Fathers dayes Muleasses sonne of Mahomet King of Tunis by murther of his elder brother Maimon and either killing or putting out the eyes of twenty other his brethren obtayned the Crowne But Rosette the onely brother remayning when with his Arabians he could not gaine the Kingdome he went with Barbarossa to Solyman the Turke who so vsed the matter that Muleasses was chased out of his Kingdome and Tunis subjected it selfe to Solyman But Muleasses craued and obtained ayde of Charles the fift who in the yeere 1535. passed with an Armie into Africke and repossessed Muleasses of his Kingdome who became the Emperours Vassall Our Histories tell of Edward the first his arriuall at Tunis and Henry the fourth with English Archers at both which times the Tunetanes were forced to composition It was before either of them were Kings Froissart for Henry hath his Sonne Iohn de Beaufort Muleasses about the yeere 1544. crossed ouer the Sea into Sicily leauing his sonne Amida in the gouernment The costlinesse of his dyet was admirable and of his Perfumes One Peacocke and two Phesants dressed after his order were obserued to amount to a hundred Dukats and more He was a superstitious obseruer of his Religion and of the Starres which portended to him the losse of his Kingdome and a miserable end To auoyd this he departed out of Africa for feare of Barbarossa but so fell into the danger A rumour was spred at Tunis that hee was dead whereupon Amida possessed himselfe of the Kingdome Muleasses hasted home to recouer it and lost himselfe for hee was taken Captiue and after both his eyes put out with a burning knife and of his two sonnes Nahasar and Abdalas he was committed to Prison But Abdamelech his brother got the Kingdome from Amida and soone after dyed to whom succeeded Mahomet his soone a childe whose Tutors were so tyrannicall that Amida was againe sent for by the Tunetans and Muleasses is brought to Sanctuary whence by the Spaniards meanes hee was conueyed to Guletta and thence to Sicilia where he was maintayned at the Emperours charge He deriued his Pedigree from the Chorean Family in right line from Homar Mahomets Disciple Amida
fiftie ducats for certaine verses hee had made in his praise and twice as much he sent to his vncle for the same with a horse and three slaues Tedles is the seuenth Prouince of this Kingdome lying betweene Guadelhabid and Ommitabih Tefza the chiefe Towne is beautified with many Temples and hath store of Priests The Towne walls are built of a kinde of marble called Tefza which gaue name to the Town Mount Dedes is in this Prouince where the people for the most part dwell in Caues vnder the ground they haue neither Iudges nor Priests nor honest men among them For other places if any thinke vs not more than tedious alreadie let them resort to Leo whom all follow in their Relations of these parts When any Christian will turne Moore it is their custome to signifie it to the Christians in those parts and in place and time appointed an equall number of both sorts being assembled and fitting the one ouer against the other the partie in the middle and presence of both is demanded of which he will be and the Christians may vse what arguments they can to disswade him which is done three seuerall times Thus did one of our Nation who hauing thus killed his owne soule after murthered anothers body and was therefore adiudged to wander like Cain none releeuing him in which state he pined and dyed CHAP. XII Of the Arabians populations and depopulations in Afrike and of the naturall Africans and of the beginnings and proceedings of the Mahumetan superstition in Africa of the Portugals forces and exploits therein HAuing often mentioned the Arabians in our former Chapters it seemes fit to speake somewhat of the comming of that Nation and their Religion into Africa from the East as also of the Armes of the Portugals before often spoken of which from the West haue made some impressions in these parts The Arabian Mahumetisme euen almost in the infancie thereof pierced into Africa In the yeere of our Lord 637. Omar inuaded Egypt and Odman in the yeere 650. passed further with fourescore thousand fighting men and defeated Gregorius Patricius and imposing a tribute on the Africans departed In Leontius time in the yeere 698. They inuade and possesse Africa and appoint Gouernours of their owne in the yeere 710. They pierced into Numidia and Libya and ouerthrew the Azanaghi and the people of Galata Oden and Tombuto In 973. hauing passed Gamben they infected the Negros and the first that dranke of their poyson were those of Melli. In the yeere 1067. Iasaia sonne of Ababequer entred into the lower Ethiopia and by little and little infected those people which confine vpon the Desarts of Libya and the rest and pierced into Nubia and Guinea Constantinus the Emperour among the Prouinces or great Amera-ships subiect to the Saracens numbreth Africa for one the number and order whereof hee hath transcribed from Theophanes and I here from him The first of these was Persia or Chorassan the second Egypt the third Africa the fourth Philistiem or Rhamble the fift Damascus the sixt Chemps or Emessa the seuenth Chalep the eight Antiochia the ninth Charan the tenth Emet the eleuenth Esipe the twelfth Musel the thirteenth Ticrit But when as Africa shooke off the yoke of the Ameras of Bagdad and had an Amera of her owne afterwards by occasion of the weaknesse of the Amera of Bagdad the Amera of Persia or Choralan freed himselfe also and called himselfe Amerumnes wearing the Alcoran hanging down his necke in Tables like a chaine and saith hee is of the kindred of Alem and the Amera of Egypt to whom the Amera of Arabia foelix had alway beene subiect became also his owne man calling himselfe Amerumnes and deriuing his pedigree from Alem. This as it giues light to the Saracen Historie in generall so it sheweth the greatnesse of the Arabian or Saracenicall power in Africa where first they made head against their Masters in the time as it said before of Elagleb then Deputie or Amera in Cairaoan whose example became a president to the Amera's of Persia and Egypte and which is more to our present purpose was occasion of further spreading their superstition through Africa the fountayne or sinke thereof being now not farre off in Damasco or Bagdad but in the heart of Africa Satan there choosing his Throne for these his Vicars or Calipha's for so the word saith Scaliger signifieth which as you haue heard were too faithfull in that their infidelitie And because I haue mentioned Scaligers interpretation of the word Chalipha it should not be amisse to adde out of the same place that the first Gouernours or Generalls after Mahumet or as hee calls him Muhammed were called Emir elmumenin that is Captaines of the Orthodox or right beleeuers Afterwards because vnder colour of Religion they sought not onely a Priestly primacie but a tyrannicall Monarchie they chose rather to bee called Chalipha The first Emir elmumenin was Abubecher When his successors sent their Lieutenants into Africa and Spaine they gouerned a while vnder them doing all in the name of the Emir elmumenin although nothing in a manner but a Title was wanting of the fulnesse of power to themselues But after they entitled themselues Emire Elmumenin and of Deputies became Kings which was done by the petit Kings of Spaine and the Gouernours of Africa And now the King of Marocco and Fez vseth it For it is not a proper name but as the French King is called Christianissimus and the Spanish Catholicius Thus farre Scaliger which serueth as a Glosse for those former names of Amera Amerumnes Chalipha Miramuldinus and many other hence corrupted The meanes of these and other Saracens enlarging their Sect haue beene principally by Armes and where they were not of force by traffique and preaching as on the other side of Ethiopia euen to Cabo de lor Gorientes in the Kingdomes of Megadazo Melinde Mombazza Quiloa and Mosambique besides the Ilands of Saint Laurence and others But the greatest mischiefe that hapned to Africa by the Arabians was about the foure hundreth yeere of the Hegeira For before that time the Mahumetan Chalipha's or Amera's had forbidden the Arabians to passe ouer Nilus with their Tents and Families that so the Countrey was still peopled by the ancient Inhabitants howsoeuer it was gouerned by them For such multitudes of vnbridled and barbarous Nations were not likely to proue dutifull subiects to the Empire About that time one Elcain the schismaticall Califa of Cairaoan as is before in part shewed hauing by his Generall Geboar conquered all the westerne parts as farre as Sus employed the same mans valour for the conquest of the East And Egypt being now together with Syria subdued Elcain himselfe seeing the Calipha of Bagdet made no preparation to withstand him by the aduice of Gehoar which at that time founded Cairo passed into Egypt thinking to inuest himselfe with the Saracenicall soueraigntie committing the gouernment of Barbarie to a
age Some ascend aboue the Moone to call some heauenly Constellation and Influence into this Consistorie of Nature and there will I leaue them yea I will send them further to Him that hath reserued many secrets of Nature to himselfe and hath willed vs to content our selues with things reuealed As for secret things both in Heauen and Earth they belong to the Lord our God whose holy Name be blessed for euer for that he hath reuealed to vs things most necessary both for body and soule in the things of this life and that which is to come His incomprehensible Vnitie which the Angels with couered faces in their Holy Holy Holy-Hymnes resound and Laude in Trinitie hath pleased in this varietie to diuersifie his workes all seruing one humane nature infinitely multiplied in persons exceedingly varied in accidents that we also might serue that One-most God that the tawnie Moore blacke Negro duskie Libyan Ash-coloured Indian Oliue-coloured American should with the whiter Europaean become one sheep-fold vnder one Great Sheepheard till this mortalitie being swallowed vp of life wee may all bee one as Hee and the Father are one and all this varietie swallowed vp into an ineffable vnity only the Language of Canaan bee heard onely the Fathers name written in their foreheads the Lambes song in their mouthes the victorious Palmes in their hands their long Robes being made white in the bloud of the Lambe whom they follow whither soeuer He goeth filling Heauen and Earth with their euerlasting Halleluiahs without any more distinction of Colour Nation Language Sexe Condition all may be One in him that is One and only blessed for euer Amen RELATIONS OF THE REGIONS AND RELIGIONS IN AFRICA OF AETHIOPIA AND THE AFRICAN ILANDS AND OF THEIR RELIGIONS THE SEVENTH BOOKE CHAP. I. Of Aethiopia Superior and the Antiquities thereof §. I. Of the name and diuision of Aethiopia OVt of Nubia we needed neither Palinurus helpe nor Charon to set vs on the Aethiopian Territory the Sea is farre distant and the Riuer Nilus which parteth them whether loth to mixe his fresh waters with the Seas saltnesse or fearing to fall downe those dreadfull Cataracts or dreading the multitude of Pits which the Egyptians make in his way to intrap him heere sheweth his vnwillingnesse to passe further forward and distracted with these passions hath almost lost his Channell diffusing himselfe in such lingering and heartlesse manner as Man and Beast dare here insult on his Waters and I also haue aduentured to take the aduantage of these shallowes and wade ouer into this anciently renowmed Aethiopia The name Aehiopia came from Aethiops the sonne of Vulcan before it had beene called Aetheria and after that Atlantia Lydiat deriueth Aethiopia of Ai and Thebets the Land of or beyond Thebais which was called Aegyptus Superior next to Aethiopia Chytraeus saith it is deriued of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 splendeo and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 visus of the Sunnes burning presence Two Aethiopia's are found in Africke as Plinie witnesseth out of Homer so ancient is the diuision the Easterne and Westerne And this partition is by some still followed as namely by Osorius Others diuide the same into the Asiatike and African Author hereof is Herodotus in his Pocyhimnia which reckoneth two sorts of Aethiopians in Xerxes huge Armie the Easterne mustered vnder the Indian Standards the other of Africa by themselues differing from the former in Language and their curled haire Eusebius mentioneth Aethiopians neere the Riuer Indus And to let passe Pausanias his search among the Seres or Philostratus at Ganges for some Asian Aethiopians the Scriptures seeme to mention an Aethiopia in Asia For Cush the sonne of Cham of whom Iosephus saith the Aethiopians called themselues and were called by others Chusaei was Author not onely of the Aethiopians in Africa but of many peoples of Arabia also in Asia as Moses relateth And hence perhaps it was that Miriam and Aaron contended with Moses for his Wife Zippora because she was an Aethiopian And yet was she a Midianite but called an Aethiopian in respect of the neighbour-hood which Midian had to Aethiopia Orientalis as Vatablus obserueth out of the Iewish Writers or for that Midian is also assigned to Aethiopia taken in a larger sense as saith Genebrard Iunius saith because the Midianites dwelt in that Region which was assigned to Cush Aethicus in his Cosmography affirmeth that Tygris burieth it selfe and runneth vnder ground in Aethiopia which Simlerus interpreteth of Arabia for otherwise Tygris washeth no part of Africa Saint Augustine affirmeth that the Region Northwards from the Red Sea and so euen to India was called Aethiopia Orientalis This distinction is still acknowledged by later Writers And therefore it is needlesse to fetch Moses a Wife out of Aethiopia beneath Egypt to interpret that place For so Iosephus as wee shall after see telleth of a Wife which Moses in his prosperitie before his flight married from thence This obseruation is very necessary because the Scriptures often mention Aethiopia when no part of Africa can be vnderstood as Genes 2.13 where one of the Riuers of Paradise is said to compasse the whole Land of Cush or Aethiopia And so in other places Cush or Aethiopia Learned Iunius obserueth that Cush is either a proper name as Genes 10. or common to the people that came of him it is also a name attributed to the three Arabia's to the two African Aethiopia's and to all the Southerne tract by the Persian Gulfe Leauing that Asian Aethiopia which already wee haue handled vnder other names wee will now proceed in our African iourney where we find in Ptolemie not so exact description thereof as in later Geographers being then in the greatest part vnknowne Maginus maketh Aethiopia to containe two of those seuen parts whereinto he diuideth Africa one of which he calleth Aethiopia Superior and Interior which for the most part is subiect vnto the Christian Prince called in Europe Priest or Prester Iohn the other Inferior and Exterior is all that Southerly part of Africa which was not knowne to the Ancients This doth not altogether agree with Homers diuision whose Geographie Strabo hath so largely trauersed and admired For how could Homer or any in his time attaine to the knowledge of those remote parts Neither yet may we reiect that renowmed Poet seeing this partition may serue vs now in the better discouerie of places where we may reckon all that to the Westerly Aethiopia which from Guinea stretcheth to the Cape of Good Hope and thence to the Red Sea Northwards to the Easterly Nilus and a line from the head thereof vnto the aforesaid Cape being the Arbiter in this diuision But to let passe this curiositie in caruing when all is like to be eaten we will begin at Aethiopia vnder Egypt and so take the Countries
Solemnities Pompes Holies and Religious Rites were their Inuention And therefore saith he Homer brings in Iupiter feasting with the Aethiopians The reward of their pietie was the Immunity of their Region from forreine Conquests Macrobius interpreteth Iupiters Banket with the Aethiopians of that Ocean which Antiquitie imagined to bee vnder all the Torrid Zone that the fiery bodies of the Starres supposed to bee nourished with moysture might there quench their thirst So would those good men drowne a great part of the African and American World in hospitality to the Starres by their imagined middle earth Ocean which experience hath now sufficiently confuted Cambyses attempted and lost his Armie and Semiramis entred but soone returned Hercules and Dionysius ouer-ran the rest of the World the Aethiopians eyther for their deuotion they would not or for their strength could not conquer The Egyptians some say were Colonies from hence yea Egypt it selfe the dregges of that soyle which Nilus carrieth out of Aethiopia The Aegyptians borrowed of the Ethiopians to esteeme their Kings as Gods and to haue such care of their Funerals the vse of Statues and their Hieroglyphicall Letters Pierius and others haue written therof at large Their best men they chose for their Priests he among them who when the God is carried about shall be possessed with some Bacchanall furie is chosen King as by diuine appointment and is of them worshipped as a God His gouernment is gouerned by Lawes They doe not put a Malefactor to death but an Officer is sent to him with the signe of death whereupon he goeth home and slayeth himselfe One would haue fled out of his Countrey but the Mother of the Malefactor killed him because he would not after his Country manner kill himselfe The Priests in Meroe exercised this authoritie as is before said ouer their Kings and would send them word that the Oracles of the Gods commanded them to die neither might they reiect the diuine dispensation and thus with arguments not with armes they perswaded them to a voluntary death But in the time of Ptolomeus Secundus King of Egypt King Ergamenes well skilled in the Greeke Sciences and Philosophie reiected that Superstition They say that the custome yet till Diodorus time remayneth that if the King bee maymed or by some accident want any member his Courtiers also will depriue themselues of the same Yea when the King dyed his friends thought it good fellowship to dye with him esteeming that death glorious and the surest testimony of friendship The Aethiopians dwelling neerer to Arabia armed their women in their warres till they attained to a certaine age the most of which ware a Ring of Brasse in their lip They which dwelt further vp into the Countrey were diuersly conceited of the Gods For some they thinke immortall as the Sunne Moone and the World some mortall as Pan Hercules Iupiter for their vertues exalted to that dignitie Strabo tels it in the singular number that they thought that God to bee immortall which is the cause of all things Their mortall God was vncertaine and wanted name but they most commonly esteemed their Kings and Benefactors for Gods Some that inhabit neerer the Line worshipped no Gods and were much offended with the Sunne and hiding themselues in the Fennes cursed him when hee did rise These things you may reade gathered out of Diodorus and Strabo in Coruinus Boemus Draudius and Thamaia with some other additions Sardus saith that the Aethiopians were Circumcised as were also besides the Iewes Egyptians and Arabians the Trogloditae Macrones Creophagi and Inhabitants of Thermodoon As we haue shewed of the Macrobij or long-liued Aethiopians so there were others called Brachobij of their shorter liues whereof were reckoned two sorts the Sidonij neere to the Red Sea and the Erembi which some take for the Trogloditae They liue not aboue forty yeeres Plutarch out of Asclepeiades reporteth the like saying that they were old men at thirty yeeres The same Author telleth that they and the Arabians could not indure Mice and that the Persian Magi did likewise esteeming them Creatures odious to God Alexander ab Alexandro writeth concerning the education of their Children that the Aethiopians seared their new borne Infants in the foreheads to preuent the distillations of Rheumes from the braine And when they are somewhat growne they make tryall of their forwardnesse by setting them on the backes of certaine Fowles on which if they sit in their flying without feare they bring them vp very carefully but if they shrinke and quake with feare they expose them as a degenerate issue vnworthy education Their Letters they wrote not side-wayes after the Greeke or Hebrew manner but after the present Chinian custome downwards They had seuen Characters euery of which had foure significations What manner of writing they now vse appeareth in Damianus à Goez or of Zaga Zabo rather an Aethiopian Bishop in his Treatise of their Religion done into Latine by Damianus but more fully in Iosephus Scaliger de Emendatione Temporum who hath lent vs a long Tractate in that language and writing with the same words expressed in Hebrew and Latine Characters and the interpretation of them also into Latine in foure seuerall Columnes He that listeth to reade some Philosophicall speculations of Nature in these Aethiopians wherein they differ and wherefore from others let him reade Coelius Rhodiginus of that Argument hee sayth that they were expert in naturall Magicke Nicephorus writes that Alexander the Great sent Assyrian Colonies into Aethiopia which many Ages after kept their owne Language and like enough their Religion The Nations of Aethiopia which are farre distant from Nilus are said to liue a miserable and beastly life not discerning in their lust Mother Daughter or any other name of kinred Of their ancient exploits wee haue no continued Historie About the time of Christ it appeareth that Candace was Queene of Ethiopia Shee was a manly Virago as Strabo testifieth who liued at the same time and followed Aelius Gallus in this Expedition Hee forced Candace to send her Ambassadours to Augustus for peace which shee obtayned Sextus Victor mentioneth this Ethiopian ambassage Plinie saith the name Candace continued to the Ethiopian Queenes many successions whence perhaps Diesserus collecteth that Ethiopia was gouerned onely by Queenes Dioclesian relinquished that part of Ethiopia which the Romanes held beyond Egypt as not able to beare the charges Iustinian sent his Ambassadours vnto Hellistans the Ethiopian King and to Esimiphaens King of the Homerites his Arabian neighbour to aide him against the Persian This Hellisthaeus had warred against the Homerites for quarrell of Religion because they were many of them Iewes and others Gentiles himselfe being a Christian and because they made many forrages into the Christian Countries He so farre preuailed as hee made that Esimiphaeus a Christian their King whose yoke they shooke off soone
friendship or subiection this Alebech with Turkish Gallies infested these Seas and made diuers of the Portugall vassals to wauer in their fidelitie being of the Saracenicall faith or religion wherevpon the Vice-roy sent forth a Nauie vnder the command of Thomas aforesaid his brother which arriued first at Braua and thence passed alongst the shore to Ampaza still continuing almost desolate thence to Lamus by the helpe of the tyde passing vp the Riuer full of dangerous sholds thence they came to Melinde and after that to Mombaza This is a small Iland of a league circuit the Citie then compassed with a wall The Mahumetans bad built a Castle on the Riuer which entreth the Citie which was taken by the Portugals and soone after fiue Gallies which Alibech the Turke had there at that time not without rich spoile Here the Turkes and the Mombazan Inhabitants were now in a double distresse by the Portugall forces from the Sea and a more terrible enemie from the Land These were the Imbij impious and barbarous monsters bred not farre from the Cape of Good Hope tall square and strong men addicted alwayes to warre and rapine and feeding on the flesh both of their captiued enemies and of their owne people in time of sicknesse hastening their death for the shambles The skulls of men serue them for drinking pots Their weapons are poysoned arrowes and poles burned at the ends their shields are little of wood couered with a skin They are supposed destitute of Religion giuen to Incantations and Sorceries and adoring their King with diuine honor thinking him to be Lord of the whole Land and the Portugals of the Sea Such is his arrogance that hee threatneth the destruction of all men yea shootes his arrowes against the heauens if wet or heate offend him Some 80000. followed him in his warres destroying Townes Cities and Beasts together with the Men in his march driuing many troopes of beasts before him so to breake the assault of the enemie and hauing fire carried before him as menacing to boyle or rost and eate all such as he shall take It seemes that they are either the same or of like condition to the Gallae which intest the Abassines and the Iagges in other parts of Africk which also by a neere name call themselues Imbangolas compounded of Imbij and Gallae a terrible rod of Gods anger whereby he plagues and whips the barbarous Africans with the worst of African barbarians These Imbians had at this time approched to Mombaza and the Turks with their Gallies did their best to hinder their entrance the water encompassing quenching the violence of that fire which the Imbian beares before him wherewith he had now burned a great wood In this warre were the Mombazans and Turkes entangled when the Portugals fleet came vpon them those that escaped by flight the Portugals furie falling into the bellies of the Imbians which caused many to yeeld themselues voluntarily to the Portugall as seeming the lesse of two euils Many Turkes were slaine others captiued Christian Gally-slaues freed three and twentie greater and as many smaller peeces of Ordnance taken the Citie narrow built that scarcely two could goe together in the streets the houses of bricke built high but with small lights both to defend them against the Sunne fired the walls and Moschees razed and the Nauie being readie to depart they were haled by some Turkes on shore and earnestly desired to admit them into their ships as slaues and captiues Alebech himselfe being one with thirtie others besides two hundred Mombazans hauing scarcely escaped the deuouring mawes of the Imbians which had euen then buried the King and the chiefe Magistrate of Mombaza in their bowels and taken innumerable captiues destined to the like Caniball disaster The King of Lamus called Panebaxira the Portugals imprisoned and executed for betraying some of theirs to the Turkes and conuented the neighbouring kings of Sian Patus Ampaza before them they razed Mondra and after other things set in order returned to Goa They which haue desire to acquaint themselues with what Antiquitie hath deliuered of these parts may resort to Arrianus his Periplus of the Erythraean Sea and the labours of Stuckius and Ortelius For vs to name you the Townes of ancient Trading as Aualites Malao Mundi Mosyllum Apocopon Opone Rhapta which hee reckons on the African shore with other Riuers and Promontories would not much further vs in this our Pilgrimage-Mart of Religions §. III. Of Quiloa Sofala and Ophir QViloa stands nine degrees to the South of the Line the name of a City and Iland which is a Kingdome of the Moores and extendeth her Dominion farre in the Coast It was built as Marmolius affirmeth about the foure hundreth yeere of the Hirara so he nameth it by one Ali Sonne of Sultan Hoscen who not agreeing with his other brethren by reason their Mothers were Persian and his an Abissine sought new Aduentures in these parts and bought this Iland the History of whom and of his Successours you may find in that Author The King grew mighty by the Trade of Sofala but it was made tributary to Portugall by Vascui Gamma Anno 1500. In the yeere 1505. the Portugals for denyall of that Tribute depriued Abraham the Arabian King of his Scepter and built a Fort there which the Moores soone after destroyed together with the new King made by the Portugals The people are whitish their women comely rich in attire their houses faire built and richly furnished Betweene Coaua and Cuama two Riuers which spring out of the same Lake with Nilus are the Kingdomes of Mombaza Mozimba Macuas Embeoe and against them the Promontory Prassum Heere is Mosambique by which name is signified a Kingdome in the Continent and an Iland also with a safe Harbour which with two other Ilands are in the mouth of the Riuer Moghincats in fifteene degrees South Mosambique is inhabited by Portugals which haue there a strong Castle here the Portugals Shippes winter In this Iland are Sheepe with tayles of fiue and twenty pound weight a beast common in Africa Hens blacke both in feathers flesh and bone and sodden looke like Inke yet sweeter then other in taste Porke very good but for the deare sawce There are some Mahumetans as they were all before the Portugals arriuall there They haue trade in the Continent in Sena Macurua Sofala Cuama a people for the most part differing in speech and behauiour each Village fighting with her Neighbour captiuing them and some as at Macurua eate them Their chiefest liuing is by hunting and by flesh of Elephants In euery Village is a new King The Captaine of Mosambique in his three yeeres gouernment maketh three hundred thousand Duckets gaine especially by Gold from Sofala Vp further within Land the people goe almost naked and were so simple when first the Portugals traded thither that Ludouico Barthema or Vertomannus for his Shirt and another for a Razor and
a little Bell bought fifteene Kowes of them and then they were ready to fall together by the eares among themselues for the Bell who should haue it But they could not enioy their purchase beeing driuen to their heeles by three Female Elephants which hauing young ones were very fierce and made them leaue their Kine to saue themselues In these Seas the Moores sayle in Vessels sowed with Leather the sayles of Palme-tree leaues calked with Gumme gathered off the trees in the Woods Sofala lyeth betweene Cuama and Magnice two Riuers Heere the Portugals haue on a little Iland whence the whole Kingdome hath his name a Fort and Factory of very rich Trade the people bringing great quantity of Gold whereof they haue plentifull Mynes for their Cloth and other Commodities it is supposed amounteth two Millions yeerely Ortelius is of opinion That this Cephala or Sophala is that which in Salomons time was called Ophir from whence so great quantity of Gold was brought by his Nauy Iosephus seekes for it in India Eupolemus in the Red Sea imagining it to be an Iland there placed Dom. Niger Tremelius and Iuniu in Aurea Chersonesus where Malacca standeth although we reade not of any great quantity of Gold found in that soyle Gaspar Varerius is of the same minde but reckoneth to the Chersonesus both Pegu and Samotra with all that lyeth betweene them And in Somatra they haue a Tradition that Salomon had his Gold from thence and in the Letter of the King to his Maiestie hee entitleth himselfe King of the Mountaine of Gold Solida Vatablus with lesse reason applyeth it to Spagniola discouered by Columbus and by Columbus himselfe so called Arias Montanui Philip Moruay Postellus Goropius would by their authority much moue vs to thinke with them that Ophir is Peru if the ignorance of the Load-stone and those huge Seas esteemed by Antiquity vnnauigable did not detaine vs from consent where should Peru yeeld him Iuory where neuer was yet seene an Elephant Doctor Dee that famous Mathematician hath written a very large Discourse of that Argument which I haue seene with Master Hakluyt much illustrating what the Ancients haue written of those Seas and Coasts and concludeth that Hauila is the Kingdome of Aua subiect to Pegu and Ophir is Chryse or Aurea before mentioned first possessed by Ophir mentioned Genes 10. that golden name eating vp the former of Ophir Iosephus Acosta maketh Ophir and Tharsis to signifie no certaine places but commonly to bee taken in a generall sense as the word India is now with vs a name giuen to all remote Countries East and West He thinketh that Salomons Gold Iuory c. came from the East-Indies But some reasons doe yeeld great cause of coniecture for Sofala both because of the plenty of the commodities which Salomons seruants are said to bring with them and because of ancient buildings of stone-worke which the Inhabitants call The worke of Deuils supposing it impossible for men ghessing of others by their owne ignorance to haue built which also haue strange Letters that the Moores though learned could not reade and why might they not be the old Hebrew Letters which the Phoenicians of old and Samaritans to this day obserue as elsewhere we haue shewed And further Thomas Lopez telleth that certain Moores related vnto them of the riches of those Mines that ships from Mecca and Zidem vsed to trade there and that yearely there were taken forth of the Mines two millions of Mittigals euery Mittigall being a Duckat of Gold and a third part That the Warres in those Countries at that time had ceased the Traffique and that they had Bookes and Ancient Writings which testified That these were the Mines whence Salomon in his three Voyages fetched his Gold and that the Queen of Saba was naturall of the parts of India As for India ye haue euen now read that it was a name giuen to many Nations and among the test to Aethiopia And if a man consider the small skill which that Age of the World had in Marine affaires still as much as might be holding their course within the sight of Land hee can scarce thinke that long Nauigations could then be performed Barrius accounteth all Sofala to the Empire of Benomotapa of which we shall speake anon wee haue now mentioned the same by reason of the Isle which is subiect to the Portugals These besides Gold here haue great Trade for Iuory of which Barrius saith that in Benomopata are yeerely slaine foure or fiue thousands and of Water-horses whose teeth are accounted Iuory also all the great Riuers in Africa are full These feed sometimes on the Medowes where the Mariners haue chased them as Lopez reporteth and after long chasing by Land they haue taken the water where in reuenge they haue assaulted the Mariners in their Boats and bitten chips off the same being by the thicknesse of their Hides armed against their Pikes and haue made them afraid that they would ouerwhelme the Boat §. IIII. Of Monoemugi the Moores Baduines Caphars in these parts WIthin the Land behinde these parts is the Kingdome of Monoemugi which is rich in Gold their vnfortunate Warres with Monomotapa haue made them knowne Nilus is their Westerne border and Abassia on the North. They haue little red Bals made of a kinde of Clay in Cambaya and resembling Glasse which they weare for ornament and vse for money This King warreth with the Benomotapa and hath terrible Souldiours called Giacqui or Agab or Agog who inhabite between the Lakes whence Nilus and Zaire take their beginnings which liue a wandering life like the Nomades in Cottages which they make in the fields They are of stature tall and of countenance terrible making lines vpon their cheekes with certaine iron Instruments and turning their eye-lids backward eating their enemies These not long since as some say inuaded the Kingdome of Congo and forced the King to keepe in a small Isle where himselfe was taken with a Dropsie and his people famished as after shall follow in due place The Amazones of Monomotapa are euery way equall vnto them in prowesse Little is knowne of the Religion of these Heathenish Nations nor of other Kingdomes whereof we haue little but the names to relate Goroua Colta Anzuga Moneulo Baduis Now for those Moores which inhabited the Sea-coasts as we haue said they are dispersed as farre as Benomotapa but are not all Catholike Mahumetans especially such of them as haue conuersed and taken their habitations further within Land And the first Moores or Arabians that came to inhabite those Coasts were banished persons called as the Chronicles of Quiloa is reporeed Emozaidin of Zaide the Nephew of Hocem the sonne of Hali whose Doctrine they followed in some opinions contrary to the Alcoran and therefore esteemed Heretikes Long after them came three ships with great multitudes of Arabians that fled from the King
longer then the wings are wet nor swimme fast hauing exchanged finnes for wings So haue I seene men thrice worse that haue two Trades than such as haue been skilfull and thriftie in one Lerius addeth the like wonder of certaine Birds so tame that they would light vpon the hatches and suffer themselues to bee taken These are the same Birds which pursue those flying fishes wiser to hunt them then to saue themselues as bigge as Crowes in feathers in flesh little bigger than a Sparrow and farre lesse then the fish which they take and deuoure These Seas are also subiect to great and tedious calmes which not onely hinder the Voyages but end the liues of many Giouanni da Empoli saith in his returne out of India they were heere detained foure and fifty dayes in which they scarce sailed aboue sixe leagues and in thirty fiue dayes they cast ouer-boord threescore and sixteene of their company very few suruiuing in their ship which likewise happened to other ships their Consorts so that they had vtterly despaired had not God sent a Portugall ship that way bound to relieue them And would God the like examples many might not be produced amongst our own Betweene 17. and 32 degrees of Northerly Latitude men are subiect to gripings and haue need to keepe themselues warme To returne to our discouerie from Iago where we left where the Negro's were wont to bring slaues to sell to the Portugals for Beads and other trifles and Cottons with other base commodities and them not such alone as they tooke in warre but their fathers and mothers thinking they did them a benefit to cause them thus to be conueyed into better countries they brought them naked The Iles of Arguin are sixe or seuen inhabited by the Azanhagi where the King of Spaine hath a Fortresse concerning the trade whereof you may reade the letter of Melchior Petonoy §. II. Of the Canaries Madera and Port-Santo FVrther into the Sea are the Canaries which are commonly reckoned seuen Canaria Teneriff Palma Gomera Hierro Lansarrotte and Fuerte Ventura : Thauet addes three others more Lobos Roca Gratiosa S. Clara Alegrança and Infierno The Inhabitants were so grosse before they were discouered that they knew not the vse of fire They beleeued in one Creator of the World who punisheth the euill and rewarded the good herein they all consented in other things disagreed their weapons were stones and staues They shaued their heads with sharpe stones like flints Iron they had not Gold they respected not The women nursed not their children but commonly committed that office to their Goats They as much delighted in dancing as the birds which beare their name in singing They were vnknowne from the times of the Romane Empire at which time they were called Fortunatae till either an English or French ship by mis-fortune lighted on them An 1405. Io. Bentacor conquered them and after him Anno 1444. Henry the Infanta of Portugal that Day-starre which by his industry made way to the present Sun-shine of Discoueries whereby the World in her last dayes hath fullest view of her selfe Galuano calleth that Frenchmen Io. Betancourt and saith hee was sent by Iohn the second of Castile An. 1417. who being slaine in the action his sonne sold them to Peter Barba a Spaniard and hee to Don Henry Hee saith the people were Idolaters and did eate their flesh raw for want of fire They tilled their ground with Oxe and Goats-horns They had many wiues but deliuered them to their Superiours to haue the first vse of them before they lay with them Don Henry conquered the rest which Betancourt had not possessed Their former gouernment was by an hundred and ninety persons which ruled also in matters of Religion prescribing to the people their faith and worship They had in highest name of authoritie a King and a Duke To slay a beast was esteemed the basest office in the world and therefore committed to their prisoners they which did this liued separate from the people Thus was it in the Gran Canaria In Gomera they vsed for hospitality to let their friends lye with their wiues and receiuing theirs in like courtesie and therefore as in India the Sisters Sonne inherited In Tenarife they had two Kings one dead another aliue when a new King was crowned some man to honour his entrance offered himselfe to voluntary death when the King was buried the noblest men caried him on their shoulders and putting him into the graue said depart in peace O blessed soule Theuet affirmeth that the Canaries are so called of the Canes and Reeds that grow there that they worshipped the Sun Moone and Planets Of these Ilands Thomas Nichols an Englishman hath composed a Treatise extant in Mr Hakluyts Voyages Tom. 2. Part. 2. He saith they dwelt in Caues supposed to descend of such as the Romans in Africa had exiled and out their tongues out for blasphemie against thiir gods The Pike or high Hill of Tenarife is after Theuets measure foure and fifty miles Tho. Byam a friend of mine told me that he had seene it eight and forty leagues into the Sea in cleere weather One of our Nation hath written a Tractate of his obseruations of these Ilands Heere before the conquest were seuen Kings which with their people dwelt in Caues Their buriall was to be set vpon their feet naked in a Caue propped against the wall and if hee were a man of authoritie he had a staffe in his hand and a vessell of milke standing by him I haue seene saith Nichols three hundred of these corpses together the flesh dryed vp the body light as parchment I my selfe saw two of those bodies in London Canaria Tenerife and Palma haue one Bishop who hath twelue thousand Ducats Reuenue which place was not long since possessed by Melchior Canus a great Writer in defence of the falling Babylon They pay to tht King fiftie thousand Ducats Hierro or the Iland of Iron is by a multitude of Authours affirmed to haue it in no fresh water but what falleth from the leaues of a certaine Tree which is alwayes greene and couered with clouds and vnderneath the same is a Cisterne to receiue the water for the vse both of men beasts throughout that Iland A whole wood of such Trees wee mentioned in Saint Thomas Iland which yeeld from their dropping leaues Rilles of water downe all sides of the Hill where they grow In this Iland heere is but one and that very ancient differing in this if we beleeue Sanutus from those of St Thomas they alwayes this onely afternoone being couered with that cloud which continueth till two houres before day and then the bodie boughs and leaues of the tree sweat out that liquor till two houres after Sun-rising it is in 27. degrees Lewis Iackson saith that he saw this tree being in this Iland Anno 1618. that it is as bigge as an Oake
was hell and that the soules of their wicked Ancestors went thither to be tormented and that those who were good and valiant men went downe into the pleasant Valley where the great City di Laguna now standeth then which the Towns adioyning to it there is not in any place of the World a more delicater temperature of Ayre nor a goodlier Obiect for the eye to make a Royall Landskip of as to stand in the Centre of this Plaine and to behold how nature hath delineated all earthly beauty in the great On the North side of the Iland are many fresh waters with falling downe from the top of exceeding high Mountaynes refresh the Plaines and City di Laguna and are afterwards by the greatnesse of their torrent carried into the Ocean The Iland is parted in the midst with a ridge of Mountaynes like the roofe of a Church hauing in the midst of it like a steeple the Pyke of Teyda if you diuide the Iland into twelue parts ten of them are taken vp in impassable Rocky Hils in Woods in Vineyards and yet in this small remaynder of arrable ground there was gathered as I saw vpon their account in the yeere of our Lord 1582. 200. and 5000. Hannacks of Wheat besides infinite store of Rie and Barley One of our English quarters make foure and a halfe of their Hannacks The soyle is delicately temperate and would produce all the most excellent things the earth beareth if the Spaniards would seeke and labour them The Vineyards of account are in Buena Vista in Dante in Oratana in Tigueste and in the Ramble which place yeeldeth the most excellent Wine of all other There are two sorts of Wines in this Iland Vidonia and Muluesia Vidonia is drawne out of a long Grape and yeeldeth a dull Wine The Maluesia out of a great round Grape and this is the only Wine which passeth all the Seas of the World ouer and both the Poles without sowring or decaying whereas all other wines turne to Vineger or freeze into Ice as they approch the Southerne or Northerne Pole There are no where to be found fairer or better Mellons Pomegranates Pomecitrons Figs Orenges Limons Almonds and Dates Honey and consequently Waxe and Silke though not in great quantity yet excellent good and if they would plant there store of Mulberry trees the ground would in goodnesse and for quantity equall if not exceed eyther Florence or Naples in that commodity The North side of this Iland aboundeth aswell with wood as with water There grow the Cedar Cypresse and Bay tree the wild Oliue Masticke and Sauine goodly procerous Palme and Pine-trees which shoot vp into a beautifull streight talnese In the passage betwixt Oratana and Garachiro you ride through a whole Forrest of them the strong sauour of which perfumeth all the Aire thereabouts of these there are such abundance all the Iland ouer that all their Wine Vessels and woodden Vtensils are made of them There are of these Pine-trees two sorts the strait Pine and the other growing after the manner of our spreading Okes in England which wood the Inhabitants call the Immortall tree for that it rotteth neyther aboue nor below the ground nor in the water It is neere as red as Brasill , and as hard but nothing so vnctuous as the other kind of Pine Of these they haue such great ones that the Spaniards doe faithfully report that the wood of one Pine-tree alone couered the Church of los Remedios in the City of Laguna which is 80. foote in length and 48. foote in breadth And that one other Pine-tree couered the Church of S. Benito in the same City which is 100. foot in length and 35. in breadth The noblest and strangest tree of all the Iland is the tree called Draco his body riseth into an exceeding height and greatnesse The barke is like the scales of a Dragon and from thence I suppose it had his name On the very top of the tree doe all his armes cling and interfold together by two and by two like the Mandragoras they they are fashioned euen like the arme of a man round and smooth and as out of their fingers ends groweth the leafe about two foote in length in fashion like to our greene wild water seggs This tree hath not wood within its barke but only a light spongious pith and they commonly make Bee-hiues of the bodies of them Towards the full of the Moone it sweateth forth a cleane Vermilion Gummme which they call Sangre de Draco more excellent and astringeth by farre then that Sanguis Draconis which wee haue from Goa and from other parts of the East Indies by reason the Iewes are the only Druggists of those parts and to make mony they falsifie and multiply it with other trash foure pound waight for one The first that were knowne to inhabit this Iland are called Guanches but how they came thither it is hard to know because they were and are people meerely barbarous voyd of Letters The language of the old Guanches which remayneth to this day among them in this Iland in their Towne of Candelaria alludeth much to that of the Moores in Barbary When Betanchor the first Christian Discouerer of these parts came thither he found them to be no other then meere Gentiles ignorant of God Notwithstanding I doe not find that they had any manner of commerce with the Deuill a thing not vsuall among the Indian Gentiles They held there was a power which they called by diuers names as Achuhurahan Achuhucanar Achguayaxerax signifying the greatest the highest and the mayntayner of all If they wanted raine or had too much or any thing went ill with them they brought their sheepe and their Goats into a certaine place and seuered the young ones from the Dams and with this bleating on both sides they thought the wrath of the Supreme Power was appeased and that he would prouide them of what they wanted They had some notion of the immortality and punishment of Soules for they thought there was a Hell and that it was in the Pike of Teyda and they call Hell Echeyde and the Deuill Guayotta In ciuill affaires they were somewhat Regular as in acknowledging a King and confessing vassalage in contracting Matrimony reiecting of Bastards succession of Kings making of Lawes and subiecting themselues to them When any childe was borne they called vnto them a certaine woman and shee did with certaine words powre water vpon the childes head and euer after this woman was assumed into the number of that kindred and with her it was not lawfull euer after for any of that race to marrie or vse copulation The exercises which the young men vsed were leaping or running shooting the Dart casting of the stone and dauncing in which to this houre they do both exceedingly glorie and delight And so full of naturall vertue and honest simplicitie were these Barbarians
Their markets are on Sundayes The Knights come hither exceeding yong the sooner to attaine Commendams at home which goe by Senioritie There are resident about fiue hundred and as many abroad to repaire vpon summons Sixteene of them are Counsellors of State called Great Crosses There are seuen Albergs or Seminaries one of which was of England till in the generall Deluge vnder Henrie the eight Saint Iohns without Smithfield sometime the Mansion of the Grand Prior of England was hooked into that crooked streame though still that Title continue an Irish man now enioying it Euery Nation feed by themselues in their seuerall Alberges and sit at table like Friars But how doe I pre-occupate my Christian Relations and fall into a Lethargie hauing opportunitie of such an Hospitall and such Hospitulars Now a word of the ancient Nauigations about Africa Hanno his voyage set forth by the Carthaginians seemed fabulous but Ramusius sheweth euery place by him mentioned to agree with the later Discoueries of the Portugals and thinketh guided by a Portugall Pilot skilfull of those Seas which skanned this Nauigation of Hanno that hee went as farre as Saint Thome Long before this Homer reporteth of Menelaus compassing the Ethiopians from Egypt which some interprete of sayling by the Cape of Good Hope as the Portugals Of this minde Strabo citeth Aristonichus Of Salomon and Iehoshaphat is said before Herodotus affirmeth the Phoenicians sayling in the Red Sea in Cambyses time but this was vsuall and yeerly as Plinie sheweth lib. 6. cap. 23. The same Plinie alledgeth out of Cornelius Nepos the sayling of Eudoxus out of the Red Sea round about Africa to Cales which Strabo relateth otherwise and refuteth The like may be shewed in some other instances of which reade Master Hakluyt his Epistle Dedicatorie Tom. 1. Ramusius part 1. pag. 111. and Galuanus in his Discoueries of the World Which I mention not to disparage or weaken the Portugals praises but to giue Antiquitie their due which I thinke could not ordinarily if at all compasse so long a Nauigation for want of the Compasse yet we should iniurie our Authors if wee should not beleeue somewhat although not so much as they report And this agreeth with the Greeke prouerbe of Hanno's Discoueries and Iubas Historie that hee which findeth sweetnesse in the one may swallow the other and as well entertayne Bauius as Mauius the Periplus of the one and Libyke Histories of the other not obtayning full credit nor wholly meet to be reiected And thus much of this African part of the World the Regions and Religions thereof the one most subiect to the burning beames of the heauenly Sunne the other least enlightning by the comfortable warmth of the Sunne of Righteousnesse blacke in body but more darkned and deformed spiritually as hauing onely some parts of Habassia entirely possessed with Christians besides what in Congo hath of later yeeres beene effected by the Portugals and that little which is subiect to them and Spaine all the rest being Pagan or Mahumetan And would God this were the case of Africa alone seeing that if we diuide the knowne Regions of the world into thirtie equall parts it is Master Brerewoods Computation The Christians part vnderstand it in all Sects and Professions bearing that name is as fiue the Mahumetans as sixe and the Idolaters as nineteene besides that huge heathenous Tract of the vnknowne South Continent which by probable reasons is by him coniectured to bee no lesse then Europe Africa and Asia together So farre is it from truth which one of our Country-men hath lustily bragged on behalfe of his Romish Mother That the Catholike Roman Religion hath had and hath yet a farre greater sway in the world then any other Religion euer had or hath whereas this our Africa hath more Mahumetans in two or three Cities then Romish Catholikes perhaps in her whole compasse And for Asia how pitifully doth he tumble together some names of a few Townes or little Ilands it seemeth vnknowne to himselfe as monuments of Romish Conquests What their American Conuersions are is touched elsewhere Yea euen in our Europe where this mysticall Babylon is situate the mother of the whoredomes and abominations of the Earth the number of Protestants is not much inferiour vnto them But his reasons haue beene alreadie proued vnreasonable by him whose Pen then and Prelacie since wee with all dutie acknowledge a pillar to the Truth and Ornament to our Church and State For my part I am sorrie his assertion is no truer as one seeing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 betweene Catholike and Roman a great gulfe not easily without many prouisoes passable but betweene Heathen and Heauen a bottomlesse depth the way impassable and life impossible Let vs pray to him which is the Way the Truth the Life to make and be the Way by reuelation of his Truth vnto euerlasting Life to these poore Africans that as they are almost wholly in all professions Christian Iewish Morish Ethnike circumcised in the flesh so they may receiue that Circumcision of the Spirit not made with hands which may cut away this superfluitie of superstitions wherein they seeme more deuout then any part of the World and make them with meeknesse to receiue that Word which being grafted in them is able to saue their soules Amen Lord Iesus RELATIONS OF THE DISCOVERIES REGIONS AND RELIGIONS OF THE NEW WORLD OF NEW FRANCE VIRGINIA FLORIDA NEW SPAINE WITH OTHER REGIONS OF AMERICA MEXICANA AND OF THEIR RELIGIONS THE EIGHTH BOOKE CHAP. I. Of the New World and why it is named AMERICA and the West Indies with certaine generall discourses of the Heauens Ayre Water and Earth in those parts §. I. Of the names giuen to this part of the World and diuers opinions of the Ancients concerning the Torrid Zone NOw are wee shipped for the New World and the New Discoueries But seeing this Inkie Sea through which I vnder-take a Pilots office to conduct my Readers is more peaceable then That which on the back-side of this American World was called the Peaceable by Magellane the first Discouerer it yeeldeth vs the fitter opportunitie to contemplation and discourse in such Philosophicall subiects as the best Authors haue thought worthy the first place in their Histories of these parts Yet before we prie into Natures mysteries the better to know our intended voyage let vs enquire somewhat of the Names if any notice may thence arise of the places thereby knowne The New World is the fittest name which can be giuen to this vast and huge Tract iustly called New for the late Discouerie by Columbus An. Dom. 1492. and World for the huge intention thereof as Master Hakluyt hath obserued A new World it may bee also called for that World of new and vnknowne Creatures which the old World neuer heard of and here onely are produced the conceit whereof moued Mercator to thinke which I dare not thinke with him that the great
when there seemed defect of these Sacrifices to goe to their Kings telling them that their Gods died for hunger and therefore should be remembred Then assembled they their people to warres to furnish their bloudy Altars There happened a strange accident in one of these Sacrifices reported by men of worthy credit That the Spaniards beholding these Sacrifices a young man whose heart was newly plucked out and himselfe tumbled downe the staires when he came to the bottome he said to the Spaniards in his Language Knights they haue slaine me The Indians themselues grew weary of these cruell Rites and therefore they easily embraced the Spaniards Christianitie Yea Cortes writ to the Emperour Charles that those of Mechoacan sent to him for his Law being weary of their owne as not seeming good vnto them Some of the Spaniards were thus sacrificed at Tescuco and their Horse-skinnes tanned in the haire and hung vp with the Horse-shooes in the great Temple and next to them the Spaniards garments for a perpetuall memory At the siege of Mexico they sacrificed at one time in sight of their Countrimen forty Spaniards The Mexicans besides their cruelties had other vnbeseeming Rites in their Religion as to eate and drinke to the name of their Idols to pisse in the honour of them carrying them vpon their shoulders to anoint and besmeare themselues filthily and other things both ridiculous and lamentable They were so deuout in their Superstitions and superstitious in their deuotions that before they would eate or drinke they would take a little quantitie and offer it to the Sun and to the Earth And if they gather Corne Fruit or Roses they would take a leafe before they would smell it and offer the same he which did not thus was accounted neither louing nor loued of God The Mexicans in the siege of their Citie being brought to all extremities spake thus as Lopez reporteth vnto Cortes Considering that thou art the childe of the Sunne why doest thou not entreat the Sunne thy Father to make an end of vs O Sun that canst goe round about the World in a day and a night make an end of vs and take vs out of this miserable life for we desire death to goe and rest with our God Quetcanath who tarrieth for vs CHAP XII Of the Religious places and persons in New-Spaine wherein is also handled their Penance Marriages Burials and other Rites performed by their Priests §. I. Of their Temples WE haue already mentioned the Temple of Vitziliputzli in Mexico which requireth our further description It was built of great stones in fashion of Snakes tyed one to another and had a great circuit called Coatepantly that is a circuit of Snakes Vpon the top of euery Chappell or Oratorie where the Idols were was a fine pillar wrought with small stones blacke as Iet the ground raised vp with white and red which below gaue a great light Vpon the top of the Pillar were Battlements wrought like Snailes supported by two Indians of stone sitting holding Candlesticks in their hands were like Croysants garnished and enriched at the ends with yellow and greene feathers and long fringes of the same Within the circuit of this Court there were many chambers of Religious men and others that were appointed for the Priests and Popes This Court is so great and spacious that eight or ten thousand persons did dance easily in a round holding hands which was an vsuall custome there howsoeuer it seemeth incredible Cortes relateth that within the compasse of the wall a Citie of fiue hundred houses might haue beene builded round about encompassed with goodly buildings Hals and Cloisters for the Religious Votaries to dwell in In that circuit he numbereth forty high Towers well built to which the ascent was by fifty steps or staires the least of them as high as the steeple of the Cathedrall Church in Siuill The stone-worke as curious as in any place full of grauen and painted imagerie All these Towers were sepulchres of great Lords and had each of them a Chappell to some speciall Idol There were there three large Hals with their Chappels annexed into which none but certaine Religious men might enter both full of Images the chiefe of which Cortes cast downe and in stead thereof placed the Image of the Euer-blessed neuer worthy to bee dignified with indignitie the glorious Virgin and Mother our Lord with such other Saints There were foure gates or entries at the East West North and South at euery of which began a faire Causey of two or three leagues long There were in the midst of the Lake wherein Mexico is built foure large causies Vpon euery entry was a God or Idol hauing the visage turned to the causie right against the Temple gate of Vitzliputzli There were thirty steps of thirty fadome long diuided from the circuit of the court by a street that went betweene them Vpon the top of these steps there was a walke of thirty foot broad all plastered with chalke in the midst of which walke was a Pallisado artificially made of very high Trees planted in order a fadome asunder These Trees were very bigge and all pierced with small holes from the foot to the top and there were rods did runne from one Tree to another to which were tied many dead mens heads Vpon euery rod were many skuls and these rankes of skuls continued from the foot to the top of the Tree This Pallisado was full of dead mens skuls from one end to the other which were the heads of such as had bin sacrificed For after the flesh was eaten the head was deliuered to the Priests who tied them in this sort vntill they fell off by morsels Vpon the top of the Temple were two stones or Chappels and in them the two Images Vitziluputzli and Tlaloc These Chappels were carued and grauen very artificially and so high that to ascend vp to them there were an hundred and twenty staires of stone Before these Chappels there was a Court of forty foot square in the midst whereof was a high stone of fiue hand breadth pointed in fashion of a Pyramide placed there for the sacrificing of men as is before shewed Gomara saith that this and other their Temples were called Teucalli which signifieth Gods house This Temple he saith was square containing euery way as much as a Crosse-bow can shoot leuell in the middest stood a mount of earth and stone fifty fadome long euery way built Pyramide-fashion saue that the top was flat and ten fadome square It had two such Pyramide Stones or Altars for Sacrifice painted with monstrous figures Euery Chappell had three lofts one aboue another sustained vpon Pillars From thence the eye with much pleasure might behold all about the Lake Besides this Tower there were forty other Towres belonging to other inferiour Temples which were of the same fashion onely their prospect was not Westward to make difference Some of those Temples were bigger then
Pits with sharpe stakes set vp in them couered with stickes and earth these they made for the Spaniards but in a confused flight fell therein themselues Here the Spaniards built the Towne of Assumption which Herera saith hath foure hundred Spanish housholds and three thousand Mestizas The King of the Scherues attended with twelue thousand men met the Spaniards and gaue them friendly entertainment with dancing musick and feasting The women goe naked and paint themselues as artificially as any of our Painters could doe they weare Carpets of Cotton with the figures of Indian beasts The King asked the Spaniards What they sought who answered Siluer and Gold He then gaue them a siluer Crowne which hee said he had taken in the warres which hee had waged with the Amazones that dwelt two moneths iourney thence Of these Amazones the Indians told the same things that Orellana told of neere that Riuer which hath receiued name of this supposition The Spaniards with some of the Scherues for their Guides set forth for this Amazonian Discouery but were encountred by the way with hote waters in which they waded vp to the waste and so continued diuers dayes till they came to a Nation called Orthuesen who were then infected with a Pestilence caused by famine which famine the Grashoppers had effected two yeeres together eating vp all the fruits which nature or husbandry had prouided for their sustinance Thus these Martiall and Venerean warres of the Spaniards wanted food to hold out further toward the Amazons if there were any such people and that they were not as before I said the warre-like Wiues or haply some gallant Viragoes that by themselues would let the World see what women could doe but yet I cannot subscribe to the rest of their storie But I am wearie of leading you any further in this Discouerie of this great Riuer and the neere Inhabitants seeing little is obserued in our Authour of their Religions Some of these barbarous Nations he sayth hanged vp the hairie skin of their slaine Enemies in their Temples or Houses of deuotion this people is called Iepori To giue you a Catalogue of the names of the Indian Nations that inhabited these parts would be but tedious These Iournies of the Spaniards were to see what Gold and not what Gods the Indians had They passed vp through the Land into Peru Betweene Peru and these more Easterly parts are the Hils Andi or Andes which lift vp their snowie tops vnto the cloudes and reach vnto the Magellane Straits In them inhabit many fierce Nations bordering vpon the Nations of Brasill and Plata The Ciraguans the Viracans the Toui the Varai These last exercise their children vnto Armes betimes vnto them they commit their Captiues for triall of their bloudy forwardnesse and he which at one blow can kill a Captiue is of the greatest hopes and rewarded for his encouragement To this end they name their children Tygre Lion that their names might teach them the like beastly furie At the new full Moone they wound themselues with sharpe bones to inure themselues to things of war They weepe in the entertainment of a friend as the Brasilians doe In seuenteene degrees stands the Spanish Citie of Holy Crosse of the Mountaine The Riuer Vapai in those Valleyes riseth and falleth as Nilus doth There is a Brooke at Holy Crosse of a wonderfull nature it is but little aboue two yards broad and shallow withall not running aboue a league but is drunke vp of the thirstie sands Yet doth this Brooke prouide the Citie water and three sorts of good fish and that in great plenty from the end of February to the end of May. At other times there are few They vse diuers meanes of shauing their heads which they say they learned of one Paicume In the womens lying in the man keeps his bed as is said of the Brasilians More towards the East dwell the Itatini people which call themselues Garay that is Warriours and others Tapuis or Slaues The language of the Varrai is common to all these Nations with the Brasilians that as in the other World Latine Sclauon and Arabike so in that New World the Varay Cuscan and Mexican Language will generally serue a mans turne The Kingdome of Tucuma stretcheth two hundred leagues betweene Chili Brasill Holy Crosse and Paraguay The Spaniards haue therein fiue Colonies It is a plaine Country The Paraguay inhabit along the Riuer so called whereof they take name From Plata Southwards is the great Region of Chica washed on the South East and West by the Sea The Inhabitants are called Patagones §. II. Of Giants and other Nations neere the Straits THe Spaniards which with Magellane first discouered the Straits saw Giants on this Coast of which he carried away one with him to Sea where after for want of sufficient food he died Edward Cliffe that wrote Master Winters Voyage who first of all others returned out of the Straits by the same way homewards because he saw on this Coast men of common stature excepteth against that report of Giants as a Giant-like report exceeding the stature and measure of Truth But besides that some of our owne at another time measured the print of mens feete eighteene inches in the Sands Oliuer Noort in his World compassing Voyage had three of his men slaine by men of admirable stature with long haire not farre from Port Desire about seuen and forty degrees of Southerly latitude and after in the Magellane Straits discomfited a band of Sauages which neither would yeeld nor flee from their wiues and children which were in a Caue iust by till euery man was slaine Foure Boyes the Hollanders carried away one of which learning their Language told them of three Families or Tribes in those parts of ordinary stature and of a fourth which were Giants ten or eleuen foote high which warred vpon the former Sebalt de Weert being detayned fiue moneths in the Straits by foule weather sent his men to fish for their prouision which exceedingly failed them who there were suddenly assayled by seuen Canoas of Giants which they guessed to be so high as is mentioned who being put to flight by their Peeces fled to land and plucked vp Trees in their rude manner barricadoing and fortifying themselues against the further pursuite of the Hollanders who were no lesse glad that they were rid of such company These men both Giants and others went either wholly naked or so clothed as they seemed not to dread the cold which is yet there so violent that besides the Mountaintops alway couered with Snow their very Summer in the middest thereof freeth them not from Ice Yea at that time of the yeere those Hollanders encountred an Iland of Ice in the Sea which the cold Aire had there mounted and maintained in despight of Neptunes rage or the Sunnes volley of shot in his neerest approach The Trees in these parts and the men it seemeth are naturally fortified
by Pedro Teixera and Abraham Zacut a Iew published by Ioseph Scaliger The Author by birth an Egyptian hath beene exact in relating the Times and Acts of all Egyptian Gouernours which with other things too long for an abridgement and not so pertayning to the generall knowledge of that Historie of their Religion and Empire I haue omitted yet scrupulously rendring those things which I thought fitting for that my scope or satisfaction of any not exceedingly curious Reader I confesse had the Booke comne to my hand in time this as the other Tractates of Sir Ierome Horsey and Master Methold had beene published with my Pilgrimes yea that Muhammedan part of my Pilgrimage was passed the Presse before this came to my hand although euen for Religions sake this is not vnfit here And for Religions sake I haue beene Religious in keeping the foot-prints of their Religion in the Phrases vsed by the Authour of Muhammed or any other of his Sword-saints stiling his memory glorious others happy indeed odious and pestiferous because the Authour so speaketh in other things also obseruing his words euen as Saint Luke mentioneth Heathenish Names and Deuotions of Mars Castor Pollux Iupiter Mercury or other prodigies of Ethnike Superstition Let their Shewes and Deuotions in a false Religion prouoke vs to emulate the Truth with greater Zeale lest our lukewarmenesse also cause vs to be spewed out of Christs mouth for withholding the truth in vnrighteousnesse the true cause why one Age brought into the World those hypocriticall Chalifas and these Vicars the one by Muhammeds Midwifery gladio oris and the other by that of Phocas ore gladij those with a forcing Temporall Sword these with a forged Spirituall made of the Keyes turned into Picklocks to set the World in so manifold combustions whiles one seekes a thousand yeeres together to thrust the Church out of all the World the other to bring all the World vnto their Pontificall Pompificall Cacolicke not into the true Catholike Church in the communion of Saints And if the Saracenicall and Papall History were well knowne the mysteries of S. Iohns Apocalypse might receiue greater light then that want hath yet permitted So vsefull is this kind of knowledge to generall Learning and to the summ of all Diuinity THE SARACENICALL HISTORY CONTAINING THE ACTS OF THE MVSLIMS FROM MVHAMMED TO THE RAIGNE OF ATABACaeVS IN the Succession of forty nine Emperours Written in Arabike by GEORGE ELMACIN Sonne of ABVLIASER ELAMID the Sonne of ABVLMACAREM the Sonne of Abultib In the Name of God mercifull mercy-shewing in whom is my helpe PRaysed in all Languages be the holy God glorified in the height of his Throne of all creatures distinct in necessity of Essence from euery thing being separated by the admirablenesse of Names and noblenesse of Attributes superexcellent in power and greatnesse of Maiestie aboue all comparison in his strength greatnesse and immensitie I wil prayse him with thanksgiuing for benefits giuen and gifts abundantly bestowed HAuing read the History of that learned and famous man Muhamed Abugiafar Son of Giarir the Tabarite of happy memory and seeing the narrations and allegations very prolixe hauing also read the abridgement thereof by the learned Kemaluddin and many other Briefes I gathered a History out of them contracting the words but retayning the things and order omitting no case or exploit of moment beginning with the beginner of Islamisme of glorious memory rehearsing his birth genealogy and acts till he fled to Medina and after that his warres victories and fortune till his death I proceed in order with the orthodoxall Chaliph's obseruing the course of times and yeeres adding the Kings of other Prouinces and the occurrents of their times according to the computation of the Hegira vnto the Reigne of Sultan Rucnuddin the Holy King of happy memory THe first Emperor of the Muslemans was Muhammed Abulcasim of glorious memory Muhammed Abulcasim saith Muhammed Abugiafar first manifested and obserued the Religion of Islamisme hee was Sonne of Abdalla which was the Sonne of Abdulmutalib the Sonne of Hasiem the Sonne of Abdumenaf His Mothers name was Emina the Daugter of Waheb Sonne of Abdumenaf Now Muhammed of glorious memory was borne in the stonie Valley of the Citie of Mecca early on a Munday morning the eighth of the former moneth Rab in the 882. yeere of Alexander the Great His Father dyed two moneths before he was borne his Mother when he was sixe yeeres old His Grandfather Abdulmutalib brought him vp till he was eight yeeres old and then dyed aged 110. yeeres after which he was educated by his Vncle Abutalib When hee was fortie yeeres old he was called to the Propheticall office on Munday the second of the former Rab in the 922. of Alexander the Great which was the twentieth of the Raigne of Cosroas Sonne of Hormisda Sonne of Nusierwan The first that beleeued in his Prophesie was Chadigia his Vncles Daughter the next was his seruant Zeid Sonne of Harith and after him Ali the Sonne of Abutalib all of happy memory After them were added Abubecr with fiue others all which were called by him to Islammisme viz. Otsman Sonne of Affan Zubeir Sonne of Awam Abdurrahman Sonne of Aufi Saad Sonne of Abuwaccas and Obeidalla Sonne of Algiarab These nine were the first which entred Islamisme In the foure and fortieth yeere of his age he manifested his vocation for before hee only inuited men priuily to Islamisme And publishing his vocation he commanded to beleeue in God alone and him to worship and adore he destroyed Idolatry commanded Circumcision established the Fast of the moneth Ramadan the fiue Prayings Cleannesse Pilgrimage to the Temple of Mecca that Bloud should not be eaten nor that which dyeth alone nor Swines flesh And those which obserued not these things he vexed with warre and fought against them The Christians also came to him both Arabs and others and hee receiued them into his fidelity giuing them a writing of Securitie So also the Iewes Magi and Pagans and others which performed to him oath of fidelity obtained of him free libertie but on condition to pay tribute and poll-monie He commanded also to beleeue the truth of the Prophets and Apostles and of the Bookes sent to them Also that Christ the Sonne of Mary is the Spirit of God and his Word and Apostle and he approued the Gospell and the Law of Moses The Coraisites would not consent touching these things but resisted him valiantly and defied him But his Vncle Abutalib assisted him and forbade that any man should approch to him with a Sword In the fifth yeere Omar the Sonne of Alchittabi of happy memory beleeued and confirmed the other Muslims with his faith they were then 39. and himselfe was the 40. In the eighth yeere the Coraisites writ a Decree that the children of Hasiem should not make league or be mixed with the children of Almutalib and hanged it in the Temple of Mecca In the tenth
244 Angola 765. The Portugals war and trade for slaues there ibid. Their Mokissos or Idols Priests trials of Crimes Dogs Vowes Marriages 766. How the women salute the New Moone ibid. Angote Arium Aucaguerle Abagamedri Aualites Aicza in Abassia 749 Anian a fabulous Strait 670 Annedotus vide Oannes Annius his counterfeit Berosus 34 and Metasthnes ibid. Anobreth a Nymph so called 77 Antiquitie of Superstion what 69 Antiochia built by Seleuchus 71. And fifteene others of that Name ibid. Now Theopolis 339 Antiochus Soter 73. Theos Magnus Epiphanes ibid. The acts of this Antioch 74. seq 137. 353 Anticusius a hill 69 Antichrist of the Iewes 209. Of the Turkes 303. 304 Antinous deified 646 Antippi Turkish Priests 319 320 Antipodes denyed by the Fathers and by Pope Zachary accounted Heresie 790 Antipater 80 Antonius the first Heremite 277 Ants vide Pismires Anzichi the cruellest Man-eaters 772 Apameas three built by Seleucus 72 Apelles conceit of the Arke 33 30 Apes how taken 507 Apes accounted holy ibid. The Ape Hanimant ibid. Apes of Perimal 617 Apes the true Pigmees 507. seq Apes twice as bigge as a man 711 Temple dedicated to an Ape 550. Seruiceable Apes 711 Apis the Aegyptian Bull. God 638. 639 Apollo Chomaeus and Palatinus 51. Bearded Apollo 69 His Oracles at Hierapolis ibidem At Delphos and Daphne 71. 72 Apollonius his iourney 51. 482 Arabi what it signifieth 223. Why Arabians so called ibidem Arabia the scite thereof and name 223. 224. seq The parts and people thereof ibid. Their manner of eating 225. 33. Their Phoenix a Fable 225. Barthema his trauell through all Arabia 226. The Merchandize of Arabia 226. 227. Their ancient Religion 227. Circumcision manner of entring league ibid. Their Incest and Adultery 228. Their Policie Diet Diuination Habit 228 229 Their Panchean Temple ibid. Arabians distinguished by many names 229. 230. The Southerly parts of Arabia rich the people ciuill c. 230. 231 Arabian Tribes Food Apparell foolish and blasphemous Traditions 231. 232 Arabian Gulfe 582. 583. 778 Cold in Arabia 583. The Arabian populations and depopulations in Africke 701. 702. seq The Arabians which inhabited Africa duided into three peoples 703 Arad a populous Towne neere Tyrus 79 Ararat the Mountaines vpon which the Arke rested 35. Opinions concerning Ararat ibid. Aram and Aramaei 37. 65. Syria so called 65. 67 Arams Martyrdome 45 Aram Zoba 73 Arambec or Norumbega 801 Arbaces ouercame Sardanapalus 60. Made Captaine of the Armie sent to Niniue 61. Other his Acts 350 Archangels destroy the Giants before the Floud 33. 34 Archisynagogi 104 Ardocke Riuer 392 Arequipa 929. 927 Arethusa a Lake 318 Areiti or Ballads and Dances in Hispaniola 957. 958 Argo the Ship 301 Arimanius 372 Arimphaei people neere the Riphoan Hils 37 Arioch King of Elasser 61 Aristotle skilfull in Chaldaean Phylosophie 54. His opinion of Babylon and of the Dead Sea 48. 79 Aristotles Schoole at Alexandria 649 Arius a great Warriour 61 Armouchiquois deformed Sauages 914 Arphaxad and his Posteritie 37 Arke of Noah 32. Diuers doubts moued concerning it 33. The Mystery thereof ibid. The memory of it in other Nations 34 Where it rested 35. 147. Monkish Fable of the Arke 35 Arke of the Iewes Law 101 Arke of the Mexican God 869 870 Armenia 33. 343. The Armenians their memory of the Arke 34. 344. Their Historie of it 344. Bloudy Rites of the Armenians 345. Their Religion 344 Arts inuented in Cains Family 29. Ascribed to Angels which married wiues 31. To Oannes a Monster 48 Arsaces first and second 353 133 Arracan a Kingdome 512. The Warres betwixt them and the Portugals 513. 514. 1005 Artabanus the Parthian 63 354 Artembares his Story 351 Artaxares King of Persia his Reigne 301 Articles of the Iewish Faith 171 Artillery in Tanguth 428. 429 Asan the Turke 279 Ascalon 81 Ascus a Giant 75 Ashes vsed in Bramene Ceremonies 547. 548 Ashkenaz or Aschenaz 37 Ashur 37. 65. Whither hee built Niniue 65. 66 Asia the name bounds and excellence thereof 43. 44. The diuision thereof 44. Map therof 39. 43. Commodities thereof 44 Asia Minor conquered by the Turkes 325. 326. The Map of Asia Minor 326. The description thereof 326. 327. seq Asia proprie dicta 330. 331. seq Asia befriended of the sea 575. 576 A Relation of some principall Ilands of Asia 586 Asiarcha certaine Priests so called 338 Asimaeus and Anilaeus Babylonian Iewes 63 Asian Gaber a Port 777 Asmeere or Azimere the Citie where the Mogol resides 522 Asserall an hearbe that maketh men merry as if they were drunke 317 Assambaba a Superiour of the Turkes 317 Asmulin a Persian Sectarie 370 Assus a Babylonian Citie 59 Assumption Iland 823 Assyria first inhabited 38. In Assiria was the first both man and Language 40. How bounded 65. How called ibid. 67. Assyrian Kings 60. 61. Their mariages 67 Asse sacred to Priapus 334. Wild Asses 622 Asser a Pharisee of most seuere life 146 Assysines in the Prouince of Tyre 218. 219 Astar and Astarot 136 Astaroth and Astarte 71 Astarte worshipped her Temple 78 79 Astrologers and their Predictions 56. 418. 419. 428. 429 Astrologie iudiciall confuted 55 Astrologie of the Pharisees 128 Astronomie when and by whom first inuented 55. 82 Astrolabe first applyed to Nauigation 42 Astyages destroyed Niniue 66 Atabaliba King of Peru 931. Taken by the Spaniards ibid. His ransome 932. His Warre with Guascar 933. Slaine by Pizarro 929. His Pallace ibid. Atergate 37. 66. 80. Whither Dea Syria 68. Her Story 81 Athens now barbarous 324. The description thereof ibid. Atheists confuted 2 Atlas his Buriall 77. His skill in Astronomie 331. Mount Atlas 611. The Snowes on it and from it ibidem Tales of it ibid. Atlantes their Habitation and Rites 666. 680. They haue no proper names ibid. Attalus 335. Hee furnished the Library of Pergamus with two hundred thousand Volumes 335 Attes Author of the Superstitions of Rhea 68 Attys his Story 340 Atropatia a part of Media the description thereof 352 Aua in Arabia 136 Auims 80 Auarella Falca Hollanders merry madnesse there 481 Augustine Bishop of Hippo or Bona 669 Ausanitis a Region 37 Aurea Regio Aurea Chersonesus 491. 492 Auzachea a Citie in Scythia 37 Axomite Auxume or Chaxumo chiefe Citie in Aethiopia 752 Azanaghi their simplicitie 689. Why they hide their mouthes 690. Their deformity ibid. Azoara 251. seq Azopart who so called 218 B BAalzebub or Beelzebub 57 Baalzebub why called the Lord of Flyes 81 Baal what it signifieth 57. 81 104. Sometime Masculine sometime Feminine 64 Baal-pehor 85 Baau what it signifieth 77 Baba a false Prophet 277 Baba the Sonne of Bota 100 His Sacrifice 125 Babia a Syrian Goddesse 72 Babel built 38. Why so called ibid. How scituate 148. Now wholy ruined ibid. Babylonia how bounded 44. seq Parallels of Easterne and Westerne Babylon 47. The fertilitie thereof 50. 51. Beastly Rites of women there 56 Babylon of Semiramis the huge wals and
Women c. ibidem The Education of their Children Reuenewes c. 367 368. The Historie of their Magi 369. 370. sequitur Their Sacrifices Rites Feasts Fasts and other religious Opinions and Obseruations out of Herodotus 373. 374. sequitur Out of Strabo 374. 375. Out of other Authours ibidem Their Schooles and Education 376. 377. Their Feasting Marriages Mourning Lots and other Antiquities 377. 378. The Acts of Saracens in Persia 378. 379 Of the Tartars ruling in Persia 379. 380. The Persians difference from other Mahumetans ibid. Alterations of State and Religion ibid. The Names of the Caliphs and Tartars which gouerned in Persia 381. The History of Ismael Sophi first Founder of the present Persian Empire 381. 382. His Race ibid. Persian Conceit of Ismael 382 383. The Map of Persia 385 Shaugh Tamas the Persian troubles after his death 385 386. Mahomet Sultan of Persia 386. 387. The present Persians wickedly disposed 388 The Story of the present Persian King 388. 389. 390. Present Religion and Opinions ibid. The difference betwixt the Turke and Persian with the zeale of both parts 390. 391. The spreading of the Persian Opinions 391. 392. Their Rites Persons Places Opinions and religions 393. 394. Natures Wonders and Iesuits lies thereof 395. 396. Their Chiefe Priests and their Iurisdiction 396 Persian combustions 1017 Persian Gulfe described 579. seq The passage downe Euphrates thither 580. 581 Persians Acts in Aegypt 647 648 Pessinuntians 328 Pestilence how stayed 740 Pestilent vapours out of Semiramis Sepulchre 45 Peru inuaded by Pizarro 927 The Kings in Ciuill warre 929 Story of their Kings 331. Treasures there taken by the Spaniards 930 Peru how bounded 933. Naturall wonders therein ibidem Winds Hils Plaines Lakes Raines Seasons 933. 934. The cause of no Raine ibid. The first Inhabitants their Quippos Arts Mariages 934. 635. The Regall Rites Rights Workes c. 936 Coronation and Diademe ibid. Places conquered 937. Their Gods 938. sequitur Traditions 939. Temples and Priests 940. 941. Pilgrimages 942 Boyes deuoted to Sodomie ibid. Their Nunnes Sorcerers Confessions and Penances 942. 943 Their Sacrifices and Sacrificers Fastings c. 944. 945. Humane Sacrifice 945. Their Kalender and Holy dayes 945. 946. 947. Their Knights ibid. Their Chica Procession and and bloudy Funerals 948. Description of the chiefe Cities 949 seq Petiuares 910 Phaleg Authour of Idolatry 45 95 Pharao what it signifieth 630 Pharao Necho 79 Pharisees when their Sect first began 126. Why called Pharisees ibidem Their Opinions of Fate Fasting Soules Sabbath c. 127. Their Washing Prayer Tithing ibidem Their opinion of Oathes Corban c. ibid Their seuerall kinds 128. Their strictnesse and contempt of other men 128 129 Phasis and the Phasian Goddesse 577 Phalli 68 Pheron King of Aegypt 284 Phaenix a Fable 225 Phaenicia described 76. seq their Gods 77. 79. Their Inuentions 82. Their Kings 83. The Phaenician Language pure Hebrew 39 Phaenician Letters 82. Their Nauigations 81 Phiale a Fountaine of wonderfull deepnesse 92 Philadelphia 85 Philistims 80 Philippinae Ilands discouered and described 602. 603. Their Customes ibid. Whence so called 578. Philippillus Philo Biblius 76 Philo Iudaeus his antiquities counterfeit 75. His little skill in Hebrew 131 Philosophers Opinions of the eternitie of the World 9. Of Fore 7. Of the Heauens and Orbes 8. 9. Of the Starres 9 10 Of the beginning 13. No Philosophers simply Atheists 28 Philosophers of the Babylonians and Persians Vide Chaldees and Magi. Philosophers of the Indians Vide Brachmanes and Gymnosophists Philosophie Lecture forbidden in Mahumetan Schooles 281 Phocas his Acts 215 Phralaries 354 Phraates his Acts 354. 355 Phrygia 330. 331. The History of it ibid. seq Phryxus his Story 347 Phurim Feast of Lots 114 Phylacteries of the pharisees 127 Francis Pizarro his Birth and Exploits 927. His Peruuian Expedition 928. His taking of Atabaliba 929 Pigeons Letter-posts 580 Pilgrimage to Hierapolis 68. Their Ceremonies 69. To Iordan 92. To Rome 106. To the Holy Rocke 216 To Hara or the Temple of Mecca 255 256. sequitur 267. 268. 269 sequitur To Ganges 509 5 0. To the Sabbaticall Riuer 580. 581. Bloudie Pilgrimages of the Iaponites 595. 596 Piller of Lots Wife a strange relation thereof 147 Pinchao in Peru 932 Pine-tree famous in Mysia 334 335 Pirua Superstition of Peru 944 Pirch Fountaynes thereof 50 Pismires how troublesome 565 Planets new of Gal. Galilaens 9 Chaldaean obseruation of them 55. Pharisaicall 127. 128 Planting and graffing with Deuillish Rites 53 Plants in India 563 Plants seeming to liue and haue sense ibid. Plate Riuer 920. 921. seq Platoes Philosophie borrowed in Aegypt 632. The succession thereof ibid. Pluto his Image or Idoll 471 Poeni Punicks 118 Poysons of Diamonds 740. Of Buls bloud 812 Of the Bird Diroaerus 568. Of some constitutions 318 Polerine or Poolaroon and Polaway 607 Polonia 294. 295. The Polish Warres with the Turke 295 Polonia ouer-runne by the Tartars 405. 406 Polygamy first in Cains Family 29. 30. Of Mahomet 243. sequitur Of the Turkes 301 302. Of the Tartars 416 417. Tanguth 428. Chinois 435. Iauans 610. Of others 530. Euery where in most Nations of Asia Africke and America Vide Marriages and Wiues Mogol his Polygamy 516. He hath a thousand women 517. The Turke three thousand 135 Polyhistor his testimonie of the Floud 34. Of Abraham 55 His Story of a Lion 50 Policie what relation to Religion 27 Polypus described 624 Popish Dreames fathered on Antiquitie 30. 31. Their Playes like Adonia 76. Mirabiliarij 80. Their Iubilee 112. 113 Their worship of Creatures ibid. Their lyes 395. Their Pharisaisme 165. Obedience Rabbinicall 159. Traditions 158 159. Their Iewishnesse 161 Scandals to the Iew 220. Their Relikes 286. See the Titles Beads Reliques Saints Martyrs Miracles Priests Processions Nunnes Vicar Prayer Votaries Monkes Monasteries Candles Pilgrimages Funerall Rites Lights Confession Sanctuary Paste-god Iubilees Lent c. Pompe of Antiochus 74. 137 353. Of the Persians 371 Compared with the Popes ibidem Pontus how situate 329. The description thereof ibid. Poote how relieued 181 Porca Kingdome 554 Porto Santo almost destroyed by the increase of one Conie 784 Portugals Authours of late Discoueries 44 Portugals at Goa Malacca Ormus see those Titles their Indian expenses 483. Their Acts and Conquests in Africa 755 In the Indies 483. sequitur Their Warres with the Hollanders Vide Hollanders Their Sea fights with the English 757 Their Acts in Brasill Congo Angola Mombaza the Ilands of Cape Verde Saint Thomee Principee Saint Helena Barbary and Africa See these titles and generally the fift Booke and last Chapters of the Seuenth Portugall Kingdome planted in the bloud of Moores 759 P rtugals weaknesse in the Gulfe of Bengala 995 Potozi Mines described 759 Powhatan the Story of him 901 902. Whence his title ibid. Pokohuntis or Matoke Daughter of Powhatan 906. Shee is Christened and married ibidem Prayer of the Euxai 134. Of the Iewes 171. 185. 186. sequitur
a Iewish Dreame of her 160 Rebellions at Cufa 1022 Reconciliation-Fast 112. 197 198 Rechabites 125 Red Sea or Arabian Gulfe 582 seq Ilands therein ibidem Red Sea why so called 775. seq The chiefe Townes and Ilands in the Red Sea 777 sequitur Reisbuti or Rasboots a people subiect to the Mogoll 534. Their Countrey Religion and Rites 535. 536 Religion whence the word deriued 17. 18. How differing from Superstition called Ean-fastnesse 18. Described ibidem The vse thereof 26. It is naturall to men ibid. It is not policie nor by policie can bee abolished 27. True Religion can bee but one 27. 28 Men will rather be of false then no Religion ibidem 301 391 Religion the most mortall Make-bate 75. What was the Religion of the World before the Floud 28. 29. Whom the Heathens cal-Religious 46. Peruerters of Religion 55. 70. 75. Times religius obserued in China 47 Religions of Christians Moores and Ethnicks compared for store of followers 320 Reliques of the Arke 35. Of Mahumetans 281. Of an Apes Tooth 295. Of the Ship Argo 320. Of Adams foot-print 381 Repentance 257 Resurection denyed by the Sadduces 138. By the Samaritans ibid. Confessed by the Ancient Pharisees 126. Their three opinions thereof ibid. Denyed to Vsurers 257. Of women in male sexe 261. Resurrection of Birds and Beasts 314. Turkish opinion of the Resurrection 313 Rhameses an Aegyptian King 632 Rheubarb plentifull 413 Rhinoceros of Bengala 509 Rhinoceros of the Aire a Fowle 742. And of the Sea ibid. Rice plenteous in Pegu 498. 499 Rich Carpet 1019 Riphath and Riphaean Hils 37 Rimmon an Idoll of the Syrians 74 Rings worne in Eares Nose and Lips 873 Riuers worshipped 509. 510 Riuers of Paradise 18. Of Adonis 78. Of Iordan 90 Sabbaticall 109. Of the Hircans 361 Riuers running vnder ground 65 Riuer in Laos running backwards two moneths 489 Riuers made by hand many and great in China 455 Riuers loosing themselues in Sands 579. Great Riuers in America 793. Abassian Riuers 840. The Riuer Plate and Countries adioyning 920 Riuer-horse 623. 714 Rhodes the description thereof 584 Rhodians 39 Rihi a Sauage people 1032 Roundnesse of the World 9 Rowland a name frequent with the Colchians 348 Ruck a fabulous Bird 780 Russian Obseruations 973. sequitur Russes conuerted to Christianitie 1038 S SA Scha Saha Shaugh Xa Persian titles 365. 366 Saads cruelty 1015 Saba and Queene of Saba 225 330. 331. 332. 753. The Citie Saba described 748. 753. 754 Sabaea Regio thurifera 37 Sabbaticus a Riuer in Syria 109 A Discourse of the Sabbaticall Riuer 581. 582. A tale of a Iew that thought hee had met with the Sabbaticall Riuer 580 Sabbatha a City in Arabie Foelix 37 Sabbatharians 123 Sabbaticall yeere 99 Sabbaticall yeere of the Iewes and Samaritans 109 Sabbatary Soule of the Iewes 193 Sabbaticall Superstition of the Iewes 107. 108. 127. 192. 193 Sabbath why so called 106. A generall name ibid. Sabbath why called the Lords Day 20 Sabbath how farre Moral and Ceremoniall 15. 20. 108. Obiections answered 19. 20. 21 Sabbath of Christians 20. 21. Of Iewes 106. 109. 174. 192. Of Aethiopians 111. Of Turks 310 311. Of Peguans on Munday 507. In Iaua arbitrary in Guinea on Tuesday 718. 719. So likewise in Paucora 813 Sabbetha and his Posteritie 37 Sabtlieca and Sechalitae 37 Sabyrians 439 Sacrament of the Rain-bow 36 37 Sacrifices of Cain and Abell 27 28. Kinds of Sacrifices 28 Sacrifices consumed by fire from Heauen ibid. Sacrifice but the Apparell of Diuine worship 30 Sacrifices of the Cyrenians and Iewes 110. 115. Of Mahumemetans 273. 274. Phaenician Sacrifices 81 Sacrifices to Moloch 86. Of Arabians 227. Of Taurica 234 Galatians 329. Of Meander 337. Araxes 345. Armenians 344. Albanians 346. Scythians 397. Aegyptians at Idythya 402. Busiris 594. At Heliopolis 599. Of the Carthaginians 672. Of the Blemmies 683. Aethiopians 745. Falsly supposed of Virginians 775. In Florida 846. Panuco 853 Zaclota 920. Tezcuco 932 Of Mexicans how begunne 871 Increased 872. To their Goddesses ibid. The strange fashion of their Sacrificing 871. The Rites of humane Sacrifice 872 Sacrifices of the Iewes of eight sorts and their rites 115 Sacrifices of the Persians 373. Daily ibid. Rites of their Sacrificing 374. 375. 376. Of the Philippinas 603. Selfe-sacrificing of the Banians 240 241. Of the Nayros 553. Narsinga 580. Amouchi 638 At Quilacare 890. Iapanders 595. Humane Sacrifices at Peru 945 Sacae their Habitation and rites 399 Sacriledge how punished 120 Sachoniatho 76 Sagadana 579 Saga 350 Sabatius Saga 351 Sagada hoc riuer 683 Saddai a name of God what it signifieth 4 Sadducees the History of them 129. 130. Their crueltie ibid. Difference betwixt them and the Samaritans 138 Sanhedrin vide Elders Saints in Turkie 316. 317. 318 In Aegypt vide Nafissa Saladine 657 Salmanasar 136 Saints of Pagans 999 Salomons building the Temple 102 Salamander 565 Salsette and the Rites there 545 Salt-hill 84 Salt deare sold 722. How made ibid. Saltnesse cause of motion in the Sea 573. 574 Samarcheneth a Citie 149 Samarchand the Citie of the great Tamerlane 425 Samaria how situate 93. 136 Samaritan Sect 136. sequitur The hatred betweene them and the Iewes 137. Difference from the Sadducees 138 Samaritan Chronicle 138 Samaritan Letters and Temple 138 Samosata Lucians Birth place 68 Samoits or Samoeds 431. Their Rites 432. sequitur Their hardship and manner of trauell 432. 433. Their Images Religion Persons ibid. Samiel Semixas names of Deuils 32 Samatra the Historie thereof 612 613. The King thereof a Fisherman how hee came to the Crowne 613. 614. His Admirall Attendants Women c. ibid. The present King attended by Boyes and women ibid. His entertainments to the English 613. His letter to our King 614. His cruelties 615 Samsaeins or Sunners 133. 134 Sanballat 136. 137 Sanctuary at Tauium 325. At Ephesus 336. Canopus and other places 362 Sandars three sortes thereof 570 Sopores King of Persia his reigne 361. 362 Sangene tocoro in Iapon 586 Sangius Draconis 779 Saraca the name of an Arabian Citie 230 Saracens who and why so called 215. 229. 230. 657. Their Ancient Rites ibidem Their Religion 230. 231. Their Warres vnder Mahumet and his Successors 232. sequitur Diuisions 233. Their Califes and exploits 234. 236. sequitur Their learning and learned men 240. 241. Their Story of Mahomets life 244. 245. sequitur Their opinion of the Alcoran 258. 259. The Saracenicall Conquest and Schisme in Persia 378. 379. What Countrey of the East they possessed 657. More Saracens then Christians ibid. Captaine Saris his trauels and commendation 589. 590 Sardanapalus his Conquests 61 His destruction 61. 62. His Monument ibidem How much goods perished with him ibid. Sardis Mother Citie of Lydia 339 Sarmatians 37. 407 Sasquesahanockes a Giantly people in Virginia 842. Their Rites 843. 844 Saturni who so called 45 Saturnus the same with Cain 45 Saturne of the Phaenicians 77 His other names 80 Satourioua his Acts
994. Saint Thomas Iland 781 Thomas-Christians 561 Thophasumin the reasonable cretures so called 77 Thoyth 77 Thresher a Fish 952 953 seq Thuball Father of the Iberians 37 Thunder how produced 77 Tiberias a Citie wholy inhabited by Iewes 136 Tibareni a beastly people 330. their cruell Rites 400 Tigris 17. The ouerflowing thereof 58. Mixed with Euphrates neere Seleucia 61. The townes thereon 50. 64. Desolated Cities by a Deluge 64. The swiftnesse 63. The name 341 Tigres 491. They cause the people to lodge in Trees and to set their houses on posts c 493. 494 Time what it is 5. Time and Motion twinnes 12 13 Computation thereof diuerse Tinge or Tanger 87 Titans and their Inuentions 77 Tithes how farre Leuiticall 116. Some reckon foure sorts 117. Of what how paid where by whom 117. 118. Officers receiued them ibid. seq Paid by Turks 306 At Fez 684. To the Seriffos 695 696. Titus 140 Tombuto 722 Tongues confounded 38 Topheth or Tymbrell 86 Tomimamlazes 910 Torlaquis a Turkish order 317 318. Their wickednesse ibid. Torch-intelligence 996 Torpedo 750 Towre of Babylon 50 Traditionarie Iewes 127 seq Equalled to Scripture 157 Of traditionarie Iewes more at large vid. lib. 2 cap 12. to the end Traditionarie Papists 158. 159. Traditionall Law Tradition preferred before Scripture ibid. Foolish and blasphemous Traditions of the Arabians 231. 232. Lying Traditions of the Mahumetans 273. 274. Translations of Scripture nine 170. Opinions concerning the translation of Scripture 169. the Vulgar translation ibid Transubstantiation 881 Tree forbidden 17. 21. Fabulous speaking Trees of the Zabii 52 Trees vsed in the Feast of Tabernacles 196. Trees worshipped 360. Trees of India 566. Two Trees in the Garden of God son call Sacraments 21. Trees of Sodome 84. Mahomets tree in Paradise 263. Trees in Iapon very strange 520. As strange in Ciumbubon 532. In Congo 769. In the Iland of Saint Thomas 781. In Brasill 912. In Golchonda all Trees continually greene 995 Tremisen Kingdome 675 Trials of doubtfull causes in Guinea 718. In Angola 766. In Loango 770. 771 Tribes 44. in Golchonda described 997 Tribes of Israel their portion 91 97. Their Cities royall 92 Tribunals 98 Trinitie in Vnitie 3 Trinidado 899 Tripiti an Indian Idoll 560 Tripolis in Barbarie 674. Described ibid. Strange People and Sects neere Tripoly 220 Triumuiri at Rome 66 Troglodytae 667. 731. Troy historie thereof and present ruines 332. 333 Feast of Trumpets 111 Tubalcain supposed Vulcan 34 Tuban in Iaua 610 Tubiens a societie of the Iewes 135 Tuesday Sabbath in Guinea 718. 719 Tunia or Tomana 894 Tunis Kingdome the description thereof 669. 670. Wonne by the Turke ibid. Delicacie there vsed 670. 671 Turkes whence their name and originall 278. 279. Their first Religion 278. Language 279. Conquest of Persia ibid. Of Other parts of Asia 280. 281. Ouerthrowne by the Christians of the West ibid. By the Tartars 281. 282. Conquered Asia ibid. A great part of Europe 283. With Constantinople Aegypt 283. 284. seq Ouerthrowne at Sea by Iohn of Austria 286. In Hungarie 288. seq Rebellion and Ciuil warre 289. Emperours Sepulchers ibid. Warres with the Persian and amongst themselues 288. 289. The Map of the Turkish Empire 290. The great Turkes Handi-craft his Falconers Huntsmen Concubines Officers 291. 292. His Ianizaries ibid. The Turke compared with other Princes their Zuna and Curaam 292. 293. Their eight Commandements 297. Prayer Almes Sacrifice 208. Mariage Women Adulterie Murther 299. Opinions and practises in Religion 300 seq their Friday-Sabbath Zeale hatred of Images moderation in building respect to the Sunne and Moone 300. 301. Polygamie Ignorance Reliques Sorceries Patience good workes Oathes Vowes Opinions of Fate and Antichrist 301. 302. Almes to Beasts Conceit of Prophets eating Opium Physicke Opinion of Angels 302. 303. Their manner of apparelling themselues at home and abroad 303. 304. Salutations Recreations houses and furniture food meales feeding Coffa houses c. ibid. Tobacco attire of women slaues Arts 305. Their Temples 305 seq Hospitals and Monasteries 308. The Turkish manner of Praying and Church Rites 309. Of blessing their women Of preaching ibid. Their Sabbath Lent and Easter 310. Their Circumcision 311. Of Renegadoes 312. Visitation of the sicke and Funeralls ibid. Fancies of the end of the World last iudgement Paradise and Hell 313. 314. Their Votaries and Sects 315. 316. Deuoted to death ibid. Their Kalenders and Deruises c. 316. 317 Their Saints Vowes Pilgrimages and other Popish obseruations 317 318. Chederles 318 Their Priests Hierarchy Colledges 319 320. seq A patheticall description of Turkish Tyrannie 322. 323 seq Orders and degrees of their Clergie from the Mufii to the Sophti 319. seq Their Election and Arts 322. Their Emers ibid Cruell taking of Constantinople 323. Their heauie hand ouer the Greekes 324. Their zeale of making Proselites 325. Their buying and selling of Christians 325 326 Turkes greatnesse in Africa 626 Turkes and Persians hot dissentions for Religion 390. 391 Turkish greatnesse the beginning thereof 1040 Turkeman or Turcomania 334. 335. 336 Typhon a Dragon 72. Phaenician God 76. In Aegypt 636. His Legend 636. 637. The mystery thereof 638. 639 Tyrus called Sur 179. taken with a stratagem 82 Tyrannus Priest of Saturne his Knauery 681 Tygranes Kings of Armenia Minor 37 V. VAlerianus his Story 361 Valboas Acts 931 Vanly or Vasiliwich Great Duke of Russia his History 973. sequitur Veadar 106 Venezuela 895 Venus worshipped with filthy Rites in Babylon 56. Called Mylitta and other names ibid. Her Temple 59 Venns Vrania 66. Hatched of an Egge 69. The same with Iuno 78. Filthy Rites 80 Verteas strict Sect 541 Verus a voluptuous Emperour 71 Vestaments holy Vestaments of the Iewes 185 Vineyard eighteens miles square 142 Viper of sixteene Cubits 480 Virginia 828. First Voyages and Plantations ibidem Northerne Plantation there by Westerne men 829. Called New England ibid. Southerne Plantation 831 seq Diuers Voyages and supplyes sent 832. 833. Causes of ill successe in this businesse 833 834. Captaine Smiths description of the Countrey 834. Of the People 835. Commodities ibidem Alteration of the Gouernment and a Peace concluded with presperoùs successe of the English 836. Places inhabited by ours with their seuerall numbers and Functions 837. Their Religion 838. Their Wiroances Priests Warres conceit of our men 838. 839. Their Idols 839. Their Deuil worshippe Temples Sepulchres Songs 840 Their Feasts Dances Heauen Hell and other Rites and Opinions 840. 841. 842. Their Giant-like Sasquesahanockes and their Rites 842. 843. sequitur Conceit of their originall ibid. Tomocomos relations of their Gods Apparition and of their Loue-locke 843. sequitur Their Blacke Boyes 844. Their Physicke Dances naturall conditions ibid. Their Oeconomie and Policy 845 Visions and Apparitions among the Turkes aswell as among the Papists 315 Vncam 735 Vnicornes 564. Scepter of Vnicornes Horne and effect thereof 983 Vilna 990 Vniuersities or Schooles of Learning in Babylon 50. 51. At Bagdet
f Aluaro Nunez speaketh of such Kine in Florida which come hither from the North. g Her true name was Matokes which they consealed from the English in a superstitious feare of hurt by the English if her name were knowne she is now Christened Rebecca h Aboue 20. causes alleaged of ill successe in this Plantation Difficilia quae pulchra i Ouied. gen hist c. 13. l. 2. toste vengâ—â—o dall'aere del paese destati à suscitare nouita discordie è cosa propria nelle Indie c. k Sir T. Gates Sir T. Dale l Since printed at Oxford m Al. Whitaker saith not so hot as Spaine nor Winter so cold as in England n Master Rolph Alex. Whitaker now Preacher at Virginia o Hak. vol. 3. pag. 267. Theod. de Bry. part 1. America p Cap. Smith M. S. M. Whitaker M. Hamor mention also Lion q Tho. Hariot r M. George Percie writeth that one with an Arrow of an ell longth shot thorow a Target which a Pistoll could not pierce Å¿ Twelue in all Peace betwixt ours and the Sauages t They can dresse Leather finely and quickly but it will not hold our wet Habitations Officers Labourers Farmers Letters Patents for collect Henrico Bermuda Nether Hundred W. and Sh. Hundred Iames towne Kequoughton Dales Gift a Tho. Hariot Hak to 3. p. 277. These people of Sir W. Ral. his discouerie are somewhat more to the South then the present English Colonie b Weroance is a chiefe Lord or pettie King which sometime hath but one Towne and none that we had dealing with had aboue eighteen Townes vnder him c Tho. de Bry in Pictur i First voyage to Virginia Hak to 3. p. 249. k M. Rolph Lan. Hak. to 3. p. 261. l James Rosier m Theod. de Bry Icone 17. 18. seq n Newes from Virginia and a M. S. of Captaine Smith a Their Rattles are of Gourds or Pompion rindes of which they haue their treble tenor base c. b M. S. by W. S. c How could he chuse d Capt. Smith Okee or Okeeus e One of these painted on a Toadstoole fit shrine for such a deitie was by A. Whitak sent into England f Will. White Capt. Smith William White a Pocones is a small Roote which dried and beat into powder cut â— thred they vse it for swellings aches and painting b In that extremitie of miserie which ours since sustained I haue been told that both the Sauages and Fugitiues would obiect our want and their plenty for theirs and against our Religion c The cruell death of George Casson d Declaration of Vi gin a. e Priests in Virginia f Discouerie of Chesipeack 1608. b Cap. Argols Boy his name was Henry Spilman Tomocomo c I was thus told by Sir Thomas Dale d Sometimes when they are preparing to hunt he wil by some knowne signe manifest himselfe and direct them to game they all with great alacritie acknowledging that signe and following e This proued true contrary to Tomocomos minde being desirous to returne in the first ship which is gone alreadie Blacke Boyes Master Rolph f Virginia Voyage 1606. M. S. M. George Percy g Cap. Smith Ed. Mar. Wingfield h Some of them are found such i Master Rolph b Florida with i long Oriel Theat c Exped in Flor. ap T. de Bry. d Giraua c. e Gomara hist Gen. Ep. 45. Oniedo l. 16. c. 11. f Gomara Calueta g Benzo l z b The Expedition of Soto is by Mr Hakluyt set forth in English being written by a Portugal Gentleman of Elnas employed therein It was Anno 1538. c Iohn de Verraz ap Hak to 3 d Of his life there is a speciall booke e Rene Laud. ap Hak. f He was reliued by Si Iohn Hawkins great bounty g Laudonn ap Hak. h Iaques Morgues ap Theod. de Bry Amer. part 2. i Nic. Challusius Diepensis editus Latine per Caluetonem k Supplicatio ap Caluet ap Theod. de Bry. l Dom. de Gorgues ap Hak. com 3. m Cabez de Vaca ap Hak in Ep. Dedic in his Virginia richly valued n Gaspar Ens lib. 3. Botero part 1. l. 5. o America part 2. de Bry. a Laudonniere b Morgues Icon. 18. 19. c Icon. 8. d Icon. 11. e Icon. 12. e Icon. 14. g Auarus malus omnibus sibi pessimus Seneca h Icon. 26. i N. Chaluf c. 3. k Icon. 2. 8. l Laudon saith 250. but he saw them not himselfe as this our Author did this man gaue two Eagles to the French perhaps they reckon euery yeere two as in Virginia a Morgues Icon. 34. b Icon 35. c R. Laudon f These three are Iawas which are priests magicians and physicians Ramus vol. 3. q They called this place Malsatto r Al. Nunez his peregrination thorow many sauage Nations a Great suck-bigges Sodomites b Ortel Theat c Challus exped in Florid. cap. 3. d Botero Rel. part 1. l. 5. e Gasp Ent. l. 3. f Discouerie of Florida and Virginia richly valued b Benzo lib. 2. c Laudon was told this of certain Spaniards which liued in those parts d Dauid Ingram ap Hak. tom 3. Edit 1. d In his letter to the Emperour ap Hak to 3. Ramus e Marco de Nisa his relation f F. Vasquez his relation g F. Lop. c. 212. 213. 214. h Oxen of Quiuera * Taking of Tiguez b Ouid. Metamorph lib. 2. c Magellanes Victory so was his ship called had won this victory but lost her Generall d Sir Francis Drake Hak. tom 3. a Noua Albion b History of China by Fr. Juan Gonsalez de Mendosa c An. de Espeio Nouemb. 1512. d New Mexico L. T. Toletus a Fran. Vlloa apud Ramus Hak vol. 3. California f Fer. Alarchon g Sodomites h Linschoten also in his third Booke largely treateth of the course of these and other Nauigations l He dyed this last Winter 1616. k The Spaniards call all that the South Sea which is on the further side of America l Gomara his third part of the Conquest of the West Indies translated into English by T. Nicolas m Of this Voiage Reade P. Martyrs fourth Decade and Gomara part 1. and of all which followes in this Chapter P. Mart. Dec. 5. Com. vbi supra and Cortes his owne large Narration to the Emperour Ap. Ramus Vol. 3. Indian simplicitie Potonchan called Victorie Spanish incurable sicknesse Note for fashion-mongers Zempoallan Panuco Vera Crux Bloudy Sacrifices Tlaxcallan a great Citie Chololla Store of Temples and deuotions Popocatepec a burning Hill Mutezumas Religion f The like speech he had made at first to Corte who easily wrought on that aduantage applying this Tradition to the Spaniards Cortes Narrat Mutezumas death p N. di Gus ap Ram. vol. 3. q Lit. P. Aluarado Dieg. Godoy ap Ram. vol 3. r Relat. del Temistitan ca. a Bocero part 1. lib. 5. Ios. Acosta l. 7. Lop. de Gom.
great Dukes Feast * Pardon this prolixity in narration of a Feast I doe it partly for Q. Elizabeths sake to whole honour it was intended and partly to expresse the magnificence and customes of Lithuania little knowne to most Practise to poyson Sir Ier Horsey Demetrius slain and his Mother poysoned Boris is made Emperour Description of his person and qualities Boris his ruine He poysoneth himselfe The Counterfeit Demetrius raigneth He is slaine Suskoy is crowned and captiued by the Poles The Poles expelled by the Tartars * Sinus Gangeticus Zeloan or Zeilan Candy p Captaines Gouernour d Two shillings six pence sterling S. Thome See before in Balbie c. Palecat possessed by the Dutch Sir Adolfe Thomason Portugals weaknes within the Gulfe Musulipatnam or Musulipatan P. W. Floris See P. 1. l. 3. Climate and Seasons Hote and killing winds Peter Iacobson R. Stower Commodious Flouds All trees continually greene Fertilitie Golchonda described Glorious Palace The King a mahumetan Their Sects Kings title Wiues Concubines Three Decan Kings enemy to the Mogull Kings Reueue Indian Monarchie Miserable people Castles 66. * Captaines or Gouernors Castle described Intelligence by Torches * Mahumetan Churches Relgion of the Gentiles in those parts Ier 35. Their morality Their Tribes forty foure The Bramene Their writing Learning Superstition d Casta signifying a Tribe The Fangam The Committy The Campo Waro The Whoores Tribe x Moores circumcise their children Mechanikes Their Piriawes Their Idols Temples k Doulia Latria Feastiuals Tumblers Strange actiuitie Idoll-Procession Block-Saint Acts 17. Sea-feasts Other Saints Idol-Miracles * Water Suger and iuce of Limons mingled Deuil-Saint G. Ball T. Iones Vowes Bloudie Rites See the like before in Balby Houshold-gods Mariages Widowes Infants Trauell with little labour Apparell Colour Small wages Burning of wiues whence i The name of one of their Idols k Is an Officer amongst the Moores not much vnlike to the Sheriffs of London Diamonds how found The Authours iourney to the Myne Myne of Diamonds described d Or Tribe e A Vyse is three pound English weight Iron Steele Bezars how taken out of Goats Callicoes Painting and durable colours Indico See Finches Voyage Lib. 4. Their trafficke Voyage to Mocha and Mecca Bengala Bad people Crocodiles charmed Arrecan * Pegu Of the late miserable state thereof and former glory see l. 10. cap. 5 6 7 8. where other Countries of this Gulfe of Bengala and Goast of coromandel are related Zangomay or Iangoma Thomas Samuel an Englishman his Trade there and in Pegu Other English sent A Letter relating the King of Pegus entertainment to the English Peguan tyrannie Their vnfaithfulnesse and vnthriftie courses King of Pegus Letter Tannassery Syam Now in Holland Sowes fruitfull without Boxes Read M. Terries Relation of these things L . 9. c. Gen. 16 10 12. 17.20 1. Tim. 4.8 Gen. 17.27 Rom. 9.7 Gal. 4.25 Rom. 4.16 Gal. 4.28 29. Iohn 8.35.36 * Compare those Locusts Apoc. 9. with this Saracenical history which though it may be applied in part to Papists yet is literally more manifest in many things of these It was farre greater then the Roman Emâ—ire and their Religion still couereth more ground than the Christian in all professions Chalifa signifieth Vicar r Musleman or Muslim signifies a beleeuer se of that doctrine of Muhammed The name which al of that religion giue themselues Saracen and Moore c. which we giue them they know not p Misericordis miseraâ—oris gracious and mercifull their vsuall beginning of Prayers Bookes workes The Authors Preface Mahomet first Author of Islamisme that is the Mabumetan Faith praised by this author a Mahumetan t We say odious and iustly yet here and like cases follow the author The birth and genealogie of Mahomet u This M. Abugiafar was a Prince and learned Historian which died A H. 316. A.D. 922. Our of him principally is this history to that time gathered His education His vocation His doctrine * Magi were those which professed the Ethnike Religion vsed in Persia Christ blasphemed with hypocriticall honours His enemies His two wiues Aijsia Sewda The conuersion of Medina * The Hegira or flight of M. fell out on the 16. of Iuly A.D. 622. Fatima D. of Muh married to Ali his Vncles Sonne Au. H. 2. which began Iuly 5. 623. His slight skirmishes which after grew to great battels A.H. 3. which began Iune 24. A.D. 624. M. wounded A. H 4. which began Iune 13. 625. A.H. 5. Iune 2. 626. A.H. 6. which began May 23. A D. 627. Mahomets third wife M. his Coronation or installation A. H. May 11. 628. M. his Pulpit A.H. 8. April 30 629. Mecca taken A.H. 9. April 20 630. A.H. 10. which began April 9. A.D. 631. His pilgrimage A.H. 11. Mar. 28 A. Christi 632. False prophets Mahomets death His Secretaries and Officers of State This curiositie of Chronology he obserueth in the rest by vs omitted M. his respect to Christians * These Persian and Imperiall occurrents I translate also that the Reader may see how the Saracenicall Empire grew to so sudden a greatnes out of the ruines of these two Empires The Peâ—sians are said to haue preuayled in Syria Egypt One great cause of this Persian combustion Abubcer 2. hee first called himselfe Chalifa .i. Vicar or giuen of God Hee may bee called the Numa of the Saracens * Fugitiues were such as had fl d from Mecca first with M. and after from other places from which flight is their Heg. reckoned Other false Prophets A.H. 12 Ma. 18 A.C. 1633 p Irac is the name of the country where Bagdad Balsora stand extending on both sides of the bottom of the Persian Gulfe But to giue his names of countries iust interpretation is very difficult the Arabs giuing one name Tarâ—ars another and others others to the same countries which I therefore forbeare Hierac in Persia hath â—fsahon the chiefe city Stater were of diuers values some were drams a piece some betwixt some halfe that and the former some the tenth part of a dramme Alcoran first gathered together Al is the Article the coran signifieth collection of this act of Abubecr Mushaph signifies a Booke come from heauen or heauenly writing or the Scripture Coran signifies reading in publike or a collection of Surats Azoaras , some call them or chapters They hold it to excell all creatures which Christians or Iewes may not touch to sit on it were horrible or themselues to touch it vnwashed c. Omar the third Emperour or Chalifa Damascus taken A.H. 14. which began Feb. 25. A.C. 635. AH 15. Feb. 14. 636. By Romans he meaneth Subiects of the Roman Emperour which he calleth Infidels as his owne Mahumetans Muslims or right beleeuers n This seâ—meth the later Cosroes or that before of Herac is not fully true which he saith he tooke out of Christian stories The last Persian King ouercome A.H. 17. Ian. 23. A.C. 638. Egypt conquered Misra since enlarged and called
but liueth with the women that if hee die before his father should thence conceiue no griefe From that time till hee bee twentie hee learneth three things to ride to shoot to speake truth For to lie is with them the most shamefull thing the second to be in debt For one fault onely no man ought to bee punished Whatsoeuer is not meet to be done ought not to be spoken A Leprous person if hee bee a Citizen may not enter into the Citie nor haue any societie with men for this disease is sent say they for some offence against the Sunne if hee bee a forrenner they banish him out of their Region and for the same cause carry into that Region white Pigeons In a Riuer they neither spit nor make water nor wash but haue them in very religious veneration They might not cast any carkasse or pollution therein These things saith Herodotus I affirme of the Persians out of mine owne knowledge that which followeth I doe not so well know that they burie not their dead bodies before they bee torne of some Fowle or Dogge but I well know that their Magi doe wrap them vp in Waxe and then bury them These Magi differ both from other men and from the Egyptian Priests in this that these pollute themselues with the death of nothing but their sacrifices but the Magi with their owne hands kill any thing except a man and a dogge yea they esteeme it some great exploit if they haue killed very many Ants or Serpents or other things which creepe or flye Thus farre Herodotus §. II. Of the same and other Rites out of STRABO STRABO nameth Anaitis Amanus and Anandatus Gods of the Persians When the Persian Emperors had ouerthrowne the Sacae they encompassed with a wall a certaine rocke situate in a field and erecting a Temple of the aforesaid Gods there instituted yeerely solemnities named Sacae which of the inhabitants of Zela are yet celebrated so they call the place That Towne in great part belongs to them which are called Sacred Seruants to which Pompey added a great Country Some report that Cyrus hauing ouercome the Sacae attributing this victory to diuine power consecrated that day to his Country-Goddesse naming it Sacaa and wheresoeuer the Temple of that Goddesse is there also are celebrated those Sacaean feasts in manner of the Bacchanals day and night the men and women drinking themselues drunken Strabo in the end of the same eleuenth Booke mentioneth their Temples and amongst others the Temples of Tanais which before in Herodotus is denied to be the vse of the Persians Cicero blameth the Magi for procuring Xerxes to burne all the Temples of Greece because they included their Gods in walls and to whom the whole world was a Temple and house Their deuotion to the Sun and Moon made them spare Delus sacred to Apollo or the Sun and the Temple of Diana or the Moone at Ephesus as an Interpreter of Aristophanes hath glossed Some hold that Xerxes burnt the Graecian Temples for reuenge of the burning of Sardis and the Temple of Cybele by the Athenians and not for hatred of all Temples The Greekes would not permit the Temples so burned to bee re-edified that those ruinous places might be places of argument for reuenge to all posteritie The Ionians as Isocrates testifieth cursed them which should repaire them Strabo thus also reporteth of the Persians They haue neither Images nor Altars they sacrifice in an high place they thinke heauen to be Iupiter they worship the Sunne whom they call Mithra the Moone also and Venus and the Fire and the Earth and the Windes and the water they sacrifice in a cleane place and present their sacrifice crowned and when as the Magas ruler of this businesse hath diuided the flesh in pieces to euery one they goe their wayes leauing no part thereof to the Gods who say they are satisfied with the soule of their sacrifice Some as it is reported lay a part of the Numbles on the fire They sacrifice especially to the Fire and to the Water laying on the fire drie stickes the barkes pulled off and laying thereon fat Tallow and powring on the same Oyle they kindle the same not blowing with their breath but fanning or otherwise enforcing the winde thereto If any bloweth the fire or cast any dead thing or durt therein he is punished with death They performe their Water-ceremonies in this sort Comming to a Lake Riuer or Fountaine they make a Ditch and there slay a sacrifice with great heed that none of the next water be touched with the bloud after laying the flesh on Myrtle and Lawrell the Magi burne the same with small twigs and making certaine prayers sprinkle oyle mixed with milke and honey not in the fire or water but on the earth They are a long while muttering their prayers holding a bundle of small Tameriske-twigs That which in one place Strabo saith they worshipped Mars onely is a fault of the negligent Writers as Casaubon hath obserued in his Notes In Cappadocia where is very great store of the Magi which of the Fire are called Pyrethi and many Temples of the Persian gods they slay not the sacrifice with a knife but a club or mallet wherewith they beat it The Pyreitheia are great inclosed places in the midst whereof there is an Altar thereon the Magi keepe much ashes and a fire continually burning whither they euery day resort and make their prayers about an houres space holding a bundle of twigges before the fire hauing their heads couered with a kind of labelled Mitre hanging downe on both sides that the strings couer their lips These things are done in the Temples of Anaitis and Amanus For there are their Temples and their Image of Amanus is carried in procession These things we haue seene It seemeth that whereas Herodotus reporteth they had no Temples Altars nor Images and Strabo so often mentioneth their Temples and here the Altar and Image of Amanus that in Herodotus dayes they had none which grew afterwards in vse as a forraine rite brought in among the Persians after the Macedonians had conquered them or else that there were differing Sects among their Magi some as these in Cappadocia embracing Altars Images and Temples some refusing some or all these For otherwise Strabo disagreth not onely from Herodotus but from himselfe before denying them the vse of Altars and Images and here affirming it of the Cappadocian Magi in other things of the Persian Religion Perhaps the burning of the Graecian Temples purchased to them that conceit with the vulgar we know they honoured the Temple and Altar at Ierusalem And lesse matters set on the Friers lasts make seely Papists beleeue now that Protestants haue no Churches not Religion nor scarcely the shape of men Iulius Firmicus in his Treatise of the mysteries and errors of prophane Religions to Constantine and Constans Emperours speaketh of the Assyrians and Persians that the Assyrians ascribed the