which are chosen by lots howbeit their gouernment lasteth for sixteene moneths onely The riuer of Sus is distant three miles from hence Here dwell many Iewes which are most cunning goldsmiths carpenters and such like artificers They haue a verie stately temple and many priests and doctors of the lawe which are maintained at the publike charge Euery munday great numbers of Arabians both of the plaines and of the mountaines come hither to market In the yeere of the Hegeira 920. this citie of their owne accord yeelded themselues into the hands of the Seriffo and here the common councell of the whole region was established Of the citie of Tagauost IN all Sus there is no citie comparable vnto that which is commonly called Tagauost for it containeth aboue eight thousand housholdes the wall thereof is builte of rough stones From the Ocean it is distant about threescore miles and about fiftie miles southward of Atlas and the report is that the Africans built this citie About ten miles from this place lieth the riuer of Sus here are great store of artificers and of shops and the people of Tagauost are diuided into three parts They haue continuall ciuill wars among themselues and one part haue the Arabians alwaies on their side who for better pay will take parte sometime with one side and sometime with the contrarie Of corne and cattell heere is great abundance but their wooll is exceeding course In this citie are made certaine kindes of apparell which are vsually carried for merchandize once a yeere to Tombuto to Gualata and to other places in the lande of Negros Their market is twise euery weeke their attire is somewhat decent and comely their women are beautifull but their men are of a tawnie and swart colour by reason they are descended of blacke fathers and white mothers In this citie such carrie the greatest authoritie and credit as are accounted the richest and the mightiest I my selfe remained heere thirteene daies with the Seriffo his 〈◊〉 chancellour who went thither of purpose to buie certaine 〈◊〉 for his Lord in the yeere of the Hegeira 919. which was in the yeere of our Lord 1510. Of the mountaine of Hanchisa THis mountaine beginneth westward from Atlas and from thence stretcheth almost fortie miles eastward At the foote of this mountaine standeth Messa with the residue of the region of Sus. The inhabitants of this mountaine are such valiant footmen that one of them will encounter two horsemen The soile will yeeld no corne at all but barly 〈◊〉 hony there is in great abundance With snowe they are almost at all times troubled but how patiently and strongly they can endure the colde a man may easily gesse for that the whole yeere throughout they weare one single garment onely This people my Lord the Seriffo attempted often to bring vnder his subiection howbeit he hath not as yet preuailed against them Of the mountaine of Ilalem THis mountaine beginneth westward from the mountaine aforesaid on the east it abutteth vpon the region of Guzula and southward vpon the plaines of Sus. The inhabitants are valiant hauing great store of horses They are at continuall warre among themselues for certaine siluer mines so that those which haue the better hande digge as much siluer as they can and distribute to euery man his portion vntill such time as they be restrained from digging by others The situation and estate of the region of Maroco THis region beginneth westward from the mountaine of Nefisa stretching eastward to the mountaine of Hadimei and northward euen to that place where the most famous riuers of Tensift and Asfinual meete togither that is to say vpon the east border of Hea. This region is in a manner three square being a most pleasant countrey and abounding with many droues and flockes of cattell it is greene euery where and most fertile of all things which serue for foode or which delight the senses of smelling or seeing It is altogither a plaine countrey not much vnlike to Lombardie The mountaines in this region are most colde and barren insomuch that they will bring foorth nought but barly Wherefore according to our former order beginning at the west part of this region we will proceed in our description eastward Of Elgihumuha a towne of Maroco VPon that plaine which is about seuen miles distant from Atlas and not farre from the riuer of Sesseua standeth a towne called by the inhabitants Elgihumuha which was built as they suppose by the Africans A while after it was brought vnder the subiection of certaine Arabians about that verie time when the family of Muachidin aforesaid began to reuolt from the kingdome And at this day the ruines and reliques of this towne can scarce be seene The Arabians which now dwel thereabout do sow so much ground onely as to supply their owne necessities and the residue they let lye vntilled and fruitles Howbeit when the countrey thereabout was in flourishing estate the inhabitants payed yeerely vnto the Prince for tribute 100000. ducates and then this towne contained aboue sixe thousand families Trauelling that way I was most friendly entertained by a certaine Arabian and had good experience of the peoples liberality sauing that I heard of some that they were most trecherous and deceitfull Of the castle of Imegiagen THe castle of Imegiagen is built vpon the top of a certaine hil of Atlas being so fortified by naturall situation that it neither hath nor needeth any wall It standeth southward of Elgihumuha as I take it 25. miles This castle was in times past vnder the iurisdiction of the noble men of that region vntill such time as it was taken by one Homar Essuef an apostata from the Mahumetan religion as we will afterward declare The said Homar vsed such monstrous tyrannie in that place that neither children nor women big with childe could escape his crueltie insomuch that he caused the vnborne infants to bee ripped out of their mothers wombes and to be murthered This was done in the yeere of the Hegeira 900 and so that place remained destitute of inhabitants In the yeere 920. of the Hegeira the said region began to be inhabited anew howbeit now there can but one side of the mountaine onely be tilled for the plaine vnderneath is so dangerous both by reason of the daily incursions of the Arabians and also of the Portugals that no man dare trauell that way Of the towne of Tenessa VPon a certaine hill of Atlas named Ghedmin standeth a towne which was built as some report by the ancient Africans and called by the name of Tenessa being a most strong and defensible place and being distant about eight miles eastward from the riuer of Asifinuall At the foote of the said hill lieth a most excellent plaine which were it not for the lewd 〈◊〉 Arabians would yeeld an incomparable crop And because the inhabitants of Tenessa are depriued of this 〈◊〉 commoditie they till onely that ground which is vpon the side of
Monomotapa to the riuer Coauo and beyond west with the riuer Nilus North vpon the dominions of Prete Ianni and east vpon the kingdomes of Melinde Mombaça and Quiloa hath not many yeeres ago bin discouered or at least heard of by the Portugales vpon occasion perhaps of the warres which with vnfortunate successe they haue waged against Monomotapa The emperour of this country holdeth a continuall league with the princes of Melinde Mombaça and Quiloa towards the sea for traffiques sake for they prouide his dominions with cloth of cotton cloth of silke and sundrie other commodities brought from Arabia Persia Cambaya and India which are very well esteemed in those parts but among the rest they bring especially certaine little balles of a red colour and in substance like vnto glasse being made in Cambaya of a kinde of Bitumen or clammie claie which balles they vse to weare like beades about their necks They serue also to them in stead of money for gold they make none account of Likewise with the silkes that are brought vnto them they apparel themselues from the girdle downward In exchange of all the foresaide wares and commodities they giue gold siluer copper and iuorie Howbeit vpon his Inland frontiers to the south and southwest he maintaineth continuall and bloudie warres against the emperour of Monomotapa his principall and greatest forces consisting of a most barbarous and fierce nation called by the people of Congo Giachi but by themselues Agag who inhabite from the first great lake which is the fountaine of Nilus for a certaine space vpon both sides of the said riuer and then afterward on the westerne banke as farre as the second great lake from whence Zaire hath his chiefe original thence euen to the confines of Prete Ianni They are a wilde and lawles people liuing after the manner of the ancient Scythians and Nomades and like the Tartars and Baduin-Arabians of these times a vagrant kind of life vnder cabbins and cottages in the open forrests They are of stature tall and of countenance most terrible making lines vpon their cheekes with certaine iron-instruments and turning their eie-lids backward whereby they cast vpon their enimies a most dreadfull and astonishing aspect They are man-eaters and couragious in battaile For their armour of defence they vse certaine Pauises or great targets wherwith they couer their whole bodies being otherwise naked and their offensiue weapons are dartes and daggers It is not many yeeres since these cruel sauages ranging westward from Nilus inuaded the kingdome of Congo vanquished the inhabitants in sundrie battels tooke the head citie and forced the king Don Aluaro to flee for succour and safetie vnto the isle of horses in the mouth of the great riuer Zaire being one of the extreme frontiers of his dominions Where the king himselfe was taken with an incurable dropsie and his people in great numbers died of famine who to relieue their extreme necessities sold their wiues their children and their owne selues for slaues vnto the Portugals Howbeit these warlike Giacchi notwithstanding their hautie courage and great exploits are no whit feared but rather most boldly encountered and sometimes vanquished by the Amazones or women warriers of Monomotapa Which two nations what by warlike stratagems and what by open and maine force do often fight the most desperate and doubtfull battailes that are performed in all those southern parts The empire of Monomotapa the fourth generall part of the lower Ethiopia BEnomotapa Benomotaxa or Monomotapa is a large empire so called after the name of the prince thereof who in religion is a Gentile and for extension of dominions and military forces a renowmed and mightie emperour in the language of whose subiects an emperour is signified by this word Monomotapa This empire of his lyeth as it were in an Island which containeth in compasse seuen hundred and fiftie or as some thinke one thousand leagues being limited on the north-west by the great lake whereout Nilus springeth on the south by the riuer Magnice and the tributarie kingdome of Butua or Toroa on the east it hath the sea-coast and the kingdome of Sofala which in very deed is a member thereof and the North part abutteth vpon the riuer of Cuama and the empire of Mohenemugi That part of this great Island which lyeth betweene the mouth of Cuama and the cape de los Corrientes is a very pleasant holesome and fruitfull country And from the said cape to the riuer of Magnice the whole region aboundeth with beasts both great and small but it is cold by reason of the sharp brizes which come off the sea and so destitute of wood that the people for fewel are constrained to vse the dung of beasts and they apparel themselues in their skinnes Along the banke of the riuer Cuama are diuers hilles and downes couered with trees and vallies likewise watered with riuers being pleasantly situate and well peopled Here are such plenty of Elephants as it seemeth by the great quantitie of their teeth that there are yeerely slaine betweene foure and fiue thousand Their elephants are nine cubites high and fiue cubites in thicknes They haue long and broad eares little eyes shorte tailes and great bellies and some are of opinion that Ethiopia yeeldeth as many elephants as Europe doth oxen The townes and villages of this empire are very few and their buildings are of wood and clay couered with thatch None may haue doores to their houses but onely great personages Their principal cities are Zimbas and Benamataza the first whereof is one and twentie and the second fifteene daies iourney from Sofala They serue this emperour at the table vpon their knees to sit before him is all one as with vs for a man to stand vpon his feete neither may any presume to stand in his presence but onely great lords He is tasted vnto not before but after he hath eaten and drunke For his armes he hath a spade and two dartes Tribute he taketh none but onely certaine daies seruice and giftes presented vnto him without which there is no appearing in his sight Hee carrieth whithersoeuer he go foure hundred dogs as a most sure and trustie guard Hee keepeth all the heires of his tributary princes as vassals and as pledges of their fathers loialtie There are no prisons in al his empire for sufficient testimonie being brought of the commission of any crime iustice is executed out of hand and of all offences none are punished with greater seueritie and rigour then witchcraft theft and adulterie His people are of a meane 〈◊〉 blacke and well proportioned They are Gentiles in religion hauing no idols but worshipping one onely God whom they call Mozimo They go apparelled in cloth of cotton either made by themselues or brought from other countries howbeit the king will in no case weare any forrein cloth for feare of poison or such like trecherie and the meaner sort of his subiects are clad in beasts skins Among all the armies and
corne in May and in October they gather their dates but from the midst of September they haue winter till the beginning of 〈◊〉 But if September falleth out to be rainie they are like to lose most part of their dates All the fields of Numidia require watering from the riuers but if the mountaines of Atlas haue no raine fall vpon them the Numidian riuers waxe drie and so the fields are destitute of watering October being destitute of raine the husbandman hath no hope to cast his seede into the ground and he despaireth likewise if it raine not in Aprill But their dates prosper more without raine wherof the Numidians haue greater plentie then of corne For albeit they haue some store of corne yet can it scarcely suffice them for halfe the yeere Howbeit if they haue good increase of dates they cannot want abundance of corne which is sold vnto them by the Arabians for dates If in the Libyan deserts there fall out change of weather about the midst of October if it continue raining there all December Ianuarie and some part of Februarie it is wonderful what abundance of grasse and milke it bringeth foorth Then may you finde diuers lakes in all places and many fennes throughout Libya wherefore this is the meetest time for the Barbarie-merchants to trauell to the land of Negros Here all kinde of fruits grow sooner ripe if they haue moderate showers about the ende of Iuly Moreouer the land of Negros receiueth by raine neither any benefite nor yet any dammage at all For the riuer Niger together with the water which falleth from certaine mountaines doth so moisten their grounds that no places can be deuised to be more fruitfull for that which Nilus is to Aegypt the same is Niger to the land of Negors for it increaseth like Nilus from the fifteenth of Iune the space of fortie daies after and for so many againe it decreaseth And so at the increase of Niger when all places are ouerflowen with water a man may in a barke passe ouer all the land of Negros albeit not without great perill of drowning as in the fift part of this treatise we will declare more at large Of the length and shortnes of the Africans liues ALl the people of Barbarie by vs before mentioned liue vnto 65. or 70. yeeres of age and fewe or none exceed that number Howbeit in the foresaide mountaines I sawe some which had liued an hundred yeeres and others which affirmed themselues to be older whose age was most healthfull and lustie Yea some you shall finde here of fowerscore yeeres of age who are sufficiently strong and able to exercise husbandrie to dresse vines and to serue in the warres insomuch that yoong men are oftentimes inferiour vnto them In Numidia that is to say in the land of dates they liue a long time howbeit they lose their teeth very soone and their eies waxe woonderfully dimme Which infirmities are likely to be incident vnto them first because they continually feede vpon dates the sweetnes and naturall qualitie whereof doth by little and little pull out their teeth and secondly the dust and sand which is tossed vp and downe the aire with easterne windes entring into their eies doth at last miserably weaken and spoile their eie-sight The inhabitants of Libya are of a shorter life but those which are most strong and healthfull among them liue oftentimes till they come to threescore yeeres albeit they are slender and leane of bodie The Negros commonly liue the shortest time of al the rest howbeit they are alwaies strong lustie hauing their teeth sound euen till their dying day yet is there no nation vnder heauen more prone to venerie vnto which vice also the Libyans and Numidians are to too much addicted To be short the Barbarians are the weakest people of them all What kindes of diseases the Africans are subiect vnto THE children and sometimes the ancient women of this region are subiect vnto baldnes or vnnaturall shedding of haire which disease they can hardly be cured of They are likewise oftentimes troubled with the head-ache which vsually afflicteth them without any ague ioined therewith Many of them are tormented with the tooth-ache which as some thinke they are the more subiect vnto because immediately after hot pottage they drinke cold water They are oftentimes vexed with extreme paine of the stomacke which ignorantly they call the paine of the hart They are likewise daily molested with inwarde gripings and infirmities ouer their whole body which is thought to proceede of continuall drinking of water Yea they are 〈◊〉 subiect vnto bone-aches and goutes by reason that they sit commonly vpon the bare ground and neuer weare any shooes vpon their feete Their chiefe gentlemen and noblemen prooue gowtie oftentimes with immoderate drinking of wine and eating of daintie meats Some with eating of oliues nuts and such course fare are for the most part infected with the scuruies Those which are of a sanguine complexion are greatly troubled with the cough because that in the spring-season they sit too much vpon the ground And vpon fridaies I had no small sport and recreation to goe and see them For vpon this day the people flocke to church in great numbers to heare their 〈◊〉 sermons Now if any one in the sermon-tile falles a neezing all the whole multitude will neeze with him for companie and so they make such a noise that they neuer leaue till the sermon be quite done so that a man shall reape but little knowledge by any of their sermons If any of Barbarie be infected with the disease commonly called the French poxe they die thereof for the most part and are seldome cured This disease beginneth with a kinde of anguish and swelling and at length breaketh out into sores Ouer the mountaines of Atlas and throughout all Numidia and Libya they scarcely know this disease Insomuch that oftentimes the parties infected trauell foorthwith into Numidia or the land of Negros in which places the aire is so temperate that onely by remaining there they recouer their perfect health and 〈◊〉 home sound into their owne countrie which I sawe many doe with mine owne eies who without the helpe of any phisitian or medicine except the foresaide holesome aire were restored to their former health Not so much as the name of this maladie was euer knowen vnto the Africans before 〈◊〉 the king of Castile expelled all Iewes out of Spaine after the returne of which Iewes into Africa certaine vnhappie and lewd people lay with their wiues and so at length the disease spread from one to another ouer the whole region insomuch that scarce any one familie was free from the same Howbeit this they were most certainly perswaded of that the same disease came first from Spaine wherefore they for want of a better name do call it The Spanish poxe Notwithstanding at Tunis and ouer all Italie it is called the French disease It is so called likewise in
Aegypt and Syria for there it is vsed as a common prouerbe of cursing The French poxe take you Amongst the Barbarians the disease called in Latine Hernia is not so common but in Aegypt the people are much troubled therewith For some of the Aegyptians haue their cods oftentimes so swollen as it is incredible to report Which infirmitie is thought to be so common among them because they eate so much gumme and salt cheese Some of their children are subiect vnto the falling sicknes but when they growe to any stature they are free from that disease This falling sicknes likewise possesseth the women of Barbarie and of the land of Negros who to excuse it say that they are taken with a spirite In Barbarie the plague is rife euery tenth fifteenth or twentith yeere whereby great numbers of people are consumed for they haue no cure for the same but onely to rub the plague-sore with certaine ointments made of Armenian earth In Numidia they are infected with the plague scarce once in an hundred yeeres And in the land of Negros they know not the name of this disease because they neuer were subiect thereunto The commendable actions and vertues of the Africans THose Arabians which inhabite in Barbarie or vpon the coast of the Mediterran sea are greatly addicted vnto the studie of good artes and sciences and those things which concerne their law and religion are esteemed by them in the first place Moreouer they haue beene heretofore most studious of the Mathematiques of Philosophie and of Astrologie but these artes as it is aforesaid were fower hundred yeeres agoe vtterly destroyed and taken away by the chiefe professours of their lawe The inhabitants of cities doe most religiously obserue and 〈◊〉 those things which appertaine vnto their religion yea they honour those doctours and priests of whom they learne their law as if they were petie-gods Their Churches they frequent verie diligently to the ende they may repeat certaine prescript and formal prayers most superstitiously perswading themselues that the same day wherein they make their praiers it is not lawfull for them to wash certaine of their members when as at other times they wil wash their whole bodies Whereof we will by Gods helpe discourse more at large in the second Booke of this present treatise when we shall fall into the mentioning of Mahumet and of his religion Moreouer those which inhabite Barbarie are of great cunning dexteritie for building for mathematicall inuentions which a man may easily coniecture by their artificiall workes Most honest people they are and destitute of all fraud and guile not onely imbracing all simplicitie and truth but also practising the same throughout the whole course of their liues albeit certaine Latine authors which haue written of the same regions are farre otherwise of opinion Likewise they are most strong and valiant people especially those which dwell vpon the mountaines They keepe their couenant most faithfully insomuch that they had rather die then breake promise No nation in the world is so subiect vnto iealousie for they will rather leese their liues then put vp any disgrace in the behalfe of their women So desirous they are of riches and honour that therein no other people can goe beyonde them They trauell in a manner ouer the whole world to exercise traffique For they are continually to bee seene in AEgypt in AEthiopia in Arabia Persia India and Turkie and whithersoeuer they goe they are most honorably esteemed of for none of them will professe any arte vnlesse hee hath attained vnto great exactnes and perfection therein They haue alwaies beene much delighted with all kinde of ciuilitie and modest behauiour and it is accounted heinous among them for any man to vtter in companie any bawdie or vnseemely worde They haue alwaies in minde this sentence of a graue author Giue place to thy superiour If any youth in presence of his father his vncle or any other of his kinred doth sing or talke ought of loue matters he is deemed to bee woorthie of grieuous punishment Whatsoeuer lad or youth there lighteth by chaunce into any company which discourseth of loue no sooner heareth nor vnderstandeth what their talke tendeth vnto but immediately he withdraweth himselfe from among them These are the things which we thought most woorthie of relation as concerning the ciuilitie humanitie and vpright dealing of the Barbarians let vs now proceede vnto the residue Those Arabians which dwell in tents that is to say which bring vp cattell are of a more liberall and ciuill disposition to wit they are in their kinde as deuout valiant patient courteous hospitall and as honest in life and conuersation as any other people They be most faithfull obseruers of their word and promise insomuch that the people which before we said to dwell in the mountaines are greatly stirred vp with emulation of their vertues Howbeit the said mountainers both for learning for vertue and for religion are thought much inferiour to the Numidians albeit they haue little or no knowledge at all in naturall philosophie They are reported likewise to be most 〈◊〉 warriours to be valiant and exceeding louers and practisers of all humanitie Also the Moores and Arabians inhabiting Libya are somewhat ciuill of behauiour being plaine dealers voide of dissimulation fauourable to strangers and louers of simplicitie Those which we before named white or tawney Moores are most stedfast in friendship as likewise they indifferently and fauourably esteeme of other nations and wholy indeuour themselues in this one thing namely that they may leade a most pleasant and iocund life Moreouer they maintaine most learned professours of liberall artes and such men as are most deuout in their religion Neither is there any people in all Africa that lead a more happie and honorable life What vices the foresaid Africans are subiect vnto NEuer was there any people or nation so perfectly endued with vertue but that they had their contrarie faults and blemishes now therfore let vs consider whether the vices of the Africās do surpasse their vertues good parts Those which we named the inhabitants of the cities of Barbarie are somewhat needie and couetous being also very proud and high-minded and woonderfully addicted vnto wrath insomuch that according to the prouerbe they will deeply engraue in marble any iniurie be it neuer so small will in no wise blot it out of their remembrance So rusticall they are void of good manners that scarcely can any stranger obtaine their familiaritie and friendship Their wits are but meane and they are so credulous that they will beleeue matters impossible which are told them So ignorant are they of naturall philosophie that they imagine all the effects and operations of nature to be extraordinarie and diuine They obserue no certaine order of liuing nor of lawes Abounding exceedingly with choler they speake alwaies with an angrie and lowd voice Neither shall you walke in the day-time in any of their streetes
iurisdictions An hundred and fowerscore yeeres after there fell out great dissension and ciuill warre betweene these two cities which by report continued an hundred yeeres together At length Ioseph king of Maroco of the Luntune-familie conducting an huge armie against both these princes tooke them prisoners carried them home vnto his dominions and put them to a most cruell death And he so vanquished the citizens that there were slaine of them thirtie thousand Then determined king Ioseph to reduce those two townes into firme vnitie and concord for which cause making a bridge ouer the riuer and beating downe the walles of either towne right against it he vnited both into one which afterward he diuided into twelue regions or wardes Now let vs make report of all such memorable things as are there to be seene at this day A most exact description of the citie of Fez. A World it is to see how large how populous how well-fortified and walled this citie is The most part thereof standeth vpon great and little hils neither is there any plaine ground but onely in the midst of the citie The riuer entreth the towne in two places for it is diuided into a double branch one whereof runneth by new Fez that is by the south side of the towne and another commeth in at the west side And so almost infinitely dispersing it selfe into the citie it is deriued by certaine conducts and chanels vnto euery temple college inne hospitall and almost to euery priuate house Vnto the temples are certaine square conducts adioined hauing celles and receptacles round about them each one of which hath a cocke whereby water is conueied through the wall into a trough of marble From whence flowing into the sinks and gutters it carrieth away all the filth of the citie into the riuer In the midst of each square conduct standeth a lowe cesterne being three cubites in depth fower in bredth and twelue in length and the water is conueied by certaine pipes into the foresaid square conducts which are almost an hundred and fiftie in number The most part of the houses are built of fine bricks and stones curiously painted Likewise their bay-windowes and portals are made of partie-coloured bricke like vnto the stones of Majorica The roofes of their houses they adorne with golde azure and other excellent colours which roofes are made of wood and plaine on the top to the end that in summer-time carpets may be spred vpon them for here they vse to lodge by reason of the exceeding heate of that countrie Some houses are of two and some of three stories high whereunto they make fine staires by which they passe from one roome to another vnder the same roofe for the middle part of the house is alwaies open or vncouered hauing some chambers built on the one side and some on the other The chamber-doores are very high and wide which in rich mens houses are framed of excellent and carued wood Each chamber hath a presse curiously painted and varnished belonging thereunto being as long as the chamber it selfe is broad some will haue it very high and others but sixe handfuls in height that they may set it on the tester of a bed All the portals of their houses are supported with bricke-pillers finely plaistered ouer except some which stand vpon pillers of marble The beames and transoms vpholding their chambers are most curiously painted and carued To some houses likewise belong certaine square cesternes containing in bredth sixe or seuen cubites in length ten or twelue and in height but sixe or seuen handfuls being all vncouered and built of bricks trimly plaistered ouer Along the sides of these cesternes are certaine cocks which conuey the water into marbletroughes as I haue seene in many places of Europe When the foresaide conducts are full of water that which floweth ouer runneth by certaine secret pipes and conueiances into the cesternes and that which ouerfloweth the cesternes is carried likewise by other passages into the common sinks and gutters and so into the riuer The said cesternes are alwaies kept sweete and cleane neither are they 〈◊〉 but onely in summer 〈◊〉 when men women and children bathe themselues therein Moreouer on the tops of their houses they vsually build a turret with many pleasant roomes therein whither the women for recreations sake when they are wearie of working retire themselues from whence they may see well-nigh all the citie ouer Of Mahumetan temples and oratories there are almost seuen hundred in this towne fiftie whereof are most stately and sumptuously built hauing their conducts made of marble and other excellent stones vnknowen to the Italians and the chapiters of their pillers be artificially adorned with painting and caruing The tops of these temples after the fashion of Christian churches in Europe are made of ioises and planks but the pauement is couered with mats which are so cunningly sowed together that a man cannot see the bredth of a finger vncouered The walles likewise on the inner side are lined a mans height with such mats Moreouer each temple hath a turret or steeple from whence certaine are appointed with a lowd voice to call the people at their set-time of praier Euery temple hath one onely priest to say seruice therin who hath the bestowing of all reuenues belōging to his owne temple as occasion requireth for thereby are maintained lampes to burne in the night and porters to keepe the doores are paid their wages out of it and so likewise are they that call the people to ordinarie praiers in the night season for those which crie from the said towers in the day-time haue no wages but are onely released from all tributes and exactions The chiefe Mahumetan temple in this towne is called Caruven being of so incredible a bignes that the circuit thereof and of the buildings longing vnto it is a good mile and a halfe about This temple hath one and thirtie gates or portals of a woonderfull greatnes and height The roofe of this temple is in length 150. and in bredth about fowerscore Florentine cubites The turret or steeple from whence they crie amaine to assemble the people togither is exceedingly high the bredth whereof is supported with twentie and the length with thirtie pillers On the east west and north sides it hath certaine walkes or galleries fortie cubites in length and thirtie in bredth Vnder which galleries there is a cell or storehouse wherein oile candles mats and other such necessaries for the temple are laid vp Euery night in this temple are burnt nine hundred lightes for euery arch hath a seuerall lampe especially those which extend through the mid-quire Some arches there are that haue 120. candles apeece there are likewise certaine brasse-candlestickes so great and with so many sockets as they will holde each one fifteene hundred candles and these candlestickes are reported to haue beene made of bels which the king of Fez in times past tooke from Christians About the wals of the
of artificers and merchants Vpon this mountaine dwelleth one called Sidi Heli Berrased being lord ouer many mountaines This Sidi Heli brought some ciuilitie into this mountaine rebelled against the king of Fez and maintained continuall warre against the Portugals The inhabitants of the villages of this and the foresaid mountaines are free from all taxation and tribute bicause 〈◊〉 serue vnder their captaine as well for horsemen as for 〈◊〉 Come heere groweth small store but great plentie of flaxe There are 〈◊〉 woods and many fountaines vpon this hill and the inhabitants go all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of mount Beni Gebara THis mountaine is very steepe and of a woonderfull height out of the foote whereof spring certaine riuers Vines and figges here are great store but no corne at all and the inhabitants weare most base attire They haue abundance of goats oxen of so little a stature that a man would take them to be calues of halfe a yeere olde Euery weeke they haue a market being furnished with very few commodities Hither doe the merchants of Fez resort and the muletters or carriers which conueie fruits out of this mountaine vnto Fez. In times past it was subiect vnto a certaine prince of the king of Fez his kinred and there were collected out of this mountaine almost two thousand ducates of yeerely tribute Of mount Beni Ierso THis mountaine in times past was exceedingly well peopled Heere was likewise a faire colledge built wherein the Mahumetan lawe was publikely taught for which cause the inhabitants were freed from all tributes and exactions Afterward a certaine tirant being assisted by the king of Fez made this mountaine to become tributarie vnto him but first he put the inhabitants to flight and then destroied the colledge wherein were founde bookes woorth more then fowre thousand ducates and the learned and famous men he cruelly put to the sword This was done in the 918. yeere of the Hegeira which was in the yeere of our Lord 1509. Of mount Tezarin THis mountaine called by the inhabitants Tezarin standeth neer vnto the foresaid Beni Ierso aboundeth greatly with fountaines deserts vineyards Vpon the top thereof stand diuers ancient buildings which so farre foorth as I can coniecture were erected by the Romains And here as is before signified certaine fond people continually search in caues and holes of the earth for the Romains treasure All the inhabitants of this mountaine are most ignorant people and greatly oppressed with exactions Of mount Beni Busibet THis is a most cold mountaine and therefore it yeeldeth neither corne nor cattell both by reason of the extreme coldnes and the barrennes thereof Moreouer the leaues of the trees are not fit for goates to feede vpon They haue so great plentie of nuts that they abundantly furnish the citie of Fez and all other neighbour cities and townes therewith All their grapes are blacke whereof they make a certaine pleasant meate called Zibibbo They make likewise great store of must and wine They are clad in certaine woollen clokes or mantles such as are vsed in Italy these mantles haue certaine hoods which couer their heads and visages so that you can scarce discerne them to be men and they are particoloured with blacke and white spots In winter the merchants that resort vnto this mountaine to carrie away nuts and raisins vnto Fez can scarce finde any meate to eate for there is neither corne nor flesh but onely onions and certaine salt fishes which are extreme deere They vse likewise to eate sodden must and beanes dressed after their manner and this is the daintiest fare that this mountaine can affoord and their sodden must they eate with much bread Of mount Beni Gualid IT is an exceeding high and steepe hill and the inhabitants are very rich for of their blacke grapes they make the foresaid meate called Zibibbo Almonds figges and oliues they haue in great abundance neither pay they any tribute vnto the king of Fez but onely each family one fourth part of a ducate to the end they may haue free libertie to buie and sell in Fez market And if any citizen of Fez doth them any wrong when they take him or anie of his kinred in their mountaine they will not suffer him to returne home to Fez till sufficient recompence be made These people go decently apparelled and they haue a priuilege granted that whatsoeuer persons are banished out of Fez may freely remaine in their mountaine yea they will bestow their liuing gratìs vpon such banished persons so long as they continue amongst them And doubtles if this mountaine were subiect vnto the king of Fez it would affoord him yeerely for tribute sixe thousand ducates for it containeth mo then sixe hundreth rich families Of mount Merniza THis mountaine standèth iust by the former the inhabitants being endued with the same nobilitie libertie and wealth that the people of the former are endued with The women of this mountaine for any light iniurie offered by their husbands leauing foorthwith their saide husbands and children will depart vnto some other mountaine and seeke them newe paramours fit for their humor For which cause they are at continuall warre one with another neither will they be reconciled till he that is last possessed of the woman pay her former husband all such money as he spent in the solemnizing of her marriage and for this purpose they haue certaine iudges that make their poore clients spend almost all their whole substance Of mount Haugustian IT is an exceeding high and a cold mountaine containing great store of springs and abundance of vines bearing blacke grapes togither with plentie of figs of honie and of quinces howbeit the sweetest and fairest quinces grow vpon a plaine at the foote of the hill Likewise they are well stored with oile and are free from all tribute and yet there is not one of them but in token of a thankefull minde will sende great gifts vnto the king of Fez hence it is that they may freely and securely traffique with the people of Fez of whom they buie great store of corne wooll and cloth They are most ciuilly and decently apparelled especially such as dwell vpon the principall part of this mountaine who are most of them either merchants or artificers and a great many of them gentlemen Of Mount Beni Iedir THis is a great and well peopled mountaine but it yeeldeth nought but grapes whereof they vse to make the foresaid Zibibbo and wines The inhabitants were in times past free from all tribute howbeit in regard of their daily robberies and outrages committed against other people the gouernour of Bedis being aided with some souldiers of Fez subdued them all and depriued them of their libertie in this mountaine there are about fiftie farmes or granges which scarcely pay fower hundred ducates for tribute Of Mount Lucai THis mountaine is of a wonderfull height and verie difficult to ascend The inhabitants are exceeding rich hauing great abundance of raisins figs almonds oyle
first Booke of this present discourse we said that Numidia was accounted by the African Cosmographers the basest part of all Africa and there we alleaged certaine reasons for the same purpose we signified also in the second Booke writing of the Prouince of Hea that certaine cities of Numidia stood neere vnto mount Atlas Howbeit Sus Guzula Helchemma and Capes are within the kingdome of Tunis albeit some would haue them situate in Numidia But my selfe following the opinion of Ptolemey suppose Tunis to be a part of Barbarie Being therefore about to describe all the cities and townes of Numidia I will first begin with Tesset which ancient towne built by the Numidians neere vnto the Libyan deserts and enuironed with walles of sunne-dried bricke deserueth scarcely the name of a towne and yet containeth fower hundred families It is compassed round about with sandie plaines sauing that neer vnto the towne grow some store of dates of mill-seed and of barley which the miserable townesmen vse for food They are constrained also to pay large tribute vnto the 〈◊〉 inhabiting the next deserts They exercise traffique in the land of Negroes and in Guzula insomuch that they spend most of their time in forren regions They are of a blacke colour and destitute of all learning The women indeed teach their yoong children the first rudiments of learning but before they can attaine to any perfection they are put to labour and to the plough-tayle The said women are somewhat whiter then other women some of them get their liuing by spinning and carding of wooll and the residue spend their time in idlenes Such as are accounted richest in this region possesse but verie few cattell They till their ground with an horse and a camell which kinde of plowing is obserued throughout all Numidia Of the village of 〈◊〉 THis village situate vpon the Numidian desert neere vnto Libya is inhabited by most miserable and grosse people Here groweth nothing but dates and the inhabitants are at such enmitie with their neighbours that it is dangerous for them to go abroad Howbeit they giue themselues to hunting and take certaine wilde beasts called Elamth and ostriches neither do they eate any other flesh All their goates they reserue for milke And these people also are blacke of colour Of the castles of Ifran FOwer castles there are called by this name built by the Numidians three miles each from other vpon a certaine riuer which in the heat of sommer is destitute of water Neere vnto these castles are certaine fields greatly abounding with dates The inhabitants are verie rich for they haue traffique with the Portugals at the port of Gart Guessem whose wares they 〈◊〉 to Gualata and Tombuto These castles containe great store of inhabitants which make certaine brazen vessels to bee solde in the lande of Negros for they haue copper-mines in sundrie places thereabout Euery castle hath a weekly market but corne and flesh are at an extreme rate there They goe decently apparelled and haue a faire temple to resort vnto and a Iudge also that decideth none but ciuill controuersies for criminall matters they vse to punish with banishment onely Of the castles of Accha THree castles of this name built vpon the Numidian deserts not far from Lybia were in times past well stored with inhabitants but at length by ciuill wars they were vtterly dispeopled Afterward all matters being pacified there were by the meanes of a certaine religious man who gouerned the same people certaine new colonies planted Neither haue the poore inhabitants any thing to do but onely to gather dates Of the Prouince of Dara THis Prouince beginning at mount Atlas extendeth it selfe southward by the deserts of Lybia almost two hundred and fiftie miles and the bredth thereof is verie narrow All the inhabitants dwell vpon a certaine riuer which is called by the name of the Prouince This riuer sometime so ouerfloweth that a man would thinke it to be a sea but in sommer it so diminisheth that any one may passe ouer it on foote If so be it ouerfloweth about the beginning of Aprill it bringeth great plentie vnto the whole region if not there followeth great scarcitie of corne Vpon the banke of this riuer there are sundrie villages and hamlets and diuers castles also which are enuironed with walles made of sunne-dried bricke and mortar All their beames and planchers consist of date-trees being notwithstanding vnfit for the purpose for the wood of date-trees is not solid but flexible and spungie On either side of the said riuer for the space of fiue or sixe miles the fields abound exceedingly with dates which with good keeping will last many yeeres and as here are diuers kindes of dates so they are sold at sundry prices for a bushell of some is woorth a duckat but others wherewith they feede their horses and camels are scarce of a quarter so much value Of date-trees some are male and some are female the male bring foorth flowers onely and the female fruit but the flowers of the female will not open vnlesse the boughes and flowers of the male be ioined vnto them And if they be not ioined the dates will prooue starke naught and containe great stones The inhabitants of Dara liue vpon barlie and other grosse meate neither may they eate any bread but onely vpon festiuall daies Their castles are inhabited by goldsmithes and other artificers and so are all the regions lying in the way from Tombuto to Fez in this prouince also there are three or fower proper townes frequented by merchants and strangers and containing many shops and temples But the principall towne called Beni Sabih and inhabited with most valiant and liberall people is diuided into two parts either part hauing a seuerall captaine or gouernour which gouernours are oftentimes at great dissension and especially when they moisten their arable grounds by reason that they are so skanted of water A merchant they will most courteously entertaine a whole yeere together and then friendly dismissing him they will require nought at his hands but wil accept such liberalitie as he thinkes good to bestow vpon them The said gouernours so often as they fall a skirmishing hire the next Arabians to aide them allowing them daily halfe a duckat for their pay and somtimes more and giuing them their allowance euery day In time of peace they trim their harquebuzes handguns other weapons neither saw I euer to my remembrance more cunning harquebuziers then at this place In this prouince groweth great store of Indico being an herbe like vnto wilde woad and this herbe they exchange with the merchants of Fez and Tremisen for other wares Corne is very scarce among them and is brought thither from Fez and other regions neither haue they any great store of goats or horses vnto whom in stead of prouender they giue dates and a kinde of herbe also which groweth in the kingdome of Naples and is called by the Neapolitans Farfa
who bestow liberall and large almes Of the old citie called 〈◊〉 THis citie being the first that was built in Egypt in the time of the Mahumetans was founded by Hamre captaine generall ouer the forces of Homar the second Mahumetan patriarke vpon the banke of Nilus 〈◊〉 a suburb because it is vnwalled and containing to the number of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is adorned especially by the riuer Nilus with 〈◊〉 palaces and houses of noblemen and also with the famous temple of 〈◊〉 being of an huge bignes and most stately built It is also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of trades men and 〈◊〉 And here standeth the famous sepulchre of a woman reputed most holy by the 〈◊〉 and called by them Saint Nafissa which was the daughter of one called 〈◊〉 being the sonne of Husein the son of 〈◊〉 who was consin german vnto 〈◊〉 The said 〈◊〉 seeing all of her family to be depriued of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 left Cufa a citie of Arabia Felix and came and dwelt in this citie vnto whom partly because she was of the linage of 〈◊〉 and partly for that she liued an innocent and blamelesse life the people after her death ascribed diuine honours canonizing her for a Saint Wherefore the schismaticall 〈◊〉 of her kinred hauing got the vpper hand in Egypt began to build for Nafissa a most beautifull shrine or 〈◊〉 which they adorned also with siluer-lamps with carpets of 〈◊〉 and such like precious ornaments So great is the renowne of this 〈◊〉 that there commeth no Mahumetan either by sea or land vnto Cairo but hee adoreth this sepulchre and bringeth his offering thereunto as likewise doe all the 〈◊〉 inhabiting there about 〈◊〉 that the yeerely oblations and almes offered at this sepulchre partly for the 〈◊〉 of the poore kinsfolkes of Mahumet and partly for the maintenance of the priests which keepe the saide sepulchre amount vnto 100000. 〈◊〉 which priests by fained and 〈◊〉 miracles do dayly delude the mindes of the simple to the ende they may the more 〈◊〉 thir blinde deuotion and may stirre them to greater liberalitie When 〈◊〉 the great Turke woon the citie of Cairo his Ianizaries rifling this sepulchre found there the summe of 500000. 〈◊〉 in readie money besides the siluer lampes the chaines and carpets but 〈◊〉 tooke away a great part of that treasure from them Such as write the liues of the Mahumetan saints making very honourable mention of this Nafissa say that she was 〈◊〉 of the noble family of Heli and that she was most famous for her vertuous and chast life but the fonde people and the 〈◊〉 of that execrable sepulchre haue deuised many fained and superstitious 〈◊〉 In this suburbe also heere vnto the riuer of Nilus is the customers office for such wares as are brought out of the Prouince of Sahid Without the walled citie stand the 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 sepulchres of the Soldans built with admirable and huge arches But in my time a certaine Soldan caused a walke to be built between two high wals from the gate of the citie to the place of the aforesaid sepulchres and at the endes of both wals caused two turrets of an exceeding height to be erected for 〈◊〉 and directions 〈◊〉 such merchants as came thither from the port of mount 〈◊〉 About a 〈◊〉 and an halfe from the saide sepulchres in a certaine 〈◊〉 called 〈◊〉 there is a garden containing the onely balme 〈◊〉 for in the whole world besides there is not any other tree that beareth true balme which balme-tree growing in the midst of a large fountaine and hauing a short stocke or bodie beareth leaues like vnto vine-leaues but that they are not so long and this tree they say would vtterly wither and decay if the water of the fountaine should chance to be deminished The garden is enuironed with a strong wall where into no man may enter without the speciall fauour and licence of the gouernor In the midst of Nilus ouer against the old citie standeth the isle called Michias that is to say The isle of measure in which isle according to the inundation of Nilus they haue a kinde of deuise inuented by the ancient Egyptians whereby they most certainely foresee the plentie or scarcitie of the yeere following thoroughout all the land of Egypt This island is well inhabited and containeth about 1500. families vpon the extreme point or ende where of standeth a most beautifull palace built in my remembrance by a Soldan and a large temple also which is verie pleasant in regard of the coole streames of Nilus Vpon another side of the Island standeth an house alone by it selfe in the midst whereof there is a fouresquare cestern or chanell of eighteene cubits deepe whereinto the water of Nilus is conueied by a certaine sluce vnder the ground And in the midst of the cestern there is erected a certaine piller which is marked and diuided into so many cubits as the cesterne it selfe containeth in depth And vpon the seuenteenth of Iune when Nilus beginneth to ouerflow the water thereof conueied by the said sluce into the chanell increaseth daily sometimes two and sometimes three fingers and sometimes halfe a cubite in height Vnto this place there dayly resort certaine officers appointed by the Senate who viewing and obseruing the increase of Nilus declare vnto certaine children how much it hath increased which children wearing yellow skarffes vpon their heads doe publish the saide increase of Nilus in euerie streete of the citie and the suburbs and receiue gifts euerie day of the merchants artificers and women so long as Nilus increaseth The foresaid deuise or experiment of the increase of Nilus is this that followeth If the water reacheth onely to the fifteenth cubit of the foresaide piller they hope for a fruitfull yeere following but if it stayeth betweene the twelfth cubit and the fifteenth then the increase of the yeere will prooue but meane if it resteth betweene the tenth and twelfth cubits then is it a signe that corne will bee solde tenne ducates the bushell But if it ariseth to the eighteenth cubite there is like to follow great scarcitie in regarde of too much moisture and if the eighteenth cubite be surmounted all Egypt is in danger to be swallowed vp by the inundation of Nilus The officers therefore declare vnto the children the height of the riuer and the children publish the same in all streetes of the citie charging the people to feare God and telling them how high Nilus is increased And the people being astonied at the woonderfull increase of Nilus wholy exercise themselues in praiers and giuing of almes And thus Nilus continueth fortie daies increasing and fortie daies decreasing all which time corne is sold very deere because while the innundation lasteth euery man may sell at his owne pleasure but when the eightith day is once past the clerke of the market appointeth the price of all victuals and especially of corne according as he knoweth by the foresaid experiment that
rich men he bestoweth vpon them some gouernment or charge with prouision Wherefore for feare of confiscation after death euery one coueteth to 〈◊〉 his wealth or to remoue far from the court and the kings sight For which cause the citie of Fez commeth far short of hir ancient glorie Besides his reuenues haue beene augmented of late yeeres by mightie sums of gold which he fetcheth from Tombuto and Gago in the lande of Negros which gold according to the report of some may yeerely amount to three millions of ducates His Forces THe Xeriffo hath not any Fortresses of great importance but only vpon the sea-coast as Cabo de Guer Larache and Tetuan for as the Turks and Persians do so he placeth the strength of his state in armed men but especially in horse And for this cause he standeth not much vpon his artillerie although hee hath very great store which his predecessors tooke from the Portugals and others in Fez Maroco Tarodant and in the foresaide 〈◊〉 causing also more to bee cast when neede requireth for he wanteth not masters of Europe in this Science He hath an house of munition in Maroco where they make ordinarily six and fortie quintals of powder euery moneth as likewise also caliuers and steele-bowes In the yeere of our Lord 1569. a fire tooke hold on these houses with such furie that a great part of the citie was destroied therewith But for the Xeriffoes forces they are of two sorts the first is of two thousand seuen hundred horse and two thousand harquibuziers which he hath partly in Fez but most in Maroco where he is resident being as it were of his daily guard The second is of a roiall squadron of sixe thousand gentlemen being all of noble parentage and of great account These men are mounted vpon excellent horses with furniture and armes for varietie of colour most beautifull and for riches of ornament beyonde measure estimable for euery thing about them shineth with gold siluer pearle iewels and whatsoeuer else may please the eie or satisfie the curiositie of beholders These men besides prouision of corne oile butter and flesh for themselues their wiues children and seruants receiue further in wages from seuentie to an hundred ounces of siluer a man The third sort of forces which he hath consisteth of his * Timariotti for the Xeriffo granteth to all his sons and brothers and other persons of account or authoritie among the people of Africke or to the princes of the Arabians the benefite of great Lordships tenures for sustentation of his Cauallarie and the Alchaides themselues till the fields and afterwardes reape rice oile barly butter sheepe hens and monie and distribute the same monethly to the souldiers according to the seuerall qualitie of their persons They also giue them cloth linnen and silke to apparell themselues armes of offence and defence and horses with which they serue in the warres and if they die or be killed they allow them other A thing which was also vsed in Rome towards them that serued on publike horses Euerie one of these leaders contendeth to bring his people into the fielde well ordred for armes apparell and horses besides this they haue betweene fower and twentie and thirtie ounces of siluer wages euery yeere His fourth militarie forces are the Arabians who liue continually in their Auari for so they call their habitations each one of them consisting of an hundred or two hundred 〈◊〉 gouerned by diuers Alchaides to the end they may be readie in time of need These serue on horse-backe but they are rather to be accounted theeues then true soldiers His fift kinde of forces militarie are somewhat like vnto the trained soldiers of Christian princes and among these the inhabitants of cities and villages of the kingdome and of the mountaines are enrolled It is true that the king makes but little account of them very seldome puts armes into their hands for feare of insurrections and rebellions except in the warres against the Christians for then he cannot conueniently forbid them For it being written in their law that if à Moore kil a Christian or is slaine by him he goeth directly into Paradise a diabolicall inuention men women and those of euery age and degree run to the warres hand ouer head that at least they may there be slaine and by this meanes according to their foolish opinion gaine heauen No lesse zeale to our confusion may we perceiue in the Turks especially for defence of their sect for one would thinke they went to a marriage and not to the warre scarcely being able with patience to attend their prefixed time of going thither They repute them holy and happie that die with armes in hand against their enimies as on the contrarie those men vnhappie and of little woorth that die at home amidst the lamentation of children and outcries of women By the things aboue set downe we may easily comprehend what numbers of men the Xeriffo can bring into the field but yet we may learne better by experience For Mullei Abdala in the yeere 1562. besieged Mazagan with two hundred thousand men choaking the ditch with a mountaine of earth and beating downe the walles thereof with his Artillerie but for all this he was enforced by the valour of the Portugals and the damage which he receiued by their mines to giue ouer his siege Besides this Prince can not continue a great war aboue two or three moneths and the reason hereof is because his forces liuing on that prouision which he hath daylie comming in as well for sustenance as for aparrell and not being able to haue all this conducted thither where the war requireth it followeth of necessitie that in short time they must needs returne home for their maintenance of life and further it is an euident thing that no man can protract a war at length except he be rich in treasure Molucco who ouerthrew Sebastian king of Portugal had in pay vnder his ensignes fortie thousand horse and eight thousand foote besides Arabians and aduenturers But it is thought he could haue brought into the field seuentie thousand horse and more foot then he did Of the dominions and fortresses which the king of Spaine hath vpon the Isles and maine landes of Africa and of the great quantity of treasure and other commodities which are brought from thence BEsides Oran Mersalquibir Melilla and Pennon which the king of Spaine possesseth within the streights as likewise çeuta Tanger and Arzil which by the title of Portugal he holdeth very neere the streights of Gibraltar and Mazagan in like sort without the streights mouth twentie miles to the southward of Arzil he hath along the coast of Affrick from Cape de Guer to that of Guardafu two sorts of states for some are immedidiately vnder him and others are as it were his adherents The Ilands of Madera Puerto Santo the Canaries the Isles of Arguin of Cabo Verde the isle Del Principe with that of Sant
and distressed life differing much in this regard from those Africans whom wee affirmed to dwell in Libya Howbeit they are farre more valiant then the said Africans and vse commonly to exchange camels in the lande of Negros they haue likewise great store of horses which in Europe they cal horses of Barbarie They take woonderfull delight in hunting and pursuing of deere of wilde asses of ostriches and such like Neither is it here to be omitted that the greater part of Arabians which inhabite Numidia are very wittie and conceited in penning of verses wherein each man will decipher his loue his hunting his combates and other his woorthie actes and this is done for the most part in ryme after the Italians manner And albe it they are most liberally minded yet dare they not by bountifull giuing make any shew of wealth for they are daily oppressed with manifold inconueniences They are apparelled after the Numidians fashion sauing that their women differ somewhat from the women of Numidia Those deserts which they doe now enioy were woont to be possessed by Africans but rhe Arabians with their armie inuading that part of Africa draue out the naturall Numidians and reserued the deserts adioining vpon The land of dates vnto themselues but the Numidians began to inhabite those deserts which border vpon the land of Negros The Arabians which dwell betweene mount Atlas and the Mediterran sea are far wealthier then these which we now speake of both for costlines of apparell for good horse-meate and for the statelines and beautie of their tents Their horses also are of better shape and more corpulent but not so swift as the horses of the Numidian desert They exercise husbandrie and haue great increase of corne Their droues and flockes of cattell be innumerable insomuch that they cannot inhabite one by another for want of pasture They are somewhat more vile and barbarous then those which inhabite the deserts and yet they are not altogether destitute of liberalitie part of them which dwell in the territorie of Fez are subiect vnto the king of Fez. Those which remaine in Marocco and Duccala haue continued this long time free from all exaction and tribute but so soone as the king of Portugall began to beare rule ouer Azafi and Azamor there began also among them strife and ciuill warre Wherefore being assailed by the king of Portugall on the one side and by the king of Fez on the other and being oppressed also with the extreme famine and scarcitie of that yeere they were brought vnto such miserie that they freely offered themselues as slaues vnto the Portugals submitting themselues to any man that was willing to releeue their intolerable hunger and by this meanes scarce one of them was left in all Duccala Moreouer those which possesse the deserts bordering vpon the kingdomes of Tremizen and Tunis may all of them in regard of the rest be called noblemen and gentlemen For their gouernours receiuing euery yeere great reuenues from the king of Tunis diuide the same afterward among their people to the end they may auoid all discord and by this meanes all dissension is eschewed and peace is kept firme and inuiolable among them They haue notable dexteritie and cunning both in making of tents and in bringing vp and keeping of horses In summer time they vsually come neere vnto Tunis to the end that each man may prouide himselfe of bread armour and other necessaries all which they carrie with them into the deserts remaining there the whole winter In the spring of the yeere they applie themselues to hunting insomuch that no beast can escape their pursuit My selfe I remember was once at their tents to my no little danger and inconuenience where I sawe greater quantitie of cloth brasse yron and copper then a man shall oftentimes finde in the most rich warehouses of some cities Howbeit no trust is to be giuen vnto them for if occasion serue they will play the theeues most slyly and cunningly notwithstanding they seeme to carrie some shewe of ciuilitie They take great delight in poetrie and will pen most excellent verses their language being very pure and elegant If any woorthie poet be found among them he is accepted by their gouernours with great honour and liberalitie neither would any man easily beleeue what wit and decencie is in their verses Their women according to the guise of that countrie goe very gorgeously attired they weare linnen gownes died black with exceeding wide sleeues ouer which sometimes they cast a mantle of the same colour or of blew the corners of which mantle are very artificially fastened about their shoulders with a fine siluer claspe Likewise they haue rings hanging at their eares which for the most part are made of siluer they weare many rings also vpon their fingers Moreouer they vsually weare about their thighes and ankles certaine scarfes and rings after the fashion of the Africans They couer their faces with certaine maskes hauing onely two holes for their eies to peepe out at If any man chance to meete with them they presently hide their faces passing by him with silence except it be some of their allies or kinsfolks for vnto them they alwaies discouer their faces neither is there any vse of the said maske so long as they be in presence These Arabians when they trauell any iourney as they oftentimes doe they set their women vpon certaine saddles made handsomely of wicker for the same purpose and fastened to their camels backes neither be they any thing too wide but fit onely for a woman to sit in When they goe to the warres each man carries his wife with him to the end that she may cheere vp her good man and giue him encouragement Their damsels which are vnmarried doe vsually paint their faces brests armes hands and fingers with a kinde of counterfeit colour which is accounted a most decent custome among them But this fashion was first brought in by those Arabians which before we called Africans what time they began first of all to inhabite that region for before then they neuer vsed any false or glozing colours The women of Barbarie vse not this fond kind of painting but contenting themselues only with their naturall hiew they regarde not such fained ornaments howbeit sometimes they will temper a certaine colour with hens-dung and safron wherewithall they paint a little round spot on the bals of their cheeks about the bredth of a French crowne Likewise betweene their eie-browes they make a triangle and paint vpon their chinnes a patch like vnto an oliue leafe Some of them also doe paint their eie-browes and this custome is very highly esteemed of by the Arabian poets and by the gentlemen of that countrie Howbeit they will not vse these fantasticall ornaments aboue two or three daies together all which time they will not be seene to any of their friends except it be to their husbands and children for these paintings seeme to bee great allurements
vnto lust whereby the said women thinke themselues more trim and beautifull How the Arabians in the deserts betweene Barbarie and Aegypt doe lead their liues THE life of these men is full of miserie and calamitie for the places where they inhabite are barren and vnpleasant They haue some store of camels and other cattell howbeit their fodder is so scarce that they cannot well sustaine them Neither shall you finde ouer all the whole region any place fit to beare corne And if in that desert there be any villages at all which vse to husband and manure their ground yet reape they small commoditie thereby except it be for plentifull increase of dates Their camels and other of their cattell they exchange for dates and corne and so the poore husbandmen of the foresaide villages haue some small recompence for their labours notwithstanding how can all this satisfie the hunger of such a multitude For you shall dayly see in Sicilia great numbers of their sonnes layde to pawne Because when they haue not wherewithall to pay for the corne which they there buy they are constrained to leaue their sonnes behinde them as pledges of future payment But the Sicilians if their money be not paide them at the time appointed will chalenge the Arabians sonnes to be their slaues Which day being once past if any father will redeeme his childe he must disburse thrise or fower times so much as the due debt amounteth vnto for which cause they are the most notable theeues in the whole world If any stranger fall into their hands depriuing him of all that he hath they presently carrie him to Sicilie and there either sell or exchange him for come And I thinke that no merchants 〈◊〉 at any time within these hundred yeeres 〈◊〉 for traffiques sake vpon any part of their coast For when they are to passe by with merchandize or about any other weightie affaires they eschew that region fiue hundred miles at the least Once I remember that I my selfe for my better 〈◊〉 and to auoide the danger of those mischieuous people went in companie with certaine merchants who in three ships sayled along their coast We were no sooner espied of them but forthwith they came running to the shore making signes that they would traffique with vs to our great aduantage Howbeit becaufe we durst not repose any trust in them none of our companie would depart the ship before they had deliuered certaine pledges vnto vs. Which being done we bought certaine 〈◊〉 or gelded men and good store of butter of them And so immediately weighing our ankers we betooke vs to flight fearing least we should haue beene met withall by the Sicilian and Rhodian Pirates and beene spoiled not onely of our goods but of our liberties also To be short the saide Arabians are verie rude forlorne beggerly leane and hunger-starued people hauing God no doubt 〈◊〉 displeased against them by whose vengeance they dayly sustaine such 〈◊〉 calamities Of the people called Soara namely which possesse droues and flockes of cattell and being Africans by birth do notwithstanding imitate the manners of the Arabians YOV shall finde many among the Africans which liue altogithera shepheards or drouers life inhabiting vpon the beginning of mount Atlas and being dispersed here and there ouer the same mountaine They are constrained alwaies to pay tribute either to the King of the same region where they dwell or else to the Arabians except those onely which inhabite Temesna who are free from all forren superioritie and are of great power They speake the same kinde of language that other Africanes doe except some fewe of them which conuerse with the inhabitants of the citie called Vrbs which is neere vnto Tunis who speake the Arabian toong Moreouer there is a certaine people inhabiting that region which diuideth Numidia from Tunis These oftentimes wage warre against the King of Tunis himselfe which they put in practise not many yeeres since when as the said King his sonne marching towards them from Constantina with an armie for the demaunding of such tribute as was due vnto him fought a verie vnfortunate battell For no sooner were they aduertised of the Kings sonne his approach but foorthwith they went to meete him with two thousande horsemen and at length vanquished and slew him at vnawares carrying home with them all the furniture bag and baggage which he had brought foorth And this was done in the yeere of Mahumets Hegeira 915. From that time their fame hath beene spred abroad in all places Yea many of the king of Tunis his subiects reuolted from their King vnto them insomuch that the Prince of this people is growen so puissant that scarcely is his equall to be found in all Africa Of the faith and religion of the ancient Africans or Moores THE ancient Africans were much addicted to idolatrie euen as certain of the Persians are at this day some of whom worship the sunne and others the fire for their gods For the saide Africans had in times past magnificent and most stately temples built and dedicated as well to the honour of the sunne as of the fire In these temples day and night they kept fire kindled giuing diligent heed that it might not at any time be extinguished euen as we read of the Romane Vestall virgines All which you may read more fully and at large in the Persian and African Chronicles Those Africans which inhabited Libya and Numidia would each of them worship some certaine planet vnto whom likewise they offered sacrifices and praiers Some others of the land of Negros worship Guighimo that is to say The Lord of Heauen And this sound point of religion was not deliuered vnto them by any Prophet or teacher but was inspired as it were from God himselfe After that they embraced the Iewish law wherein they are said to haue continued many yeeres Afterward they professed the Christian religion and continued Christians vntill such time as the Mahumetan superstition preuailed which came to passe in the yeere of the Hegeira 208. About which time certaine of Mahomets disciples so bewitched them with eloquent and deceiueable speeches that they allured their weake minds to consent vnto their opinion insomuch that all the kingdomes of the Negros adioyning vnto Libya receiued the Mahumetan lawe Neither is there any region in all the Negros land which hath in it at this day any Christians at all At the same time such as were found to be Iewes Christians or of the African religion were slaine euerie man of them Howbeit those which dwell neere vnto the Ocean sea are all of them verie grosse idolaters Betweene whom and the Portugals there hath beene from time to time and euen at this present is great traffique and familiaritie The inhabitants of Barbarie continued for many yeeres idolaters but before the comming of Mahomet aboue 250 yeeres they are saide to haue embraced the Christian faith which some thinke came to passe vpon this occasion namely because