How he levieth an Army; their Arms and Provision; how he divideth theSpoil, and his Service to the Great Turk.
{MN}When he intendsany Wars, he must first have leave of the GreatTurk,whom he is bound to assist when he commandeth, receiving daily for himself and chief of his Nobility, Pensions from theTurk,that holds all Kings but Slaves, that pay Tribute, or are subject to any: signifying his intent to all his Subjects, within a Month commonly he raiseth his Army, and every Man is to furnish himself for three Months Victuals, which is parched Millet, or ground to Meal, which they ordinarily mingle with Water (as is said) hard Cheese or Curds dried, and beaten to powder, a little will make much Water like Milk, and dried Flesh, this they put also up in Sacks; The Chan and his Nobles have some Bread andAquavitæ,and quick Cattel to kill when they please, wherewith very sparingly they are contented. Being provided with expert Guides, and got into the Country he intends to Invade, he sends forth his Scouts to bring in what Prisoners they can, from whom he will wrest the utmost of their Knowledge fit for his purpose; having advised with his Council, what is most fit to be done, the Nobility, according to their Antiquity, doth march; then moves he with his whole Army: if he find there is no Enemy to oppose him, he adviseth how far they shall Invade, commanding every Man (upon pain of his Life) to kill all the obvious Rusticks; but not to hurt any Women, or Children.
{MN}How he levieth an Army.
{MN} Ten, or fifteen thousand, he commonly placeth, where he findeth most convenient for his standing Camp; the rest of his Army he divides in several Troops, bearing ten or twelve Miles square before them, and ever within three or four days return to their Camp, putting all to Fire and Sword, but that they carry with them back to their Camp; and in this scattering manner he will invade a Country, and be gone with his Prey, with an incredible Expedition. But if he understand of an Enemy, he will either fight in Ambuscado, or flie; for he will never fight any Battel if he can chuse, but upon treble advantage; yet by his innumerable flights of Arrows, I have seen flie from his flying Troops, we could not well judge, whether his fighting or flying was most dangerous, so good is his Horse, and so expert his Bow-men; but if they be so intangled they must fight, there is none can be more hardy, or resolute in their defences.
{MN}The manner of his Wars.
{MN} Regaining his own Borders, he takes the tenth of the principal Captives, Man, Woman, Child, or Beast (but his Captains that take them, will accept of some particular Person they best like for themselves) the rest are divided amongst the whole Army, according to every Mans Desert and Quality; that they keep them, or sell them to who will give most; but they will not forget to use all the means they can, to know their Estates, Friends, and Quality, and the better they find you, the worse they will use you, till you do agree to pay such a Ransom, as they will impose upon you; therefore many great Persons have endured much misery to conceal themselves, because their Ransoms are so intolerable: their best hope is of some Christian Agent, that many times cometh to redeem Slaves, either with Money, or Man for Man; those Agents knowing so well the extream covetousness of theTartars,do use to bribe some Jew or Merchant, that feigning they will sell them again to some other Nation, are oft redeemed for a very small Ransom.
{MN}How he divideth the spoil.
{MN} But to thisTartarianArmy, when theTurk,commands, he goeth with some small Artillery; and theNagayans, Precopens, Crims, Osovens,andCircassians,are his Tributaries; but thePerigorves, Oczaconians, Bialogordens,andDobrucen Tartars,theTurkby Covenant commands to follow him, so that from all thoseTartarshe hath had an Army of an hundred and twenty thousand excellent, swift, stomackfullTartarianHorse for foot they have none. Now the Chan, his Sultans and Nobility, useTurkiso, Caramanian, Arabian, Parthian,and other strangeTartarianHorses; the swiftest they esteem the best; seldom they feed any more at home, than they have present use for; but upon their Plains is a short Wood-like Heath, in some Countries like Gail, full of Berries, much better than any Grass.
{MN}How the Chan doth serve the GreatTurk.
{MN} Their Arms are such, as they have surprised or got from theChristiansorPersians,both Brest-plates, Swords, Scimitars, and Helmets; Bows and Arrows they make most themselves, also their Bridles and Saddles are indifferent, but the Nobility are very handsome, and well armed like theTurks,in whom consisteth their greatest Glory; the ordinary sort have little Armour, some a plain young Pole unshaven, headed with a piece of Iron for a Lance; some an oldChristianPike, or aTurksCavarine, yet those Tattertimallions will have two or three Horses, some four or five, as well for service, as for to eat; which makes their Armies seem thrice so many as there are Soldiers. The Chan himself hath about his Person, Ten thousand chosenTartarsandJanizaries,some small Ordnance, and a white Mares Tail, with a piece of green Taffity on a great Pike, is carried before him for a Standard; because they hold no Beast so precious as a white Mare, whose Milk is only for the King and Nobility, and to Sacrifice to their Idols; but the rest have Ensigns of divers Colours.
{MN}Their Arms.
For all this miserable Knowledge, Furniture, and Equipage, the mischief they do inChristendomis wonderful, by reason of their hardness of Life and Constitution, Obedience, Agility, and their Emperours Bounty, Honours, Grace, and Dignities he ever bestoweth upon those, that have done him any memorable Service in the face of his Enemies.
{MN} The Caspian Sea, most Men agree that have passed it, to be in length about 200 Leagues, and in breadth an hundred and fifty, environed to the East, with the great Desarts of theTartarsofTurkomania;to the West, by theCircasses,and the MountainCaucasus;to the North, by the RiverVolga,and the Land ofNagay;and to the South, byMedia,andPersia:This Sea is fresh Water in many places, in others as salt as the great Ocean; it hath many great Rivers which fall into it, as the mighty River ofVolga,which is like a Sea, running near Two thousand Miles, through many great and large Countries, that send into it many other great Rivers; also out ofSaberia, Yaick,andYem,out of the great MountainCaucasus,the RiverSirus, Arash,and divers others, yet no Sea nearer it than the black Sea, which is at least an hundred Leagues distant: In which Country live theGeorgians,now partArmenians,partNestorians;it is neither found to increase or diminish, or empty it self any way, except it be under Ground, and in some places they can find no Ground at Two hundred fathom.
{MN}A Description of theCaspianSea.
Many other most strange and wonderful things are in the Land ofCathay,towards the North-east, and China towards the South-east, where are many of the most famous Kingdoms in the World, where most Arts, Plenty, and Curiosities are in such abundance, as might seem incredible, which hereafter I will relate, as I have briefly gathered from such Authors as have lived there.
How CaptainSmithescaped his Captivity; slew theBashawofNalbritsinCambia;his Passage toRussia, Transilvania,and the middest ofEuropetoAfrica.
{MN-1}All the hopehe had ever to be delivered from this Thraldom, was Only the love ofTragabigzanda,who surely was ignorant of his bad usage; for although he had often debated the matter with some Christians, that had been there a long time Slaves, they could not find how to make an escape, by any reason or possibility; but God beyond Man's Expectation or Imagination helpeth his Servants, when they least think of help, as it hapned to him. So long he lived in this miserable Estate, as he became a Thresher at a grange in a great Field, more than a League from theTimor'sHouse; theBashaw,as he oft used to visit his Granges, visited him, and took occasion so to beat, spurn, and revile him, that forgetting all reason, he beat out theTimor'sBrains with his Threshing Bat, for they have no Flails; and seeing his Estate could be no worse than it was, clothed himself in his Clothes, hid his Body under the Straw, filled his Knapsack with Corn, shut the doors, mounted his Horse, and ran into the Desart at all adventure; two or three days, thus fearfully wandring he knew not whither, and well it was, he met not any to ask the way; being even as taking leave of this miserable World, {MN-2} God did direct him to the great way or Castragan, as they call it, which doth cross these large Territories, and generally known among them by these marks.
{MN-1}HowSmithescaped his Captivity.
{MN-2}Their Guides in those Countries.
In every crossing of this great way is planted a Post, and in it so many bobs with broad ends, as there be ways, and every bob the Figure painted on it, that demonstrateth to what part that way leadeth; as that which pointeth towards theCrim'sCountry, is marked with a half Moon, if towards theGeorgiansandPersia,a black Man, full of white spots, if towardsChina,the Picture of the Sun, if towardsMuscovia,the Sign of a Cross, if towards the Habitation of any other Prince, the Figure whereby his Standard is known. To his dying Spirits thus God added some comfort in this melancholy Journey, wherein if he had met any of that vile Generation, they had made him their Slave, or knowing the Figure Engraven in the Iron about his Neck, (as all Slaves have) he had been sent back again to his Master; sixteen days he travelled in this fear and torment, after the Cross, till he arrived atÆcopolis,upon the RiverDon,a Garrison of theMuscovites.The Governour after due Examination of those his hard events, took off his Irons, and so kindly used him, he thought himself new risen from the Dead, and the good LadyCalamata,largely Supplied all his wants.
{MN-1} This is as much as he could learn of those wild Countries, that the Country ofCambiais two days Journey from the Head of the great RiverBruapo,which springeth from many places of the Mountains ofInnagachi,that joyn themselves together in the PoolKerkaswhich they account for the Head, and falleth into the SeaDissabacca,called by some the LakeMaeotas,which receiveth also the RiverTanais,and all the Rivers that fall from the great Countries of theCircassi,theCartaches,and many from theTauricaes, Precopes, Cummani, Cossunka,and theCrim;through which Sea he Sailed, and up the RiverBruapotoNalbrits,and thence through the Desarts ofCircassitoÆcopolis,as is related; where he stayed with the Governour, till the Convoy went toCaragnaw;then with his Certificate how he found him, and had examined with his friendly Letters, sent him byZumalacktoCaragnaw,whose Governour in like manner so kindly used him, that by this means he went with a safe conduct toLesch,andDonko,inCologoske,and thence toBerniske, andNewgrodinSiberia,byRezechica,upon the RiverNieper,in the confines ofLithuania;from whence with as much kindness, he was convoyed in like manner byCoroski, Duberesko, Duzihell, Drohobus,andOstrogeinVolonia; Saslaw,andLascoinPodolia; HalicoandColloniainPolonia;and so toHermonstatinTransilvania.In all this his life, he seldom met with more Respect, Mirth, Content and Entertainment; and not any Governour where he came, but gave him somewhat as a Present, besides his Charges; seeing themselves as subject to the like Calamity. {MN-2} Through those poor continually Foraged Countries, there is no passage, but with the Caravans or Convoys; for they are Countries rather to be pitied than envied; and it is a wonder any should make Wars for them. The Villages are only here and there, a few Houses of streight Firr Trees, laid heads and points above one another, made fast by notches at the ends, more than a Man's heighth, and with broad split Boards, pinned together with woodden Pins, as thatched for coverture. In ten Villages you shall scarce find ten Iron Nails, except it be in some extraordinary Man's House. For their Towns,Æcopolis, Letch,andDonko,have Rampires made of that woodden Walled fashion, double, and betwixt them Earth and Stones, but so latched with cross Timber, they are very strong against any thing but Fire; and about them a deep Ditch, and a Palizado of young Firr Trees; but most of the rest have only a great Ditch cast about them, and the Ditches Earth, is all their Rampire; but round, well environed with Palizadoes. Some have some few small pieces of small Ordnance, and Slings, Calievers, and Muskets, but their generallest Weapons are theRusseBows and Arrows; you shall find Pavements over Bogs, only of young Firr-Trees, laid cross one over another, for two or three hours Journey, or as the Passage requires, and yet in two days Travel, you shall scarce see six Habitations. Notwithstanding to see how their Lords, Governours, and Captains are civilized, well attired and accoutred with Jewels, Sables, and Horses, and after their manner with curious Furniture, it is wonderful; but they are all Lords or Slaves, which makes them so subject to every Invasion.
{MN-1}The description ofCambia,and his passage toRussia.
{MN-2}His Observations in his Journey toTransilvania,through the midst ofEurope.
InTransilvania,he found so many good Friends, that but to see, and rejoyce himself (after all those Encounters) in his Native Country, he would ever hardly have left them, though the mirrour of vertue their Prince was absent. Being thus glutted with content, and near drowned with Joy, he parted highHungariabyFileck, Tocka, Cassovia,andUnderorowoay,byUlmichtinMoravia,toPragueinBohemia;at last he found the most gracious PrinceSigismundus,with his Colonel atLipswickinMisenland,who gave him his Pass, intimating the service he had done, and the Honours he had received, with fifteen hundred Ducats of Gold to repair his Losses: With this he spent some time to visit the fair Cities and Countries ofDresdeninSaxony, MagdeburghandBrunswick; CasselinHessen; Wittenberg, Vilum,andMinekininBavaria; Augsburg,and her Universities;Hama, Frankford, Mentz,thePalatinate; Worms, Spires,andStraburg;passingNancieinLorain,andFrancebyParistoOrleans,he went down the River ofLoyer,toAngiers,and imbarked himself atNantzinBritain,forBilbaoinBiskayto seeBurgos-Valladolid,the admired Monastery of theEscurial, Madrid, Toledo, Corduba, Cuedyrial, Sivil, Cheries, Cales,and St.LucasinSpain.
The Observations of CaptainSmith;Mr.Henry Archer,and others inBarbary.
Beingthus satisfied withEuropeandAsia,understanding of the Wars inBarbary,he went fromGibraltertoCeutaandTangier,thence toSaffee,where growing into Acquaintance with a French Man of War, the Captain and some twelve more went toMorocco,to see the ancient Monuments of that large renowned City: It was once the principal City inBarbary,situated in a goodly plain Country, 14 Miles from the great MountAtlas,and sixty Miles from theAtlantickSea; but now little remaining, but the King's Palace, which is like a City of it self; and the Christian Church, on whose flat, {MN-1} square Steeple is a great broach of Iron, whereon is placed the three Golden Balls of Africa: The first is near three Ells in Circumference, the next above it somewhat less, the uppermost the least over them, as it were an half Ball, and over all a pretty gilded Pyramid. Against those Golden Balls hath been shot many a shot, their Weight is recorded 700 weight of pure Gold, hollow within, yet no shot did ever hit them, nor could ever any Conspirator attain that Honour as to get them down. They report, the Prince ofMoroccobetrothed himself to the King's Daughter ofÆthiopia,he dying before their Marriage, she caused those three Golden Balls to be set up for his Monument, and vowed Virginity all her Life. {MN-2} TheAlfanticais also a place of note, because it is invironed with a great Wall, wherein lie the Goods of all the Merchants securely guarded. TheIndereais also (as it were) a City of it self, where dwell the Jews: The rest for the most part is defaced; but by the many Pinnacles and Towers, with Balls on their tops, hath much appearance of much sumptuousness and curiosity. There have been many famous Universities, which are now but Stables for Fowls, and Beasts, and the Houses in most parts lie tumbled one above another; the Walls of Earth are with the great fresh Floods washed to the ground; nor is there any Village in it, but Tents for Strangers,LarbesandMoors.Strange Tales they will tell of a great Garden, wherein were all sorts of Birds, Fishes, Beasts, Fruits, and Fountains, which for Beauty, Art and Pleasure, exceeded any place known in the World, though now nothing but Dung-hills, Pigeon-Houses, Shrubs and Bushes. There are yet many excellent Fountains, adorned with Marble, and many Arches, Pillars, Towers, Ports, and Temples; but most only reliques of lamentable Ruins and sad Desolation.
{MN-1}The three Golden Balls ofAfrica.
{MN-2}The description ofMorocco.
{MN} WhenMuly HametReigned inBarbary,he had three Sons,Muly Sheck, Muly Sidan,andMuly Bufferres,he a most good and noble King, that governed well with Peace and Plenty, till his Empress, more cruel than any Beast in Africa, poisoned him, her own Daughter,Muly Sheck,his eldest Son, born of a Portugal Lady, and his Daughter, to bringMuly Sidan,to the Crown now reigning, which was the cause of all those brawls, and Wars that followed betwixt those Brothers, their Children, and a Saint that started up, but he played the Devil.
{MN}A bloody Empress.
{MN-1} KingMuly Hametwas not black, as many suppose, butMolara,or tawny, as are the most of his Subjects; every way noble, kind and friendly, very rich and pompous in State and Majesty, though he sitteth not upon a Throne nor Chair of state, but cross Leg'd upon a rich Carpet, as doth theTurk,whose Religion ofMahomet,with an incredible miserable Curiosity they observe. His ordinary Guard is at least 5000, but in Progress, he goeth not with less than 20000 Horse-men, himself as rich in all his Equipage, as any Prince in Christendom, and yet a Contributor to theTurk.{MN-2} In all his Kingdom were so few good Artificers, that he entertained fromEngland,Gold-smiths, Plummers, Carvers, and Polishers of Stone, and Watch-makers, so much he delighted in the Reformation of Workmanship, he allowed each of them ten Shillings a day standing Fee, Linen, Woollen, Silks, and what they would for Diet and Apparel, and Custom-free to transport, or import what they would; for there were scarce any of those qualities in his Kingdom, but those, of which there are divers of them, living at this present inLondon.Amongst the rest, one Mr.Henry Archer,a Watch-maker, walking inMorocco,from theAlfanticato theJuderea,the way being very foul, met a great Priest, or aSante(as they call all great Clergy-men) who would have thrust him into the dirt for the way; but Archer not knowing what he was, gave him a box on the Ear, presently he was apprehended, and condemned to have his Tongue cut out, and his Hand cut off: But no sooner it was known at the King's Court, but 300 of his Guard came, and broke open the Prison, and delivered him although the Fact was next degree to Treason.
{MN-1}KingMuly Hametor the GreatZeriffofBarbary.
{MN-2}His great love to English Men.
{MN} Concerning thisArcher,there is one thing more worth noting: Not far from MountAtlas,a great Lioness in the heat of the day, did use to bathe her self, and teach her young Puppies to swim in the RiverCauzef,of a good breadth; yet she would carry, which someMoorsperceiving, watched there them one after another over the River; opportunity, and when the River was between her and them, stole four of her Whelps, which she perceiving, with all the speed she could passed the River, and coming near them, they let fall a Whelp (and fled with the rest) which she took in her mouth, and so returned to the rest: A Male and a Female of those they gave Mr.Archer,who kept them in the King's Garden, till the Male killed the Female, then he brought it up as a Puppy-dog lying upon his Bed, till it grew so great as a Mastiff, and no dog more tame or gentle to them he knew: But being to return forEngland,atSaffeehe gave him to a Merchant ofMarseillses,that presented him to the French King, who sent him to King James, where it was kept in the Tower seven Years: After one Mr.John Bull,then Servant to Mr.Archer,with divers of his Friends, went to see the Lions, not knowing any thing at all of him; yet this rare Beast smelled him before he saw him, whining, groaning, and tumbling, with such an expression of acquaintance, that being informed by the Keepers how he came thither; Mr.Bullso prevailed, the Keeper opened the Grate, andBullwent in: But no Dog could fawn more on his Master, than the Lion on him, licking his Feet, Hands, and Face, skipping and tumbling to and fro, to the wonder of all the beholders; being satisfied with his acquaintance, he made shift to get out of the Grate: But when the Lion saw his Friend gone, no Beast by bellowing, roaring, scratching, and howling, could express more rage and sorrow, nor in four days after would he either eat or drink.
{MN}The strange love of a Lion.
{MN} InMorocco,the King's Lions are altogether in a Court, invironed with a great high Wall; to those they put a young Puppy-dog: The greatest Lion had a sore upon his neck, which this Dog so licked, that he was healed: The Lion defended him from the fury of all the rest, nor durst they eat till the Dog and he had fed; this Dog grew great, and lived amongst them many years after.
{MN}Another kind Lion inMorocco.
{MN-1}Fezalso is a most large and plentiful Country, the chief City is calledFez,divided into two parts; oldFez, containing about 80 thousand Households, the other 4000 pleasantly situated upon a River in the heart ofBarbary,part upon Hills, part upon Plains, full of people, and all sorts of Merchandize. The great Temple is calledCarucen, in breadth seventeen Arches, in length 120, born up with 2500 white Marble Pillars: under the chief Arch, where the Tribunal is kept, hangeth a most huge Lamp, compassed with 110 lesser, under the other also hang great Lamps, and about some, are burning fifteen hundred lights, They say, they were all made of the Bells theArabiansbrought fromSpain.It hath three Gates of notable heighth, Priests and Officers so many, that the Circuit of the Church, the Yard, and other Houses, is little less than a Mile and half in compass, there are in this City 200 Schools, 200 Inns, 400 Water-Mills, 600 Water-Conduits, 700 Temples and Oratories; but 50 of them most stately and richly furnished. TheirAlcazerorBurseis Walled about, it hath twelve Gates, and fifteen Walks covered with Tents, to keep the Sun from the Merchants, and them that come there. The King's Palace, both for strength and beauty is excellent, and the Citizens have many great Privileges. Those two Countries ofFezandMorocco,are the best part of allBarbary,abounding with People, Cattel, and all good Necessaries for Man's use. For the rest, as theLarbs,or Mountainers, the Kingdoms ofCocow, Algier, Tripoli, Tunis,andÆgypt;there are many large Histories of them in divers Languages, especially that writ by that most excellent Statesman,John de Leo,who afterwards turned Christian. {MN-2} The unknown Countries ofGuineandBinn,this six and twenty years have been frequented with a few English Ships only to Trade, especially the River ofSenega,by CaptainBrimstead,CaptainBrockit,Mr.Crump,and divers others. Also the great River ofGambia,by CaptainJohnson,who is returned in thither again, in the Year 1626, with Mr.William Grent,and thirteen or fourteen others, to stay in the Country, to discover some way to those rich Mines ofGagoorTumbatu,from whence is supposed theMoorsofBarbaryhave their Gold, and the certainty of those supposed Descriptions and Relations of those interiour parts, which daily the more they are sought into, the more they are corrected: For surely, those interiour Parts of Africa, are little known to eitherEnglish, French,orDutch,though they use much the Coast; therefore we will make a little bold with the Observations of thePortugals.
{MN-1}The description ofFez.
{MN-2}A brief description of the most unknown parts ofAfrica.
The strange Discoveries and Observations of thePortugalsinAfrica.
{MN}ThePortugalson those Parts have the glory, who first coasting along this Western Shoar ofAfrica,to find passage to theEast-Indies,within this hundred and fifty years, even from the Streights ofGibraltar,about the Cape ofBone Esperanceto thePersianGulf, and thence all along theAfricanCoast to theMoluccas,have subjected many great Kingdoms, erected many Common-wealths, built many great and strong Cities; and where is it they have not been by Trade or Force? No not so much asCape de Verd,andSermleone;but most Bays or Rivers, where there is any Trade to be had, especially Gold, or conveniency for Refreshment, but they are scattered; living so amongst those Blacks, by time and cunning, they seem to be naturalized amongst them. As for the Isles of theCanaries,they have fair Towns, many Villages, and many thousands of People rich in Commodities.
{MN}How thePortugalscoasted to theEast Indies.
{MN}Ordoardo Lopez,a noblePortuguse, Anno Dom.1578, imbarking himself forCongoto Trade, where he found such Entertainment, finding the King much oppressed with Enemies, he found means to bring in thePortugalsto assist him, whereby he planted there Christian Religion, and spent most of his life to bring those Countries to the Crown ofPortugal,which he describeth in this manner.
{MN}OrEdward.
{MN} The Kingdom ofCongois about 600 Miles Diameter any way, the chief City called St.Savadore,seated upon an exceeding high Mountain, 150 Miles from the Sea, very fertile, and Inhabited with more than 100000 Persons, where is an excellent Prospect over all the plain Countries about it, well watered, lying (as it were) in the Center of this Kingdom, over all which thePortugalsnow command, though but an handful in comparison ofNegroes.They have Flesh and Fruits very plentiful of divers sorts.
{MN}The Kingdom ofCongo.
{MN} This Kingdom is divided into five Provinces, viz.Bamba, Sundi, Pango, BattaandPembo;butBambais the Principal, and can afford 400000 Men of War. Elephants are bred over all those Provinces, and of wonderful greatness; though some report, they cannot kneel, nor lie down, they can do both, and have their Joynts as other Creatures for use: With their Fore-feet they will leap upon Trees to pull down the Boughs, and are of that strength, they will shake a greatCocaoTree for the Nuts, and pull down a good Tree with their Tusks, to get the Leaves to eat, as well as Sedge and long Grass,CocaoNuts and Berries, &c. which with their Trunk they put in their Mouth, and chew it with their smaller Teeth; in most of those Provinces, are many rich Mines, but theNegroesopposed thePortuguesesfor working in them.
{MN}Wild Elephants.
{MN} The Kingdom ofAngolais wonderful populous, and rich in Mines of Silver, Copper, and most other Metals; fruitfull in all manner of Food, and sundry sorts of Cattel, but Dogs Flesh they love better than any other Meat; they use few Clothes, and no Armour; Bows, Arrows, and Clubs are their Weapons. But thePortuguesesare well armed against those Engines, and do buy yearly of those Blacks more than five thousand Slaves, and many are People exceeding well proportioned.
{MN}The Kingdom ofAngola.
{MN-1} TheAnchiosare a most valiant Nation, but most strange to all about them. Their Arms are Bows; short and small, wrapped about with Serpents Skins, of divers Colours, but so smooth, you would think them all one with the Wood, and it makes them very strong; their Strings little twigs, but exceeding tough and flexible; their Arrows short, which they shoot with an incredible quickness. They have short Axes of Brass and Copper for Swords; wonderful, loyal and faithful, and exceeding simple, yet so active, they skip amongst the Rocks like Goats. {MN-2} They trade with them ofNubea,andCongo,forLamach,which is a small kind of Shell-fish, of an excellent azure, colour, Male and Female, but the Female they hold most pure; they value them at divers prices, because they are of divers sorts, and those they use for Coin, to buy and sell, as we do Gold and Silver; nor will they have any other Money in all those Countries, for which they give Elephants Teeth; and Slaves for Salt, Silk, Linen Cloth, Glass-beads, and such likePortugalCommodities.
{MN-1}The Kingdom ofAnchios.
{MN-2}A strange Memr'y.
{MN} They circumcise themselves, and mark their Faces with sundry slashes from their Infancy. They keep a shambles of Man's Flesh, as if it were Beef, or other Victuals; for when they cannot have a good Market for their Slaves; or their Enemies they take, they kill, and sell them in this manner; some are so resolute, in shewing how much they scorn death, they will offer themselves and Slaves, to this Butchery to their Prince and Friends; and though there be many Nations will eat their Enemies, inAmericaandAsia,yet none but those are known to be so mad, as to eat their Slaves and Friends also.
{MN}A shambles of Men's Flesh.
Religions and Idols they have as many, as Nations and Humours; but the Devil hath the greatest part of their Devotions, whom all those Blacks do say, is white; for there are no Saints but Blacks.
{MN} But besides those great Kingdoms ofCongo, Angola,andAzichi,in those unfrequented Parts are the Kingdoms ofLango, Matania, Battua, Sofola, Mozambeche, Quivola,the Isle of St.Lawrence, Mombaza, Melinda,the Empires ofMonomotapa, Monemugi,andPresbyter John,with whom they have a kind of Trade, and their Rites, Customs, Climates, Temperatures, and Commodities by Relation. Also of great Lakes, that deserve the Names of Seas, and huge Mountains of divers sorts, as some scorched with heat, some covered with Snow; the Mountains of the Sun, also of the Moon, some of Chrystal, some of Iron, some of Silver, and Mountains of Gold, with the Original ofNilus;likewise sundry sorts of Cattel, Fishes, Fowls, strange Beasts, and monstrous Serpents; for Africa was always noted to be a fruitful Mother of such terrible Creatures; who meeting at their watering places, which are but Ponds in desart places, in regard of the heat of the Country, and their extremities of Nature, make strange Copulations, and so ingender those extraordinary Monsters. Of all these you may read in the History, of thisEdward Lopez,translated into English byAbraham Hartwel,and dedicated toJohnLord Arch-bishop ofCanterbury,1597. But because the Particulars are most concerning the conversion of those Pagans, by a good poor Priest, that first converted a Noble Man, to convert the King, and the rest of the Nobility; sent for so many Priests and Ornaments intoPortugal,to Solemnize their Baptisms with such Magnificence, which was performed with such strange Curiosities, that those poorNegro'sadored them as gods, till the Priests grew to that Wealth, a Bishop was sent to rule over them, which they would not endure, which endangered to spoil all before they could be reconciled. But not to trouble you too long with those Rarities of uncertainties; let us return again toBarbary,where the Wars being ended, andBefferrespossessed ofMorocco,and his Fathers Treasure, a new bruit arose amongst them, thatMuly Sidanwas raising an Army against him, who after took his BrotherBefferresPrisoner; but by reason of the uncertainty, and the perfidious, treacherous, bloody murthers rather than War, amongst those perfidious, barbarous Moors,Smithreturned withMerham,and the rest toSaffe,and so aboard his Ship, to try some other conclusions at Sea.
{MN}Divers Nations yet unknown, and the wonders ofAfrica.
A brave Sea Fight betwixt toSpanishMen of War, and CaptainMerham,withSmith.
Merham,a Captain of a Man of War then in the Road, invited CaptainSmith,and two or three more of them aboard with him, where he spared not any thing he had to express his kindness, to bid them welcome, till it was too late to go on Shoar, so that necessity constrained them to stay aboard; a fairer Evening could not be, yet ere Midnight, such a Storm did arise, they were forced to let slip Cable, and Anchor, and put to Sea; spooning before the Wind, till they were driven to theCanaries;in the Calms they accommodated themselves, hoping this strange accident might yet produce some good event; not long it was before they took a small Bark coming fromTenerif,loaded with Wine; three or four more they chased, two they took, but found little in them, save a few Passengers, that told them of fiveDutchMen of War, about the Isles, so that they stood forBoiadora,upon theAfricanShoar, betwixt which andCape Noa,they descryed two Sail.Merhamintending to know what they were, hailed them; very civilly they danced their Top-sails, and desired the Man of War to come aboard them, and take what he would, for they were but two poor distressedBiskainers.ButMerhamthe old Fox, seeing himself in the Lions paws, sprung his louf, the other tacked after him, and came close up to his nether Quarter, gave his Broad-side, and so loufed up to Windward; the Vice-Admiral did the like, and at the next bout, the Admiral with a noise of Trumpets, and all his Ordnance, Murtherers, and Muskets, boarded him on his Broad-side, the other in like manner on his ley Quarter, that it was so dark, there was little light, but fire and smoak; long he stayed not, before he, fell off, leaving 4 or 5 of his Men sprawling over the Grating; after they had batteredMerhamabout an hour, they boarded him again as before, and threw four Kedgars or Grapnels in Iron Chains, then shearing off, they thought so to have torn down the Grating; but the Admiral's Yard was so intangled in their Shrouds,Merhamhad time to discharge two cross barr shot amongst them, and divers Bolts of Iron made for that purpose, against his Bow, that made such a Breach, he feared they both mould have sunk for Company; so that theSpaniardwas as yare in slipping his chained Grapnels, asMerhamwas in cutting the Tackling, kept fast their Yards in his Shrouds; the Vice-Admiral presently cleared himself, but spared neither his Ordnance nor Muskets to keepMerhamfrom getting away, till the Admiral had repaired his Leak; from twelve at noon, till six at night, they thus interchanged one volly for another; then the Vice-Admiral fell on Stern, staying for the Admiral that came up again to him, and all that night stood afterMerham,that shaped his course forMamora,but such small way they made, the next Morning they were not three Leagues off fromCape Noa.The twoSpanishMen of War, for so they were, and well appointed, taking it in scorn as it seemed, with their Chase, Broad-side, and Stern, the one after the other, within Musket shot, plying their Ordnance; and after an hours Work, commandedMerhamamain for the King of Spain upon fair Quarter;Merhamdrank to them, and so discharged his Quarter Pieces. Which Pride theSpaniardto revenge, boarded him again, and many of them were got to the top to unsling the Main-Sail, which the Master and some others from the Round-House, caused to their cost to come tumbling down; about the Round-House theSpaniardsso pestred, that they were forced to the great Cablen and blew it up; the smoak and fire was so vehement, as they thought the Ship on fire; they in the Fore-Castle were no less assaulted, that they blew up a piece of the Grating, with a great many ofSpaniardsmore; then they cleared themselves with all speed, andMerhamwith as much Expedition to quench the Fire with wet Cloaths and Water, which began to grow too fast. TheSpaniardstill playing upon him with all the shot they could; the open Places presently they covered with old Sails, and prepared themselves to fight to the last Man. The AngrySpaniardseeing the fire quenched, hung out a Flag of truce to have but a Parley; but that desperateMerhamknew there was but one way with him, and would have none, but the report of his Ordnance, which he did know well how to use for his best Advantage. Thus they spent the next Afternoon, and half the Night, when theSpaniardseither lost them or left them. Seven and twenty MenMerhamhad slain and sixteen wounded, and could find they had received 140 great shot. A woundedSpaniardthey kept alive confessed, they had lost 100 Men in the Admiral, which they did fear would sink ere she could recover a Port. Thus Re-accommodating their Sails, they failed forSancta Cruse, Cape Goa,andMagadore,till they came again toSafee,and then he returned into England.
The continuation of the General History ofVirginia;theSummer Isles,andNew England;with their present Estate from1624.to this present1629.
Concerningthese Countries, I would be sorry to trouble you with repeating one thing twice, as with their Mapps, Commodities, People, Government and Religion yet known; the beginning of these Plantations, their Numbers and Names, with the Names of the Adventures, the Yearly proceedings of every Governour both here and there. As for the Misprisions, Neglect, Grievances, and the causes of all these Rumours, losses and crosses that have happened; I refer you to the General History, where you shall find all this at large; especially to those Pages where you may read my Letter of Advice to the Councel and Company, what of necessity must be done, or lose all and leave the Country, Pag. 70. what Commodities I sent home, Pag. 163. my Opinion and offer to the Company, to feed and defend the Colonies, Pag. 150. my Account to them here of my Actions there, Pag. 163. and seven Answers to his Majesty's Commissioners: Seven Questions what hath hinderedVirginia,and the remedy, Pag. 165. How those Noble Gentlemen spent near two Years in perusing all Letters came from thence; and the differences betwixt many Factions, both here and there, with their Complaints; especially about theSallerywhich should have been a new Office inLondon,for the well ordering the sale ofTobacco,that 2500 Pounds should Yearly have been raised out of it, to pay four or five Hundred Pounds Yearly to the Governour of that Company, two or three Hundred to his Deputy; the rest into Stipends of forty or fifty Pounds Yearly for their Clerks and other Officers which were never there, Pag. 153. but not one Hundred Pounds for all them inVirginia,nor any thing for the most part of the Adventures inEngland,except the undertakers for the Lotteries, Setters out of Ships, Adventures of Commodities, also their Factors and many other Officers, there imployed only by friendship to raise their Fortunes out of the Labours of the true Industrious Planters by the Title of their Office, who under the colour of sincerity, did pillage and deceive all the rest most cunningly: For more than 150000 Pounds have been spent out of the Common Stock, besides many thousands have been there Consumed, and near 7000 People that there died, only for want of good Order and Government, otherwise long ere this there would have been more than 20000 People, where after twenty Years spent only in Complement and trying new Conclusions, was remaining scarce 1500, with some few Cattel.
Then the Company dissolved, but no Account of any thing; so that his Majesty appointed Commissioners to oversee, and give Order for their Proceedings. Being thus in a manner left to themselves, since then within these four Years, you shall see how wonderfully they have increased beyond expectation; but so exactly as I desired, I cannot relate unto you: For altho' I have tired my self in seeking and discoursing with those returned thence, more than would a Voyage toVirginia;few can tell me any thing, but of that Place or Places they have Inhabited, and he is a great Traveller that hath gone up and down the River ofJamesTown, been atPamaunk, Smith'sIsles, orAccomack;wherein for the most part, they keep one tune of their now particular abundance, and their former wants having been there, some sixteen Years, some twelve, some six, some near twenty, &c. But of their general Estate, or any thing of worth, the most of them doth know very little to any purpose.
{MN} Now the most I could understand in general, was from the Relation of Mr.Nathaniel Cawsey,that lived there with me, and returnedAnno Dom.1627. and some others affirm; SirGeorge Yerelywas Governour, CaptainFrancis West,DoctorJohn Pott,CaptainRoger Smith,CaptainMatthews,CaptainTucker,Mr.Clabourn,and Mr.Farrer,of the Council: their Habitations many. The Governour, with two or three of the Council, are for most part atJamesTown, the rest repair thither as there is occasion; but every three Months they have a general Meeting, to consider of their Publick Affairs.
{MN}Their estate1627.
{MN} Their Numbers then were about 1500, some say rather 2000, divided into seventeen or eighteen several Plantations; the greatest part thereof towards the falls, are so inclosed with Pallisadoes they regard not theSalvages.and amongst those Plantations aboveJamesTown, they have now found means to take plenty of Fish, as well with Lines as Nets, and where the Waters are the largest, having Means they need not want.
{MN}Their numbers.
{MN} Upon this River they seldom see anySalvages,but in the Woods, many times their Fires: yet some few there are, that upon their opportunity, have slain some few straglers, which have been revenged with the Death of so many of themselves; but no other Attempt hath been made upon them this two or three Years.
{MN}Their condition with the Salvages.
{MN} Their Cattel, Namely, Oxen, Kine, Bulls, they imagine to be about 2000; Goats great store and great increase; the wild Hoggs, which were infinite, are destroyed and eaten by theSalvages:but no Family is so poor that hath not tame Swine sufficient; and for Poultry, he is a very bad Husband, breedeth not an Hundred in a Year, and the Richer sort doth daily feed on them.
{MN}Their increase of Cattel and Poultry.
{MN} For Bread they have plenty, and so good, that those that make it well, better cannot be: Divers have muchEnglishCorn, especially Mr.Abraham Perce,which prepared this Year to sow two Hundred Acres ofEnglishWheat, and as much with Barly, feeding daily about the number of sixty Persons at his own Charges.
{MN}Plenty of Corn.
{MN} For Drink, Some Malt theIndianCorn, others Barly, of which they make good Ale, both strong and small, and such plenty thereof, few of the Upper Planters drink any Water: but the better sort are well furnished with Sack,Aquavitæ,and goodEnglishBeer.
{MN}Their Drink.
{MN} The Servants commonly feed upon Milk Homili, which is bruisedIndianCorn pounded, and boiled thick, and Milk for the sawce; but boiled with Milk, the best of all will feed oft on it, and leave their Flesh; with Milk, Butter and Cheese; with Fish, Bulls-flesh, for they seldom kill any other, &c. And every one is so applied to his labour about Tobacco and Corn, which doth yield them such Profit, they never regard any food from theSalvages,nor have they any Trade or Conference with them, but upon meer Accidents and Defiances: And now the Merchants have left it, there having gone so many voluntary Ships within these two Years, as have furnished them with Apparel, Sack,Aquavitæ,and all necessaries, much better than any before.
{MN}Their Servants diet.
{MN} For Arms, There is scarce any Man but he is furnished with a Piece, a Jack, a Coat of Male, a Sword or Rapier; and every Holy-day, every Plantation doth Exercise their Men in Arms, by which means Hunting and Fowling, the most part of them are most Excellent Marks-men.
{MN}Their Arms and Exercise.
{MN} For Discoveries they have made none, nor any other Commodity than Tobacco do they apply themselves unto, tho' never any was Planted at first. And whereas the Countrey was heretofore held most intemperate and contagious by many, now they have Houses, Lodgings, Victuals, and the Sun hath Power to Exhale up the moist Vapours of the Earth, where they have cut down the Wood, which before it could not, being covered with spreading tops of high Trees; they find it much more healthful than before; nor for their Numbers, few Countries are less troubled with Death, Sickness, or any other Disease, nor where overgrown Women become more fruitful.
{MN}Their Health and Discoveries.
{MN-1} Since this, SirGeorge Yerelydied 1628, CaptainWestSucceeded him; but about a Year after, returned forEngland.Now DoctorPooris Governour, and the rest of the Council as before:JamesTown is yet their chief Seat, most of the Wood destroyed, little Corn there Planted, but all Converted into Pasture and Gardens, wherein doth grow all manner of Herbs and Roots we have inEngland,in abundance, and as good Grass as can be. Here most of their Cattle do feed, their Owners being most some one way, some another, about their Plantations, and return again when they please, or any Shipping comes in to Trade. Here in the Winter they have Hay for their Cattel, but in other Places they Browze upon Wood, and the great husks of their Corn, with some Corn in them, doth keep them well. {MN-2} Mr.Hutchinssaith, they have 2000 Cattle, and about 5000 People, butMaster Floud, John Davis, William Emerson,and divers others say, about 5000 People, and 5000 Kine, Calves, Oxen and Bulls; for Goats, Hoggs and Poultry, Corn, Fish, Dear, and many sorts of other wild Beasts; and Fowl in their Season, they have so much more than they spend, they are able to feed three or four Hundred more than they have; and do oft much relieve many Ships, both there, and for their Return; and this last Year was there at least two or three and Twenty Sale. They have oft much Salt-fish fromNew England,but fresh Fish enough, when they will take it; Peaches in abundance atKecoughtan;Apples, Pears, Apricocks, Vines, Figgs, and other Fruits some have Planted that prospered exceedingly, but their Diligence about Tobacco, left them to be spoiled by the Cattel, yet now they begin to Revive; {MN-3} Mrs.Pearce,an Honest Industrious Woman, hath been there near twenty Years, and now returned, saith, she hath a Garden atJamesTown, containing three or four Acres, where in one Year she hath gathered near an Hundred Bushels of excellent Figgs; and that of her own Provision she can keep a better House inVirginia,than here inLondonfor 3 or 400 Pounds a Year, yet went thither with little or nothing. They have some tame Geese, Ducks and Turkies. The Masters now do so train up their Servants and Youth in shooting Deer and Fowl, that the Youths will kill them as well as their Masters. They have two Brew-houses, but they find theIndianCorn so much better than ours, they begin to leave sowing it. Their Cities and Towns are only scattered Houses, they call Plantations, as are our Country Villages; but no Ordnance Mounted. The Forts CaptainSmithleft a Building, so ruined, there is scarce Mention where they were; no Discoveries of any thing more, than the curing of Tobacco, by which hitherto, being so present a Commodity of Gain, it hath brought them to this abundance; but that they are so disjointed, and every one Commander of himself to Plant what he will: {MN-4} they are now so well provided, that they are able to subsist; and if they would join together, now to work upon Soap, Ashes, Iron, Rape-Oil, Mader, Pitch and Tarr, Flax and Hemp; as for their Tobacco, there comes from many Places such abundance, and the charge so great, it is not worth the bringing home.
{MN-1}The present estate ofVirginia 1629.
{MN-2}Mr.Hutchins.Five thousand people. Five thousand Cattel. Goats, Hogs, and Poultry infinite.
{MN-3}Good Hospitality.
{MN-4}Commodities worth making, Black Wallnut, Also for Pikes, Oak for Planks, knees for ships, Cypress, for Chests, &c.
There is gone, and now a going, divers Ships, as CaptainPerse,CaptainPrine,with SirJohn Harveyto be their Governour, with two or three Hundred People; there is also some fromBristow,and other Parts of the West Country a preparing, which I heartily pray to God to Bless, and send them a Happy and Prosperous Voyage.
Nathaniel Causie,MasterHutchins,MasterFloud, John Davis, William Emerson,MasterWilliam Barnet,MasterCooper,and others.