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AZamur, a towne of Duccala, was built by the Africans vpon that part of the Oceā sea shore where the riuer of* 1.1 Ommira∣bih disemboqueth; being distant from Elmadina southward about thirtie miles. Very large it is, and well inhabited, and containeth to the number of fiue thousand families. Here
doe the Portugall merchants continually reside. The inhabitants are very ciuill, and decently apparelled. And albeit they are diuided into two parts, yet haue they continuall peace among themselues. Pulse and corne they haue great plentie; though their gardens and orchards bring foorth nought else but figs. They haue such plentie of fishes, that they receiue yeerely for them sometime sixe thousand, and sometime seuen thousand duckats. And their time of fishing dureth from October to the end of Aprill. They vse to frie fishes in a certaine pan with oile, whereby they gather an incredible quantitie of trane: neither vse they any other oile to put into their lampes. Once a yeere the Portugals make a voiage hither, and doe carrie away so great abundance of fish, that they onely doe disburse the summe of duckats aforesaid. Hence it is, that the king of Portugal, being allured for gaine, hath often sent most warlike fleetes to surprise this towne: the first whereof, in regarde of the Generals indiscretion, was the greatest part dispersed and sunke vpon the sea. Afterward the king sent another nauie of two hundred saile well furnished, at the very sight whereof the citizens were so discomfi∣ted, that they all betooke themselues to flight; and the throng was so great at their entrance of the gates, that moe then fowerscore citizens were slaine therein. Yea a certaine prince which came to aide them, was, for his safetie constrained to let himselfe downe by a rope on the farther side of the citie. The inhabitants were presently dispersed hither and thither; some fleeing on horse-backe, and others on foote. Neither could you (I know) haue refrai∣ned from teares, had you seene the weake women, the silly old men, and the tender children run away bare-footed and forlorne. But before the Christi∣ans gaue any assault, the Iewes (which shortly after compounded with the* 1.2 king of Portugall, to yeeld the citie to him, on condition that they shoulde sustaine no iniurie) with a generall consent, opened the gates vnto them: and so the Christians obtained the citie, and the people went to dwell part of them to Sala, and part to Fez. Neither doe I thinke that God for any other cause brought this calamitie vpon them, but onely for the horrible vice of Sodomie, whereunto the greatest part of the citizens were so notoriously addicted, that they could scarce see any young stripling, who escaped their lust.
Or 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
Azamur woon by the Portu∣gals.