A geographical historie of Africa, written in Arabicke and Italian by Iohn Leo a More, borne in Granada, and brought vp in Barbarie. Wherein he hath at large described, not onely the qualities, situations, and true distances of the regions, cities, townes, mountaines, riuers, and other places throughout all the north and principall partes of Africa; but also the descents and families of their kings ... gathered partly out of his owne diligent obseruations, and partly out of the ancient records and chronicles of the Arabians and Mores. Before which, out of the best ancient and moderne writers, is prefixed a generall description of Africa, and also a particular treatise of all the maine lands and isles vndescribed by Iohn Leo. ... Translated and collected by Iohn Pory, lately of Goneuill and Caius College in Cambridge

Of their manner of eating and drinking.

LEt vs now speake somewhat of their victuals and manner of eating. The common sort set on the pot with fresh meat twise euery weeke: but the gentlemen and richer sort euery day, and as often as they list. They take three meales a day: their breakefast consisteth of certaine fruits and bread, or else of a kinde of liquid pap made like vnto frumentie: in winter they sup off the broth of sal flesh thickened with course meale. To dinner they haue flesh, sallets, cheese, and oliues: but in summer they haue greater cheere. Their supper is easie of digestion, consisting of bread, melons, grapes, or

milke: but in winter they haue sodden flesh, together with a kinde of meate called Cuscusu, which being made of a lumpe of dowe is set first vpon the* 1.1 fire in certaine vessels full of holes, and afterwarde is tempered with butter and pottage. Some also vse often to haue roste-meat. And thus you see after what sort both the gentlemen & common people lead their liues: albeit the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 fare somewhat more daintily: but if you compare them with the noblemen and gentlemen of Europe, they may seeme to be miserable and base fellowes; not for any want or scarcitie of victuals, but for want of good manners and cleanlines. The table whereat they sit is lowe, vncouered, and filthie: seats they haue none but the bare ground, neither kniues or 〈◊〉〈◊〉 but only their ten talons. The said Cuscusu is set before them all in one only platter, whereout as well gentlemen as others take it not with spoones, but with their clawes fiue. The meat & pottage is putal in one dish; out of which euery one raketh with his greasie fists what he thinkes good: you shall ne∣uer see knife vpon the table, but they teare and greedily deuoure their meate like hungrie dogs. Neither doth any of them desire to drinke before he hath well stuffed his panch; and then will he sup off a cup of cold water as big as a milke-bowle. The doctors indeede are somewhat more orderly at meales: but, to tell you the very truth, in all Italie there is no gentleman so meane, which for fine diet and stately furniture excelleth not the greatest poten∣tates and lords of all Africa.

Notes

• * 1.1

  A kinde of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 called Cuscusu.