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

The Empire of Prete Ianni.

THe Empire of Prete Ianni answereth not certainly in effect, (although it be very large) vnto the fame and opinion which the common sort, and most writers haue of it: For lateliest of any other Hor atio Malugucci in a certaine discourse of his, touching the greatnes of states at this day, would needes haue his dominion to be greater then any other princes, but the king of Spaine. I confesse indeede, that in times past his state had most ample and large confines, as may be iudged by the multitude of kingdomes, with which he adorneth and setteth foorth his stile; for he entitleth himselfe king of Goi∣ame, a kingdome seated beyond Nilus, and of Vangue, and Damut situ∣ate beyond Zaire; and yet it is at this day euidently knowne, that his Em∣pire scarcely reacheth vnto Nilus: yea and Iohn Barros writeth, that the A∣bassins haue little notice of that riuer, by reason of the mountaines lying betweene them and it. The hart or center of his state, is the lake Barcena: for on the east it extendeth from Suaquen, as farre as the entrance of the Red sea, for the space of an hundred and two and twentie leagues: howbeit betwixt the Red sea and it, there thwarteth a long ranke of mountaines, in∣habited by the Moores, who also commaund the sea-coast. On the west it hath another ridge of mountaines along the channell of Nilus, enhabited by the Gentiles, who pay tribute vnto the Prete. On the north it consineth with an imaginarie line drawne from Suaquen to the furthest part of the isle of Meroe, which is an hundred and fiue and twentie leagues long: From hence it maketh as it were a bow, but not very crooked, towards the south, euen to the kingdome of Adel (from the mountaines whereof springeth that riuer which Ptolemey calleth Raptus, and placeth to the south of Me∣linde) for the space of two hundred and thirtie leagues; all which distance is bordered vpon by the Gentiles: from whence it turneth and endeth east∣ward at the kingdome of Adel, whose head citie is Arar, in the northerly latitude of nine degrees: So that this whole empire, little more or lesse, amounteth to sixe hundred threescore and twelue leagues in circuite: The countrie (which is distinguished with ample plaines, pleasant hils, and high mountaines, most of them manurable, and well inhabited) bringeth foorth barley and myll (for it aboundeth not greatly with other sortes of graine) and likewise Taffo da guza, another good and durable seede: But

there is mill, and Zaburro (which we call the graine of India, or Ginnie wheate) great plenty, with al sorts of our pulse, and some also vnknowen to vs. Some of them weare clothes of cotton: but the greater part are clad in sheeps skinnes, and those which are more honourable, in the skins of Ly∣ons, Tigres, and Ounces. They haue all kindes of our domesticall creatures, as hennes, geese, and such like, as also abundance of kine, and wild swine, harts, goates, hares, but no conies, besides panthers, lyons, Ounces, and ele∣phants. To conclude, there cannot be a countrie more apt then this, for the generation and increase of all plants and creatures. True it is, that it hath little helpe or furtherance by the industrie of the inhabitants, because they are of a sloathfull dul nature, and capacitie. They haue flaxe, and yet can make no cloath, sugar canes, and know not the arte of getting the sugar thereout; yron, and haue no vse thereof, but take all smithes to be negro∣mancers: They haue riuers, and waters, and know not how to better their possessions by them. They conceaue not greatly of hunting or fishing: whereupon the fieldes are full of birdes and wild beastes, and the riuers and lakes, of fish. An other reason of their slacknes and negligence, is the euill intreatie of the communaltie by those of the mightier sort: for the poore seeing euery thing taken from them that they haue, sow no more, then verie necessity vrgeth them vnto. Their speech also is without any rule or pre∣scription, and to write a letter, requireth a great assembly of men, and many dayes to deliberate thereon. The nobles, cittizens, and peasants liue distin∣ctly and apart, and any of these may purchase nobility by some famous, or worthie act. The first borne inherite all things.

There is not in all the countrie a castel, or fortified place, for they thinke, as the Spartanes did, that a country should be mayntained and defended by force of armes, and not with rampires of earth or stone. They dwell for the most part dispersed in townes and villages. Their trade of marchandise is performed by exchanging one thing for an other, supplying the ouerplus of their prises with wheat or salt: pepper, incense, myrrhe, & salt, they sell for the waight in gold. In their bargaines they vse gold also, but by waight, siluer is not ordinary among them. Their greatest city is the Princes court, which is neuer firme and resident in one place, but remoueth here & there, and re∣maineth in the open fieldes vnder tentes. This courte comprehendeth ten, or more miles in compasse.