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 the Christians in the king dome of Congo.

HItherto we haue described that little, which remaineth of the ancient Christianity of Africk. It now resteth, that we giue some notice of that, which hath beene brought in of late. Congo is a kingdome about the bignes of France, situate (as is before said) beyond the equinocti∣all betweene Cabo da Catherina, and Bahia das vacas. It was conuerted to Christian religion, by the meanes of Don Iohn the second king of Portugal, in manner following. Don Diego Cano a captaine of that king, by his com∣mission coasting along Africa, after a great nauigation, arriued at length in the great riuer of Zaire; and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 to saile vp into it, he discouered a∣long the banks thereof many townes, where he found much more affability in the inhabitants, then in those of other countries which before he had dis∣couered. And that he might be able to giue the more faithfull aduertise∣ment thereof to his king, his hart moued him to go to the court of that kingdome. Whither bein̄g come, and courteously brought to the kings presence, he shewed them the vanity of their Idolatry, & the high reuerence of christian faith. And he found in that Prince so good a disposition, as re∣turning into Portugal, besides an ambassador he was permitted to carry with him certaine youths of noble parentage, to the end they might learne the Christian doctrine, and be well instructed therein; and being baptized also, might afterwards be sent back with Portugall priests to preache the gospel, and to plant the Christian faith in that kingdome. These youthes remained in Portugal two yeeres, and were there liberally entertained, and with all di∣ligence instructed in matters of religion, and were at length with great so∣lemnity baptized. When they came to riper yeeres, king Iohn sent them backe againe into their owne countrey, with an honorable ambassage,

in whose company went for teachers and instructers of that nation three Dominick-Fryers, reputed for men of exquisit learning and holy life. Be∣ing arriued in Congo, they first cōuerted Mani-Sogno the kings vncle, with one of his sonnes. After that ensued the baptisme of the king and Queene; for which cause in short time, there was a goodly Church erected, vnder the name and title of Santa Cruz. And in the meane while there were infinit Idols burnt. The king was called Iohn, the Queene Leonora, and his eldest sonne Alonso. This Alonso was a singular good man, who not being satis∣fied in his owne conuersion, laboured also with a kind of Apostolicall zeale for the conuersion of his subiects. But let no man thinke, that the planting of religion can euer passe without some labour and trouble. These Do∣minick-Fryers, besides the intemperature of the aire and vnusuall heat, which consumed them, were also euilly entreated by the * 1.1 Moci-Con∣gi. For although they shewed themselues docible, and tractable enough, while they were instructed onely about ceremonies, and diuine mysteries, (because they thought, that the higher those matters were aboue humaine capacity, the more they sorted and were agreable to the maiestie of God) neuerthelesse when they began to entreate seriously of Temperance, conti∣nence, restitution of other mens goods, forgiuing of iniuries, and other heades of Christian pietie, they found not onely great hinderance and dif∣ficultie, but euen plaine resistance and opposition. The king himselfe, who had from the beginning shewed notable zeale, was now somewhat cooled; who because he was loth to abandon his soothsaiers and fortune tellers, but aboue all, the multitude of his concubines (this being a generall difficultie among the Barbarians) would by no meanes giue eare vnto the Preachers. Also the women (who were now reiected one after another) not enduring so suddenly to be banished from their husbandes, brought the court and roiall citie of Saint Saluador into a great vproare. * 1.2 Paulo Aquitino second sonne to the king, put tow to this fire, who would by no meanes be baptized; for which cause there grew great enmity betwixt him and Alonso his elder bro∣ther, who with all his power furthered the proceedings, and maintained the grouth of the Christian religion. During these troubles, the old king died, and the two brothers fought a battell, which had this successe; that Alonso the * 1.3 true heire, with sixe and thirtie soldiers, calling vpon the name of Iesus, discomfited the huge armie of his heathenish brother, who was him∣selfe also taken aliue, and died prisoner in this his rebellion. God fauoured Alonso in this warre, with manifest miracles. For first they affirme, that be∣ing readie to enter into battaile, he saw a light so cleere and resplendent, that he and his companie which beheld it, remained for a good while with their eies declined, and their mindes so full and replenished with ioy and a kind of tender affection, that cannot easily be expressed. And then lifting vp their eies vnto heauen, they sawe fiue shining swords, which the king tooke afterwards for his armes, and his successors vse the same at this day.

Hauing obteined this victorie, he assembled all his nobles, and streightly

enioined them to bring all the idols of his countrey to an appointed place, and so vpon an high hill, he caused them all to be burned. This Alonso raig∣ned prosperously for fiftie yeeres togither, in which space he exceedingly furthered by authoritie and example, as also by preaching and doctrine, the new-planted Christianitie. Neither did Don Emanuell the King of Portu∣gall giue ouer this enterprise: for he sent from thence to Congo, twelue of those Fryers which the Portugals call Azzurri, of whom Fryer Iohn Mari∣ano was head: with architects and smiths for the building and seruice of Churches, and with rich furniture for the same. After king Alonso, succeeded Don Pedro his sonne: in whose time there was a Bishop appointed ouer the isle of Saint Thomas, who had also committed vnto him the administration of Congo. Where, at the citie of Saint Saluador, was instituted a colledge of eight and twentie Canons in the Church of Santa Cruz. The second bishop was of the bloud roiall of Congo, who trauailed to Rome, and died in his returne homeward. Don Francisco succeeded Don Pedro, who conti∣nued but a small space: & Don Diego his neere kinsman was after his decease aduanced to the crowne. In whose time Iohn the third king of Portugall, vn∣derstanding that neither the king himselfe cared greatly for religion, and that the merchants and priests of Europe furthered not, but rather with their bad life scandalized the people new conuerted, he sent thither fower Iesuits, to renew and reestablish matters of religion. These men arriuing first at the isle of Saint Thomas, and then at Congo, were courteously recei∣ued by the king: and presently going about the busines they came for, one of them tooke vpon him to teach sixe hundred yoong children, the principles of christian religion: and the other dispersed themselues ouer the whole countrie to preach. But all of them, one after another, falling into tedious and long diseases, they were enforced to returne into Europe. At this time there was appointed ouer Congo a third bishop of the Portugall nation, who through the contumacie of the Canons and clergie, found trouble enough. In the meane while Don Diego dying, there arose great tumults touching the succession, by meanes whereof, all the Portugals in a manner, that were in Saint Saluador (except priests) were slaine. In the end, Henrie brother to Don Diego obteined the crowne, and after him (for he quicklie died in the warres of the Anzichi) Don Aluaro his son in law. This man re∣conciled vnto himselfe the Portugall nation, caused all the religious and lay sort dispersed heere and there, throughout the kingdome, to be gathered togither, and wrote for his discharge to the king, and to the Bishop of Saint Thomas. The bishop hauing perused the letters, passed himselfe in∣to Congo: and giuing some order for the discipline of the clergie, he retur∣ned to Saint Thomas, where hee ended his daies. It so fell out, that what for the absence, and what for the want of Bishoppes, the progres∣sion of religion was much hindred. For one Don Francisco, a man for* 1.4 bloud and wealth of no small authoritie, began freely to say, that it was a vaine thing to cleaue to one wife onely, and afterwardes in the end, he fell

altogither from the faith, and was an occasion that the king grew woonder∣fully cold. They affirme, that this Francisco dying, and being buried in the church of Santa Cruz, the diuels vncouered a part of that churches roofe, and with terrible noise drew his dead carcase out of the tombe, and carried it quite away: a matter that made the king exceedingly amazed: but yet ano∣ther accident that ensued withall, strooke him neerer to the hart: For the Giacchi leauing their owne habitations, entred like Locusts into the king∣dome* 1.5 of Congo, and comming to battaile against Don Aluaro the king, put him to flight: who not being secure in the head citie, abandoned his king∣dome, and togither with the Portugall priests, and his owne princes, retired himselfe vnto an island of the riuer Zaire, called The isle of horses. Thus seeing himselfe brought to such extremitie (for besides the losse of his king∣dome, his people died of famine and miserie, and for maintenance of life sold themselues one to another, and to the Portugals also at a base price) for reparation of his state and religion, he had recourse to Don Sebastian king of Portugall, and obteined of him sixe hundred soldiers, by whose va∣lour he draue his enimies out of the kingdome, and within a yeere and an halfe, reestablished himselfe in his throne. In his time Antonio di Glioun à Spaniard, was made bishop of Saint Thomas, who after much molestation procured him by the captaine of that island, went at length into Congo, with two friers and fower priests, and ordered matters reasonablie well. In the meane while Don Aluaro died, and his sonne of the same name succee∣ded him, who failed not to sollicite, both Don Sebastian and Don Henrie kings of Portugall, and the king of Spaine also, that they would send him some competent number of preachers and ecclesiasticall persons for the augmentation of the Christian faith in his kingdome: and amidst these de∣terminations he died, and a sonne of his called also Don Aluaro succeeded him.

During these tumults, certaine other Portugall Priests went into Con∣go, labouring to prune that vine which had beene long time giuen ouer, and forsaken. These men haue built them an house in the island of Loanda, where do remaine sixe or seauen of their companie, that are readie to goe sometimes hither, and sometimes thither, as neede requireth. In the yeere of our Lord 1587. king Aluaro, (who bicause hee was not borne of law∣full matrimonie, was but little esteemed by his people) would needes haue one of these priests about him, by whose meanes and authoritie he came to reputation and credite. And God himselfe fauoured his procee∣dings: for meeting a sister of his by the fathers side, and one of her bro∣thers, with a great armie in the fielde, he gaue him battaile, and bore him∣selfe therein with such valour, as he did not onely ouerthrow the forces of his enime but further slew the ring-leader and generall thereof, and in the place where he was slaine, he would needs build a church to the honour of Christianitie. And the more by his owne example to mooue others, him∣selfe was the very first man that put hand to this worke: and likewise with

edicts and fauourable proclamations, he furthered and doth still aduance the preaching of the Gospell, and the propagation of religion.

Who so is desirous to be more fully instructed concerning the Chri∣stianitie of this kingdome, let him read the third and eight bookes of Oso∣rius de Reb. gest. Eman. & the second booke of Philippo Pigafetta his story of Congo, most properly and decently translated by the iudicious master ABRAHAM HARTWELL.

Notes

• * 1.1

  So are the in∣habitants of Congo called.
• * 1.2

  So called by Osorius lib. 3. de Reb. Gest. Eman. But by Phil. Pigafetta. lib. 2. Cap. 2. Mani-Pango.
• * 1.3

  Osorius de Reb. Gest. Eman. lib. 3.
• * 1.4

  * Called by Philippo Pi∣gafetto 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• * 1.5

  Concerning these Giacchi, otherwise cal∣led Agag, read the discourse of Mohenemugi before the be∣ginning of Iohn Leo.