A true historicall discourse of Muley Hamets rising to the three kingdomes of Moruecos, Fes, and Sus The dis-vnion of the three kingdomes, by ciuill warre, kindled amongst his three ambitious sonnes, Muley Sheck, Muley Boferes, and Muley Sidan. The religion and police of the More, or barbarian. The aduentures of Sir Anthony Sherley, and diuers other English gentlemen, in those countries. With other nouelties.

Cap. XIIII.

Sidan sendeth great preparationsagainst Abdela: who af∣after composition, murdereth vorie neare three thou∣sand Sidanians. Sidans bloodie decree against the Shraceis for their offence.

NOw is Sidan setled in Morruecos but scarce secure, for the chiefest men in the Citie wi∣shed an alteration, because their King to get their money and wealth to maintaine his owne estate, began to picke quarrels with them, making some who began to speake and re∣pine at his doings, lose their heads, Quoniam Ganis mor∣tuus non latrat. The common people whose naturall con∣dition is alwayes to desire nouelties, wished for a newe King, feeling his oppression, and the famine whereof many dyed, grewe carelesse of peace, thinking euerie change would bring a remedie, when indeed it was like the incision of an vnskilful Surgion, not ouring the ma∣ladie, but making the wound wider, gangrend, and in∣curable.

Sidan purposing to purge this malecontented humour of the Comminaltie, rat•…•…ed an armie of twelue thousand foote, and sixe thousand horse, determining to take Fes. The chiefe men of commaund ouer thi•…•… armie, were these, Basha Mus•…•…efa, Alkeyd Hamet Benbreham, Alkeyd Ally Tahila, Alkeyd Gago, and Alkeyd Hadoe Tobib, with diuers others: Muley▪ Sidan not going in person with this armie, least in his absence Morruecos the seate of the Empire should reuolt. Muley Sheck hea∣ring these newes, went to Allarocha, there tooke a great Flemish Ship from the Marchant, with all the goods in her, therein shipping his tre asure, determining to run away, ichis Sonns Abdela should lose Fes. Abdela omit∣ted no time to gather new forces, so that in small time hee thought himselfe sufficient to méete the Sidanians in open field, and so hee did neare to Mickanes, where the people on Sidans part, missing their King in the field, or any one of the bloo•…•… royall refused to fight, and in stead of striking, fell to parl•…•…y; That if Abdola would pardon them, they would yeeld, and so they did, yet most of them ranne away, except three thousand Morruekyns, who presuming vpon Abdelas gentle nature, stayd with him, hoping kind entertainment into his pay, in stead wher∣of, Muley Abdela commaunded all their throats to bee cut, graunting them onely this fauour: first to bee strip∣ped for fowling their cloathes.

Thus we may see, mercilesse Sidan butcher poore soules at Morruecos▪ pittilesse Abdela murder these vn∣fortunate slaues at Mickanes, both verefying the old pro∣uerbe, Quicquid delirant Rog•…•…s, plectu•…•…tur Achiui. In this battaile were taken betwixt thirtie and fortie English men, who serued Muley Sidan as Canoniers, yet not a∣ny of that companie which serued Abdela at Morruecos when he lost the Citie and field, but other voluntaries, part of these fledde with the bodie of the armie backe is Morruecos, part were taken, whome Abdela spared, as

well in regarde of former seruices the Nation had done him, as also for the presen•…•… vse her was to employ them in This expedition of Sidans comming to so vnlooked a disaster, made him send forth his Commanders with diuers companies, to the Alarbies, for fresh supplie of men and treasure: amongst which as chiefe was dispée∣ded Basha Seleman maister of the old Kings horse for Ta∣stlet, there to gouerne the countrey, carrying with him some fifteene hundred shot, of which sixe hundred were Shracies, people of the King of Chaus, or Coucoes country, who hath alwayes warrs with Algers or Argiers. These Shraceis were borne in the mountaines of Atlas, being of a fierce and bloodie nature, not respecting the Turkes might or gouernment, no more then the Montaniers of Mo•…•…ecos, will acknowledge the soueraintie of the Barbarian. Some twelue hundred of these had Sidan in his pay, halfe part whereof he kept at Monuecos, the o∣ther was sent with S•…•…leman. These amongst themselues sell into a mutenie, neither for want of pay or ill vsage, but in desire to doe a mischiefe, by force cut off the Bashas head, carrying it with them as a Trophie of their victo∣rie, and a fit present to winne Abd•…•…las sauour, who was then at Fes, whither they went for intertainment. S dan here with moued made proclamation, that for three Mo∣neths what Shracee soeuer, souldier, or any other, were to bee found in Mor•…•…uecos, or else where in his D•…•…mi∣nions, should be put to the sworde, and to haue it better and more fully executed it was proclaimed that the man∣•…•…eller should haue the goodes of the Shrac•…•… so killed. Many rich men of this Nation or kindred res•…•…ant in Mor•…•…uecos, felt the furie of the sworde, for the follie and foule fault of their tribe: such as coul•…•… get packing, ran away, others of the better sort, their friends hid them in their houses, vntill Sidan scared with 〈◊〉〈◊〉 of Abdelas comming towards him proclaimed generall pardon for the remainder left aliue, and free passage of trading or

commerce for any Shracee which would venture to Mo∣ruecos, yet few durst come vpon these goodly termes; or those who lay hid in Morruecos, if they were worth any thing▪ shew themselues in publique, for feare this were a pretence to bring the residue vnto the halter. Those Shracees who were sole causers of this massacre, beeing with Abdela at Fes, dayly moued him to goe towardes Morruecos, vowing euery man to die in his cause, and for reuenge of their wiues children and friends, who had smarted for their sakes. Abdela something anima∣ted with their offers, yet delayed, knowing his forces farre inferior vnto Sidans, vntill still vrged by the Shra∣cies which had brought from the mountaines some store of their kindred, verie able and resolute men to his ayde, he set forwards about the latter end of August towards Morruecos, determining to giue battaile once more to Muley Sidan. Of what strength Abdelas armie consisted, the certaintie is not knowne, but ghessed to be very near fifteene thousand horse and foote.