[ XXIII] THey that liue in these contries haue all things necessarie for life, for what wants in one countrie, abounds in another, so as they may liue without strangers; and if a peace were well setled, as they haue war vpon euerie occasion, it is most certaine that this em∣pire would be most happie, and not enuie the commodities of any other. In a manner, in all their mountains they feed great store of cattle, and they haue plentie of corne; their plaines yeeld so much corne and fruit, as they do furnish forraine prouinces, namely with Citrons, Oranges, Sugar, and Oliues. Moreouer, they transport into forraine countries their Chamlets, Barbarie skins, Cotton cloth, and Sugar, whereof they make great com∣moditie. [ C]
But to speake of the reuenues and riches of the Emperour of Marocco, he is maister of all his subjects goods, yea and of their persons, for that no men dares impugne any char∣ges or impositions that he layes vpon them: yet the vsurpation of the empire, the feare of an accident like vnto that of Muley Cheq, and the continuall wauering of affaires, are the cause why this man seekes to gouerne his subjects with mildnesse, and to settle in them a desire to liue alwaies vnder his commaund.
He draws from his subiects that are lyable vnto taxes, the tenths and first fruits of cattle and fruit. It is true, that touching the tenths, he takes but one for twentie; and if there be one hundred and more, he hath neuer but two. He hath for euerie acre of ground, fiue [ D] parts of a duckat;* 1.1 and the other fiue for euerie fire, and as much for all that haue past the age of fifteene yeares, be they males or females; and at need he exacts a greater summe. And to the end the people may pay more willingly that which is imposed, he alwayes de∣maunds a moytie more than he shall exact; for that by this meanes, his subiects thinke they haue a fauour done them, when they are not forced to pay all. It is true, that in the mountaines there liue people which are not vnder commaund, whom they cannot force to pay any thing, by reason of the strong scituation of the places where they liue; & they only receiue the tenths of their fruits and haruest, the which they pay that they may haue leaue to descend into the plaines. Besides these reuenues, this monarch hath all the cu∣stomes and imposts of Fez, and other townes, for that the citisens of Fez pay two in the [ E] hundred for all that enters, and strangers ten. Moreouer, he hath the reuenues of mills, and of many other things, which amount to a great summe: As for the mills, he hath al∣most three pence for euerie great bushell of corne that is ground in Fez, in which there are aboue foure hundred mills. The Mosquee of Caruuen had eightie thousand crowns yearely reuenues, and the Colledges and Hospitals of Fez had many thousands of crowns in rents, all which the king hath at this day: And moreouer, he is heire to all the Gouer∣nors, and to all such as he hath giuen pension, and whenas they die, he takes possession of their horses, armes, apparell, and in a word, of all their goods. It is true, that if any one leaue sons fit to serue in the warres, he giues them the same pension which the father had. But if the childen be little, he entertaines the sonnes vntill they be able to beare armes, [ F] and the daughte••s till they be fit for marriage: and to haue the goods of rich men, he giues them some gouernement, or some charge, with a pension: wherefore, euerie man seekes to hide his wealth when he dies, to the end the king may not seise thereon, or re∣tires from court out of the kings sight.