Cosmographie in four bookes : containing the chorographie and historie of the whole vvorld, and all the principall kingdomes, provinces, seas and isles thereof / by Peter Heylyn.

1. GVAGERE.

GVAGERE containeth only the Island of Meroe, an Iland of much note and fame amongst the Ancients; made by the confluences of Nilus and Astaborus, the two chief Rivers of this Coun∣try. The length hereof 350 miles, the breadth 125. abundantly plentifull of Gold, Silver, Brass, Iron, Ivory, Precious stones, and an excellent kinde of Mineral Salt. Well stored with most sorts of beasts both tame and wilde; and of the last sort with Lyons, Leopards, Rhinocerots, Elephants, and Dragons.

The People are of the same nature and complexion with the rest; Mahometans by Religion, and the professed Enemies of the Abassine Emperour, against whom they do not only defend themselves by the advantages and benefit of their situation; but confederating with the Turks and Arabians, fall many times with great forces into his Dominions. It is said by Plinie of the Inhabitants of this Iland, that twice a year, viz. When the Sun is in the 16th. degree of Taurus, and the 14th. of Leo, they have the Sun so perpendicular above their heads, that he casts no shadow. More anciently me∣morable for their long lives, then their great exploits, attaining ordinarily to 120 years of Age, and therefore called Macrobii by the old Greek Writers. The women said to be of such great brests in the former times, that they did suckle their children over their shoulders (as some women are now said to do neer the Cape of good Hope) the dug being bigger then the childe. Of which thus Juvenal.

In Meroe crasso, majorem Infante mamillam.

In Meroe the Mothers pap Is bigger then the childe in lap.

The Principal Cities hereof, 1 Meroe, which gave that name unto the Iland, but took the same

from Meroe, a sister of Cambyses King of Persia, or as Eusebius saith, from Merida, the mother of Chenephris, a King of Egypt. Josephus telleth us, that in former times it had been called by the name of Saba; on authority of whose mistake it hath been made the Regal City of that Queen of Sheba (the Queen of Egypt and Aethiopia as Joseph calleth her) who came to Solomon. An opinion so received amongst these Ilanders, that the name of Meroe being laid by, they have restored the name of Saba to this City, as of greater eminence. The City said by some to contain about 5000 houses, great and sumptuous, the streets thereof to be large and spacious with Galleries on each side before the doors of their houses, where men walk safe from all extremities of heat or rain. Beauti∣fied with four chief Gates, (besides others of inferiour note) built of Alabaster and Jasper, wrought with Antique works: the doors belonging to those Gates, of Cedar, curiously wrought; the wayes which lead unto them, for the space of two Leagues beset with Palms, Orange-trees, Cedars, Cy∣presses, and others no less usefull both for shade and fruit. In the place where the four streets going from these Gates, do cross each other, a goodly Arch erected upon stately Pillars, fairly wrought and gilded; with the Statue of S. Matthew, made of brass, but gilded, on the top thereof. Such it is said to be by some. Others think there is no such City; it may not be so beautiful, as those some have made it. The other Towns of note and name in it, in former times, 2 Sacolche, 3 Darorum Vicus, 4 Eser; of which we have little but the names.

This Iland was once a peculiar Kingdom; he being chosen for their King who excelled the rest in strength, person, or in stock of Cattel; but those Kings so subject to their Priests, that by a Messen∣ger or Herald they were sentenced by them unto death, and others advanced unto the throne; And thus it stood till one of the more provident Kings, forcing the Temple with his armed Souldiers, slew all these Priests; and freed himself and his Successours from so great a slavery. Afterwards made a Province of the Kingdom of Aethiopia; honoured for the most part with the Seat of those Kings, and memorable in those times for the Table of the Sun; which was a place neer the City of Meroe, always furnished with variety of rosted meats, set there by night at the charge and command of the King (much taken as it seemeth with this costly vanity) and eaten in the day time by all that would. cal∣led therefore the Table of the Sun, because ascribed unto his bounty by the ignorant People. In the declining of this Kingdom, occasioned by the inundation of the Saracens and other Arabians, this Iland was seized on by that People, and hath been ever since kept by them, together with the rest of the Country lying betwixt it and Egypt, in which are contained as some write, the Kingdom of Da∣mote, Sua, and Jasculum, antiently belonging to this Empire, now dismembred from it: not much observable but for being a thorowfare to great troops of Pilgrims, which every Lent pass by them out of the Abassine Dominions to the Sepulebre, and other like places in and neer Jerusalem.