Purchas his pilgrimes. part 1 In fiue bookes. The first, contayning the voyages and peregrinations made by ancient kings, patriarkes, apostles, philosophers, and others, to and thorow the remoter parts of the knowne world: enquiries also of languages and religions, especially of the moderne diuersified professions of Christianitie. The second, a description of all the circum-nauigations of the globe. The third, nauigations and voyages of English-men, alongst the coasts of Africa ... The fourth, English voyages beyond the East Indies, to the ilands of Iapan, China, Cauchinchina, the Philippinæ with others ... The fifth, nauigations, voyages, traffiques, discoueries, of the English nation in the easterne parts of the world ... The first part.

§. I. TECLA MARIA an Abassine, his answeres to questions touching the Religion of the Abassines and Cophti.

YOu haue read in Aluares, Bermudez, and the Iesuites Relations,* 1.1 large Relations of the Abassine Faith, and of the Portugalls remaining in Habassia, as also of three Patriarchs sent thither from the Pope, but refused by the Abassine. [ 20] These Portugalls dwelling there sent one Tecla Maria,* 1.2 an Abassine Priest in their behalfe to Rome, who before the Cardinalls made answere as follow∣eth Iuly 1. 1594.

The Reuerend Brother Tecla Maria, sonne of Tecla Nebiat, of the Citie Henza Mariam, of the Prouince of Xe••a, of the Kingdome of Ethiopia Priest and Monke, of the Order of Saint An∣tonie, and of the Monastery Libanus of the same Prouince, aged fortie fiue yeeres, at the command of the most Illustrious, and most Reuerend Lord Cardinall of Saint Seuerine Protector of the E∣thiopian Nation, to certaine interrogatories made in the Arabike to him, thus answered.

Being asked what the Ethiopians beleeue of God and the holy Trinitie, he answered;* 1.3 Wee be∣leeue in one God and three persons, the Father, Sonne, and Holy Ghost. The Father is vnbegot∣ten, [ 30] the Sonne begotten onely of the Father, the Holy Ghost proceeding from the Father and the Sonne. Being asked, whether the Holy Ghost proceeds from the Father and the Sonne, as from two beginnings, and two spirations, or as from one beginning and one spiration, he answe∣red, As from one beginning, and one onely spiration. Being asked of the Incarnation, hee answe∣red, That the Person of the Sonne, the Word of God the Father was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary.

Being asked how many Natures, Wills,* 1.4 and Operations the Ethiopians professe to be in Christ our Lord, he answered, That the Ethiopians beleeue after the vnion one Nature, one Wil, & one O∣peration, yet without mixtion and without confusion: in which opinion he confesseth, that the Ethiopians and Cophti▪ and other Easte••ne Nations erre from the truth. Being asked whether they [ 40] hold one Nature in Christ resulting from two, hee answered, The Ethiopians say not so, but simply professe one Nature without mixtion and without confusion, and affirme that to bee Diuine.

Being questioned of Images, he answered,* 1.5 That amongst the Ethiopians they are onely pain∣ted and not carued or grauen, which the Ethiopians haue in great veneration, in respect of repre∣sentation and relation, and incense them. Being asked of the Canonicall Bookes of both Testa∣ments, hee answered,* 1.6 That both the Testaments are diuided amongst them into eightie one Bookes, all which are had in Egypt, but without booke he could not remenber their names.

Being asked how many Generall Councells they hold, he said, That they hold onely three,* 1.7 the Nicene, Constantinopolitan, and Ephesine, which he had read, but could not now recite. Touching [ 50] the Chalcedon Councel, he said, They condemned it, because it determined two Natures in Christ, and condemned Dioscorus the Patriarke of Alexandria. How many vniuersall Councells were held after, he answered, He knew not.

He acknowledged seuen Sacraments * 1.8 instituted by Christ, Baptisme, Confirmation,* 1.9 the Eucha∣rist, Penance, Vnction, Order, and Matrimony. Being asked in what formall words the Ethiopians baptised, he answered, That after many prayers they say, I baptise thee in the name of the Father, and of the Sonne, and of the Holy Ghost: The matter, hee said, was naturall water; the Minister, a Priest, or in his absence a Deacon, besides whom hee neuer saw any to baptise: their Males after fortie dayes, and Females after eightie dayes, except in danger of death, and then they baptise presently. Being asked, whether the Ethiopians circumcise their children ••hee answered, That [ 60] from ancientest time to this day in all Ethiopia, they circumcise their children in their owne hou∣ses without any Ceremony, but for a certaine ancient Custome, cutting away the Prep••••e from the Males, the Nympha from the Females: being asked, whether they beleeue Circumcision ne∣cessary to saluation, he answered, They know that it is now ceased,* 1.10 and that it is no longer neces∣sary.

Being asked, why the Ethiopians are said to be baptised with fire, and to signe in the fore∣head: hee answered, That there is none in Ethiopia which is baptised with fire, but in some Pro∣uinces onely they marke themselues with a razor in the forehead, either for the health of their eyes and sight;* 1.11 or, as some say, by the command of a certaine King of Ethiopia, to differ from the Mahumetans. Being asked why they baptise themselues euery yeere, he answered, That the E∣thiopians euery yeere for the solemnitie of the Epiphanie goe forth to a Riuer, and there many prayers are said by the Priests, and all are washed in the Riuer; and many stay there all night with great festiuitie for deuotion of the Baptisme of our Lord Iesus Christ; but no man bapti∣seth himselfe as they say.

* 1.12Being demanded of Confirmation, the Matter, the Forme, the Minister, he answered, Confirma∣tion [ 10] with vs is conferred by a Priest, together with Baptisme, and the Infant is anointed with Chrisme in the forehead, in the name of the Father, Sonne and Holy Ghost: asked of the effect thereof, he said he knew not, but hee beleeueth that it is giuen, that a Christian may be confirmed in the faith. Being asked, whether Chrisme bee made amongst them euery yeere, hee answered; Chrisme is sent them from the Patriarch of Alexandria, by whom alone it is made and not by the Bishop, and is sent euery seuenth yeere and seldomer, with the Pilgrimes which returne from the pilgrimage of the Holy Land, and the old Chrisme is preserued in all Churches. Being asked whereof it was made, hee said, Of Balsam and Oyle, and of many Flowers and odorife∣rous things.

Being interrogated of the Sacrament of the Eucharist, and the matter thereof, hee answered, That the Matter is Bread of Bread-corne, and Wine of the Grape; but in many Prouinces of E∣thiopia, [ 20] in Wine pressed out of Raisins washed with water, and steeped in the same water the space of certaine houres. Being asked what are the words, whereby the Bread is transubstantiated into the Body, and the Wine into the Bloud, he answered, They are those words when the Priest saith, And he tooke Bread in his hands, and lifting vp his eyes to Heauen vnto God his Father, he bles∣sed, saying, Take yee and eate yee, this is my Body. And likewise taking the Chalice, he blessed and sancti∣fied saying, Take yee and drinke ye••. This is the Chalice of my Blood, which shall be shed for you for the remission of sinnes. The Minister, he said, is the Priest onely, and the effect remission of sinnes. Being asked whether all the Ethiopians are communicated in both kindes? he answered, That all the E∣thiopians, both Clerkes and Laymen are communicated vnder both kinds: the Priest ministers the [ 30] body, and the Deacon the bloud in a spoone. Being asked whether Infants are communicated, he•• answered, That Infants on the day of their baptisme are communicated in this manner: The Priest puts his fore-finger in the Chalice, and being dipped in the bloud, he puts it in the Infants mouth. And after baptisme, till they be ten yeeres old, the Priests little finger is put in the childs mouth without the bloud, for deuotiōs sake. Being asked, whether they celebrate in bread leauened or vn∣leauened, and what they thinke of him, which celebrates in vnleauened, he answered, The Ethio∣pians celebrate in leauened bread, & they which celebrate in vnleauened make the Sacrament also. And we thorow all Ethiopia, on Mandie Thursday euerie yeere, in the Supper of the Lord, in me∣moriall hereof celebrate in vnleauened.

Being asked what the Ethiopians thinke of Purgatory, hee answered, The Ethiopians beleeue [ 40] that the soules after death are detained in a certaine place, called in the Ethiopian tongue Mecan aaraft, that is, the Place of lightning, in which the soules of the penitent are kept, which haue departed out of the world, not hauing finished the satisfaction of their sinnes. Being asked whether the soules of the good presently after death enioy happinesse, and those of euill men hee punished in Hell, Hee answered, There are some in Ethiopia, which thinke that the soules of the good rest in Paradise terrestriall in which Adam was created, vntill the Day of Iudgement. There are others which beleeue that the soules of the iust, presently after death enioy their Creator in Paradise.

* 1.13Also being asked what sinnes, and how many are mortall, he answered, Those are mortall sinnes which are done against the Lords commandements, which are so many that I cannot number. Be∣ing [ 50] asked whether the sinnes of the Will, which passe not into outward act, bee mortall, Hee an∣swered, they are mortall, when a man hath giuen consent to the desire and concupiscence.

Being asked whether any man can be saued without the faith of Iesus Christ, the Mediator of God and men;* 1.14 he answered, None can be saued. Being asked of them which are now in the law of nature, to whom no knowledge of the Gospell hath comne; he answered, I beleeue that God also hath prouided for them, that by some meanes they may be saued, when they shall haue kept the precepts of Nature.* 1.15 Being asked what the Ethiopians thinke of Indulgences, hee answe∣red, I beleeue they are acceptable amongst all, and they call them Benedictions, but I desire to vnderstand the vse of them.* 1.16 Being asked of Inuocation of Saints, hee answered, that the In∣uocation of Saints is very well approued amongst the Ethiopians, and all doe professe their inter∣cession [ 60] with God.

* 1.17Being asked of Simony, and of those which by fauour or compact are ordained Priests, Bishops, or Patriarch; he answered, that it is forbidden by the holy Canons.

Being asked what difference there is betwixt the Ethiopians and the Cophti, in matters of faith;

he answered, that there is no difference betwixt them, and they agree in all things; for they are vnder the obedience of the same Patriarch. But in some things I haue seene them to differ; namely, the Ethiopians contract not in degrees prohibited; But the Cophti contract in the second, and the degrees after it euery where with license, and without the license of their Bishop and Pa∣triarch. Also the Copht•• in the Country and Villages keepe no Lords daies▪ nor holy daies,* 1.18 but onely in Cities, which the Ethiopians doe euery where. Also the Ethiopians keepe the Sabbath (or Saturday holy) which the Cophti doe not. Also the Ethiopians euery where thorow all Ethio∣pia circumcise their Sonnes and Daughters; but some Cophti, onely at Cairo within these few yeeres circumcise not. Also in the ceremonies of the Masse the Cophti differ much from the E∣thiopians; [ 10] For the Priests of the Cophti celebrate without the Vestments called Planetae, and the Deacons without the Dalmatik Vestments▪ & with their head couered with a wollen Tobalea, and neuer eleuate the Lords body and the Chalice in their Masses; which ceremonies are not amongst the Ethiopi••ns, Being demanded if he knew in what things the Ethiopians and Cophti differ from the faith of the holy Catholike Roman Church; hee answered, they differ principally in these things. They inuocate Dioscorus of Alexandria, and Iames the first his Disciple, and Seuerus Antiochenus in the Churches with the holy Fathers. They receiue not the Chalcedon Councell, and Saint Leo Pope. They professe in Christ our Lord one onely Nature, will, and operation. They recite the thrice holy Hymne with addition of those words, which was crucified for vs; yet with this exposition that the three sanctifications be applied to the most holy Trinitie, & those words,* 1.19 [ 20] which was crucified for vs, onely to our Lord Christ. The Cophti and Ethiopians vse circumcision, and these also obserue the Sabbath.

Being asked when, where, of whom and what orders he had taken: hee answered, when I was fifteene yeeres old,* 1.20 in the Church of Saint Mary in the Monasterie of Denob of the Prouince Xeua in Ethiopia, I was entered in orders by Ioseph a C••phtite, Archbishop of Ethiopia,* 1.21 in this man∣ner: The Archbishop before the celebration of Mas••e shaued my head in fiue places, in forme of a crosse, and annointed me with Chrisme in the forehead, reciting praiers in the Egyptian tongue, and breathed in my face; and the same houre, in time of the celebration, made me an Ostiarie, and Lector or Psalmist, and Acolyte, and Nefcadeacon or Subdeacon, and Deacon of the Gospell, and gaue me the holy Communion: and a long time after, when I was thirty yeeres old, in the Ci∣tie [ 30] Bed in Dembia of Ethiopia, in the Church of Saint George, I was ordered Priest by Archbishop Marke, the successour of the said Ioseph.* 1.22 Being asked whether hee heard the Archbishop vtter in colla••ing orders, the formall words of each order; he answered, The Archbishop vttered them, but I heard not, nor vnderstood, because he celebrated in the Egyptian tongue, whereof I was vt∣terly ignorant. Being asked whether any materiall was deliuered by the Archbishop in collati∣on of each order, and whether he touched the same with his hands; namely, whether in making him Ostiary the Keyes of the Church, and opened the doore, and sounded the Bell; in the Le∣ctorship, the Booke of Lessons, or touched the Psalmist, in exorcistship the booke of exorcisme or Missall; in Acolythship the Candlesticke, with the candle put out and an emptie pot; in Sub∣deaconship, the empty Chalice with an empty patene ouer it, and pots with wine and water, and [ 40] the basen with a towell, and the Booke of the Epistles, and whether the Amice was by the Archbishop put on his head, and the maniple on his left arme, and whether hee was vested with the Tunicle: and in his Deaconship, whether he touched the Booke of the Gospels, and the stole was put on his shoulder, and he vested with the Dalmatike: and in being orderest Priest whether he touched the Chalice with wine and water, and the patene with the ••oste, and whether the Archbishop and Priests imposed hands on his head, and whether the stole was applied to his breast in manner of a crosse, and whether he put on the ca••ule without the planet, and had his hands touched with the Oyle of the Catechumeni: He answered, I certainly know, that I in all the said orders had no materiall or instrument deliuered me by the Archbishop in collation of the Orders, nor did I touch any such, nor was I vested with any vestiment peculiar to any order, nor [ 50] did the Archbishop impose hands on me, nor were my hands annointed with holy Oyle. He said also, our Archbishop in Ethiopia giueth orders to 2000. and more at one time, and to each giues sixe orders together, without examination before, and without enquirie, examination, choise, approbation, writing, or register, and in regard of the multitude, cannot giue to each and euery of them any materiall to be touched: and in the same manner it is obserued in all ordinations by our Archbishops successiuely; although it be otherwise obserued in Egypt, where so great a multi∣tude is not ordered at once together, and some competent matter is deliuered to be touched of the ordained. Be••ng asked whether he knew the said Ioseph and Marke, Bishops aforesaid, to haue beene Schismatickes, and without the communion of the holy Roman Church: he answered, that hee knew not so much. Yea, he rather certainly beleeued at that time, that they were Catholikes, [ 60] as also all the Ethiopians and Cophti, and that they obeyed the Apostolike See in all things, and held communion with the holy Roman Church; and beleeued that all Christians did agree in matters of Faith; but he learned the th••••gs before said, when afterwards hee was at Ierusalem and in Egypt.

Notes

• * 1.1

  L. 7. c. 5. & 7. & 8.
• * 1.2

  Taken out of Thomas a Iesu de Conuers. om. Gent. l. 7. c. 13. Xe••a or Sua.
• * 1.3

  Of God & the Holy Trinity.
• * 1.4

  Abassines are Monothelites.
• * 1.5

  Pictures incen∣sed.
• * 1.6

  Canonicall bookes 81.
• * 1.7

  Gen. Councels
• * 1.8

  This 〈◊〉〈◊〉 cōmeth neerer the Romis•••• Faith in di••ers thing▪ then the 〈…〉〈…〉.
• * 1.9

  Sacraments.
• * 1.10

  Baptisme. Circumcisio••
• * 1.11

  No baptisme with fire.
• * 1.12

  See sup. Alua∣res l. 7. c. 5. §. 14. whom ī rather beleeue; but this man and Zaga Zabo whom Dam. a Goes publi∣shed, and L. Vrreta, daub ouer as well as they can, di∣uers of the E∣thiopian super∣stitions, & yet this is more credible then Vrreta (a very dunghill of lies) and then Zaga Zabo (too thicke strewed therewith) for which cause I haue omitted them: whereas this in most things of mo∣ment saith the truth, but ex∣cuseth as farre as hee may some of their Rites in Bap∣tisme, Circum∣cision, &c. Consecration. Communion in both kinds. Children com∣municated. Purgatory. Locus alleuiatio∣nis. Soule-sleepe.
• * 1.13

  Mortall sinne.
• * 1.14

  Vniuersall grace.
• * 1.15

  Indulgences.
• * 1.16

  Inuocation of Saints.
• * 1.17

  Simony. Difference twixt Abassines and Cophti.
• * 1.18

  Note.
• * 1.19

  Holy, holy, holy.
• * 1.20

  Holy Orders.
• * 1.21

  Iosephus Coph••••••
• * 1.22

  Popish rites of giuing Orders.