Purchas his pilgrimes. part 2 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.

§. III.

Of their Apparell, Customes within doores, Manner of diet, Merchandising, the vse of Dache; Wares carried thither.

ALthough their apparell and manner of dressing is not variable, yet they take a great * 1.1 pride therein; as first, in cutting their haire, euery one of a seueral fashion, and as finely [ 30] as he can deuise it: some with a halfe moone, some crosse wise, others with three or foure hornes vpon their heads, and euery one a seuerall way, so that among fiftie men, you shall scarce find two or three that are cut alike. On their armes they hang Iron rings, three * 1.2 or foure vpon one arme cut, some round, others flat, which are raced, and markt as we make fai∣rings for children. About their neckes they were a string of Beades, of diuers colours, which our Netherlanders bring them; but the Gentlemen weare Rings of gold about their necks, on their feet, they weare many strange wreathes, which they call Fetissos, (which name they deriue from * 1.3 their Idolatry) for when they eate or drinke, then they power meat and drinke vpon them; and first giue them to eate and drinke. At their knees also they weare a string of Uenice beades, with some gold among them, of diuers fashions, much after the manner that our yong maids [ 40] weare their Corall bracelets about their armes. They weare caps made of Barkes of trees, with a long string hanging at them, which they bind about their heads, after the Turkish manner, in stead of a hat-band, painted and dyed of diuers colours. They also make caps of Reeds, they * 1.4 likewise haue hats of Straw, as we haue, and some of greene Rushes, they also make caps of Dogs and Goats skins; which they spread vpon a blocke of wood, all finely made, they weare at least two fathome of Linnen about the middle of their bodies, and betweene their legs, and round a∣bout them like a girdle, and let it hang downe beneath their knees, like the Portugals Breeches; and when they goe out of doores, they take a fathome of Linnen cloth, Sey, or Stuffe, and weare it about their neckes, and crosse vnder their armes like a Cloake, and in their hands they weare an Assagaie or two, and when they goe in this manner in the streets, they haue a Boy or a Slaue [ 50] following them, which carrieth a stoole after them, and where they stay, there their slaues sets downe their stooles for them to sit and prate; they are very proud in their going, for they goe * 1.5 very slowly, and vse a long pace as they goe along through the streets, they looke forward, and neuer cast vp their eyes, vntill some body that is better then themselues, speaketh vnto them, and with them they will stand and talke, and make them an answere; but if they be such as are of meaner qualitie then themselues, to them they will make no answere: but with an angry countenance, and dispitefully, saying, hold your peace, speake not to me, esteeming themselues embased, by speaking to a meaner person then themselues in the streets; for there are very great men among them, very proud in speech, and doe much honour and reuerence to strangers, to the end you should doe the like to them. [ 60]

When they goe to Sea, then they put off their clothes, and taking a little peece of Linnen or cloth, about a handfull broad, tie that about their bodies, and betweene their legs, before their priuy members, and when they goe on land againe, then they put it off, and wash them∣selues

from head to feet, and anoint their bodies with Oyle of Palme, or fat of beasts, to make them shine; and betweene their toes put Soape, to keepe them cleane: they also vse to anoint their bodies to keepe them from the biting of Flies. In the morning, when they goe out and meet with any of their friends or acquaintance, they salute each other very solemnly, bidding * 1.6 them good morrow, embracing each other in their armes, & putting forth the two fore-fingers of their right hands, one to the other, they hold each other fast by them, and kinckling them twice or thrice together, at euery time bowing their heads, they say, Auzy, Auzy, which in their Language is good morrow.

The Portugals in Mina marry Mullato women, halfe white, halfe blacke, because white wo∣men * 1.7 cannot liue there. These weare their haire short, as the men, weare many Corals, and are [ 10] brauely apparelled. But of the Natiue women of these parts. First, I will tell you of their Na∣tures, Complexions, and Conditions: from their youths vpwards, they are giuen to Lust and vncleannesse, for a great while they goe with their priuie members vncouered, as I said before; and as they had no shame at all, so when they begin to weare some thing vpon their bodies, they begin to expresse shamefac'tnesse, but then begin to be Iecherous, which they naturally learne from their youth vpwards: and before the Netherlanders and Portugals dwelt among them, and * 1.8 Traffique in that Countrey, the women were not so proud nor curious, as they are now; but that they haue learned much of vs, by seeing that we rather desire a handsome, then an euill fa∣uoured wench; and for that cause, they giue themselues thereunto, that they might be beloued of vs; for they esteeme it to be good fortune for them to haue carnall copulation with a Nether∣lander, [ 20] and among themselues, brag and boast thereof. In former time, they vse to goe starke naked vntill they were very great, as yet they doe among those that dwell within the land, as the Negros themselues haue told vs; but on the Sea side they are growne more shamefac't, by meanes of such as comes out of Europe to Traffique with them. They are also theeuish, but there∣of they haue not so much need as the men. They are very proud in their gate and apparell, they curle and fold the haire of their heads, making a hill in the middle of their heads like a Hat, such as the Dutch Gentlewomen vse to weare, and round about the same, they make round strikes as bigge as a Dollor, which they dresse and trim so long, till it be as they would haue it; and then they anoint it with Palme Oyle, which makes it very much frizled, They haue long Combes with two teeth onely, each tooth being a finger long, which they thrust into their [ 30] haire, and combe it therewith; for they are troubled with Lice: they vse their combes also for a kind of salutation or reuerence, which they doe vnto men; for when they bid one good mor∣row, and kincke fingers together, they put their combes out of their haire, and put them in a∣gaine, which they vse for a kind of reuerence, in stead of bowing their heads. Vpon their fore∣heads they cut three or foure slashes in the flesh, about the length of the ioint of a mans finger, and also on their cheekes not farre from their eares, which they suffer to swell, and rise vp, about the breadth of a knife, which they couer ouer with painting, and vnder their eye browes, they * 1.9 also make white strikes, and on their faces they set white spots, which a farre off shew like Pearles. They also race their armes and their breasts with diuers kinds of cuts, euery morning putting diuers colours vpon them, whereby they shew like blacke silke doublets cut and pinckt, [ 40] * 1.10 or like a womans Sattin stomacher, they weare eare rings of Copper or Tin, and Copper brace∣lets about their armes, and some of Iuorie, and vpon their legs also they weare many red and yellow Copper Rings. But a yong maid that is vnmarried, weareth many Iron Rings about her armes, sometimes thirty or forty vpon one arme: a Whore (by them called Etigafou) often∣times weare Copper Rings vpon her legs, with Bels hanging at them, which she goes ringing through the streets. They are well proportioned and membred, much surpassing our women, in strength and agility of body, both when they are deliuered of their children, and otherwise, as I haue said before. They are very wise and diligent in house keeping, good House-wiues and Cookes, but not very skilfull to make cleane & scoure their Copper Kettles & Dishes, to make them shine. They keepe no more Houshold-stuffe then they haue need of, you find the women [ 50] more at home in their houses, then the men commonly are; for they vse not to goe abroad to prate with their neighbours, they are not ouer fruitfull: for commonly it is two orthree yeers before they are with child, which I thinke proceeds from their hot natures, and the aire of the Countrey, and secondly, because their husbands haue so many wiues, two, three, foure, fiue, and sixe, and some more, e〈…〉〈…〉h one as he hath power and abilitie to keepe them; and with them, he * 1.11 lieth according to their manner, euery one her turne, and vseth no•• one onely, but hath so much to doe with them all, that it is long before some of them are gotten with child. Their men are diligenter therein then we are, & the first thing they will tell you, is of their wifes and children, for he that among them hath many wiues and children, hee is a rich man. The women teach [ 60] their daughters from their youths vpwards, to bake bread, and to grind Millia, with other Housewiuery; whereby it commeth to passe, that they haue good skill in house-keeping, because they are brought vp therein from their youths. They are alwaies rubbing their teeth with a certaine kind of wood, where with they make them so smooth that they shine, as is before said, as white as Iuory: and in truth those white teeth make a faire shew in their blacke faces. They

weare a fadome and some a fadome and a halfe of linnen cloth about their bodies, which han∣geth from beneath their brests or their nauels down to their knees, then they take a piece of red, * 1.12 blue, or yellow cloth, whereof they make a Girdle, and put it about them, and on it they hang their Kniues, Purses with monie, and some Keies, and although they haue but few Chests or Cubboords, yet they hang Keies at their Girdles, because it makes a faire shew. They also hang diuers Wispes of straw about their Girdles, which they tie full of Beanes, and other Uenice Beades, esteeming them to be their Fetissos, or Saints, some of them take a piece of cloth, others a Mat made of barkes of Trees, others a piece of a Carpet, and weare it about their bodies, and so euery one weares something, and this they doe within the house, but when they goe to Mar∣ket to buy something, then they put off those things, and goe and wash themselues in a Kettle [ 10] of water from the head to the feet, and then they take another piece of Linnen to put about their bodies and another Girdle, and another fathome or two of Linnen Cloth, and hang it about their bodie, from their brests downe to their feet like a Gowne, and vpon it weares ano∣ther thing of Sey or of striped linnen, and that she carries vpon her shoulders, and vnder her arme like a Cloake, and carries a woodden Platter in her hand which she beares vp a high, and so goes to Market, and when she comes home againe from the Market or other places where she hath beene, she puts off those cloathes, and put on worse, for they are more sparing then the men, and therefore they carrie the Purse, and when their Husbands will haue any monie, they must come to them for it.

The women haue the gouernment of their Houses, and the men take care as much as lyes in * 1.13 them, to earne something, but the women prouide the meate to serue for their daily food, al∣though [ 20] they eate a part, they buy no more meate euery day, then serueth them for that day, or they can eate at a meale. In the euening they goe to their houses that stand without the Towne, * 1.14 and are full of Millia (which is their kind of Corne) where they take a certaine quantitie, as much as they need for their House, and with a staffe stampe it, as wee vse to stampe Spice in a Grocers shop, and that is their manner of threshing, then they fanne it in a woodden dish, till it be cleane, but such as haue slaues make them doe it. This Millia is a faire white Seed, when it is broken, as hereafter I will shew, ouer night they steepe this Millia with a little Mais in faire water, and in the morning after they haue washt, and made themselues readie, they take the Millia and lay it vpon a stone, as Painters doe when they grind their colours, then they take an∣other stone about a foot long, and with their hands grind the Millia as small as they can, till in a manner it be dough, and then it sheweth like baked Buckway Cakes, they temper their dough [ 30] with fresh water and Salt, and then make Rowles thereof as bigge as two fists, and that they lay vpon a warme harth, whereon it baketh a little, and this is the bread which they vse. The Negroes of the Castle Damina, bake faire bread of Mais, which is almost like our wheaten bread, * 1.15 and that they cut in Rowles: they can also bake it so hard, that it will keepe two or three monethes sweet and hard, for they furnish their ships and Iacts with such bread, when they send them to the Ilands of Saint Thomas, or to Angola, others that haue not the meanes to haue such bread, they goe to Market to buy it, and call it Kangues, when the Fisher-men come out of the Sea with their fish, then the women carrie it to the Market, where euerie one comes to buy that and flesh, fruite, and other things. They vse altogether raw and strange kind of meates, [ 40] as handfuls of Graine or Manigette, (and will drinke vp whole Romers full of Aquauite at a * 1.16 draught) Dogs, Cats, and filthy stinking Elephants, and Buffolds flesh, wherein there is a thou∣sand Maggets, and many times stinkes like carrion, in such sort that you cannot indure the smel thereof; there are likewise little Birds as bigge as a Bul-finch, of a grey colour, with red bills, which very cunningly make their Nests vpon the smallest ends of the branches of trees, thereby to preserue themselues from Snakes or other venomous beasts. Those they eate aliue, feathers and all.

I haue beene told by some of the Moores, that the Countrie people dwelling within the Land, eate dried Snakes, and the Boores or Slaues, as also the common people which dwell vp∣on the Sea-side, although they haue better prouision of meate then those that dwell further in∣to [ 50] the Land, yet they are of so hot a nature, that they eat raw Dogs guts, and neuer seethe nor roast them, which we our selues saw: And there was one of their Boyes left aboord a Nether∣landers ship for a pawne for debt, which Boy was so greedie to eate raw meate, that although he had sufficient meate with them in the ship, yet hee would eate the Hens meate out of their Troughes. This Boy made a sticke, and at the end thereof hee draue a naile with the point vp∣wards, * 1.17 and went and lay by the Hens Cage, and when any of them put out their heads to eate meate, he strooke them in the heads, and killed them, and then hee went and shewed the Sai∣lers, that some of the Hens were dead, which he did to the end he might eate their raw guts, and would not stay so long vntill the guts were made cleane, but tooke them and eate them raw as [ 60] they came out of the Hens bellies. They eate also great store of old stinking fish, which is dried in the Sunne, but to say, that they eate such kind of raw meates for necessitie and no other, were vntruth; for they also are very daintie, and can eate good meate when they haue it. There are

women that dwell in the Castle among the Portugals that can dresse meate well, they eate also many Hens, Goats, Oxen, and Hartes, but such meate is not eaten by the common people, but those that eate them are Gentlemen, or such as are rich, and are able to buy them; they also eate Iugnamis, Bannanas, and Patates. They haue three kind of trees, as the Palme-trees, whereof * 1.18 some are Females which yeeld no wine, but beare Grapes as bigge as Plummes, of an Orange colour, at the one end being some-what blackish: those Grapes they peele to the stones, and * 1.19 thereof they make Oile, which they call Palme Oile, which is verie delicate and good, which they vse to dresse their meate withall, and make good sawce thereof for their fish, the thickest of this Oile they vse to anoint their bodies withall, to make them cleane, and the women vse it to frizell their haire, the veines are as great as Acornes, and as hard as a stone, at the end thereof [ 10] hauing three round holes, they beate them in pieces, and within them find certaine Nuts, like little earthen pellets, much like hazell-nuts, but when you eate them, they taste of the wood, and are verie drie.

They likewise haue many Beanes and Pease, whereof some are like Turkie Beanes of a purple colour, those Beanes are good and fat, which they dresse with Oile of Palme, and it is a very ex∣cellent meate and nourisheth well, but the other kind of Beanes and Pease, they vse not to eate, for they haue no great quantitie of them, growing thereabouts. The Iugnamis also they vse in many places in stead of bread. Their drinke commonly is nothing but water, but yet in some places they brew a little Mais in water, which beeing sodden together, is almost like a kind of beere, which they also vse much to drinke and call it Poitou, others buy a pot of Palme-wine, [ 20] and because that will not continue long, therefore foure or fiue of them goe together, and buy a * 1.20 pot or two: a pot of theirs is ten pots of ours, and that they pay for together, which they powre into a great Cabas, which growes vpon Trees, whereof some are halfe as big as a Kilderkin, and will hold at least twelue Kans, and then sit downe round about it to drinke, whereof euerie man sendeth his louingest and truest wife a little pot full home to drinke, and the first draught that they drinke, they take it out of the Cabas with a smaller Cabas, and when the first man drinkes, the rest stand vp, and taking his Cap or Hat off, lay their hands vpon his head, and with a loud voice cries, Tautosi, Tautosi; at the first draught, they drinke not the Cabas full out, but leaue a little in it, which they throw vpon the ground, saying, I. OV, as giuing their Fetissos that to drinke, and if they haue other Fetissos on their armes or feete, they spit drinke out of their [ 30] * 1.21 mouthes vpon them, as if they gaue them drinke also; for they are of opinion, that if they doe it not, or forget to doe it, they should not drinke their wine quietly together, but that their Fe∣tissos would let them. Naturally they are great Drinkers, and vse no lesse vnseemelinesse in their feeding, but eate as vnmannerly and greedily, as if they were a companie of Hogs: for sitting down vpon the ground to eate, they stay not till they haue eaten one morsell vp, but still cramme * 1.22 in, and they put not their meate into their mouthes, but pull their meate in pieces, and take it vp with their three middlemost fingers, and gaping, cast it so right into their mouthes, that they neuer faile nor cast it beside their mouthes, whereat we wondred much. They are alwayes hun∣grie, and would willingly eate all day long, which shewes that they haue very hot mawes, and although the Countrey is very hot, whereby the heate of the Aire commonly should fill mens [ 40] stomakes, yet they are hungrie, and wee Netherlanders are not weake stomaked there, but al∣waies haue good appetites, whereby I am of opinion, that heate in those Countries makes men hungrie: but because I am no Doctor of Physicke, I will not intreate thereof. And because they make great account of that drinking together, they are verie earnest and industrious to get some∣thing, and to make prouision of Gold, which hauing gotten, they cannot be frugall or sparing, * 1.23 but presently goe and drinke it with their companions, now one, and then another, euerie one his turne, and if one gets more then his fellowes, then hee must be liberaller then his fellowes, that is, when they begin to deale with the Merchants, and to goe aboord the ships, and he that is poore or hath not much, can hardly beare companie to drinke, because they are not sparing, when they haue gotten any thing.

As I haue vnderstood by the Inhabitants of those Countries, before the Portugals came thi∣ther [ 50] to deale with them, they had very little or no kind of Merchandize to traffique withall, or * 1.24 to liue by, but liue vpon that which they got from others by force, which was not much, speci∣ally to get any thing to apparell themselues; for before that time they went all naked, as I said before, much lesse had they any cattle or victuals for their maintenance, but only such as the Portugals brought thither, and by that meanes the Countrie was filled and replenished with di∣uers kinds of beasts and Corne, whereby at this day, there is almost all kind of things that are * 1.25 necessarie and needfull for mans sustenance, and otherwise to bee had in those Countries. And within a while after, the Portugals began to traffique and deale with the Sauage Inhabitants, they likewise began to know their Merchandize. [ 60]

At the first, in former time they came and brought their Gold vnto the Portugals, and bought of them such things as they wanted, as Linnen Cloth, &c. but the people dwelling further within Land, durst not venture to come to the Portugals to deale with them, as wondring at * 1.26

them, it being a fearefull thing vnto them to see white men apparelled, and they themselues blacke and vnapparelled, (as the like happened vnto our men; for at the first they were afraid to see Blacke Moores) and therefore they brought their monie to those that dwelt on the Sea side, where the Portugals traffique, and told them what wares they would haue, and they went to the Castle, and bought such things as they desired, as Iron, Tinne, Copper Basons, Kniues, Cloth, Linnen, Kettles, Corals; and such like wares, and the Merchants that sent them to the Portugals, paid them for their paines, vpon euery Peso of Gold by them disbursed, so that if they bestowed many Pesoes, they receiued a good deale of monie for their Factoridge, and by that meanes they got their liuings.

But after that, when we began to traffique thither, (the first that went from hence thither * 1.27 [ 10] out of Holland, to deale with the Negroes, beeing called Barent Erickson of Medenblicke) and found what profit the Portugals did there, we increased our Trade thither, and sent more ships with the said Baront, as a fit man for it, because he knew the Coast; as hauing beene there with the Portugals. But hauing no place vpon the Land (as the Portugals had) to carrie our wares a∣shoare, and to lay it in Ware-houses to traffique with them as time serued, and durst not, or else might not goe on Land, we were constrained to stay with our shippes at anchor before their Townes, attending for the Merchants, that came aboord our ships with their Canoes, at which time the Negroes seeing that wee had Merchandize aboord, imboldened themselues to traffique with vs, and brought their Gold aboord our ships, and for that at this present they deale but little with the Portugals, but only with our Countrimen, therefore I will shew in what man∣ner [ 20] they deale with vs.

In the morning betimes, they come aboord our ships with their Canoes, or Scutes to traffique with vs: and the cause why their Merchants came so early aboord, is, for that in the morning the wind, which they call Bofone, blowes off from the Land, and then it is calme smooth water, for * 1.28 about noone the wind which they call Agom Brettou, begins to blow out of the Sea, and then they row to Land againe: for the people that dwell within the Land, can hardly brooke the Seas, for when they are aboord the ship, they can scarce goe or stand, but lie downe and spue like Dogges, and are verie Sea-sicke; but their Rowers and Pilots that bring them aboord, are hardie enough, and neuer are sicke, by reason of their daily vsing to the Seas. But some of their Merchants when they come aboord our ships, are so sicke, that they cast out all they haue within [ 30] their bodies; and by reason of their beeing so sicke infaire weather, they are so afraid of the wind (when the waues goe any thing high) that they make as much haste home as they can, and some of them dare not venture vpon the Seas to goe aboord the ships, but deliuer their monie to the Pilots or Factors, telling them what Merchandize they desire to buy, and those Tolken come with the Gold aboord the ships, hauing a Purse which hangeth about their middles, wherein they put their Gold, and euery seuerall mans Gold is in a piece of Cloth or Paper by it selfe, and they can tell which is euerie mans, and what wares hee desireth to haue for it, and some∣times they haue twelue or ten mens Gold to bestow, which is called an English of Gold, and of some two, three, or foure, and when any of their monies is not waight, then they put it into their Purse, and carrie it to the man againe, for if they should put any thing to it, to make it full [ 40] waight, the Merchant would not giue it them againe, for they weigh their Gold first vpon the Land, and know how much it is before they send it aboord the ship, for they credit not one the other, and when they haue bestowed their monie, then we must giue them some-what to boot, which they call Dache. * 1.29

When we began to traffique here in the Countrie with two or three ships, as one of Middle∣burgh, * 1.30 one of Amsterdam, and one of Schiedam, and that all our ships met and lay at anchor together to sell our wares, the one ship seeing that the other traffiqued more, and vented more wares then his fellowes, to find the meanes to get the Merchants aboord their ships, they wil∣led the Pilots (with whom they must hold friendship, for they carrie the Merchants aboord) to bring them aboord their ships, and they would giue them something for their labours, and the Pilots accordingly to get something, brought them aboord that ship, which had made them that [ 50] offer, for they are verie couetous, which the other ships perceiuing, willed the Pilots to bring the Merchants aboord their shippes, and they would likewise giue them something: and they made them answere, that if they would giue them as much as the other did, they would come aboord their ships, which they promised to doe, and gaue them more Dache then the other, and by that meanes driue the Merchants, Pilots, and Tolken aboord their ships, which the other ships seeing, and thinking that their Merchants wares cost them no more then the others, gaue them more Dache then the others, and by that meanes striuing one with the other, they deminished one and the others gaine, and in fine, their gifts grew to such a rate, that at this day, their Da∣che amounteth vnto sixe or seuen per cento.

And now it is come to passe, that whereas the Countrie people and Merchants were wont [ 60] to pay the litridge and brokeridge to the Pilots and Tolken, to carrie them aboord the ships, they sought to the Merchants and Countrie Moores to get them into their Canoes, for greedinesse of Dache, which they got of the Factors for their labours, to bring the Merchants aboord, and

thereby in stead of paying them for going aboard, they giue the Merchants much Dache, in re∣gard of the great profit they get thereby.

Many Merchants comming to the Sea side to buy wares, some of them a hundred or two hun∣dred miles from within the land, bring great store of gold, & haue diuers slaues with them, which they lade with the wares which they buy in the ships, wherof some haue twenty, others thirtie, and some more, as they haue meanes, and according to the trade that they vse: which Merchants or Moorish countrey people, know the houses or lodgings, where they vse to lie, and waigh their money to their Tolke or Hoste, and tell them what goods or wares they will haue; who com∣ming aboard, commonly bring one of the Merchants with them, for they trust not one the o∣ther, and leaue the rest with their slaues vpon the land, which tell them what wares they de∣sire [ 10] to haue; and if it be a Merchant that can speake no Portugall speech, they will presently tell you, and will the Factor not to speake Morish speech vnto them, because their Merchant is one that dwels farre within the land; thereby giuing you to vnderstand, that they meane to de∣ceiue him, and to beguile him of much money. The poore Merchant being sicke, and lying in * 1.31 the ship spuing like a dogge, in the meane time the Brokers make the match for them, telling the Factors how much ware they desire to haue for so much gold; for that the wares are com∣monly sold all at one price: The Tolken makes not many words with the Factors, but set certaine wares before the Merchant, as little as they can to content him for his money, and the price be∣ing made with him, he weighes their gold, and takes the wares, and goes on land againe; and the Merchant being gone home, then the Pilots and Tolken come aboard the ships againe, to [ 20] fetch that which they haue coozoned the Merchant off: so that oftentimes the Merchants are deceiued of a third part of their goods by such practises: others, while he lookes about, or turnes to spue, steale a peece of the Merchants gold, and put it into their Mouthes, Eares, or Nostrels, making the Merchant beleeue that his money is too light: the Merchant for his part, seeing that * 1.32 by meanes of their the euery his money will not reach out; because it is too light, that it may weigh more then it is, blowes in the Ballance, which the Factors oftentimes perceiuing not, and thinking that they haue their full waight, are by that meanes deceiued, and come short of their reckoning; so that they haue a thousand deuices to steale, and to beguile the Merchants. At first they were woont to be very simple in their dealing, and trusted the Netherlanders very much, whereat we wondred: for they were of opinion, that white men were Gods, and [ 30] * 1.33 would not deceiue them, and then tooke the wares vpon their words, without reckoning it after them, whereby they were deceiued: for, that if they bought ten fathome of Linnen cloth, they found but eight, and by that meanes, lost two fathome, and other things after the rate, which the Factors did so grossely, that the Merchants in the end perceiued it, and began to looke better to themselues, and grew so subtill in their reckoning, that if they bought one hundred fathome of Linnen, they could reckon it to a fathome, and tell whether they had their measure or not; so that now if you doe them any wrong, by measuring or reckoning, they will not come aboard your ship any more; and which is more, for any bad looke, or hastie word that you shall giue them, they will neuer be friends with you againe.

Troubles and warres in the Netherlands, constrained vs to seek Traffique here also, and to vn∣dertake this voyage, by that meanes to put the Portugalls from it, which in the end we did, for [ 40] * 1.34 that since the Netherlanders came hither to Traffick with the Negroes, Moores, the Portugalls haue best trading, and are wholly decayed. First, we bring them great store of slight Linnen cloth, whereof there is very much spent in those Countries, for they apparell themselues therewith, and it is the chiefest thing they vse for that purpose: besides this, we carry them great store of Basons, as little Basons, Barbers Basons, Basons to drinke in, Platters of Copper, flat Basons, great broad Copper pans, at the least two fathome about, and small Posnets without edges: The small Basons they vse to put Oile in, wherwith they anoint themselues, and the greater sort of them they set in the graues of the dead, & vse them to carry diuers things in. The Barbers Basons they vse to wash themselues in, & when they cut their haire, platters they vse to lay ouer others to couer them withall, to keepe dust and filth from falling into their things. The great broad [ 50] Pans, are by them vsed to kill a Goat or a Hogge in, and to make it cleane therein, in stead of a Tub. The Possenets they vse to dresse their meat in, which serueth them to very good purpose, they will not haue them with steales, as we vse them here with vs, and many other such like Basons of Copper, which our ships bring thither in great quantities, and therewith fill the Coun∣trie so full; and by meanes thereof, they are sold as good cheape there vnto the Negros, as they are bought in Amsterdam and although there are so many of those Basons brought thither, and no ware that weareth so much, as Linnen, yet you see but few old Copper things there, and therefore you must thinke, that there is great store of people inhabiting further within the land, which vse so great quantitie of such things. [ 60]

We carrie thither great store of Kettles, which they vse to fetch water in, out of their pits and Valleyes, and some red Copper pots Tinned within, wherein they vse to put water, in stead of a barrell of beare to drinke, earthen pots they vse also to drinke out of. Iron is vsed by them to make their weapons, as Assagaie, cutting Kniues, Poniards, &c. The Assagaies & Poniards

they vse for the warres. The cutting Kniues, to Till and cut vp the ground, in stead of Spades, and some to cut wood withall, and to vse about their Building, for they haue no other Tooles: They also buy great store of Red, Blew, Yellow, and Greene Rupinsh cloth, which they vse for Girdles about their middles, to hang their Kniues, Purses, Poniards, and such like things at. They vse white Spanish Serges to weare vpon their bodies, instead of Clokes, Rings of Copper and Brasse, which they weare about their armes and feet for a great pride. They also vse Tin things, as Rings for their armes, but not many. They vse many Kniues which wee make with vs in Holland, and call them Docke Messen. They also vse great store of Uenice Beads, of all kinds of colours, but they desire some colours more then others, which they breake in foure or fiue peeces, and then grind them vpon a stone, as our children grind Cherrie stones; and then [ 10] put them vpon strings, made of Barke of trees, ten or twelue together, and therewith Traffique much: Those ground Corals they weare about their neckes, hands and feet. They also vse round Beads, and specially great round Counters, which they hang and plait among their haire, and let them hang ouer their eares. Pins they vse to make Fish-hookes, Horse tailes they vse when they daunce, & also when they sit still, to keep the flies from their bodies; Looking glas∣ses, and small Copper milke Kans, with many such like things. But the chiefest wares that are vttered there, and most vsed among them, is, Linnen, Cloth, Brasse, and Copper things, Basons, Kettles, Kniues, and Corals.

At first we vsed many times to deceiue them, not onely in measuring of Linnen, but in deli∣uering [ 20] * 1.35 them broken and patcht Basons, and peeced Kettles for their money; rotten Cloth, through the which they might haue sifted Beanes; Kniues that were so rustie, that they could hardly without breaking pull them out of their sheathes, with such like wares. But now by vse and experience, they haue attained to such skill in our wares, that they are almost able to surpasse vs therein. For, first, when they buy any Linnen cloth, they looke if it be not to slight and thin, and whether it be white and broad; for they are very curious to buy white and broad Linnen, and respect not the strength so much as the breadth of the Linnen: for they vse to hang it about their bodies, specially the women, which desire to haue it hang downe from vnderneath their breasts, to their knees. Secondly, they take Woollen cloth, and hold it vp a∣gainst the light, to see if it be thin. They draw the Kniues ont of the sheathes, to see if they [ 30] be not rustie. They looke vpon the Basons one by one, to see if they haue no holes in them: or whether they be broken, and the least hole that they spie in them, they lay them away, and desire to haue others for them; and also if they be but a little foule or greasie, they will none of them: And for quantitie and qualitie make triall of all other wares, as curiously as in Eu∣rope is done.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Cutting their haire.
• * 1.2

  Rings.
• * 1.3

  Fetisso••
• * 1.4

  Caps.
• * 1.5

  Pride.
• * 1.6

  Salutations.
• * 1.7

  Their lust.
• * 1.8

  Thrugh you is my name blas∣phemed a∣mongst the Gentiles. Rom. 2. 2. Let Chri∣stians read this wi••h shame, especially tra∣uel••ers. Let not Heathens be made worse by Christians which, alas is now common in a••l remote parts. And th••s is one chiefe cause of the death of so many there. Combes for courtesie.
• * 1.9

  Racing.
• * 1.10

  Rings.
• * 1.11

  Signe of riches
• * 1.12

  Apparell and ornaments.
• * 1.13

  Their house∣wiferie.
• * 1.14

  Making of bread.
• * 1.15

  Raw food.
• * 1.16

  Filthy food.
• * 1.17

  A greedie Boy.
• * 1.18

  Their Trees.
• * 1.19

  Palme-oile.
• * 1.20

  Drinking.
• * 1.21

  Vnciuill fee∣ding.
• * 1.22

  Strange hun∣ger in so hot a Climate.
• * 1.23

  Good fellow∣ship, or prodi∣galitie.
• * 1.24

  Their trading.
• * 1.25

  First simplicity
• * 1.26

  First trading.
• * 1.27

  First Dutch Trade.
• * 1.28

  Wind in the morning from land & calme.
• * 1.29

  Dache.
• * 1.30

  Vndermining and defrauding Merchants.
• * 1.31

  Aske my fel∣low if I be a Thiefe.
• * 1.32

  Coozening Knaues.
• * 1.33

  White Deuils can hardly make blacke Saints.
• * 1.34

  Wares for these parts of Guinea, and for what vse.
• * 1.35

  Their know∣ledge in our warres, and tri∣all thereof.