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.

§. VI.

Departure from Saint Michael, to a place called Bacinete: Their visiting TIGREMAHON. Of diuers Monasteries, and other places in the way which they passed.

42. WE departed from the Church of Saint Michael, with the people of the Coun∣trey, * 1.1 which carried our stuffe, and came to our lodging in a Towne, called An∣geba, in a Bctenegus, which is an house of the King, wherein before in other * 1.2 [ 10] places we had oftentimes beene lodged, which no body else may vse, but such Noblemen as represent the Kings person, and they vse such reuerence to these houses, that the gates thereof stand alwaies open, and no man dare presume to enter, or to touch them, saue one∣ly when the Gouernour is within, and when he is gone out, they leaue the gates open, and the beds whereon they sleepe, and their prouision to make their fire, and their Kitchin. Departing from this place, we trauailed about fifteene miles, and lodged vpon an high Mountaine, which standeth neere vnto a great Riuer, called Bacinete, and so likewise is the Towne and Territorie called, whereof the Grand-mother of Prete Ianni was then Gouernesse; and at the time when we were there, it was taken from her, because she had done wrong vnto the Inhabitants, and Prete Ianni beareth as great affection and respect vnto his Subiects, as to his Kinsfolkes, and this [ 20] Countrey is subiect to the Kingdome of Tigremahon, and in euery part is very well peopled, and manured in all parts: but especially it is full of fruitfull Mountaines, and Riuers which runne continually towards Nilus. All their habitations are seated and built vpon high places, and out of the way, and this they doe, because of the Trauailers, which take away such things as * 1.3 they haue perforce. They which carried our goods for feare of wilde beasts, made a hedge with Fagots of Thornes very strong, and lay within the same, and we with our Mules, and that night we had no harme.

We departed from Bacinete, and trauailed sixe miles vnto our lodging, vnto a place called Malue, which is compassed with many goodly manured fields, full of Wheate, Barley, and [ 30] Millet, and Pulse of all sorts, the like whereof, so faire and so thicke, we had not seene in any place together. Neere vnto this Towne, is an exceeding high Mountaine, but at the foote not * 1.4 very great, for it is as great in a manner at the top as beneath, because it is as steepe as a Wall or fortresse right vp, all bare without Grasse, or any greene thing; and it is diuided into two parts, to wit, the two outward sides are sharpe, and the midst is plaine, and on one of those sharpe tops, trauailing vp into the same, aboue two miles, there is a Monasterie of Friers of our Ladie, called Abba Mata, and they are men of an holy life. The order of Friers heere, is all one, because through the Realme of Prete Ianni they are all of one order; namely, of the or∣der * 1.5 of Saint Anthonie the Hermite, and out of this order is sprung another, which is called Estefarruz, which is taken rather to be an Hebrew, then a Christian order: and they say, that oftentimes they burne some of them, because there are many heresies among them; namely, [ 40] because they will not worship the Crosses which they themselues make, because all the Priests and Friers carry Crosses in their hands, and the Laity at their neckes: and the cause why they * 1.6 will not worship them, is, because they say, That Crosse is onely to be worshipped, whereon Christ dyed for vs, but that those which they and other men make, are not to be worshipped, because they are the workes of mens hands: and for other like heresies, which they say, hold, and maintaine, they are greatly persecuted. The place where this Abba Mata is, seemeth to be three miles distant from Malue, I would haue gone thither, but I was wished not to goe; for though it be but a daies iourney thither, yet I should be driuen to spend foure daies in the same, and to climbe vp thither vpon my hands and my feete, for otherwise a man cannot come thither. [ 50]

In the midst of this Mountaine, which is as flat as a Table, standeth another Church of our Lady, wherein very great deuotion is vsed; and on another sharpe Mountaine, is another little Church, called Saint Crosses. And beyond these, foure miles and an halfe, there is another Moun∣taine, like vnto that of Abba Mata, and there is another Monasterie, called Saint Iohn. The young Women are much out of order, and if they be twentie, or fiue and twentie yeares of age, they haue their breasts so long, that they reach downe vnto their waste, and this they take for * 1.7 a goodly thing, and they goe naked, and from the girdle vpwards they weare Cordans of Beads for a brauery. Others more in yeares, weare Sheepe-skinnes tyed about their neckes, which couer but one side of their bodies: and because this is the custome of their Countrey, a man is no more ashamed to shew his secrets, then if yee saw his hands and his feete; and this is vsed a∣mong [ 60] * 1.8 the baser sort, for the Gentlewomen are all couered.

Tigremahon, was about two miles distant from this place in a Betenegus, or house of the King. The same day that we came thither, Tigremahon sent for the Embassadour, which went thither with his Company, but when we were come vnto his Palace, it was told vs that he was gone

to the Church with his Wife to receiue the Communion, and this was about halfe an houre past two and twentie * 1.9 of the clocke; for about that time they say Masse in this Countrey, except it be Saturday or Sunday. And we went to meet him as he came from Church with his Wife, who rode vpon two Mules richly furnished, as is requisite for persons of great Estate, and such as are accompanied with men of great Nobilitie.

This Tigremahon is an old man, of a goodly pretence, and his Wife was wholly couered with Blue Cotten-cloath, and that in such sort, that we could see neither her face, nor any other part of her body. When we came neere vnto him, he prayed me to giue him a Crosse which I had in my hand, which he kissed, and gaue vnto his Wife to kisse, and she not vncouering her face, kis∣sed it vpon her veile, and he made vs good cheare, and vsed vs with great courtesie. This man hath a great Court of men and women alwaies with him, and greater furniture then Barnagas∣so [ 10] had.

In this Kingdome Prete Ianni placeth and displaceth, when it seemeth good vnto him, and when he pleaseth, with cause or without cause the Kings, and those which are vnder the Kings, * 1.10 and therefore when they are depriued of their gouernment, they make no shew of melaneholy or sadnesse, and if they take it euill, they keepe it secret. While I was in these parts, I saw great Lords depriued of their States, and they which were placed in their roomes, oftentimes talking and conferring with them as good friends, but God knowes the heart. In this Country, whatsoeuer thing happen vnto them, whether prosperitie or aduersitie, they say, That God sends it. These Lords which are as Kings, pay tribute vnto Prete Ianni, which tribute is in Horses, in Gold, in Silke, in Imbroidered Cloath, and in Cotton-cloath, according to the abili∣tie [ 20] of the Countries. And these Countries are so greatly inhabited and peopled, that their re∣uenues must needs be great, and when the Noblemen liue in the Townes, they liue at the com∣mon charges of the poore people.

After the deliuerie of Presents, Tigremahon suddenly tooke order for the carriage of our goods before denyed, and that through all his Dominions they should furnish vs of Bread, Wine, and Flesh, on free cost. Hauing receiued this newes vpon the ninth of August, we departed, and came to our lodging in certaine small Villages, enclosed as the former, for feare of Tygers. And that night which we lodged there, being about two of the clocke in the night, two men went out of the Towne to goe to a certaine stall of Kine, and on the way they were assaulted by Ty∣gers, * 1.11 [ 30] and one of them was wounded on the leg. It pleased God that we heard them cry, and ran out to succour them, for otherwise they would haue slaine them. In this Country are diuers Vil∣lages, inhabited by Moores, diuided from those of the Christians, who (as they say) pay great * 1.12 tribute of Cloath, of Silke, and of Gold, to the Lords of the Countrey, but they are not put to other troubles which the Christians are put too; and these Moores haue no Church at all, for they will not suffer them to vse any. All these Countries ar fertill, as well in Pasture, as in Wheate, and other Corne.

Neere vnto our lodging was a Church of Saint George, very well gouerned, after the manner * 1.13 of our Churches, it was vaulted, and well painted with their pictures; to wit, with the Apo∣stles, Patriarks, Noah, and Elias, wherein serue ten Priests, and ten Friers. And till wee came hither, we saw no Church gouerned by Priests, without hauing Friers with them, but where [ 40] the Friers be the chiefe, there are no Priests. Three miles distant, is the Monasterie of the Holy * 1.14 Ghost, where the Friers were grieued, because it was Saturday, whereon they might not ga∣ther fruits to giue vnto vs as they desired, and prayed vs to excuse them, and said; They would giue vs such things as they had in the Couert, and so going into the house, they gaue vs dryed Garlick & Limons, and at last prepared for vs in the Refectorie, Cabbages cut in manner of a Sa∣let, and mingled with Garlick. Behind the Towne where we lodged, for the space of six miles, is a Towne called, Agro, wherein Tigremahon hath a Palace, where we were oftentimes lodged, * 1.15 and here is a Church of our Ladie digged out of a Rock by force of mans hand, very well made, with three Iles or Allies, and with pillers hewed out of the said Rocke, and the great Chapell, [ 50] the Vestry, and the Altar, are all likewise of the same Rocke, and the principall Porch, with the Pillers thereof, as though it were made of sundry pieces, it cannot be fairer then it is. In the sides it hath no gate, for on each side is the mightie and terrible Rocke, and it is very plea∣sant to heare them sing Diuine Seruice, for the voyces of them which sing, make a wonderfull resounding.

45. On the thirteenth of August, we departed from this place, where wee rested all Satur∣day * 1.16 and Sunday, and came to a place, called Angugui, where there is a Church like a Bishoppes See, very great and faire with Allies, and with Pillars of stone very faire and well wrought, and it is called Chercos, that is to say, Saint Quirico. The place is very faire vpon a very goodly Ri∣uer: the Inhabitants haue a priuiledge, that none may enter the Towne on horse-backe, but [ 60] onely on Mules.

Bellette, where stands a Betenegus, a very good Lodging. The situation of the place is very pleasant, and hath abundance of good waters, and wee were lodged in the said Palace. During our abode here, there came vnto vs a great Lord, named Robel, beeing Gouernour of a Prouince,

named Balgada, wherof taking his name, he is called Balgada Robel. This Nobleman had with him * 1.17 a great train all on horse-back, and many other Horses and Mules led by hand, which they vse to do for authority and reputation, and there were many Drums in his company: it is said that he is subiect to Tigremahon. And comming to the Palace where our Ambassador was, he sent to request him to come out and speake with him, because he might not enter into the house in Tigremahons absence. The Ambassador hearing this request, sent him word backe againe, that he had trauelled aboue fifteene miles, and that if he would see him or speake with him, he should come into the house, for he would not come forth. Then this Nobleman sent him an Oxe, a Sheepe, a Vessell of Honey as white as Snow, and hard as a stone, and a Horne full of very good Wine. And sent him word, that he would come and see him although the penalties were very dangerous, and * 1.18 [ 10] that he hoped that he should be pardoned of the penaltie, because Christians were lodged in that Betenegus.

As he was come neere vnto the Palace, there fell such store of raine, that hee was constrained to enter into it, and there he talked with the Ambassadour and vs, enquiring of the state of our Voyage, and of our Countries, which till that time he had neuer knowne nor heard off, and then discoursed of the Warres which he made against the Moores, which ioyne vpon his Countries toward the Sea-coast, saying, that he neuer ceased to warre with them, and he gaue a very good Mule for a Rapier to one of our company. The Ambassadour seeing his courtesie, gaue him an Helmet.

And they say, that his gouernment is very great, and that he hath the best commoditie in all Aethiopia, to wit, Salt, which goes currant in stead of mony, as well in the Kingdomes of Prete * 1.19 [ 20] Ianni, as in the Dominions of the Moores and Gentiles, and they say, that it passeth from thence as farre as Congo, vpon the West Sea. And this Salt they digge out of Mountaines, as it is reported, as it were out of Quarries; the length of euery stone is a handfull and an halfe, the breadth foure fingers, the thicknesse three, and so they carie them in little Carts, and vpon beasts backes, like short cliffes of Wood. In the place where they digge this Salt, one hundred or one hundred and twentie of these stones are worth a dramme of Gold, which dram (in my iudge∣ment) is worth three hundred Reais, which are three quarters of a Ducate in Gold. And as soone as it commeth vnto a certaine Faire which is in our way, in a Towne, called Corcora, a * 1.20 dayes iourney distant from the place where the Salt is digged, fiue or sixe stones lesse make a dramme; And so it diminisheth in passing from Faire to Faire. And when it commeth to the [ 30] Court, sixe or seuen stones onely make a dramme: and I haue also seene them in the Winter time buy fiue for a dramme. Great bargaines are made with this Salt, and it is very deere in the Court. They say, by that time it commeth to the Kingdome of Damute, they buy a good slaue * 1.21 for three or foure stones, and passing farther into the Countries of the Moores, they say, that they may buy a slaue for one stone, and in a manner, waight for waight in Gold. Wee found in this way, three or foure hundred beasts in a company, laden with Sale, and as many more emp∣tie which went to fetch Salt, and they said that these belonged to Noblemen, which send thi∣ther euery yeare for their necessarie expenses in the Court, and other twentie or thirtie beasts laden, which belong to driuers of Mules. Also we met men laden with the said Salt, who car∣ried the same from Faire to Faire, which valueth, and runneth currant for money, and whosoe∣uer [ 40] hath it, may haue by way of trucke, whatsoeuer he needeth.

46. Departing from this Betenegus, we lodged in certaine poore and ill-prouided Villages in a Countrey, called Bunace. And the next day wee departed from thence following our stuffe, which was sent before vs, which we found vnladen in the midst of a Medow, which was full of * 1.22 water, and seeing the same so badly conueyed, wee maruelled greatly: and while wee were in this muse, there met vs fiue or sixe riding vpon Mules, hauing tenne or twelue foot-men with them, among whom was a Frier; which comming to the place, caught the Captaine of Tigre∣mahon, * 1.23 who conducted our goods by the haire of the head, and beat him with a Cudgell, where∣vpon all of vs ranne to him to know wherefore hee did so. Our Ambassadour seeing the Cap∣taine so beaten and hardly handled, falling into Choler with the Frier, tooke him by the brest to [ 50] stab him, but I know not whether he hurt him or no, and all of vs likewise came vpon his back. The poore Frier began to speake a little Italian, which George de Breu one of our company vn∣derstood, which if he had not done, it had gone hard with the Frier. When euery one was pa∣cified, the Frier said, that he was come thither by the Commission of Prete Ianni, to see our goods conueyed, and whereas he had beaten him, he did it for the negligence which hee vsed in conueyance of them.

The Ambassadour answered, that it was no time to make any tumult, especially in his pre∣sence, for hee tooke it as if hee had done the same to his owne person. And thus being pa∣cified, the Frier said, that he would goe to Signior Balgada Robel, which dwelt behind vs, and that from thence he would bring vs Mules and Camels to carrie our stuffe, and that wee should * 1.24 [ 60] goe before and stay for him in a Betenegus, halfe a daies iournie distant from this place. This was the same Frier which was afre••ward sent by Prete Ianni, as his Ambassador into Portugal withvs. And so we departed, each man his way, he forward, and we toward the said Betenegus, and that

night we lodged in a little Village, where was a goodly Church, called Saint Quiricus, and that night we feared least we should haue beene deuoured of Tygres. The day following, wee trauel∣led about two miles, and found the Betenegus which the Frier told vs of, which is in a Town, cal∣led Corcora, hauing good Lodgings, and in that place there is a very faire Church, and here wee * 1.25 stayed all Saturday and Sunday, wayting for the Frier vntill the Munday. Eastward of this place, they say, there is a faire and rich Monastery, called Nazareth, which hath great Reuenues and many Friers. And West-ward towards the Riuer of Nilus, they say there are many Mines of Sil∣uer, but they know not how to digge it, nor to take any profit of the same.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Angeba.
• * 1.2

  Reuerence to the Kings hou∣ses. Bacinete.
• * 1.3

  Prouision a∣gainst wilde beasts.
• * 1.4

  High Moun∣taine as steepe as a wall. A Monasterie.
• * 1.5

  All Friers of the order of S. Anthony in Ethiopia.
• * 1.6

  The order Este∣farruz will not worship the Crosse. It seemes the ••u∣perstitious Ab∣b••ssens and this Author so••ke the worst of them, ••o•• not admitting their supersti∣tion. Other Chur∣ches.
• * 1.7

  Long breasts lo••••h••ome, louely.
• * 1.8

  Brutishnesse.
• * 1.9

  Many Coun∣tries confirme their Compu∣tation to the whole course of the Sunne in foure and twenty houres. Tigremahon de∣cribed.
• * 1.10

  Absolute So∣ueraignty of the Negus.
• * 1.11

  Two men as∣saulted by Ty∣gers.
• * 1.12

  Villages of Moores.
• * 1.13

  Saint Georges Church pain∣ted.
• * 1.14

  Iewish Sabba∣tising.
• * 1.15

  Agro. Church out of a Rocke.
• * 1.16

  Angugui.
• * 1.17

  Balgada.
• * 1.18

  Honey, white and hard.
• * 1.19

  Through all Aethiopia, Salt runneth as a principal Mer∣chandize. Salt-money.
• * 1.20

  Corcora.
• * 1.21

  Damute.
• * 1.22

  Bunace.
• * 1.23

  A stout Frier.
• * 1.24

  Zago Zabo, the Ambassadour which Prete Ianni sent into Portugall.
• * 1.25

  Corcora.