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.

§. VIII.

Of the stately buildings of the Churches which are in the Countries of ABVGANA, which King LVLIEELLA made, and of his Tombe in the Church of Golgota. ANGOTERAZ his entertainment.

54. A Dayes iourney distant from this Church, are such kind of building, that in my iudgement, I beleeue, the like are not to be found in all the World, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 are Churches all hewen in free-stone out of sort Mountaynes, very well wrought: [ 10] and the names of the Churches, are these: Emanuel, Saint S〈…〉〈…〉our, Saint Mary, * 1.1 Holy Crosse, Saint George, Golgota, Bethlehem; M••••corius; and The Marty••. And the principal, is called Lulibolla: and they say, that this was the name of a King of this Countrey, which * 1.2 reigned before Abraham the aforesaid King, about eightie yeeres, and caused the said building to be erected. His Sepulture is not in the Church of his name, but in that of Golgota, which is of lesse capacitie, being wholly he wen out of a mayne Rocke, being one hundred and twentie spannes in length, and sixtie in breadth, the Roofe is built vpon fiue Pillars, two on each side, * 1.3 and one in the midst, as it were, in a square, which Roofe is flat and smooth as the floore be∣neath; on both sides it is well wrought, the Windowes and Gates are most excellently engra∣uen, so cunningly, that no Siluer-smith could make them more faire. The Kings Tombe is like [ 20] vnto the Sepulchre of Saint Iames of Galicia, in Compostella. This Church hath another body vnderneath it, hewen out of stone, as bigge as all the floore aboue, and of the heighth of a Speare or Launce. The Kings Tombe is directly before the Altar of the vpper Church: In the floore whereof is the entrie to goe downe beneath, which is shut with a stone, made like vnto a Graue∣stone, layed in very euen and closely, but no man goeth into it, because (mee thinkes) the said stone cannot be remooued, which stone is bored through the midst, with a hole that passeth quite through, of three handfulls wide, wherein the Pilgrimes (which in exceeding great number come thither for deuotion) doe put their hands, and say, that there are seene many * 1.4 miracles.

About this Church is a way like a Cloyster, but fiue steps lower then the Church, wherein [ 30] toward the East are three Windowes, which giue light to the Church that is beneath, which Windowes are as high as the floore of the vpper Church, which is higher then that Way or Cloyster, by as much as the fiue steps doe contayne, and if you looke through the said Win∣dowes, you may see the said Tombe placed right before the Altar, as I haue said. Before the great Chappell is a Tombe hewen out of the same stone which the Church is of, and they say, it is like vnto the Tombe of Christ in Ierusalem, whereunto they doe great honour and reue∣rence: * 1.5 and in the same stone, on the right hand, are two Images carued and engrauen out of the same stone, so well made that they seeme to haue life: one is of Saint Iohn, and the other of Saint Peter, which they shewed me as a rare thing, and I tooke great delight to behold them, whereunto they doe great reuerence. [ 40]

This Church hath also on the left hand a Chappell, made after their manner, which seemeth to be a Church, because it hath Allies. It hath sixe Pillars about it, cut out of the same Rocke, * 1.6 well and finely made; and the middle Ally is very well arched or vaulted. The Gates and Windowes are very well wrought, to wit, the principall Gate, and one side-gate, for the other serueth for the great Church. This Chappell is as long as it is broad, to wit, two and fiftie spans euery way; and on the right side, it hath hard vnto it another small Chappell very high, but nar∣row, after the manner of a Bell, with very faire Windowes: and the said small Chappell is sixe and thirtie spannes high, and twelue broad. All the Altars of the said Churches haue their clothes of silke, and their Pillars made out of the said Rocke. There is about the Church a very great circuit, hewen out of the selfe same Rocke of the Mountayne by force of Maso••••ie, which [ 50] is square, and all the walls thereof haue holes in them, as bigge as a Cube, and all these holes are * 1.7 stopped with small stones, and they are burials, for a man may see that they are but newly stop∣ped. The entrance of the circuit is thirteene spannes deepe beneath the Mountaine, and all made by force of Masonrie.

55. The Church of Saint Sauiour, is hewen out of a Rocke of a great Mountaine, the body of * 1.8 the Church is two hundred spans long, and one hundred and twentie broad, and it hath fiue Iles, and euery Ile hath seuen pillers, which are square, &c.

The open circuit of the Church which is the Cloyster, is all hewen out of the same Rocke, * 1.9 and is sixtie spans broad in euery part, and in the front of the principall Porch, it is one hun∣dred fathome wide, and aboue the Church, where it should be couered, where nine great Arches [ 60] stand on each side, they all reach from the top vnto the ground, where the Tombes are on each side, placed like those in the other Church. The entry to passe into the circuit or Cloyster of * 1.10 the said Church, is hewen vnder the Rocke, the space of eightie spans, wrought artificially, so broad, that ten men may goe side by side, and is a Lance high, and it ascendeth by little and lit∣tle.

This way or entry hath foure holes aloft, which giue light vnto the passage. And on the * 1.11 top of this Mountaine, round about the Church, is a champaine field, wherein they sow Barley, and there are also many dwelling houses.

I take God to witnesse, in whose hands I am, that all that I haue written is most true, with∣out adding any thing thereunto: for hauing heard report of the maruels of these Churches, I would needs goe thither twice, to see them and describe them, so great was my desire to make the excellency of them knowne vnto the world.

This place is seated on the side of a Mountaine, and to go vp to the top thereof is a very great ascent, which I thinke cannot be performed in a day and a halfe, such is the height thereof, and yet notwithstanding, aboue the same, there seemeth to be another Mountaine, and that this hill [ 10] is separated from the other. And to goe downe from this place into the plaine, is about fifteene miles space, and in the way are mightie fields, which seeme to continue a good daies iourney and more, all which stretch toward the Riuer Nilus, wherein are as great store of habitations as in the Towne of Caxumo, built exceeding stately with square stones, for here they say, the Kings were wont to haue their dwellings: and that the worke of these Churches cut into the hils, was made by Gibetes, that is to say, White men: for they know well, that themselues can∣not turne their hands to make any such worke: and that the first King which caused them to * 1.12 be made, was called Balibela, which signifieth a Miracle: because at his birth he was couered with Bees, which made him cleane, without doing him any hurt: and he was the Sonne of the Sister of a King, which King dyed without heire, and therefore his Nephew was made King, [ 20] and that he was a Saint; and their deuotion is so great, that all Ethiopia hath concourse hither, and here they see very many miracles.

This Signiory of Abugana, where these buildings are, before our departure the Prete I〈…〉〈…〉i bestowed vpon the Frier, which afterward came with vs as Embassadour into Portugall: and * 1.13 therefore I say, that I was twice to view these Churches and buildings; and the second time that I came thither, was when the Embassadour came to take possession of the same Lordship. During whose aboade in that place, there came thither two Calacenes, that is, Messages or Com∣mandements of the King, and they told the said Embassadour or Captaine, that the Prete Ianni sent him word, that he should send him certaine tributes, which his Predecessour ought to haue paied him; which was one hundred and fiftie, Oxen for the Plough, thirtie Dogges, thirtie [ 30] * 1.14 Ianelins, and thirtie Targets. He answered them, that hee would see what goods there remai∣ned of his Predecessour, and that he would pay it all very willingly, although he found none at all.

Returning now vnto our Voyage, we departed from the Church and faire of Ancona, and * 1.15 hauing trauailed nine miles, we came with our goods to certaine Villages, where they would not lodge vs, saying; That they were places which belonged to the Mother of Prete Ianni, and were subiect to no body else but to her. And they would haue beaten the Frier which guided * 1.16 vs. They basted well a Seruant of his. Leauing our stuffe here, wee came to our lodging at a place called Ingabela, which is great, and replenished with goodly houses, and situate vpon a lit∣tle * 1.17 hill, in the midst of a field, enuironed round about with Mountaines, at the bottome of which Mountaines there are so many peopled Townes, that I haue not seene the like in any [ 40] place; there are also great store of Fountaines and Brookes, which runne downe on euery side, which water a great part of the Countrey, which is called Olaby. And while we were heere, * 1.18 I saw them building a most beautifull Church, wee found heere exceeding great abundance of Hennes, whereof we might haue had an infinite number in exchange, of a few Graines of Pep∣per, so small account they make of Hennes, and so highly they esteeme of Pepper. In this place were infinite store of Limons, Citrons, and Orenges. We abode here Saturday and Sunday, on * 1.19 which day the Tygres assailed vs, and we could not so well defend our selues, but they deuoured an Asse of ours.

56. On Thursday, the foureteenth of September, we went with our goods to a dry Riuer, three miles off where the Lord of this Kingdome of Angote had his residence, which is called Ange∣teraz. [ 50] Before we came thither, we saw much people assembled together, and we supposed that * 1.20 they were assembled to carrie our goods: but they came to doe vs small pleasure, for they enclo∣sed vs betweene them, getting vp into three small hils, and we were in the bottome, and vpon euery top of the said hils, were about two hundred persons assembled, the greatest part with * 1.21 slings to fling stones, the rest flung at vs with their hands, so that the number of the stones was such, as it seemed to raine stones, and we stood in great feare of our liues. And all of vs which were in company with the Frier, were aboue fortie persons; to wit, the Captaines which waighted vpon him, with certaine of their Men, and some of our Slaues; and all saue my selfe, and a young man which was with vs, which was sicke of the Measels, were very shrewdly [ 60] stoned and wounded: but God of his Grace vouchsafed to preserue him and me. They tooke some of vs also Prisoners, and wee which fled in the Euening, came to our lodging where our stuffe was, without our Suppers.

On Saturday Angoteraz sent for vs to his house, where at our entrance wee found no hinde∣rance

at all of guard, but entred freely, and found him with his Wife, and certaine of his famili∣ar friends, and he gaue vs good intertainment as well in countenance as in speach. Foure Iarres of excellent Wine made of Hony were standing by him, and by euery ••arre was set a Cup of Crystall-Glasse, and so we began to drinke, and his Wife and two other Women in the compa∣ny * 1.22 inuited vs.

On Sunday next wee went to Church, where we found Angoteraz, which came to meete vs with great courtesie, and then he beganne to speake of matters concerning our Faith, and * 1.23 called vnto him two Friers, besides the Interpreter and the Frier that conducted vs; And his first question was, Where Christ was borne, and which way he went, when he went into Egypt, and how many yeares he abode there, and how old he was when our Lady lost him, and found him in the Temple, and where he made of Water, Wine. It pleased God to helpe me, so that [ 10] I answered him according to the truth, better then I knew. The Interpreter told me, that the Frier which guided vs, informed the other two Friers, that I was a man that vnderstood much, vpon which speaches they fell downe vpon the ground, and whither I would or no, would needs kisse my feet, & Angoteraz embraced me, and kissed me on the face, who, as I was informed after∣wards, * 1.24 is one of the best, and most learned Priests in all Ethiopia: and at our returne, wee saw him honoured with the Title of Barnagasso. Afterward, he desired vs to heare Masse with them, which being ended, he inuited vs to dinner, but the Embassadour hauing vnderstood before hand what meate they would set before vs, thought good to send for our owne dinner, which * 1.25 was certaine fat rosted Hens, and fat Beefe, and fresh Fish.

The house where we dined, was great, and made with earth, which is (as wee haue said) a [ 20] Betenegus. Before the bed, whereat Angoteraz sate, many Mats were spread vpon the ground, and he came downe from his bed and sate downe vpon them, where many skins of blacke sheepe were spread, and two great platters of exceeding white wood, with low brims, like those which we vse to picke Wheate in, which they call Ganetus, and they were very faire, great, and large, with a brim of two fingers broad, the greatest was about eighteene spans in com∣passe, and the lesser foureteene, and these be the Tables of great Lords. And heere wee sate round about with the said Angoteraz: we had water brought vs, and washed our hands, but they brought vs no Towell to dry them with, much lesse to set our bread vpon: but in the said plat∣ters were loaues brought, made of sundry sorts of Corne, to wit, of Wheate, of Barley, of Mil∣let, * 1.26 of Fitches, and of Taffo. Before we beganne to eate, Angoteraz commanded one to bring [ 30] him a great piece of the coursest bread, and with his owne hand laying a piece of raw Beefe vp∣on the same, he sent it to the poore which stood without the gate, waiting for an almes. Wee indeed said Grace after our manner, whereat he seemed to take great delight.

Then came there in the Imbandigioni, whereof I dare not in a manner speake, but yet they * 1.27 are ordinary dishes in that Countrey, and these were their sauces or broaths, wherein were cer∣tain pieces of raw flesh with warme bloud, which in this Country is esteemed for a most delicate dish, and none but great personages eate thereof. These sauces were brought in certaine little dishes, very finely made of blacke earth, and they strewed vpon them certaine crums of bread, and alwaies powred butter vpon them. We would not taste at any hand of these their meats, but fed of that, which our Ambassadour had caused to be brought for vs, as I said before. And like as [ 40] we could not eate of their meats, so neither would they taste of ours. But as for their wine, in truth it walked about with great furie, and the wife of Angoteraz dined hard by vs, vpon such a Table as we vsed, and we sent vnto her of our meats, and we could not see whether she tasted thereof, because there was a Curtaine betweene her and vs, but in drinking she brauely seconded vs. After al other dishes, a breast of Raw Beefe was brought to the boord, which we did not once touch, but Angoteraz fed thereof, as if he had eaten Marchpane or Comfits after dinner. After * 1.28 we had dined, and giuen thankes vnto Angoteraz, we returned home vnto our lodging.

57. On Munday morning, we went to take our leaue of Angoteraz, & the Frier led vs through a mightie thicke Wood, so that we knew not whither we went, but wee came to the place where we were stoned: and hither he would needs goe to see Iustice done. We were eight vp∣on [ 50] Mules, and fifteene on foote, and comes to our lodging in the house of one of them, which were the principall that made the assault, and we found them all fled vnto a Mountaine neere ad∣ioyning, but there was good prouision for our selues, and for our Males. This night the Frier returned, and brought with him a couple of Mules, one Oxe, and eight pieces of Cloath, which they had giuen him, in recompense of the blood which they had shed. And the Iustice vsed in this Countrey, is to take the goods of Malefactors; as namely, their Oxen, and their Mules. These places are called, Angua, and Mastano, and belong to the Patriarke Abuna Marke.

Heere we began to enter into a pleasant and delectable Countrey, lying among very high Mountaines, but infinitely peopled, at the foote thereof, with great Townes, and very Noble * 1.29 [ 60] Churches, which was tilled and sowed with all kind of Corne. Here we saw infinite store of In∣dian Figges, Limons, Orenges, and Citrons, without number, and Pastures with an incredible multitude of Cattle. And because I trauailed another time this way with the foresaid Frier,

which then was called the Embassadour, and stayed a Saturday and a Sunday, in the house of an honourable Canon, and euery day went to Church with him, where wee saw very great num∣ber of Canons, We asked him, how many Canons there were in all; He told vs, aboue eight * 1.30 hundred. We inquired farther, what reuenues they had? He told vs, very little among so ma∣ny: We replyed vnto him, Why are you so many, seeing your reuenue is so small? He answe∣red vs, that at the beginning when these Churches were first founded, they were not many, but that in processe of time they were increased: because that all the sonnes of the Canons, as many as doe descend of them, become all Canons: and this custome is obserued in the Kings Churches: and that the Prete Ianni, as often as he buildeth any new Church, sendeth for Ca∣nons hither, and so he diminisheth their number, as hee did when he built the Church, called [ 10] Machan Celacem, when he tooke away two hundred, and that in this same Signiory there were eight Churches, wherein were about foure thousand Canons: and that if the Prete Ianni should not take them away for the furnishing of these new Churches, and those of his Court, they * 1.31 should be driuen to eate one another.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Faire Chur∣ches.
• * 1.2

  Lulibella.
• * 1.3

  Golgota 〈◊◊◊〉〈◊◊◊〉 Chruch, ••e 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••ut of a Rocke.
• * 1.4

  Pilgrimage and Miracle••s
• * 1.5

  The holy Se∣pulchre resem∣bled.
• * 1.6

  A Chappell.
• * 1.7

  These Chur∣ches haue their portraitures cut in Ramusie.
• * 1.8

  Saint Sauiours hewen out of a R••cke.
• * 1.9

  The Cloyster.
• * 1.10

  The Entrie.
• * 1.11

  A sowne field ouer the Church. The descripti∣on of the other Churches, is for breuitie omitted. The excellen∣cy of these Churches, which the Au∣thor went twice to see. Great ascent.
• * 1.12

  These Vault churches made by White men. Balilela.
• * 1.13

  Zaga Zabo pre∣ferred to the dignity of these Churches.
• * 1.14

  Tributes.
• * 1.15

  He returneth to his voyage.
• * 1.16

  Rude people.
• * 1.17

  Ingabela.
• * 1.18

  Olaby.
• * 1.19

  Pepper prefer∣red to Hens. Tygers.
• * 1.20

  〈…〉〈…〉raz.
• * 1.21

  Enemies.
• * 1.22

  Crystal glasses.
• * 1.23

  Questions of Religion.
• * 1.24

  Reuerence to Aluarez.
• * 1.25

  Angoteraz a Priest.
• * 1.26

  The dyet of the Noblemen of Ethiopia.
• * 1.27

  Imbandigioni loathsome, delicacies.
• * 1.28

  Raw Beefe.
• * 1.29

  A fertile and populous Countrey.
• * 1.30

  Eight hundred Canons: the reason, Their sonnes all suc∣ceed.
• * 1.31

  Foure thou∣sand Canons in eight Chur∣ches.