Africa being an accurate description of the regions of Ægypt, Barbary, Lybia, and Billedulgerid, the land of Negroes, Guinee, Æthiopia and the Abyssines : with all the adjacent islands, either in the Mediterranean, Atlantick, Southern or Oriental Sea, belonging thereunto : with the several denominations fo their coasts, harbors, creeks, rivers, lakes, cities, towns, castles, and villages, their customs, modes and manners, languages, religions and inexhaustible treasure : with their governments and policy, variety of trade and barter : and also of their wonderful plants, beasts, birds and serpents : collected and translated from most authentick authors and augmented with later observations : illustrated with notes and adorn'd with peculiar maps and proper sculptures / by John Ogilby, Esq. ...

HABAT, or EL HABAT.

HAbat, * 1.1 or El Habat, begins Southward, at the River Guarga, or Erguila, and runs Northward to the Midland Sea; bounded on the East with the Mountains of Gomere, called Errif, on the West with the Marishes of Agar, being Twenty Miles long, and Seventeen broad.

Towns on the Shore of the Atlantick Ocean are, * 1.2 Taximus: then Arzille, for∣merly called Zilia, and by the Inhabitants Azella, built by the Romans towards the West; about Fourten Miles from the Mouth of the Straits, and Forty Miles from Fez.

This City was for some time subject to the Prince of Septa, * 1.3 or Ceuta, a Tri∣butary to the Romans; but afterwards subdued by the Goths which were driven out by the Mahometans, who possessed it Two hundred and twenty years, when the English took it by Storm, and utterly wasted it by Fire and Sword, so that Thirty years after it lay desolate; but at length Repaired and Peopled by the Mahumetan Patriarch of Cordua. * 1.4 But Alphonsus King of Portugal, who for his emi∣nent Atchievements in these Parts, as a second Scipio, gat the Surname of Afri∣canus, on a sudden surprised it, and took Prisoners, not onely all the Souldiery, but also the King himself, with his Sister, about Seven years of Age, whom he brought Captive to Portugal, where they remained Seven years, and then redeemed for a great sum of Money.

This young Prince, after his Fathers death coming to the Crown, sought all opportunities of revenge, * 1.5 beginning first to vent his choller on this City; which he assaulted in the Year Fifteen hundred and eight, with an Army of a Hundred thousand Men, and won it, setting at liberty all the Moors that were found in the City: however, the Portugals kept the Castle; which the young King so straitly besieged, that he forced them to a Parley; wherein it was agreed to surrender, unless they had relief in two days: within which time Don Pedro of Navarre appearing before the Town with a strong and well-manned

[illustration]

ARZYLLA, of ARGILLE.

[illustration]

The CITTY of TANGER

Fleet, so plied the Enemy with Shot from his Great Guns, that he not onely compelled him to leave the Siege, but also to quit the City, and draw off with his whole Army. * 1.6 This success of Don Pedro so encouraged his Coun∣treymen, that they erected new Forts, and so strengthened the Place by Sea and Land, as the Moors never after durst attempt it. But after many years, whether out of design to retrench their Expences, or out of fear of the Xeriffs coming upon them, whereof they had intelligence, they quitted it, together with some other Places, which the Mahumetans soon possessed and kept, until Muley Mahomet re-engaged it to Don Sebastian, King of Portugal, as a Pledge for the keep∣ing of his Word; but that noble Prince miscarrying in that unfortunate War, the Xeriffe soon retook it, and in the Mahumetans hands it continues to this day.

The Cape of Spartelli, by the Spaniards called Cabo Esparta, * 1.7 and by some taken for the Cottes of Pliny, lieth between Arzille and Tangier, shooting far into the Sea, and the very Point guarded with a Rock.

On the Shore of the Great Ocean, near the Straits of Gibraltar, * 1.8 in the heighth of three and twenty Degrees, and forty Minutes, North Latitude, stands the ancient City Tangier, formerly Tingis; by the Portugals Tanjar, and by the Barba∣rians, according to Strabo, Tinga; in the time of the Romans, the Metro∣polis of Mauritania Tingitana; * 1.9 and by them builded after the Conquest of Spain, although the African Historiographers falsly attribute it to one Sedded, Son of Had, who, they say, was Emperour of the whole World. Their Story is this: That the Emperour having resolved to build a City, of no less beau∣ty then an Earthly Paradise, he first encompassed it with Brazen-Walls, and then covered the Roofs of the Houses with Gold and Silver; which, say they, was not impossible for him to do, in regard all the Cities in the World contributed to its building. But to leave their fancies, and return to the truth the History: It stood, while the Romans Lorded over Spain, subjected to the Prince of Ceuta, as we said before, and continued very populous till the time of Alphonsus the Fifth, King of Portugal, who in the year Fourteen hundred sixty three, making his third Expedition into Africa with thirty thousand Men, easi∣ly became Master of the Place, the Inhabitants terrified at his Power, leaving it, and with their chief Moveables flying to Fez. His Father, King Edward, in the year Fourteen hundred thirty and three, had worn out his time fruitlesly in the African Wars, and beleaguering of this City: for he was compelled to break up the Siege, and leave his Brother Ferdinand as a Pledge in the hands of Aben Sala, the Emperour of Barbary, till Septa should be re-delivered. But the State of Portugal esteeming it dishonourable, easily to surrender a place of such consequence, took no notice of Ferdinand, who continued there seven years in a miserable Captivity. During this time they got also Tangier, which with great expence and trouble having kept divers years, at length finding the charge of defence to exceed the profit, they absolutely assigned over their interest to our gracious Soveraign CHARLES the Second, King of England, Scotland, France and Ireland, in part of the Marriage-Portion with Donna Catharina, Daugh∣ter of the most Illustrious Family of Portugal now our Soveraign Lady, and His Majesties Royal Consort; who in her Right duly possessed thereof, hath not onely much improved the Fortifications, but also erected a stupendi∣ous Mold, a strong and safe Harbour for Shipping, from whence he may take cognisance, or speak with any that pass the Straits of Gibraltar, (by which it stands) either into the Mediterrane or Atlantick Ocean: and the Garrison of English now there fear not at all what the power of the Moors can or dare do by Land.

¶ THe Countrey round about yields little Corn: * 1.10 but there are many Gar∣dens, which produce Citrons, Lemons, and other Fruits in abun∣dance. The Mountains adjoyning to the City are replete with fertile Vine∣yards: but more toward the Inland the whole is covered with Sand.

At the Mouth of the Straits stands Kosar Ezzakir, * 1.11 known vulgarly by the name of Alcacar, or Alcaser. The Founder was Mansor, King of Morocco, who built it as a fit conveniency from whence to Embarque for an easie passage to Granada. * 1.12 Alphonsus the First, King of Portugal, in the Year Fourteen hundred forty and eight, took it with a triumphal Victory. But in the Year Fourteen hundred and forty nine, the King of Morocco twice Attaqued it strongly, but was by the Valour of the Portuguese bravely Repulsed.

In the same Straits stands Ceuta; so called both by the Spaniards and Portugals; by Melle, Septa; and by Ortelius, taken for the Lexiliss of Ptolomy; distant not above three Miles from the Coast of Granada, * 1.13 from which separated by that Strait, so narrow, that Men and Beasts may be seen and distinguished from the one or the other Shore. It has had many Masters, as the Romans, into whose place came the Goths, whom the Mahumetans dispossessed, as themselves at last were, in the Year Fourteen hundred and fifty, by John King of Portugal.

This is a Place considerable, and reasonably well built, notwithstanding the fatal miseries it three several times underwent both by Fire and Sword; first under Habdul-Mumin, King of Morocco; the second under Mahometh of Granada; the third under the Kings of Portugal, who, the severity of the War passed, to encourage others to build, beautified it with a strong Castle and Palace.

A little distant from this lies an inclosed Ground, * 1.14 called the Vinnones, that is, Vine-Hill, for the great abundance of Vines there growing: and indeed that's all it can boast; for the other Grounds are Barren, and which is the rea∣son of the extream dearness of all sorts of Grain there.

¶ THe Inland Places are these: * 1.15 Ezagen, three Miles from the River Guarga, and twenty Miles from Fez, having abundance of excellent Springs and Fountains. * 1.16 Beni Teude, or Bani Teud, supposed the Baba of Ptolomy, or Julia Campestris of Pliny, in a pleasant Plain, on the same River, fifteen Miles from Fez, containing heretofore Eight thousand Buildings; but now lieth Waste.

So also Mergo, * 1.17 by Marmol called Amergo, by others Tokoloside, five Miles from Beni Teude; the Ruines of its Walls still shew some Latine Inscriptions, though much obliterated.

Tansor, * 1.18 by Marmol called Tansert, and by the Arabians Tehart, and Triside, two Miles from Amergo, between Fez and Mount Gomere.

Agle, * 1.19 or Aguile, a Walled City close to the River Guarga, or Erguile, formerly spoiled by the English, but at present recovered, and reasonably well peopled.

Narangia, * 1.20 three Miles from Ezagen, on the River Lukkus: At the Mouth of which, three Miles from the Sea, and fifteen from Fez, appears the Island Ge∣zire, by the Spaniards called Gratiosa, and perhaps is the Cerna mentioned by Ptolomy.

Close by Narangia, * 1.21 but more into the Land, may be seen the Ruines of Bezat, by some called Lixa, and by others Besara, or Besra. It stood in a Plain between two Mountains, three and thirty Miles from Fez, and seven from Casar el Kabir, boasting of the number of two and twenty thousand Buildings.

Homam, also heretofore a flourishing Pile of Buildings, * 1.22 but now a ruinous Heap.

Tettigin or Tetuan, by the Inhabitants call'd Tetuain, about seven miles from Ceute, and eleven from the Atlantick Ocean. The Name signifies, An Eye, got∣ten from a crooked Countess, who rul'd over this place. The banish'd Moors of Granada did it much mischief; but it hath recover'd its pristine Beauty, ha∣ving within strong Walls, and a deep and broad Trench, eight hundred well built Houses.

¶ THis Dominion hath eight eminent Mountains, viz. Rahone, * 1.23 Benefense∣care, Beni Aroz, Chebib, Angera, Quadres, Beniguedarfeth.

Rahone, or Arahone, riseth close by Ezagen, extending in Length ten miles, and in Breadth four. Beni Aroz, by Marmol stil'd Beni Maras, close to Kasar El∣kabir, seven miles long, and onely three broad. Chebib or Beni Telit, eight miles from Tangier, noted for six or seven small wall'd Villages there stand∣ing. Beni Hassen a very high Mountain: Angera about eight miles South of Little Kasar, is three miles long, and one mile broad. Quadres, otherwise Huat Idris, and Vateres, borders on Beni Aroz, lying between Ceute and Tituan: And lastly, Beniguedarfeth, adjoyning to Teteuain.

¶ THis Province is well water'd, and exceeding fertile; * 1.24 especially from Ezaggen, to the River Guarga, being ten miles, wherein lye nothing but Gardens: Then from Beniteude to the Mountain Gumere, containing forty miles, as also round about Homam, are abundance of Corn-Fields and Pa∣stures well stockt with Cattel. Rabone yields plenty of Grapes, out of which they press both White and Red Wine. Homar and Angere afford Flax. Benefensecare great quantity of excellent Honey. Tansor feeds great Cattel, sufficient to sup∣ply their Neighbors: Lions also breed there; but so faint-hearted, that up∣on the noise of Women or Children they flye: So that they have a Proverb in this Countrey concerning Cowards; That they give their Tails to the Cows to eat.

¶ THe People of Mergo have a high Conceit of themselves, * 1.25 as being of a frank and generous Nature, but are indeed covetous, rude, and igno∣rant; so are those of Tansor. Those of Bafra were formerly very courteous, and simple or sincere, but with the Change of the State have so alter'd their Manners, that now they are quite contrary. The Mountaineers are strong of Body, very laborious and active, but unwillingly submit to any Command, being strangers to all Laws and good Order.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The Borders of Habat.
• * 1.2

  Taximus. Arzylle.
• * 1.3

  Its several Overthrows.
• * 1.4

  It was vanquished by the Portugals.
• * 1.5

  The King of Fez, over∣comes Arzylle.
• * 1.6

  Left again.
• * 1.7

  The Cape of Spartelli.
• * 1.8

  Tangier.
• * 1.9

  Its Building.
• * 1.10

  The Condition of the Countrey.
• * 1.11

  Kosar Ezzachir.
• * 1.12

  The Passage thence to Granada.
• * 1.13

  The Straits three Miles over at the narrowest.
• * 1.14

  Vinnones.
• * 1.15

  Ezagen.
• * 1.16

  Beni-Teuds.
• * 1.17

  Mergo.
• * 1.18

  Tansor.
• * 1.19

  Agle.
• * 1.20

  Narangia.
• * 1.21

  The Ruines of Bezat.
• * 1.22

  Homam.
• * 1.23

  The Mountaint of Habat.
• * 1.24

  The Condition of Habat.
• * 1.25

  The Manners or Customs of the Inhabitants.