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. ...

MOROCCO.

THE Province of Morocco, * 1.1 taking Name from the Metropolis, is almost all Champaign, beginning on the West at the Mountain Nefise, and stretching Eastward to the Mount Hannimey, and so running North∣ward to the Tenzift, where it meets with that of Eciffelmel; so that on the North, Ducala conterminates it; on the West, Hea and a part of Sus; on the South, another part of Sus, Darha and Gezula; and the East, the Territory of Eskure or Haskora.

Morocco, * 1.2 the Principal City of the whole Kingdom, call'd by the Inhabitants Marroc, and by the Spaniards, Marruecos, is by the unanimous consent of most Geographers, held to be the Boccanum Hemerum of Ptolomy. Be it one or other, such as make narrow inquiry into Antiquity, say, That it was first built by Jo∣seph Aben Texijien, and his Son Ali, out of the Ruines of Boccanum, or rather in the same place where Ptolomy had set that.

It is situate between the Rivers Neftis and Agmet, in thirty Degrees and thirty Minutes, Northern Latitude, incompassed with a Plain, sprinkled with little Hills, among which on the North-side Atlas thrusts his Basis within six Miles of the City.

It contains a Hundred thousand Houses, and Four and twenty Gates, at

[illustration]

Het KONINKLYK HOE meteen ge••elte der Stadt MAROKKO.

present surrounded with a strong and very high Stone-Wall, fortified with Turrets for defence, a Rampart within, and deep Trenches without.

The Citizens number, saith Gramay, five and thirty Streets, besides a multi∣tude of Lanes, and other narrow Passages; but addes withall, that one third part is destitute of Inhabitants, by reason of many Ruines, between which it is planted with Groves of Dates, Vineyards, and other Trees.

Here were in former times many Stately Temples, Guilds, Baths, * 1.3 and Inns; but the Civil War in the Countrey hath laid waste and levell'd most of them with the Earth. Memorable Monuments remaining, are two Tem∣ples of a wonderful Greatness: One built by Ali, the other by Abdul Mumen; neighbour to which, King Almansor erected a third, encompassed with a Wall of fifty Cubits high, and beautifi'd with Columns or Pillars, which he brought out of Spain: Under it he made a Cistern of like bigness with the Temple, to receive all water from the Roofs.

The Royal Palace, call'd by the Inhabitants Alkakave, or Michouart, may compare with an ordinary City, surrounded with strong and high Walls. In the middle of a Basse Court stands a stately Mesquiet with a Tower, on whose Top, in stead of a Fane, stand four golden Apples together, as they say, * 1.4 weighing seven hundred Pound, and given to the King of Morocco by the King of Gago, with his Daughter in Marriage. And to confirm this Opinion, they alleadge, that the King of Morocco in right of that Marriage still remains In∣heritor of that Kingdom, and fetches from thence much Gold.

But Marmol tells us, That when King Mansor had builded this stately Tem∣ple, out of a desire to leave behind him some Memorial of his Wealth, be∣stowed a great part of the Jewels he had in Marriage with the Queen, for the making those Apples. The Inhabitants firmly believe they were so signatur'd by such Configurations of the Heavens, that they were as Telesman's, ne∣ver to be remov'd: which Magick seems to be as antient as the Building of Troy, and whose Palladium we may suppose to be such; whereof hear Virgil. Aen. l. 2.

Omnis spes Danaum & coepti fiducia belli Palladis auxiliis semper stetit, impius ex quo Tydides, sed enim scelerum{que} inventor Ulysses, Fatale aggressi sacrato avellere templo Palladium, caesis summae custodibus arcis, Corripuêre sacram effigiem, manibus{que} cru∣entis Virgineas ausi divae contingere vittas. Ex illo fluere, ac retro sublapsa referri Spes Danaum, fractae vires, aversa deae mens.

Our chiefest hopes and confidence were laid, Since first the War began, in Pallas Aid, Till impious Diomed with Ulysses went, (The best that ever mischief did invent) And boldly from her sacred Fane convey'd Fatal * 1.5 Palladium, and dire Slaughter made; These the blest Image pulling down, distain'd With bloudy hands, and Virgin Wreaths prophan'd, The Grecian hopes from that time backward went, Our Strength decay'd, the Goddess discontent.

Cidrenus saith, this Image of Pallas was consecrated by Diabolical Rites, out of a vain presumption, that the Town was impregnable while that re∣mained in it: This is confirm'd by Joannes Antiochenus, who saith such Images were Telesmatically made under a good Horoscope, and enabled by Art to pre∣serve Cities, wherein they are kept or set up in a victorious and impregnable condition. And the Architect employ'd to place those Apples, not onely used the like Arts, but had by Magick set several Spirits for the constant keeping of them.

Many Kings have endeavour'd to take them down, but still some mishap hath followed to prevent them. The King of Morocco himself, Anno 1500. boasted he would take and bestow them upon the Portugals, as a Reward for their Service in the Defence of his State; but the Commons withstood it: alleadging they were the greatest Ornament of Morocco, and next to the King∣dom they were fit to be preserv'd.

In this Palace are thirty Chambers, and a Hall, on all sides within and without furnish'd richly with all sorts of Imagery, and appointed for places of Contemplation and Study. In the midst of the whole stands a very goodly Fountain, canopi'd and turrited with white Marble, artificially Carved and Polished.

¶ ABout half an hours Journey from the City, * 1.6 lieth a very stately and pleasant Orchard or Garden of the Kings, call'd Montserat, planted with above fifteen thousand common Trees, the like number of Oranges and Dates, and about thirty six thousand Olive-Trees; besides many other sorts of Plants, Flowers, and wholesome Herbs. A Rivulet cometh out of the Mountain, and runs quite through it; watering not onely the Plants, but feeding many sorts of Fish. In the midst of this lieth a four-square place, wherein stands a Leopard of white Marble, speckel'd with black Spots to the life, at every corner, and round about encompast with Marble Pillars, upon each of which is a Lyon, spouting clear water out of his mouth.

To this Garden adjoyns a Park, * 1.7 wherein are inclosed a great number of Wilde Beasts, as Elephants, Lyons, Deer, and the like.

In the first Court of the Palace, Moquet says, appear three very stately Buildings, after the Morish Fashion, and adorned with Fountains: The second Court hath Piazzaed Walks, supported with white Marble Columns; so ar∣tificially built, that the best Architect may admire their Workmanship. And on the ground stand many Marble Vessels with clear water, where the Moors wash themselves before they go to their Sala.

Next this are the Habitations of the Jews, * 1.8 like a second City, girt with strong Walls, but having one onely Gate guarded by the Moors. Many Agents or Em∣bassadours from several Princes and States of Europe use to be here resident.

The ordinary Houses are low, * 1.9 small and slight, raised up onely of Loam and Chalk; but the Houses of great Persons are magnificent, built with Stone, and flat at the top to walk upon for coolness.

Most of the Mosques or Churches, * 1.10 which there are very numerous, are entire Marble, and cover'd with Lead.

The River Tenzift runs through the City, whose Water the Citizens use on all occasions, and serves also to drive Mills for grinding Corn.

¶ THis Province abounds with Flax, * 1.11 Hemp, Wheat, and all sorts of Grain, which it vents abroad into other parts in great quantities; nor yields it a less store of Dates, Figs, Raisins, Apples, Pears, Olives, Nuts, and the like Fruits, besides Cattel, which afford plenty of Milk, Butter, and Cheese. But the tops of the Mountains lye many times covered with Snow, being for the most part barren and cold, and at best producing nothing but Barley.

Eight Leagues from Morocco, * 1.12 upon the top of a Mountain, stands Agmet, in former times rich and populous, containing about six thousand Families, but

at present decay'd, and affording Wolves, Foxes, and other wilde Beasts and Fowl, a burrow and resting place.

Elgiumuhe or Elgiemahe, by the River Xeuxaue or Sochaiu, * 1.13 about two Miles from Mount Atlas, formerly a place well inhabited, but now lieth almost waste and desolate.

Emigiagen or Umegiagen, a City and Fort, eight miles Southerly of Elgiemake, * 1.14 surrounded with a stony Rock in stead of a Wall.

Tazarat, or Tesrat, or Terrasast, lieth upon the Banks of Eciffelmel, * 1.15 five miles Westerly of Morocco, and seven from Mount Atlas.

Teneze at the foot of Atlas, call'd Guidimyve, or Gedmeve, * 1.16 three miles from the River Eciffelmel.

Gemaagidid call'd by some Delgumuhe, * 1.17 a fair City lying upon the high Moun∣tain Sicsive, five and twenty mile from Morocco, containeth about a thousand or twelve hundred Houses.

The City Temelet, call'd by some Temelle, and Mehedie, * 1.18 lying on a Moun∣tain.

Imizimiz, or Imismizi, on the hanging of the Hill Guidimive, * 1.19 hath below it a Road which runs cross Mount Atlas, and is call'd Bureix, which signifies Feathers, because the Flakes of Snow oftentimes flye over this City like Doun.

Tamdegost, or Tumeglast, about five mile from Atlas. * 1.20

Animmey, a small City on the side of a Plain, * 1.21 about three miles from Moroc∣co, Eastward.

¶ HEre also are divers great Hills, such are Nefuse, or Nefise, Derenders, * 1.22 Aden, and Atron, lying in the West, and dividing it from Hea. Very barbarous people inhabit it, who live hardly.

The Semmede, begins at the foot of Nefuse, * 1.23 and spreads Eastward seven miles in Length.

The Xauxave to the Southward of Semmede, * 1.24 gives name to a River rising there.

The Mountain Sicsive is very high, * 1.25 and the Hill Temelet boasts of a stately City call'd Temelet.

The Guidimive, or Gedmeve, begins at the Westerly Foot of Semmede, * 1.26 extend∣ing East about eight miles.

The Hantete is so high, * 1.27 that at a distance it sheweth continually cover'd with the Clouds; touching to the West on Guidimive, and reaching Eastward about six miles to Animmey, which also lifts it self up to a great heighth, extending from hence Eastward to the River Tecouhin.

¶ THe Constitution and Nature of the Inhabitants we will now give you a touch of, as in the several places wherein they are seated, * 1.28 and begin with them of Morocco; who are well featur'd, and very white: The Men de∣light much in Hunting and Hawking, and therefore keep excellent Horses; which, according to their Custom, they manage with good judgement. They take great pleasure in keeping all sorts of Fowl, which are brought to them from Mount Atlas.

They of Elgiumuhe are diligent in Husbandry, but often plunder'd by the Arabs. Those of Delgumube are extraordinary neat in their Habit, proud, bold-spirited, but very jealous. The Mountaineers are ill natur'd, rough, and de∣ceitful,

coveting from Strangers what ever they have. They go meanly Ha∣bited, live as beasts, and feed on Barley with a little Oyl of Olives. Some few of them have Converse with Jews, from whom they learn some Mechanick Arts, wearing onely under their Feet artificial Soals, to defend them from sharp Stones and Thorns. And their best Habit is meerly a Cloth about their Loins, to keep off the violent beatings of the Snow.

All the aforemention'd Cities and Towns, * 1.29 are by natural Scituation ex∣ceeding strong, and the inhabitants Powerful and Rich; so that if they were reduced under one Head, by such a Union, his Discretion and good Conduct might effect great matters.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The Territory of Moroc∣co, and Borders of it. Grammay Afric. 9. Marmol. p. 1. lib. 3.
• * 1.2

  Morocco the Head City.
• * 1.3

  It was formerly very rich in Buildings.
• * 1.4

  Four Golden Apples of the top of the Tower.
• * 1.5

  That was the Effigies of the God∣dess, and Telesmon made of Pelopts bones by Arius the Philoso∣pher, and presented to Trous to preserve his City where founded; and therefore Di∣omede and Ʋlysses stole it from thence, that they might conquer the City, though Synon feigns thus.
• * 1.6

  The Garden, or Montserat.
• * 1.7

  A Park of Beasts.
• * 1.8

  The Jews Dwelling-place.
• * 1.9

  Their Houses.
• * 1.10

  Churches.
• * 1.11

  The Fruitfulness of the Soil about Morocco.
• * 1.12

  Agmet.
• * 1.13

  Elgiumuhe.
• * 1.14

  Emigiagen.
• * 1.15

  Tazarat.
• * 1.16

  Teneze
• * 1.17

  Gemaagidit.
• * 1.18

  Temelet.
• * 1.19

  Imizimiz.
• * 1.20

  Tamdegost.
• * 1.21

  Animmey.
• * 1.22

  Hills of Morocco Nefuse.
• * 1.23

  Semmede,
• * 1.24

  Xauxave.
• * 1.25

  Sicsive.
• * 1.26

  Guidimive.
• * 1.27

  Hantete.
• * 1.28

  The Constitution of the Inhabitants.
• * 1.29

  Strength and Riches of Morocco.