{Transcriber's Note: Archaic typography which displays the letter "s" in a form that resembles the letter "f" has been transposed to the modern "s." British, archaic and inconsistent spellings have been left as in the original, as have capitalization and italicisation. A few obvious typographical errors have been changed. Margin notes are indicated where they occur in the text with {MN} and inserted in full at the end of the paragraph to which they refer.}
To the Right Honourable
WILLIAM Earl of PEMBROKE,
Lord Steward of His Majesty's most Honourable Houshold.
ROBERT Earl of LINDSEY,
Great Chamberlain of England,
HENRY Lord HUNSDON,
Viscount ROCHFORD, Earl of DOVER,
And all your Honourable Friends and Well-willers.
My Lords,
Sir Robert Cotton, that most Learned Treasurer of Antiquity, having by perusal of my General History, and others, found that I had likewise undergone divers other as hard hazards in the other Parts of the World, requested me to fix the whole Course of my Passages in a Book by it self, whose noble Desire I could not but in part satisfie; the rather, because they have acted my fatal Tragedies upon the Stage, and racked my Relations at their Pleasure. To prevent therefore all future Misprisions, I have compiled this true Discourse. Envy hath taxed me to have writ too much, and done too little; but that such should know, how little I esteem them, I have writ this, more for the satisfaction of my Friends, and all generous and well disposed Readers. To speak only of my self were intolerable Ingratitude; because, having had so many Co-Partners with me; I cannot make a Monument for my self, and leave them unburied in the Fields, whose Lives begot me the Title of a Soldier; for as they were Companions with me in my Dangers, so shall they be partakers with me in this Tomb.
For my Sea Grammar (caused to be Printed by my worthy Friend, Sir Samuel Saltenstall) hath found such good Entertainment abroad, that I have been importuned by many noble Persons, to let this also pass the Press. Many of the most eminent Warriours, and others, what their Swords did, their Pens writ: Though I be never so much their inferiour, yet I hold it no great Errour, to follow good Examples; nor repine at them will do the like.
And now, My most Honourable good Lords, I know not to whom I may better Present it, than to your Lordships, whose Friendships, as I conceive, are as much to each others, as my Duty is to you all; and because you are acquainted both with my Endeavours, and Writings, I doubt not, but your Honours will as well accept of this, as of the rest, and Patronize it under the shadow of your most noble Virtues, which I am ever bound in all Duty to Reverence, and under which I hope to have shelter, against all Storms that dare threaten,
Yours Honours to be Commanded, John Smith.
THE TRUE
TRAVELS,
ADVENTURES,
AND
OBSERVATIONS
OF
Captain JOHN SMITH,
CHAP. I.
His Birth; Apprenticeship; Going into France; His beginning with Ten Shillings and three Pence; His Service in the Netherlands; His bad Passage into Scotland; His return to Willoughby, and how he lived in the Woods.
He was born in Willoughby in Lincoln-shire, and a Scholar in the two Free-Schools of Alford and Louth. His Father antiently descended from the ancient Smiths of Crudley in Lancashire; his Mother from the Rickards at Great Heck, in York-shire. His Parents dying when he was about Thirteen Years of Age, left him a competent Means, which he not being capable to manage, little regarded; his Mind being even then set upon brave Adventures, sold his Satchel, Books, and all he had, intending secretly to get to Sea, but that his Fathers Death stay'd him. But now the Guardians of his Estate more regarding it than him, he had liberty enough, though no Means, to get beyond the Sea. About the Age of Fifteen Years, he was bound an Apprentice to Mr. Thomas Sendalt of Linne, the greatest Merchant of all those Parts; but because he would not presently send him to Sea, he never saw his Master in Eight Years after. At last he found Means to attend Mr. Peregrine Berty into France, second Son to the Right Honourable Peregrine, that generous Lord Willoughby, and famous Soldier; where coming to his Brother Robert, then at Orleans, now Earl of Lindsey, and Lord Great Chamberlain of England; being then but little Youths under Tutorage: His Service being needless, within a Month or six Weeks they sent him back again to his Friends; who when he came from London, they liberally gave him (but out of his own Estate) Ten Shillings to be rid of him; such oft is the share of Fatherless Children: But those two Honourable Brethren gave him sufficient to return for England. But it was the least thought of his Determination, for now being freely at liberty in Paris, growing acquainted with one Mr. David Hume, who making some use of his Purse, gave him Letters to his Friends in Scotland to prefer him to King James. Arriving at Roan, he better bethinks himself, seeing his Money near spent, down the River he went to Haver de grace, where he first began to learn the Life of a Soldier: Peace being concluded in France, he went with Captain Joseph Duxbury into the Low-Countries, under whose Colours, having served three or four Years, he took his Journey for Scotland, to deliver his Letters. At Ancusan he imbark'd himself for Lethe, but as much danger, as Shipwreck and Sickness could endure, he had at the Holy Isle in Northumberland near Berwick, ( being recovered ) into Scotland he went to deliver his Letters. After much kind usage among those honest Scots at Ripweth and Broxmoth, but neither Money nor Means to make him a Courtier, he returned to Willoughby in Lincoln-shire; where within a short time, being glutted with too much Company, wherein he took small delight, he retired himself into a little Woody Pasture, a good way from any Town, invironed with many hundred Acres of other Woods: Here, by a fair Brook he built a Pavillion of Boughs, where only in his Cloths he lay. His Study was Machiavil's Art of War, and Marcus Aurelius; his exercise a good Horse, with his Lance and Ring; his Food was thought to be more of Venison than any thing else; what he wanted his Man brought him. The Country wondering at such an Hermite, his Friends perswaded one Seignior Theodora Polaloga, Rider to Henry Earl of Lincoln, an excellent Horse Man, and a Noble Italian Gentleman, to insinuate into his Woodish Acquaintance, whose Languages and good Discourse, and Exercise of Riding drew him to stay with him at Tattersall. Long these Pleasures could not content him, but he returned again to the Low Countries.
CHAP. II.
The notable Villany of four French Gallants, and his revenge; Smith
thrown over-board; Captain La Roche of Saint Malo relieves him.
Thus when France and Netherlands had taught him to Ride a Horse, and use his Arms, with such Rudiments of War, as his tender Years in those Martial Schools could attain unto; he was desirous to see more of the World, and try his Fortune against the Turks, both repenting and lamenting to have seen so many Christians slaughter one another. {MN} Opportunity calling him; into the Company of four French Gallants well attended, faining to him the one to be a great Lord, the rest his Gentlemen, and that they were all devoted that way; over-perswaded him to go with them into France, to the Dutchess of Merceur, from whom they should not only have Means, but also Letters of Favour to her Noble Duke, then General for the Emperour Rolduphus in Hungary; which he did, with such ill Weather as Winter affordeth, in the dark Night they arrived in the broad shallow In-let of St. Valleries sur Soame in Picardie; His French Lord knowing he had good Apparel, and better furnished with Money than themselves, so Plotted with the Master of the Ship, to set his and their own Trunks ashore, leaving Smith aboard till the Boat could return, which was the next day after, towards Evening: The reason he alledged, was, the Sea went so high he could come no sooner, and that his Lord was gone to Amiens, where they would stay his coming; which treacherous Villany, when divers other Soldiers, and Passengers understood, they had like to have slain the Master, and had they known how, would have run away with the Ship.
{MN} A notable Villany of four French Gallants.
Coming on shoar, he had but one Cavvalue, {MN-1} was forced to sell his Cloak to pay for his Passage. One of the Soldiers, called Curzianvere, compassionating his Injury, assured him, this great Lord Depreau was only the Son of a Lawyer of Mortaigne in base Britany, and his Attendants Cursell, La Nelie, and Monserrat, three young Citizens, as arrant Cheats as himself; but if he would accompany him, he would bring him to their Friends, but in the interim supplied his wants: Thus Travelling by Deepe, Cadebeck, Humphla, Pount-demer in Normandy, they came to Caen in base Normandy; where both this Noble Curzianvere, and the great Prior of the great Abbey of St. Steven (where is the ruinous Tomb of William the Conqueror) and many other of his Friends kindly welcomed him, and brought him to Montaigne, where he found Depreau and the rest, but to small purpose; for Mr. Curzianvere was a banished Man, and durst not be seen but to his Friends: yet the bruit of their Cozenage occasioned the Lady Collumber, the Baron Larshan, the Lord Shasghe, and divers other honourable Persons, to supply his wants, and with them to recreate him-self so long as he would; But such pleasant pleasures suited little with his poor Estate, and his restless Spirit, that could never find content, to receive such Noble Favours, as he could neither deserve nor requite: But wandering from Port to Port to find some Man of War, spent that he had, and in a Forest, near dead with grief and cold, a rich Farmer found him by a fair Fountain, under a Tree: This kind Peasant relieved him again to his content, to follow his intent. {MN-2} Not long after, as he passed thorow a great Grove of Trees, between Pounterson and Dina in Britany, it was his chance to meet Cursell, more miserable than himself: His piercing Injuries had so small patience, as without any word they both drew, and in a short time Cursell fell to the Ground, where, from an old ruinated Tower, the Inhabitants seeing them, were satisfied, when they heard Cursell confess what had formerly passed; and that how, in the dividing that they had stolen from him, they fell by the Ears amongst themselves, that were Actors in it; but for his part, he excused himself to be innocent as well of the one, as of the other. In regard of his hurt, Smith was glad to be so rid of him, directing his course to an honourable Lord, the Earl of Ployer, {MN-3} who during the War in France, with his two Brethren, Viscount Poomory, and Baron d'Mercy, who had been brought up in England; by him he was better refurnished than ever. When they had shewed him Saint Malo Mount, Saint Michael, Lambal, Simbreack, Lanion, and their own fair Castle of Tuncadeck, Gingan, and divers other places in Britany (and their British Cornwaile) taking his leave, he took his way to Raynes, the Britains chief City, and so to Nants, Poyters, Rochel, and Bourdeaux. The rumour of the strength of Bayon in Biskay, caused him to see it; and from thence took his way from Leskar in Bicarne, and Paw, in the Kingdom of Navarre to Tolouza in Gascoigne, Bezers, and Carcassone, Narbone, Montpelier, Nimes in Languedeck, and thorow the Country of Avignion, by Aries to Marseilles in Provence, there imbarking himself for Italy; the Ship was inforced to Tolonne, and putting again to Sea, ill Weather so grew upon them, that they Anchored close aboard the Shoar, under the little Isle of St. Mary, against Nice in Savoy. Here the inhuman Provincials, with a Rabble of Pilgrims of divers Nations going to Rome, hourly cursing him, not only for a Hugonot but his Nation they swore were all Pirats, and so vilely railed on his dread Soveraign Queen Elizabeth, and that they never should have fair Weather so long as he was aboard them; their Disputations grew to that Passion, that they threw him over board, yet God brought him to that little Isle, where was no Inhabitants, but a few Kine and Goats. The next Morning, he espied two Ships more riding by them, put in by the Storm, that fetched him aboard, well refreshed him, and so kindly used him, that he was well contented to try the rest of his Fortune with them. {MN-5} After he had related unto them his former Discourse, what for pity, and the love of the Honourable Earl of Ployer, this Noble Britain his Neighbour, Captain la Roche of Saint Malo, regarded and entertained him for his well respected Friend. With the next fair Wind, they Sailed along by the Coast of Corsica and Sardinia, and crossing the Gulf of Tunis, passed by Cape Bona to the Isle of Lempadosa, leaving the Coast of Barbary till they came at Cape Rasata, and so along the African Shoar, for Alexandria in Ægypt. There delivering their Fraught, they went to Seandaroone, rather to view what Ships were in the Road, than any thing else: keeping their Course by Cypres, and the Coast of Asia, Sailing by Rhodes, the Archipelagus, Candia, and the Coast of Grecia, and the Isle of Zefalonia. They lay to and again a few days, betwixt the Isle of Corsue, and the Cape of Orranto, in the Kingdom of Naples, in the Entrance of the Adriatick Sea.
{MN-1} A Cavvalue is in value a penny.
{MN-2} Here he incountred one of the thieves.
{MN-3} The Nobleness of the Earl of Plover.
{MN-4} An inhuman act of the Provincials in casting him overboard.
{MN-5} Capt. La Roche relieves him.
CHAP. III.
A desperate Sea Fight in the Streights; His Passage to Rome, Naples, and the view of Italy.
Betwixt the two Capes, they met with an Argosie of Venice; it seemed the Captain desired to speak with them, whose untoward answer was such, as slew them a Man; {MN} whereupon the Britain presently gave them the Broad-side, then his Stern, and his other Broad-side also, and continued the Chase, with his chase Pieces, till he gave them so many Broad-sides one after another, that the Argosies Sails and Tackling was so torn, she stood to her defence, and made shot for shot; twice in one hour and a half the Britain boarded her, yet they cleared themselves, but clapping her aboard again, the Argosie fired him, which with much danger to them both was presently quenched. This rather augmented the Britain's rage, than abated his courage; for having reaccommodated himself again, shot her so oft between Wind and Water, she was ready to sink, then they yielded; the Britain lost fifteen Men, she twenty, besides divers were hurt, the rest went to Work on all hands; some to stop the Leaks, others to guard the Prisoners that were chained, the rest to ride her. The Silks, Velvets, Cloth of Gold, and Tissue, Piasters, Chicqueens and Sultanies, which is Gold and Silver, they unloaded in four and twenty hours, was wonderful, whereof having sufficient, and tired with toil, they cast her off with her Company, with as much good Merchandize as would have fraughted such another Britain, that was but two Hundred Tuns, she four or five Hundred.
{MN} A desperate Sea Fight.
To repair his Defects, he stood for the Coast of Calabria, but hearing there was six or seven Galleys at Messina, he departed thence for Malta; but the Wind coming fair, he kept his course along the Coast of the Kingdom of Sicilia, by Sardinia and Corsica, till he came to the Road of Antibo in Peamon, where he set Smith on shoar with five Hundred Chicqueens, and a little Box God sent him worth near as much more. Here he left this Noble Britain, and embarked himself for Legorn, being glad to have such opportunity and means to better his Experience by the view of Italy; and having passed Tuskany, and the Country of Siena, where he found his dear Friends, the two Honourable Brethren, the Lord Willoughby, and his Brother cruelly wounded, in a desperate fray, yet to their exceeding great Honour. Then to Viterbo and many other Cities he came to Rome, from where it was his chance to see Pope Clement the VIII. with many Cardinals, creep up the Holy Stairs, {MN} which they say, are those our Savior Christ went up to Pontius Pilate, where blood, falling from his Head, being pricked with his Crown of Thorns, the drops are marked with Nails of Steel, upon them none dare go but in that manner, saying so many Ave-Maries and Pater-Nosters, as is their Devotion, and to kiss the Nails of Steel: But on each side, is a pair of such like Stairs, upon which you may go, stand, or kneel, but divided from the Holy Stairs by two Walls: Right against them is a Chappel, where hangs a great Silver Lamp, which burneth continually; yet they say, the Oil neither increaseth nor diminisheth. A little distant is the ancient Church of Saint John de Lateran, where he saw him say Mass, which commonly he doth upon some Friday once a Month. Having saluted Father Parsons, that famous English Jesuit, and satisfied himself with the Rarities of Rome, he went down the River of Tiber to Civita Vechia, where he embarked himself, to satisfie his Eye with the fair City of Naples, and her Kingdoms Nobility; returning by Capua, Rome and Siena, he passed by that admired City of Florence, the Cities and Countreys of Bolonia, Ferrara, Mantua, Padua and Venice, whose Gulf he passed from Malamoco and the Adriatic Sea for Ragouza, spending some time to see that barren, broken Coast of Albania and Dalmatia, to Capo de Istria, Travelling the main of poor Sclavonia by Lubbiano, till he came to Grates in Styria, the Seat of Ferdinando, Arch-duke of Austria, now Emperour of Almania: where he met an English Man, and an Irish Jesuit, who acquainted him with many brave Gentlemen of good Quality, especially with the Lord Ebersbaught, with whom, trying such Conclusions, as he projected to undertake, preferred him to Baron Kisell, General of the Artillery, and he to a worthy Colonel, the Earl of Meldritch, with whom, going to Vienna in Austria, under whose Regiment, in what Service, and how he spent his time, this ensuing Discourse will declare.
{MN} The Popes holy stairs brought from Jerusalem, whereon (they say) Christ went up to Pontius Pilate.
CHAP. IV.
The Siege of Olumpagh; An excellent Stratagem by Smith; Another
not much worse.
After the loss of Caniza, the Turks with Twenty thousand besieged the strong Town of Olumpagh so straitly, as they were cut off from all intelligence and hope of succour; till John Smith, this English Gentleman, acquainted Baron Kisell, General of the Arch-dukes Artillery, he had taught the Governour, his worthy Friend, such a Rule, that he would undertake to make him know any thing he intended, and have his answer, would, they bring him but to some place where he might make the Flame of a Torch seen to the Town; Kisell inflamed with this strange Invention, Smith made it so plain, that forthwith he gave him Guides, who in the dark Night brought him to a Mountain, where he shewed three Torches equidistant from the other, which plainly appearing to the Town, the Governour presently apprehended, and answered again with three Other fires in like manner; each knowing the others being and intent; Smith, though distant seven Miles, signified to him these Words: On Thursday at Night I will charge on the East, at the Alarum, salley you; Ebersbaught answered, he would, and thus it was done: First he writ his Message as brief, you see, as could be, then divided the Alphabet into two parts thus;
A. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. i. k. l. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. I. m. n. o. p. q. r. s. t. v. w. x. 2. 2. 2. 2. 2. 2. 2. 2. 2. 2. 2. y. z. 2. 2.
{MN} The siege of Olumpagh.
{M-1} The first part from A. to L. is signified by shewing and hiding one link, so oft as there is Letters from A. to that Letter you mean; the other part from M. to Z. is mentioned by two Lights in like manner. The end of a Word is signified by shewing of three Lights, ever staying your Light at that Letter you mean, till the other may write it in a Paper, and answer by his signal, which is one Light, it is done, beginning to count the Letters by the Lights, every time from A. to M. by this means also the other returned his answer, whereby each did understand other. The Guides all this time having well viewed the Camp, returned to Kisel, who, doubting of his power, being but Ten thousand, was animated by the Guides, how the Turks were so divided by the River in two parts, they could not easily second each other. {MN-2} To which Smith added this conclusion; that two or three thousand pieces of Match fastened to divers small Lines of an hundred Fathom in length, being armed with Powder, might all be fired and stretched at an instant before the Alarum, upon the Plain, of Hysnaburg, supported by two Staves, at each lines end, in that manner would seem like so many Musketteers; which was put in Practice; and being discovered by the Turks, they prepared to encounter these false fires, thinking there had been some great Army: whilst Kisel with his Ten thousand being entred the Turks quarters, who ran up and down as Men amazed, it was not long ere Ebersbaught was pell-mell with them in their Trenches; in which distracted confusion, a third part of the Turks that besieged that side towards Knowsbruck, were slain; many of the rest drowned, but all fled. The other part of the Army was so busied to resist the false fires, that Kisel before the Morning put two thousand good Soldiers in the Town, and with small loss was retired; the Garrison was well relieved with what they found in the Turks Quarters, which caused the Turks to raise their Siege and return to Caniza: and Kisel with much honour was received at Kerment, and occasioned the Author a good Reward and Preferment, to be Captain of Two hundred and fifty Horse-men, under the conduct of Colonel Voldo, Earl of Meldritch.
{MN-1} An excellent Stratagem.
{MN-2} Another stratagem.
CHAP. V.
The Siege of Stoll-weissenburg; The effects of Smith's Fire-works; A worthy Exploit of Earl Rosworme; Earl Meldritch takes the Bashaw Prisoner.
A General rumour of a general Peace, now spred it self over all the face of those tormented Countries: but the Turk intended no such matter, but levied Soldiers from all Parts he could. The Emperour also, by the assistance of the Christian Princes, provided three Armies, the one led by the Arch-duke Matthias, the Emperour's Brother, and his Lieutenant Duke Merceur to defend Low Hungary; the second, by Ferdinando the Arch-duke of Styria, and the Duke of Mantua his Lieutenant to regain Caniza; the third by Gonzago, Governour of High Hungary, to joyn with Georgio Buson to make an absolute conquest of Transilvania.
Duke Merceur with an Army or Thirty thousand, whereof near Ten thousand were French, besieged Stoll-weissenburg, otherwise called Alba Regalis, a place so strong by Art and Nature, that it was thought impregnable. At his first coming, The Turks sallied upon the German Quarter, slew near five hundred, and returned before they were thought on. The next Night in like manner, they did near as much to the Bemers, and Hungarians; of which, Fortune still presuming, thinking to have found the French quarter as careless, Eight or Nine hundred of them were cut in pieces and taken Prisoners. In this Encounter Monsieur Grandvile, a brave French Colonel, received seven or eight cruel Wounds, yet followed the Enemy to the Ports; he came off alive, but within three or four days died.
{MN} The siege of Alba Regalis.
Earl Moldritch, by the Information of of three or four Christians, (escaped out of the Town) upon every Alarum, where there was greatest Assemblies and throng of People, {MN} caused Captain Smith to put in practice his fiery Dragons, he had demonstrated unto him, and the Earl Von Sulch at Comora which he thus performed: Having prepared forty or fifty round-bellied Earthen Pots, and filled them with hand Gun powder, then covered them with Pitch, mingled with Brimstone and Turpentine; and quartering as many Musket-bullets, that hung together but only at the Center of the division, stuck them round in the mixture about the Pots, and covered them again with the same mixture, over that a strong Searcloth, then over all, a good thickness of Towze-match, well tempered with Oyl of Lin-seed, Camphire, and Powder of Brimstone, these he fitly placed in Slings, graduated so near as they could to the places of these Assemblies. At mid-night upon the Alarum, it was a fearful sight to see the short flaming course of their flight in the Air, but presently after their fall, the lamentable noise of the miserable slaughtered Turks was most wonderful to hear: Besides, they had fired that Suburb at the Port of Buda in two or three places, which so troubled the Turks to quench, that had there been any means to have assaulted them, they could hardly have resisted the fire, and their Enemies. The Earl Rosworme, contrary to the opinion of all Men, would needs undertake to find means to surprize the Segeth and Suburb of the City, strongly defended by a muddy Lake, which was thought unpassable.
{MN} The effect of good fireworks.
The Duke having planted his Ordnance, battered the other side, {MN-1} whilst Rosworme in the dark Night, with every Man a bundle of Sedge and Bavins still thrown before them, so laded up the Lake, as they surprised that unregarded Suburb before they were discovered: Upon which unexpected Alarum, the Turks fled into the City, and the other Suburb not knowing the matter, got into the City also, leaving their Suburb for the Duke, who, with no great resistance, took it, with many Pieces of Ordnance; the City, being of no such strength as the Suburbs, with their own Ordnance was so battered, that it was taken by force, with such a merciless Execution, as was most pitiful to behold. {MN-2} The Bashaw notwithstanding, drew together a Party of Five hundred before his own Palace, where he intended to die; but seeing most of his Men slain before him, by the valiant Captain, Earl Meldritch, who took him Prisoner with his own hands; and with the hazard of himself saved him from the fury of other Troops, that did pull down his Palace, and would have rent him in pieces, had he not been thus preserved. The Duke thought his Victory much honoured with such a Prisoner; took order, he should be used like a Prince, and with all expedition gave charge presently to repair the Breaches, and the Ruins of this famous City, that had been in the possession of the Turks near threescore years.
{MN-1} A worthy Exploit of Earl Rosworme.
{MN-2} Earl Meldritch takes the Bashaw prisoner.
CHAP. VI.
A brave Encounter of the Turks Army with the Christians; Duke Merceur overthroweth Assan Bashaw; He divides the Christian Army; His Nobleness and Death.
Mahomet the Great Turk, during the Siege, had raised an Army of Sixty thousand Men to have relieved it; but hearing it was lost, he sent Assan Bashaw, General of his Army, the Bashaw of Buda, Bashaw Amaroz, to see if it were possible to regain it; The Duke understanding there could be no great experience in such a new levied Army as Assan had, having put a strong Garrison into it, and with the brave Colonel Rosworme, Culnits, Meldritch, the Rhine Grave, Vahan, and many others, with Twenty thousand good Soldiers, set forward to meet the Turk, in the Plains of Girk. {MN-1} Those two Armies encountred as they marched, where began a hot and bloody Skirmish betwixt them, Regiment against Regiment, as they came in order, till the night parted them: Here Earl Meldritch was so invironed among those half circular Regiments of Turks, they supposed him their Prisoner, and his Regiment lost; but his two most couragious Friends, Vahan and Culnits, made such a Passage amongst them, that it was a terror to see how Horse and Man lay sprawling and tumbling, some one way, some another on the Ground. The Earl there at that time made his valour shine more bright than his Armour, which seemed then painted with Turkish Blood; he slew the brave Zanzack Bugola, and made his Passage to his Friends, but near half his Regiment was slain. Captain Smith had his Horse slain under him, and himself sore wounded; but he was not long unmounted, for there was choice enough of Horses, that wanted Masters. The Turk, thinking the Victory sure against the Duke, whose Army, by the Siege and the Garrison, he had left behind him, was much weakened, would not be content with one, but he would have all; and lest the Duke should return to Alba Regalis, he sent that Night Twenty thousand to besiege the City, assuring them, he would keep the Duke or any other from relieving them. Two or three days they lay each by other, entrenching themselves; the Turks daring the Duke daily to a sett Battle, {MN-2} who at length drew out his Army, led by the Rhine-Grave, Culnits, and Meldritch who upon their first Encounter, charged with that resolute and valiant courage, as disordered not only the foremost Squadrons of the Turks, but enforced all the whole Army to retire to the Camp, with the loss of five or six thousand, with the Bashaw of Buda, and four or five Zanzacks, with divers other great Commanders, Two hundred Prisoners, and nine pieces of Ordnance. At that instant appeared, as it were, another Army coming out of a Valley over a plain Hill, that caused the Duke at that time to be contented, and to retire to his Trenches; which gave time to Assan, to reorder his disordered Squadrons: Here they lay nine or ten days, and more Supplies repaired to them, expecting to try the event in a sett Battle; but the Soldiers on both Parties, by reason of their great Wants, and approach of Winter, grew so discontented, that they were ready of themselves to break up the Leager; the Bashaw retiring himself to Buda, had some of the Rear Troops cut off. Amaroz Bashaw hearing of this, found such bad welcome at Alba Regalis, and the Town so strongly repaired with so brave a Garrison, raised his Siege, and retired to Zigetum.
{MN-1} A brave encounter of the Turks Army with the Christians.
{MN-2} Duke Merceur overthroweth Assan Bassa.
The Duke understanding, that the Archduke Ferdinando, had so resolutely besieged Caniza as what by the loss of Alba Regalis, and the Turks retreat to Buda, being void of hope of any relief, doubted not, but it would become again the Christians. {MN-1}To the furtherance whereof, the Duke divided his Army into three parts. The Earl of Rosworme went with Seven thousand to Caniza, the Earl of Meldritch with Six thousand he sent to assist Georgio Busca against the Transilvanians, the rest went with himself to the Garrisons of Strigonium and Komara; having thus worthily behaved himself, he arrived at Vienne, where the Arch-dukes and the Nobility with as much honour received him, as if he had conquered all Hungaria; his very Picture they esteemed would make them fortunate, which thousands kept as curiously as a precious relique. To requite this honour, preparing himself to return into France, to raise new Forces against the next year, with the two Arch-dukes, Matthias and Maximilian, and divers others of the Nobility, was with great Magnificence conducted to Nurenburg, there by them royally feasted, (how it chanced is not known;) {MN-2} but the next Morning he was found dead, and his Brother in Law died two days after; whose hearts, after this great Triumph, with much sorrow were carried into France.
{MN-1} Duke Merceur divideth his army.
{MN-2} Duke Merceur and his brother in law die suddenly.
CHAP. VII.
The unhappy Siege of Caniza; Earl Meldritch serveth Prince Sigismundus; Prince Moyses besiegeth Regall; Smith's three single Combats; His Patent from Sigismundus, and Reward.
{MN} The Worthy Lord Rosworme had not worse Journey to the miserable Siege of Caniza, (whereby the extremity of an extraordinary continuing Tempest of Hail, Wind, Frost and Snow, insomuch that the Christians were forced to leave their Tents and Artillery, and what they had; it being so cold, that three or four hundred of them were frozen to Death in a Night, and two or three thousand lost in that miserable flight in the Snowy Tempest, though they did know no Enemy at all to follow them) than the Noble Earl of Meldritch had to Transilvania, where hearing of the Death of Michael, and the brave Duke Merceur, and knowing the Policy of Busca, and the Prince his Royalty, being now beyond all belief of Men, in Possession of the best part of Transilvania, perswaded his Troops, in so honest a Cause, to assist the Prince against the Turk, rather than Busca against the Prince.
{MN} The unhappy siege of Caniza.
{MN} The Soldiers being worn out with those hard Pays and Travels, upon hope to have free liberty to make booty upon what they could get Possession of from the Turks, were easily perswaded to follow him whithersoever. Now this Noble Earl was a Transilvanian born, and his Fathers Country yet Inhabited by the Turks; for Transilvania was yet in three Divisions, though the Prince had the Hearts both of Country and People; yet the Frontiers had a Garrison amongst the unpassable Mountains, some for the Emperour, some for the Prince, and some for the Turk: To regain which small Estate, he desired leave of the Prince to try his Fortunes, and to make use of that experience, the time of twenty years had taught him in the Emperours service, promising to spend the rest of his days, for his Countrys defence in his Excellencies Service. The Prince glad of so brave a Commander, and so many expert and ancient Soldiers, made him Camp Master of his Army, gave him all necessary relief for his Troops, and what freedom they desired to plunder the Turks.
{MN} Earl Meldritch serveth with Prince Sigismundus.
{MN-1} The Earl having made many Incursions into the Land of Zarkan, among those Rocky Mountains, where were some Turks, some Tartars, but most Bandittoes, Rennegadoes, and such like, which sometimes he forced into the Plains of Regall where is a City, not only of Men and Fortifications, Strong of it self, but so environed with Mountains, that made the Passages so difficult, that in all these Wars, no attempt had been made upon it to any purpose: Having satisfied himself with the Situation, and the most convenient Passages to bring his Army into it: The Earth no sooner put on her green Habit, than the Earl overspread her with his armed Troops. To possess himself first of the most convenient Passage, which was a narrow Valley betwixt two high Mountains; he sent Colonel Veltus with his Regiment; dispersed in Companies to lie in Ambuscado, as he had directed them, and in the Morning to drive all the Cattel they could find before a Fort in that Passage, whom he supposed would sally, seeing but some small Party to recover their prey; which took such good success, that the Garrison was cut off by the Ambuscado, and Veltus seized on the Skonces, which were abandoned. Meldritch glad of so fortunate a beginning, it was six days ere he could with six thousand Pioneers make passage for his Ordnance: The Turks having such warning, strengthened the Town so with Men and Provision, that they made a scorn of so small a number as Meldritch brought with him before the City, which was but eight thousand. Before they had pitched their Tents, the Turks sallied in such abundance, as for an hour, they had rather a bloody Battel than a Skirmish, but with the loss of near Fifteen hundred on both sides. The Turks were chased till the Cities Ordnance caused the Earl to retire. {M-2} The next day Zachel Moyses, General of the Army, pitched also his Tents with nine thousand Foot and Horse, and six and twenty Pieces of Ordnance; but in regard of the Situation of this strong Fortress, they did neither fear them nor hurt them, being upon the point of a fair Promontory, environed on the one side within half a Mile with an un-useful Mountain, and on the other side with a fair Plain, where the Christians encamped, but so commanded by their Ordnance, they spent near a Month in entrenching themselves, and raising their Mounts to plant their Batteries; which slow proceedings the Turks oft derided, that their Ordnance were at pawn, and how they grew fat for want of Exercise, and fearing lest they should depart ere they could assault their City, sent this Challenge to any Captain in the Army.
{MN-1} Earl Meldritch maketh incursions to discover Regall.
{MN-2} Moyses Besiegeth Regal.
That to delight the Ladies, who did long to see some Court-like pastime, the Lord Turbashaw did defie any Captain, that had the command of a Company, who durst Combate with him for his Head: The matter being discussed, it was accepted, but so many Questions grew for the undertaking, it was decided by Lots, which fell upon Captain Smith, before spoken of.
{MN} Truce being made for that time, the Rampires all beset with fair Dames, and Men in Arms, the Christians in Battalia; Turbashaw with a noise of Haut-boys entred the Field well mounted and armed; on his shoulders were fixed a pair of great Wings, compacted of Eagles Feathers, within a ridge of Silver, richly garnished with Gold and precious Stones, a Janizary before him, bearing his Lance, on each side another leading his Horse; where long he stayed not, ere Smith with a noise of Trumpets, only a Page bearing his Lance, passing by him with a courteous Salute, took his Ground with such good success, that at the sound of the charge, he passed the Turk thorow the sight of his Beaver, Face, Head and all, that he fell dead to the Ground, where alighting and unbracing his Helmet, cut off his Head, and the Turks took his Body; and so returned without any hurt at all. The Head he presented to the Lord Moyses, the General, who kindly accepted it, and with joy to the whole Army he was generally welcomed.
{MN} Three single combates.
The Death of this Captain so swelled in the Heart of one Grualgo, his vowed Friend, as rather inraged with madness than choler, he directed a particular challenge to the Conqueror, to regain his Friends Head, or Idle his own, with his Horse and Armour for advantage, which according to his desire, was the next day undertaken: as before upon the sound of the Trumpets, their Lances flew in pieces upon a clear Passage, but the Turk, was near unhorsed. Their Pistols was the next, which marked Smith upon the Placard; but the next shot the Turk, was so Wounded in the left Arm, that being not able to rule his Horse, and defend himself, he was thrown to the ground, and so bruised with the fall, that he lost his Head, as his Friend before him, with his Horse and Armour; but his Body, and his rich Apparel were sent back to the Town.
Every day the Turks made some Sallies, but few Skirmishes would they endure to any purpose. Our Works and Approaches being not yet advanced to that heighth and effect, which was of necessity to be performed; to delude time, Smith with so many incontradictible perswading Reasons, obtained leave, that the Ladies might know he was not so much enamoured of their Servants Heads; but if any Turk, of their rank would come to the place of Combate to redeem them, should have his also upon the like conditions, if he could win it.
The challenge presently was accepted by Bonny Mulgro. The next day, both the Champions entring the Field as before, each discharging their Pistol, having no Lances, but such martial Weapons as the Defendant appointed, no hurt was done; their Battle-Axes was the next, whose piercing Bills made sometime the one, sometime the other to have scarce sense to keep their Saddles, specially the Christian received such a blow, that he lost his Battle axe, and failed not much to have fallen after it, whereat the supposed conquering Turk, had a great shout from the Rampires. The Turk, prosecuted his advantage to the uttermost of his power; yet the other, what by the readiness of his Horse, and his judgement and dexterity in such a business, beyond all Mens expectation, by God's assistance, not only avoided the Turks violence but having drawn his Faulchion, pierced the Turk, so under the Culets, thorow back and body, that altho' he alighted from his Horse, he stood not long ere he lost his Head, as the rest had done.
CHAP. VIII.
Georgio Busca an Albane, his ingratitude to Prince Sigismundus; Prince Moyses his Lieutenant, is overthrown by Busca, General for the Emperour Rodulphus; Sigismundus yieldeth his Country to Rodulphus; Busca assisteth Prince Rodol in Wallachia.
This good success gave such great encouragement to the whole Army, that with a Guard of six thousand, three spare Horses, before each a Turks Head upon a Lance, he was conducted to the Generals Pavilion with his Presents. Moyses received both him and them, with as much respect as the occasion deserved, embracing him in his Arms, gave him a fair Horse, richly furnished, a Scimitar and Belt worth Three hundred Ducats; and Meldritch made him Sergeant Major of his Regiment. But now to the Siege, having mounted six and twenty pieces of Ordnance, fifty or sixty Foot above the Plain, made them so plainly tell his meaning, that within fifteen days two Breaches were made, which the Turks as valiantly defended as Men could; that day was made a darksome Night, but by the light that proceeded from the murdering Muskets, and peace-making Canon, whilst their slothful Governour lay in a Castle on the top of a high Mountain, and like a Valiant Prince asketh what's the matter, when horror and death flood amazed each at other, to see who should prevail to make him victorious: {MN} Moyses commanding a general assault upon the sloping front of the high Promontory, where the Barons of Budendorfe and Oberwin, lost near half their Regiments, by Logs, Bags of Powder, and such like, tumbling down the Hill, they were to mount ere they could come to the breach; notwithstanding with an incredible courage, they advanced to the push of the Pike with the Defendants, that with the like courage repulsed, till the Earl Meldritch, Becklefield and Zarvana, with their fresh Regiments seconded them with that fury, that the Turks retired and fled into the Castle, from whence by a Flag of truce they desired composition. The Earl remembring his Fathers Death, battered it with all the Ordnance in the Town, and the next day took it: all he found could bear Arms, he put to the Sword, and set their Heads upon Stakes round about the Walls, in the same manner they had used the Christians, when they took it. Moyses having repaired the Rampires, and thrown down the Work in his Camp, he put in it a strong Garrison, though the pillage he had gotten in the Town was much, having been for a long time an impregnable den of Thieves; yet the loss of the Army so intermingled the sowre with the sweet, as forced Moyses to seek a farther revenge, that he sacked Veratio, Solmos, and Kupronka, and with two thousand Prisoners, most Women and Children, came to Esenberg, not far from the Princes Palace, where he there Encamped.
{MN} Regal assaulted and taken.
Sigismundus coming to view his Army, was presented with the Prisoners, and six and thirty Ensigns; where celebrating thanks to Almighty God in triumph of those Victories, he was made acquainted with the service Smith had done at Olumpagh, Stoll-Weissenburgh and Regal; for which, with great honour, he gave him three Turks Heads in a Shield for his Arms, by Patent, under his Hand and Seal, with an Oath ever to wear them in his Colours, his Picture in Gold, and three hundred Ducats yearly for a Pension.
Sigismundus Bathori, Dei Gratia, Dux Transilvaniæ, Wallachiæ, & Vandalorum; Comes Anchard, Salford, Growenda; Cunctis his literis significamus qui cas lecturi aut audituri sunt, concessam licentiam aut facultatem Johanni Smith, natione Anglo Generoso, 250. militum Capitaneo sub Illustrissani & Gravissani Henrici Volda, Comitis de Meldri, Salmariæ, & Peldoix primario, ex 1000 equitibus & 1500. peditibus bello Ungarico conductione in Provincias supra scriptas sub Authoritate nostra: cui servituti omni laude, perpetuaq; memoria dignum præbuit sese erga nos, ut virum strenuum pugnantem pro aris & focis decet. Quare e favore nostro militario ipsum ordine condonavimus, & in Sigillum illius tria Turcica Capita defignare & deprimere concessimus, que ipso gladio suo ad Urbem Regalem in singulari prælio vicit, mactavit, atq; decollavit in Transilvaniæ Provincia: Sed fortuna cum variabilis ancepsq; sit idem forte fortuito in Wallachiæ Provincia, Anno Domini 1602. die Mensis Novemberis 18. cum multis aliis etiam Nubilibus & aliis quibusdam militibus captus est a Domino Bascha electo ex Cambia regionis Tartariæ, onjus severitate adductus salutum quantem potuit quæsivit, tantumque effecit, Deo omnipotente adjuvante, ut deliberavit se, & ad suos Commilitones revertit; ex quibus ipsum liberavimus, & hæc nobis restimonia habuit ut majori licentia frucretur qua dignus esset, jam tendet in patriam suam dulcissonam: Rogamus ergo omnes nostros charissunos, confinititmos, Duces, Principes, Comites, Barones, Gubernatores Urbium & Navium in cadem Regione & cæterarum Provinciarum in quibus ille refidere conatus fuerit ut idem permittatur Capitaneus libere sine obstaculo omni versari. Hæc facientes pergratum nobis feceritis. Signatum Lesprizia in Misnia die Mensis Decembris 9. Anno Domini 1603.
Cum Privilegio propriæ, Majestatis. Sigismundus Bathori.
Universis, & singulis, cujuscunq; loci, status, gradut, ordinis, ac conditighis ad quos hos præsens scriptum pervenerit, Gulielmus Segar, Eques auratus alias dictus Garterus Principalis Rex Armorum Anglicorum, Salutum. Sciatis, quod Ego prædictus Garterus, notum, testatumque facio, quod Patentitem suprascriptum, cum manu propria prædicti Ducis Transilvaniæ Subsignatum, & Sigillo suo affixum, Vidi: & Copiam veram ejusdem (in perpetuam rei memoriam) transcripsi, & recordavi in Archivis, & Registris Officii Armorum. Datum Londini 19. die Augusti, Anno Domini 1625. Annoque Regni Domini nostri CAROLI Dei gratia Magnæ Britanniæ, Franciæ, & Hibernix Regis, Fidei Defendoris, &c. Prime.
Gulielmus Segar, Garterus.
{MN} Sigismundus Bathori, by the Grace of God, Duke of Transilvania, Wallachia, and Moldavia, Earl of Anchard, Salford and Growenda; to whom this Writing may come or appear. Know that We have given Leave and Licence to John Smith an English Gentleman, Captain of 250 Soldiers, under the most Generous and Honourable Henry Volda, Earl of Meldritch, Salmaria, and Peldoia, Colonel of a thousand Horse, and fifteen hundred Foot, in the Wars of Hungary, and in the Provinces aforesaid under our Authority; whose Service doth deserve all praise, and perpetual Memory towards us, as a Man that did for God and his Country overcome his Enemies; Wherefore out of our Love and Favour, according to the Law of Arms, We have ordained, and given him in his Shield of Arms, the Figure and Description of three Turks Heads, which with his Sword before the Town of Regal, in single Combat he did overcome, kill, and cut off, in the Province of Transilvania. But Fortune, as she is very variable, so it chanced and happened to him in the Province of Wallatchia, in the year of Our Lord 1602. the 18th day of November, with many others, as well Noble Men as also divers other Soldiers, were taken Prisoners by the Lord Bashaw of Cambia, a Country of Tartaria; whose cruelty brought him such good Fortune, by the Help and Power of Almighty God, that he delivered himself, and returned again to his Company and fellow Soldiers, of whom We do discharge him, and this he hath in Witness thereof, being much more worthy of a better Reward; and now intends to return to his own sweet Country. We desire therefore all Our loving and kind Kinsmen, Dukes, Princes, Earls, Barons, Governours of Towns, Cities or Ships, in this Kingdom, or any other Provinces he shall come in, that you freely let pass this the aforesaid Captain, without any hindrance or molestation, and this doing, with all kindness, we are always ready to do the like for you. Sealed at Lipswick in Misenland, the ninth of December, in the year of our Lord, 1603.
{MN} The same in English.
With the proper privilege of his Majesty. SIGISMUNDUS BATHORI
To all and singular, in what Place, State, Degree, Order, or Condition whatsoever, to whom this present Writing shall come: I William Segar, Knight, otherwise Garter, and principal King of Arms of England, wish health. Know, that I the aforesaid Garter, do witness and approve, that this aforesaid Patent, I have seen, Signed, and Sealed, under the proper Hand and Seal Manuel of the said Duke of Transilvania, and a true Copy of the same, as a thing for perpetual memory, I have Subscribed and Recorded in the Register, and Office of the Heralds of Arms. Dated at London, the nineteenth day of August, in the year of Our Lord, 1625, and in the first year of our Sovereign Lord Charles, by the Grace of God, King of great Britain, France, and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, &c.
WILLIAM SEGAR.
CHAP. IX.
Sigismundus sends Ambassadours unto the Emperour. The Conditions reassured. He yieldeth up all to Busca, and returneth to Prague.
Busca having all this time been raising new Forces, was commanded from the Emperour again to invade Transilvania, which being one of the fruitfullest and strongest Countries in those Parts, was now rather a Desart, or the very Spectacle of Desolation; their Fruits and Fields overgrown with Weeds, their Churches and battered Palaces, and best Buildings, as for fear, hid with Moss and Ivy; being the very Bulwark and Rampire of a great part of Europe, most fit by all Christians to have been supplied and maintained, was thus brought to ruin by them, it most concerned to support it. But alas, what is it, when the Power of Majesty pampered in all delights of pleasant Vanity, neither knowing, nor considering the labour of the Plough-man, the hazard of the Merchant, the oppression of Statesmen, nor feeling the piercing Torments of broken Limbs, and inveterate Wounds, the toilsome Marches, the bad Lodging, the hungry Diet, and the extream misery that Soldiers endure to secure all those Estates, and yet by the spight of malicious detraction, starves for want of their Reward and Recompences, whilst the politique Courtier, that commonly aims more at his own Honours and Ends, than his Countries good, or his Princes Glory, Honour, or Security, as this worthy Prince too well could testifie. But the Emperor being certified how weak and desperate his Estate was, sent Busca again with a great Army, to try his fortune once more in Transilvania. The Prince considering how his Country and Subjects were consumed, the small means he had any longer to defend his Estate, both against the cruelty of the Turk, and the power of the Emperor, and the small care the Polanders had in Supplying him, as they had promised, sent to Busca to have truce, till Messengers might be sent to the Emperour for some better agreement, wherewith Busca was contented. The Ambassadors so prevailed, that the Emperour re-assured unto them the conditions he had promised the Prince at their confederacy for the Lands in Silesia, with 60000 Ducats presently in hand, and 50000 Ducats yearly as a Pension. When this conclusion was known to Moyses, his Lieutenant then in the Field with the Army, that would do any thing, rather than come in subjection to the Germans, he encouraged his Soldiers, and without any more ado, marched to encounter Busca, {MN} whom he found much better provided than he expected; so that betwixt them, in six or seven hours, more than five or six thousand, on both sides, lay dead in the field. Moyses thus overthrown, fled to the Turks at Temesware, and his Scattered Troops, some one way, some another.
{MN} Busca in Transilvania overthroweth Moyses.
The Prince understanding of this so sudden and unexpected Accident, only accompanied with an hundred of his Gentry and Nobility, went into the Camp to Busca, to let him know how ignorant he was of his Lieutenants error, that he had done it without his direction or knowledge, freely offering to perform what was concluded by his Ambassadors with the Emperor; {MN} and so causing all his Garrisons to come out of their strong Holds, he delivered all to Busca for the Emperor, and so went to Prague, where he was honourably received, and established in his Possessions, as his Imperial Majesty had promised. Busca assembling all the Nobility, took their Oaths of Allegiance and Fidelity, and thus their Prince being gone Transilvania became again subject to the Emperor.
{MN} Sigismundis yieldeth his country to Busca.
{MN} Now after the Death of Michael, Vavoid of Wallachia, the Turk Sent one Jeremy to be their Vavoid or Prince; whose insulting Tyranny caused the People to take Arms against him, so that he was forced to flie into the Confines of Moldavia; and Busca in the behalf of the Emperor, proclaimed the Lord Rodol in his stead. But Jeremy having assembled an Army of forty thousand Turks, Tartars, and Moldavians, returned into Wallachia. Rodol not yet able to raise such a power, fled into Transilvania to Busca, his ancient Friend; who considering well of the matter, and how good it would be for his own Security, to have Wallachia subject to the Emperor, or at least such an Employment for the remainders of the old Regiments of Sigismundus, (of whose Greatness and true Affection he was very suspicious) sent them with Rodol to recover Wallachia, conducted by the Valiant Captains, the Earl Meldritch, Earl Veltus, Earl Nederspolt, Earl Zarvana, the Lord Becklefield the Lord Budendorfe, with their Regiments, and divers others of great rank and quality, the greatest Friends and Alliances the Prince had; who with Thirty thousand, marched along by the River Altus, to the Streights of Rebrink, where they entred Wallachia, encamping at Raza; Jeremy lying at Argish, drew his Army into his old Camp, in the Plains of Peteske, and with his best diligence fortified it, intending to defend himself, till more power came to him from the Crim-Tartar. Many small Parties that came to his Camp, Rodol cut off, and in the nights would cause their Heads to be thrown up and down before the Trenches. Seven of their Porters were taken, whom Jeremy commanded to be flayed quick, and after hung their Skins upon Poles, and their Carcases and Heads on Stakes by them.
{MN} Busca assisteth Rodol in Wallachia.
CHAP. X.
The Battle of Rottenton; a pretty Stratagem of Fire-works by Smith.
Rodol not knowing how to draw the Enemy to Battel, raised his Army, burning and spoiling all where he came, and returned again towards Rebrink in the night, as if he had fled upon the general rumour of the Crim-Tartars coming, which so inflamed the Turks of a happy Victory, they urged Jeremy against his Will to follow them. Rodol seeing his Plot fell out as he desired, so ordered the matter, that having regained the Streights, he put his Army in order, that had been near two days pursued with continual Skirmishes in his Rear, {MN-1} which now making Head against the Enemy, that followed with their whole Army in the best manner they could, was furiously charged with six thousand Heydukes, Wallachians, and Moldavians, led by three Colonels, Oversall, Dubras, and Calab, to entertain the time till the rest came up; Veltus and Nederspolt with their Regiments, entertained them with the like courage, till the Zanzacke Hamesbeg, with six thousand more, came with a fresh charge, which Meldritch and Budendorfe, rather like enraged Lions, than Men, so bravely encountred, as if in them only had consisted the Victory; Meldritch's Horse being slain under him, the Turks pressed what they could to have taken him Prisoner, but being remounted, it was thought with his own hand he slew the valiant Zanzacke, whereupon his Troops retiring, the two proud Bashawes, Aladin, and Zizimmus, brought up the front of the body of their Battle. Veltus, and Nederspolt having breathed, and joyning their Troops with Becklefield and Zarvana, with such an incredible courage, charged the left flank of Zizimmus, as put them all in disorder, where Zizimmus the Bashaw was taken Prisoner, but died presently upon his Wounds. Jeremy seeing now the main Battel of Rodol advance, being thus constrained, like a Valiant Prince in his front of the Vangard, by his example so bravely encouraged his Soldiers, that Rodol found no great assurance of the Victory. Thus being joyned in this bloody Massacre, that there was Scarce Ground to stand upon, but upon the dead Carcases, which in less than an hour, were So mingled, as if each Regiment had singled out other. The admired Aladin that day did leave behind him a glorious name for his Valour, whose Death, many of his Enemies did lament after the Victory, which at that instant fell to Rodol. It was reported, Jeremy was also slain; but it Was not so, but fled with the remainder of his Army to Moldavia, leaving five and twenty thousand dead in the Field, of both Armies. {MN-2} And thus Rodol was seated again in his Soveraignty, and Wallachia became subject to the Emperour.
{MN-1} A battle betwixt Rodol and Jeremy.
{MN-2} Wallachia subjected to the Emperour.
But long he rested not to settle his new Estate, but there came News, that certain Regiments of stragling Tartars, were foraging those Parts towards Moldavia. Meldritch with thirteen thousand Men was sent against them, but when they heard it was the Crim-Tartar, and his two Sons, with an Army of thirty thousand; and Jeremy, that had escaped with fourteen or fifteen thousand, lay in ambush for them about Langanaw, he retired towards Rottenton, a strong Garrison for Rodol; but they were so invironed with these hellish numbers, they could make no great hast for skirmishing with their Scouts, Foragers, and small Parties that still encountred them. But one night amongst the rest, having made a passage through a Wood, with an incredible expedition, cutting Trees thwart each other to hinder their passage, in a thick Fogg, early in the Morning, unexpectedly they met two thousand loaded with Pillage, and two or three hundred Horse and Cattel; the most of them were slain and taken Prisoners, who told them where Jeremy lay in the passage, expecting the Crim-Tartar that was not far from him. Meldritch intending to make his passage by force, was advised of a pretty Stratagem, by the English Smith, which presently he thus accomplished; for having accommodated two or three hundred Trunks with wild-fire, upon the Heads of Lances, and charging the Enemy in the night, gave fire to the Trunks, which blazed forth such Flames and Sparkles, that it so amazed not only their Horses, but their Foot also; that by the means of this flaming Encounter, their own Horses turned Tails with such fury, as by their violence overthrew Jeremy and his Army, without any loss at all to speak of to Meldritch. But of this Victory, long they triumphed not; for being within three Leagues of Rottenton, the Tartar, with near forty thousand so beset them, that they must either fight, or be cut in pieces flying. Here Busca, and the Emperour had their desire; for the Sun no sooner displayed his Beams, than the Tartar his Colours; where at mid-day he stayed a while, to see the Passage of a tyrannical and treacherous imposture, till the Earth did blush with the blood of Honesty, that the Sun for shame did hide himself, from so monstrous sight of a cowardly Calamity. It was a most brave sight to see the Banners and Ensigns streaming in the Air, the glittering of Armour, the variety of Colours, the motion of Plumes, the forests of Lances, and the thickness of shorter Weapons, till the silent Expedition of the bloody blast from the murdering Ordnance, whose roaring Voice is not so soon heard, as felt by the aimed at Object, which made among them a most lamentable slaughter.
CHAP. XI.
The names of the English that were slain in the Battel of Rottenton; and how
Captain Smith was taken Prisoner, and sold for a Slave.
In the valley of Veristhorne, betwixt the River of Altus, and the Mountain of Rottenton, was this bloody Encounter, where the most of the dearest Friends of the noble Prince Sigismundus perished. Meldritch having ordered his Eleven thousand in the best manner he could, at the Foot of the Mountain upon his Flanks, and before his front, he had pitched sharp Stakes, their Heads hardned in the fire, and bent against the Enemy, as three Battalion of Pikes, amongst the which also, there was digged many small holes. {MN-1} Amongst those Stakes was ranged his foot-men, that upon the charge was to retire, as there was occasion. The Tartar having ordered his 40000 for his best advantage, appointed Mustapha Bashaw to begin the Battel, with a general Shout, all their Ensigns displaying, Drums beating, Trumpets and Haut-boys sounding. Nederspolt and Mavazo with their Regiments of Horse most valiantly encountred, and forced them to retire; the Tartar Begoli with his Squadrons, darkning the Skies with their flights of numberless Arrows, who was as bravely encountred by Veltus and Oberwin, which bloody slaughter continued more than an hour, till the matchless multitude of the Tartars so increased, that they retired within their Squadrons of Stakes, as was directed. The bloody Tartar, as scorning he should stay so long for the Victory, with his massie Troops prosecuted the Charge: But it was a wonder to see how Horse and Man came to the Ground among the Stakes, whose disordered Troops were there so mangled, that the Christians with a loud Shout cried Victoria; and with five or six field Pieces, planted upon the rising of the Mountain, did much hurt to the Enemy that still continued the Battel with that fury, that Meldritch seeing there was no possibility long to prevail, joyned his small Troops in one body, resolved directly to make his passage, or die in the conclusion; and thus in gross gave a general charge, and for more than half an hour, made his way plain before him, till the main Battle of the Crim-Tartar, with two Regiments of Turks and Jaizaries so overmatched them, that they were overthrown. The night approaching, the Earl with some thirteen or fourteen hundred Horse, swam the River, some were drowned, all the rest slain or taken Prisoners: And thus in this bloody Field, near 30000 lay, some Headless, Armless and Legless, all cut and mangled; where breathing their last, they gave this knowledge to the World, that for the lives of so few, the Crim-Tartar never paid dearer. {MN-2} But now the Countries of Transilvania and Wallachia (subjected to the Emperor) and Sigismundus, that brave Prince, his Subject and Pensioner, the most of his Nobility, brave Captains and Soldiers, became a prey to the cruel devouring Turk: where, had the Emperour been as ready to have assisted him, and those three Armies led by three such worthy Captains, as Michael, Busca, and Himself, and had those three Armies joyned together against the Turk, let all Men judge, how happy it might have been for all Christendom: and have either regained Bulgaria, or at least have beat him out of Hungaria, where he hath taken much more from the Emperour, than hath the Emperour from Transilvania.
{MN-1} the Battle of Rottenton.
{MN-2} Extracted out of a book, instituted, the Wars of Hungaria, Wallachia, and Moldavia, written by Francisco Ferneza, a learned Italian, the Princes Secretary, and translated by Mr. Purchas.
In this dismal Battel, where Nederspolt, Veltus, Zarvana, Mavazo, Bavel, and many other Earls, Barons, Colonels, Captains, brave Gentlemen, and Soldiers were slain, give me leave to remember the names of our own Country-men, {MN} with him in those Exploits, that as resolutely as the best in the defence of Christ and his Gospel, ended their days, as Bakersfield, Hardwick, Thomas Milemer, Robert Mollineux, Thomas Bishop, Francis Compton, George Davison, Nicholas Williams and one John a Scot, did what Men could do, and when they could do no more, left there their Bodies in Testimony of their minds; only Ensign Charleton, and Sergeant Robinson escaped: But Smith, among the slaughtered dead Bodies, and many a gasping Soul, with toil and Wounds lay groaning among the rest, till being found by the Pillagers, he was able to live, and perceiving by his Armour and Habit, his ransom might be better to them than his Death, they led him Prisoner with many others; well they used him till his Wounds were cured, and at Axopolis they were all sold for Slaves, like Beasts in a Market-place, where every Merchant, viewing their Limbs and Wounds, caused other Slaves to struggle with them, to try their strength, he fell to the share of Bashaw Bogal, who sent him forthwith to Adrianopolis, so for Constantinople to his fair Mistriss for a Slave. By twenty and twenty chained by the Necks, they marched in file to this great City, where they were delivered to their several Masters, and he to the young Charaza Tragabigzanda.
{MN} The English Men in this Battel.
CHAP. XII.
How Captain Smith was sent Prisoner thorow the Black and Dissabacca Sea in
Tartaria; the Description of those seas, and his usage.
This Noble Gentlewoman took sometime occasion to shew him to some Friends, or rather to speak with him, because she could speak Italian, would feign her self sick when she should go to the Bannians, or weep over the Graves, to know how Bogal took him Prisoner; and if he were as the Bashaw writ to her, a Bohemian Lord conquered by his Hand, as he had many others, which ere long he would present her, whose Ransomes should adorn her with the glory of his Conquests.
But when she heard him protest he knew no such matter, nor ever saw Bogal, till he bought him at Axopolis, and that he was an English-man, only by his Adventures made a Captain in those Countries. To try the truth, she found means to find out many who could speak English, French, Dutch, and Italian, to whom relating most part of these former Passages she thought necessary, which they so honestly reported to her, she took (as it seemed) much compassion on him; but having no use for him, lest her Mother should sell him, she sent him to her Brother, the Timor Bashaw of Nalbrits, In the Country of Cambia, a Province in Tartaria.
{MN-1} Here now let us remember his passing, in this speculative course from Constantinople by Sander, Screw, Panassa, Musa, Lastilla, to Varna, an ancient City upon the Black Sea. In all which Journey, having little more liberty, than his eyes judgment, since his Captivity, he might see the Towns with their short Towers, and a most plain, fertile, and delicate Country, especially that most admired place of Greece, now called Romania, but from Varna, nothing but the Black Sea Water, till he came to the two Capes of Taur and Pergilos, where he passed the Streight of Niger, which (as he conjectured) is some ten Leagues long, and three broad, betwixt two Low-lands, the Channel is deep, {MN-2} but at the entrance of the Sea Dissabacca, there are many great Osie-shaulds, and many great black Rocks, which the Turks said were Trees, Weeds, and Mud, thrown from the In-land Countries, by the Inundations and violence of the Current, and cast there by the Eddy. They Sailed by many low Isles, and saw many more of those muddy Rocks, and nothing else, but salt Water, till they came betwixt Sufax and Curuske, only two white Towns at the entrance of the River Bruapo appeared: In six or seven days Sail, he saw four or five seeming strong Castles of Stone, with flat tops and Battlements about them, but arriving at Cambia, he was (according to their custom) well used. The River was there more than half a Mile broad. The Castle was of a large Circumference, fourteen or fifteen foot thick, in the Foundation some six foot from the Wall, is a Pallizado, and then a Ditch of about forty foot broad full of Water. On the West side of it, is a Town, all of low flat Houses, which as he conceived, could be of no great strength, yet it keeps all them barbarous Countreys about it in admiration and subjection. After he had stayed there three days; it was two days more before his Guides brought him to Nalbrits, where the Tymor was then resident, in a great vast Stone Castle, with many great Courts about it, invironed with high Stone Walls, where was quartered their Arms, when they first subjected those Countries, which only live to labour for those Tyrannical Turks.
{MN-1} How he was sent into Tartaria.
{MN-2} The Description of the Dissabacca Sea.
{MN} To her unkind Brother, this kind Lady writ so much for his good usage, that he half expected, as much as she intended; for she told him, he should there but sojourn to learn the Language, and what it was to be a Turk, till time made her Master of her self. But the Tymor, her Brother, diverted all this to the worst of Cruelty; for within an hour after his arrival, he caused his Drubman to strip him naked, and shave his Head and Beard so bare as his Hand, a great Ring of Iron, with a long stalk bowed like a Sickle, revitted about his Neck, and a Coat made of Ulgries Hair, guarded about with a piece of an undrest Skin. There were many more Christian Slaves, and near an hundred Forsados of Turks and Moors, and he being the last, was slave of Slaves to them all. Among these slavish Fortunes, there was no great choice; for the best was so bad, a Dog could hardly have lived to endure, and yet for all their pains and labours, no more regarded than a Beast.
{MN} Smith's usage in Tartaria.
CHAP. XIII.
The Turks diet; the Slaves diet; the attire of the Tartars; and manner of
Wars and Religions, &c.
{MN-1} The Tymor and his Friends fed upon Pillaw, which is, boiled Rice and Garnances with little bits of Mutton or Buckones, which is Roasted pieces of Horse, Bull, Ulgrie, or any Beasts. Samboyses and Muselbit are great Dainties, and yet but round Pies, full of all sorts of Flesh, they can get chopped with variety of Herbs. Their best Drink is Coffee, of a grain they call Coava, boiled with Water; and Sherbeck, which is only Honey and Water; Mares Milk, or the Milk of any Beast, they hold restorative: but all the Commonalty drink pure Water. {MN-2} Their Bread is made of this Coava, which is a kind of black Wheat, and Cuskus a small white Seed, like Millia in Biskay: But our common Victuals, the entrails of Horse and Ulgries; of this cut in small pieces, they will fill a great Cauldron, and being boiled with Cuskus, and put in great Bowls in the form of Chaffing-dishes, they sit round about it on the Ground, after they have raked it thorow, so oft as they please with their foul Fists, the remainder was for the Christian Slaves. Some of this Broth, they would temper with Cuskus pounded, and putting the Fire off from the Hearth, pour there a Bowl full, then cover it with Coals till it be baked, which stewed with the remainder of the Broth, and some small pieces of Flesh, was an extraordinary Dainty.
{MN-1} The Tymor's Diet of Cambia, is as the Turks.
{MN-2} The Slaves Diet.
{MN} The better sort are attired like Turks, but the plain Tartar hath a black Sheeps-skin over his back, and two of the Legs tied about his Neck; the other two about his middle, with another over his Belly, and the Legs tied in like manner behind him: Then two more, made like a pair of Bases, serveth him for Breeches; with a little close Cap to his Skull of black Felt, and they use exceeding much of this Felt for Carpets, for Bedding, for Coats, and Idols. Their Houses are much worse than your Irish, but the In-land Countries have none but Carts and Tents, which they ever remove from Countrey to Countrey, as they see occasion, driving with them infinite Troops of black Sheep, Cattel and Ulgries, eating all up before them as they go.
{MN} The attire of those Tartars.
{MN} For the Tartars of Nagi, they have neither Town, nor House, Corn, nor Drink, but Flesh and Milk. The Milk they keep in great Skins like Burracho's, which though it be never so sower, it agreeth well with their strong Stomachs. They live all in Hordias, as doth the Crim-Tartars, three or four hundred in a Company, in great Carts fifteen or sixteen foot broad, which are covered with small Rods, wattled together in the form of a Bird's Nest, turned upwards, and with the Ashes of Bones, temper'd with Oil, Camels Hair, and a Clay they have, they loam them so well, that no Weather can pierce them, and yet very light. Each Hordia hath a Murse, which they obey as their King. Their Gods are infinite. One or two thousand of those glittering white Carts drawn with Camels, Deer, Bulls, and Ulgries, they bring round in a Ring, where they pitch their Camp; and the Murse, with his chief Alliances, are placed in the midst. They do much hurt, when they can get any Stroggs, which are great Boats used up on the River Volga, (which they call Edle) to them that dwell in the Countrey of Perolog, and would do much more, were it not for the Muscovites Garrisons that there Inhabit.
{MN} The Tartars of Nagi and their manners.
CHAP. XIIII.
The Description of the Crim-Tartars; their Houses and Carts, their Idolatry
in their Lodgings
{MN-1} Now you are to understand, Tartary and Scythia are all one, but so large and spacious, few, or none, could ever perfectly describe it, nor all the several kinds of those most barbarous People that inhabit it. Those we call the Crim-Tartars, border upon Moldavia, Podolia, Lithuania, and Russia, are much more regular than the interior parts of Scythia. This Great Tartarian Prince, that hath so troubled all his Neighbours, they always call Chan, which signifieth Emperour; but we, the Crim-Tartar. He liveth for the most part in the best Champion Plains of many Provinces; and his removing Court is like a great City of Houses and Tents, drawn on Carts, all so orderly placed East and West, on the right and left hand of the Prince's House, which is always in the midst towards the South, before which, none may pitch their Houses, every one knowing their Order and Quarter, as in an Army. {MN-2} The Princes Houses are very artificially wrought, both the Foundation, Sides, and Roof of Wickers, ascending round to the top like a Dove coat; this they cover with white Salt, or white Earth, temper'd with the Powder of Bones, that it may shine the whiter; sometimes with black Felt, curiously painted with Vines, Trees, Birds, and Beasts; the breadth of the Carts are eighteen or twenty Foot, but the house stretcheth four or five Foot over each side, and is drawn with ten or twelve, or for more state, twenty Camels and Oxen. {MN-3} They have also great Baskets, made of smaller Wickers, like great Chests, with a covering of the same, all covered over with black Felt, rubbed over with Tallow and Sheep's Milk, to keep out the Rain; prettily bedecked with Painting or Feathers; in those they put their Houshold Stuff and Treasure, drawn upon other Carts for that purpose. When they take down their Houses, they set the door always towards the South, and their Carts thirty or forty Foot distant on each side, East and West, as if they were two Walls: The Women also have most curious Carts; every one of his Wives hath a great one for her self, and so many other for her Attendants, that they seem as many Courts as he hath Wives. One great Tartar or Nobleman, will have for his particular, more than an hundred of those Houses and Carts, for his several Offices and Uses, but set so far from each other, they will seem like a great Village. {MN-4} Having taken their Houses from the Carts, they place the Master always towards the North; over whose head is always an Image like a Puppet, made of Felt, which they call his Brother; the Women on his left hand, and over the chief Mistriss her Head, such another Brother, and between them a little one, which is the keeper of the House; at the good Wives Beds-feet is a Kids Skin, stuffed with Wooll, and near it a Puppet looking towards the Maids; next the door another, with a dried Cows Udder, for the Women that Milk the Kine, because only the Men Milk Mares; {MN-5} every Morning those Images in their orders, they besprinkle with that they drink, be it Cossmos, or whatsoever, but all the white Mares Milk is reserved for the Prince. Then without the door, thrice to the South, every one bowing his knee in honour of the Fire; then the like to the East, in honour of the Air; then to the West, in honour of the Water; and lastly to the North, in behalf of the dead. After the Servant hath done this duty to the four quarters of the World, he returns into the House, where his Fellows stand waiting, ready with two Cups, and two Basons, to give their Master, and his Wife that lay with him that Night, to wash and drink, who must keep him company all the day following, and all his other Wives come thither to drink, where he keeps his House that day; and all the Gifts presented him till night, are laid up in her Chests; and at the door a Bench full of Cups, and drink for any of them to make merry.
{MN-1} The description of the Crim-Tartar's Court.
{MN-2} His Houses and Carts.
{MN-3} Baskets.
{MN-4} Their Idolatry in their Lodgings.
{MN-5} Cosmos is Mares Milk.
CHAP. XV.
Their Feasts, common Diet, Princes Estate, Buildings, Tributes, Laws, Slaves,
Entertainment of Ambassadors.
{MN} For their Feasts, they have all sorts of Beasts, Birds, Fish, Fruits, and Herbs they can get, but the more variety of wild ones is the best; to which they have excellent Drink made of Rice, Millet, and Honey, like Wine; they have also Wine, but in Summer they drink most Cossmos, that standeth ready always at the entrance of the door, and by it a Fidler; when the Master of the House beginneth to drink, they all cry, ha, ha, and the Fidler plays, then they all clap their Hands and dance, the Men before their Masters, the Women before their Mistresses; and ever when he drinks, they cry as before; then the Fidler stayeth till they drink all round; sometimes they will drink for the Victory; and to provoke one to drink, they will pull him by the Ears, and lug and draw him, to stretch and beat him, clapping their Hands, stamping with their Feet, and dancing before the Champions, offering them Cups, then draw them back again to increase their Appetite; and thus continue till they be drunk, or their drink done, which they hold an honour, and no Infirmity.
{MN} Their Feasts.
{MN} Though the Ground be fertile, they sow little Corn, yet the Gentlemen have Bread and Honey-wine; Grapes they have plenty, and Wine privately, and good Flesh and Fish; but the common sort stamped Millet, mingled with Milk and Water. They call Cassa for Meat, and drink any thing; also any Beast unprofitable for service they kill, when they are like to die, or however they die, they will eat them, Guts, Liver and all; but the most fleshy parts they cut in thin slices, and hang it up in the Sun and Wind without salting, where it will dry so hard, it will not putrifie in a long time. A Ramm they esteem a great Feast among forty or fifty, which they cut in pieces boiled or roasted, puts it in a great Bowl, with Salt and Water, for other Sawce they have none; the Master of the Feast giveth every one a piece, which he eateth by himself, or carrieth away with him. {MN-2} Thus their hard fare makes them so infinite in Cattel, and their great number of Captive Women to breed upon, makes them so populous. But near the Christian Frontiers, the baser sort make little Cottages of Wood, called Vlusi, daubed over with dirt, and Beasts dung covered with sedge; yet in Summer they leave them, beginning their Progress in April, with their Wives, Children, and Slaves, in their Carted Houses, scarce convenient for four or five Persons; driving their Flocks towards Precopia, and sometimes into Taurica, or Osow, a Town upon the River Tanais, which is great and swift, where the Turk hath a Garrison; and in October return again to their Cottages. Their Clothes are the Skins of Dogs, Goats, and Sheep, lined with Cotton Cloath, made of their finest Wooll, for of their worst they make their Felt, which they use in abundance, as well for Shooes and Caps, as Houses, Beds, and Idols; also of the coarse Wooll mingled with Horse hair, they make all their Cordage. {MN-3} Notwithstanding this wandring life, their Princes sit in great State upon Beds, or Carpets, and with great reverence are attended both by Men and Women, and richly served in Plates and great Silver Cups, delivered upon the Knee, attired in rich Furrs, lined with Plush, or Taffity, or Robes of Tissue. These Tartars possess many large and goodly Plains, wherein feed innumerable Herds of Horse and Cattel, as well wild as tame; which are Elkes, Bisons, Horses, Deer, Sheep, Goats, Swine, Bears, and divers others.
{MN-1} Their common diet.
{MN-2} How they become populous.
{MN-3} Their Princes State.
{MN-1} In those Countries are the Ruins of many fair Monasteries, Castles, and Cities, as Bacasaray, Salutium, Almassary, Precopia, Cremum, Sedacom, Capha, and divers others by the Sea, but all kept with strong Garrisons for the Great Turk, {MN-2} who yearly by Trade or Traffick, receiveth the chief Commodities those fertile Countries afford, as Bezoar, Rice, Furs, Hides, Butter, Salt, Cattel, and Slaves, yet by the spoils they get from the secure and idle Christians, they maintain themselves in this Pomp. Also their Wives, of whom they have as many as they will, very costly, yet in a constant custom with decency.
{MN-1} Ancient Buildings.
{MN-2} Commodities for tribute to the Turk.
{MN} They are Mahometans, as are the Turks, from whom they also have their Laws, but no Lawyers, nor Attornies, only Judges, and Justices in every Village, or Hordia; but Capital Criminals, or matters of moment, before the Chan himself, or Privy Councils, of whom they are always heard, and speedily discharged; for any may have access at any time to them, before whom they appear with great Reverence, adoring their Princes as Gods, and their Spiritual Judges as Saints; for Justice is with such integrity and Expedition Executed, without Covetousness, Bribery, Partiality, and Brawling, that in six Months they have sometimes scarce six Causes to hear. About the Princes Court, none but his Guard wear any Weapon, but abroad they go very strong, because there are many Bandittos, and Thieves.
{MN} Good Laws, yet no Lawyers.
{MN} They use the Hungarians, Russians, Wallachians, and Moldavian Slaves (whereof they have plenty) as Beasts to every work; and those Tartars that serve the Chan, or Noblemen, have only Victuals and Apparel, the rest are generally nastly, and idle, naturally miserable, and in their Wars better Thieves than Soldiers.
{MN} Their Slaves.
{MN} This Chan hath yearly a Donative from the King of Poland, the Dukes of Lithuania, Moldavia, and Nagayon Tartars; their Messengers commonly he useth bountifully, and very nobly, but sometimes most cruelly; when any of them do bring their Presents, by his Houshold Officers, they are entertained in a plain Field, with a moderate proportion of Flesh, Bread and Wine, for once; but when they come before him, the Sultans, Tuians, Vlans, Marhies, his chief Officers and Councellors attend, one Man only bringeth the Ambassadour to the Court Gate, but to the Chan he is led between two Councellors; where saluting him upon their bended knees, declaring their message, are admitted to eat with him, and presented with a great Silver Cup full of Mead from his own hand, but they drink it upon their Knees: when they are dispatched, he invites them again, the Feast ended, they go back a little from the Palace door, and rewarded with Silk Vestures, wrought with Gold down to their Anckles, with an Horse or two, and sometimes a Slave of their own Nation; in them Robes presently they come to him again, to give him thanks, take their leave, and so depart.
{MN} His Entertainment of Ambassadours.
CHAP. XVI.
How he levieth an Army; their Arms and Provision; how he divideth the
Spoil, and his Service to the Great Turk.
{MN} When he intends any Wars, he must first have leave of the Great Turk, whom he is bound to assist when he commandeth, receiving daily for himself and chief of his Nobility, Pensions from the Turk, that holds all Kings but Slaves, that pay Tribute, or are subject to any: signifying his intent to all his Subjects, within a Month commonly he raiseth his Army, and every Man is to furnish himself for three Months Victuals, which is parched Millet, or ground to Meal, which they ordinarily mingle with Water (as is said) hard Cheese or Curds dried, and beaten to powder, a little will make much Water like Milk, and dried Flesh, this they put also up in Sacks; The Chan and his Nobles have some Bread and Aquavitæ, and quick Cattel to kill when they please, wherewith very sparingly they are contented. Being provided with expert Guides, and got into the Country he intends to Invade, he sends forth his Scouts to bring in what Prisoners they can, from whom he will wrest the utmost of their Knowledge fit for his purpose; having advised with his Council, what is most fit to be done, the Nobility, according to their Antiquity, doth march; then moves he with his whole Army: if he find there is no Enemy to oppose him, he adviseth how far they shall Invade, commanding every Man (upon pain of his Life) to kill all the obvious Rusticks; but not to hurt any Women, or Children.
{MN} How he levieth an Army.
{MN} Ten, or fifteen thousand, he commonly placeth, where he findeth most convenient for his standing Camp; the rest of his Army he divides in several Troops, bearing ten or twelve Miles square before them, and ever within three or four days return to their Camp, putting all to Fire and Sword, but that they carry with them back to their Camp; and in this scattering manner he will invade a Country, and be gone with his Prey, with an incredible Expedition. But if he understand of an Enemy, he will either fight in Ambuscado, or flie; for he will never fight any Battel if he can chuse, but upon treble advantage; yet by his innumerable flights of Arrows, I have seen flie from his flying Troops, we could not well judge, whether his fighting or flying was most dangerous, so good is his Horse, and so expert his Bow-men; but if they be so intangled they must fight, there is none can be more hardy, or resolute in their defences.
{MN} The manner of his Wars.
{MN} Regaining his own Borders, he takes the tenth of the principal Captives, Man, Woman, Child, or Beast (but his Captains that take them, will accept of some particular Person they best like for themselves) the rest are divided amongst the whole Army, according to every Mans Desert and Quality; that they keep them, or sell them to who will give most; but they will not forget to use all the means they can, to know their Estates, Friends, and Quality, and the better they find you, the worse they will use you, till you do agree to pay such a Ransom, as they will impose upon you; therefore many great Persons have endured much misery to conceal themselves, because their Ransoms are so intolerable: their best hope is of some Christian Agent, that many times cometh to redeem Slaves, either with Money, or Man for Man; those Agents knowing so well the extream covetousness of the Tartars, do use to bribe some Jew or Merchant, that feigning they will sell them again to some other Nation, are oft redeemed for a very small Ransom.
{MN} How he divideth the spoil.
{MN} But to this Tartarian Army, when the Turk, commands, he goeth with some small Artillery; and the Nagayans, Precopens, Crims, Osovens, and Circassians, are his Tributaries; but the Perigorves, Oczaconians, Bialogordens, and Dobrucen Tartars, the Turk by Covenant commands to follow him, so that from all those Tartars he hath had an Army of an hundred and twenty thousand excellent, swift, stomackfull Tartarian Horse for foot they have none. Now the Chan, his Sultans and Nobility, use Turkiso, Caramanian, Arabian, Parthian, and other strange Tartarian Horses; the swiftest they esteem the best; seldom they feed any more at home, than they have present use for; but upon their Plains is a short Wood-like Heath, in some Countries like Gail, full of Berries, much better than any Grass.
{MN} How the Chan doth serve the Great Turk.
{MN} Their Arms are such, as they have surprised or got from the Christians or Persians, both Brest-plates, Swords, Scimitars, and Helmets; Bows and Arrows they make most themselves, also their Bridles and Saddles are indifferent, but the Nobility are very handsome, and well armed like the Turks, in whom consisteth their greatest Glory; the ordinary sort have little Armour, some a plain young Pole unshaven, headed with a piece of Iron for a Lance; some an old Christian Pike, or a Turks Cavarine, yet those Tattertimallions will have two or three Horses, some four or five, as well for service, as for to eat; which makes their Armies seem thrice so many as there are Soldiers. The Chan himself hath about his Person, Ten thousand chosen Tartars and Janizaries, some small Ordnance, and a white Mares Tail, with a piece of green Taffity on a great Pike, is carried before him for a Standard; because they hold no Beast so precious as a white Mare, whose Milk is only for the King and Nobility, and to Sacrifice to their Idols; but the rest have Ensigns of divers Colours.
{MN} Their Arms.
For all this miserable Knowledge, Furniture, and Equipage, the mischief they do in Christendom is wonderful, by reason of their hardness of Life and Constitution, Obedience, Agility, and their Emperours Bounty, Honours, Grace, and Dignities he ever bestoweth upon those, that have done him any memorable Service in the face of his Enemies.
{MN} The Caspian Sea, most Men agree that have passed it, to be in length about 200 Leagues, and in breadth an hundred and fifty, environed to the East, with the great Desarts of the Tartars of Turkomania; to the West, by the Circasses, and the Mountain Caucasus; to the North, by the River Volga, and the Land of Nagay; and to the South, by Media, and Persia: This Sea is fresh Water in many places, in others as salt as the great Ocean; it hath many great Rivers which fall into it, as the mighty River of Volga, which is like a Sea, running near Two thousand Miles, through many great and large Countries, that send into it many other great Rivers; also out of Saberia, Yaick, and Yem, out of the great Mountain Caucasus, the River Sirus, Arash, and divers others, yet no Sea nearer it than the black Sea, which is at least an hundred Leagues distant: In which Country live the Georgians, now part Armenians, part Nestorians; it is neither found to increase or diminish, or empty it self any way, except it be under Ground, and in some places they can find no Ground at Two hundred fathom.
{MN} A Description of the Caspian Sea.
Many other most strange and wonderful things are in the Land of Cathay, towards the North-east, and China towards the South-east, where are many of the most famous Kingdoms in the World, where most Arts, Plenty, and Curiosities are in such abundance, as might seem incredible, which hereafter I will relate, as I have briefly gathered from such Authors as have lived there.
CHAP. XVII.
How Captain Smith escaped his Captivity; slew the Bashaw of Nalbrits in Cambia; his Passage to Russia, Transilvania, and the middest of Europe to Africa.
{MN-1} All the hope he had ever to be delivered from this Thraldom, was Only the love of Tragabigzanda, who surely was ignorant of his bad usage; for although he had often debated the matter with some Christians, that had been there a long time Slaves, they could not find how to make an escape, by any reason or possibility; but God beyond Man's Expectation or Imagination helpeth his Servants, when they least think of help, as it hapned to him. So long he lived in this miserable Estate, as he became a Thresher at a grange in a great Field, more than a League from the Timor's House; the Bashaw, as he oft used to visit his Granges, visited him, and took occasion so to beat, spurn, and revile him, that forgetting all reason, he beat out the Timor's Brains with his Threshing Bat, for they have no Flails; and seeing his Estate could be no worse than it was, clothed himself in his Clothes, hid his Body under the Straw, filled his Knapsack with Corn, shut the doors, mounted his Horse, and ran into the Desart at all adventure; two or three days, thus fearfully wandring he knew not whither, and well it was, he met not any to ask the way; being even as taking leave of this miserable World, {MN-2} God did direct him to the great way or Castragan, as they call it, which doth cross these large Territories, and generally known among them by these marks.
{MN-1} How Smith escaped his Captivity.
{MN-2} Their Guides in those Countries.
In every crossing of this great way is planted a Post, and in it so many bobs with broad ends, as there be ways, and every bob the Figure painted on it, that demonstrateth to what part that way leadeth; as that which pointeth towards the Crim's Country, is marked with a half Moon, if towards the Georgians and Persia, a black Man, full of white spots, if towards China, the Picture of the Sun, if towards Muscovia, the Sign of a Cross, if towards the Habitation of any other Prince, the Figure whereby his Standard is known. To his dying Spirits thus God added some comfort in this melancholy Journey, wherein if he had met any of that vile Generation, they had made him their Slave, or knowing the Figure Engraven in the Iron about his Neck, (as all Slaves have) he had been sent back again to his Master; sixteen days he travelled in this fear and torment, after the Cross, till he arrived at Æcopolis, upon the River Don, a Garrison of the Muscovites. The Governour after due Examination of those his hard events, took off his Irons, and so kindly used him, he thought himself new risen from the Dead, and the good Lady Calamata, largely Supplied all his wants.
{MN-1} This is as much as he could learn of those wild Countries, that the Country of Cambia is two days Journey from the Head of the great River Bruapo, which springeth from many places of the Mountains of Innagachi, that joyn themselves together in the Pool Kerkas which they account for the Head, and falleth into the Sea Dissabacca, called by some the Lake Maeotas, which receiveth also the River Tanais, and all the Rivers that fall from the great Countries of the Circassi, the Cartaches, and many from the Tauricaes, Precopes, Cummani, Cossunka, and the Crim; through which Sea he Sailed, and up the River Bruapo to Nalbrits, and thence through the Desarts of Circassi to Æcopolis, as is related; where he stayed with the Governour, till the Convoy went to Caragnaw; then with his Certificate how he found him, and had examined with his friendly Letters, sent him by Zumalack to Caragnaw, whose Governour in like manner so kindly used him, that by this means he went with a safe conduct to Lesch, and Donko, in Cologoske, and thence to Berniske, and Newgrod in Siberia, by Rezechica, upon the River Nieper, in the confines of Lithuania; from whence with as much kindness, he was convoyed in like manner by Coroski, Duberesko, Duzihell, Drohobus, and Ostroge in Volonia; Saslaw, and Lasco in Podolia; Halico and Collonia in Polonia; and so to Hermonstat in Transilvania. In all this his life, he seldom met with more Respect, Mirth, Content and Entertainment; and not any Governour where he came, but gave him somewhat as a Present, besides his Charges; seeing themselves as subject to the like Calamity. {MN-2} Through those poor continually Foraged Countries, there is no passage, but with the Caravans or Convoys; for they are Countries rather to be pitied than envied; and it is a wonder any should make Wars for them. The Villages are only here and there, a few Houses of streight Firr Trees, laid heads and points above one another, made fast by notches at the ends, more than a Man's heighth, and with broad split Boards, pinned together with woodden Pins, as thatched for coverture. In ten Villages you shall scarce find ten Iron Nails, except it be in some extraordinary Man's House. For their Towns, Æcopolis, Letch, and Donko, have Rampires made of that woodden Walled fashion, double, and betwixt them Earth and Stones, but so latched with cross Timber, they are very strong against any thing but Fire; and about them a deep Ditch, and a Palizado of young Firr Trees; but most of the rest have only a great Ditch cast about them, and the Ditches Earth, is all their Rampire; but round, well environed with Palizadoes. Some have some few small pieces of small Ordnance, and Slings, Calievers, and Muskets, but their generallest Weapons are the Russe Bows and Arrows; you shall find Pavements over Bogs, only of young Firr-Trees, laid cross one over another, for two or three hours Journey, or as the Passage requires, and yet in two days Travel, you shall scarce see six Habitations. Notwithstanding to see how their Lords, Governours, and Captains are civilized, well attired and accoutred with Jewels, Sables, and Horses, and after their manner with curious Furniture, it is wonderful; but they are all Lords or Slaves, which makes them so subject to every Invasion.
{MN-1} The description of Cambia, and his passage to Russia.
{MN-2} His Observations in his Journey to Transilvania, through the midst of Europe.
In Transilvania, he found so many good Friends, that but to see, and rejoyce himself (after all those Encounters) in his Native Country, he would ever hardly have left them, though the mirrour of vertue their Prince was absent. Being thus glutted with content, and near drowned with Joy, he parted high Hungaria by Fileck, Tocka, Cassovia, and Underorowoay, by Ulmicht in Moravia, to Prague in Bohemia; at last he found the most gracious Prince Sigismundus, with his Colonel at Lipswick in Misenland, who gave him his Pass, intimating the service he had done, and the Honours he had received, with fifteen hundred Ducats of Gold to repair his Losses: With this he spent some time to visit the fair Cities and Countries of Dresden in Saxony, Magdeburgh and Brunswick; Cassel in Hessen; Wittenberg, Vilum, and Minekin in Bavaria; Augsburg, and her Universities; Hama, Frankford, Mentz, the Palatinate; Worms, Spires, and Straburg; passing Nancie in Lorain, and France by Paris to Orleans, he went down the River of Loyer, to Angiers, and imbarked himself at Nantz in Britain, for Bilbao in Biskay to see Burgos-Valladolid, the admired Monastery of the Escurial, Madrid, Toledo, Corduba, Cuedyrial, Sivil, Cheries, Cales, and St. Lucas in Spain.
CHAP. XVIII.
The Observations of Captain Smith; Mr. Henry Archer, and others in
Barbary.
Being thus satisfied with Europe and Asia, understanding of the Wars in Barbary, he went from Gibralter to Ceuta and Tangier, thence to Saffee, where growing into Acquaintance with a French Man of War, the Captain and some twelve more went to Morocco, to see the ancient Monuments of that large renowned City: It was once the principal City in Barbary, situated in a goodly plain Country, 14 Miles from the great Mount Atlas, and sixty Miles from the Atlantick Sea; but now little remaining, but the King's Palace, which is like a City of it self; and the Christian Church, on whose flat, {MN-1} square Steeple is a great broach of Iron, whereon is placed the three Golden Balls of Africa: The first is near three Ells in Circumference, the next above it somewhat less, the uppermost the least over them, as it were an half Ball, and over all a pretty gilded Pyramid. Against those Golden Balls hath been shot many a shot, their Weight is recorded 700 weight of pure Gold, hollow within, yet no shot did ever hit them, nor could ever any Conspirator attain that Honour as to get them down. They report, the Prince of Morocco betrothed himself to the King's Daughter of Æthiopia, he dying before their Marriage, she caused those three Golden Balls to be set up for his Monument, and vowed Virginity all her Life. {MN-2} The Alfantica is also a place of note, because it is invironed with a great Wall, wherein lie the Goods of all the Merchants securely guarded. The Inderea is also (as it were) a City of it self, where dwell the Jews: The rest for the most part is defaced; but by the many Pinnacles and Towers, with Balls on their tops, hath much appearance of much sumptuousness and curiosity. There have been many famous Universities, which are now but Stables for Fowls, and Beasts, and the Houses in most parts lie tumbled one above another; the Walls of Earth are with the great fresh Floods washed to the ground; nor is there any Village in it, but Tents for Strangers, Larbes and Moors. Strange Tales they will tell of a great Garden, wherein were all sorts of Birds, Fishes, Beasts, Fruits, and Fountains, which for Beauty, Art and Pleasure, exceeded any place known in the World, though now nothing but Dung-hills, Pigeon-Houses, Shrubs and Bushes. There are yet many excellent Fountains, adorned with Marble, and many Arches, Pillars, Towers, Ports, and Temples; but most only reliques of lamentable Ruins and sad Desolation.
{MN-1} The three Golden Balls of Africa.
{MN-2} The description of Morocco.
{MN} When Muly Hamet Reigned in Barbary, he had three Sons, Muly Sheck, Muly Sidan, and Muly Bufferres, he a most good and noble King, that governed well with Peace and Plenty, till his Empress, more cruel than any Beast in Africa, poisoned him, her own Daughter, Muly Sheck, his eldest Son, born of a Portugal Lady, and his Daughter, to bring Muly Sidan, to the Crown now reigning, which was the cause of all those brawls, and Wars that followed betwixt those Brothers, their Children, and a Saint that started up, but he played the Devil.
{MN} A bloody Empress.
{MN-1} King Muly Hamet was not black, as many suppose, but Molara, or tawny, as are the most of his Subjects; every way noble, kind and friendly, very rich and pompous in State and Majesty, though he sitteth not upon a Throne nor Chair of state, but cross Leg'd upon a rich Carpet, as doth the Turk, whose Religion of Mahomet, with an incredible miserable Curiosity they observe. His ordinary Guard is at least 5000, but in Progress, he goeth not with less than 20000 Horse-men, himself as rich in all his Equipage, as any Prince in Christendom, and yet a Contributor to the Turk. {MN-2} In all his Kingdom were so few good Artificers, that he entertained from England, Gold-smiths, Plummers, Carvers, and Polishers of Stone, and Watch-makers, so much he delighted in the Reformation of Workmanship, he allowed each of them ten Shillings a day standing Fee, Linen, Woollen, Silks, and what they would for Diet and Apparel, and Custom-free to transport, or import what they would; for there were scarce any of those qualities in his Kingdom, but those, of which there are divers of them, living at this present in London. Amongst the rest, one Mr. Henry Archer, a Watch-maker, walking in Morocco, from the Alfantica to the Juderea, the way being very foul, met a great Priest, or a Sante (as they call all great Clergy-men) who would have thrust him into the dirt for the way; but Archer not knowing what he was, gave him a box on the Ear, presently he was apprehended, and condemned to have his Tongue cut out, and his Hand cut off: But no sooner it was known at the King's Court, but 300 of his Guard came, and broke open the Prison, and delivered him although the Fact was next degree to Treason.
{MN-1} King Muly Hamet or the Great Zeriff of Barbary.
{MN-2} His great love to English Men.
{MN} Concerning this Archer, there is one thing more worth noting: Not far from Mount Atlas, a great Lioness in the heat of the day, did use to bathe her self, and teach her young Puppies to swim in the River Cauzef, of a good breadth; yet she would carry, which some Moors perceiving, watched there them one after another over the River; opportunity, and when the River was between her and them, stole four of her Whelps, which she perceiving, with all the speed she could passed the River, and coming near them, they let fall a Whelp (and fled with the rest) which she took in her mouth, and so returned to the rest: A Male and a Female of those they gave Mr. Archer, who kept them in the King's Garden, till the Male killed the Female, then he brought it up as a Puppy-dog lying upon his Bed, till it grew so great as a Mastiff, and no dog more tame or gentle to them he knew: But being to return for England, at Saffee he gave him to a Merchant of Marseillses, that presented him to the French King, who sent him to King James, where it was kept in the Tower seven Years: After one Mr. John Bull, then Servant to Mr. Archer, with divers of his Friends, went to see the Lions, not knowing any thing at all of him; yet this rare Beast smelled him before he saw him, whining, groaning, and tumbling, with such an expression of acquaintance, that being informed by the Keepers how he came thither; Mr. Bull so prevailed, the Keeper opened the Grate, and Bull went in: But no Dog could fawn more on his Master, than the Lion on him, licking his Feet, Hands, and Face, skipping and tumbling to and fro, to the wonder of all the beholders; being satisfied with his acquaintance, he made shift to get out of the Grate: But when the Lion saw his Friend gone, no Beast by bellowing, roaring, scratching, and howling, could express more rage and sorrow, nor in four days after would he either eat or drink.
{MN} The strange love of a Lion.
{MN} In Morocco, the King's Lions are altogether in a Court, invironed with a great high Wall; to those they put a young Puppy-dog: The greatest Lion had a sore upon his neck, which this Dog so licked, that he was healed: The Lion defended him from the fury of all the rest, nor durst they eat till the Dog and he had fed; this Dog grew great, and lived amongst them many years after.
{MN} Another kind Lion in Morocco.
{MN-1} Fez also is a most large and plentiful Country, the chief City is called Fez, divided into two parts; old Fez, containing about 80 thousand Households, the other 4000 pleasantly situated upon a River in the heart of Barbary, part upon Hills, part upon Plains, full of people, and all sorts of Merchandize. The great Temple is called Carucen, in breadth seventeen Arches, in length 120, born up with 2500 white Marble Pillars: under the chief Arch, where the Tribunal is kept, hangeth a most huge Lamp, compassed with 110 lesser, under the other also hang great Lamps, and about some, are burning fifteen hundred lights, They say, they were all made of the Bells the Arabians brought from Spain. It hath three Gates of notable heighth, Priests and Officers so many, that the Circuit of the Church, the Yard, and other Houses, is little less than a Mile and half in compass, there are in this City 200 Schools, 200 Inns, 400 Water-Mills, 600 Water-Conduits, 700 Temples and Oratories; but 50 of them most stately and richly furnished. Their Alcazer or Burse is Walled about, it hath twelve Gates, and fifteen Walks covered with Tents, to keep the Sun from the Merchants, and them that come there. The King's Palace, both for strength and beauty is excellent, and the Citizens have many great Privileges. Those two Countries of Fez and Morocco, are the best part of all Barbary, abounding with People, Cattel, and all good Necessaries for Man's use. For the rest, as the Larbs, or Mountainers, the Kingdoms of Cocow, Algier, Tripoli, Tunis, and Ægypt; there are many large Histories of them in divers Languages, especially that writ by that most excellent Statesman, John de Leo, who afterwards turned Christian. {MN-2} The unknown Countries of Guine and Binn, this six and twenty years have been frequented with a few English Ships only to Trade, especially the River of Senega, by Captain Brimstead, Captain Brockit, Mr. Crump, and divers others. Also the great River of Gambia, by Captain Johnson, who is returned in thither again, in the Year 1626, with Mr. William Grent, and thirteen or fourteen others, to stay in the Country, to discover some way to those rich Mines of Gago or Tumbatu, from whence is supposed the Moors of Barbary have their Gold, and the certainty of those supposed Descriptions and Relations of those interiour parts, which daily the more they are sought into, the more they are corrected: For surely, those interiour Parts of Africa, are little known to either English, French, or Dutch, though they use much the Coast; therefore we will make a little bold with the Observations of the Portugals.
{MN-1} The description of Fez.
{MN-2} A brief description of the most unknown parts of Africa.
CHAP. XIX.
The strange Discoveries and Observations of the Portugals in Africa.
{MN} The Portugals on those Parts have the glory, who first coasting along this Western Shoar of Africa, to find passage to the East-Indies, within this hundred and fifty years, even from the Streights of Gibraltar, about the Cape of Bone Esperance to the Persian Gulf, and thence all along the African Coast to the Moluccas, have subjected many great Kingdoms, erected many Common-wealths, built many great and strong Cities; and where is it they have not been by Trade or Force? No not so much as Cape de Verd, and Sermleone; but most Bays or Rivers, where there is any Trade to be had, especially Gold, or conveniency for Refreshment, but they are scattered; living so amongst those Blacks, by time and cunning, they seem to be naturalized amongst them. As for the Isles of the Canaries, they have fair Towns, many Villages, and many thousands of People rich in Commodities.
{MN}How the Portugals coasted to the East Indies.
{MN} Ordoardo Lopez, a noble Portuguse, Anno Dom. 1578, imbarking himself for Congo to Trade, where he found such Entertainment, finding the King much oppressed with Enemies, he found means to bring in the Portugals to assist him, whereby he planted there Christian Religion, and spent most of his life to bring those Countries to the Crown of Portugal, which he describeth in this manner.
{MN} Or Edward.
{MN} The Kingdom of Congo is about 600 Miles Diameter any way, the chief City called St. Savadore, seated upon an exceeding high Mountain, 150 Miles from the Sea, very fertile, and Inhabited with more than 100000 Persons, where is an excellent Prospect over all the plain Countries about it, well watered, lying (as it were) in the Center of this Kingdom, over all which the Portugals now command, though but an handful in comparison of Negroes. They have Flesh and Fruits very plentiful of divers sorts.
{MN} The Kingdom of Congo.
{MN} This Kingdom is divided into five Provinces, viz. Bamba, Sundi, Pango, Batta and Pembo; but Bamba is the Principal, and can afford 400000 Men of War. Elephants are bred over all those Provinces, and of wonderful greatness; though some report, they cannot kneel, nor lie down, they can do both, and have their Joynts as other Creatures for use: With their Fore-feet they will leap upon Trees to pull down the Boughs, and are of that strength, they will shake a great Cocao Tree for the Nuts, and pull down a good Tree with their Tusks, to get the Leaves to eat, as well as Sedge and long Grass, Cocao Nuts and Berries, &c. which with their Trunk they put in their Mouth, and chew it with their smaller Teeth; in most of those Provinces, are many rich Mines, but the Negroes opposed the Portugueses for working in them.
{MN} Wild Elephants.
{MN} The Kingdom of Angola is wonderful populous, and rich in Mines of Silver, Copper, and most other Metals; fruitfull in all manner of Food, and sundry sorts of Cattel, but Dogs Flesh they love better than any other Meat; they use few Clothes, and no Armour; Bows, Arrows, and Clubs are their Weapons. But the Portugueses are well armed against those Engines, and do buy yearly of those Blacks more than five thousand Slaves, and many are People exceeding well proportioned.
{MN} The Kingdom of Angola.
{MN-1} The Anchios are a most valiant Nation, but most strange to all about them. Their Arms are Bows; short and small, wrapped about with Serpents Skins, of divers Colours, but so smooth, you would think them all one with the Wood, and it makes them very strong; their Strings little twigs, but exceeding tough and flexible; their Arrows short, which they shoot with an incredible quickness. They have short Axes of Brass and Copper for Swords; wonderful, loyal and faithful, and exceeding simple, yet so active, they skip amongst the Rocks like Goats. {MN-2} They trade with them of Nubea, and Congo, for Lamach, which is a small kind of Shell-fish, of an excellent azure, colour, Male and Female, but the Female they hold most pure; they value them at divers prices, because they are of divers sorts, and those they use for Coin, to buy and sell, as we do Gold and Silver; nor will they have any other Money in all those Countries, for which they give Elephants Teeth; and Slaves for Salt, Silk, Linen Cloth, Glass-beads, and such like Portugal Commodities.
{MN-1} The Kingdom of Anchios.
{MN-2} A strange Memr'y.
{MN} They circumcise themselves, and mark their Faces with sundry slashes from their Infancy. They keep a shambles of Man's Flesh, as if it were Beef, or other Victuals; for when they cannot have a good Market for their Slaves; or their Enemies they take, they kill, and sell them in this manner; some are so resolute, in shewing how much they scorn death, they will offer themselves and Slaves, to this Butchery to their Prince and Friends; and though there be many Nations will eat their Enemies, in America and Asia, yet none but those are known to be so mad, as to eat their Slaves and Friends also.
{MN} A shambles of Men's Flesh.
Religions and Idols they have as many, as Nations and Humours; but the Devil hath the greatest part of their Devotions, whom all those Blacks do say, is white; for there are no Saints but Blacks.
{MN} But besides those great Kingdoms of Congo, Angola, and Azichi, in those unfrequented Parts are the Kingdoms of Lango, Matania, Battua, Sofola, Mozambeche, Quivola, the Isle of St. Lawrence, Mombaza, Melinda, the Empires of Monomotapa, Monemugi, and Presbyter John, with whom they have a kind of Trade, and their Rites, Customs, Climates, Temperatures, and Commodities by Relation. Also of great Lakes, that deserve the Names of Seas, and huge Mountains of divers sorts, as some scorched with heat, some covered with Snow; the Mountains of the Sun, also of the Moon, some of Chrystal, some of Iron, some of Silver, and Mountains of Gold, with the Original of Nilus; likewise sundry sorts of Cattel, Fishes, Fowls, strange Beasts, and monstrous Serpents; for Africa was always noted to be a fruitful Mother of such terrible Creatures; who meeting at their watering places, which are but Ponds in desart places, in regard of the heat of the Country, and their extremities of Nature, make strange Copulations, and so ingender those extraordinary Monsters. Of all these you may read in the History, of this Edward Lopez, translated into English by Abraham Hartwel, and dedicated to John Lord Arch-bishop of Canterbury, 1597. But because the Particulars are most concerning the conversion of those Pagans, by a good poor Priest, that first converted a Noble Man, to convert the King, and the rest of the Nobility; sent for so many Priests and Ornaments into Portugal, to Solemnize their Baptisms with such Magnificence, which was performed with such strange Curiosities, that those poor Negro's adored them as gods, till the Priests grew to that Wealth, a Bishop was sent to rule over them, which they would not endure, which endangered to spoil all before they could be reconciled. But not to trouble you too long with those Rarities of uncertainties; let us return again to Barbary, where the Wars being ended, and Befferres possessed of Morocco, and his Fathers Treasure, a new bruit arose amongst them, that Muly Sidan was raising an Army against him, who after took his Brother Befferres Prisoner; but by reason of the uncertainty, and the perfidious, treacherous, bloody murthers rather than War, amongst those perfidious, barbarous Moors, Smith returned with Merham, and the rest to Saffe, and so aboard his Ship, to try some other conclusions at Sea.
{MN} Divers Nations yet unknown, and the wonders of Africa.
CHAP. XX.
A brave Sea Fight betwixt to Spanish Men of War, and Captain Merham,
with Smith.