Pilgrimage, Book 5 · Chapter 13
CHAP. XIII.
A gennerall Discourse of the Sea, and of the Ilands adioyning to Asia.
AFter our long perambulation of the Asian Continent, the sea inuironing doth sollicite our next endeuours, that the Reader might there refresh his wearied sense, with a new succession of Natures varieties, and humane vanities. And first, while our Barke be made readie to ship vsus ouer to some of those Ilands, let vsus (as it were on the shore) take view of this, so strong, so weake, so constant, and so vnconstant waterie Element. The Sea is great and wide, saith aPsal. 104.25- and 26.the Psalmist: and at first couered the whole earth like a garment, till for mans vse bGen. 1.9.the drie land appeared, which for mans abuse was againe in the dayes of Noab couered: And had not GOD cPsalm. 104.9set the Sea a bound which it cannot passe, it would returne to couer the Earth for euer. It is his dFerem. 5.22.perpetuall decree, who commanded, and it was made, that though the waues thereofrage, yet they cannot prenaile; though they roare, yet they cannot passe ouer. For how casie were it for the Sea …o enclose the Earth in her watery mantle, and againe to make a conquest of the drie Land, hauing such forces of her owne, and such re-enforcements from the Aire, and the Earth it selfe? Her owne powers, euen by order of Nature and proportion of the Elements, cannot but seeme dreadfull: in which, as the Aire exceedeth the Water, and is it selfe exceeded of the Fire; so the Water may seeme no lesse to surmount the Earth, the lowest and least of the Elements. And what armies of exhalations doth the Sunne daily muster in the great airy plaine, which would succour their mother in such an attempt? Besides that, euen the Earth, as it is eueryevery where compassed of the Sea, doth compasse in it selfe so many Seas, Lakes, Riuers, in the vppermost face thereof, as professed partakers; and the inward bowels thereof hauehave daily intelligence, and continuall conspiracie with the Waters, by those secret pores and priuy passages, whereby it commeth to passe, that albeit eEccles.1 7.a… Riuers runne to the Sea, yet the Sea is not filled. And were it possible that so many Worlds of Waters should daily and hourely flow into this watery World, and that such a World of time together, and yet the Sea nothing encreased, but that (as Salomon there saith) The Riuers goe to the place from whence they returne and goe? that is, they runne into the Sea, and thence, partly by the Sunnes force, eleuated and restored in raines, &c. partly by filling the veincs of the Earth with Springs, doe both wayes returne againe in Riuers to the Sea. This fVid. Zane. de Oper. & G P. B. Ret. … &c.appeareth by the Dead Sea, and by the Caspian, which receiue many Riuers without open payment thereof to the Ocean: and at the straits of Gibraltar, the Ocean commonly hath a current in at one end, and the Euxine Sea at the other, besides abundance of other waters out of Europe, Asia, Africa, and yet is no fuller.
The depth of the Sea is holden by some to hold proportion to the height of the Mountaines on the Earth. The saltnesse of the Sea some ascribe to the first Creation; some, to the Sweat of the Earth, rosted with the Sunne; some, to the saltnesse of the Earth, especially in Minerals of that nature; some, to adust vapours, partly let fall on the Sea, partly raysed from it to the brinkes and face thereof; some, to the motion of the Sea; and some, to the working of the Sunne, which draweth out the purer and finer parts, leauing the grosser and baser behind: as in this little world of our bodies, the purest parts of our nourishment being imployed in, and on the bodie, the vrine, and other excrements remaining, doe retaine a saltnesse. I will not determine this question, as neither that of the ebbing and flowing of the Sea, which ( gApollonius Phil.l.5some say) is the breath of the World; some, the waters in holes of the Earth, forced out by Spirits; some, the meeting of the East and West Ocean: some ascribe it to the Moone, naturally drawing water, as the Load-stone, Iron: some to the variable light of the Moone. A variable light they all giuegive vsus. They that send vsus to GOD, and his Decree in Nature, hauehave said what is the true cause, but not how it is by naturall meanes effected. Certaine it is, that the Ocean and the Moone are companions in their motion: vncertaine, whether the Ocean hath a naturall power in it selfe, or from the Moone, so to moue. But these things we leaue to Philosophers searching wits, and better leysures. The motion of the Sea is manifold; as first by ebbings and flowings, these also differing, according to the course of the Moone, in Spring, or Nepe-tides, and according to the distance, as they are neerer or further from the Ocean, and according to the deepenesse or shallownesse of the places, besides other accidents, ouer-ruling them, making them, in diuerse Seas, to be greater, lesse, or none at all, longer also in some place, or oftener, as in Negropont, where the water is said to rise and fall seuen times a day. And besides these hourely, daily, or monethly motions, another (more generall) is ascribed vntounto the Sea, from East to West, proceeding from the motion of the Heauens, which in the openest Seas, as in the Atlantike and South Seas, are apparantly manifest, especially betwixt the Tropickes, where they finde a constant Easterly breath; vncertaine whether it may be tearmed a winde, arising of inferiour exhalations, or some impetuous violence, caused by the superiour motions, which draw together with them the Elements, not of the Fire onelyonly, but also of Ayre and Water. And hence are those strong Currents in diuerse places, as that which runneth in at the great Bay, and out againe with like force, betweene Cuba and Florida, causing the Spaniards to goe one way to the Indies, and to returne another. Other particular motions in the Sea, proceeding from especiall accidents of the Ayre by windes, which somewhere hauehave their set seasons; of the Sea by Whirle-pooles, and contrarie currents: of the Land by Capes, Islands, Indraughts, Riuers, and such like, it would be tedious to relate.
The Sea is commonly diuided into the Mediterranean and Ocean: and vnderunder that Mid-land appellation are contained all the Seas and Gulfes that are seated within the Land, as the Arabian, Persian, Baltike, Bengalan, and especially such as the Sea of Sodome and the Caspian, which hauehave no apparant commerce with the Ocean: but especially is that Sea called Mediterranean, which entring at the Straits of Gibraltar, is both larger then any of the rest (containing, aboue tenne thousand myles in circuit) and abutteth not on one onelyonly, but on all the parts of the elder World, washing indifferently the shores of Asia, Africke, and Europe.
The Seas beare also the names of the Countries, Cities, Hills, Riuers, and Lands, by which they passe, or of some other accident there happened; as the Atlantike, or Germane Ocean, the Adriaticke, the Redde, White, or Blacke Seas, the Sea of Ladies, the Euxine by a contrarie appellation, for their inhospitalitie.
But to contract our speech vntounto Asia, we finde the Sea prodigall of his best things, and of himselfe vntounto it, clasping, with a louely embrace, all this Asian Continent, saue where a little Necke of Land diuides it from Africa; and no great space, together with Tanais, from Europe. Yea, as not herewith satisfying his louelove to this Asian Nymph, in many places he insinuates himselfe within the Land by Gulfes or Bayes, twining his louing armes about some whole Countries: otherwhere (as it were) by hostile vnderminings he maketh Seas farre from the Sea; and especially hath yeelded so many Islands, as rather may seeme admirable then credible. For, to let passe the North parts (as not so well knowne) where Vaygats, Nova Zemla, and the rest, would giuegive vsus but cold entertainement: Comming thence to the East and South, we are encountred with the Island, or hOf the Islands of Asia.Islands rather, bearing the name of Iapan; the principall where of are three: of which more afterwards. These are seconded by the Islands of China, which doe (as it were) hedge and fence it in; of which, there is little in Authors worthie mentioning. In Macao, or Amacan, the Portugalls hauehave a Colonie, but the chiefe Island of China is Anian, in the Gulfe of Cauchin-China.
Further from the Continent, from Iapan Southwards, are many Islands, called by the names of Lequi…, the greater, and the lesse, rich in Gold: nigh to the same is Hermosa: and next to these the Philippinae, so called iP. Bert… tab.of Philip the second, King of Spaine, by whose charge and charges they were discouered in the yeare 1564, long after that Magellanus had lost his life in the discouerie of these parts. Some make this name hold some proportion to the Spanish ambition, calling all the Islands Philippinae, which are betweene New Spaine, and the Gulfe of Bengala, in all, after their account, eleuen thousand. They begin their reckoning at Noua Guin…ae, where first we see Cainam. The next Banda, which name is proper to an Island so called, and common also to her neighbours, Rosolarguin, Ay, Rom, Neyra, in foure degrees to the South, which alone in the world are kG. Bot.Ben.said, by some, to bring forth Nutmegs and Mace. The men here are Marchants, the women attend to Husbandrie. The Islands del More abound with Rice and Sagu (a fruit which yeeldeth Meale) where lA. Pigafe…ta.are wilde Hennes, which sit not on their egges, but burie them a good depth vnderunder the sand, where the Sunne hatcheth them. They hauehave no Kine, but a Fish of like linea…, which they take in their Nets. Gilolo hath a Mahumetane Prince, and is a great Island; the people are Men-eaters. Amboino is the name of many Islands, rude both in soyle and people, which eate their owne parents when they are olde. Neere to these are the Moluccae, fiue in number, Ternate, Tidor, Motir, Machian, and Bachian, famous through the world, as being Natures Store-house of Cloues. Their worship is directed to the Sunne, Moone, and other heauenly and earthly creatures. The mSelebes.Selebes abound with Gold, abandoned of goodnesse, peopleD with Idolaters and Men-eaters. The Islands of nMoratay.Moratay are more Northerly, where Battata-rootes is their bread, their neighbours fare in the Islands of Tarrao, Sanguin, Solor, and others.
In those Islands, which more properly beare the Philippine title, Mindano is, of very large circuit, and hath diuerse famous Cities: Tendaia, for her excellence, is by some called the Philippina. Luzzon incompasseth a thousand myles, in which the Spaniards hauehave built a Towne, called Manilia, and hauehave thither carried Cattell for breede.
Borneo is reputed as bigge as Spaine, richly attended with many Islands of smaller circuit. It hath a Citie of the same name, founded on Piles, in the salt water, with sumptuous buildings of hewed Stone, couered with Coco leaues. The King is a Mahumetan.
The greater Iaua is by Scaliger *I. Scal.called an Epitome, or Summe of the World; rich in many Commodities. The Cabal is a wilde Beast in this Island, whose bones doe restraine the bloud from issuing in wounded parties. The South part is Gentiles, as the Countries within the Land; but towards the shore they are Mahumetans. Touching the lesser Iaua, there is some controuersie which should be it.
Betwixt Malacca and Samatra Nature hath (as it were) sowed that Field of Waters with Islands; the principall of which is Bintam. Samatra, within the Countrey, is Ethnikes: towards the Coast are Moores; an Island large, rich, and populous, diuided into many Kingdomes.
The Gulfe of Bengala is (as it were) garded with a double ranke of Islands, which Neptune hath set as Garisons of those Seas. But these …ll are not worthie the honour due to Zeilan, called in old times Taprobana. if they guesse not better which so call Samatra. From thence, alongst the Coast of India, are seene few Islands of any greatnesse: But further into the Sea are the Maldiva, so called of Maldiva, one of their number, whose name signifieth a thousand Islands; some of which are diuided by larger Seas, some by smaller Armes; the Ocean somewhere with his greatnesse threatening to swallow them, and in other places as curious of his delightfull search, stealing rather, then forcing a separation, prouoking the passengers to communicate in his sports; who sometimes, helped with some ouer-growing Tree, can leape from one Island to another. Yet hath not Nature, thus diuersifying their situation, yeelded them diuersitie of her riches, sauing that it seemeth here shee hath chosen her chamber for the Palme, or Coquo- Nuts, which in other places she hath, in comparison, but scattered, here stored, that by this store the people might supply all their other wants. Yea, besides the Land-Coquo, there groweth another vnderunder the water bigger then the former; a speciall Antidote for poyson. The inhabitants are addicted to subtletie and Sorcerie, and in the Islands next to the Continent, Moores beare sway; in the rest, Pagans. Other Islands, of smaller reckoning, we reckon not. Diu hath long beene famous for the warres therein, vainely attempted by the Turke and Indians against the Fortresse of the Portugalls.
The Persian Gulfe hath left some remnants of Land extant; the chiefe is Ormus, a famous Mart, which the Moores there maintained, vnderunder the gouernment of a Moore, af…er made tributarie to the Portugall; which Nature hath made barren; Industrie, plentifull: the more fertile Element yeelds barrennesse and Sands; the barrenner bringeth in a double wealth, Pearles and Merchandise.
In the Discourse of these Asian Seas and this Persian, amongst the rest I thought it worthie relating, which oL. de Vrreta Hist. Ae …Luys de Vrreta, in his Aethiopian Historie telleth of a certaine Iew. He trauelling alongst the shore of this Persian Sea, by some In… Armes thereof, which embay themselues within the Land, saw the Sea loftie … swelling, by force of the Winds and Tides, seeming to threaten the higher Elements, but euen now readie to swallow vp the Earth, roaring out a loud defiance in such sort, that the poore Iew was amazed, and dreadfully feared therewith: and this continued the space of some dayes, whiles the Iew trauelled thereby. But on the Saturday and Sabbath, Superstition commaunded the Iew; and Nature (the handmaid of Diuinitie) enioyned the angrie Elements to rest; a sudden calme followed, as if waues and winds would accompanie the Iewin his deuotions, and had forgotten their former furie and wonted nature, to remember the sanctification of this day. The Iew hauing heard before, that there was a Sabbaticall R…er (which some place in Aethiopia, some in Phoenicia, others they cannot tell where) in a credulous fancie persuades himselfe, that this Arme of the Sea was that Sabbaticall streame, & that he now saw the experimēt of that relatiō with his eyes. Fancie had no sooner affirmed, but superstition sware to the truth, & credulitie tickles him with gratulation of diuine fauor to himself, that had liued to see that blessed sight. Rauished with this conceit, he filles his budget full of the sand, which is of a more grosse and cleauing nature, then in other places, and carrieth it with him as a great treasure vntounto the place of his habitation. There he tells his countrey-men that now the Messias would not be long before he came, for now he had found this signe thereof, the Sabbaticall Riuer; shewing this sand in proofe thereof. Credit I… d…us Apella, the Iewes beleeue quickly all but the truth, especially in Portugall, pSome say that the Iewes were expelled out of Portugall before these …whither he came with this report. Many thousands moued by his words, remoued their dwellings, and selling their substance, would needs goe into these parts of Petsia, by the Sabbaticall Riuer to fixe their habitation; there waiting for their promised Messi… One, and a chiefe of this superstitious Expedition, was Amanes L…, a Physitian of great note, accounted one of the most learned of his profession, and a writer therein; and Iohn Micas, a Merchant of great wealth. They passed through France, Germanie, Hungarie, their company (like a snow-ball) encreasing as they went, with the addition of other Iewes of like credulitie. When they came to Constantinople, there were of them in many bands or companies thirtie thousand, … …, the Turkish Commaunder, thought to gaine by this occasion; and would not suffer them to passe ouer the water into Asia, without many hundred thousands of duckats, except they would passe on horsebacke. This example was soone both spread and followed of the other Bassaes and Commaunders in Asia, as they went; their wealth and substance being eueryevery where so fleeced, that they came into Syria, much lessened in numbers, in estate miserable and beggerly; new Officers eueryevery where, as new hungry Flies, lighting on these wretched carkasses (so I may call them:) some they whipped, some they empaled, some they hanged, and burned others. Thus were these miserable Pilgrims wasted: and Don Iohn Baltasar was present, when Amat… aforesaid being dead with this affliction, his Physicke-bookes were at an Out-cry to be sold at Damasco, and because they were in Latiue, no man would buy them, till at last another Iew became Chapman. Micas, one of the wealthiest men which Europe held, died poore in an Hospitall at Constantinople. And this was the issue of their Pilgrimage to the Sabbaticall Streame, which they supposed to finde in this Persian Gulfe; where wee hauehave too long holden you the spectator… of this Iewish Tragedie.
The Redde Sea, or Arabia, Gulfe, seemed vnwilling to be the Oceans subiect: so many small Islands doth she continually muster in resistance, besides her vndermining the Sea with her shallow Channell, conspiring the destruction of many heedlesse Mariners, that here will aduenture as tenants to the Sea in their mouing houses. Once (by a mightier hand) was it helped to preuaile against the Seas force, to discouer … drie Land in the middest thereof, and with her waterie erected walls to guard these new passengers, till the same hand reuersed it, orrather rewarded the then emptie bellie thereof with the prey of so many thousand Aegyptians. Babelmandel, Camaran, and Mazva are accounted amongst the chiefe of these Isolets: …chen hath most Soueraignetie; being the Seat of the Turkish Bassa for Abassia.
Socotera is without the Strait. The naturals are Christians, of S. Thomas S… who is here said to hauehave suffered shipwracke, and of whose broken shippe was erected a Church. They are great warriours, both men and women, and great Magicians. They hauehave no vse of Trafficke, Letters, or Nauigation, and yet are esteemed the noblest people in the world.
(Two rGio. Bol.Ben.other Islands confront this; of which one (they say) is the habitation of men, and the other of women, which sometimes hauehave entercourse one with the other, but the Ayre (Natures inexorable and heauie handmaid) not suffering any long abode to each, but in their owne allotted portion.
Loth am I to looke any further into that boisterous Sea, and therefore leauing all that huge Tract of Africke, as compassed by a suddaine thought, but vnsaluted, wee shall finde other Asian Islands in the Mediterranean. And because, being now wearied, the Archipelago would be too tedious a passage for vsus, neither are there many Islands worth naming in Propo…tis, or the E…xin…, we will speake a little of Rhodes and Cyprus, and then remember how long wee hauehave forgotten ourselues.
The former of those containeth about an hundred and twentie myles: fertile in soyle, and of most pleasant ayre, caused by that louelove which Phoebus beareth to it; there neuer passing day, in which he doth not, in his bright and shining apparrell, salute it. And for this cause happily was that huge Colossus of Brasse (gilded ouer, and reputed the most wonderfull of the Worlds seuen Wonders) here dedicated to the Sunne (though some ascribe it to Iupiter.) the workmanship of Chares Lindi…, of threescore and tenne cubits, …or as others tell, a hundred fortie three feet, sThis inscription was in the basis as Meursius translates it: Rbodo colossum … quater cubi…s decem Superbientem Lindius …ee it Laches which words shew both the author Lindius … and the height so, … bites Meursius in trans…t. Constant.but it selfe told fourescore cubits in height, which, falling by an Earthquake, the Oracle forbad the Rhodians to erect againe. But nothing forbad Mabias, or Mu… the fifth Caliph, after his seuen yeares Warre about Constantinople (as sayth tConstant. Porphyroge…itus de …d imp …, Theophanis Chronicon.Constantinus out of Theophanes) inuading this Island, to carrie away nine hundred (or, as Constant…nus numbreth, three thousand and fourescore) Camels burthens of this Brazen carkasse.
The Temple of Liber was here enriched with many presents of the Greekes and Romanes, to both which the Citie of Rhodes was had in friendly and honourable regard. Much was their force by Sea in auncient times, and for two hundred yeares space it was the Seat of the Hospitular-Knights, which now reside in Malta; driuen thence by mightie Solyman.
These Knights had also, by purchase of King Richard the first of England, the Island of Cyprus, uAdrian. Roman. Theat. Vrbium, l.2.dedicated by the Poets to Venus, to whome the inhabitants were too much addicted, as appeared by their Temples and other vanities in her honour. At Paphos shee was worshipped in the likenesse of a Nauell; and round thereabouts (by the Deuils working) it rained not. Trogus writeth, That the Cyprians prostituted their daughters (before they married them) to Mariners on the shore. Wee hauehave seene at Rome (sayth R. Vol…teranus) the attendants of Queene Carlotta, neuer a whit better then those auncient.
Of Cyprus thus reporteth Ammianus Marcellinus, lib. 4. It is ennobled by two Cities, Salamis, and Paphus; the one famous for Iupiters Images; the other, for the Temple of Venus. It is so plentifull in all thinges, that it needes no helpe of other Nations, and of her owne abundance is able to set forth a Shippe, from the Keele to the Toppe-sayle, with all prouision, furnished to the Sea. Neither grieue I to tell it; the Romanes more greedily then iustly made themselues Lords thereof. For Ptolomey the King being confederate with vsus, was proscribed without any fault, but the defect of our Treasurie, who therefore poysoned himselfe, and the Isle became Tributarie. Sextus Rufus fayth as much. Amasis was the first, if wee beleeue H…rodotus, xHerod. Thalia., that euer conquered Cyprus, and máde it. Tributarie. Hee also sayth (Lib. 7.) That the Cyprians were partly from Salamine and Athens, partly from Arcadia, partly from Cythnus, from Phoenicia, and from Aethyopia. Pli…ie affirmeth yPlin. 1.5.c.31., That it was sometime the Seat of nine Kings, and was diuersly named, as Acamantis, Cerastis, Afpelia, Amathusia, Macaria, Cryptus, and Colinia. It was such a Forrest of Trees zOrtel. Theat., that when as their Shipping and Mines were not able to waste them, it was made lawfull for any man to fell and destroy them, and for his labour to possesse the Land which hee had so cleared.
In the time of Constantine it was forsaken of the inhabitants, as before forsaken of the Elements, which refused to water with any droppes of raine that Island (sometime accounted happie) the space of seuenteene yeares together, or as others hauehave it, sixe and thirtie, re-peopled from diuerse parts by Helena, the mother of Constantine *Quadi Geographia., and remaining to the Greeke Empire, till that Lion of England made it a prey, and the Knights purchase, who sold it to Guido Lusignan: whose posteritie fayling, the Venetians succeeded, till Selym the second, minding to erect a Religious Hospitall, to testifie their Magnificence, began with an irreligious foundation. In Hak.voyages the taking of Famagusta, &c. is largely related, To. 2. P.Contarenus de b…llo Turc.… Ven.For whereas their holy Lawes will not suffer any thing to be dedicated to holy vses, which their owne Sword hath not conquered, he brake League with the Venetian, and robbed them of this Island, which they are thought, not with the iustest title, before to hauehave possessed. But it is high time to bethinke vsus of our Indian shore, whence wee hauehave taken so large a prospect; where wee are stayed to be transported into the chiefe of those Islands, there to take a more leisurely view of their Regions and Religions.