Pilgrimage, Book 6 · Chapter 11
CHAP. XI.
Of the Kingdome of Marocco, with a discourse of the Kings thereof, and of the Seriff, xarif, or Iarif, and his posteritie, now beginning in Barbarie.
THis Kingdome is situate aBoter.part.I.Maginus.betweene Atlas and the Atlantike Ocean, bearing name of the chiefe City thereof: fruitfull of corne, oile, grapes, sugar, honny, and cattell. They make fine cloth of Goats haire, and of their hides that lether bCordouan Jether of Marocco.which hence is called Marocchine. This Kingdome is diuided into seuen Prouinces, through which we intend our next perambulation, taking Leo cLeo. part. 2.for our guide: beginning at Hea, which on the North and West hath the Ocean, Atlas on the South, and the Riuer Esisnual on the East. The people feede on cakes of Barly, and on a pappe, or hasty-pudding of barly meale, which being set in a platter, all the Familie compasse about, and rudely with Natures spoones claw forth those dainties. Napery they vse none, a mat layed on the ground serueth for table and cloth, and stooles too. Cappes are the priuileges of age and learning. Linnen shirts are almost banished their Countrie: and so are Arts liberall and mechanicall, except some simple Lawyer which can make some shift to reade, and a Surgeon to circumcise their children: Their physick is cauterising as men deale with beasts. They are alway in mutuall warres one with an other, yet will not they iniury a stranger, who if he would trauell amongst them, must take some harlot, or wife, or religious man, of the aduerse part with him. At Tednest, one of their Cities, such respect is had to strangers, That if a Merchant come thither and hath no acquaintance, the Gentlemen of the City cast lots who shall be his Host, and they vse him kindly, looking only for some present at his departure, in token of thankefullnesse. And if hee bee a meaner person, hee may choose his Host without any recompence at all. In the midst of the City was a great & ancient Temple with many Priests attending their deuotions, besides other meaner Oratories. This City hath since beene ruined and desolate. In Teculeth were 1000. housholds, foure hospitals, one beautifull Temple, & a house of religious persons: destroied it was by the Portugals, An. 1514. as Hadecchis had bin the year before. Ileusugaghen is another towne of Hea, or of Hell rather, so full is it of confusion, bloud, and murthers, besides the want of learning, ciuilitie Iudges, Priests, or whatsoeuer else may detaine those men from a beastly or diuelishMetamorphosis. The Seriff, being made a Prince of Hea, brought mee thither to be a Iudge, but for feare of Treason amongst them wee were glad to leaue them. How farre off in manners is their neere neighbour Tesegdelt? Where a guard is set at gates not so much to keepe out enemies, as to entertaine strangers, whom at his first comming they aske if hee hauehave any friends in the Citie: if not, they must prouide him entertainment at free cost. They hauehave a most beautifull Temple, furnished with Priests. Taglesse, the next towne, is a denne of theeues and murtherers. When I was there, such a swarme of Locusts ouer-spread the Countrey, that scarse might a man see the earth, eating vp their fruits.
Culeihat was built of a cetraine Sectary in our time, first a Preacher, attended with troupes of Disciples, after, a cruell and mercilesse tyrant, murthered at last by one of his wiues for lying with her Daughter: and then his villanies beeing manifested, the people put all his followers to the sword. OnelyOnly a Nephew of his fortified himselfe in a Castle, which hee held maugre all their might, and burying his Grand-father, taused him to be adored as a Saint. Homar Seijef was the name of that Rebell. The other parts of Hea are like the former, some exceeding Hospitall and courteous, some brutish without diuine or humane learning or liuing. Great store of Iewes liue here, and in Mount Demensera are of those Iewes which are called dKarraini Scripture-Iewes.Carraum, of the rest accounted Sectaries. These reiect the Traditions, and hold them onelyonly to the written Scriptures (as in our Iewish relations yee hauehave read.) In Mount Gebelelhadih are many Heremites, which liue on fruits of Trees, and water, so reputed of the simple people, that all their doings are accounted miracles.
Sus is the second Region of this Kingdome, lying Southwards from hence on the other side of Atlas, so called of that Riuer which is the Easterne border thereof, otherwhere bounded with the Sea and the Desarts. At Messa neere the Sea side is a Temple holden in great veneration. Many Historians affirme that from this Temple shall come that iust Califa, of whom Maho…et Prophecied. There also they say the Whale vomited vp Ionas. The Rafters and beames of the Temple are of Whales bones; which vsually are there left dead on the Shore. This the common people esteeme to proceede from some diuinitie of that Temple: but the true cause is certaine sharpe Rockes a little off in the Sea. I my selfe was inuited by a Gentleman, who shewed mee a Whales fibbe, so huge, that lying on the ground in manner of an Arche, vnderunder it, as it were through a gate, we rode on our Camels, our heads not reaching to touch it. It had been there kept a hundred yeares for a wonder. Amber is there found in abundance, which some thinke proceedes from the Whales, and is either the Ordure or the Sperme and feede thereof. Teijent is a Citie of Sus, wherein is a great Temple, and an Arme of a Riuer passeth through the same. There are many Iudges and Priests, whom in their Ecclesiasticall affaires they obey. Tarodant hath three thousand Families: sometimes the place where the Kings Lieutenant or Deputy resideth. Tedsi is much greater, adorned also with a Temple, and furnished with Priests and Ministers: Iudges and Lecturets paid at the common charge.
In mount Hanchisa it snowes in all seasons of the yeare, and yet the inhabitants goe thinly clothed in the sharpest Winter.
The Region of Marocco is three-square: confined with the mountaines Nefisa, on the West; and Hadimeus, on the East; betweene the Riuers Tensist, & Esifinuall. The countrey in fertilitie of soile resembleth Lombardy. Marocco (which some thinke to be Bocanus Hemerus of Ptolomey) was built (saith Leo) by Ioseph sonne of Tessin, King of the people of Lontuna. It was built by the aduice of excellent Architects, & cunning workmen. In the time of Hali sonne of Ioseph, there were in it ten thousand fires or Families, and more. It had foure and twenty gates: was strongly walled: furnished with Temples, Bathes. Colledges, Innes, after the African manner. One most slately temple was built by Hali, and called by his name. But a successor of that kingdome, called Abdul Mumen caused to berazed, and built againe, and called after his owne name, howbeit the name of Hali is still continued in the Title, all that his cost not withstanding. This Abdul Mumen, who was the second that by rebellion succeeded in the kingdome, built an other Temple, which Mansor enlarged fiftie yards or ells on eueryevery side, adorning it with many Pillars fetcht out of Spaine. He made a cisterne or vault built vnderunder it, as large as the temple it selfe; and couered the Temple with lead, with leaden pipes from the roofe, to conuey the raine water that fell thereon, into the cisterne. He built thereon a steeple like the Coliseo or Amphitheatre at Rome, of great hewen stone. The compasse of this steeple or tower is a hundred Tuscan yards or ells, higher then the steeple of Asenelli at Bononia. There are seuen losts one aboue another, very faire and light some. VponUpon the toppe of this tower is built a little turret, the toppe whereof is as a needle or spire: and it containeth fiue and twenty yards in compasse, and is as high as two great launces, with three lofts therein, one higher then the other. On the toppe of this spire is a broch with three globes of siluer one vnderunder an other, the greatest below, and the least highest. From the toppe hereof the mountaines of Azafi may be easily seene, a hundred and thircie miles off: and a tall man on the ground seemes as little as a child of a yeare old. The plaine country fifty miles about is hence discerned. It is one of the greatest Temples in the world; and yet not frequented, the people assembling thither to their deuotions, but on fridays: the city it selfe neare this Temple is ruinate, so that the passage is made difficult by the ruines of houses. VnderUnder the porch or gallery of this Temple were sometimes a hundred shops of Book-sellers, and as many ouer-against them, but now fAn. Dom. 1526there is not one in all Morecco: Scarcely is the third part of the city inhabited: the rest being planted with vines & trees, the Arabians not suffering them to exercise any husbandry without their walls. It was built anno 424. of the Hegeira. After Ioseph the Founder, & Hals his son, Abraham succeeded, in whose time, a rebellious preacher called Elmahels, borne and brought vp in the mountains, rebelled, & with an army incountred king Abraham, and ouerthrew him. The king fled, and was so hardly pursued by Abdul Mumen, whom Elmabels had sent after him, whiles himselfe be sieged Marocco, that the poore king in danger to be surprized at Oram, mounting on his horse, & taking his wife behinde him, set spurres to his horse, & so came all 3. downe together on the mercilesse rockes. Abdul Mumen returning victorious, found this addition to his happines, that Elmabeli was dead, & himselfe was chosen King and Prelate (or Chalipha) by the forty disciples, & ten secretaries of Elmaheli, a new custome in the Mahumetan law. He maintained the siege, & at the yeres end, entred by force, and took Isaac, the litle and only son of Abraham, & stabd him with his own hands, killing most of the souldiers he there found, and many of the citizens. His posteritie reigned after him, from anno 516 of the Hegeir. to the 668. at which time the family of Marin depriued them, in which the kingdom continued til the 785 yere. Then the same decreasing in power, Marocco became subiect to certain lords of the old hill, neare to the city. But of none receiued they so much dammage, as of the Marin family, which held their court in Fez, & had a Lieutenant only in Marocco; Fez being made chiefe citie of Mauritania. Let me borrow of Cali. Sec. gCal Sec Curio de regno Mar. pag.356.Cario in his history of the kingdome of Marocco, which (for the most part) is taken out of Leo. He saith that Abdul Mumen subiected to his empire all Barbary, from Messa to Tripolis; his Empire in Africa comprehending 90 daies iourny in length, & 15 in bredth. He also possessed the kingdome of Granada in Spain, somtime called Betica, & from Tariffa to Tarracon, & a great part of Castilia & Portugall. Neither had he alone this large Empire, but his hLeo reckons them in this Order. Abdul, Ioseph Mansor, Iacob Mansor, and this Mahomet Enasir: whereas Curio seemes to insinuate a longer line of posteritie: these being all, directly and immediatly succeeding.son Iasippus, after him, Iacobus Mansor his nephew, and their posterity, til Mahumet Enasir, who an 1212 in the kingdome of Valencia was ouerthrowne of Alphonsus (as I take it) the ninth king of Castil, in that place which is called Las navas ds Tolosa; loosing in the battell 60000 men. In memory of which battell and victorie, that Alphonsus adorned his Scutchion with a Castle Or, in a field purple: which custome his successours doe still obserue, because that day that golden Kingdome, as a strong Castle, confirmed to him by the bloud of his enemies, was deliuered from those miscreants: And thereupon that Kingdome of the Bastitanes (so it was before that time stiled) was intituled Castile. Moreouer, hee instituted that Knightly Order of Saint Iames, who hauehave in their habite purtraied a purple sword, in token of bloud. This Mahumet our Historians call Miramulinus. For Abdul Mumen intituled himselfe Miralmumin, the name signifying, The Prince of beleeuers, which others corrupting call Miramulin, as they did him Abed Ramon. Howsoeuer it standeth for the name and armes of Castile; certainely Curio was not curious, nor carefull enough in adding, that this Abdul Mumen was in the time of Rodericus the Gottish King, about seuen hundred yeares after Christ, as also in his Saracenicall Historie he relateth, and we before hauehave obserued, seeing that Marocco was long after built, and diuers hundreths of yeares were interposed betwixt Rodericus, and this Abdul Mumen; Curio herein iCurio, fault a…iseth from con…ounding the Histories of Abea Kamon and Abdul Mumen, which liued some Centuries of yeers. after the former.differing not onelyonly from Leo, is best guide in the rest of his Historie, but from himselfe, as will easily appeare to any that list to compare his Saracenicall Historie with the Marochian.
I cannot omit that which Mathew kMat.Par.in Iohan p. 233.Paris hath written of Iohn King of England, about these times, and in his owne daies. He sent, saith he, Thomas Herdinton & Radulph Fitz Nicholas Knights, and Robert of London Clerke, to Admirall Murnselius, king of Marocco, Africa, and Spaine, whom they commonly call Miramumelius, to make offer vntounto him of his Vassallage, and that he would not onelyonly hold the Land of him with paiment of Tribute, but would also change his Religion, and accept the Mahumetan. The Embassadours hauing declared their message, the King (or Emire Elmumenin to call him rightly) shut vp the booke whereon they found him reading, and after a little deliberation thus answered. I was now reading a Greeke booke of a certaine wise man, and a Christian, called Paul, whose words and deeds well please me; this onelyonly I like not, that he forsooke the Religion wherein he was borne, and vnconstantly embraced another: and the same I say of your Maister. GOD Almightie knowes that if I were without the Lawe and now to chuse, this aboue all other should be my choise. And then, by diuers questions enforming himselfe better of the state of the Kingdome and of the King, he grew into great passion and indignation against the King, protesting that he thought him vnworthy to bee his confederate, and commanded the Embassadours neuer more to see his face. The Author heard Robert of London, one of those which were sent, relate these things.
But to returne to our Marocchian buildings. In it is a great Castle, in the middes whereof is a faire Temple, and thereon a goodly Tower, and on the top of the same an iron broche, with three golden Globes weighing a hundred and thirtie thousand Barbary Ducats, in forme like those before mentioned. Diuers Kings hauehave gone about to take downe the same, but alway some strange misfortune hath befalne them, whereby they hauehave beene forced to leaue their attempt. Insomuch that it is holden a signe of ill lucke to take them from theuce. The vulgar conceit is, that some influence of the Plane…s is cause hereof. And also that shee that set them there, by Art Magicke inchanted certaine spirits to a perpetuall Station there for to guard them. The people indeede are the spirits which in our time kept the Kings fingers from them, who else would hauehave aduentured all those phantasied dangers to hauehave possessed himselfe of the golde for his warres against the Portugales. The Wife of King Mansor is reported to hauehave set them there as a Monument of her memory, hauing sold her Iewels to purchase them. Adrianus lIn Theatt. vrbium.Romanus saith, that the Talofi, Numidians, and all Barbary come to Marocco, to study and learne Grammer, Poetry, Astrologie, and the Lawes. There is also in the said Castle a Colledge for the receit of Students, which hath thirtie Chambers, and beneath, a spacious Hall, where in old times Lectures were read: and all the Students had their expences allowed them, and raiment once a yeare: and the Readers for their stipend had, some a hundred ducats, some two hundred, according to the qualitie of their profession. No man might be admitted into that Colledge which was not well instructed in the Principles of Artes. The excellencie of the matter and workmanship might well detaine vsus longer in the view therof, but that it is now rather become a Sepulcher of Sciences, then a Theater, there being not aboue fiue Students vnderunder a senselesse Professour, left in Leo's time, as the ghosts of those sometimes renowned numbers of Schollars. There were built also by Mansor, twelue stately pallaces in the said Castle, for his Guard, Officers, Armories, and other purposes fitting both Mars and Venus. There were also goodly and spacious Gardens, and also a Parke with many kindes of wilde beasts, as Giraffas, Lyons, Elephants, &c. There was a Leopard made of Marble, the spots not borrowed, but Natures handy-worke. But alas, Deuouring Time, that swalloweth his owne off-spring, was not content to hauehave inglutted his insatiable paunch with the flesh of those beasts, and men, branded with Natures stampe of mortalitie; but euen those curious and costly stones are now become graue-stones to themselues prouoking the beholders at once to compassion and amazement; the Reliques of laborious Art still contending with Time, to restifie what greater excellence hath beene. The Garden is now become the Citie dunghill, the Librarie in steede of bookes is furnished with nests of Doues, & other fowles. That ouerthrow which Mahomet the King of Marocco receiued in Spaine, was the occasion of the ruine of that Family, which was furthered by his death, leauing behind him ten sonnes which contended amongst themselues for the Kingdome, and slew one another. H…revpon the people of Marin, entred into Fez, and possessed themselues of that Kingdome: the Habduluad Nation seised on the Kingdome of Telensin, and remouing the Gouernor of Tunis made whom they pleased King. After the ruine of Mansors progeny, the Kingdome was translated to Iacob, son to Habdulach, first King of the Marin Family. Lastly, this Kingdome declining, the Arabians by continuall outrages hauehave further distressed it, forcing the people to what pleased them. Thus farre Leo: who saw not the influence of a Starre, euen in his daies, in his eyes, and of his acquaintance, arising, which after in his exaltation brought a new alteration to Marocco, and all those parts of Barbary. I meane the Seriffo, a name vsually giuen vntounto such as professe themselues descended of Mahomets kindred, from whence also this we speake of deriued his Pedegree. The History I thinke heere worthy to bee inserted: the rather because this Westerne starre is now declining, and by his fierie gleames, seemes to bee neere his setting. And thus in effect doth Boterus mG.B.B. parte 2.l.2. out of whom …aister Pory and the Description of the world hath translated the same.relate the same.
About the yeare 1508, began to grow in name, through Numidia, a certain Alfaique, borne in Tigumedet in the Prouince of Dara, being a subtle man, and no lesse ambitious in mind, then learned in those Sciences, whereunto the Mahumetans are most addicted. He, by confidence of his bloud (descended of their Prophet) and of the diuisions of the States of Africa, & the exploites there daily atchieued by the Portugales, attempted to make himself Lord of Mauritania Tingitana. For this cause he sent his three sons Abdel, Abnet & Mah. to visit the sepulcher of Mahomet. Much was the reuerence, & reputation of holines, which they hereby acquired amongst that superstitious people, which now beheld them as saints, and kissed their garments as most holy reliques. These failed not in their parts of the play to act as much deuotion, as high contemplatiue lookes, deep-fetched sighs, & other passionate interiections of holines could expresse. Ala, Ala, was their yernfull no…e, their foode was the peoples almes. The old Father ioying to see his proiects thus farre proceede, and minding to strike whiles the Iron was hote, sent two of them to Fez; Amet, and Mahumet: where one of them was made Reader in the Amodorac…ia, the most famous Colledge of Fez, and the yonger was made Tutor to the Kings yong sonnes. Aduanced thus in fauour of the King and People, by their fathers aduise, they apprehended the present Occasion of the harmes sustained by the Arabians and Mores vnderunder the Portugales Ensignes: they demanded licence of the King to display a Banner against the Christians, putting him in hope easily to draw those Mores to him, and so to secure the Prouinces of Marocco. In vaine were Mulley Nazer the Kings brother his allegations, not to arme this Name of Sanctitie, which being once victorious might grow insolent, and forget dutie in minding a Kingdome. They obtaine their desires, and with a Drum and Banner, with Letters of commendations to the Arabians, and people of Barbary, they are so attended with forces and fortunes, that Ducala, and all as farre as Cape de Guer stoupes to their command: the people willingly yeelding their Tents to this Holy warre against the Portugales, enemies of their faith. Herevnto was added the ouerthrow which they gaue to Lopes Barriga, a famous Portugall Captaine, the brightnes of that sun-shine being somewhat ecclipsed with the losse of their elder brother, if rather a Monarchy were not hereby furthered. By faire words they entered into Marocco, & there poisoned the King, causing Amet Serisso to be proclaimed in his steede, King of Marocco. The Arabians of Ducala and Xarqu…a, about this time trying their quarrels by dint of sword in mutuall conflicts, presented as it occasion to the Seriffs, to prey vponupon them both; their strength hauing made them weake, and their weakenes making the other strong. And now did they begin to vsurpe souereinty, presenting their Fessan King, with six Horses, and six Camels, and those but simple, whom before they had acknowledged their Soueraigne, with paiment of the if fifths of their spoile. The King of Fesse before applauding his owne victories in theirs, began now to distast, and to distrust: he sends to them to demaund his fifths, and the tribute also formerly paid him by the King of Marocco. Death, the cōmon enemy of mankinde, here interposed her selfe on the Seriffian part, and tooke the King of Fez out of the world; the Scepter descending to his son Amet, the scholler of the yong Seriff: who not onelyonly proceeded not in his fathers demaunds, but confirmed Amet in the Signiorie of Marocco, so that in some small matters he would acknowledge the souereintie of Fez. But now the Seriffs, whose harts continually encreased with their fortunes, sent him word; that being lawfull successors to Mahomet, they owed no man tribute, & had more right in Africa then he: if hee would respect them as his Friends and Allies, so it were, it otherwise, they which had power to offend the Christian, should not be destitute in defending themselues. The sword; the vnequallest arbiter of equity, is now made vmpire; the Fess in proclaimeth warres, besiegeth Marocco, is dislodged, and in his returne vanquished. Thus hauehave the Seriffs acquited themselues of that yoke, and now intend new conquests on the other side of Atlas, and in Numidia, and in the mountaines, which happily they archieued. Yea, the Portugales wearied with the warres, which they were forced to maintaine in defence of those places they held in Africa (the expences so much …u… mounting the reuenue) abandoned them to the Seriffs. And now the want of enemies procured enmitie betwixt the brethren, who trying that valour against each other, which before they had exercised iointly against their enemies, the issue was, that the yonger, in two battels hauing ouercome the elder, and at the second, which was Anno 1544, hauing taken him prisoner, confined him to Tafilete. Hee now sole Monarch of Marocco, conuerts his forces against the King of Fez, to try if he could be his Mr. in the field, as he sometimes had been in the schoole, and failed not of his attempt, but hauing once taken and freed him, the second time because he had broken promise, he depriued him and his sonnes of estate nThe end of the Reigne of Marins.and life. He also by meanes of his sonnes tooke Tremizen, which soone after was recouered from them by Sal Araes Vice-roy of Algier, and Fez also added, by an ouerthrow of the Seriff, to the Turks conquest, who gaue the gouernment: of Fez to Buasson, Prince of Veles. But he in an vnfortunate battel with the Seriff, lost his life & state. Mahomet going after to Taradant, was by the way slaine in his Pauilion, by the Treason of some Turkes suborned therunto by the King of Algier, of whom all (but fiue) in their returne were slaine by the people: Anno 1559. Mulley Abdala, the the Seriffs sonne, was proclaimed King.
Some oR….C. his History of Barbary. Capit.1.write that by occasion of a rebellion in Sus, he sent to the bordering Turks for aide, who first helped, after murthered him, and hauing sacked Taradant, and ouerrunne the countrey two monethes together, were in their returne by the Mountainers cut off. Mully Abdala hauing reigned fifteene yeares died, leauing behinde him thirteene sonnes; the eldest, Abdela, commanded the rest to be killed: but Abdelmelech the second brother escaped into pThe Turkes fingers hauehave i…ched to be dealing with these parts, euer since Solimans time: Nic.Honiger: and hauehave therfore willingly entertained all occasions to effect their ambitious designes.Turkie, and Muley Hamet, the third brother, esteemed of a simple and quiet spirit, not any way dangerous to the state, was spared. The other ten were put to death in one day at Taradant, where they had been brought vp. This Abdela dying, left behinde him three sonnes; Muley Mahomet, Muley Sheck, Muley Nassar: the two yonger escaped into Spaine, where Sheck is yet liuing, & turned Christian. Nassar returned in the fourteenth yeare of Muley Hamets raigne, and had almost driuen Muley Sheck, then Gouernour of Fez vnderunder his Father, to his heeles, had not superstition more preuailed with Nassars followers, then Allegeance. For when Lent came, his Souldiours would needes home to keepe their Easter at their owne houses: for feare wherof Nassar hastily giuing battell, was there slaine. Abdelmelech before fled into Turkie, now came back with Turkish forces, & got the Kingdome from Mahomet who sleeing, or as others write, sending for succour to Sebastian King of Portugall, obtained it. In the year qMichael ab …sselt.conti…atto … S… in An 1575 & 1578.1578. 5000. Germans were entertained in the Portugal pay for the expedition, and great forces were leuied, the Pope sending Stukely, that English Traitor (falsely termed Marquesse of Ireland) with six hundred Italians, to Sebastian, r10. Th… Freigius Hist. caede Sebast.who the foure & twentith of Iune, tooke Sea, & the next day with a fleete of one thousand and three hundred saile; or as Doglioni sNic. Doglioni, compendio Hist.parte 6.hath it, setting in order his Armada of fiue hundred saile, and blessing his Royall Standard with thirtie six thousand footemen, and foure thousand horse, set forth towards Africa: Where Abdelmelech beeing sickely, had assembled an Armie of fifteene thousand footemen, and foure and fortie thousand horsemen. On the fourth day of August, they ioined battell, and the Duke of Auero, with his Portugals, made a great impression into the Mores host, which Abdelmelech labouring beyond his naturall force to withstand, saued his people, but lost his life, not by the sword of the enemie, but by the weakenes of his body deliuered vp to death. His brother Hamet ruled the Armie (as yet ignorant of what had befalne) and made such slaughter of the Portugales that the Duke of Auero, the King of Portugall, and other great Personages there fell, and Mahomet himselfe was drowned, in fleeing ouer a Riuer. Thus remained Hamet, victorious, and at one time had the dead corpses of three Kings in his Tent. Such is the fury of warre, the force of death trampling vnderunder foote the meanest, and triumphing ouer the greatest. Stukely among the rest, receiued due wages for his treacherie, and disloialtie to his countrey, slaine out of his countrey by the barbarous Barbarian. To Abdelmelech, tEdmund Hogan in Hakluyt 10. 2. part 2.was Master Edmund Hogan emploied in Embassage, by the Maiestie of our late Soueraigne, Anno 1577. and with all good offices entertained. To Hamet his successor, was from the same Sacred Maiestie, sent Ambassadour, uHenry Roberts Hak.ib.p.119.Maister Henry Roberts, Anno 1585. who was there Lyger three yeares. This Muley Hamet in a Letter to the Earle of Leicester, thus begins. In the name of the mercifull and pitifull God. The blessing of God, light vponupon our Lord and Prophet Mahomet, and those that are obedient vntounto him. The seruant of God both mighty in warre, and mightily exalted by the grace of God, Myra Momanin, the sonne of Myra Momanyn, the Iarif, the Hozeni, whose Kingdomes God maintaine. VntoUnto the right famous, &c. In an edict published in behalfe of the English, he stileth himselfe, The seruant of the supreme God, the Cònqueror in his cause, the successor aduanced by God, &c. He slaied of the skinne from the carkaffe of Mahumet, drowned in the battell, as is said, and filld it full of Straw, & sent it through all Prouinces of his Kingdome for a spectacle. He reigned seuen and twenty yeares. Hee sent an Embassage into England, xRo.C.his Historie of Barbary.An. 1601. performed by Abdala Wahad Anowne. He gouerned the Alarbes (which are the inhabitants of the plaine and Champaine Countreys of Marocco, Fez, and Sus) in peace & subiection receiuing their tenths duely paide. The Brebers or Mountainers, a people of another language and disposition, he could not so easily came, & therefore in policie he drew them into forreine expeditions, especially against the Negros, thereby extending his Empire so far that way, as by Camell it was six moneths ionrney from Marocco, to the extr…amest bounds. Likewise he vsed them to goe with the yCarauan is a company of merchants going together with their goods & beastsCarauans to Gago to fetch home his yearely Tribute. He conquered Tombuto and Gago, about the yeare 1594. as appeareth by the letters of zMadot. Hackluyt.Laurence Madoc, who saw thirty mules laden with gold come from thence to Marocco, & saith that Tombuto rented threescore quintals of gold. His prouisions for his Iugenewes or Sugar-gardens, for his buildings, maintenance of his women (rather for the pompe then the sinne) I let passe. For passed they are now and gone, together with himselfe, his three sonnes, by ciuill warres, leauing scarfe hope of good, or place for worse estate then is now in Barbary, and hath beene these many yeares. His sonnes were Mahomet, commonly called Sheck, a title proper to the Kings eldest sonne. Boferes was his brother by the whole bloud: Sidan, by another woman; as were, Nassar & Abdela. Muley is a title of honour, giuen to the Kings children, & all of the bloud Royall. Muley Sheck was made gouernour of Fez in his fathers life time; Boferes, of Sus; & Sidan, of Tedula, in the mid way be…weene Fex and Marocco. Muley Sheck so displeased his Father by his vnbridled courses, that he went with an Armie to Fez to displace him, and to set things there in order, leauing Boferes (lately returned from Sus, because of the Plague) in the gouernment of Marocco. Sheck tooke Sanctuarie with fiue hundred of his best Souldiours, from whence his father caused him to be brought by force, and sent him prisoner to Mickanes: but before hee could finish his purposes, the 14. of August, 1603. hee died. Sidan had followed his father in this expedition, and taking aduantage of his presence, seised on the treasures, and proclaimed himselfe King of Barbary, and heire to his Father. What Sidan had done at Fez, the like did Boferes, at Marocco, and at Taradant. Nassar made some stirres, but soone after died of the P…ague. Boferes sendeth Basha Iudar to encounter with Sidan, who was now come with his forces against him, and because himselfe had not the heart, to hazard his person in battell, knowing that it would be no small discouragement, if there were none his equall in bloud, he on certaine conditions, freed his elder brother Muley Sheck, who the sixt of Ianuary, 1604. chased Sidan out of the field. Hence all old quarrels, and seuds, and robberies, and a world of other mischiefes now aOf these warres and the Genealogie of this Seriffian Family, See Laur. Bayerlincki opus Chron. 10.2.in Ana. 1603.began to fill all the parts of Barbary. Muley Sheck in Fez proclaimes himselfe King. Thus is all inuerted, many Kings, and few Subiects: none now in this vncertainty paying their accustomed tenths, intending rather mutuall feuds and battels, betwixt their seuerall Tribes and kindreds, then common fidelitie and allegiance. Sidan by aide of the great Foquere, or Heremite, obtaineth Sus, the people yeelding obedience to none but whom that Religious person shall appoint them: by meanes of him also, a peace was concluded betwixt Boferes, and Sidan in August. 1604. Thus was the Warre continued betweene Sheck and Boferes. Abdela, Shecks sonne, driueth Boferes out of Marocco, in the latter end of the yeare: 1606. vsing his victorie with bloudy crueltie, besides the rifling and pillage of the goods in the citie. Bloud is a slippery fundation, & pillage a pill'd wall: so fell it out to Abdela, who soone lost the citie to Sidan, which hee had taken from Boferes, after a bloudy field fought betwixt them in Aprill after. Here Sidan puts to the sword 3000. Fessans, which had taken sanctuary, and came forth disarmed, vponupon promise of pardon, which Boferes after with like persidiousnes, and breach of promise requited on 3000. Marochians. The Shracies (which are mountainers, neere to Algier, but no more respecting the Turkes there, then the Brebers doe the Serif) fell at variance, and began to mutiny in the Armie of Sidan, whom they serued and cut off the Bashas head, who was their Generall, which caused Sidan to execute vniust cruelties against all of that Tribe in Marocco giuing the Shracees goods to the murtherer whomsoeuer. On the six and twentith of Nouember, 1607. Abdela ioineth in battell with Sidan, prouoked by those Shracees who thirsted for reuenge of Sidans Tyrannies, where many English, vnderunder Captaine Gisfard, and other Captaines, were slaine, Sidan chased, and Marocco recouered.
But whiles these brethren contend, Muley Hamet Bosonne their Cousin, rich in reasure, richer in hopes, thought it fit time to take vp that kingdome, which these with warring for it, lost. Hee gathering together whatsoeuer forces he could make, came towards Marocco: Abdela heard and feared, and hauing spied a man vponupon a Hill with a speare in his hand, with white lin…en like a flagge vponupon it: his feare (an vntrustie messenger) told him, that all Bosonnes Armie was behinde the Hill, (although it were then a full daies March from thence) and lent him wings to flie to Fez. The man was but a silly More, which had washed his linnen, and dried it on his speare point. Bosonne entreth Marocco, and proclaimes himselfe King, but looseth both Citie and Kingdome in Aprill following, 1608. and after a second ouerthrow receiued by Sidan now Maister of Marocco, he was by Alkeid Azus his meanes poisoned. Muley Sheck loth to leaue Marocco to Sidan, sendeth Etina an Italian Marchant into Spaine, with promise, to the Catholike King, of Allaroche, Saly, Alcasar, and other townes to turne Spanish, if he would helpe him to his right in Afrike. This Negotiation was well entertained, and the Spaniard (they say) now hath Allaroche; the cause that hee which now hath obtained the State will not be called King, till he hath regained it. For the opening of this (I suppose you are weary of those vnnaturall and bloudy spectales which this History presents vntounto you, and therefore I hast) you must now conceiue that according to the report of such as came lately from thence, Boferis is dead, Muley Sheck shiftes for himselfe where he can, Abdela rules in Fez, and Sidan hath lately lost Marocco. The historie, or (if you will) the Mores report of the present state, as by a friend of mine lately come from thence I am giuen to vnderstand, is this. A certaine Foquere, Heremite, or Saint, (names giuen by diuers to the same) called Habet Ben Abdela, liued in the mountaines of Atlas, where sometime he entertained Sidan to his great content, fleeing then to his bThe Mores call their protection or defence, a horne, as is vsuall in the scriptures.borne or defence, in time of distresse. This man the Mores report to be a great Magician, that hee could feede three hundred Horse at one pit of Barly, and the same no whit diminished, that he foretold of plenty the last yeare, which came accordingly to passe, that he could by his Art secure men from the danger of Gun-shot. If any beleeue not these things, yet let him beleeue that the credulous and superstitions More (which easily conceiueth and receiueth any thing but truth) beleeueth it, and then it belongeth to our discourse, who rather attend what they doe beleeue, then what they should. This is that they tell, that Hamet Ben Abdala, being in great reputation for wealth, learning, and holinesse, gathered a band of men, and conducted them this last spring to Marocco. He challenged not the Kingdome to himselfe, but said that the first of the Family of the Xerisfe had done well, though hee vsurped, but his posteritie had broken the kingdome, and God was not pleased with them. (This is the opinion of that Religion, to measure Gods approbation of things by the euent and successe.) He further alledged a certaine prophecie of the reigne of one Alle. This they say is his sonne, or some other which hee carrieth with him. For hee hath two tents, the one white, wherein himselfe lodgeth: the other red, wherein abideth (they say) one which they suppose shall bee their King, whom they neuer see. Sidan with an Armie of sixteene thousand, giues him battell at Marocco, the 5. of Iune, this present yeare, 1612. and was ouerthrowne. For hee went himselfe, and ledde his company on the mouth of the ordinance without harme: hee causing (as the Mores report) that the Bullets should still remaine in the peeces when they were discharged, as he had often for the confirmation of his people made triall before, setting fortie Gunners to shoote at as many others without harme, by the like Art. Thus he lost none of his owne, & many of the other were slaine. Sidan fled to Sali, & embarkes his two hundred women in a Flemming; his riches, in a Marsilian: this was taken by Don Luys, the Spanish Admirall, wherein were thirteene Chests of Gold: the other at S.ta Cruz, met Sidan, and deliuered him his women. Men were more necessary, which he wanted, and yet (worse then their want) some offered their seruice for pay, and receiuing it, forsooke him, whereby he was forced to flee into the Mountaines, where he is said yet to remaine. Hamet, now called Mully Side Hamet Ben Abdala, placed a, Gouernour in Marocco, another at Taradant, the chiefe Gitie of Sus. His march was in great hypocrisie (I may rather call it then simplicitie) in a Straw Hat, and a patched garment, while crowne and Robes imperiall are the markes he shootes at. And so we leaue him, and these relations to your censure. We must forward on our Pilgrimage, we hauehave sufficiently filled our eyes with bloud in this Barbarian Tragedie. Now let vsus take more quiet view of the other parts of this kingdome.
Agmet was sometimes called a second Marocco, cl.eo l.2.from whence it standeth foure and twenty miles. The hilles and valley about it, adorned with Gardens and Vineyards, a faire Riuer, and fertile fields, yeelding fiftie-fold increase, hauehave assembled Natures forces to ioyne with Art, (if Magike may be so termed, and the Histories write true) for the common good of Agmet, and Marocco. The Riuer runneth (as is thought) to Marocco vnderunder the ground; which secret passage is attributed to the wizards of Ioseph, founder of Marocco, left the vvater-course should bee cutt off from the Citie. This fruitfull Agmet in Leo's time was peopled onelyonly with Foxes and wilde beastes, sauing that a certaine Heremite held the Casdtle, with a hundred of his Disciples.
The dThe Mountaines of Marocco.mountaines are very rude, according to their rough and cold places of habitation, many of them couered continually with snow. In Nififa they gaze and wonder at strangers: in Sem…e they forced Leo to play the Iudge and Notarie (accepting no excuse) eight dayes: and then set him in a Church-porch, and after a certaine prayer, presented themselues with their presents before him, cocks, hennes, nuts, garlike; and some of the better sort, a goat, which all he gaue to his host: money they had none for him. In Secsiua there is at all times of the yeare, snow. There are many great Caues wherein they winter their beasts, in Nouember, Ianuary and February. They weare no shooes, but certaine sandals, and are lusty men, at ninety or a hundred yeares old: Temnelia is an hereticall Hill and Towne, which hath a faire Temple. They are of Elmaheli his Sect, and challenge any stranger which comes amongst them to dispute. In Hantera are many Iewes of the cCarraim Iewes.Carraim Sect.
The fourth Region of this kingdome is Guzzula, confining with the hill I…da on the West, Atlas on the North, Hea on the East. They hauehave no walled Townes, but great Villages: neither hauehave they King or Gouernor; the cause of ciuil warres amongst them: yet doe they obserue three dayes in a weeke truce, when eueryevery man may trauell or barter safely. A certaine Heremite, who was reputed a Saint, was Author of this three dayes truce in each weeke. He had but one eye. I my selfe, saith Leo, saw him and found him to be trusly, curteous, and liberall.
Duccaia the fifth Region lieth betweene Tensift and the Ocean, Habid and Omirabih. At Azaph… the Prince was (in Leo's time) murthered at Church, whiles he was in his Deuotions, by a subiect, who was chosen Gouernour; but the Portugals obtained the place. Az…, a citie exc…edingly addicted to Sodomie, was also punished with Portugall slauery, and most of the Country thereabouts. In the hill called Greene-hill liue many Heremites, of the fruits onelyonly there growing. Here are many Altars and Saints after the Mahumetan fashion. Mahumet King of Fez, in the yere of our Lord 1512, passed this way with his armie, and at eueryevery Altar made a stand, and there kneeling, would thus say: My God, thou knowest that my intent of comming to this wilde place, is only to help and free the people of Duccala from the wicked and rebellious Arabians, and from our cruell enemies the Christians: and if thou dost not approue it, let thy scourge light onelyonly on my person: for these people that follow me deserue not to bee punished. Hence he sent me Ambassador to Marocco.
Hascora the sixt region of Marocco is situate betweene the riuer Tensift and Quadelhabid. Ale…din in Hascora was conquered to the King of Fez by a merchant, whose paramour the Prince had taken away; for which adultery he was by the Iudges condemned to be stoned. The Prince of Temcenes was so addicted to Arabian Poetry, that he gaue Leo, then a youth of sixteene yeares olde, fiftie ducats for certaine verses hee had made in his prai…e, and twice as much he sent to his vncle for the same cause, with a horse and three slaues.
Tedles is the seuenth Prouince of this Kingdome, lying betweene Guadelhabid and Ommirabih. Tefza the chiefe towne is beautified with many Temples, and hath store of Priests. The towne-walls are built of a kind of marble called Tefza, which gaue name to the towne. Mount Dedes is in this Prouince, where the people (for the mo… pa…t) dwell in Caues vnderunder the ground: they hauehave neither Iudges nor Priests, nor honest men among them. For other places, if any thinke vsus not more than tedious alreadie, let them resort to Leo, whom all follow in their relations of these parts.