Pilgrimage, Book 7 · Chapter 4
CHAP. IIII.
Of the Aethiopian Empire.
TO come now to the Aethiopian Greatnes, of this great Aethiopian; his Title would be a sufficient Text for a more sufficient glosse, then we can giuegive. In a Letter aLiter … ad Eman.Reg.to King Emannell, after diuers words concerning the Trinitie follow; These Letters sendeth Atani Tinghill, that is, the Frankincense of the Virgin, which was his name in Baptisme, but at the beginning of his Reigne, bThe Kings of Aethiopia change their names, as the Popes vse to doe.hee tooke to name Dauid, the beloued of God, Pillar of the faith, descended of the Tribe of Iuda, Sonne of Dauid, Sonne of Salomon, Sonne of the Pillar of Sion, Sonne of the seede of Iacob, Sonne of the band of Mary, Sonne of Nahu cIn a Letter to the Pope is added, ionne or the Holy Apostles, Peter and Pani, according o grace.according to the flesh, Emperour of the Greater and Higher Aethiopia, and of vost large Kingdomes, Territories, and Iurisdictions, the King of Xoa, Casfate, Fatigar, Angote, Baru, Baaliganze, Adea, Vangue, and Goiame, where Nilus springeth; Of Damaraa, Vaguemedri, Ambeaa, Vagne, Tigri-Mahon; Of Sabaym, the Countrey of the Queene of Saba, of Barnagasso, and Lord as farre as Nubia, which consineth vponupon Egypt. Here are names enough to skarre a weake braine, a great part whereof are now his (as some say) in Title onelyonly. For at this present, if Barros and Botero bee beleeued, his Neighbours hauehave much encroched vponupon him: as a little before wee hauehave shewed; (a thing wholly denied by the later Relations of Frier Luys de Vrreta). dLuys de Vrreta … ….bef. … …olut. Apost 34.make, Prester … the greatest Prince in the world, except the … Spaine.Yet seeing wee are to trauell through all these Countries, wee will leaue the question of dominion to him and his neighbours, to try it with the sword: Our pen shall peaceably point out the places, and after that, the conditions. Barnagasso eG Botero.Benese.p.1.Pory his description of place …described. Leo. A. Maginus.is the nighest to vsus, at least, by his neere situation to the red Sea, nighest to our knowledge. It stretcheth from Suachen almost to the mouth of the Streyt, and hath Abagni, or Astapus, on the South. It hath no other Port on the Red Sea but Ercocco. Neither hath the Preto any other Port but this in all his Dominion, being land-locked on all sides. Anno 1558. fG.…B.parte.…l….The Turkes committed heere great spoile: They hauehave since taken from the Prete, all on the Sea side, and specially that port of Ercocco, and the other of Suachen or Suaquem, and forced the Gouernour or vnderunder-King of this Prouince, to compound for a yearely summe of a thousand ounces of Gold: besides his Tribute to the Act hiopian To him are also subiect the gouernments of Dafila, and Cansia. And the Turke hath a B… gHe is called The Bada, of Abassia … Bassa or Beglerbeg, of the Turk in Africa, omitted by R…lles.at Suaquem, called by Prolomey, Sebasticum. Tigri-M…hon heth betweene Nilus, Marabo, two Riuers, Angote, and the Sea. Tigrai hath in it Cazumo, which is supposed the seate Royall of that great Queene, which visited Salomen. Angote is betweene Tigre-Mahon and Amara. Heere in Amara hFr. Aluares.is a steepe Hill, dilating it selfe in a round forme, fifteene dayes iourney in compasse, enuironing with the steepe …les, and impossible tops thereof, many fruitfull and pleasant Vallies, wherein the kindred of the Prete are surely kept, for the auoiding of all tumults & seditions. Xoa hath store of corne and cattell: Goiame hath plenty of gold: as, Baguamedr… hath Siluer. In Fatigar is a Lake on the top of a High mountaine, twelue miles compasse, abounding with great varietie of fish; and thence runne many Riuers, stored with the same fish.
Damut is ennobled with slauerie. For the slaues that are hence carried Captiues, in Arabia, Persia, and Aegypt, proue good Souldiours. The greater part of this Kingdome are Gentiles, and the residue Christians. Gueguere was sometimes called M…roe: the inhabitants are consederate with the Turkes and Mores, against the Abissines. Daucali and Dobas, are neere the Red Sea, inhabited with Mores.
Many of these Countries are diuersly placed by diuers: through ignorance of the exact situations: which Aluarez iF. A…luares.in his so many yeares trauell in those parts might well hauehave acquainted vsus with, if he had first acquainted himselfe with rules of Art, to hauehave obserued by instruments the true fire and distances.
Let vsus now come vntounto the Court of their Emperour, which was alway mouing, kAlua…es speaketh a, it was in his time: it is now otherwise as you shall after reade.and yet the greatest towne that his whole Empire containeth. For there are few which hauehave in them one thousand and six hundred Families, whereas this moueable Citie hath fiue thousand, or six thousand tents, and Mules for cariages about fifty thousand. In his march from one place to another, if they passe by a Church, he and all his company alight, and walke on foote, till they be past. There is also carried before him a consecrated stone or Altar, vponupon the shoulders of certaine Priests appointed to that office. They call him Acegue, which signifieth Emperour, and Negus, that is, King.
By commandement of the Queene Maqueda, which visited Salomon, women lStrabo l.18. tels of circumcised women in these parts. Quemadmodum viri p…eputium babent, mulieres e… habent quandam glanduloram cernem quam Nympham …cant, on meptam accipie…do Characteri circumcisionis. Any one man may Circumcise, and it is done without solemnitie, or ceremonie.are Circumcised: both Sexes are circumcised at eight daies olde: and the Males forty daies after; the Females, fourescore; (vnlesse sicknes hasten the same) are baptized. As for the rites of their Christianitie, it belongeth not to this place to expresse. Their circumcision Zabo saith, is not obserued, as if it made them more worthy then other Christians, for they thinke to be saue …onelyonly by faith. They vse this and distinctions of meates, and Mosaicall rites, yet so as hee that eateth. should not despise him that eatest not, and not condemning others that refuse them: but yet thinking that neither Christ, nor the Apostles, nor the Primitiue Church had disannulled them, interpreting also the Scriptures to their purpose. Of their agreeing with other Churches in the most points of substance, the Authour of the mCatholike Traditions.Catholike Traditions hath written: and when I make a Christian Visitation of these parts, it shall be further discouered.
The succession is not tied to the eldest, but to him nF.Luys saith he is elected, as elsewhere is shewed.whom the Father appointeth. For Dauid which sent this Ambassage to Portugall, was the third sonne in order, and for modestie in refusing to sit in his Fathers Throne, which in the same triall his other Brethren had accepted, was preferred to that which hee had refused: the other reiected for their forward acceptation. The King offered oL… ad Eman.the King of Portugall an hundred thousand drammes of Gold, and as many Souldiours towards the subduing of the Mores, besides other things meete for the warre. It seemes the difference of the Aethiopian, and Popish Superstition was the cheese hinderance in this businesse: neither partie beeing able (if willing) to reconcile their long-receiued differences from each other, and the truth. Eugenius the Pope, and the Aegyptian King, then named The seeds of Iacob, pLit…rae ad Papam.had written to each other: and Aluarez yeelded qObedienza del Prete launi &c. apud Ramusium.obedience to the Pope, in the name of the Prete, at Bologna, in the presence of Pope Clement the seuenth, and Charles the fist. But all this sorted to none effect. For Pope Paul the fourth sent an Embassage to Claudius, then the Abassine Emperour, employing in the same thirteene Iesuites, one of which was made Patriarch, and two Bishops, in their hopefull Aethiopian Hierarchie. Ignatius, the founder of the Ies…tes, wrote a long Letter also, which Maffaeus rP. Muff….…istor.Indie.l.16.hath inserted at large. Thus in the yeare 1555. Iohn the third, King of Portugall, vndertooke the charges to conuey them thither: and sent sEman. Acosta in Communario reum in oriente gestarum.Consaluus Roterigius, to prepare them way by a former Embassage to Claudius, whose eares hee found fast closed to such motions. Wherevpon, the New Patriarch stayed at Goa, and one of the Bishops vvith a Priest or two went thither, where when they came, they found Claudius slaine, and his brother tOuiedo R. of Hierapolis.Adamas, a cruell man, and an Apostata sometimes from his saith, in the Throne. He cast the new Bishop into bands, and drew him into the warres with him, where the Emperour was discomfited, and hee taken and stripped of all, and at last miserably died, and with him the hope of Roman Abassia. Sabellieus uSabel. Aen. 10.l.8.saith hee had conference with some Aethiopians, which said that their Lord ruled ouer threescore and two Kings. They called him Gyam, which signifieth mighty. They wondred why the Italians called him a Priest, seeing he neuer receiued Orders, onelyonly hee bestowed Benefices: and is neither called Iohn or Ianes, but Gyam. Some report of him things incredible, as one Webbe xWebs Trauelsan English man in his Tales of his Trauels. He hath Golde enough shut vp in a Caue, to buy the moitie of the world, as L. yL Le Roy.l.9.Regius affirmeth, and can raise an Armie of ten hundred thousand, (saith Sabellicus.) Yet the Peasants are not emploied in militarie seruice: but onelyonly the Cauas, which are men brought vp thereto. They warre not in the Len…, zAlvarez cap 113.except against themselues with extremity of fasting, so weakening their bodies, that the Moores aThe Moores also vse to giuegive assaults on the Saturdayes & Sundayes, because (of a Iewish superstition) then they refuse to fight.make that their harvest of Abissine captiues. Of this their fasting Aluares saith, that they beginne their Lent ten dayes before vsus: and after Candlemasse, fast three dayes, in remembrance of Niniuehs repentance; many Friers in that space eating nothing: and some women refusing to suckle their children aboue once a day. Their generall fast is bread and water, for fish is not easily had, being ignorant to take it. Some Friers eate no bread all Lent long for deuotion; some, not in a whole yeare, or in their whole life, but feede on hearbs, without oyle or salt: that I speake not of their girdles of yron, and other their hardships, which my Penne would willingly expresse, if my Method forbade me not. This fasting (as exposing their State to hostile inuasions and insolencies) may finde place and mention heere. Their Friers and Priests in Lent eate but once in two daies, and that in the night. Queene bLit. Helen. ad & in. Reg. Portug.Helena, that sent her Ambassadour to King Emanuel, was reported to eate but three times a weeke, on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday. On Sundayes they fast not. In Tigray and Tigremahon they fast neither Saturday nor Sunday: and they marry (because they hauehave two moneths priuiledge from fasting) on Thursday before our Shrouetide. They that are rich, may there marry three wiues, and the Iustice forbids them not; only cAlvarez.they are excommunicated from entring the Church.
In the kingdome of Angole, yron, and salt is currant money. The Moores of Dobas hauehave a law, prohibiting marriage to any, that hath not first slaine twelue Christians. The diuorces dAlvar.c.2….and marrying the wiues of their brethren deceased, is heere in vse much like as with the Iewes.
In Bernagasso, Alvarez and his company, in their trauel, were incountred with many great Apes as bigge as Weathers, their fore-parts hairie like Lions, which went not lesse then two or three hundred in a company: they would climbe any rockes: they digged the earth, that it seemed as it had beene tilled.
In the Countrey of the Giannamori, eCa.50.as they trauelled, they crossed a certaine brook or riuer, that came downe from the mountaines, and finding a pleasant place, shaded with the Sallowes, there they reposed themselues at noone: the water of the brooke was not sufficient to driue a Mill. And whiles the company stood, some on one side the brooke, some on the other, they heard a thunder, which seemed a farre off, but saw no likelihood of raine or winde; when the thunder was done, they put their stuffe in order to be gone, and had taken vp the Tent, in which they dined, when one of the company going by the brooke about his busines, sodainely cried out, Looke to your selues: whereupon turning about, they saw the water come downe a speares deapth with gret fury, which carried away part of their stuffe: and had they not (by good hap) taken vp their tent, they together with it had bin carried away with the streame. Many of them were forced to clime vp the Sallowes. Such was the noise of the water, and the ratling of the stones, which came tumbling downe the mountaines together, that the earth trembled, and the Skie seemed to threaten a downe fall. Sodainely it came, and sodainely it passed. For the same day they passed ouer, and sawe very many and great stones ioyned to those which they had seene there before.
In the kingdome of Goyame, fC.135.see.c.12 Some draw Nilus from certain mountaines, which are named Mountaines of the Moone: but it comes first from the lake Zembre, or Zaire: and passeth by this where it is encreased.the riuer Nilus springeth, it is there called Gion, and comes from two lakes, which for their greatnesse may seeme to be Seas, in which (report goeth) that Mermaides, Tritons, or Men-fishes are seene, and some hauehave told me (saith Alvarez) that they hauehave seene it. Peter Covilian a Portugall, which had liued a great part of his life in those parts, tolde me, that hee had beene in that kingdome by order from Queene Helena, to build there an Altar in a Church built by her, where she was buried. Beyond that kingdome, I was told, there were Iewes.
The houses of the Ethiopians gC.159.are round, all of earth, flatte roofed, couered with thatch, compassed with yards. They sleepe vponupon oxe-hides. They hauehave neither Tables nor Table-clothes, but hauehave their meate serued in on plaine woodden platters. Some eate flesh raw; others broyle it. Artillery they had not vntill they bought some of the Turkes. Writing is little (and scarce a little) vsed amongst them: the Officers dispatch matters of Iustice by Messengers, and word of mouth. There is no wine made of the grape (but by stealth) except in the Pretes and hAbuna is their Patt-arch.Abunas: others vse wine made of Raisins, steeped tenne dayes in water, and sirained, which is cordiall and strong. They hauehave plenty and want of mettalles; Golde, Siluer, &c. the soile yieldeth, but they hauehave not Art to take it. They hauehave no coine of golde or siluer; salt is the most currant money. Sugar canes they hauehave, but want skill to vse them. The mountaines and woods are full of basil and other odoriserous plants. They hauehave store of bees and honey: but their Hiues are placed in Chambers, where making a little hole in the wall the bees goe in and out. There are some places very cold. The Commons are miserably oppressed by their superiours. No man may kill an Oxe though it be his owne, without licence from the Gouernours: there were no Shambles but at the Court. The common people seldome speake truth, no not vponupon an oath, except they are compelled to sweare by the head of the king; they exceedingly seare excommunication. Their oathes are in this fort: The party to be deposed goeth with two Priests, carrying with them fire and and incense to the Church-doore, whereon hee layeth his hand. Then the Priest adiures him, saying; If thou shalt sweare falsly, as the Lion deuoureth the beasts of the forrest, so let the Deuill deuoure thy soule: and as corne is growned vnderunder the mil-stone, so let him grinde thy bones: and as the fire burneth vp the wood, so letthy sou'e burne in hell: (the partie answereth to eueryevery to these clauses, Amen.) But if thou speake truth, let thy life be prolonged with honour, and thy soule enter into Paradise with the Blessed, Amen. Then doth hee giuegive his testimonie. They hauehave Bookes written in Parchment.
Some iF. Inys histor. Et.l br. 1.c.28. Brieie des ription of the whole world.affirme that the Princes of Egypt hauehave time out of minde payed to Prester Iohn a great tribute, (continued by the Turkes, which Luys saith is three hundred thousand Zequis, eueryevery Zequibeing sixeteene ryalls, and with vsus eight pence) for that by him the furious spirit of Nilus is stoked and cooled, being detained in the way by many sluces, for that purpose made. The great Turke denying this, kAlfons. Albuquerque deuised to diuert Nilus into the red Sea.the Abissine caused those dammes to be broken, and by drowning Egypt in vncouth manner, forced that great Monarch to composition. Alvarez denies both the mountaines of Luna, and the melting of snow, which is supposed the cause of this riuers hastinesse; and ascribeth the ouerflowing or Nilus to the extreame raines in Ethiopia, whose Fountaines diuers Portugalles hauehave seene (he saith) in Goyame. The Turke notwithstanding hath (by warring vponupon him) erected a new B-glerbeg-ship in his Dominions. Alvarez liued there six yeeres, and was once within thirtie miles of Nilus, but in all his trauells neuer sawe that riuer. So little accesse hauehave the Ethiopians (barred out by vnpassable passages) vsually to the same.
Andrea lAndrea Corsali liter…. at R.Corsali r…porteth that the Prete Dauid, was of Oliue colour, but shewed his face but once in the yeere, hauing at other times his face couered for greater stare, and therefore also spake to none, but by an interpreter. The Inhabitants are branded with fire, which they vse, not for Baptisme, but in obseruation of a Custome of Salomon, who so marked his slaues, as they affirme. Frier Luys giueth a more probable reason thereof, saying that when the world groned vnderunder Arrianisme: the Abiss…e Emperor caused his subiects to brand themselues with a three-fold marke or stampe in the forehead, to testisie their faith of and in the Trinitie: which now since their commerce with the Roman Christians is in mannet wholly left, except in the ruder and more vnciuill parts of Barnagasso, the borders of the Empire. The same Author mLuys de Vr…st de la Ethiopia libr. 1. pag 247. & d.saith, that in Aethiopia are Elephants, the Rhinoceros, and (besides other beasts) the Vnicorne in the Kingdome of Goyame, and in the hilles of the Moone, but seldome seene, onelyonly the horne is found, which hee casteth in maner as the Harr. There are also (he saith) birds of Paradise: and such store and varietie of flowers ail the yeare long, that their Eunuches are alwaie decked with them. There is one Flower not anywhere else knowne, called Ghoyahula, much resembling a Mary-gold, but exceeding faire in varietie and excellencie of colours, fragrant smell, abundance of leaues in the Flower, and with a more rare qualitie; beginning to open at noone, and so by little and little opening more and more tiil midnight, alway the sent encreasing with the opening: after midnight it shuts by little and little, till noone: denying by the same degrees her pleasing offices to both senses, of sent, and sight. He mentioneth nPag 344. In their language alicomeinus.also a bird, called the Rhinocerot of the aire, much bigger then an Eagle, and hauing a bowe-fashioned bill or beake foure foot long, and a horne betweene the eies, with a blacke line alongst it. It is a cruell sowle, and attends on battells and campes. The Portugalls had sight of one at the red Sea, when Solyman the Eunuch had his nauy in the red Sea. The horne is of the same propertie with that of the Vnicorne and Rhinoceros. There are fishes also called Rhinocerotes of the Sea; many of which are payd the Prete for tribute.