Pilgrimage, Book 7 · Chapter 5
CHAP. V.
Of the Hill Amara: and the rarities therein.
THe hill Amara hath already beene often mentioned, and nothing indeed in all Ethiopia more deserueth mention, whether wee respect the naturall site, or the employment thereof. Somewhat is written thereof by Geographers, and Historians, especially by Alvarez, bF. Alvarez … Cap.58.ad 62.whome wee hauehave chiefly followed in the former relations of this Countrey, as an … witnesse of the most things reported; but neither they, nor he hauehave any thing but by relation, sauing that hee passed two dayes iourney along by the said hill, and that also had almost cost him his life. But Iohn de Baltasar liued in the same a long time, and therein serued Alexander which was afterwards Emperour, and was often by commaundement of the same man, when he was Emperor, sent thither: out of his relations, Frier bLuys de Vrreta de la historia de la Ethiopia lib. mim. c. 8. & deiucept.Luys saith, he hath borrowed that which here were offer you. And here we offer you no small fauour, to conduct you into, and about this place, where none may come but an Ethiopian, and that by expresse licence, vnderunder paine of leauing his hands, feet, and eies behind, in price for his curiositie; and not much lesse is the danger of such as offer to escape from thence; Alvares himselfe being an eie-witnes of some such cruell executions insticted for that offence. This hil is situate as the nauil of that Ethiopian body, and centre of their Empire, vnderunder the Equinoctiall line, where the sunne may take his best view thereof, as not encountring in all his long iourney with the like Theatre; wherein the Graces and Muses are Actors (no place more graced with Natures store, or furnished with such a store-house of books) the Sunne himselfe so in louelove with the sight, that the first and last thing he vieweth in all those parts, is this hill, and where Antiquitie consecrated vntounto him a stately Temple: the Gods (if ye beleeue Homer, cHom. ll. …that they feasted in Ethiopia) could not there, nor in the world find a fitter place for entertainement, all of them contributing their best store (if I may so speake) to the banquet, Bacchus, Iuno, Venus, Pomona Ceres, and the rest, with store of fruits, wholesome aire, pleasant aspect and prospect; secured by Mars, left any sinister accident should interrupt their delights, if his garrisons of souldiers were needefull, where Nature had so strongly fortified before; onelyonly Neptune with his ruder Sea-Deities, and Pluto with his blacke-Guard of barking Cerberus, and the rest of that dreadfull traine (whose vnwelcome presence would trouble all that are present) are al, saue Charon, who attends on eueryevery feast, yea hath now ferried away those supposed Deities with himselfe, perpetually exiled from this place. Once, Heauen and Earth, Nature and Industry hauehave all beene corriualls to it, all presenting their best presents, to make it of this so louely presence, some taking this for the place of our Fore-fathers Paradise. And yet, though thus admired of others, as a Paradise, it is made a prison to some, on whom Nature had bestowed the greatest freedome, if their freedome had not bin eclipsed dIam nacet esse Deum. Ou….with greatnes, and (though goodly starres, yet by the Sunnes brightnes, are forced to hide their light, when grosse and earthly bodies are seene) their noblenesse making them prisoners, that one Sun onelyonly may shine in that Ethiopian throne. It is situate in a great Plaine, largely extending it selfe eueryevery way, without other bill in the same for the space of 30, leagues, the forme thereof round and circular, the height such, that it is a dayes worke to ascend from the soot to the top; round about, the rocke is cut so smooth, and euen, without any vnequall swellings, that it seemeth to him that stands beneath, like a high wall, whereon the heauen is as it were propped: & at the top it is ouer-hanged with rocks, jutting forth of the sides the space of a mile, bearing out like mushromes, so that it is impossible to ascend it, or by ramming with earth, battering with canon, scaling, or otherwise to winne it. It is aboue twenty leagues in circuit, compassed with a wall on the top, wel wrought, that neither man not beast in chase may fall downe. The top is a plaine field, only toward the South is a rising hill, beautifying this plaine, as it were with a watch-tower, not seruing alone to the eie, but yeelding also a pleasant spring, which passeth through all that Plaine, paying his tributes to eueryevery garden that will exact it, and making a lake, whence issueth a riuer, which hauing from these tops espied Nilus, neuer leaues seeking to find him, whom he cannot leaue both to seek and find, that by his direction & conueiance he may, together with him, present himselfe before the Father and great King of Waters, the Sea. The way vp to it is cut out within the rocke, not with staires, but ascending by little and little, that one may ride vp with ease; it hath also holes cut to let in light, and at the foot of this ascending place, a faire gate, with a Corps du Guarde. Halfe way vp is a faire and spacious Hall cut out of the same rocke, with three windowes verie large vpwards: the ascent is about the length of a launce and a halfe: and at the toppe is a Gate with another guard. The aire aboue is wholesome and delectable; and they liue there very long, and without sickenesse. There are no Cities on the top, but palaces, standing by themselues, in number foure and thirtie, spacious, sumptuous, and beautifull, where the Princes of the royall bloud hauehave their abode with their families. The souldiers that guard the place dwell in tents. There are two Temples, built before the reigne of the Queene of Saba, one in honour of the Sunne, the other of the Moone, the most magnificent in all Ethiopia, which by Candace, when shee was conuerted to the Christan Faith, were consecrated in the name of the Holy Ghost, and of the Crosse. At that time, (they tell) Candace ascending with the Eunuch (whose proper name was Indica) to baptise all of the roiall bloud, which were there kept, Zachary the eldest of them, was in his baptisme named Philip, in remembrance of Philips conuerting the Eunuch, which caused all the Emperors to be called by that name, til Iohn the Saint, who would be called Iohn, because he was crowned on S. Iohns day: & while they were busie in that holy worke of baptising the Princes, a Doue in fiery forme came fleeing with beams of light, & lighted on the highest Temple dedicated to the Sunne, whereupon it was afterwards consecrated to the Holy Ghost by Saint Mathew the Apostle, when hee preached in Ethiopia. Those two Temples were after that giuen to the Monasticall Knights of the Militarie Order of Saint Anthonie, by Philip the seuenth, with two great and spacious Couents built for them. I should loose both you and my selfe, if I should leade you into their sweet, flourishing and fruitfull gardens, whereof there are store in this Plaine, curiously made, and plentifully furnished with fruits both of Europe plants there, as peares, pippins, and such like; and of their owne, as oranges, citrous, limons, and the rest; with cedars, palme trees, with other trees, and variety of hearbs, and floures, to satisfie the sight, taste and sent. But I would intertaine you, only with rarities, no where else to be found; and such is the Cubayo tree, pleasant, beyond all comparison, in taste, and whereunto for the vertue is imputed the health and long life of the Inhabitants; and the balme tree, whereof there is great store here: and hence it is thought eIoseph. Ant. libr. 8.ca.2.the Queene of Saba carried and gaue to Salomon, who planted them in Iudaea, from whence they were transplanted at Cayro long after. The plenty of graines and corne there growing. the charmes of birds, alluring the eares with their warbling Notes, and fixing their eies on their colours, ioyntly agreeing in beauty, by their disagreeing varietie, and other creatures that adorne this Paradise, might make me glut you (as sweet meates vsually doe) with too much store. Let vsus therefore take view of some other things worthy our admiration in this admired hill.
The stately building of the two Churches aforesaid, with their Monasteries, with the pillars and roofes of stone, richly and cunningly wrought, the matter and the workmanship conspiring magnificence; that of Iaspar, Alabaster, Marble, Prophyry; this with painting, gilding, and much curiostitie, with the two Monasteries, containing each of them 1500, religious Knights and Monkes: each monasterie hath two Abbats; one of the militarie Knights, the other spirituall, of the monkes, inferior to the former. In the monastery of the Holy Crosse are two rare peeces, whereon Wonder may iustly fasten both her eies: the Treasury and Library fThe Library of the P…te.of the Emperour, neither of which is thought to be matchable in the world. That Librarie of Constantinople gZuta…. An. to 3wherein were 120000 bookes nor the Alexandrian Library, wherein Gellius hGill h.6.c.17numbreth 700000, had the fire not bin admitted (too hastie a Student) to consume them, yet had they come short, if report ouer-reach not, this whereof we speake; their number is in a maner innumerable, their price inestimable. The Queene of Saba (they say) procured Bookes hither from all parts, besides many which Salomon gaue her, and from that time to this, their Emperors hauehave succeeded in like care and diligence. There are three great Halls, each aboue two hundred paces large, with Bookes of all Sciences, written in fine parchment, with much curiositie of golden letters, and other workes, and cost in the writing, binding, and couers: some on the floore, some on shelues about the sides: there are few of paper: which is but a new thing in Ethiopia. There are the writings of Enoch copied out of the stones wherein they were engrauen, which intreate of Philosophie, of the Heauens and Elements Others goe vnderunder the name of Noe, the subiect whereof is Cosmographie, Mathematikes ceremonies and prayers: some of Abraham, which he composed when he dwelt the valley of Mamre, and there read publikely Philosophie and the Mathematikes There is very much of Salomon, a great number passing vnderunder his name: many ascribed to Iob, which he writ after the recouery of his prosperity: many of Esdras, the Prophets, and high Priests. And besides the foure canonicall Gospels, many others ascribed to Bartholomew, Thomas, Andrew, and many others: much of the Sibylles, in verse and prose: the workes of the Queene of Saba: the Greeke Fathers, all that hauehave written, of which, many are not extant which vsus: the Writers iFr-Lays hath a very large catalogue of them l.1.c.9 taken out (as he saith) of an Index, which Anthary Gricus and L Cremones made of them, being sent thither by the Pope Gregorie 13. at the instance of Cardinall …arl…, which sawe and admired the varietie of them, as did many others then in their company.of Syria, Egypt, Africa, and the Latine Fathers translated, with others innumerable in the Greeke, Hebrew, Arabike, Abissine, Egyptian, Syrian, Chaldee, far more Authors, and more of them then we hauehave; few in Latin; yet T. Liui…s is there whole, which with vsus is imperfect; and some of the workes of Thomas Aquinas: Saint Augustines workes are in Arabike: Poets, Philosophers, Physicians, Rabbines, Talmudists, Cabalists, Hierogliphikes, and others would be too tedious to relate. When Ierusalem was destroyed by Titus; when the Saracens ouer-ranne the Christian world; many Bookes were conueyed out of the Easterne parts into Ethiopia; when Ferdinand and Isabella expelled the Iewes out of Spaine, many of them entred into Ethiopia, and for doing this without licence, enriched the Pretes Library with their bookes: when Charles 5. restored Muleasses to his kingdome, the Prete hearing that there was at Tunis a great Library, sent & bought more then 3000 books of diuers Arts. There are aboue 200 Monkes, whose office is to looke to the Librarie, to keepe them cleane and sound; each appointed to the Books of that language which hee vnderstandeth: the Abbot hath streight charge from the Emperor, to hauehave care thereof; he esteeming this Library more then his treasure. And yet his treasure is such, kThe Treasury of the Prete.as leauestall others of all Princes in the world behind, quite out of sight: It is a Sea, that eueryevery yeare receiueth new riuers, neuer running out: the Emperours, euen from the time of the Queene of Saba, laying vp part of their reuenue here. And therefore lLiterae Dauid.Dauid the Prete, in Letters to King Iohn the second of Portugall, said, that hee had golde as the sands of the Sea, and the Starres in the Skie. The first that coyned money, was Alexander the third, which died in the yeare of our Lord 1603, stamping in the one side, the figure of Saint Mathew the Ethiopian Patron, and on the other, the Lion and Crosse, which is the Armes of Ethiopia. His Iewels, here kept, are incomparable; Topazes, Amethists, Saphires, Diamonds, and others. He hath one Iewell which was found in the riuer Niger, (that brings forth more gemmes then any riuer in the world) which is one peece of stone or rocke diuersifed with a thousand varieties of stones: it is square, about two palmes and a halfe, and thicke withall: there are in it a hundred and sixty Diamonds, one as large as the palme of ones hand, others of one, two or three fingers, and some lesse: it hath aboue 300 Emeraldes, Rubies the greatest in the world; aboue fifty Saphires, Turqueses, Balazes, Amethists, Ipinels, Topazes, Iacinths, Crysolites, and all other kinds. Nature heere playing the leweller, and representing a Map of the worlds gemmes in one Iewell, without and infinitly beyond all Art of man. Being set in the Sun, it seems a combined marriage of heauenly & earthly Excellence, that no mortall eie hath seeue the like, not is able to endure the sight of this. When Bernardo Vecheti a Ieweller was sent thither by Francis de Medices Duke of Florence, he accounted it beyond all estimation or valew. The Emperour keepes it in a box of gold. By the perswasion of that Bernardo he hath made him tables set with thousands of stones in them. Corrall is more esteemed in Ethiopia then gold, and therefore frier Luys denies that coralls in the bottome of the red sea, make it red, as some affirme: and that which Barros mBarros dec. 2 lib. 8.ca.1.saith hath beene found there, is vnperfect.
But greater Iewels then those are kept in Amara, the princes of the bloud roial, which are sent to this hill at eight yeres old, and neuer returne thence, except they bee chosen Emperours. The first Author of this custome was Iosue the nephew of Salomon, and son of Meilet or Melilec, to remoue all occasions of ciuill wars about succession. And their continued succession in one line, without alienation, is imputed to this. Some Emperours for a time had left it, til Abraham being Emperour had, or pretended to hauehave a reuelation, to renue that custome, if he would continue the Scepter in the linage of Dauid. The Princes which liue there, are six, eight, twelve, & sometimes more: Anno 1608 they were six; eueryevery of which liues by himselfe, and that in great estate and maiesty in royall palaces with spacious halls richly hanged, remouing to another palace at pleasure: they meet all together when they will play, hunt, walke, and on holidayes to diuine Seruice: they take place according to their age; ech hath his ten seruants for ordinary attendance, which are the sons, or descended of the tributary kings: for baser Offices, the great Mr or military Abbot employeth the soldiers that guard at the foot of the hill, which without licence may not ascend. They hauehave other graue persons to instruct them in virtue & learning. EueryEvery city, that is, eueryevery habitation of a thousand houses, is at their own charge to send thither three men, a gentleman, a citizen, and a plebeian, for the guard of the hill, which make vp the number of 7500, there being 2500 cities in the Empire. The military Abbats order them in their seueral wards, the baser at the foot of the hill, the citizens at the middle, and the gentlemen at the top; their capitains changed at eueryevery two months end. Besides the souldiers tents, are many other of Merchants and Officers. No woman may ascend, nor hath done since Queene Candace was here baptized by her Eunuch: the the Princes liue single, and marry nor, as Aluares hath vntruely affirmed of them.