A Voyage to East India, Account of voyage

A Voyage to East India · Account of voyage

A Voyage to Eaſt-India. With a Deſcription of the large Territories under the ſubjection of the Great Mogol.

APologies doe more queſtion than ſtrengthen Truth; which Truth hath ſuch power in prevailing, that ſhe doth not know, and much leſs needs the uſe of Preface, or words of Perſwaſion to get her credit; for though ſhe appear ſimple and naked unto open view yet dares ſhe encounter with armed falſhood, and is ſure at laſt to overcome; which Truth being the beſt ornament of this enſuing diſcourſe, looks to be credited, in what is here faithfully related.

Veritas eſt vita Hiſtoriae.

Some that in Countries far remote have been

And ſafe return'd, write more than Known, than Seen,

Or Heard, that boldneſs here diſclaim ſhall I,

Truth is the Life, and Soul of Hiſtorie.

p. 2So to make a re-entry upon a long-ſince finiſhed Voyage; The third of February 1615. Our Fleet conſiſting of ſix good Ships, three great, viz. the Charles, Admirall of that Companie, then a New-built goodly Ship of a Thouſand Tuns, (in which I ſayled;) the Unicorn; a new Ship likewiſe, and almoſt of as great a burden; the James, a great Ship too; Three leſſer, viz. the Globe, the Swan, the Roſe, (all under the Command of Captain Benjamin Joſeph) fell down from Graves-end into Tilbury Hope. where we continued till the eighth day following, when we weighed Anchor, and by a ſlow, that we might have the ſafer paſſage, the twelfth came into the Downs, where an adverſe wind forced our abode till the ninth of March, on which day it pleaſed God to ſend us, what wee had much deſired, a North-Eaſt wind, which made us leave that weary Road, and ſet ſayl for Eaſt-India; and the eleventh about night, we were in the height of the Lizard in Cornwall, and that day, for that time took our laſt ſight of our Country.

This wind was favourable to us till the ſixteenth day at night, at which time a moſt fearfull ſtorm met us, we being then in the Bay of Portugal, whoſe violence continued five whole dayes and nights; and that Tempeſt was the moſt lively and reall Comment, that ever I obſerved▪ on that place recorded in Pſal. 107. 23. verſe, &c. thus rendred;

p. 3In winged Ships who paſſage make,

And through vaſt Seas their journeys take,

See, while their Ships on Billowes keep,

God's works, and wonders in the deep;

Who there Commands the Winds to ſtorm,

Theſe mount the waves, on which are born

The tottering Ships on watery heaps,

Now high to th' Heavens, then low to th' Deep…;

The Sea-mens hearts they melt for woe,

Nor Head, nor Foot their office know;

They reel like to a drunken one,

And ſtagger, for their wiſdome's gone.

Then cry they to the Lord in theſe

Great ſtreights, who them hears, them frees;

The winds, and waves obey Gods will,

The ſtorme's a calm, the waves lie ſtill,

Then are they glad—&c.

The 28. day we had ſight of the Grand Canaries, and of that Mou…tain in the Iſland of Teneriffa, commonly called the Peake.

Qui—Caput inter nubila condit.

—ſo high,

As that it threats the Neighbouring skie.

or—that ſhrowds

It's loftie head amongſt the Clouds.

This over-grown riſe of Earth, is in ſhape like to a Pyramis or Sugar-loafe, circled, and wrapt p. 4about which many wreaths of clouds, which encompaſs it by ſeverall diſtances, as firſt earth, then clouds, above which the earth appears again, then clouds, again, then earth, the top of it being of ſuch an immenſe height, that it may be as truly ſayd of this, as Virgil. Eclog▪ 5. writes of Olympus.

Candidus inſuetum miratur limen Olympi,

Sub pedibuſ que videt Nubes, & ſidera.—

So beautifull, it Heavens unwonted ſpires,

And Clouds, and Stars under its feet admires.

This Peake of Teneriffa, in a cleer day, may be ſeen (if the Mariners report truth) more than forty leagues at Sea. Theſe Iſlands lye 28 Degrees of North Latitude.

The 31. being Eaſter day, we paſſed under the Tropick of Cancer; and the ſeventh of April the Sun was our Zenith or Verticall, at noon day directly over our heads, which we found by this infallible Demonſtration made by a ſlender knife, or long Needle, ſet upright, and did caſt no ſhadow. The Sun in this courſe like the Equinoctiall, divides the Globe of the Heavens in two equall parts; and in this Motion ariſeth ſo directly or upright, that there is but a very little time 'twixt the darkneſs and the appearance of the body of the Sun in the morning for 'tis dark p. 5immediatly before the Sun then appears; and ſo 'tis in the Evening preſently after the Sun hath left the Hemiſphere. Here wee were becalmed fourteen dayes, enduring extreme heat.

The ſixteenth we met with winds, (we being then againſt, and not far from the Coaſts of Africa) which the Mariners call the Turnadoes▪ very ſtrange Guſts indeed, like thoſe in Aeſchylus, on the ſhore Aeſc. foreign: (ad finem.)

—foreign

foreign

foreign,

foreign.

—Whirlwinds around

Hurry the duſt: the blaſts rebound

Storming on all ſides: thus together.

Enraged Guſts oppoſe each other.

Or like thoſe in Virgil at Sea. Aeneid. 1. v. 85. &c.

Haec ubidicta, Cavum converſa cuſpide montem

Impulit in latus: at venti velut agmine facto,

Quà data porta, ruunt, & terras turbine perſlant.

Incubuere mari, totum que à ſedibus imis

Unà Euruſ que Notuſ que ruunt, creber que procellis

Africus: & vaſtos volvunt ad littora fluctus.

Thus ſayd, with his ſpears point the hollow Hill

He turn'd aſide, the winds left to their will

p. 6All ſally out, and bluſtering through the world

Fall on the Sea; which from the depth… is hurld

By th' Eaſt, and South at once, and ſtormy North,

Which to th… ſhore, huge wallowing waves roul forth.

Thoſe ſelf-oppoſing blaſts we there had, were ſo variable and uncertain, that ſometimes within the ſpace of one hour, all the thirty two ſeverall winds, (which are obſerved in ſo many points of the Compaſſe) will blow, ſo that if there be many Ships in company, you may obſerve them all to ſayl ſo many ſeverall wayes, and every one of them ſeem to goe directly before the wind. Now that it ſhould be ſo here, and not known ſo to be in any part of the world beſide I ever heard of, if not in thoſe winds, which they ſay are ſometimes ſold by the Lapland Witches, I can give no reaſon for it, unleſſe Satan (who is moſt Tyrannicall where he is moſt obeyed) that Prince of the Ayr ſeems to rule more here, than hee doth in other parts. And moſt certain it is that he rules very much in the Inhabitants on that Main, the poor, ignorant, and moſt miſerable Negroes, born for ſale▪ and ſlavery, and ſlaughter. Theſe ſtrange Guſts were accompanied with much Thunder and Lightning and with extreme rain, ſo noyſome, that it made their cloths who ſtir'd much in it▪ preſently to ſtink upon their backs; the water likewiſe of p. 7thoſe ſlimy, unwholſome, hot, and unſavorie ſhowres, whereſoever it ſtood, would preſently bring forth many little offenſive Creatures. Theſe Turnadoes met with us when we were about 12. Degrees of North Latitude, and kept us company ere they quitted us, two Degrees Southward of the Equinoctial, under which we paſſed the 28. of April.

The 19th of May being Whitſunday, wee paſſed the Tropick of Capricorn, ſo that we were ſeven weeks compleat under the Torrid Zone.

Between the Tropicks wee ſaw (almoſt every day) different kinds of fiſhes, in greater abundance than elſe-where, as the great Leviathan whom God hath made to take his paſtime in the Sea; Granpiſces, or leſſer whales, Sharkes, Turtles or Torteiſes, Dolphins, Bonitoes, Albicores, Porpiſces, Flying fiſhes, with many others. Some Whales we ſaw of an exceeding greatneſſe, who in calm weather often ariſe and ſhew themſelves on the top of the water, where they appear like unto great Rocks, in their riſe, ſpouting up into the Ayr with noyſe, a great quantity of water which falls down again about them like a ſhowr. The Whale may well challenge the Principalitie of the Sea, yet I ſuppoſe that he hath many enemies in this his large Dominion; for inſtance, a little long Fiſh called a Threſher often encounters with him, who by his agilitie vexeth him as much in the Sea, as a little Bee in Summer, p. 8doth a great Beaſt on the ſhore.

The Shark hath not this name for nothing; for he will make a morſell of any thing he can catch, maſter and devour. Theſe Shark are moſt ravenous fiſhes; fo… I have many times obſerved that when they have been ſwimming about our Ships (as oftentimes they doe) and we have caſt over-board an iron hook made ſtrong for this purpoſe, faſtned to a roap ſtrong like it, bayted with a piece of beeſe of five pounds weight▪ this bayt hath been preſently taken by one of them and if by chance the weight of the fiſh, thus taken, in haling him up, hath broken out the Hooks hold, not well faſtned (as ſometimes it did) ſo that he fell again into the Sea, he would preſently bite at an other Bayt, and ſo bite till he was taken. Not much unlike many vile men, who think they may ſafely take any thing they can finger and get, and having been faſtned in, and eſcaped out of many Snares will take no warning but be ſtill nibling and biting at what they like not once conſidering that there is an hook within the bayt, that will take them at laſt, and hamper them to their unavoydable deſtruction. This Sea-ſhark is a Fiſh as bad in eating, as he is in qual…y a very moyſt watery fiſh, yet eaten at Sea (becauſe any f…eſh thing will there down) but no good food. This Fiſh turns himſelf on his back to take his prey by which he gives warning to many other little fiſhes, who ever p. 9ſwim about him, to avoyd his ſwollow. Thoſe Fiſhes that thus keep him company, are called by the Mariners, Pilate-fiſhes, who alwayes ſhape their courſe the ſame way the Shark takes, and by conſequence (nature having made them ſo wary) he becomes their guard, they not his food. And there are other fiſhes too they call Suckingfiſh, that ſtick as cloſe to the body of the Shark, as a Tike on the ſhore doth to the body of a Beaſt, and ſo receive their nouriſhment from him and he muſt be contented, for while he is ſwimming up and down, he cannot poſſibly free himſelf of them▪ Many of theſe Sharks grow to a very large greatneſs; they have a broad roundhead, in which are three rowes of teeth very ſtrong and ſharp, by which they are able to take off the leg of a man at one bite, as ſome have found by wofull experience, while they have been careleſly ſwimming in theſe hot Seas, where theſe Sharks moſt uſe and certainly were they as nimble as they are miſchievous, would doe very much hurt.

The Turtle or Torteiſ is one of thoſe creatures we call Amphibia, that lives ſometimes in the Sea and ſometimes on the ſhore, he is marvellouſly fortified by Nature dwelling (as it were) continually under a ſtrong roof, which moves with him, and covers (when he will) his whole body; therefore Teſtudo which ſignifies a Torteiſe, ſignifies alſo the roof or vault of p. 10an houſe, which covers all within it. Thoſe concave backs (like bucklets, but of an Oval ſhape) that cover theſe creatures, are many of them ſo exceeding ſtrong, that they will bear off the weight of a Cart-wheel. Theſe Torteiſes increaſe by eggs (as I have been often told) are very good to eat, the ſubſtance within them (whether you will call it fleſh or fiſh) firſt boyled, and after minced with butter, taſtes like buttered Veal, Their ſhell makes (as is very commonly known) excellent good Combes, Cups, or Boxes, and further it is uſed by them in Eaſt-India, to make or adorn little or great Cabinets.

The Dolphin is a fiſh called for his ſwiftneſſe the Arrow of the Sea differing in this one particular from all other fiſhes I ever obſerved, in that he hath many little teeth upon the top of his tongue. Hee is very pleaſing to the eye, ſmell and taſte, of a changeable colour, finn'd like a Roach, covered with many ſmall ſcales, having a freſh delightſome ſent above other fiſhes, and in taſte as good as any; theſe Dolphins are wont often to follow our ſhips, not ſo much I think for the love they bear unto man, (as ſome write,) as to feed themſelves with what they find caſt over board, whence it comes to paſs, that many times they feed us, for when they ſwim cloſe to our ſhips wee often ſtrike them with a broad inſtrument, full of barbs, called an Harping-iron, p. 11faſtned to a roap, by which we hale them in; This Dolphin may be a fit Embleme of an ill race of people, who under ſweet countenances, carry ſharp tongues.

Bonitoes and Albicores, are in colour, ſhape, and taſte, much like unto Mackrels, and as good fiſh as they, but they grow to be very exceeding large.

The Porpiſces or Hogfiſh, are like the former; very large and great, but better to look upon than to taſte; they uſually appear at Sea in very great ſholes or companies, and are (as if they came of the race of the Gadaren Swine, that ran violently into the Sea) very ſwift in their motion, and like a company matching in rank and file; They leap or mount very nimbly over th… waves and ſo down and up again, making a melancholy noyſe, when they are above the water. Theſe are uſually, when they thus appear, certain preſagers of very foul weather.

The Flying fiſhes have skinny wings like unto Batts, but larger▪ they are ſtifned and ſtrengthned with many little bones, ſuch as are in the back finns of Pearches, by which they fly▪ but a little way at a time; they have ſmall bodyes like unto Pilchers, and appear when they fly, in marvellous great companies, and ſome of them often fly into our ſhips, by which we have taſted that they are excellent good fiſh. Of all other, theſe flying Fiſhes live the moſt miſerable lives, p. 12for being in the water, the Dolphins, Bonitoes, Albicores, and Porpiſces, chaſe perſecute and take them, and when they would eſcape by their flight, are oftentimes caught by ravenous Fowls, ſomewhat like our Kites, which hover over the water. Theſe flying Fiſhes are like men profeſſing two trades and thrive at neither.

I could further enlarge, but my buſineſs is not to write an Hiſtory of Fiſhes, yet in thoſe wee have named, as in thouſands more which inhabite that watery Main, I deſire with David, to admire and ſay, O Lord, how manifold are thy works; manifold, and wonderfull indeed, as he that will take notice, many obſerve every where, but in a ſpeciall manner (becauſe they are more rare) in the great varietie of ſtrange Creatures, which the Sea, that womb of moyſture, brings forth, in which many things we behold are wonderfull, and many things beſides we cannot ſee, are certainly more full of wonder.

In which unfadom'd, water y deep,

Creatures innumerable keep,

Some ſmall, ſome great, among the waves,

As if they liv'd in moving graves.

Through which the ſhips doe plow their way,

In which the Whales doe ſport and play. Pſal. 104. 24, 25, 26.

But to proceed on our Voyage, the 12. of June p. 13early in the morning, we eſpied our long-wiſhed for harbour the Bay of Souldania, about twelve leagues ſhort of the Cape of good Hope, where we came happily to an Ankor that forenoon. In which Bay we found a Dutch-ſhip bound for Bantam, which had taken in her courſe, and brought thither, a ſmall Portugal bound to Angola, a Colonie belonging to the Portugals, lying in the skirts of Africa, about ten degrees South of the Line; in which ſmall ſhip amongſt many rich Commodities (as we heard) to the value of five or ſix thouſand pounds ſterling, there were ten Portugal Virgins (as they call'd themſelves) ſent to that Colonie I ſuppoſe for Husbands. The young women were well-favoured, and well clad in ſilks, but ſuch were the courteſies of theſe Dutch-men towards them, as that they took not only away all the goods, Artilerie, and good proviſions of their ſhip, but they rob'd theſe poor captive Maidens of all their apparell, (which they moſt ſadly complained of) to one poor ſuit (and I ſuppoſe of their honour too, if they brought it with them) then giving them water for their wine, and a very ſcant proportion of all other proviſions, turn'd them with their unarm'd, leakie, and ill-man'd ſhip, to the mercy of the Seas, the twentieth day following.

This Bay of Souldania lyeth in 34 degrees and half of South Latitude in a ſweet Climate, full of fragrant herbs (which the ſoyl produceth of its p. 14ſelf) pleaſing to the ſenſe, where our ſhips companies, when they have often-times there arrived, with very weak and feeble bodies, uſually by that Sea diſeaſe the Scurvy, in which diſeaſe (I ſhall obſerve by the way) if any that have it, be not too much overgone with it, aſſoon as hee comes to enjoy the freſh ayr on any ſhore, with freſh water, and freſh food he will preſently recover; but if this diſeaſe have over-much prevailed on him, immediatly after he ſets his foot on ſhore, he uſually dies. I ſay our people when they have come hither with very crazie bodies, have often found here much good refreſhing; for beſides a moſt delectable brook of pure good water, ariſing hard by, out of a mighty hill (call'd for its form the Table, cloſe by which there is another Hill, which ariſeth exceeding high like a Pyramis, and called by Paſſengers the Sugarloaf) there are good ſtore of Cattell, as little Beeves, called by the barbarous Inhabitants. Boos; and Sheep which they call Baas, who bear a ſhort coarſe hairie wooll, and I conceive are never ſhorn. Theſe Boos and Baas, (as they call them) were formerly bought in great plenty, for ſmall quantities of Kettle-braſſe, and Iron Hoops, taken off our Empty Cask; (which are all for this long voyage hoop'd with Iron.) Theſe Salvages had their cattell which we bought of them, at a very great Command, for with a call they would preſently run to them, and when they had p. 15ſold any one of their bullooks to us, for a little inconſiderate peece of braſſe, if we did not preſently knock him down, they would by the ſame call, make the poor creature break from us and run unto them again, and then there was no getting them out of their hands, but by giving them more braſſe, and by this trick now and then, they ſold the ſame beaſt unto us, two or three times; and if they had thus ſold him more often, he had been a good penny worth; how ever in this wee might obſerve, the covetouſneſs and deceit of this brutiſh people. Here yee muſt know that this people of all metals ſeem to love braſſe, I think (as you may gheſſe afterward) for the rankneſſe of its ſmell; with which they make great rings to wear about their wriſts; yea, ſo taken are they with this baſe metall that if a man lay down before them a peece of gold worth two pounds ſterling, and a peece of braſſe worth two pence, they will leave the Gold, and take the braſſe On this ſhore there likewiſe are found excellent good, though ſmall roots for Salads, which the ſoyl brings forth without husbanding. And in the head of the Bay, may be taken with netts, great ſtore of fayr fat Mullets, of which we took abundance.

This remoteſt part of Africa, is very mountainous, over-run with wild beaſts, as Lions, Tygres, Wolves, and many other beaſts of prey, which in the ſilent night diſcover themſelves by p. 16their noyſe and roaring; to the Teeth and Jawes of which cruell Beaſts, the Natives here expoſe their old people, if death prevent it not, when once they grow very old and troubleſome, laying them forth in ſome open place in the dark night, When the wild beaſts (as David obſerves, Pſal. 104. 20, 21.) doe creep forth, and the young lyons roar after their prey. One miſerable poor old wretch was thus expoſed when we were there, who by his pittifull cryes, was diſcovered by our Court of Guard, there on ſhore, and not far off from him, and by them relieved and delivered for that preſent time, out of the jawes of Death; And wee asking Coorce one of the Natives (whoſe ſtory you ſhall have by and by) why they did ſo, he told us, it was their cuſtome, when their people had lived ſo long, that they knew not what to doe with them, thus to be rid of them.

Wee ſaw in this Bay of Souldania many Whales, and about the ſhore divers party-coloured Fowles; And here are Oſtriches to be ſeen. For the ſoyl about the Bay, it ſeems to be very good, but the Sun ſhines not upon a people in the whole world, more barbarous than thoſe which poſſeſſe it; Beaſts in the skins of men, rather than men in the skins of beaſts, as may appear by their ignorance, habit, language, diet, with other things, which make them moſt brutiſh.

p. 17Firſt for God, the great God of Heaven and Earth, whom generally all the people in the world, Heathen, as well as Chriſtians doe confeſs, they (as this Cooree told us) acknowledge none. For their ſpeech it ſeemed to us inarticulate noyſe rather than Language, like the clucking of Hens, or gabling of Turkeys; and thus making a very ſtrange confuſed noyſe, when they walk here or there: if there be two or three, or five, or ten, or twenty, or very many more in company, it is their manner to walk in rank one after the other, in ſmall paths they have made by their thus walking, as Kine in Summer many times doe, when they come home to the Payl; or as wildgeeſe who fly in ranks, and as they fly make a noyſe; ſo theſe walking together thus gabble from the firſt to the laſt in company, as if all ſpake, but none anſwered. Their Habits are their ſheeps skins undreſt, thonged together, which cover their bodies to the middle, with a little flap of the ſame skin tyed before them, being naked downward, and when tis cold keep the woolly, when hotter weather, the fleſhy ſide of thoſe skins next to their bodies. Their ornaments and Jewels. Bullocks or ſheeps-guts full of excrement, about their necks, and therefore when we bought their Cattell they would take (and we were content they ſhould) their skins, guts, and garbage, which plentifully furniſhed them with that rich attire, and gay ornaments; and when they p. 18were hungry, they would ſit down upon ſome hillock, firſt ſhaking out ſome of that filthy pudding out of the guts they wore about their necks, then bowing and bringing their mouths to their hands, almoſt as low as their knees, like hungry doggs would gnaw, and eat the raw guts, when you may conceive their mouths full of ſweet green ſawce. The women as the men are thus adorned, thus habited, and thus dieted only they wear more about their lower parts than the men. And (by the way) theſe carry their ſucking infants under their skins upon their backs, and their breſts hanging down like Bag-pipes, they put up with their hands to their children, that they may ſuck them over their ſhoulders. Both ſexes make coverings for their heads like to skull caps, with Cow-dung, and ſuch like filth mingled with a little ſtinking greaſe, with which they likewiſe beſmear their faces, which makes their company unſufferable, if they get the wind of you. I obſerved, that ſome of the reſt of their dyet was agreeable to the former, for they would eat any refuſe thing, as rotten and mouldy Biſkets, which we have given them, fit indeed for nothing but to be caſt away; yea, they will eat that which a ravenous dog in England will refuſe. I once tooke notice of a Couple of them, who had found on the neighbouring ſhore a large piece of a dead fiſh the Sea had caſt up, which did moſt ſufficiently ſtink, they preſently made a p. 19little fire with dry Cow-dung, and with this they warm'd it, and then they eat it, with as much ſeeming appetite, as an hungry man with us, would feed upon a very choyſe and ſavoury diſh, which makes me almoſt to believe, that thoſe wretched creatures have but three ſenſes, wanting the benefit both of Smelling and Taſting. They lodge upon the earth in Hovels, ſo ill covered, that they keep not out the weather, made like to thoſe we call Summer-houſes, with Boughs and ſticks.

Et pecus, & Dominus communi clauditur umbrâ.

The beaſt and's maſter under one ſhade dwell,

But which the verieſt beaſt, is hard to tell.

Theſe Brutes devote themſelves to idleneſſe, for they neither dig nor ſpin. For their ſtature and making they are very ſtreight, and well lim'd, though not very tall but in their faces very illfavoured, for the noſes of moſt of them are flat. They have little or no beard; the hair on their heads ſhort black and curled; their skins very tawny; ſwift they are of foot, and will throw Darts, and ſhoot Arrows, which are their weapons very dangerouſly.

Me thinks when I have ſeriouſly conſidered, the Dreſſes the Habitations, and the Diet of this people, with other things, and how theſe beaſts p. 20of Mankind live all like Brutes, nay worſe, I have thought that if they had the accommodations wee enjoy (to make our lives more comfortable) by good dwelling, warm clothing, ſweet lodging, and wholſome food, they would be abundantly pleaſed with ſuch a change of their condition; For as Love proceeds from Knowledge, and liking; and we can neither love nor like any thing we cannot know: ſo when we come to a ſenſible underſtanding of things wee knew not before; when the Belly teaches, and the Back inſtructs a man would believe that theſe ſhould work ſome ſtrong convictions. But I ſhall here inſert a ſhort ſtory; About three years before I went to India, it happened, that one of the Companie ſhips returning thence, and arriving at this barbour, after a little ſtay, when ſhe was ready to ſet ſayl for England, and having then two of theſe Salvages aboard, her Commander reſolv'd to bring them both home with him, thinking that when they had got ſome Engliſh here they might diſcover ſomething of their Country which we could not know before. Theſe poor wretches being thus brought away, very much againſt both their minds, one of them (meerly out of extreme ſullenneſs though he was very well uſed) died ſhortly after they put to Sea, the other who call'd himſelf Cooree (whom I mentioned before) lived and was brought to London, and there kept, for the ſpace p. 21of ſix moneths, in Sir Thomas Smith's houſe (then Governour of the Eaſt-India Company) where he had good diet good clothes, good lodging, with all other fitting accommodations; now one would think that this wretch might have conceived his preſent, compared with his former condition, an Heaven upon earth, but he did not ſo, though he had to his good entertainment made for him a Chain of bright Braſſe, an Armour, Breſt, Back, and Head-piece, with a Buckler all of Braſſe, his beloved Metall, yet all this contented him not, for never any ſeemed to be more weary of ill uſage, than he was of Courteſies; none ever more deſirous to return home to his Countrey than he; For when he had learned a little of our Language, he would daily lye upon the ground, and cry very often thus in broken Engliſh, Cooree home goe, Souldania goe, home goe; And not long after when he had his deſire, and was returned home, he had no ſooner ſet footing on his own ſhore, but preſently he threw away his Clothes, his Linnen, with all other Covering, and got his ſheeps skins upon his back, guts about his neck, and ſuch a perfum'd Cap (as before we named) upon his head; by whom that Proverb mentioned, 2 Pet. 2. 22. was literally fulfill'd, Canis ad vomitum; The dogge is return'd to his vomit, and th… ſwine to his wallowing in the mire. From all which wee may draw this Concluſion, that a continued Cuſtome p. 22may make many things that ſeem ſtrange and loathſom to ſome, even naturall to others, and that the moſt brutiſh life may ſeem civill, and beſt to a moſt brutiſh man; and he thus pleading for it.

Cuſtome the Nurſe of Nature oft is prov'd,

Like Nurſes, than the Mother more belov'd.

Thus Beſtiall crimes men by their wont excuſe,

And love not what is good, but what they uſe.

So Plutarch's Gryllus argues (turn'd a Swine.)

Againſt the Lawes that Wit and Arts refine;

Affirmes that man too curiouſly nice,

Bought his poor Reaſon at too dear a price;

Since all his actions limited muſt bee,

By meaſur'd Rules, when beaſts have liberty;

And unconfin'd on Natures Common feed,

No Lawyer, no Phyſician, Taylor need,

Clothes are but marks of ſhame, med…cines but ſhow

Diſeaſes, and we Lawes to Quarrells owe:

Cookes are the Inſtruments of Luxury,

Painters of Luſt, Builders of Vanity.

Let all then live as Nature them produc'd,

And frame their maners as they have bin us'd.

'Tis moſt ſtrange that a Creature who hath any thing of Reaſon in him, ſhould thus degenerate, thus plead, or thus doe, but it is moſt true in theſe, as of millions more of brutiſh Heathens p. 23in the world, who live as if they had nothing at all of man left in them.

For man the worſt of brutes, when chang'd to Beaſt,

Counts to be civiliz'd, to be oppreſt;

And as he tames Hawks, & makes Lions mild

By Education: ſo himſelf growes wild.

After this fellow was returned, it made the Natives moſt ſhie of us when we arrived there, for though they would come about us in great Companies when we were new come thither, yet three or four dayes before they conceiv'd we would depart thence, there was not one of them to be ſeen, fearing belike we would have dealt with ſome more of them, as formerly we had done with Cooree. But it had been well if he had not ſeen England; for as he diſcovered nothing to us, ſo certainly when he came home, he told his Country-men (having doubtleſs obſerved ſo much here) that Braſs was but a baſe and cheap commoditie in England, and happily we had ſo well ſtored them with that metall before, that we had never after ſuch a free Exchange of our Braſs and Iron for their Cattell. It was here that I asked Cooree who was their God? he lifting up his hands anſwered thus, in his bad Engliſh, England God, great God, Souldania n… God.

Now if any one deſire to know under whoſe Command theſe Brutes live or whether they have p. 24any Superiority, & Subordination amongſt themſelves, or whether they live with their females in common, with many other queſtions that might be put, I am not able to ſatisfie them; But this I look upon as a great happineſs not to be born, one of them, and as great, nay a far greater miſery, to fall from the loyns of Civill & Chriſtian Parents, and after to degenerate into all brutiſhneſs, as very many doe, qui Gentes agunt ſub nomine Chriſtianorum; the thing which Tertullian did moſt ſadly bewail in many of his time, who did act Atheiſm under the Name of Chriſtianity, and did even ſhame Religion by their light and looſe profeſſing of it. When Anacharſis the Philoſopher was ſometime upbraided with this, that he was a Scythian by birth, he preſently returned this quick and ſmart anſwer unto him that caſt that in his teeth; Mihi quidem Patria eſt dedecus, tu autem Patriae, my Country indeed is ſome diſparagement to me, but thou art a diſgrace to thy Country, as there be many thouſands more beſide, who are very burdens to the good Places that give them Brea…h & Bread. Alas, Turkie, and Barbary, and theſe Africans, with many millions more in that part of the world & in America, and in Aſia, I and in Europe too, would wring their hands into peeces, if they were truly ſenſible of their condition, becauſe they know ſo little; And ſo ſhall infinite numbers more one day born in the viſible Church of God, in the valley of viſions, Eſ. 22. 1. p. 25have their very hearts broken into ſhivers, becauſe they knew ſo much, or might have known ſo much, and have known and done ſo little; for without all doubt, the day will one day come, when they who have ſinned againſt the ſtrongeſt means of Grace and Salvation ſhall feel the heavieſt miſerie, when their means to know God, in his will revealed in his Word, ſhall be put in one Balance, and their improvement of this means by their Practice in the other, and if there have not bin ſome good proportion betwixt theſe two, manifeſted in their lives, what hath been wanting in their Practice ſhall be made up in their Puniſhment. But I would not here more digreſs. I have one thing more which accidentally relates to this place, and then I will leave it.

In the year 1614. ten Engliſh men having received the ſentence of death for their ſeverall crimes at the Seſſions houſe in the old-Baily at London, had their Execution reſpited by the intreaty of the Eaſt-India Merchants, upon condition that they ſhould be all baniſhed to this place, to the end (if they could find any peaceable abode there) they might diſcover ſomething advantagious to their trade; And this was accordingly done. But two of them when they came thither were taken thence, and carried on the voyage. One whoſe ſirname was Duffield by Sir Thomas Row, that year ſent Ambaſſadour to the Great Mogol; that fellow thus redeemed p. 26from a moſt ſad Baniſhment, was afterward brought back again into England by that noble Gentleman, and here being intruſted by him, ſtole ſome of his Plate and ran away; another was carried on the Voyage likewiſe, but what became of him afterward I know not. So that there remained eight which were there left with ſome Ammunition▪ and victual, with a ſmall …oat to carry them to and from a very little un…habited Iſland lying in the very mouth of that Bay, a place for their retreat and ſafety from the Natives on the Main. The Iſland called Pen-guin Iſland, probaby ſo named at firſt by ſome Welſhman, in whoſe language Pen-guin ſignifies a white head and there are very many great lazy fowls upon, and about this Iſland, with great coleblack bodies, and very white heads, called Pen-guins. The chief man of the eight there left was ſirnamed Croſs, who took the Name upon him of Captain Croſs, He was formerly a Yeoman of the Guard unto King James; But having had his hand in blood twice, or thrice, by men … by him in ſeverall Duels, and now being condemned to die with the reſt, upon very great fute made for him, he was hither Baniſhed with them, whither the juſtice of Almighty God was diſpatched after him, as it were in a Whirlwind, and followed him cloſe at the very heels, and overtook him, and left him not till he had payd dear for that blood he had formerly ſpilt. This p. 27Croſs was a very ſtout, and a very reſolute man▪ who quarrelling with, and abuſing the Natives; and engaging himſelf farre amongſt them, immediatly after himſelf with the reſt were left in that place, many of theſe Salvages being go… together, fell upon him, and with their Darts thrown, and Arrows ſhot at him, ſtuck his body ſo full of them, as if he had been Larded with Darts and Arrows, making him look like the Figure of the man in the Almanack, that ſeems to be wounded in every part, or like that man deſcribed by Lucan, totum pro vulnere corpus, Who was all wound, where blood touched blood. The retaliations of the Lord are ſure and juſt; Hee that is mercy it ſelf abhorrs cruelty above all other ſins; Hee cannot endure that one man ſhould devour another, as the Beaſts of the field, Birds of the ayr, Fiſhes of the Sea doe, and therefore uſually ſhewes, exemplary, ſignall revenges for that ſin of Blood, ſelling it at a dear rate unto them that ſhed it. Every ſin hath a tongue, but that of blood our-cryes; and drowns the reſt; Blood being a clamorous, and a reſtleſs ſuter, whoſe mouth will not be ſtopt▪ till it receive an anſwer, as it did here. The other ſeven, the reſt of theſe miſerable Bandi…i, who were there with Croſs, recovered their Boat, and go… off the ſhore, without any great hurt, and ſo rowing to their Iſland, the waves running high, they ſplit their boat at their landing, which engaged them to keep in that place, they having now no p. 28poſſible means left to ſtirre thence. And which made their condition while they were in it moſt extremely miſerable, it is a place wherein growes never a tree, either for ſuſtenance or ſhelter, or ſhade, nor any thing beſide (I ever heard of) to help ſuſtein nature; a place that hath never a drop of freſh water in it, but what the ſhowrs leave in the holes of the rocks. And beſides all this, there are a very great number of Snakes in that Iſland (as I have been told by many that have been upon it) ſo many of thoſe venemous worms that a man cannot tread ſafely in the long graſſe which growes in it, for fear of them; And all theſe put together muſt needs make that place beyond meaſure uncomfortable to theſe moſt wretched men. To this may be added their want of proviſion having nothing but dry Biſket, and no great quantity of that; ſo that they lived with hungry bellies, without any place fit for repoſe, without any quiet reſt, for they could not chooſe but ſleep in fear continually; And what outward condition could make men more miſerable than this? Yet notwithſtanding all they ſuffered, theſe ſeven vile wretches, all live to be made examples afterward of Divine Juſtice. For after they had continued in, and endured this ſad place for the ſpace of five or ſix moneths, and they were grown all even almoſt mad by reaſon of their ſeveral preſſing wants and extremities, it pleaſed p. 29God by providence, to bring an Engliſh Ship into that road, returning for England; four of theſe 7. men being impatient of anymore hours ſtaythere, immediatly after that ſhip was come in, made a float with the ruines of their ſplit boat, which they had ſaved togither, and with other wood which they had gotten thither, and with raveld and untwiſted boat-roapes, faſtned as well as they could all together (for there are no ſuch ſudden teachers and inſtructers as extremities are) Theſe four got upon the Float, which they had thus prepared, and poyſing it as well as they could by their ſeverall weight, hoped by the benefit of their Oares, and ſtrength of the tyde, (that then ran quick toward the ſhip newly arrived) they might recover it; but this their expectation failed them, for it being late in the day when they made this attempt, and they not diſcovered by the ſhip, which then road a good way up in the Bay, before they could come up neer unto her, the tyde return'd, and ſo carried them back into the main Sea where they all periſhed miſerably. The day following, the ſhip ſent a boat to the Iſland, which took thoſe three yet ſurviving into her, as the other four might have been, if they could but have exerciſed their patience for one night longer; theſe ſurvivers came aboard the ſhip, related all that had befallen to their fellows; But theſe three notwithſtanding all their former miſeries, when they were taken into the ſhip, behaved p. 30themſelves ſo l…wdly, as they returned homewar…, that they were very often put into the Bilbowes, or ſhip-ſtocks, in the way returning, and otherwiſe many times puniſhed for their great and ſeverall miſdemenours at laſt the ſhip being ſafely returned into the Downes, ſhe had not been there at an anchor above three hours, but theſe three Willains got on ſhore, and they had not been aſhore above three hours, but they took a Purſe, and a very few hours after were apprehended and all taken for that fact, and ſuddenly after that, their very foul ſtorie being related to the Lord chief Juſtice, and they looked upon as men altogether incorrigible, and uncapable of amendment by leſſer corrections, by his ſpeciall Warrant were executed upon their former Condemnation (for which they were baniſhed, not to return hither again, but never pardoned) neer Sandwich in Kent, where they committed the robbery; from whoſe example wee may learn, that it is not in the power of any affliction, how heavy ſoever it light, and how long ſoever it lye, if it be not ſanctified, to do any man good. That when the rod is upon a man, if he be not taught as well as chaſtned; all the ſtripes beſtowed on him are caſt away. A man might have hoped that theſe wretched fellowes had been long enough in the fire to have purged away their droſs. But afflictions, like fire, harden as well as ſoften; and experience teaches us, that p. 31the winds and waves though they beat with their greateſt violence upon the rocks, yet leave them as they found them unmovable; It being a moſt tryed truth recorded by Solomon, Prov. 27. 22. That bray or beat a fool in a morter, he will not leave his fooliſhneſs; But as he was put in, ſo will he come out a fool.

The year following we carried three more condemned perſons to be left in this place, but they hearing of the ill ſucceſſe of their predeceſſors, and that it was very unlikely for them to find any ſafe footing here, when we were ready to depart thence, and to leave them on the ſhore, they all came and preſented themſelves on their knees, with many tears in their eyes unto our chief Commander Captain Joſeph, moſt humbly beſeeching him, that he would give order that they might be hanged before he departed, in that place, which they much rather choſe, than to be there left; wee thought it was a very ſad ſight to behold three men in ſuch a condition, that made them eſteem hanging to be mercy. Our Commander told them, that he had no Commiſſion to execute them, but to leave them there, and ſo he muſt doe, and ſo believed he had done; But our fift ſhip the Swan ſtaying in this place after us a day or two, took theſe poor men into her, and then took her courſe for Bantam whither ſhe was bound. And the Roſe our laſt ſhip, whoſe ſight and company we loſt in that moſt violent p. 32ſtorm (before mentioned) at the beginning of our voyage was ſafely preſerved, and happily afterward found her way to Bantam likewiſe.

Wee made our abode in this Harbour till the 28th following, on which day we being well watered, and refreſhed, departed. And the 29th we doubled the Cape of good Hope, whoſe Latitude is 35 Degree South. Off this Cape there ſetteth continually a moſt violent Current Weſtward, whence it comes to paſs, that when a ſtrong contrary wind meets it (as often-times it doth) their impetuons oppoſition makes the Sea ſo to rage, as that ſome ſhips have been ſwallowed, but many more very much endangered amongſt thoſe huge mountains of water, and very few ſhips paſs that way without a ſtorm. We kept on in a circular courſe, to gain a South-weſt wind; for yee muſt know, that the wind in thoſe parts, and ſo in Eaſt-India, blows (and but with a very little variation) half the year South-weſt, and the other half North-Eaſt; we ſayled here Southerly, till we had raiſed the South-Pole almoſt forty degrees above the Horizon. This Pole is a Conſtellation of four ſtarrs, the Mariners call the Croſiers, theſe ſtarrs appear neer one another like a Croſs, and almoſt equidiſtant. And while we had the view of this Pole, the Sun (as it muſt needs be) was North at Noon unto us.

The 22. of July we diſcovered the great p. 33M…dagaſcar, Commonly called St. Laurence, we being then betwixt it and the African Shore, which Iland lies almoſt every part of it unde…, or within the Southern Tropick: we touched not at it, but this I dare ſay, from the Credit of others who have been upon it, that as it is an exceeding great Iland (if not the greateſt in the known world) So is it ſtored with abundance of very excellent good Proviſions, though inhabited by a barbarous and heatheniſh people, but ſtout, and warlike, and very numerous.

Over againſt this Iland, on the main Continent of Africa, are Zef…la, and Mozambique, whereon the Portugals have got ſome footing; the places (as may be ſtrongly ſuppoſed) whither Solomon ſent his Navy of Ships, built at Eziongeber, which ſtood on the banks of the R…d-Sea in Arabia the Happy, the Countrey of that famous Queen of the South, who hearing of the wiſdome, and renown, took her journey thence to viſit the Court of King Solomon, who had underſtanding like a flood. From that place forenamed, Solomon ſent his Ships for gold and Silver, and …vory, &c. 1 Ki. 10, 22. they Coaſting all along the ſhore of Africa; for in the dayes of Solomon the Art of Navigation was not known, and Sea-men then ſteering without Cart or Compaſs were neceſſitated to keep the neighbouring p. 34Land alwayes in their ſights, as without queſtion thoſe ſhips did, and to thoſe forementioned places, ſtored (as is related) above other Parts of Africa. with thoſe richeſt Commodities.

I might have taken notice before, (but yet it will not be unſeaſonable) of many ſuddain, ſtrong and violent Guſts of wind frequently to be obſerved in thoſe-South-weſt Seas which ſurprize a Ship ſo ſuddainly, that if ſhe have many ſayles abroad, and the Mariners be not very watchfull, and Nimble to ſtrike them their ſtrength is ſuch, that they will endanger her overturning And to theſe there are many ſtrange watery Clouds they Call Spouts, which appear like a Funnel, or water tankard, very large and big at the one end but ſmall on the other which hangs loweſt and of a very great length; They Contain a great Quantity of water wrapt together by a whirl-wind, that falls within a very narrow Compaſs, the abundance whereof by 'its great weight, if it fall directly (as ſometimes it doth) upon the body of a ſmall ſhip, it will much endanger it and would do much more harm but that theſe Spouts when they are ſeen, may be eaſily avoided.

From the Iland Madagaſcar we proceeded on in our Courſe, and the 5 of Auguſt following approached neer the little Ilands of Mohilia, Gazidia, St. John de Caſtro, with ſome others, whoſe Names I have not, called in general p. 35the Ilands of Comora, lying about 12. Degrees South of the Equator.

The day following being the 6 of Auguſt, early in the morning our men looking out for Land eſpied a ſail which ſtood directly in our Courſe. but far before us; at firſt ſight ſhe appeared, as if there had been ſome great hill interpoſed betwixt us: for firſt, we had ſight only of her Colours in her high Maintop, after this, of her Maſts and Sailes, and then of her Hull; after which manner, ſhips at Sea do every where appear at great diſtance one to another, which proves that that mighty Collection of waters called Seas, have a Convex, or Globous and round body placed by Almightie God, as it were in Hills, or Heaps, and being above the earth, and higher than it, they have ſet Limits, and Commanded they are to their Bounas, contrary to their Nature, which they may not paſſe, for to ſaith the Pſalmiſt, Pſ. 104. 9 Thou haſt ſet a bound which they may not paſſe over, that they return not again to Cover the earth. But this is known to all that have been at ſea, therefore we proceed. Upon the firſt ſight of that ſhip, we were all glad of the object. improving all endeavours we could to overtake her withall preparing our great ordnance, that if ſhe were a Friend we might ſalute her▪ if an Enemy be in readineſſe for her. ſo eagerly purſuing this unlooked for ſhip with p. 36the wings of the wind, after that we had given her Chaſe about five howers, her Colours and bulk diſcovered her to be a very great Portugal Caraque bound for Goa, lying in the Skirts of Eaſt-India, and principally inhabited by Portugals, the Citie of Reſidence for the Vice-Roy to the King of Spain, her Commander called Don Emanuel de Meneces, a brave reſolute man, as the ſequent will demonſtrate. About noon the Globe our leaſt ſhip (by reaſon of her Nimbleneſſe ſailing better than her fellows) came up with her on her broad ſide to windward, and according to the Cuſtome of the Sea, …ayl'd her, asking whence ſhe was; ſhe anſwered indirectly of the Sea, calling our men Rogues, Theev, Hereticks, Devils, and the Concluſion of her rude Complement was, in loud Cannon language, diſcharging ſeven great Peeces of Ar…lrey at our Globe (though ſhe had very little reaſon ſo to do, we having four ſhips in Company, and ſhe alone) whereof ſix pierced her through the Hull, maiming ſome of her men, but killing none Our Globe replied in the ſame voice, and after that fel of.

About three of the Clock in the afternoon, the Charls our Admiral came up with her ſo near, that we were within piſtoll ſhot, our Commaunder Captain Joſeph proceeded religiouſly, in offering them a treaty, before he p. 37proceeded to revenge; So we ſaluted her with our Trumpets, ſhe us with her wind Instruments, then we ſhewed our men on both ſides aloft; this done, our Commander called to them requiring Theirs to come aboard to give an account for the injury they had lately before offered us; they anſwered, they had never a boat; our Commaunder replyed that he would ſend them one, and immediately canſed his Barge to be man'd, and ſent off to them, which brought back one of their officers▪ and two others of inferiour …ank, with this meſſage from their Captain, how that he had promiſed the King of Spain his Maſter not to leave his Ship, and therefore forc'd he might, but never would be Commanded out of her. Captain Joſeph received the meſſage, and uſed thoſe that brought it Civilly, and then ordered, that they ſhould be ſhewed (in a broad ſide of great Guns, that lay all ready p…im'd to be ſir'd againſt them) how we were prepared to vindicate our ſelves, which put the poor Portugals into a fit of trembling, and upon it deſir'd out Commander to write a few words to theirs that happily with their perſwaſion might make him come, Captain Joſeph. willing to preſerve his honour▪ and to prevent blood, conſented, and forthwith cauſed a few lines in Spaniſh to this effect to be wrot unto him▪ That.

Whereas he the Commander of the Carraque p. 38had offered violence to our ſhip that ſaild peaceably by him, he wil'd him to come preſently, and give reaſon for that wrong, or elſe at his perill.

So he diſcharged thoſe Portugals▪ ſending one of our Maſters Mates back with them, with thoſe few words▪ and this further meſſage, that if he refuſed to come, he would ſink by his ſide, but that he would force him before he left him; Mor…entium verb… ſunt prophetica, his words came to paſſe, for he himſelf ſuddainly after, fell by a great Shot that came from the Caraques ſide. The Commander of the Caraque notwithſtanding the Meſſage, and Menace ſent to him, was ſtill peremptory in his firſt anſwer; So our men returning, Captain Joſeph himſelf made the three firſt Shot at them, all which, the mark being ſo fair, and neer, hit them; this done, the bullets began to fly on both ſides, our Captain Cheering his Company immediately aſcended the half-Deck, the place where Commanders uſe to keep in thoſe encounters, to ſhew their own galantry▪ and to encourage the Company under their Command where he had not been the Eighth part of an hower, ere a great S…ot from the Caraques quarter deprived him of life in the twinkling of an eye. For this Captain Joſeph, he was certainly one, who had very much of a Man in him for years antient, who had commanded before in Seaſights, p. 39which he met withall, within the ſtreights in the Madland Sea, and neer death, many times in them, which took others round about him, while himſelf went off untouched, and the Reaſon was, becauſe his appointed time for dying was not yet come. Certainly there is never a bulle… flyes that carries not a Commiſſion with it to hit, or m…ſſe, to kill, or ſpare, the time the Place, and every Circumſtance beſide of mans D…ſſolution is fore-determined. That one dyes in the field, another in his bed one on the Sea, another on the Shore, one by Sickneſſe, another by Violence, one in his own, another in a forein Nation, is fore decreed in Heaven; the time of every mans change being ſet to a minute, which he muſt not paſs. And though we hear it not vocally, yet Almighty God calls every one by his Name and ſaith to one, dye thou there; and to another dye thou …onder; whence it was, that the Place where our Commander then ſtood W…vi…g his ſword muſt of neceſſity be the S…age of his preſent mortality. Before▪ what his purpoſes were in relation to his enemy with whom he now encounted I know not, but his thoughts what ever they were, in the ſhorteſt moment of time periſhed, Death ſurprizing him now ſwifter than …ought, So that in his own Perſon he could do his enemy now no more hurt. For …ad Lions bi…e not. The Bullet which carried away his life, hit him on p. 40the breſt, beating out of his body his Heart, and other of his Vitals, which lay round about him ſcattered in his diffuſed blood. A Runner is tried by a Ra…e, A Pilate by a …empeſt, A Commander, whether at Sea, or Land, by a Battail, and, Ducem oportet in acie mori.

—A Captain no where dyes

Better, than in the face of Enemies.

Yet as Sophocles ſometimes ſpake of Philoctetes, that he killed others gloriouſſy when he was ſlam himſelf: So the blood of this reſolute Commander was more than ſufficiently revenged, as will appear by the Conſequence in the fall and Ruine of moſt of his provoking enemies.

After Captain Joſeph was ſlain, the Maſter of our ſhip continued the fight about half an hower, then (knowing there was another to be admitted into that prime place of Command) the night approaching, for that time gave over, putting out a flag of Counſel to call the Captain of the vice Admiral (Capt: Henry Pepwell) who was to ſucceed, and the other Commanders aboard to conſult about the proſecution of this encounter. The night being come, we now proceeded no further. The Caraque ſtood ſtill on her Courſe, putting forth a light at her Poop for us to follow her▪ and about midnight …ame to an Anker under the Iland of Mohilia, p. 41which when we perceived, we let fall our Ankers to.

The ſeaventh early before it began to dawn, we prepared for a new aſſault firſt Commending our ſelves in Prayer to Almighty God, who doth whatſoever he pleaſeth in Heaven, and in Earth, in the Sea, and in all places, Pſ. 135. 6. towards the cloſe of which exerciſe, I ſpake ſome words of exhortation, and encouragment, to all the people of the ſhip there together aſſembled; But was preſently out-Rhetorick'd by our New Commander, who ſpake to the Company thus; My maſter's, I have never a ſpeech to make unto you, but to ſpeak to the Cooper to give every one of you a good Cup of Sack▪ and ſo God bleſſe us. Here was a ſpeech indeed that was Short and Sweet▪ that had ſomthing following it▪ to make it moſt ſavoury, that it might be taſted, as well as heard. Mine was verbal without any ſuch reliſh, and therefore I for…r to inſert it.

The morning come we found the Caraque ſo cloſe to the Shore and the neareſt if our ſhips at leaſt a league off that we held our hands for that day expecting when ſhe would weigh her Ankers and ſtand off to Sea, a fitter place to deal wi…h her. And that afternoon, we cheſted our late ſlain Commander putting ſome great ſhot with him into it that he might preſently ſink, and without any Ceremony of Guns, &c. p. 42uſual upon ſuch loccaſions becauſe our enemy ſhould take no notice put him overboardgainſt the Iland▪ of Mohil…a, whore he made his own Grave, as all dead bodies do, buried not in duſt but water which ſhall one day as well as the earth give up its de…d, Rev. 20 13▪ when all the bodies of men ſince the wo…ld began, that have… taſted Death in their ſeveral generations, however after death they have been beſtowed▪ whereſoever laid up ſhall be raiſed again, And though all would not, yet all muſt.

A little before night that preſent day the Caraque departed again to Sea, we all looſed our Ankers, opened our Sayles, and …ollowed. The day now left us and our proud Adverſary unwilling as it ſhould ſeem to eſcape, put forth a light (as before) for us to follow him, (as afterward we did to purpoſe) The night well…gh… ſpent we commended again our ſelves and cauſe to God, when I obſerved more ſeeming devotion in our Sea-men that morning, than at any time before, or after while I kept them company; who, for the generality are ſuch a kind of people that nothing will bow them, to bring them on their knees, but extream Hazads. When this exerciſe was ended the day began to appear in a red ma…nt…l, which prov'd bloud… unto many that beheld it. And now we entred upon a ſecond encounter, our p. 43four ſhips reſolving to take their turns one after the other, that we might compel this proud Portugal either to bend, or break.

But before I ſhall give an account of our further engagement. I will take notice of two accidents which to me ſeemed very obſervable, and exemplary; the firſt this, there was one in our ſhip whoſe Sir name was Raven (a ſervant to our late ſlain Commander) who immed…ately before we began to engage, came to me and told me that he had a very great deſire to follow his Maſter; with what mind he ſpake this I know not, but if hea…ly and with deſire his ſpeech was very all for if it be an extreme madneſſe for a man to intreat God▪ to take away the life of his Beaſt, much more to requeſt him to take away his own Life. But whatſoever his Petition was in reſpect of his inward deſire it pleaſed Ma…ghev God preſently to anſwer him herein, by the firſt great Shot that came from the E…my, which ſtrook off his Head. Aman may hope to ſpeed well, that knows how to Peti…on well▪ but by the Righteous …udgment of God it oftentimes fall out, that ſuch unadviſed requeſts, meet with a return of moſt ſad, and unwelcome anſwers

There was another a Taylor (but not in our ſhip) who while the Company he ſailed with, were engaged, brought his preſſing▪ iron to p. 44one of the Gunners, and deſired him to put it into a Peece of Ordnance already laden, telling him that he would ſend it as a token to the Portugals, withall ſwearing that he would never work again at his trade; it pleaſed God immediately after to ſentence him out of his own mouth, and to let his tongue to fall upon himſelf, for that great Peece was no ſooner diſcharged, but a great Bullet was returned from the enemy, which ſtrook him dead.

And now Reader thou mayeſt ſuppoſe us ſpeaking again to our adverſary, and he to us, in the harſheſt and lowdeſt of all Dialects, no arguments being ſo ſtrong as thoſe that proceed from the mouths of Guns, and Points of Swords. Our Charles the Admiral played her part firſt, and e…e ſhe had been at defyance with her enemy half an hower there came another great ſhot from him, which hitting againſt one of our iron Peeces mounted on our half Deck, brak into many little parts, which moſt dangerouſly wounded our New Commander, and the Maſter of our ſhip▪ with three others beſide, who received ſeveral hurts by it. Captain Pepwels left Eye, by a glance of a Peec… of that broken bullet, was ſo Torn that it lay like Raggs upon his cheek; another hurt by a peece of the ſame bullet, he received on his Jaw-bone, and by another, on his Head, and a fourth hurt he received in his Leg, a ragged peece of that p. 45broken ſhot ſticking faſt betwixt the two bones thereof, grating there upon an Artery, which ſeemed by his complayning to afflict him ſo much, that it made him take very little notice of all the reſt of his Hurts, it being moſt true of bodily Pains, that the extremity of a greater pain will not ſuffer a man much to feel and complain of that which is leſſe, as that tormen…ing pain by the Toot-ach, makes a man inſenſible of the a king of his head▪ and when the Gout and Stone ſurpriſe the Body at once together, the torture by the Gout is as it were loſt in the extremity of the Stone.

And thus was our new Commander welcomed to his Authority; we all thought that his wounds would very ſuddainly have made an end of him, but he lived till about fourteen Moneths after, and then Dyed as he was returning for England. I told you before, that this man ſuffered not alone by the ſcattered peeces of that broken ſhot, for the Maſter of the Ship had a great peece of the Brawn of his Arm ſtrook off by it, which made him likewiſe unſerviceable for a time, and three other of the Common ſailers received ſeveral and dangerous hurts by it likewiſe.

The Captain and Maſter both thus diſabled, deputed their Authority to the chief Maſters mate, who behaved himſelf reſolutely and wiſely; ſo we continued Alternis vicibus p. 46one after the other, ſhooting at our adverſary, as at a But, and by three of the clock in the after noon had ſhot down Her Main-maſt by the board her Mizen-maſts, her fore top maſt, and moreover had made ſuch breaches in her thick ſides▪ that her caſe ſeemed ſo deſperate as that ſhe muſt either yeild, or periſh. Her Captain thus diſtreſſed ſtood in for the ſhore being not far …rom the Iland of Gaziaia; we purſued as ſar as we durſt without hazard of Ship wrack then we ſent off a Boat with a flag of …uce to ſpeak with him, He waved us with another, upon which Mr. …onnick our chief Merchant imployed in that ſervice came up to them and being invited, entred their ſhip, where he was civi…ly uſed, and there he delivered this Meſſage to the chief Commander, and his Company, that he had brought them Life, and Peace. if they would accept it, withall telling them that they had deſerved ſo well by their undaunted valour, that if they would put themſelves into our hands, they ſhould be entertained with all honour and reſpect; how, the Ordinary ſort in the Caraque were taken with this profer I know not, yet all this would not work upon that high-reſolv'd Commander, who like Fabr…c…us in …ly could not be turn'd in the leaſt meaſure, from his former and firm reſolution, But

p. 47Duris ut Ilex tonſa bipennibus

Nigrae feraci frondis in Algido,

Per damna, per caedes, …b ipſo

Duc…t opes animum que ferro.

Hor:

As the lop't Holm-tree that is made

By two edg'd Bils to part with ſhade,

Growing in Algid, fer…il… grounds,

New life receives and ſtrength from wounds:

So he contemning the Miſery he could not prevent; O… like a prun'd hedge which growes ſtronger by Cutting anſwering our meffenger thus that no infelicity ſhould make him alter his firſt reſolution, and therefore muſt not be talk't out of the ſhip; That he would ſtand off to Sea if poſſibly he could and fight us again, and then if fire, or ſword forc'd him, he might unhappily be taken but he would never yield, and if we took him alive he hoped to find the reſpect of a Gentleman, and till then we had our anſwer. So our Meffenger was diſcharged, and ſhortly after, this diſtreſſed Ship wanting her wings, was forc'd by the wind and waves upon the adjacent Iland of Gazidi…, where ſhe ſtuck faſt between two Rock…: thoſe that were left alive in her, by their boats got upon the ſhore, which when they had all recovered, willing (as it ſhould ſeem) to deſtroy what they could not keep, they ſet her on fire to p. 48make her a Coal, rather than we ſhould make her a Prize. She was a ſhip of an Exceeding great value in Coyn and Bullion, beſides many other rich commodities▪ (if report afterward abuſed us not) but we got nothing from her but blows, for which ſhe was repayed by us with Ruin. The poor diſtreſ…ed Portugalls after they had left their Ship were moſt inhumanly uſed by the barbarous Iſlanders, who ſpoyled them of all they brought on ſhore for their ſuccour, ſome of them finding Death in the place they choſe to eſcape, it and doubtleſs they had made havock of them all, had they not preſently been relieved by two Arabian Junks (for ſo their ſmall ill built ſhips are called) there in Trade; which, in hope I ſuppoſe of ſome great reward, took them in, and conveyed them ſafely to their own City Goa.

In this Sea-fight we loſt, out of our four ſhips but five men; three out of our Admirall, and two out of the James beſides we had about twenty in our whole Fleet hurt. But of ſeven hundred which ſayled in the Carrague, (for ſhe was a Ship of an exceeding great bulk and burthen our Charls, though a ſhip of a thouſand Tunns, looking but like a Pinace when ſhe was beſide her) there came not near half her Company to Goa as afterward we were informed.

Our Charles in this oppoſition made at her p. 49adverſary for her part, three hundred ſeventy and five great Shot (as our Gunners reported) to theſe we had one Hundred▪ Muſquetiers that plyed them with ſmall ſhot all that while; neither was our Enemy Idle, for our ſhip received from him at leaſt one hundred great ſhot, and many of them dangerous ones, through the Hull▪ Our fore-maſt was peirced through the middle, our Main-maſt hurt, our Main-ſtay almoſt ſpoyled, and many of our Main-ſhrouds cut aſunder.

Thus, Reader, thou haſt the ſum of that ſeaencounter, which I did the rather inſert, becauſe I believe that of all warlike oppoſitions there are none that carry more horror in them than Sea-Fights do, if the parties engaged be both very reſolute, as very many who uſe the Sea are, who will deſperatly run upon the mouth of a Cannon, ruſh into the very jawes of Death, before they have at all learned what it was to live; that being moſt true, which was antiently obſerved in the generality both of ſouldiers, and Sea-men, Armatis Divûm nullus timor, that they fear neither God nor Man. And therefore when I ſeriouſly conſider of the terrours which uſually accompany this kind of fighting, I do more pity and leſs wonder at the behaviour of a poor Scotch Merchant in ſuch an encounter, who obſerving the Bullets to make quick returns, gets into his Cabin, and there covered p. 50himſelf as cloſe as he could; but being purſued thither by his own tears, which he could not keep thence, they made his lower Paſſages both to open, and then feeling himſelf in thoſe parts more warm and moyſt than uſually he was, cried out. Ice ſlene, Ice ſlene, Ice all goar blud; yet when he was ſearched his hurts proved not mortal. But in good earneſt, there is no oppoſition in the World ſo full of dread as this, and no Contentions 'twixt men and men carry them ſo far out of themſelves, and make them turn ſo ſavage, as theſe.

Where men act Wolves parts, where their higheſt skill

Expreſſed is by knowledge how to kill;

One Bullet throws a Leg into the Main,

An Arm that follows it, as if again

(Like a ſwife Poſt) in winged haſt it meant

To fetch it back toth' parts from which 'twas rent.

In a torn Car…aſe one here lodges, crying,

And at his feet there others gaſp a dying:

Here goes an Head, and there an Heart is made

Its lodging to forſake, and fly to's ſhade.

Of all Encounters there are none ſo fell

As Fights at Sea, where nought but Horrors dwell.

Mongſt all the Arts of Killing none more dire

Than theſe by Bullets, Wracks, Noyſe, Sword and fire.

p. 51I want words to expreſs the extreme horror that is to be obſerved in theſe Sea-fights, where Fire like Lightning darts into mens Eyes, and the over-loud Cracks of great Ordnance like Thunder roars in their Ears, beſides the Noyſe made by Muſquets, Drums and Fifes, with men hurrying up and down the Ship▪ in a confuſed tumult, wrapt about in a thick Cloud of ſuff…cating ſmoak made by the Powder. Here a Bullet comes and leaves Death behind it, and there Splinters kill or ma…m others; ſo that a man in this Caſe is many times as if he were placed in the midſt of a Beam holding two Ballances, where the one Scale hangs over the Fire, and over the Water the other: For it often fals out in theſe Encounters, that by ſinking or firing a Ship a man is put to this moſt miſerable choyce, either to Burn or Drown; and in theſe extremities there is no eſcaping by flight, as in Field-Battels. And therefore though it be eaſy and ſafe to ſail in the Harbour, or to ſit upon the ſhore, and there to make theſe moſt ſad Conflicts matter of talk, diſcourſe or, merriment as ſome do, yet I conceive they ſhould not be ſeen or heard of without grief and deteſtation: Becauſe the very name of a man implies Humanity, which a man forgets to ſhew, when he ſees or hears of the …uine and deſtruction of others with Content, who are men like himſelf. It is well obſerved, that Almighty God p. 52in Scripture ſhewing mercy is oftentimes called by the name of a Man, as Gen. 32. 24. & 29▪ A Man wreſtled with Jacob and bleſſed him. So in many other places. But when God threatens diſpleaſure and vengeance againſt a man, he …aith, I will not meet thee as a man, I…. 47. 3. that is, he will ſhew no pity, no compaſſion. Which implies thus much, that they who at any time are wanting in this, deſerve not the names of Men, they being without natural affections; Appearing to be ſuch, as if they had been hewen from the Rocks, and not fal… from Loyns of fleſh and blood; as if they had ſucked the Dragons in the Wilderneſs, rather than the Daughters of Men. But to conclude what I have to ſay of this; If it be very terrible (as indeed it is) to be in the midſt of ſuch Encounters as theſe, though a man come off untouched, it is much more to ſmart under the ſad conſequences thereof; It being by much more hard to feel, than it is eaſy to talk of them.

And now, Reader, if thou ſhalt be pleaſed to accompany me further, I ſhall carry thee from this ſad diſcourſe, where we may be both refreſhed upon a near rich and pleaſant Iland; And to make way for our entertainment there, take further notice, that after we ſaw the Carr…que in a flame (which was about midnight) we ſtood off and on till morning, to ſee if any thing might be found in her Aſhes; of which p. 53when we deſpaired, we ſought about to ſuccour and comfort our wounded and ſick men on the ſhore. The Land there was very high, againſt which the Sea is alwaies deep; ſo that it was the tenth day of that month …re we could be poſſeſſed of a good Harbour; which enjoyed, we found the Iland called Moh…l…a, very pleaſant, full of Trees, and exceeding fruitful, abounding in Beeves, Kids, Poultrey of divers kinds, Rice, Sugar-Canes, Plantens (of which Fruit more ſhall be ſpoken hereafter) Oranges, Coquer-nuts, as with many other wholſome things, of all which we had ſufficient to relieve our whole Company, for little quantities of White Paper, Glaſs Beads, low prized Looking-Glaſſes, and cheap Knives. For inſtance▪ we bought as many good Oranges as would fill an Hat for one quarter of a ſhee… of white writing-Paper, and ſo in proportion all other Proviſions.

Here we had the beſt Oranges that ever I taſted, which were little round ones▪ exceeding ſweet and juicie, having but a little ſ…ng…e skin within them, and the rinde on them almoſt as thin as the paring of an Apple: We eat all together, Rinde and Juice, and found them a Fruit that was extraordinary well pleaſing to the Taſt.

Much of their Fruits the Ilanders brought unto …s in their little Canoos (which are long narrow p. 54boats, but like troughs out of firm trees) but their Cattel we bought on the ſhore; Where I obſerved the people to be ſtreight, well limm'd, ſtout, able men, their colour very tawney; moſt of the men, but all the women, I ſaw uncloathed, having nothing about them but a Covering for their ſhame. Such as were cloathed had long Garments like unto the Arabians, whoſe Language they ſpeak, and of whoſe Religion they are, Mahumetans, very ſtrict (as it ſhould ſeem) for they would not endure us to come near their Churches. They have good convenient Houſes for their Living, and fair Sepulchres for their Dead.

They ſeemed to live ſtrictly under the Obedience of a King, whoſe place of reſidence was ſome miles up in the Countrey; His leave by Meſſengers they firſt craved, before they would ſell unto us any of their better Proviſions. Their King hearing of our arrival, bad us welcome by a Preſent of Be…ves, and Goats, and Poultrey, and the chief and choyce Fruits of his Countrey, and was highly recompenced as he thought again, by a Quire or two of white Paper, a pair of low prized Looking-Glaſſes, ſome ſtrings of Glaſs Beads, ſome cheap Knives, and with ſome other Engliſh toyes

We ſaw ſome Spaniſh Money amongſt them, of which they ſeemed to make ſo little reckoning, that ſome of our men had from them many p. 55Royals of Eight in exchange for a little of thoſe very low and very cheap Commodities which before I named.

The Coquer-nu…tree (of which this Iland hath abundance) of all other Trees may challenge the preheminence: for, meerly with theſe Trees, without the leaſt help of any other Timber, or any other thing (unleſs a little Iron-work) a man may build, and furniſh, and fit and victual a ſmall Ship to Sea. For the Heart of this Tree (being very tough, firm and faſt wood) growing up ſtreight and high, will make Timber, and Planks, and Pins, and Muſts and Yards; a ſtrong Gum that iſſues out of it, with the Rinde that grows about it, will ſerve to calk the Ship; and that ſpongie Rinde (that looks like our Hemp when it is a little bruiſed) will make Cordage and Sails, and the very large Nuts that grow upon it (of which are made many excellent drinking Cups) when it is newly gathered▪ hath a milk-white ſubſtance that is tender (taſting like an Almond) round about of a good ſubſtance within it; and within that a very pleaſant Liquor, that is wholſom, as well as ſavoury, which may for a need ſerve thoſe which ſail in this Ship for meat and drink.

Now well-ſtored with theſe Nuts and other good Proviſions, after ſix daies abode there; the breaches our Ship had lately received in fight p. 56being repaired, and our men well refreſhed, we put again to Sea the ſixteenth day, and a proſperous gale following us, were carried happily a ſecond time under the Aequinoctial, without the le…ſt heat to offend us, the 24 day of the ſame Month. Our Courſe was for the Iland of Zocotora near the mouth of the Red Sea, from whence comes our Aloes Zocotrina; but an adverſe gale from the Arabian ſhore kept us ſo off that we could by no means recover it. We paſſed by it the firſt of September.

Miſſing that Fort we proceeded on our Voyage, and the fourth of September made a ſolemn Funeral in memory of our late ſlain Commander, when after Sermon the ſmall Shot and great Ordnance made a large Peal to his Remembrance.

On the ſixt of September at night, to our admiration and fear, the Water of the Sea ſeemed to us as white as milk, which did not appear onelyonly ſo in the body of the Sea, but it looked ſo likewiſe in Buckets of water which we did then draw out of the Sea. Others of our Narion paſſing on that Courſe have obſerved the like: but I am yet to learn what ſhould be the true reaſon thereof, it being there very far from any ſhore, and the Sea ſo deep as that we could fetch no ground.

The 21. we diſcovered the main Continent of Aſia the Great, in which Eaſt-India takes p. 57up a large part. The 22. we had ſight of Deu and Damon, places that lye in the skirts of India, principally inhabited and well fortified by Portugals; and the 25 of September we came happily to an Anchor in Swally-Road within the Bay of Cambaya, the Harbour for our Fleet while they make their ſtay in theſe remote Parts.

Then after a long, and troubleſome, and dangerous paſſage, we came at laſt to our deſired Port. And immediately after my arrival there, I was ſent for by Sir Thomas Row, Lord Embaſſadour, then reſiding at the Mogol's Court (which was very many miles up in the Countrey) to ſupply the room of Mr. John Hall his Chaplain (Fellow of Corpus Chriſti College in Oxford) whom he had not long before buried. And I lived with that moſt Noble Gentleman at that Court more than two years, after which I returned home to England with him. During which ſpace of my abode there I had very good advantage to take notice of very many places, and perſons, and thing, travelling with the Embaſſadour much in Progreſs with that King up and down his very large Territories.

And now, Reader. I would have thee to ſuppoſe me ſetting my foot upon the Eaſt-Indian ſhore at Swally before named. On the banks whereof, amongſt many more Engliſh that lye p. 58there interred, is laid up the body of Mr. Thomas▪ Coryat, a man in his time Not us nimis omnibus, very ſufficiently known. He lived there, and there died while I was in thoſe parts, and was for ſome Months then with my Lord Embaſſadour, during which time he was either my Chamber-fellow or Tent-mate, which gave me a full acquaintance of him. That Greektravelling-Thomas (they which know his ſtory know why I call him ſo▪) formerly wrote a Book entituled Coryats …rud…ies, Printed in the beginning of the year 1611. and then uſhered into the World by very many Copies of excellent Verſes made by the Wits of thoſe Times, which did very much advantage and improve, if not enforce the ſale thereof (doing themſelves much more honor than him whom they undertook to commend in their ſeveral Encomiaſticks) And if he had lived, he would have written his laſt Travels to, and in, and out of Eaſt-India, for he reſolved (if God had ſpared him life) to have rambled up & down the world (as ſometimes Ulyſſes did) and though not ſo long as he, yet ten full years at leaſt before his return home, in which time he purpoſed to ſee Tartaria in the vaſt parts thereof, with as much as he could of China, and thoſe other large Places and Provinces interpoſed betwixt Eaſt-India and China, whoſe true Names we might have had from him, but yet have not. He had a purpoſe after p. 59…his to have viſited the Court of Preſter John in Aethiopia, who is there called by his own people, Ho B…ot, The King; and after this it was in his thoughts to have caſt his eyes upon many other places; which if he had done, and lived to write thoſe Relations, ſeeing as he did, or ſhould, ſuch variety of Countries, Cities, Nations, Things, and been as particular in them as he was in his Venetian Journal, they muſt needs have ſwoln into ſo many huge Volumns, as would have prevented the periſhing of Paper. But undoubtedly, if he had been continued in life to have written them, there might have been made very good Uſe of his Obſervations; for as he was a very Particular, ſo was he without queſtion a very Faithful Relator of things he ſaw; he ever diſclaiming that bold liberty which divers Travellers have, and do take, by ſpeaking and writing any thing they pleaſe of remote parts, when they cannot eaſily be contradicted, taking a Pride in their feigned Relations, to overſpeak things; being reſolved in this caſe

Not onelyonly things to do, but or'-do;

Speaking, writing all, and more too:

I therefore for my part, believing this Relaton to be none of thoſe▪ have taken ſome things from his truſt and credit in this my following p. 60Diſcourſe; And becauſe he could not live to give an account unto the world of his own Travels, I ſhall here by the way make ſome little diſcovery of his footſteps and flittings up and down, to and fro, with ſomething beſides of him, in his long peregrinations, to ſatisfie very many yet living, who if they ſhall pleaſe to read this Diſcourſe, may recall that man once more into their remembrance, who while he lived was like a perpetual motion, and therefore now dead ſhould not be quite forgotten.

In the year 1612. he ſhipt himſelf from London for Conſtantinople, now called by the Turks Stombole, where he took ſpecial notice of all things there moſt obſervable. In which place he found very great reſpect, and encouragement from Sir Paul Pinder, then and there Embaſſadour, to whoſe Houſe he had free and welcom acceſs whenſoever he pleaſed. Being there for ſome time, he took his opportunities to view divers parts in Grecia; and in the Helleſpont took ſpecial notice of thoſe two Caſtles directly oppoſed to each other, called Seſtos and Abydos, which ſtand on the ſeveral banks that bound that very narrow Sea; which Places Muſaeus makes famous in his very antient Poem of Hero and Leander.

He deſired much to ſee where thoſe ſeven Churches ſometimes famous in Aſia the Leſs p. 61ſtood; but ſince their ſin ſo darkned their light, and God removed their Candleſticks from them (as before he threatned) thoſe Places lye ſo in the dark, that it cannot be well diſcovered where they once were: OnelyOnly Smyrna is famous at this preſent day for Trade, but not Religion; and Epheſus and ſome others of them keep their names ſtill, though they left and loſt their Faith, and profeſſion of Truth, with the reſt.

He ſaw what yet remains of the Ruins of ſometimes great Troy, but

Jam Seges eſt ubi Troia fuit—

That place which was once ſo populous as if it had been ſow'n with People,

And ſeeded thus, had after born

Millions of men, now's ſow'n with Corn. And

—O jam periere Ruinae, the very Ruins of that place are almoſt all gone to Ruine: The moſt obſervable thing there yet remaining is part of an exceeding great Houſe, which is continued by Tradition to have been ſometimes a part of the famous Palace of great King Priamus.

From Smyrna he found a Paſſage to Alexandria in Egypt, Egypt that is called by ſome in p. 62regard of the Plenty it produceth, the Granary or Storehouſe of the World. And in Egypt near Gran-C…iro (antiently called Memphis) he obſerved what remains of the once fam'd Pyramids. Returning thence back to Alexandria with one Engliſhman more, they found a paſs by Sea to Jatta▪ antiently called Joppa, and there they met ſome others going to Jeruſalem, which is about twenty Engliſh miles diſtant from Joppa, whence they departed together towards Jeruſalem, and found it a very ſolitary, rocky, uncomfortable way, full of danger, by reaſon of the wild Arabs who keep about thoſe Paſſages to make poor Travellers their prey and ſpoyl. But they came ſafe to Jeruſalem, now inhabited by Turks, and that place called by them Cutts; where he told me, that himſelf and his Companion were courteouſly received by the Father Guardian of the Convent of Franciſcan Friars that keep their reſidence in Jeruſalem, and by ſome of them were met at the Gate of the City, where they were compelled by the Turkiſh Souldiers who keep thoſe Gates (as all others that bear the names of Chriſtians, are) at their firſt coming thither to redeem their heads by paying each of them the value of five ſhillings, before they could have admittance into that place; which they had no ſooner …nt…d▪ but they were preſently carried by thoſe Franciſcans which met them to their p. 63Convent; and then the firſt thing they did to or for them, they waſhed their feet, then ſet ſome comfortable refection before them, and after went in Proceſſion about a little Cloyſter they had, praiſing God that he had brought in ſafety thoſe two Votaries (as they called them) to viſit that Holy Place. A day or two after they accompanied them to Bethlehem, the place of our Bleſſed Saviours birth, about five Engliſh miles diſtant from Jeruſalem; and in the way betwixt thoſe two places ſhewed them a Rock, on which (as they ſaid) the Bleſſed Virgin ſate down, as ſhe went on a time betwixt Jeruſalem and Bethlehem, to give her Babe ſuck; and that the Rock might not feel hard under her, it yielded (as they told them) to her body like a Cuſhion, and that impreſſion made by her ſo ſitting remaineth unto this day; and is moſt devoutly kiſſed by Votaries as they paſs up and down. After this they returning back ſhewed them all that was to be ſeen in and about Jeruſalem. Many particulars they told them (ſtories which are there kept by Tradition) concerning our Bleſſed Saviour and his Mother: Then they had a ſight of as much of Mount Calvarie (where our Bleſſed Saviour ſuffered) as could be ſhewed them, that Hill being now encloſed within the Wals of Jeruſalem. They undertook to ſhew them afterwards the place wherein our Bleſſed Saviour was buried; and p. 64after that upon Mount Olivet, the very place whence he after aſcended, where upon a Rock there was an impreſſion of the former part of two feet, ſuch as is ſeen in ſoft earth, when a man lifts up his body to leap thence; and theſe Franciſcans confidently affirmed, and ſeemed undoubtedly to believe, that it was ſo as they ſhewed and told them. Many other things they affirmed, which being but Circumſtantials, (though appertaining to the beſt of all ſtories) were enough for theſe Pilgrims to believe, and enough to make doubt of.

At Jeruſalem this our Traveller had made upon the Wriſts of his left Arm the Arms of Jeruſalem, a Croſs Croſſed, or Croſslets; and on the Wriſt of his right, a ſingle Croſs made like that our Bleſſed Saviour ſuffered on; and on the ſides of the ſtem or tree of that Croſs theſe words written, Via, Veritas, Vita▪ ſome of the letters being put on the one ſide of that ſtem or tree, and ſome of them on the other; and at the foot of that Croſs three Nails, to ſignifie thoſe which faſtned our Saviour unto it: All theſe impreſſions were made by ſharp Needles bound together, that pierced onelyonly the skin, and then a black Powder put into the Places ſo pierced, which became preſently indelible Characters, to continue with him ſo long as his fleſh ſhould be covered with skin: And they were done upon his Arms ſo artificially, as if they had p. 65been drawn by ſome accurate Pencil upon Parchment. This poor man would pride himſelf very much in the beholding of thoſe Characters, and ſeeing them would often ſpeak thoſe words of St. Paul written to the Galatians, Gal. 6. 17. (though far beſides the Apoſtles meaning) I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jeſus.

Now after that himſelf and Camrade had ſeen what they deſired in and about Jeruſalem, they took their leave of thoſe Franciſcans, leaving with them money to recompence the curteſy they had received from them; the Friars being very poor, and conſequently unable to entertain them freely without requitals.

From hence they took their way to take a view of the Dead Sea (ſo called, either becauſe the water therein is ſtill, and moves not, or becauſe no living Creature is in it, and nothing thrives on the banks thereof) the place where Sodom and Gomorrah, and Admah and Zeboim once ſtood, thoſe Cities which Almighty God overthrew in anger, and repented not, Jer. 20. 16. Hence they went to have a ſight of the River Jordan, which diſchargeth it ſelf into that moſt uncomfortable Lake; and from hence they journied North-eaſt through thoſe ten Tribes, (which for the ſin of Salomon were rent from his ſon Rehoboam) till they came to Mount Libanus. Thence back to Sidon, which retaineth p. 66that name ſtill. And here he told me as his laſt obſervation made in that Land of Cauaan, ſometimes (like the Garden of the Lord) flowing with milk and honey, being then enriched with a very great variety, and abundance of Gods good Creatures; and in the daies of David ſo populous, that there were numbred in it at one time thirteen hundred thouſand fighting men, 2 Sam. 24. 9. beſides Women and Children, and others unfit to draw ſwords; which was a moſt wonderful thing, to conſider that ſuch a ſpot of ground in compariſon, not above one hundred and ſixty miles in length, from Dan to Beerſheba, and not above ſixty miles in bredth, from Joppa to Jordan, ſhould be able to bear and feed ſuch a numerous people; and now the very ſelf-ſame tract of Earth, either for want of manuring, or (which is rather to be conceived) for the want of the bleſſing of Almighty God which once ſhined upon it, but now long ſince withdrawn from it, (For a fruitful Land the Lord makes barren for the wickedneſs of them that dwell therein, Pſal. 107. 34.) is now become unable to ſuſtein one in an hundred of ſuch a number.

From Sidon they got a paſſage by Sea unto Alexandretta, now called Scanderoon (in the extremeſt bottom of the Mediterranean Sea) which is one of the unwholſomeſt places in the World; where I have often heard that no p. 67Stranger (that was born far from it) comes to continue there for the ſpace of one Month, but is ſure to meet with a ſickneſs, which very often proves Mortal. At this place his Engliſh Companion left him, and turned his face towards England, and he preſently took his way towards Aleppo in Syria, about ſeventy miles or more diſtant from Scanderoon, which is as much renowned for wholſomneſs, as the place beforenamed for being unwholſome; and therfore it is called, ſweet-air'd Aleppo. Here he being kindly received by the Engliſh Conſul, ſtayed a time to gain the company of a Carava…, which conſiſts of a great mixt multitude of people from divers parts, which get and keep together travelling thoſe parts, for fear of the incurſions and violences by Thieves and Murtherers, which they would undoubtedly meet withall, if they travelled ſingle, or but few together. With theſe he after ſet forwards towards, and to that City antiently called Nineveh in Aſſyria, which we find in the Propheſie of Jonah was ſometimes a great and excellent City of three daies journey, Jonah 3. 3. but now ſo exceedingly leſſen'd and lodg'd in obſcurity, that paſſengers cannot ſay of it, this was Nineveh, which now hath its old name changed, and is called Mozel. From hence they journied to Babylon in Chaldaea, ſituated upon the River Euphrates, once likewiſe ſo great that Ariſtotle called it a Countrey, not a City, but now it is very much contracted, and 'tis called Bagdat. From this place they proceeded through both the Armeniaes, and either did, or elſe our Traveller was made to believe, that he ſaw the very Mountain Ararat whereon the Ark of Noah reſted after the Flood, Gen. 8. And from hence they went forward towards the Kingdome of Perſia, and there to Uzſpahan, the uſual place of reſidence for that great King, then called Sha Abbas, or King Abbas. And after they went to Seras, antiently called Shuſhan, where the great King Ahaſuerus kept his Royal and moſt Magnificent Court, Eſt. 1 From hence they journied afterwards to Candahor, the firſt Province North eaſt under the ſubjection of the Great Mogol and ſo to Lahore the chiefeſt City but one belonging to that great Empire; a place, as I have been often told by Tom: Coryat and others of very great trade, wealth and delight, lying more temperately out of the Parching Sun than any other of his great Cities do: And to this City he wanted not Company, nor afterwards to Agra, the Mogol's Metropolis or chief City.

And here it is very obſervable, that from Lahore to Agra it is four hundred Engliſh miles, & that the Countrey betwixt both theſe great Cities is rich, even, pleaſant and flat, a Campania; and the rode-way on both ſides all this long diſtance p. 69planted with great Trees which are all the year cloathed with leaves exceeding beneficial unto Travellers for the ſhade they afford them in thoſe hot Climes. This very much extended length of way 'twixt theſe two places is called by Travellers the Long Walk, very full of Villages and Towns for Paſſengers every where to find Proviſion.

At Agra our Traveller made an halt, being there lovingly received in the Engliſh Factory, where he ſtaid till he had gotten to his Turkiſh, and Moriſco or Arabian Languages, ſome good knowledge in the Perſian and Indoſtan Tongues, in which ſtudy he was alwaies very apt. and in little time ſhowed much proficiency. The firſt of thoſe two, the Perſian, is the more quaint; the other, the Indoſtan, the vulgar Language ſpoken in Eaſt-India: In both theſe he ſuddenly got ſuch a knowledge and maſtery, that it did exceedingly afterwards advantage him in his Travels up and down the Mogol's Territories, he wearing alwaies the Habit of that Nation, and ſpeaking their Language.

In the firſt of theſe, the Perſian tongue, he made afterwards an Oration to the Great Mogol, bringing in that Story of the Queen of Sheba, 1 King. 10. (in which parts of that Sacred Hiſtoric the Mahumetans have ſome knowledge) and he told him, that as the Queen of Sheba having heard of the fame of King Salomon, p. 70came from far to viſit him, which when ſhe had done, ſhe confeſſed that though ſhe had heard very much of him and many things beyond her belief, yet now ſeeing what ſhe did, acknowledged that ſhe had not heard half of that which ſhe now ſaw concerning the Wiſdome, and Greatneſs, and Re…inue, and Riches of Salomon: So our Orator told the Mogol, that he had heard very much of him before he had the Honour to ſee him (when he was very far off in his own Countrey) but now what he beheld did exceedingly ſurmount all thoſe former Reports of him which came to his ears at ſuch a diſtance from him: Then larding his ſhort Speech with ſome other pieces of Flattery, which the Mogol liked well, concluded: And when he had done, the Mogol gave him one hundred Roopus, which amounts to the value of twelve pounds and ten ſhillings of of our Engliſh Money; looking upon him as a Derveeſe, or Votary, or Pilgrim (for ſo he called him) and ſuch as bear that name in that Countrey ſeem not much to care for money, and that was the reaſon (I conceive) that he gave him not a more plentiful Reward.

After this he having got a great maſtery likewiſe in the Indoſtan or more vulgar Language, there was a woman, a Landreſs, belonging to my Lord Embaſſadors houſe, who had ſuch a freedome and liberty of ſpeech, that ſhe would p. 71ſometimes ſcould, brawl and rail from the Sun-riſing to Sun-ſet; one day he undertook her in her own language, and by eight of the clock in the morning ſo ſilenced her, that ſhe had not one word more to ſpeak.

I ſhall have occaſion to ſay more of this man in ſome paſſages of this following Diſcourſe, and therefore ſhall not wrap all I have to ſpeak of him in this, although it be a very long digreſſion: Yet becauſe I muſt now ſhortly bring you to his journies end, I ſhall take the freedome to enlarge my ſelf a little further concerning him here in this place, before I leave him for the preſent; and to give thee, Reader, a piece of his Character, it ſpeaks thus:

That he was a man of a very coveting eye, that could never be ſatisfied with ſeeing, as Salomon ſpeaks, Eccleſ. 1. 8. though he had ſeen very much; and I am perſwaded that he took as much content in ſeeing, as many others in the enjoying of Great and Rare things. He was a man that had got the maſtery of many hard Languages (as before I obſerved) to the Latine and Greek he brought forth of England with him; in which, if he had obtained wiſdome to huſband and manage them as he had skill to ſpeak them, he had deſerved more fame in his generation. But his knowledge and high attainments in ſeveral Languages made him not a little ignorant of himſelf, he being ſo covetous, p. 72ſo ambitious of praiſe, that he would hear and endure more of it than he could in any meaſure deſerve; being like a Ship that hath too much Sail, and too little Ballaſt: Yet if he had not fall'n into the ſmart hands of the Wits of thoſe Times, he might have paſſed better. That itch of Fame which engaged this man to the undertakings of thoſe very hard, and long, and dangerous Travels, hath put thouſands more (and therefore he was not alone in this) into ſtrange attempts onelyonly to be talked of.

One long ago built a Temple to Diana in hope of Glory, intending it for one of the Great Wonders of the World; Another after in hope of Fame burnt it. Whither will not the thirſt of Fame carry men! It hath made ſome ſeek to climbe up to Heaven, though by a wrong way: Thus the Builders of Babel ſay one to another, Let us build us a City, and a Tower, whoſe top may reach up to Heaven, and let us make us a Name, Gen. 11. 4 And it hath made others, who are penurious of their Honour, and prodigal of their Souls, not fear to run down headlong into Hell. 'Twas Fame, without doubt, that ſtirred up this man unto theſe voluntary, but hard undertakings, and the Hope of that Glory which he ſhould reap after he had finiſhed his long Travels, made him not at all to take notice of the hardſhip he found in them. That hope of name and repute for the time to come did even feed p. 73and feaſt him for the time preſent. And therefore any thing that did in any meaſure eclipſe him in thoſe high conceivings of his own worth, did too too much trouble him, which you may collect from theſe following inſtances.

Upon a time one Mr. Richard Steel a Merchant and ſervant to the Eaſt-India Company, came unto us from Surat to Mandoa, the place then of the Mogol's reſidence (of which place ſomewhat more hereafter) at which time Mr. Coryat was there with us▪ This Merchant had not long before travelled over-land from Eaſt-India, through Perſia, and ſo to Conſtantinople, and ſo for England; who in his travel homeward had met with Tom: Coryat, as he was journeying towards Eaſt-India; Mr. Steel then told him, that when he was in England, King James (then living) enquired after him, and when he had certified the King of his meeting him on the way, the King replied, Is that Fool yet living? which, when our Pilgrim heard, it ſeemed to trouble him very much, becauſe the King ſpake no more nor no better of him; ſaying, that Kings would ſpeak of poor men what they pleaſed.

At another time when he was ready to depart from us, my Lord Embaſſadour gave him a Letter, and in that a Bill to receive ten pounds at Aleppo when he ſhould return thither: The Letter was directed unto Mr. Libbeus Chapman, p. 74there Conſul at that time, in which that which concerned our Traveller was thus: Mr. Chapman, when you ſhall hand theſe Letters, I deſire you to receive the Bearer of them, Mr. Thomas Coryat, with curteſy, for you ſhall find him a very honeſt poor Wretch; and further I muſt intreat you to furniſh him with ten pounds, which ſhall be repayed, &c. Our Pilgrim lik…d tho gift well, but the language by which he ſhould have received it did not at all content him, telling me, That my Lord had, even ſpoyled his curteſy in the carriage thereof; ſo that if he had been a very Fool indeed, he could have ſaid very little leſs of him than he did, Honeſt poor Wretch! and to ſay no more of him was to ſay as much as nothing. And furthermore he then told me, that when he was formerly undertaking his journey to Venice, a Perſon of Honour wrote thus in his behalf unto Sir Henry Wott…n, then and there Embaſſodour: My Lord, Good Wine needs no Buſh, neither a Worthy man Letters Commendatory, becauſe whitherſoever he comes he is his own Epiſtle, &c. There (ſaid he) was ſome language on my behalf; but now for my Lord to write nothing of me by way of Commendation, but Honeſt poor Wretch, is rather to trouble me than to pleaſe me with his favour. And therefore afterwards his Letter was phras'd up to his mind, but he never liv'd to receive the money. By which his old acquaintance may ſee p. 75how tender this poor man was to be touched in any thing that might in the leaſt meaſure diſparago him. O what pains this poor man took to make himſelf a Subject for preſent and after diſcourſe! being troubled at nothing for the preſent, unleſs with the fear of not living to reap that fruit he was ſo ambitious of in all his undertakings. And certainly he was ſurprized with ſome ſuch thoughts and fears (for ſo he told us afterwards) when upon a time he being at Mandoa with us, and there ſtanding in a room againſt a ſtone Pillar, where the Embaſſadour was, and my ſelf preſent with them, upon a ſudden he fell into ſuch a ſwoon, that we had very much ado to recover him out of it; but at laſt, come to himſelf, he told us that ſome ſad thoughts had immediately before preſented themſelves to his Fancy, which as he conceived put him into that diſtemper; like Fannius in Martial—Ne moriare mori, to prevent death by dying: For he told us that there were great Expectations in England of the large Accounts he ſhould give of his Travels after his return home; and that he was now ſhortly to leave us, and he being at preſent not very well, if he ſhould dye in the way toward Surat, whither he was now intended to go, (which place he had not as yet ſeen) he might be buried in Obſcurity, and none of his Friends ever know what became of him, he p. 76travelling now, as he uſually did, alone. Upon which my Lord willed him to ſtay longer with us, but he thankfully refuſed that offer, and turned his face preſently after towards Surat, which was then about three hundred miles diſtant from us, and he lived to come ſafely thither: but there being over-kindly uſed by ſome of the Engliſh who gave him Sack, which they had brought from England, he calling for it as ſoon as he firſt heard of it, and crying, Sack, Sack: Is there ſuch a thing as Sack! I pray give me ſome Sack: and drinking of it, though, I conceive, moderately (for he was a very temperate man) it increaſed his Flux which he had then upon him; and this cauſed him within a few daies after his very tedious and troubleſome Travels (for he went moſt on foot) at this place to come to his Journies end; for here he overtook Death in the Month of December, 1617. and was buried (as a foreſaid) under a little Monument, like one of thoſe are uſually made in our Church-yards: On which he ſhould have been remembred by this or the like Epitaph, if it could have been there engraved upon his Tombe.

p. 77Here lies the Wanderer of his age,

Who living did rejoyce,

Not out of need but choyce,

To make his life a Pilgrimage.

He ſpent full many pretious daies,

As if he had his being

To waſt his life in ſeeing;

More thought to ſpend, to gain him Praiſe.

Some weakneſſes appear'd his ſtains:

Though ſome ſeem very wiſe,

Some yet are otherwiſe.

Good Gold may be allow'd its Grains.

Many the Places which he ey'd;

And though he ſhould have been

In all parts yet unſeen,

His eye had not been ſatisfi'd.

To fill it when he found no Room

By the choyce things he ſaw

In Europe and vaſt Aſia,

Fell blinded in this narrow Tombe.

Sic exit Coryatus; Hence he went off the Stage, and ſo muſt all after him, how long ſoever their parts ſeem to be: For if one ſhould go to the extremeſt part of the World Eaſt, another Weſt, another North, and another South, they muſt all meet at laſt together in the Field of Bones, wherein our Traveller hath now taken up his Lodging, and where I leave p. 78him. And ſhall now proceed to give an account of what I have undertaken, and do principally intend in the deſcription of the large Territories under the ſubjection of the Great Mogol. Which following Diſcourſe (that I may put it into, and after continue it in ſome due order) I ſhall digeſt into ſeveral Parts or Sections: As,