Part 10

Many other introductions flow from his shallow base-branded apprehension which I purposely omit: To this his perverst malignitie (without partiall or particular construction) I generally answere; that for courteous penetrating lenity; industrious tractability; prompt and exquisite ingeniosity; nobly taught, vivacious, & vertuous Gentility; humane, and illustrious generosity; inviolate, and uncommixed nationall pedegree; Learned, Academicall, and Ecclesiasticke Clergy; for sincere Religion, and devoute Piety; affable and benevolent Hospitality; civill & zealous orders in spirituality; so docible a people to supreame regality; and for true valour, courage, and magnanimity; there is no Kingdome or Nation within the compasse of the whole universe, can excell, or compare with it.

Now what a selfe Losungeous fellow hath this fustian companion proved, when the flat contrary of his abjured impositions, is infallibly knowne to be of undoubted trueth. And how often hath Europe, the seat of Christendome, and Mistresse of the world, had the full experience in all her distressed corners, of the valiant, faithfull service, and unresistable valour of the people, of that never conquered Nation: the testimonies are evident, for my part I desist, and will not medle to peramble through peremptory inferences, on particular Kingdomes, although I acquitingly can; Howsoever a pertinacious Buffon dare, and falsely will doe it:

[Certaine replyes.] Each base fantasticke braine, dare forge new stiles, And alter Regions, customes, Townes, and Iles: Strip'd in a bravad, he can joyne (disjoyne Contiguat Kingdomes) distant lands in one; First Broaker-like, he scrap's rags, snips and bits, Then playes the Ruffian, shifting with his wits: Last Serpent-like, he casts a winter skin, And like a strumpet boldly enters in; This charling Ape, with counterfeits and lies, And blandements; would feede the worlds wide eyes: Thus like a stupid Asse, this blocke-head Foole, Must turne a Coxcombe, studying in the Schoole: Would he be wise and exercise his braines Goe travell first, experience knowledge gaines: Dare he to write of Kingdomes, that ne'er saw His fathers Oxe, perhaps the plough to draw; And scarce can tell even of the bread he eates How many frames it suffers, toyle, and sweats; Nor ne'er ten miles, was travell'd from his cradle Yet faine would sit, the steerd Pegasian sadle: Whiles loytring in a Colledge, thus he dare Sow lyes, reape shame, build Lottries in the ayre; Goe doting Gull? Goe? blot away thy name? And let thy labours perish with thy fame.

This Ile of Mytelena, is by the Turkes called Sarcam lying without the mouth of the gulfe of Smyrna, and opposite to the Westerne coast of Phrigia minor; where besides excellent Wine and Cornes, there are two sorts of dregs made there, which the Turkes use to put in their pottage: In Turkish the one is called Trachana, the other Bouhort, which the Romanes aunciently named Crimnon and Mazza. Whence Loosing from Mitylene in the aforesaid Carmosal, we touched at Dalamede, in the [The Ile Androsia.] Ile Androsia, the Northmost Ile of the Syclades toward Thessalia: It is indifferent copious of all things necessary for humane life, and round sixty miles: The Athenians of old (as Plutarch mentioneth) sent hither Themistocles to demaund tribute; Themistocles told them, he came to inflict some great imposition upon them, being accompanied with two Goddesses; the one was (Eloquence) to perswade them, and the other was (Violence) to enforce them. Whereunto the Androsians replyed, that on their side, they had two Goddesses as strong; the one whereof was (Necessity) whereby they had it not; and the other (Impossibility) whereby they could not part with that they never enjoyed.

This Ægean Sea, or mare Ægeum, had its denomination from Ægeus the father of Theseus, who misdoubting his sonnes returne from the Minotaure of Creet, here leaped in, and drowned himselfe: The greatest part of these sixty nine Kings, that Agamemnon tooke with him to the siege of Troy, were onely Kings of these little Ilands: By some they are divided into two parts, Cyclades, and Sporades; the former containing fifty foure, and the latter twelve Iles; modernely they are all cognominat Archipylago, or the Arch Ilands.

Hoysing saile from Dalamede, we set over to Nigroponti, being sixty miles distant, and bearing up Eastward to double the South Cape, we straight discovered [Two Turkish Galleots.] two Turkish Galleots pursuing us: Whereupon with both sailes and oares, we sought in to the bottome of a long creeke, on the West side of the Cape, called Bajo di piscatori; whither also fled nine Fisher-boates for refuge: The Galleots fearing to follow us in, went to Ankor, at a rocky Isolet in the mouth of the bay, and then within night were resolved to assaile us. But night come, and every night of sixe (for there sixe dayes they expected us) we made such Bonfires, that so affrighted them (being two miles from any Village) they durst never adventure it: Yet I being a stranger was exposed by the untoward Greekes to stand Centinell every night, on the top of a high Promontore, it being the dead time of a snowy and frosty winter; which did invite my Muse to bewaile the tossing of my toylesome life, my solitary wandring, and the long distance of my native soyle:

Carmina secessum scribentis, & otia quærunt Me Mare, me venti, me fera jactat Hyems.

I Wander in exile, As though my Pilgrimage: Were sweete Comedian scænes of love Upon a golden Stage. Ah I, poore I, distres'd, Oft changing to and fro, Am forc'd to sing sad Obsequies Or this my Swan-like wo. A vagabonding Guest, Transported here and there, Led with the mercy-wanting winds Of feare, griefe, and dispaire. Thus ever-moving I, To restlesse journeys thrald, Obtaines by Times triumphing frownes A calling, unrecal'd: Was I præordain'd so Like Tholos Ghost to stand. Three times foure houres, in twenty foure With Musket in my hand. Ore-blasted with the stormes Of Winter-beating Snow, And frosty pointed haile-stones hard On me poore wretch to blow. No Architecture Lo But whirling-windy Skyes. Or'e-syld with thundring claps of Clouds, Earths center to surprise. I, I, it is my fate, Allots this fatall crosse, And reckons up in Characters, The time of my Times losse. My destiny is such, Which doth predestine me, To be a mirrour of mishaps, A Mappe of misery. Extreamely doe I live, Extreames are all my joy, I find in deepe extreamities, Extreames, extreame annoy. Now all alone I watch, With Argoes eyes and wit. A Cypher twixt the Greekes and Turkes Upon this Rocke I sit. A constrain'd Captive I, Mongst incompassionate Greekes, Bare-headed, downeward bowes my head, And liberty still seekes. But all my sutes are vaine, Heaven sees my wofull state: Which makes me say, my worlds eye-sight Is bought at too high rate. Would God I might but live, To see my native Soyle: Thrice happy in my happy wish, To end this endlesse toyle: Yet still when I record, The pleasant bankes of Clide: Where Orchards, Castles, Townes, and Woods, Are planted by his side: And chiefly Lanerke thou, Thy Countries Laureat Lampe: In which this bruised body now Did first receive the stampe. Then doe I sigh and sweare, Till death or my returne, Still for to weare the Willow wreath, In sable weed to mourne. Since in this dying life, A life in death I take, Ile sacrifice in spight of wrath, These solemne vowes I make, To thee sweete Scotland first, My birth and breath I leave: To Heaven my soule, my heart King James, My Corpes to lye in grave. My staffe to Pilgrimes I, And Pen to Poets send; My haire-cloth roabe, and halfe-spent goods, To wandring wights I lend. Let them dispose as though My treasure were of Gold, Which values more in purest prise, Then drosse ten thousand fold. These Trophees I erect, Whiles memory remaines: An epitomiz'd Epitaph, On Lithgows restlesse paines: My will's inclos'd with love, My love with earthly blis: My blisse in substance doth consist, To crave no more but this. Thou first, is, was, and last, Eternall, of thy grace, Protect, prolong, great Britaines King, His Sonne, and Royall Race. AMEN.

Upon the seaventh day, there came downe to visit us, two Gentlemen of Venice, clothed after the Turkish manner; who under exile, were banished their Native Territories ten yeares for slaughter; each of them having two servants, and all of them carrying Shables, and two Gunnes a peece: which when I understood, they were Italians, I addressed my selfe to them, with a heavy complaint against the Greekes, in detaining my Budgeto, and compelling me to endanger my life for their goods: whereupon they accusing the Patrone, and finding him guilty of this oppression, belaboured him soundly with handy blowes, and caused him to deliver my things, carrying me with them five miles to a Towne where they remained, called Rethenos, formerly Carastia, where I was exceeding kindly entertained ten dayes: And most nobly (as indeed they were noble) they bestowed on me forty Chickens of Gold at my departure, for the better advancement of my voyage, which was the first gift that ever I received in all my travells. For if the darts of death had not beene more advantagious to me, then Asiaticke gifts, I had never beene able to have undergone this tributary, tedious, and sumptuous peregrination: The confluence of the divine providence allotting me meanes, from the losse of my dearest consorts gave me in the deepnesse of sorrow, a thankefull rejoycing.

[The Ile Nigroponti.] Nigroponti was formerly called Euboea, next, Albantes: and is now surnamed the Queene of Archipelago: The Turkes cognominate this Ile Egribos: The Towne of Nigropont, from which the Ile taketh the name, was taken in by Mahomet the second; Anno. 1451. and in this Ile is found the Amianten stone, which is said to be drawne in threeds, as out of Flaxe, whereof they make napkins, and other like stuffes; and to make it white, they use to throw it in the fire, being salted: The stone also is found here, called by the Greekes Ophites, and by us Serpentine. The circuit of this Ile is three hundred fourty sixe miles. It is seperated from the firme land of Thessalia, from the which it was once rent by an Earthquake, with a narrow channell, over the which in one place there is a bridge, that passeth betweene the Ile, and the maine continent, and under it runneth a marvellous swift current, or Euripus, which ebbeth and floweth sixe times night and day. Within halfe a mile of the bridge, I saw a Marble columne, standing on the toppe of a little Rocke, whence (as the Ilanders told me) [Aristotles death.] Aristotle leaped in, and drowned himselfe, after that he could not conceive the reason, why this Channell so ebbed & flowed: using these words, Quia ego non capio te, tu capias me. This Ile bringeth forth in abundance, all things requisite for humane life, and decored with many goodly Villages.

The chiefe Cities are Nigropont, and Calchos: The principall rivers Cyro, and Nelos, of whom it is sayd, if a sheepe drinke of the former, his wooll becommeth white, if of the latter coale blacke. From thence and after 22. dayes abode in this Ile, I arrived at a Towne in Macedonia, called Salonica, but of old Thessalonica, where I stayed five dayes, and was much made of by the Inhabitants, being Jewes.

[Salonica.] Salonica is situate by the sea side, betweene the two Rivers Chabris and Ehedora: It is a pleasant, large and magnificke City, full of all sorts of merchandize; and it is nothing inferiour in all things (except nobility) unto Naples in Italy: It was sometimes for a while under the Signiory of Venice, till Amurath the sonne of Mahomet, tooke it from this Reipublicke. And is the principall place of Thessaly which is a Province of Macedon, together with Achaia, and Myrmedon, which are the other two Provinces of the same.

This City of Salonica is now converted in an university for the Jewes; and they are absolute Signiors thereof under the great Turke, with a large Territory of land, lying without and about them: It hath beene ever in their hands since Soliman tooke in Buda in Hungary, Anno. 1516. August. 20. to whome they lent two millions of money, and for warrandice whereof, they have this Towne and Province made fast to them: They speake vulgarly and Maternally here the Hebrew tongue, man, woman and child, and not else where in all the world. All their Sinagogian or Leviticall Priests are bred here, and from hence dispersed to their severall stations.

[Thessaly.] Thessaly a long the sea side, lieth betweene Peloponnesus, and Achaia: Wherein standeth the hill Olympus, on which Hercules did institute the Olympian games, which institution was of long time the Grecian Epoche, from whence they reckoned their time.

Macedon is now called by the Turkes Calethiros, signifying a mighty & warlike Nation: Macedonia, containing Thessaly, Achaia, and Mirmidon, lieth as a center to them; having Achaia to the East: Thessalia to the South: Mirmidonia, bordering with Ætolia to the West: And a part of Hoemus, whence it was called Hæmonia, and some of Misia superior to the North: It was also called Amathia, from Amathus once King thereof, and then Macedonia from the King Macedo: The chiefe Cities are Andorista, Andesso, Sydra, Sederaspen, where the mines of gold and silver be, which enrich the Turke so monethly, receiving thence somtimes 18000. 24000. & 30000. Ducats. And Pellia, where Alexander the great was borne. Bajazet the first, wonne this Countrey, from the Constantinopolitans. About this City of Salonica is the most fertile and populous Countrey in all Greece.

[The vicissitude of Greece.] Greece of all Kingdomes in Europe, hath bene most famous, and highly renowned for many noble respects: yet most subject to the vicissitude of Fortune than any other: who changing Gold for Brasse, and loathing their owne Princes, suffered many tyrants to rule over them, scourging their folly with their fall, and curing a festered soare with a poysoned playster: whence succeded a dismall discord, which beginning when the State of Greece was at the highest, did not expire till it fell to the lowest ebbe; sticking fast in the hands of a grievous desolation: which former times, if a man would retrospectively measure, he might easily find, and not without admiration, how the mighty power of the divine Majestie doth swey the moments of things, and sorteth them in peremptory manner to strange and unlooked for effects: making reason blind, policy astonished, strength feeble, valour dastardly, turning love into hatred, feare into fury, boldnesse into trembling, and in the circuit of one minute, making the Conquerour, a conquered person.

Greece now tearmed by the Turkes Rum-Ili, the Romane Countrey, was first called Helles, next Grecia of Grecus, who was once King thereof: The Greekes, of all other Gentiles, were the first converted Christians, and are wonderfull devout in their professed Religion: The Priests weare the haire of their heads hanging over their shoulders: These that be the most sincere religious men; abstaine alwayes from eating of flesh or fish, contenting themselves with water, hearbes, and bread: They differ much in ceremonies, and principles of Religion from the Papists, and the computation of their Kalender is as ours.

[Foure Patriarchs in the Greekish Church.] They have foure Patriarkes, who governe the affaires of their Church, and also any civill dissentions, which happen amongst them, viz. one in Constantinople, another in Antiochia, the third in Alexandria, & the fourth in Jerusalem. It is not needfull for me to penetrate further in the condition of their estate, because it is no part of my intent in this Treatise. In a word, they are wholly degenerate from their Auncestors in valour, vertue, and learning: Universities they have none, and civill behaviour is quite lost: formerly in derision they tearmed all other Nations Barbarians: A name now most fit for themselves, being the greatest dissembling lyers, inconstant, and uncivill people of all other Christians in the World.

[False testimonie of vagabonding Greekes.] By the way, I must give the Kings Kingdomes a caveat here, concerning vagabonding Greekes, and their counterfeit Testimonials: True it is, there is no such matter, as these lying Rascals report unto you, concerning their Fathers, their Wives, and Children taken Captives by the Turke: O damnable invention! How can the Turke prey upon his owne Subjects, under whom, they have as great Liberty, save onely the use of Bels, as we have under our Princes: The tyth of their Male children, being absolutely abrogated by Achmet, this Amuraths Father; and the halfe also of their Female Dowry at Marriages: And farre lesse for Religion, can they be banished, or deprived of their Benefices, as some false and dissembling fellowes, under the Title of Bishops make you beleeve; There being a free Liberty of Conscience, for all kinds of Religion, through all his Dominions, as well for us free borne Frankes as for them, and much more them, the Greekes, Armenians, Syriacks, Amoronits, Coptics, Georgians, or any other Orientall sort of Christians: And therefore looke to it, that you be no more gulled, golding them so fast as you have done, least for your paines, you prove greater Asses, than they do Knaves.

In Salonica I found a Germo, bound for Tenedos, in which I imbarked: As we sayled along the Thessalonian shoare, I saw the two topped hill Pernassus, which is of a wondrous height, whose tops even kisse the Clouds.

[Pernassus.] Mons hic cervicibus petit arduus astra duobus, Nomine Pernassus, superatque cacumine montes.

Through thickest cloudes, Pernassus bends his height, Whose double tops, do kisse the Starres so bright.

Here it was sayd the nine Muses haunted: but as for the Fountaine Helicon, I leave that to be searched, and seene by the imagination of Poets; for if it had bene objected to my sight, like an insatiable drunkard, I should have drunke up the streames of Poesie, to have enlarged my dry poeticall Sun scoarch'd veine.

The Mountaine it selfe is somewhat steepe, and sterile, especially the two toppes, the one whereof is dry, and sandy, signifying that Poets are alwayes poore, and needy: The other top is barren, and rocky, resembling the ingratitude of wretched, and niggardly Patrons: the vale betweene the tops is pleasant, and profitable, denoting the fruitfull, and delightfull soyle, which painefull Poets, the Muses Plow-men, so industriously manure. A little more East-ward, as we fetcht up the coast of Achaia, the maister of the vessell shewed me a ruinous village, and castle, where he sayd the admired [Thebes.] Citty of Thebes had bene. Whose former glory, who can truely write of; for as the earth, when she is disroabed of her budding and fructifying trees, and of her amiable verdure, which is her onely grace and garment royall, is like a naked table wherein nothing is painted: even so is Thebes and her past tryumphs defac'd, and bereft of her lusty and young Gentlemen, as if the spring-tide had bene taken from the yeare: But what shall I say to know the cause of such like things, they are so secret and mysticall; being the most remote objects, to which our understanding may aspire, that we may easily be deceived, by disguised and pretended reasons; whilst we seeke for the true and essentiall causes: for to report things that are done is easie, because the eye and the tongue may dispatch it, but to discover and unfold the causes of things, requireth braine, soule, and the best progresse of nature. And as there is no evill without excuse, nor no pretence without some colour of reason, nor wiles wanting to malicious and wrangling wits; Even so, was there occasion sought for, what from Athens, and what from Greece, whereby the peace and happinesse of Thebes might be dissolved, and discord raised to the last ruines of her desolation.

[Geographicall errours.] This Achaia is by some ignorant Geographers placed in the middle betweene Epire, Thessaly, and Peloponesus: where contrariwise it is the Eastmost Province of Greece except Thrace, lying along twixt it and Thessaly by the sea side, which part of the Countrey, some late Authors have falsly named Migdonia, which is a Province, that lieth North from Thracia, East from Macedon, and South from Misia, having no affinity with the Sea: The chiefe Citties in Achaia, are Neapolis, Appollonia, and Nicalide where the famous Philosophers Aristotle was borne: Here is a huge and high Hill Athos, containing in circuit 70. miles, and as some affirme three dayes journey long, whose shaddow was absurdly sayd to have extended to Lemnos, an Iland lying neere the Carpathian Sea.

Achaia was formerly called Aylaide, but now by the Turkes Levienda: Athos in Greeke is called Agios æros, to wit, a holy Mountaine; the top of it is halfe a dayes journey broad, and 14. Italian miles high. There are twenty Monasteries upon it of Greekish Coleires, a laborious kind of silly Friers, and kind to Strangers: The chiefest of which Cloisters, are called Victopodos, and Agios laura, being all of them strongly walled and fensible.

Upon the third day from Salonica, we arrived in the Roade of Tenedos, which is an Iland in the Sea Pontus, or Propontis: It hath a City called Tenedos, built by Tenes, which is a gallant place, having a Castle, and a faire Haven for all sorts of vessells: It produceth good store of wines, and the best supposed to be in all the South east parts of Europe, or yet in Asia. The Iland is not bigge, but exceeding fertile, lying three miles from the place where Troy stood, as Virgil reported, Æneid. 2.

[Tenedos.] Est in conspectu Tenedos, notissima fama insula,

In sight of Troy, a stately Ile I fand Shut up with Pontus, from the Trojane land; Whose beauteous bounds, made me wish there to stay, Or that I might transport the same away; Else like Tritonean rude Proponticke charmes, T' imbrace sweet Tenes, alwaies in mine armes.

And againe:

Insula dives opum, Priami dum regna manebant.

An Ile most rich, in Silkes, delicious Wine, When Priams Kingdome did in glory shine. Where Ceres now, and Bachus love to dwell And Flora too, in Berecinthiaes Cell.