Part 29

I found here abundance of slaves, most of them Spaniards, whom they dayly constraine within Towne to beare all manner of burdens here and there, and without Towne to drudge in the fields, amongst their Vines and Cornes, and other toyling labours, abusing them still with buffets and bastinadoes as their perverstnesse listeth: Neither durst I leave my lodging, unlesse I had three or foure Christian slaves to guide me, and guard me too from scelerate vulgars: who beare no respect to any stranger nor free Franck. [A naturall sublime policy.] Here I remarked a wonderfull policy in the Turkish state, concerning these thiftuous and rapinous Townes of Barbary; who as they are ordained ever to plague and prey upon the Spaniard, yet under that colour they licentiat them to make havock and seaze upon all other Christiane ships, goods, and persons as they please, the French Nation excepted: And so they doe notwithstanding of our several Ambassadours lying at Constantinople, who rather stay there as Mungrells than absolute Ambassadours: for why should Christian Princes meditate for peace and commerce with the Turke, when theirs, with his subjects the Barbarian Moores have no safety; they being obedient to his lawes, and over-ruled by Bassawes, as well as these are of Asia and Easterne Europe: from which I gather, as from all other like examples, that there is a more sublime over-mastering policy, subtility, and provident foresight, in meere naturall men as Turkes be, then in our best Grandeurs, for all their Sciences, & schoole studies can either perceive or perform farre less prosecute. To which avowed dangers if any small ship, ruled by rash fellowes, should adventure within the straites, as too many English doe, beeing unable and unprovided for defence; and so are taken & Captivated, and afterward redeemed by Contributions over the Land: I justly affirme it, they deserve rather to be punished, and remayne there in punishment, then any reliefe or redemption to be wrought for them, who will nakedly hazard themselves in knowne perrils, without Ordonance, munition, and a burdenable ship.

But reverting to my purpose, the marine Provinces which lye betweene Ægypt and Sewty, over agaynst [The Barbarian Provinces twixt Egypt and Gibelterre.] Gibelterre being the Straits, are these; Cyrene, Barca Marmorica, Ezzeba, the Trypolian Jurisdiction, the Kingdomes of Tunneis, Abirouh, Arradetz, Tremizen, Algier, and a part of Fez; extending to two thousand and three hundred Maritine miles: All which, by ignorant Sea-men, and ruvide Moores is tearmed Barbary, who can not distinguish parts nor provinces, but even as the Orientall Turkes doe, that denominate all Asia minor, under the name Carmania, and know no further of their ancient nor particular titles.

Now as concerning their Customes, it is the fashion of all these Barbarian Moores, in marrying of their wives, that after the Bridegroome and the Bride are inrolled by their Totsecks or Priests in the Mosque before the Parents of each party, and the Bride presently brought home to the house of her Husband, accompanied with al their Friends, Musicke, and Revelling: He immediatly withdraweth her to a private Chamber, having onely one old woman standing by them in a corner of the Roome: where hee lying with the Bride, and shee being found a Mayde, by a certayne cloath layd under her privy place, which being by the old Hagge drawne out, and found sprinkled with spots of blood shee presenteth it first to him, as a token of virginity; and then forthwith runneth through the house, among all the friends of the new married couple, crying with a loud voyce, and carrying the bloody napkin in her hand, the Virgine-bride is broken up; whereat they all rejoyce, giving rewards and good cheare to the Cryer: [The tryall of Moorish Brides.] But if the bride be not found a Mayd, then he returneth her backe unto her Parents which they accompt as an immortall shame, and the nuptiall feast, and all the assistants thereunto, are suddenly dismissed: But if a Virgine, the banquet continueth all the first day, with great cheare, dancings, revellings, with Musicall Instruments of divers sorts.

The second night is onely the feast of women for both parties; and the third banquet is made on the seventh day after the nuptiall, the provision of which the father of the Bride sendeth to the house of his new sonne in law: where after this banquet, and the seventh day, in the next morning the Bridegroome goeth then abroad from his house (which hee doth not till the aforesayd time) unto the market place, where he buyeth a number of fish to carry with him to his dwelling, as a signe of good lucke, it being an auncient custome through the most part of all the Notherne Affrick.

The men and women at such meetings dance a part, each of them having their own Musicke and orders of merriment.

They have also a custome that when Infants beginne to breed teeth, their Parents will make a solemne feast to all the Children of the Towne, with divers ceremonies; which custome they reserve yet, in divers parts of Italy.

The women through all Barbary, weare abundance of Bracelets on their armes, and Rings in their eares, but not through the nose and lips as the Ægyptians doe; and turne also the nayles of their hands and feete to red, accounting it a base thing to see a white naile: The men here for the most part, are the best Archers, and Horse-men that are in Affrick, and take great pleasure in breeding of their Barbes: So are they both active and couragious, and very desperate in all their attempts, being all of the Mahometanicall Religion, though more ignorant thereof than the Turkes: some whereof are subject to the Turke, some to the Emperour of Morocco, and some to their owne barbarous Princes.

And now it was my fortune here in Algier, after 12. [Monsieur Chatteline a French Lapidator.] dayes abode, to meete with a French Lapidator, Monsieur Chatteline borne in Aise du Provance, who intending to visit Fez, joyned company with me, and we with certaine Merchants of Algier that were going hither: being in all 30. passengers, with two Jannizaries and a Dragoman.

Whence advancing our way, some on Mules, and some on foote, with Asses carrying our baggage and provision; we left the marine Townes of Saly and Tituana, far to the West on our right hand, and facing the in-land wee marched for three dayes through a fruitfull and populous soyle: And although the peoples barbarous and disdainefull countenances were awfull, yet we two went still free of tributs, as not being a thing with them accustomary, to execute exaction on Francks as the Turkes and Moores do in Asia, neither understood they what wee were, being cled with company, and after their fashion: save onely that nature had set a fairer stamp on my face, than theirs, which oft I wished had beene as blacke as their uglines. In this misculat journeying of paine & pleasure we found every where strong Wines, abundance of excellent bread, and the best, and greatest Hens bred on the earth, with plenty of Figges, Fruits, Olives, and delicious oyle, yea, and innumerable Villages, the houses whereof are all builded with mudde, and platformed on their tops; and so are they in Asia, and all Affrick over.

Upon the fourth day having past the Plaines, we entered in a hilly Countrey, yet pastorable; where I beheld here and there clouds of Tents, filled with maritine people, that were fled hither from the Sea coast for the fresh and cooling ayre.

And upon these pleasant and umbragious heights, I saw the fields overcled with flocks of Sheepe and Goats: which Sheepe are wondrous great, having from their rumpes and hips, broad and thicke tayles growing, and hanging to the ground, some whereof when sold, will weigh 16. 18. or 20. pounds weight, and upwards. Here among the mountaines, our company knowing well the Countrey, tooke a great advantage of the way, and on the seventh day in the morning, [Mine arrival at Fez.] wee arrived at the great Towne of Fez: where the French man and I were conducted by some of our company to a great Moorish Inne or Taverne: & there received, we were as kindly & respectively used, as ever I was in any part of the Turks Dominions, being now out of them, & in the Empire of Morocco.

This City of Fez is situate upon the bodies and twice double devalling faces of two hills, like to Grenada in Andelosia in Spaine; the intervale, or low valley betweene both (through which the torride River of Marraheba runneth Southward) being the Center and chiefest place, is the most beautifull and populous part of the City; the situation of which, and of the whole, is just set under the Tropick of Cancer.

Over which River, and in this bottome, there are three score and seaven Bridges of stone and Timber, each of them being a passage for open streetes on both sides. The intervayle consisteth of two miles in length, and halfe a mile broad; wherein, besides five Chereaffs or Market places, there are great Palaces, magnificke Mosquees, [Great Colledges and Hospitalls.] Colledges, Hospitals, and a hundred Palatiat Tavernes, the worst whereof, may lodge a Monarchicke trayne: Most part of all which buildings, are three and foure stories high, adorned with large and open Windowes, long Galleries, spacious Chambers, and flat tectures or square platformes.

The streetes being covered above, twixt these plaine-set Fabrickes, have large Lights cut through the tectur'd tops every where; in whose lower shoppes or Roomes are infinite Merchandize, and Ware of all sorts to bee sold.

The people of both kindes are cloathed in long breeches and bare Ancles, with red or yellow shooes shod with Iron on the Heeles, and on the Toes with white Horne; and weare on their bodies long Robes of Linning or Dimmety, and silken Wast-coates of diverse Colours: The behaviour of the Vulgars being far more civill toward Strangers then at Constantinople; or else where in all Turkey.

The Women here go unmasked abroad, wearing on their heads, broad, and round Capes, made of Straw or small Reedes, to shade their faces from the Sunne; and damnable Libidinous, beeing prepared both wayes to satisfie the lust of their Luxurious Villaines; neyther are they so strictly kept as the Turkish Women, marching where they please.

There are some twelve thousand allowed Brothell-houses in this Towne, the Courtezans being neatly kept, and weekely well looked to by Physitians; but worst of all, in the Summer time, they openly Lycentiat three thousand common Stewes of Sodomiticall boyes: Nay I have seene at mid-day, in the very Market places, the Moores buggering these filthy Carrions, and without shame or punishment go freely away.

There are severall Seates of Justice heere (though none to vindicate beastlinesse) occupied by Cadeis and Sanzackes, which twice a Weeke heare all differences and complaints: their chiefe Seriff, or Vicegerent, being sent from Morocco, is returned hither agayne every third yeare.

[The beauty and greatnes of Fez.] The two Hills on both sides the planur'd Citty, East, and West, are over-cled with streetes and Houses of two stories high, beeing beautified also with delicate Gardens, and on their extreame devalling parts, with numbers of Mosquees and Watch-towers: On which heights, and round about the Towne, there stand some three hundred Wind-mils; most part whereof pertayne to the Mosques, and the two magnifick Colledges erected for education of Children, in the Mahometanicall Law.

One of which Accademies, cost the King Habahennor in building of it, foure hundred and three score thousand Duckets. Jacob sonne to Abdulach the first King of the Families of Meennons, divided Fez in three parts, and with three severall Walles, though now invironed with onely one, and that broken downe in sundry parts.

The chiefest Mosque in it, is called Mammo-Currarad, signifying the glory of Mahomet, being an Italian mile in Compasse, and beautified with seventeene high ground Steeples, besides Turrets and Towers: having thirty foure entring Doores; beeing supported within, and by the [The modell of the great City of Fez.] length, with forty eight pillars, and some twenty three Ranges of pillars in breadth, besides many Iles, Quires, and circulary Rotundoes: Every Pillar having a Lampe of Oyle burning thereat; where there, and through the whole Mosque, there are every night nine hundred Lamps lighted; and to maintaine them, and a hundred Totsecks and preaching Talsumans, the rent of it extendeth to two hundred Duccats a day: Neverthelesse there are in the City besides it, more then foure hundred and threescore [The magnifick Mosque of Fez.] Mosquees; fifty whereof are well benefited and superbiously decored within and without, with glorious and extraordinary workmanship, whose rooffes within are all Mosaick worke, and curiously indented with Gold, and the walles and pillars being of grey Marble, interlarded with white Alabaster, and so is the chiefe Mosque too in which Monsieur Chatteline and I had three sundry recourses accompanied with our Moorish hoste, who from their Priests had procured that licence for us. This City aboundeth in all manner of provision fit for man or beast, & is the goodliest place of all North Affrick, contayning a hundred and twenty thousand fire-houses, and in them a million of soules: Truely this is a world for a City, and may rather second Grand Caire, than subjoyne it selfe to Constantinople, being farre superior in greatnesse with Aleppo: For these are the foure greatest Cities, that ever I saw in the world, either at home or abroad.

The Cittizens here are very modest and zealous at their divine services, but great dauncers and revellers on their solemne festivall dayes, wherein they have Bull-beating, Maskerats, singing of rimes, and processions of Priests. The Moores in times past of Fez and Morocco, had divers excellent personages, well learned, and very civill; for amongst the Kings Mahometan one can not praise too much the Kings Almansor, Maunon, and Hucceph, being most excellent men in their superstition.

In whose times flourished the most famous medicines, and Philosophers that were among the Pagans, as A Vicenne, Rasis, Albumazar, Averroes, &c. with other great numbers maintained by the Kings of Morocco, that then were Masters of all Barbary and Spaine: As in Spaine may be seene yet, (though now fallen in decay) a great number of their Colledges, shewing they were great lovers of their Religion and Doctrine, and are so to this day, save onely in their drinking of Wine forbidden by their Alcoran. They were great devisers too of gallant sportings, exercises, turnaments, and Bull-beating, which Spayne retaineth to this time; yea, and the Romanes did learne, and follow many of them.

Here in Fez there be a great number of Poets, that make Songs on divers subjects, especially of Love, and Lovers, whom they openly name in their rimes, without [Poets among Barbarians in great request.] rebuke or shame: All which Poets once every yeare, agane Mahomets birth-day, make rimes to his praise; meanewhile in the after noone of that festivall day, the whole Poets assembling in the market place, there is a Dasked chayre prepared for them, whereon they mount one after another to recite their verses in audience of all the people; and who by them is judged to be best, is esteemed all that yeare above the rest, having this Epithite the Prince of Poets, and is by the Vicegerent and Towne rewarded; But in the time of the Maennon Kings, the Prince on that day in his owne Pallace did conveine the whole Cittizens, in whose presence he made a solemne feast to all the best Poets; causing every one of them to recite the praise of Mahomet before his face, standing on a high scaffold: And to him that was thought to excell the rest, the King gave him 100. Sultans of gold, an horse, a woman slave, & the long Robe that was about him for the time: And to each one of the rest he caused give fifty Sultans, so that every one should have some recompense for their paines: Indeed a worthy observance; and would to God it were now the custome of our Europian Princes to doe the like, and especially of this Ile, then would bravest wits, and quickest braines, studdy and strive to show the exquisit ingeniosity of their best styles, and pregnant invention, which now is ecclipsed, and smotherd downe, because now a dayes, there is neither regard nor reward for such excellent Pen-men. Fez was aunciently named Sylda, whose Kingdome hath Atlas to the South, the River of Burdraga to the East, and Tremizen: Morocco to the West: And the confynes of Guargula, and a part of the Sea to the North: Having spent in Fez 17. dayes, in all which time, we daily conversed with some Christian Abasines, [Heragens or Ethiopian Negroes.] Heragenes, or Æthiopian Nigroes, some whereof were Merchands, and some religious; and Monsieur Chattelines businesse not effected, seeking Diamonds and precious stones to buy; was seriously advised by them, to goe for Arracon, a great Towne on the Frontiers of the Northerne Æthiopia: where he would finde abundance of such at an easie rate, giving him a perfit direction for his passage hither being 30. daies journey: he concluded with their counsell his resolution, and perswading me to the same intention, I yeeld, being over-mastred with the greedy desire of more sights.

Meanewhile for our conduct, we hire a Dragoman Moore that spoke Italiens to be our Interpreter, and with him a Tent, and two Moorish drudges to guide, guard, & serve us by the way of fifty eight Sultans for gold, eighteene pounds foure shillings English: having sixe of their Kinsmen fast bound to a Sanzak or Justice, for our lives, liberties, and moneyes.

Hereupon having provided our selves, with all necessary things, and a Mule to carry our Victuals, Water and Baggage, we discharged our conscionable Hostage, at twenty Aspers a day the man, being thirty foure shillings to each of us; and were brought on our way, by the aforesayd Christian Heragenes some foure Leagues. Where having left them with dutifull thankes, wee set forward in our journey, and for seaven dayes together wee were not violently molested by any thing, save intollerable heate, finding tented people and scattered Villages all the way.

The eight day, the way being fastidious and Rockey, [Chatteline the French Lapidator taken sicke.] and Chatteline on foot, he succumb'd, and could not subsist, not beeing used to pedestriall travayle; and for our better speed and his reliefe, wee mounted him aloft on the top of our baggage. At last arriving at Ahetzo (where we reposed) being the furthest and South-most Towne of the Kingdome of Fez, composed of a thousand fire-houses, well fortified with Walles, and a Garrison of Moores in it, subject to the Emperour of Morocco: the French-man long or day, fell sicke of a burning Feaver: Whereuppon wee stayed five dayes expecting his health, which growing worse and worse, and hee mindfull to returne, which I would not: I left him in safe custody, and one of our Drudges to attend him till Fez. And bearing the charges of the other two, according to the former condition: I set forward for my purpose, which ere long turned to sad Repentance.

Leaving Ahetzo behind us, and entring the Countrey of the Agaroes, we found the best inhabitants halfe cled, the Vulgars naked, the Countrey voyd of Villages, Rivers, or Cultivage: but the soyle rich in Bestiall, abounding in Sheep, Goates, Camels, Dromidores, and passing good horses: Having an Emeere of their owne, being subject to none, but to his owne passions, and them to the disposition of his scelerate nature; yet hee, and they had a bastard show of Mahometanicall Religion: Their Bestiall are watered with sources, and the pastorable fields, with the nightly Serene, and themselves with the Watrish concavity of the earth. In our sixe dayes toyle, traversing this Countrey, we had many troubles and snarlings from these Savages, who sometimes over-laboured us with Bastinadoes, and were still inquirous what I was, and whether I went; yea, and enough for the Dragoman to save my life and liberty.

Having past the perverstnesse of this calamity, upon the seaventh day, wee rancountred with another soyle, [The Tribe of the Hagans or Jamnites.] and worser tribe of the Hagans or Jamnites, most part whereof were white Moores, a people more uglye then the Nigroes, yet some of the better sort had their members covered, but of condition farre more wicked then the former.

They are ruled by a Seriff, whose Guard is composed of women, and young Balars, pages; seeming rather to live without Religion, then acknowledging any kinde of Deity. Here my Dragoman, doubting of his passage, and the difficilnesse of the Countrey, which arose from his ignorantnesse thereof, was inforced to hyre a Hagan guide, to bring us to the province of Abadud, bordering with Æthiopia. But by your leave, our guide having led us for five dayes together South-eastward, and almost contrary to our purpose: in the sixt night of our Repose, he stole away, eyther for feare or falshood, mistaking our journey, or deceiving us for despight, the halfe of his Wages being payed him before. Well, the Villaine gone, and my Dragoman the next day continuing our faces, in the same Arte, wee were long or night involved in a dis-inhabited Country, being Desartuous and dangerous for Wilde beasts, and full of Mountaynes. Pitching our Tent neare to a Rocke, we burnt all that night shrubs of Tara, to affright the Beasts of all kinds, and so did we every night of that wofull wandring, which flaming light their nature cannot abide. Day come, and our comfort yet fresh, we sought further in, thinking to finde people and Tents to relieve us with Victuales, and informe us of the Countrey, but we found none, neither seven daies thereafter. The matter growing hard, and our victuals and water done, we were forced to relye upon Tobacco, and to drinke our owne wayning pisse, for the time aforesayd.

The Soyle we daily traced, was covered with hard and soft Sands, and them full of Serpents, being interlarded with Rockey heights, faced with Caves and Dens: the very habitacle of Wilde beasts, whose hollow cryes, as we heard in the night, so we too often sighted their bodies in the [The Wilde Beasts of the Libian Desarts.] day, especially Jackals, Beares, and Boares, and sometimes Cymbers, Tygers, and Leopards, agaynst whom in the day time if they approached us, we eyther shot off a Harquebuse, or else flashed some powder in the Ayre; the smell whereof, no ravenous beast can abide.

This vast Wildernesse is a part of the Berdoans Countrey, one of the foure tribes of the olde Lybians, the Sabuncks, the Carmines, and the Southerne Garolines, being the other three. And now to helpe the expression of my grievous distresse and miseries, my Muse must lament the rest.