Part 7

[Morea in Greece.] Peloponnesus now called Morea, a Peninsula, is all invironed with the sea, save onely at a narrow strait, where it is tied to the continent by an Istmus of five miles in breadth: which the Venetians then Lord of it, fortified with five Castles, and a strong wall from creeke to creeke, which easily were subverted by the Turkish batteries, the defect onely remaining in the defendants weaknesse, and want of men: Corinth and its gulfe, lyeth at the East end of this Istmus, and the gulfe Lepanto on the West, dividing Ætolia and Epyre: The wall which traversed this strait of Morea, was called Hexamite, five miles long: Truely it is one of the most famous distroit du terre en Europe. Morea it selfe is in length 168. and in compasse 546. miles, and is at this day, the most fertile, and best inhabited Province of all the Empyre of Greece: The chiefe Rivers here, are Arbona and Ropheos: Argos here also is watered with the River Planizza, neare which standeth the Towne of Epidaure, wherein the Temple of Esculapius was so renowned for restoring of health to diseased persons. It was anciently cognominate Agalia from Agalius the first King, Anno Mundi 1574. and also intituled from two Kings Sicionia, and Apia, then Peloponesus from Pelops, and now Moreah. It is divided in five territories or petty Provinces, Laconia, Arcadia, Argolis, Misenia, and Eliso, the proper territory of Corinth. Of which City it was sayd,

Hor. Let men take heed of Lais, Corinths whoore, Who earn'd ten thousand Drachmas in an houre.

It is sayd by Æneas Silvius in his Cosmographicall treatise of Europe that divers Kings went about to digge [The strait of Morea.] through this Istmus to make it an Iland, namely King Demetrius, Julius Cæsar, Caius Caligula, and Domitius Nero: Of all whome he doth note that they not onely failed of their purpose, but that they came to violent and unnaturall deaths.

But before the aforesayd Caravan at Peterasso admitted me into his company, he was wonderfull inquisitive, to know for what cause I travelled alone? & of what Nation I was? To whom I soberly excused, and discovered my selfe with modest answers. Which pacified his curiosity; but not his avaritious minde: for under a pretended protection he had of me, he extorted the most part of my money from my purse, without any regard of conscience.

In the first, second, and third dayes journeying, we had faire way, hard lodging, but good cheere, and kind entertainement for our money, which was the Countrey Laconia. But on the fourth day, when we entred in the hilly and barren Countrey of Arcadia; where, for a dayes journey we had no Village, but saw abundance of Cattell without keepers; and in that place it is thought the great battell of Pharsalia was fought betweene Julius Cæsar, and Pompey the great.

[Arcadia.] Arcadia is bounded on the East with Eliso, on the West with Misenia, on the North with Achaia inferiour, and on the South with a part of Laconia and the sea: It was formerly termed Pelasgia, and lastly it tooke the name from Arcas the sonne of Jupiter and Calisto, the people whereof, did long imagine they were more auncient then the Moone;

This soyle of whom Arcas great patrone was, In age the Moone excell'd, in wit the Asse.

But because it is a tradition of more antiquity then credit, I doe rather note it, then affirme it: And as men should dread the thunder-bolt, when they see the lightning, so ignorance and idolatry placed amongst us, and round about us, may be a warning to the professours of the trueth, to take heed of the venome, least by their Arcadian antiquitie surpassing the Moone, they become novices to some new intended massacre, for as powder faild them, but alas, not poison! so now with policy they prevaile in all things: how long the holy one of Israell knoweth, but certainely, our sinnes are the causes of their domineering and of our carelesse drouping.

In this Desart way, I beheld many singular Monuments, and ruinous Castles, whose names I knew not, because I had an ignorant guide: But this I remember, amongst these rockes my belly was pinched, and wearied was my body, with the climbing of fastidious mountaines, which bred no small griefe to my breast. Yet notwithstanding of my distresse, the rememberance of these sweet seasoned Songs of Arcadian Sheepheards which pregnant Poets have so well penned, did recreate my fatigated corps with many sugred suppositions. These sterile bounds being past, we entred in the Easterne plaine of Morea, called aunciently Sparta, where that sometimes famous Citty of Lacedemon flourished, but now sacked, and the lumpes of ruines and memory onely remaines. Marching thus, we left Modena and Napoli on our right hand, toward the sea side, and on the sixt day at night, we pitched our tents in the disinhabited villages of Argo and Micene, from the which unhappy Helen was ravished.

[The rapt of Helen.] This cursed custome of base prostitution, is become so frequent, that the greater sort of her mercenary sexe, following her footsteps, have out-gone her in their loathsom journeies of Libidinous wayes: she being of such an infinite and voluptuous crew, the arch mistresse and ring-leader to destruction, did invite my Muse to inveigh against her lascivious immodesty, as the inordinate patterne of all willing and licentious rapts:

I would thy beauty (fairest of all Dames) Had never caus'd the jealous Greekes to move Thy eyes from Greece, to Ilion cast flames, And burnt that Trojan, with adulterate love: He captive like, thy mercy came to prove And thou divorc'd, was ravish'd with a toy: He swore faire Helen was his dearest dove And thou a Paris swore for to enjoy: Mourne may the ghosts, of sometimes stately Troy. And curse that day, thou saw the Phirigian coast: Thy lecherous lust, did Priams pride destroy, And many thousands, for thy sake were lost. Was't nature, fortune, fancy, beauty, birth, That cros'd thee so, to be a crosse on earth.

Some of thy sexe, baptiz'd with thy curst name, Crown'd with thy fate, are partners in thy shame. Helens are snakes, which breeds their lovers paine, The maps of malice, murther and disdaine: Helens are gulfes, whence streames of blood do flow Rapine, deceit, treason, and overthrow: Helens are whoores, whiles in a Virgin Maske, They sucke from Pluto sterne Proserpines taske: Curst be thou Hell, for hellish Helens sakes, Still crost and curst, be they, that trust such snakes.

Here in Argos I had the ground to be a pillow, and the world-wide-fields to be a chamber, the whirling windy-skies, to be a roofe to my Winter-blasted lodging, and the humide vapours of cold Nocturna, to accompany the unwished-for-bed of my repose. What shall I say then, the solid, and sad man, is not troubled with the floods and ebbes of Fortune, the ill imployed power of greatnesse, nor the fluctuary motions of the humerous multitude; or at least, if he be sensible of his owne, or their irregularities, or confusions, yet his thoughts are not written in his face, his countenance is not significant, nor his miseries further seene than in his owne private suffering; whereas the face and disposition of the feeble one, ever resembleth his last thoughts, and upon every touch, or taste of that which is displeasant and followes not the streames of his appetite, his countenance deformeth it selfe, and like the Moone, is in as many changes as his fortune, but the noble resolution must follow Æneas advice in all his adventures;

Per varios casus, per tot discrimina rerum, Tendimus in latium, &c.

By diverse wayes, and dangers great we mind, To visit Latium, and Latinus kind.

In all this countrey of Greece I could finde nothing, to answer the famous relations, given by auncient Authors, of the excellency of that land, but the name onely; the barbarousnesse of Turkes and Time, having defaced all the Monuments of Antiquity: No shew or honour, no habitation of men in an honest fashion, nor possessours of the Countrey in a Principality. But rather prisoners shut up in prisons, or addicted slaves to cruell and tyrannicall Maisters: So deformed is the state of that once worthy Realme, and so miserable is the burthen of that afflicted people: which, and the apparance of that permanency, grieved my heart to behold the sinister working of blind Fortune, which alwayes plungeth the most renowned Champions, and their memory, in the profoundest pit of all extremities and oblivion.

[Greeke Champions.] Let the Ghosts of that Theban Epaminondas, that Mirmidonian Phillip, & these Epirean worthies, Pyrhus and Scanderberg, be witnesses hereto; but especially, that Macedonian Alexander, whose fortunes ever followed him, rather than fled him til his last dissolution; wherein I may say his greatnesse rose; Like to a mighty and huge Oke, being cled with the exuvials, and Trophees of enemies fenced with an army of boughes garnished with a coat of barke as hard as Steele; despising the force and power of the Winds, as being onely able to dally with the leaves, and not to weaken the roote: But the Northerne wind, that strong Champion of the airy Region, secretly lurking in the vault of some hollow cloude, doth first murmure at this aspiring Oke, and then striketh his Crest with some greater strength; and lastly, with the deepest breath of his Lungs, doth blow up the roote: Even so was it with Alexander, who from a stripling came to be a Cedar, and from the sorrow of no more worlds, was soone cut off from the world he was into: For destiny is no mans drudge, and death is every mans conquerour, matching the Scepter, with the Spade, and the crowned Prince with the praislesse Peasant: And in a word, there was never any to whom fortune did sooner approach, nor never any from whom she did more suddenly flee, then from Alexander, leaving him a cleare mirrour of the worlds inconstancy.

Now as concerning the government of Greece, tearmd by the Turkes, Rum Ili, that is, the Romane Country: [The Beglerbeg of Greece.] It is ruled by a Beglerbeg, or Bassa, this word Beglerbeg imports, Lord of Lords, in regard of the Sanzacks, or Subbassaes under them, who also are tearmed Lords; which is a barbarous pride in an ambitious style: This Beglerbeg of Greece, retaineth his residence at Sophia the Metropole of Bulgaria, formerly Dacia, and is the greatest Commaunder of all other Bassaes in the Turkish Provinces of Europe.

All other Beglerbegs are changed every third yeare, or continued according to the Imperiall pleasure, neither may they returne from their station during this time. But this Bassa of Greece, keepeth his government for his life-time, and remaineth most at Court: He reserveth under his commaund, fourty thousand Timariots or Horsemen; led under the conduct of twenty two Sanzacks, or Judges deputies of Jurisdictions; to wit, two in Albania, at the Townes Iscodera, and Ancolina: two in Achaia, at Delvina, and Albassan: three in Thessalia, at Priasim, Salonica, and Trichola: two in Sparta, at Misietra and Paleopatra: three in Macedonia, at Carmona, Selistria, and Giastandila: one in Moldavia, at Acheranma: in Bulgaria, one at Sophia: in Thracia, one at Viazza: in Epyre, one at Ducagina: in Ætolia, one at Joanina: in Peleponesus, one at Peterasso: the rest are Usopia, Nycopolis, Corinth, and Bandera towards the black-sea, and to the Northward of Danubio, at his kissing the Euxine waves: This much for the Beglerbeg ship of Greece, and the Provinces thereunto adjoyning.

Departing from Argos, upon the seventh day we arrived at [Athens.] Athens: Athens is still inhabited, standing in the East part of Peloponnesus, neere to the frontiers of Macedon, or Thessaly by the Sea side. It was first called Cecropia: Of one Cecrops the first King thereof, who first founded it, Anno Mundi, 2409. it was after mightily inlarged by Theseus, and well provided with good lawes by Solon, and lastly Athens of Minerva: In whose honour for a long time were celebrate solemne playes, called Panathanaia: Athens is now termed Salenos, and was once the shrill sounding Trumpet of Mars, yeelding more valiant Captaines and Commanders then any City in the World, Rome excepted: It was a custome here, that when any man was growne too wealthy or potent, he was banished thence for ten yeares: This exile was intituled Ostracisme, because his name who was abandoned was written in an Oyster-shell: Great combustions and mutinies have happened betweene Lacedemon, and Athens; at last it was sacked by Lysander, and her Virgin body prostituted to the lust of 30. insulting Tyrants; not long after whose expulsion, it was utterly subdued by the Macedonians.

And in a word Athens being stayned with intestine blood-sheds, and grievously discontented with the death of her children; her babes were brought forth, for the sword to glut upon, the bodies of her auncients were made as Pavements to walke upon, her matrones became a prey and prise to every Ravisher, and her Priests and Sacrificers were slaine before the gates of their Temples.

This City was the Mother & Well-spring of all liberall Arts and Sciences; and the great Cisterne of Europe, whence flowed so many Conduit pipes of learning all where, but now altogether decayed: The circuit of old Athens hath beene according to the fundamentall walles yet extant about sixe Italian miles, but now of no great quantity, nor many dwelling houses therein; being within two hundreth fire houses, having a Castle which formerly was the Temple of Minerva. They have abundance of all things, requisite for the sustenance of humane life, of which I had no small proofe: For these Athenians or Greekes, exceeding kindly banqueted me foure dayes, and furnish't me with necessary provision for my voyage to Creta. And also transported me by sea in a Brigandine freely, and on their owne charges to Serigo, being 44. miles distant.

After my redounded thankes, they having returned, the contemplation on their courtesies, brought me in rememberance, how curious the old Athenians were to heare of forraine newes, & with what great regard & estimation they honoured travellers, of which as yet, they are no wayes defective.

[Serigo.] Serigo is an Iland in the sea Cretico: It was aunciently called Cytherea, of Cithero the sonne of Phænise: And of Aristotle Porphyris, or Schotera, in respect of the fine Marble that is got there: It is of circuit threescore miles having but one Castle called Capsallo, which is kept by a Venetian Captaine: here it is sayd that Venus did first inhabit, and I saw the ruines of her demolished Temple, on the side of a mountaine yet extant.

A little more downeward below this old adored Temple of Venus, are the relickes of that Palace, wherein Menalaus did dwell, who was King of Sparta, and Lord of this Ile. The Greekes of the Ile told me there were wild Asses there, who had a stone in their heads, which was a soveraigne remedy for the Falling sicknesse, and good to make a woman be quickly delivered of her birth. I made afterward deeper enquiry for it, to have either seene or bought it, but for my life I could never attaine to any perfect knowledge thereof.

In the time of my abode, at the Village of Capsalo (being a haven for small barkes, and situate below the Castle) the Captaine of that same Fortresse [A Priest slaine in a Bordell.] kild a Seminary Priest, whom he had found in the night with his whoore in a Brothel-house: for the which sacrilegious murther, the Governour of the Ile deposed the Captaine, and banished him, causing a boate to be prepared to send him to Creta. O! if all the Priests which doe commit incest, adultery, and fornication (yea, and worse, Il peccato carnale contra natura) were thus handled and severely rewarded; what a sea of Sodomiticall irreligious blood would overflow the halfe of Europe, to staine the spotted colour of that Romane Beast. Truely, and yet more, these lascivious Friars are the very Epicures, or off-scourings of the earth; for how oft have I heard them say one to another? Allegre, allegre, mio caro fratello, chi ben mangia, ben beve, &c. That is, Be cheerefull, be cheerefull, deare brother, he that eateth well, drinketh well, he that drinketh well, sleepeth well, he that sleepeth well, sinneth not, and he that sinneth not, goeth straight through Purgatory to Paradize. This is all the care of their living, making their tongues to utter what their hearts do thus prophanely thinke, Ede, bibe, dormi, post mortem nulla voluptas, and as it is well observed of this monachall and licentious life:

Non male sunt Monachis, grato indita nomina patrum, Cum numerent natos, hic & ubique suos.

Injustly, no! Monkes be cal'd Fathers, Why? Their bastards swarme, as thicke, as Starres in Sky.

In the aforesayd boat I also imbarked with the Captaine, and sailed by the little Isoletta of Serigota: Leaving Capo di Spada on our left hand, we arrived at Carabusa with extreme fortune, being fiercely persued by three Turkish Galleots. Betweene Serigo and Carabusa we had seven score and twelve miles of dangerous and combustious seas.

THE THIRD PART

Now Creta comes, the Mediterren Queene, To my sought view, where golden Ida's seene: Cut with the Labrinth of th' old Minatoure, Thence tracd I all, the Syclads fifty foure: With Nigropont and Thessaly amaine, Macedon, Pernassus, the Achaian plaine; Tenedos and Troy, long Phrigia sixt, Sestos, Abidos, Adrianopole vext; Colchis, falne Thebes, Hellespont, and more, Constantinople, earths best soveraigne glore: The Euxine sea, and Pompeys pillar prest, In Peru then, Ile take my Winters rest.

The Ile of Candy formerly called Creta, hath to the North the Ægean sea, to the West the sea Ionian; to the South the Libique sea, and to the East, the Carpathian sea: It lieth midway twixt Achaia in Greece and Cyrene in Affrick, not being distant from the one, nor from the other, above two dayes sayling: It is a most famous and auncient Kingdome: By moderne Writers, it is called Queene of [The antiquity of Candy.] the Iles Mediterrene: It had of olde an hundreth Citties, whereof it had the name Hecatompolis, but now onely foure, Candia, Canea, Rethimos, and Scythia, the rest are but Villages and Bourges. It is of length, to wit, from Capo Ermico in the West, called by Pliny, Frons arietis, and Capo Salomone in the East, two hundreth and forty Miles, large threescore, and of circuit sixe hundreth and fifty miles.

This is the chiefe Dominion, belonging to the Venetian Reipublique: In every one of these foure Citties, there is a Governour, and two Counsellors, sent from Venice every two yeares. The Countrey is divided into foure parts, under the jurisdiction of the foure Citties, for the better administration of Justice: and they have a Generall, who commonly remaineth in the Citty of Candy (like to a Viceroy) who deposeth, or imposeth Magistrates, Captaines, Souldiers, Officers, and others whatsoever, in the behalfe of Saint Marke or Duke of Venice. The Venetians detaine continually a strong guard, divided in Companies, Squadrons, and Garrisons, in the Citties and Fortresses of the Iland: which do extend to the number of 12000. Souldiers, kept, not onely for the incursion of Turks, but also for feare of the Creets or Inhabitants, who would rather (if they could) render to the Turke, then to live under the subjection of Venice, thinking thereby to have more liberty, & lesse taxed under the Infidell, then now they are under the Christian.

This Ile produceth the best Malvasy, Muscadine and Leaticke wines, that are in the whole Universe. It yeeldeth Orenges, Lemmons, Mellons, Cytrons, Grenadiers, Adams Apples, Raisins, Olives, Dates, Hony, Sugar, Vua di tre volte, and all other kindes of fruite in abundance. But the most part of the Cornes are brought yearely from Archipelago and Greece. [The Rivers of Candy.] The chiefe Rivers are Cataracho, Melipotomos, Escasino; being all of them shallow and discommodious for shipping, in respect of their short courses, and rocky passages: And the principall Citties of olde, were Gnassus, where Minos kept his Court, 2. Cortina, 3. Aphra and Cydonia. This Countrey was by Marcellus made subject to the Romanes: It was afterward given by Baldwin Earle of Flanders, the first Latin Emperor of Constantinople to Boniface of Montserrat, who sold it, Anno 1194. to the Venetians.

This much of the Ile in generall; and now in respect of my travelling two times through the bounds of the whole Kingdome, which was never before atchieved by any Traveller in Christendome; I will as briefly as I can in particular, relate a few of these miseries indured by me in this Land, with the nature & quality of the people.

This aforesaid Carabusa, is the principall Fortresse of Creta, being of it selfe invincible, and is not unlike to the Castle of Dunbertan, which standeth at the mouth of Clyd; upon which River [The old and famous City of Lanerke.] the auncient City of Lanerke is situated: For this Fort is environed with a Rocke higher then the wals, and joyneth close with Capo Ermico: having learned of the theevish way I had to Canea, I advised to put my mony in exchange, which the Captaine of that strength very curteously performed; and would also have diswaded me from my purpose, but I by no perswasion of him would stay. From thence departing, all alone, scarcely was I advanced twelve miles in my way, when I was beset on the skirt of a Rocky Mountaine; with three Greeke murdering Renegadoes, and an Italian Bandido: who laying hands on me, beate me most cruelly, robbed me of all my clothes, and stripped me naked, threatning me with many grievous speeches.

At last the respective Italian, perceiving I was a stranger, and could not speake the Cretan tongue, began to aske me in his owne language, where was my money? to whom I soberly answered, I had no more then he saw, which was fourescore Bagantines: which scarcely amounted to two groats English: But he not giving credit to these words, searched all my clothes and Budgeto, yet found nothing except my linnen, and Letters of recommendations I had from divers Princes of Christendome, especially the Duke of Venice, whose subjects they were, if they had beene lawfull subjects: Which when he saw, did move him to compassion, and earnestly entreated the other three theeves to grant me mercy, and to save my life: [A happy deliverance.] A long deliberation being ended, they restored backe againe my Pilgrimes clothes, and Letters, but my blew gowne and Bagantines they kept: Such also was their theevish courtesie toward me, that for my better safegard in the way, they gave me a stamped piece of clay, as a token to shew any of their companions, if I encountred with any of them; for they were about twenty Rascalles of a confederate band, that lay in this desart passage.

Leaving them with many counterfeit thankes, I travelled that day seaven and thirty miles, and at night attained to the unhappy Village of Pickehorno: where I could have neither meate, drinke, lodging, nor any refreshment to my wearied body. These desperate Candiots thronged about me, gazing (as though astonished) to see me both want company, and their Language, and by their cruell lookes, they seemed to be a barbarous and uncivill people: [Cruell Candiots.] For all these High-landers of Candy, are tyrannicall, blood-thirsty, and deceitfull. The consideration of which and the appearance of my death, signed to me secretly by a pittifull woman, made me to shun their villany in stealing forth from them in the darke night, and privately sought for a secure place of repose in a umbragious Cave by the Sea side, where I lay till morning with a fearefull heart, a crased body, a thirstie stomacke, and a hungry belly.