The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation
Chapter 136 : aegypto continuatur n.o.bilissima totius Africae regio Barbaria; in s.e.x partes divis

aegypto continuatur n.o.bilissima totius Africae regio Barbaria; in s.e.x partes divisa, quarum una est provincia Barcana, quinque reliquae sunt regna, Tunetanum, Tremisenum, Fessanum, Maurocanum et Darense.

_Barcana regio_.

Inter aegyptum et Tunetanum regnum litori praetenditor Barcana regio, a Barce antiqua urbe cognominata, soli asperitate pariter ac siccitate sterilis.

_Regnum Tunetanum_.

Tunetanum regnum veterem Africam minorem ferme totam occupat. Caput est Tunetum, sive Tunisa, vulgo _Tunisi_; insignis, vetus ac satis ampla urbs, quae ex Carthaginis ruinis crevit; emporium Venetis et Genuensibus aliisque mercatoribus celebre. Secunda est Tripolis nova, quae Tripolis Barbariae dicitur, ad differentiam Tripolis Syriae: emporium est Europaeis mercatoribus celeberrimum. _Bona_ etiam, quae olim Hippo, D. Augustina Episcopatu nota, nunc emporium haud postremum. Intus vero est Constantina Romanarum antiquitatum reliquiis conspicua.

_Regnum Tremisenum_.

Caput regni est _Tremisen_, amplissima quondam, bellis gravissimis postea tenuata. In litore est _Algier_, emporium satis n.o.bile, at piratica infame, Christianis mancipiis refertissimum; urbs ipsa moenibus, arcibus ac tormentis bellicis adeo munita, ut inexpugnabilis credatur.

_Regnum Fessanum_.

Ad ipsum fretum Herculis Hispaniae objacet Fessanum regnum, cujus caput _Fez_, urbs totius Barbariae princeps, ingens, opulenta, frequens, splendida ac magnificis superbisque aedificiis miranda.

_Tanger, Sebta, Arxilla_, amplae ad fretum urbes, Hispanicae sunt ditionis.

_Regnum Maurocanum_.

Caput est Mauroc.u.m, vulgo _Maroc_, amplissima ac celeberrima olim, inter maximas universi orbis memorata: at postea ab Arabibus divexata, nunc maligne colitur. Secunda est _Taradante_.

_Darense Regnum_.

Intus Maurocano, Fessano ac Tremiseno regnis confine est regnum Darense amplissimum, olim Caesariensis Mauritania dictum. Caput est _Dara_, unde regioni nomen, tenuibus, ut totum regnum, atque egenis incolis habitata.

_Melilla_ ad mare internum conspicua urbs Hispano paret.

CAP. IX.

_Biledulgerit, Sarra desertum, Nigritae, Abissini_.

A Tergo dictarum regionum est _Biledulgerit_ regio, longissimo tractu ab aegypti confinibus ad Oceanum Atlantic.u.m porrecta. Nomen ei a dactyloram proventu inditum. Deserta in ea sunt, _Lempta, Hair, Zuenziga, Zanhaga_ a singulis opidis cognominibus, adpellata. Regna _Targa, Bardoa_ et _Gaoga_, itidem ab opidis dicta.

_Sarra desertum_.

Continuatur huic regioni versus Meridiem _Sarra_, cujus longitudo a regno _Gaoga_ ad regnum _Gualata_ extenditur.

_Nigritae_.

Inde Nigritarum ampla est regio, ad utramque Nigri amnis ripam: longitudo ejus porrigitur a Nilo et Meroe insula, usque ad Nigri ostia et Oceanum.

Regna in ea sunt haec, ab urbibus denominata: _Gualata, Hoden, Genocha, Senega, Tombuti, Melli, Bitonin, Gurnea, Temian, Dauma, Cano, Ca.s.sena, Benin, Zanfara, Guangara, Borno, Nubia, Biafra, Medra_.

_aethiopia Interior quae est Abissinorum_.

Interiori aethiopiae imperat Abissinorum Rex, qui Presbyter sive Pretiosus Ioannes, vulgo _Prete Gianni_, vocatur; magno, recepto tamen errore; c.u.m is quondam in Asiae, ut relatum est, regno _Tenduc_ regnaverit. Abasenos populos recenset Stepha.n.u.s in Arabia; unde verisimile est, eos in Africam trajecto sinu Arabico commigra.s.se. Aut sane in ipsa Africa fuerunt ad sinistrum Arabici sinus latus, ubi Arabiam Troglodyticam supra memoravimus.

Haec quidpe nunc sub Abissinorum imperio est. Alii tamen ab Arabico vocabulo _Elhabaschi_ (sic enim Mauri Principem Abissinorum adpellant) vulgo factum opinantur Aba.s.si, ac deinde Aba.s.seni; quod denique commutatione vocalium in Abissinorum nomen evasit.

Clauditur regnum ab Ortu Arabico sinu et regionibus _Ajana_ ac _Zangebara_; a Meridie _Monomotapa_; ab Occasu _Congo_ et _Medar_ regnis; a Septemtrione _Nubia_ et aegypto. Longum est ab aegypto ad _Monomotapa_ usque mill. DLx.x.x.

Latum inter fauces Arabici sinus et Nigrum fluvium mill. CCCCL.

Dividitur in compluria regna sive provincias: quarum nomina sunt, _Dasila, Barnaga.s.so, Dangali, Dobas, Trigemahon, Ambiancantiva, Vangue, Bagamidri, Beleguanze, Angote, Balli, Fatigar, Olabi, Baru, Gemen, Fungi, Tirut, Esabela, Malemba_. Vrbes in universo imperio paucae sunt: vicis plurimum habitatur, domibus ex creta et stramine constructis. Rex ipse (qui albo esse colore fertur) sub tentoriis degit, quorum s.e.x millia eum sequuntur.

_Amara_ arx est munitissima, in monte _Amara_ condita; in qua regis filii sub validissimo praesidio educantur, donec patre defuncto heres producatur.

CAP. X.

_aethiopia Exterior sive Inferior; item Insulae Africae adjacentes._

Reliquum Africae aethiopia perhibetur exterior sive inferior; ab Oriente, Meridie et Occidente Oceano perfusa; a Septemtrione quasi duobus brachiis Abissinorum imperium hinc inde complect.i.tur.

Regiones, in quas dividitur, sunt _Congi, Monomotapa, Zangibar_, et _Ajan_.

Pleraque maritimorum a Portugalensibus tenentur firmissimis munimentis ac praesidiis.

_Congi Regnum._

_Congi_ regnum (quod alliis _Manicongo_) Oceano aethiopico perfusum, nomen habet a capite suo urbe _Congi_. Incolae sunt Christiani. Terra ipsa fluminum aquis maxime rigua. Dividitur in provincias s.e.x; quas illi _Mani_, id est, Praefecturas, vocant. Sunt autem _Bamba, Songo, Sundi, Pango, Batta_ et _Pemba_. Regia est, civitas S. Salvatoris, quae ante _Banza_.

_Monomotapa Regnum._

_Monomotapa_ vocabulum significat Imperatorem; unde ipsi terrae, cui hic imperat, nomen inditum. Solum est fertile atque amoenum; amnes aurum, silvae elephantos magna copia produc.u.n.t:

Clauditur regnum ab Ortu, Meridie et Occasu Oceano; a Septemtrione regno _Congi_, Abissinorum imperio et regione _Zangibar_. Longitudo ejus est inter duo maria Rubrum aethiopic.u.mque juxta Lunae montes milliar. German, CCCC. Lat.i.tudo inter Nili fontes et promontorium Bonae Spei mill. CCC.

Caput regni ac sedes regum est _Monomotapa_, ad flumen S. Spiritus. Hinc versus Septemtrionem mill. circiter L. distat n.o.bile aedificium, amplum atque antiquum, quadra forma ex ingentibus saxis constructum.

_Zangibar et Ajan_.

Monomotapae, qua Rubro mari perfunditur, continuatur _Zangibar_ regio; cujus partes, _Cafares_ populi, Monomotapae proximi, et regna _Mozambike, Kiloa, Mombaza_ ac _Melinde_, ab urbibus singulis denominata; quarum _Mozambike_ in insula condita, celeberrimum est Europaeis mercatoribus emporium. Sequitur versus Septemtrionem juxta litus maris Rubri _Ajan_ regio, cujus partes duo regna _Del_ et _Adea Magaduzzo_.

_Insulae ad Africam_.

Insularum ad Africam terram maxima est in Rubro mari Menuthias Cerne Plinio dicta; nunc vulgo insula Divi Laurentii, et incolis _Madagascar_ id est, Lunae insula, felici aromatum proventu dives, longitudine mill. German, CCL, lat. Lx.x.x occupans.

At in Atlantico Oceano contra Hesperium promontorium, quod nunc est _Cabo Verde_, Hesperides sunt insulae duae; ultraque Gorgades, Gorgonum quondam domus: nunc in universam _Islas de C. Verde_ Hispanis dic.u.n.tur, hoc est insulae promontorii Viridis. Contra Mauritanium sunt Fortunatae, VII numero, quarum una Canaria vocitata, a mult.i.tudine canum ingentis magnitudinis, ut auctor est Plinius. Vnde universae Fortunatae, nunc Canariae dic.u.n.tur, Hispaniarum Regi subjectae. Vltra versus Septemtrionem est Cerne, nunc _Madera_ dicta.

Atque haec est totius Africae brevis descriptio.]

Thegiptians also for thieues, had this lawe alone, and no people els. The lawe commaunded that as many as would steale, should entre their names with the chief Prieste: and what so euer was stollen, incontinente to cary the same vnto hym. Likewise, he that was robbed was bounde to entre with the saied Chiefe Priest, the daie, time and houre, when he was robbed. By this meanes the thefte being easely founde out, he that was robbed, loste the fourths parte and receiued the residue, the whiche fourthe was giuen to the thiefe. For the Lawe maker (seeing it was impossible vtterly to be withoute thieues) thought it moche bettre by this meanes that men bare the losse of a piece then to be spoiled of the whole.

The ordre of Mariage emong the Egiptians is not vniforme, for the priest might marry but one onely wife. All other haue as many as they wille, acordyng to their substaunce. Ther is no child emong them, though it be borne of a bought woman slaue, that is compted illegitimate. For they onely compte the father to be the authour of his kynde, and the mother onely but to geue place and nourishement to the childe. When their children be borne they bring them vp with so lytle coste, as a man would skantly belieue.

They fiede them with the rootes of mererushes, and other rootes, rosted in the embries, and with marshe Caubois, and colewortes which partly they seathe, and partly they roste, and parte giue them rawe. They go for the moste parte withoute hosen or shoes, all naked, the contry is so temperate.

All the coste that the Parentes bestowe on their children til they be of age to s.h.i.+ft for themselues, surmounteth not the somme of a n.o.ble.

[Footnote: Equal to six s.h.i.+llings and eight pence.]

The priestes bring vp the children, both in the doctrine of their holye scriptures, and also in the other kindes of learning necessary for the commune life, and chiefly in Geometry and Arithmetique. As for the roughe exercises of wrasteling, ronning, daunsing, playeng at weapons, throwyng the barre or suche like, they train not their youth in, supposyng that the daily exercise of suche, shoulde be to roughe, and daungerous for them, and that they should be an empeiryng of strength. Musique they doe not onely compte vnprofitable, but also hurteful: as making mens courages altogether womanlyke. When they are sicke, they heale themselues, eyther with fasting or vomiting: and that either euery eche other daye, or euery third daye, or fourthe. For they are of opinion that all diseases growe of superfluite of meate, and that kinde of cure therfore to be beste, that riddeth the grounde of the griefe. Men goyng to the warres, or traueillyng the countrie, are healed of free cost. For the Phisicens and Chirurgiens, haue a stipende allowed them of ordenary at the charge of the communes.