ws^ » \/ v^ ^ * ./■\ ^. # # ^ X y .^^ \ ./ / 4 #. 19. Webbe is made a galley-slave. 1574. Dec. 21. Amurath III. [Murad Khan) becomes Sultan. 1576. May II. Thamasp /., Shah of Persia, dies. A disputed succession leads to fierce contests and national disorder in Persia. Amurath determines to conquer it. CHRONICLE. 5 1578. First campaign against Persia, from Erzeroum ; under Mustapha Pasha (the conqueror of Cyprus). It is inde- cisive. i^^g. Mustapha Pasha has a second indecisive campaign. He is recalled, and arrives in Constantinople 9 May 1580. '^ Sinan Pasha appointed in his stead. /*i58o. Webbe, 'constrained for want of victuals,' discovers his skill in gunnery. Has to serve in the Persian war. 1582. June I — July 22. Amurath circumcises his eldest son Mahomet. Feasting for 52 days and nights. See J. von Hammer. aet. 28. Webbe makes a wonderful piece of fireworks, pp. 28, 29. Nov. 14. ' The tall shippe called the Susaft of Lotidon [24 guns] : the Master whereof was i?zc^^rd?/'arj(?/w' leaves Black- wall, and 1583. Jan. 14. Embarks, at the Isle of Wight, Master William Har- borne and suite ; being the first English Ambassador to the Great Turk. Mar. 29. Mr. Harborne lands at Constantinople, and remains there 5 years. The remainder of Webbe's travels while in slavery can only be put down as they are given to us. Ali Pasha — a renegade Christian — with 60 gallies attempts his native town in Calabria. From the Army in Persia, Webbe is taken by Damascus to Cairo. At the Red sea, sees the Grand Maria. Thence to Goa in the East Indies. Thence by Bethlehem, Jerusalem, &c., again t Damascus Thence to the land of Prester John [? Turkistan] ' withir 18 degrees [ = 1080 miles] of the sun.' Returns to Constantinople in time of famine, * an Eng- lish penny loaf of bread being worth a cro\\n of gold.' Is imprisoned in iron chains, grievously pinched with extreme penury at Constantinople, with 2000 other Chris- tian slaves. Webbe, on behalf of 500 Christians slaves, works through a 14 feet wall. Their attempt to escape is discovered, and they are punished, p. 28. \^T^85. Oct. 29. The Grand- Vizier, Osman Pasha dies. B8. ?et. 34. * Soone after the death of the great Basha' Mr. Har- borne ransoms about 20 English men, ' whereof Webbe * was one of the last.' Journeying towards England, he came by land to Venice. Then singularly enough, goes southward through Italy. At Padua, he is tried for a heretic. At Ferrara, he is well entertained. At Bologna, an Englishman, a Catholic Bishop, Doctor Poole, shows him great friendship. At Florence, he meets another Englishman, Mr. John Stanley. At Rome, he is 19 days in trouble with the Pope and Cardinal Allen, but they let him pass, giving him 35 crowns. The English College however make a fool of him and imprison him three days, from which he is delivered by another Englishman. ♦Aug. He is reviled with lying rumours as to the success of the Spanish Armada. Aug. 3. Mr. Harborne and suite leave Constantinople ; return- CHRONICLE. ing home via the Danube, Poland, and the Hanse towns. Hakhiyt, i. 400. At Naples, Webbe is denounced by a Genoese as an English spy. Is 16 days in a dark dungeon : ' thrice had 1589. I ye strappado.' Is further imprisoned 7 months. *Feb. He petitions the Viceroy. The King appoints him one of his gunners, with 35 crowns a month. Naturally he seizes the first opportunity of escape. Finally does get away in the Grace of London, Nicholas Nottingham, Master. ^ May r. aet. 35. Webbe arrives in England, after 13 years absence. May to Nov. Visits his friends. / Nov. Goes over into France. Henry IV. appoints him Chief c [ Master Gunner in the field. 2 i<9o. Mar. 14. Battle of Ivry. Henry IV. beats the League,/. 34. ^ Jealous French gunners poison Webbe. He is saved ^ I by 'Unicorn's horn ;' and returns to England. Takes lodgings in Blackwall, where he writes his narra- tive, finally on May 19. He dedicates his book. THE TRAVELS OF EDWARD WEBBE. INTRODUCTION. |HE dread of the Great Turk pervading Chriflendom, in the days of Queen EHza- beth, is a thing hard of apprehenfion to the prefent generation of EngUfhmen. Beyond the comparatively petty intefline quarrels of Chriflian princes, there feemed furely furging onwards the great wave of Mahomedan inva- fion. In numbers incalculable, in numbers apparently inexhauftible, the Turks had poured into Europe. Hardly a century had expired fmce they had blotted out the Eaflern Roman Empire, — the venerable polity of eleven centuries, the bridge between an- cient and modern hiflory. Within that century, they had conquered Greece, Egypt, Rhodes, and Cyprus ; had penetrated into Italy ; and had carried devaflation through Hungary, to the very walls of Vienna. Even now the fouthern nations of Europe were grappling with them, as in a death flruggle. Crufhing defeats, fuch as ' The great fea-fight of Lepanto,' and they were rare enough, feemed hardly to diminifli the numbers or check the power of the Turks, or to procure for the Chriflians even a mo- ment's breathing time. Need we wonder, then, if 8 Introdu5lion, ofttimes men's hearts failed them, for fear, for dread, and for defpair ? With the power of the Great Turk confider the might of the king of Spain. In addition to Spain, the Low- Countries, Naples, and Sicily, Philip II. poffeffed colonies in the New World, in the aggregate as vafl as Chriflendom itfelf. He was the moil potent Chriftian king, drawing fabulous riches from the New World for the maintenance of large armies and fleets in the Old, which he employed as much in extinguifh- ing the liberties of his fubjeds as in attempting to crufh thofe who chofe to win for themfelves and their pofLerity, at the utmofl hazard of their all, the precious effentials of exiflence : freedom of thought, of adlion, and of worfhip. Contrafled with thefe two Empires, then at their zenith, the pofition of England, as an European ftate, was comparatively infignificant. To the Turks, the Englifh were but a hardy variety of Chriflians, to whom — following their cuflom with regard to all the foreign nations with which they came in contadl — they gave the defignation, as an appropriate nickname, of ' The Clothiers.' To the Spaniards, they were execrable heretics, doomed to be conquered by them in this world, and to endlefs torment in the next. Nothing but utterly recklefs daring, nothing but almoft fuperhuman endurance and courage, nothing but a national charadler deeply imbued with the fimplefl reliance upon the Saviour of mankind, could fave — did fave our ifland home from the ulti- mate grafp of one or other of thefe mighty defpotifms. By the good providence of God, the fcale has been turned. Vi6loria benignly rules an Eaftern Empire Introdu^lion. 9 more populous than that of Amurath ; fofters colonies larger and richer — richer not only in gold ' that perifh- eth,' but in all the conflituents of human happinefs, all the elements of human progrefs — than ever poffeffed Philip II. ; and is enthroned in the hearts of a people more united and infinitely more powerful than were ever the fubjedis of her great predeceffor, Elizabeth. Though the following jottings from the memory — enfeebled by fuffering — of * a simple man void of learning,' are of but little hiflorical value ; they give us a paffmg glimpfe of the vafl whirlwind of confli6ling forces then raging over Southern Europe ; of fome of the dangers that befet Englifh commerce beyond the narrow feas ; and of that Englifh pluck and endur- ance which won unto itfelf the power and renown which have come down to us from our forefathers. Webbe is every inch an Englifhman. In nothing more fo than in the cheerful, modefl, yet dauntlefs defire with which — after having through eighteen years of flavery experienced what could be infli6led upon him by the feverity of the Tartars, by the harfher cruelty of the Turks, and by the flill fiercer ferocity of the Chriflians — he concludes his narrative : — ' I fhall be glad and do daylie defire that I may be imployed in fome fuch fervice as may be profitable to my Prince and Cuntrey.' The epic of modern hiflory is to be found in the Elizabethan^ age. BIBLIOGRAPHY. EDWARD WEBBE HIS TRAUAILES- (a) tissues in tfje ^atrator*s life time. /. As a feparate publication. 1. [1590]. 2. [1590]. London. I vol. 4to. London. I vol. 4to. 1590. London. I vol. 4to. Editio princeps : fee title on oppofite page. It has no wood cuts. [Of this firft edition the only other Copy as yet known is that purchafed at Naffau's fale by Mr. Jadis, at whofe fale again it was purchafed for £i\ 14s. Gren- ville Catalogue^ Britijh Mu/eum.'\ Printed by A. J. for William Barley, dwelling in Gratious ftreete neere leaden hall. A reprint of No. 1 ; with the addi- tion of fix woodcuts, one of which, repeated alfo as a frontifpiece, repre- fents Webbe as a young man walking. Second edition. Newly enlarged and correcfled by the Author. London. Printed for William Wright. 1590. With hx. woodcuts, five of which are thofe of No. 2 : the portrait of Webbe, alfo repeated as a frontifpiece, being altered to an older man firing a cannon. The only important addition is the following in the ' Epiftle to the Reader.' ' And whereas in the firll edition of this booke a great fault in number did negligently efcape in Folio 3 [fee page 21.] in thefe wordes 30 thoufand for 300 thoufand : and 50 thoufand for 500 thoufand. that fault is truely amended in this Edition.' These alte- rations have been made in the prefent edition. (b) Issue subsequent to tfje i^attator*s tieatfy. /. As a feparate publication. 4. I May 1868. I^ondon. i vol. Svo. EngliJJt Reprints : fee title at page I . THE Rare and moft wonderful thinges which Edward Webbe an Englifhman borne hath feene and paffed in his troublefome trauailes, in the Citties of leru- falem, Dammafko, Bethelem and Gallely : and in the Landes of lewrie, Egipt, Gtecia, Ruffia, and in the Land of Prefter lohn. Wherein is fet foorth his extreame flauerie fuft- ained many yeres togither, in the GalHes and wars of the great Turk againft the Landes of Perfia, Tartaria, Spaine, and Portugall, with the manner of his releafement, and comming into Englande in May lall. LONDON, Printed by Ralph Blower, for Thomas Pauier, & are to be folde at his fhop in Com -hill, at the figne of the Cat and Parrats, ouer againft Popeshead alley, nere the Royal Exchange. \ The Epistle to the Reader. iVrteous Reader, I haue undertaken in this Ij fhort difcourfe, to vtter vnto thee ye moll part of fuch things as I faw and paffed in the time of my troublefome trauell and flauilh hfe fufteyned in the GalHes, and wars of the great Turke. And this I do protefl, that in this booke there is nothing mentioned or expreffed, but that which is of truth : and what mine own Eies haue perfedlly feene. Some fooHfh perfons perhaps will cavel and fay, that thiefe are but Lies and fables : and that it conteyneth nothing elfe : but to thofe I aunfwere, that what- foeuer is herein mentioned, he whofoeuer he be, that fhall foe finde faulte, and doubt of the trueth hereof, let him but make inquirie of the beft and greateft trauellers and Merchants about all this land : and they doubtles will refolue them that it is true which is here expreffed : with a great deale more, which now I cannot call to remembrance, for that my memory faileth me, by meanes of my great and greeuous troubles. From my lodging at Black- wall, this nineteenth of May. 1590. Your Loving cuntreman, Edward Webbe. TO THE MOST MIGHTY, MY GRATIOVS AND RENOWNED SOVERAIGNE, ELIZA- BETH by the grace of God Queene of England, Fraunce and Ireland, defender of the faith, &c. YOVR HIGHNESSE MOST HVMBLE SVBIECT, Edward VVeb, hartely prayeth for the continuance of your Maieflies health and profperous raigne to the worldes ende. gjOnfidering (mofl Gracious and dread Soue- raigne) the wonderful prouidence of Al- mightie god fhewed towardes your High- neffe fmce the time of your mofl happie and profperous raigne, afwell in the pre- feruation of your Maieflies perfon from the handes of your highneffe enemies, as alfo, in defending this fmall Angle or Realme of England e from the force of for- raine foes : and the continuall bleffings of peace and plentie, with which euer fmce, he hath in bountifull fort maintained it : I coulde not therefore but (ac- cording to my dutie) tender humble thankes to almightie god for the fame when to my great comfort, euen in the midfl of my thraldome in Turkic, I did heare it mofl truely reported by a Chrifliane Captiue, and your Highneffe Clemencie, by him highlly commended. The Report of whofe fame truly difcribed, afwell in the adminiflration of iuftice, and fupporting of Chriflian religion, as alfo in relieuing and fuccouring the poore IBetiication. 15 diilreffed members of this lande, gaue me iuil caufe to pray hartely for my deliuerie, and to long inwardly, vntill I came to fee your highneffe (my dread Soue- raigne) and this my Natiue Cuntrey : and now hauing obteyned my long expedted wifh. I doe in all humble- neffe proflrate my felfe, and this plain e difcourfe of my trauels to your moft excellent Maieflie : wherein may be feene, that if in Turkic I would haue denied my Chrift, or in my trauel I woulde haue forfaken my Prince to haue ferued for Spaine, thereby to haue be- come a traytour to your Majeftie and my natiue Cuntrey, I needed not to haue liued in want, but in great profperitie : but for as much as almightie God hath now let me free from thraldome, and dehuered me from many daungers, and fent me into Englande, my defire is that I may be imployed in fuch feruice and affaires, as may be pleafmg to God, and found profitable to my prince and cuntrey. And thus truft- ing your Highneffe will accept in good worth this true difcourfe (though rudely penned) I mofl humbly take my leaue, mofl "hartely praying to the almightie god, for the profperous health and continuall Raigne of your moft excellent Majeflie Your Highneffes humble fubiect, Ed. Web. ^ Verfes Written vppon the Alphabet of the Queenes MaiefLies name. E tern all God, who guideth flill your grace, L engthen your life, in health and happie days. I nfpire your fubie6ls heartes in euery place : Z ealous in Loue, and free from fecret hate, A nd fhorten life in thofe that breede debate. B eholde her Lorde, who is our flrength and flay E uen he it is, by whom we holde our owne : T ume not thy face from her in any way, H ew downe her foes, and let them all be knowne. R Enowned Queene, your highneffe fubiedles joy, E uen for to fee the fall of all your foes : G od of his mercy fhielde you from annoy I ntending treafons, flill for to difclofe : N one of vs all, but wil mofl duely pray, A Imightie God preferue you night and day. FINIS. #x> EDWARD WEB an englifliman, borne at S. Katherins, neere ye Tower of London, was the fonne of one Richard Web mafler gunner of England : my father hauing fome natural affedlion to me, when I was but xij yeares olde, did prefer me to the feruice of Cap- taine Jenkenfon, at fuch time as he was fent Ambaf- fador into Ruflia, with whom I went by Sea, and vpon him I was daylie attendant : in which my iour- ney, I was conuerfant among ye people of that Cuntrey, which were apparelled like the Turkes and Tartarians, with furde Caps and long garments down to their fhins : much like to Carbines or Horfe- men readie to ye warre. There I made my abode fome fpace in the head Cittie of Ruffia called Musko, in which their building is all of Firre, except the Emperors Court, w^hich is of Kme and flone. They execute very fharpe lawes among themfelues, and are a kinde of Tyranous People as appeareth by their cufloms, of which, among many other, thefe I fpecially noted : (mz.) that if any man be indebted one to another and doth not make paiment at his day and time appointed : the officers may enter vppon the debtors, and forceably breake down their houfes, and imprifon them in grieuous fort where iudgment fhal prefently paffe again ft him, which is with a mallet of wood he fhall haue fo many blowes on the fhinnes or on the fore-heade, as the ludge fhall awarde : and this punifhment fhall be in- fli6led fundry dales upon him. The Turks do alfo vfe to beate Debtors with a Mallet, but not in that fort, for in Turkie they are beaten for debt vpon the foles of their feet with a Cane, or elfe a Cudgell, if B 1 8 WiMz i)m trauaileg. that paiment be not made by a day. I alfo noted that if any Nobleman do offend ye Emperor of Ruffia, the faide Nobleman is taken and imprifonned with al his Children and kinffolkes, and the firfl great froft that commeth, (for the Cuntery is wonderfully cold and fubiedl to much froft) there is a great hole made in the Ife ouer fome great Riuer, and then the partie principal is put in, and after him his wife, his Chil- dren, and all other his kins-folkes ; and fo leaue none of his pofleritie to poffeffe his Lands or goodes, but the fame are beftowed vppon others, at the Emperors pleafure. There I flaide 3 yeeres attendant on my maifler, in which time the Crime-Tartarian s [otherwife named the new Chriflians] made warre vpon the faid Cittie of Miisko^ which foone after was betrayed, and fpeadely burned, the People in great aboundance maffacred, and the Tartarian Souldiers had wonderfull greate and rich fpoyles, in the fame : there was I at that time with vij. other Englifhmen taken prifoners and for flaues were conueied to Caffa, where the king of the Tartarians abideth and keepeth a flatly Court : being conueyed thither, we were fet to wipe the feet of the kings horfes, and to become ordinarie flaues in the faid Court, to fetch water, cleaue wood, and to do fuch other drudgery. There were we beaten three times a weeke with a horfe tayle : and thus in this fort and miferable feruitude wee flayed there fiue yeeres, then were we ranfomed from thence by our friendes, where we paide euery man 300. crownes, which is vij. s. vj d. a peece of Enghfh money. Among that people called ye Tartarians, I noted efpecially this one thing, that their Children being new borne, do neuer open their eyes vntill they be ix. dayes and ix nights olde. Thus being ran- fomed as is aforefaid, I returned home into England, where hauing flaied fome fmal time, I went againe into Ruffia in the hart of mafler Kings of Ratcliffe with thirty faile of fhips more in our Company, at WSitiht fjfe trauail£0. 19 which time her Maiefties Ihippe called the Wil- loughby was our Admirall, and the Harry appertayn- ing to the company of the Marchants, was our Vice- admirall, Maifler William Burrow then being our Captaine and maifler : in which our voyage we met with V. Rovers or men of war/ whom we fet vppon, and burnt their Admirall, and brought thofe fhips into Narr, and there the men ware maffacred in this manner by the Ruffians : firft great flakes driuen into the grounde, and they fpitted vppon Powles, as a man woulde put a Pig vpon a Spitte, and fo vij. fcore were handled in that manner in very Tyranous fort. We vnladed our bourthen at JVarre, and tooke in our lading for our commodities, but the fhip wherein I was (which is called the Hart) hauing fayled but xij. miles from thence, flroke vpon a Rocke, whereby the fhip and goodes were loft, the refidue of the fleet had no harme, and all the men faued their Hues by taking themfelues into the Boat of the fame fliip. By meanes of which fhip fo caft away, I loft all that I had, and then came againe into England, and gathered a new ftocke, and in the Henrie of London I went to Levanra alias Legorne. This fliip called the Henrie had bin folde before to Dodlor Hecftor, and other Italian Marchants, which was vnknowne vnto vs, fo that at our comming to Legorne the fhip was feized on by the fa6tors of thofe that were the owners thereof, and by them laden with merchantdize to Alexandria^ in which voyage my felfe was Mafter gunner. But heere fortune began to lowre on me againe, and turne her wheele in fuch fort againft me, as I that was foone after brought to Hue in greater flauerie than euer I did before, for we hauing faflie ariued at Alexafidria, dif- chardged our burthen : and fraughted our fhip with great flore of that Cuntrey commodities, and returning back to Legorne, fuddainly in the way, we met with Fiftie faile of theTurkes GalHes : with which GalHes, we fought two dayes and two nights, and made great flaughter amongft their men, we being in all but three fcore men very 20 WLMt fjfs trauafleg. weake for fuch a multytude, and hauing loft 50. of 60. men, faintnes confLrayned vs for to yeeld vnto them, by reafon we wanted Winde to help our felus withall, and the Calme was fo great a helpe vnto them, as there was no way for vs to efcape. Thus did the Turkes take the fliip and goodes, and in the fame found x of vs Huing whom they tooke Prifoners and prefently flripped vs naked, and gaue vs 100 blowes a peece for prefuming to fight againfl them. Then were we fent to Co7iftantmople^ and then com- mitted to the GaUies, where we continued the fpace of vj yeeres : the manner of our vfage, there, was thus. Firfl we were fhauen head and face, and then a fhirt of Gotten and Breeches of the fame put vppon vs, and our Legs and Feete left naked, and by one of the feet is each flaue chayned with a great chain e to the Gallic, and our handes faflned with a payre of manacles. The foode which I and others did eat, was very blacke, far worfe then Horfe-breade, and our drinke was ftinking water, (vnleffe it be when we come to the places where we tooke in frefh water] at which time we fup- pofed our diet to be very daintie. Thus as I faide before, I remained vj. yeeres in this miferable flate, wonderfully beaten and mifvfed euery day : there haue I feene fome of my fellowes when they haue bin fo weake as they could not row by reafon ot ficknes and faintnes, where ye Turkes woulde lay vpon them as vpon Horfes, and beat them in fuch fort, as oft times they dyed, and then threw them into the Sea. Thus feeing my felfe flill to continue in this mife- rable flate, I was conftrained for want of vidlualles, to difcouer my felfe and to fhew them that I had good fkill in Gunners art, which I thought would haue bin greatly wel efteemed at the Turkes handes : but then for the fame, I was more narrowly looked vnto, yet fomewhat better efleemed of, then I was before. Not long after, the 1 urke made warres againfl the Perfians, and gathered vij. hundred thoufand men togither, and thefe were condudled by his chief Baffaes into Perfia : W.zhhz \)i^ trauailes. rs-j At which time (for that I had fkil in Artillery) I was chofen foorth of the Gallies, to go with the Armie into the lande of Perfia, and there to do the Turke feruice in the fielde, with whom I trauailed on foote, but in our going thither, their dyed of our Armie, by meanes of great ficknes, diet, and want of Vi6luals, about the number of 300. thousand fo that when wee came into perfia. we were foure [hundred] thoufand flrong in the fielde, there wee refled vs one moneth, by which time, we (hauing hartened our felves) gaue a fierce affault againft the Perfians, where the Turks fide got the worfl, and lofl 60 thoufand men. Then the generall ouer the Turkes Armie, whofe name was Sannon Bafha, fent vs fo many fouldiers more as made vs 500 thousand flrong, there we flaide for a long time, making warres againft the Perfians, and the greate Cittie of Damafco, where the Turke little preuayled : for if that the Turke were as pollitick as he is flrong of power, the Perfians were not able to refill him. Thus leaning the Turkes Armie in Perfia, we came through Damafco to our Cittie called the great Caer. which Cittie is three fcore miles in compaffe, and is the greatefl Cittie in the world, it flandeth vpon the riuer of Nilo, and in the faid Cittie, there is 12 thou- fand Churches, which they tearme Mufcots. This Cittie at all times keepeth xl. thoufand men continually in Souldiers pay, and are ready at one houres warning to ferue under the Turke : there we flaide to fee the cutting or parting of the Riuer of Nilo, which is done once euery yeere, vpon the 25 of Augufl. This Cittie flandeth in the land of Egipt, and is vnder the gouernment of the great Turke. And there is a king ouer the faide Cittie, who is called the king of the great Caer, and ye Wize Roy or Lieftenant to the great Turke, and he is then prefent at the cutting or parting of this river of Nilo : at which time there is a great triumph, and euery Towne and Cuntrey round about to the value of a thousand mile, fend guifts and prefents to the king of the great Caer, in confideration 2 2 OTtbbe ]^fe trauate, of the water which commeth to them from that Riuer of Nilo by meanes of the cutting of it, which is but once euery yeere. It is therefore to be vnderflood, that in ye Land of Egipt it rayneth not at all, and all the grounde through- out the lande of Egipt is continually watred by the water which vppon ye 25 day of Augufl is turned into the countries round about, by means of ye wonderfull growing and fwelling of the water vpright without any flay at all, on the one fide thereof, it is to ye height of a huge mountaine, which beginneth to increafe the 15. day of Augufl, and by the 25. of the fame moneth it is at the highefl, on which day it is cut by ye deuiding of 2 pillars in a flraunge fort, neere to the cittie of ye great Caer. and fo turned as off from a great mountaine into the lande of Egipt : by meanes whereof, the Turke holdes all the land of Egipt in fubie6lion to him felfe, and might if he would difmiffe them cleane from hauing any water at all. From thence I went with the Turkes power, and vnder his condudtion to the lande of lewry, and from thence to the citty of lerufalem, where part of the olde Temple is yet flanding, and many Monuments of great antiquitie, as herein after fhall be fliewed. In the Land of Siria^ there is a riuer that no lew can catch any fifh in it at all, and yet in the fame riuer there is great ftore of fifh like vnto Samon trouts : But let a Chriflian or a Turke come thither and fifh for them, and eyther of them fhall catch them in great aboundance, if they do but put their hande into the water with a little bread, and an hundred will be about his hand. Thus hauing feene a number of rare and mofl wonderful things, we went to the citty of Agowa, which is ye head and chief citty in all ye Eafl Indies, there wee gaue Battell againft ye Chriflians yat keep ye faid citty, which are Portugals, for that ye Town apper- taineth to ye king of Portugal. In this place wee gaue Battle and lofl xx thousand of ye Turksmen, and yet WSizbit li& ixnmilzQ. 23 could not obtain it : Neuertheles ye great Turks Lief- tenant or Generall with his power toke a place called Armous, where they had great flore of Treafure and Sowes of Silver. Thus being chiefe maifler Gunner in thefe Turkifh warres, I was fent for againe by commandement of ye Turk to Dafmafco, where I flaied all that winter with XX M. men. And from thence made prouifion to make wars againfl the land of Prefler lohn, who is by profeffion a ChrifLian. In this land of Prefler lohn, when it doth raine, it continueth at the leafl one whole moneth. And in ye graund Caer, there is a plague once in euery vij yeeres, which commeth with fuch a fiercenes, that the moll part of all the people there do die of the faid plague : and people in great numbers lofe their Eie fight with the vapours and great heat which commeth from the ground. I remember one battaile, which ye Admirall of the great Turke named Ally Bafha made with three-fcore Gallies, and feazed vpon a towne where the faid Ally Bafha was borne himfelfe, named Trybufas, which is in ye confines of Calabria and vnder ye gouernment of the king of Spaine, at which towne he landed his Armie an houre before day, thinking to haue taken it by treafon : and there vpon in great fury fcaled the wals with lathers : but the watch beuraied vs, and on a fodaine, cried Arme, Arme, which was foone done : for euery man tooke him to his tooles and weapons of defence. But it is worthy of memorie, to fee how the women of ye towne did plie themfelues with their weapons, making a great maffacre vpon our men, and murthered 500 of them in fuch fpeedie and furious fort as is won- derfull : we needed not to haue feared their men at all, had not ye women bin our great ouerthrow, at which time I my felfe was maifler Gunner of the Admirals Gaily, yet chainde greeuoufly, and beaten naked with a Turkifh fword flatling, for not fhooting where they would haue me, and where I could not fhoot. It is 24 TOebbt 1)10 trauailes. but a few yeares fmce, that in the cittie of Conflan- tinople, there happned a great plague, where there dyed in fix monethes fpace, feuen hundred thousand, perfons, at which time mafler Harbarn Ambaffadour for the Turkie company was there, and loft fundry of his feruants. From Damafco we went into the land of prefler lohn who is a Chriflian, and is called Chrijlien de Seiitour : that is, the Chriflian of the Gerdell :^ againfl this prefler lohn I went with the Turks power, and was then their maifler Gunner in the field, ye number of Turkifh Souldiers fent thither, was fiue hundred M. men who went thither by land, and pitched themfelues in battaile ray at Saran,neere to the place wher the fon of prefler lohn keepethhis Court. There Prefler lohn with his power, flew of ye Turks the number of 60. thousand, onely by policie of drawe Bridges to let foorth water, made as fecrete ilewfes for that purpofe, in which water fo many Turks perifhed. The next day following, the Turkes power did incompaffe Prefler lohns fonne and tooke him prifoner, and fent him for a prefent to ye great Turks Court then being at Conflantinople, but foone after, prefler lohn himfelfe made an agreement betweene the greate Turke and his fonne, that the one fhoulde not demiaund tribute of the other, and fo his fonne was releafed and fent home againe. This Prefler lohn of whom I fpake before, is a King of great power, and keepeth a very bountifull Court, after the manner of that Cuntrey, and hath euery day to feme him at his Table, fixty kinges, wearing leaden Crownes on their heads, and thofe ferue in the meat vnto Prefler lohns Table : and con- tinually the firfl difh of meat fet vppon his Table, is a dead mans fcull cleane picked and laide in black Earth : putting him in minde that he is but Earth, and that he muft die, and fhal become Earth againe. Thefe 60 Kings are all his Wize Royes in feuerall places, and they haue their Deputies to fvpply their Roomes, and thofe kings Hue continually in Prefler TOebbe Ijfe tranatte. 25 lohns Courte, and go no furder then they may be flill attendant vppon hnn, without leaue of their Emperour Prefler lohn. In the Court of Prefler lohn, there is a wilde man, and an other in the high flreet at Conflantinople, whofe allowance is euery day a quarter of Raw Mut- ton : and when any man dyeth for fome notorious offence, then are they allowed euery day a quarter of mans flefh. Thefe wilde men are chained fafl to a pofl euery day, the one in Prefler lohns Court, and the other in the high flreet of Conflantinople, each of them hauing a Mantel cafl about their fhoulders, and all ouer their bodies they haue wonderfull long haire, they are Chained fafl by the neck, and will fpeedily deuoure any man that commeth in their reach. There is alfo a Beafl in the Court of Prefler lohn, called Arians, hauing 4 heades, they are in fliape like a wilde Cat, and are of the height of a great maflie Dog. In this Court likewife, there is Fowles caled Pharses foules whofe feathers are very beautifull to be worne, thefe fowles are as big as a Turkic, their flefh is very fweet, and their feathers of all manner of Collours. There is Swannes in that place, which are as lardge againe as the Swannes of Englande are, and their Feathers are as blew as any blew cloath. I haue feen in a place like a Park adioyning vnto prefler lohns Court, three fcore and feuen-teene, Vni- cornes and Eliphants all aliue at one time, and they were fo tame that I haue played with them as one would play with young Lambes. When Prefler lohn is ferued at his table, there is no fait at all fet one in any fait fellar as in other places, but a loafe of Bread is cut croffe, and then two kniues are layde acroffe vpon the loafe, and fome fait put vpon the blades of the kniues and no more. Being thus in the land of prefler lohn, I trauelled within Eighteene degrees of ye Sun, euery degree being in diflance three fcore miles. c 2 6 TOebbe ^m trauafless. I was at the Red Sea, at the place where Moyfes made paffage with his wande for the Children of Ifraell, where I faw a Ship called the grau?id Maria ^ fhe drawes but xj foot water, and againft this fhip Ix Gallies and fhips haue fought at one time, and cannot conquer her : and this is vnder the gouernment of ye great Turke. I haue beene in the Courts of the three great Patri- arkes, the firfL whereof is kept at lerufalem, the fecond at the Gran Caer, and the third at Conflantinople : thefe haue their Courts in very ftately fort, and at- tended on by none but Priefls. When I was at lerufalem, I faw the Sepulchre wherein (it is faide) Chrifl was buried : it is as it were in a Vault, and hath vij Dores, and vij Roes of Marble fleppes or flayres to go downe into the fame, and then at the bottom of ye flayres, there is a fairep Chapel, With an Altar and a Lamp burning continually day and night before it, and the Graue is full of white Earth, as white as Chalke, and a Toombe of ye fame Earth made, and laide vppon Stone, wheron are fundry Letters written, but I could not read them. The great Turk hath fome profit comming by ye keeping thereof, and hath therefore builded at his owne charges an Hofpital within lerufalem, which his Genezaries doe keepe : and this Hofpitall is to receiue all Pilgrims and trauellers to lodge in whenfoeuer they come. And all that come to fee the fepulchre doe pay ten Crownes a-peece, whereof the Turke hath but one, and the refl goes to the Church, and fo they may flay there as long as they hft to lodge in that new Hofpitall, and haue lodging, bread, vi6luals and water fo long as they will remaine there, but no wine : fuch as come thither for Pilgrims haue no beds at all, but lie vpon the ground on Turkey Carpets, and before the fepulcher of Chrifl there is maffe faid euerie day, and none may fay the maffe there, but a man that is a pure virgin : there was one that dyed while I was there, that daily ?!2Eebbe \)i& trauafles. 27 faid and fung maffe before the fepulcher, and he was an hundred and thirtie yeares of age before his death, and now another is in his Roome, but whether ye old man that dead is, or this which is now in the place to fing and fay the faid Maffe, were pure Virgins I know not, but fure I dare not fweare for them, becaufe they bee men, and flefh and bloud as other are. After that I had thus long trauelled and fpent my time in the warres and affaires of the great Turke, I was returned againe to Conflantinople, where at my ariuall, a pennie loafe of Breade (of Englifh flarling money) was worth a crowne of gold : fuch was the fcarfitie, Sicknes, Mifery and Dearth then vpon ye faid Cittie, and happie was he that fo could get Breade to eate. Neuertheleffe, becaufe I was a Chriflian, and for that ye Turke had no caufe prefently to vfe me in my office of gunnerfhip, I was there imprifoned, where I found two thousand Chriflians pind vp in flon wals lockt fafl in yron chaines, grieuoufly pinched, with extreme penury, and fuch as wifhed death rather then in foch mifery to Hue : amongfl thefe was I placed, and tooke part with them accordingly : greening at my hard hap that the warres had not ended me before I came thether. Thus I remained there with the reft, garded and daily watched, that we could flir no manner of way, there wee were fuffered to worke vpon any manner of trade or occupation wherein we were any way expert : and what we did or made, we fold to the Turkes, and they gaue vs money for the fame : and thus were we fuffered to worke vntill it were time to goe and gather Snowe, which is there vfed yearely of Cuflome to be gathered : for the Turke hath great fummes of mony paide him for ye faid fnow, which is gathered and folde to his fubiedls for a peny the pound, which pound, is two pound and a halfe Englifh : and this fnow they ufe only to coole their drinke in the fummer feafon. And no man may fell any fnowe vntill the Turke hath folde all his. 28 WiMz i)ie; trauailes. Thus liuing in this flauifli Hfe as is aforefaid, diuers of vs complotted and hammered into our heads how we might procure our releafement : wherevpon I attempted with the confent of 5 hundreth Chriflians, fellow flaues with my felfe, to breake a wall of fourteene foote broad, made of earth, lyme, and fand, which we greatly moiftened with flrong Vinegar, fo that the wall being made moifl therewith through the help of a fpike of yron, fiue hundred of us had almoft efcaped out of prifon : but looke what fhall be, fhal be, and what God will haue, fhal come to paffe and no more, as ap- peareth by vs, for we hauing made meanes for our fpeedie flight, as we were iffuing foorth, we were be- wrayed by ye barking of a dog, which caufed the Turkes to arife, and they taking vs with the maner flopped vs from flying away, and gaue vs in recompence of our paines taking herein, feauen hundred blowes a peece vpon the naked fl<:inne, viz. three hundred on the belly, and foure hundred on ye back. Thus lying fl,ill Prifoner in the Turkes dungeons, it pleafed God to fend thether for the releafement of me and others, a worthy gentleman of this land, named Maifler Harborne, Ambaffadour thether for the com- pany of Marchants, who to the great honour of Eng- land did behaue himfelfe wonderfull wifely, and was a fpeciall meanes for the releafement of me and fundrie other Englifh captiues,who were fet at libertie foone after the death of the great Baflia : thus by the meanes of the faid MaifLer Harborne I was fet free from Thral- dome, and by him fent into England where I arriued on the firfl: of May. 1589. Whilft I was remaining prifoner in Turkey, and kept in fuch flauifh manner as is Rehearfed the great Turke had his fonne circumcifed, at which time there was great tryumphes and free liberty proclaimed for a hundred daies fpace, that any Nobleman, gen tleman,tra- ueller, Chriflian or other, might freely (without being molefled) come and fee the tryumphes there vfed, which were woonderful : I my felfe was there conflrained to W.ziht Jig trauailes. 29 make a cunning peece of fire work framed in form like to ye Arke of Noy, beeing 24 yardes high, and eight yardes broad, wherein was placed 40 men drawen on 6 wheeles, yet no man feene, but feemed to goe alone, as though it were onely drawen by two Fiery Dragons, in which fhew or Arke there was thirteene thoufand feuerall peeces of fire worke At the fame time that I was Releafed, there were fet at liberty about xx Englifh men, whereof I was one of the lafL : fome of them are at this prefent in England. My felfe and others were releafed by meanes of her Maieflies fauorable Letters, fent to ye great Turke, brought by the forefayd Maifter Harborne : fome by the Raunfome money gathered at fundry times by the Marchants in the Cittie of London, for ye Godly pur- pofe : of which, fome of their names that were releafed were thefe. Hamand Pan, lohn Beer, lohn Band, Andrew Pullins, Edward Buggins and others. Here may the bountiful Citizens of London fee (as in a glaffe) the fruits of their liberalitie and charitable deuotion giuen at feuerall times in the yeare towards the releafement of poore captiues, fuch as are con- flrained to abide mod vilde and grieuous tortures, efpe- cially the torture and torment of confciens which troubled me and all true Chriftians to ye very foule : for the Turk by al meanes poffible would flill perfwade me and other my fellow Chriftians while I was there the time of 13 yeares, to forfake ChrifL to deny him, and to beleue in their God Mahomet ; which if I would haue done, I might haue had wonderful! preferment of the Turke, and haue liued in as great felicitie as any Lord in that countrey : but I vtterly denyed their re- quefl, though by them greeuoufly beaten naked for my labour, and reuiled in moft deteftable forte, calling me dogge, diuell, helhound, and fuch Hke names : but I giue God thankes he gaue me flrength to abide with patience thefe croffes. And though I were but a fimple man voide of learning, yet ftil I had in remembraunce that Chrifl 30 Mebbe ]&i0 trauailes. dyed for me, as appeareth by the holy Scriptures, and that ChrifL therein faith : He that denyeth me before men I will deny him before my father which is in heauen : and againe he faith Whofoeuer beleeiieth on me fhall be failed, and haue life etierlafling. This comfort made me refolute, that I would rather fuffer all the torments of death in the worlde, then to deny my Sauiour and Redeemer Chrifl lefus. After my free libertie granted in Turkey, I intend- ing my iourney towardes England, came by land to Venice, where I met at Padua thirtie Engliflimen flu- dients, I met alfo with an Englifhman, who lined in the flate of a Frier, he brought me before the high Bifhop, where I was accufed for an hereticke, and he brought me in two fals witneffes to be fworn againfl me (hauing before known me in Turkey) neuerthe- leffe I difproued his witneffes, and they were found forfworne men, then was I fet at libertie, and con- flrained to giue 15 Crownes towardes the finifhing our Ladies fhrine at Padua : and my accufer and his witneffes punifhed. From thence I came to ye Duke of Ferrara, where I was wel entertained and liberally rewarded with a horfe and hue and twentie Crownes for the fake of the Queenes Maiellie of England. From thence with my Pafport, I came to Bolony in Italy, where I met with a popifh Bifhop being an Enghfhman which fhewed me great friendlhip, he is called Do6lor Poole : from thence to Florence, there I met with an Englifh gentleman named maifter lohn Stanley. And from thence I went to Rome, there I was nineteene daies in trouble with the Pope, and the Englifh Cardinall Do6tor Allen, a notable Arch-papifl, where I was often examined, but finding nothing by me, they let me paffe, and vnderflanding that I had bene a captiue long time in Turkey, gaue me XXV. crownes. And before I went out of Rome, I was againe taken by ye Englifh Colledge, and put there into the holy houfe 3 daies, with a fooles coate aJEebbe {)ig; trauailes. 31 on my backe, halfe blew, half yellowe, and a cockef- combe with three bels on my head, from whence I was holpen by meanes of an Englifhman whom I found there, and prefented my petition and caufe to the Pope : who againe fet me at libertie. From thence I departed to Naples, where I met with a Genowis, who apprehended me and brought me there before ye vice-Roy, faying I was a man of great knowledge and an Englifh fpie. Then I was committed to a darke Dungeon xvj daies, which time they fecretly made enquiry where I had liue before, what my wordes and behauiour had beene while I was there, but they coulde finde nothing by me. Thrice had I ye flrappado, hoifled vp backward with my hands bound behinde me, which flrooke all the ioynts in my amies out of joynt, and then con- ftrained to drinke falte water and quicklime, and then fine Lawne or Callico thruft downe my throate and pluckt vp againe ready to pluck my hart out of my belly, al to make me to confeffe that I was an Englifh fpie. After this, there were four bard horfes prepared to quarter me, and I was ftill threatened to die except I would confeffe fome thing to my harme. Thus feauen moneths I endured in this miferie, and yet they coulde finde no caufe againft me, then I wrote to the Vice-Roy to do me iuftice, and he did write to ye K[ing] of Spain to know what fliould be done with me : whereupon the king of Spaine wrote that I fhould be employed in a Gunners roome : then was I entertained, and had 35 crownes a moneth, and had ye Kinges pattent fealed for the fame, and then vnderftanding that three fhips were comming to- wardes England I departed and fled from thence with them to my natiue Cuntry, in ye Grace of Lon- don by the helpe of one Nicholas Nottingham maifler thereof Thus came I into England with great joy and hearts delight, both to my felfe and all my acquaintance. 32 ESEefifci {)i0 trauailes. The report in Roome, Naples, and all ouer Italy, in my trauell which was at fuch time as the Spaniards came to inuade England, after I had beene releafed of my imprifonment, as I paffed through the flreetes, the people of that parts afked me how I durfl acknow- ledge my felfe to be an Englifhman, and therevpon to daunt me, did fay, that England was taken by the Spaniards, and the Queene of England (whome God long preferue) was taken prifoner, and was comming towards Rome to doe pennance : and that her highnes was brought thither, through defarts, moifl, hilly and foule places : and where plaine ground was, holes and hollow trenches were digged in the way of her Ma- ieflies paffage, to ye intent that flie might haue gone vp to the mid leg in oes or mire : with thefe fpeeches they did check me, and I faid, yat I trufled God doubt- les would defend my Prince better, then to deliuer her into the hands of her enemies, wherefore they did greatly reuile me. Many things I haue omitted to fpeake of, which I haue feen and noted in the time of my troublefome trauel. One thing did greatly comfort me which I faw long fmce in Sicilia, in the citie of Palermo, a thing worthy of memorie, where the right- honorable the Earle of Oxenford a famous man for Chiualrie at what time he trauelled into forraine Countries, be- ing then perfonally prefent, made there a challeng againfl al manner of perfons whatfoeuer, and at all maner of weapons, as Turniments. Barriors with horfe md armour, to fight a combat with any whatfoeuer. In the defence of his Prince and countrey : for which he was verie highly commended, and yet no man durfl be fo hardy to encounter with him, fo that all Italy ouer, he is acknowledged the onely ChiuaUier and Noble man of England. This title they giue vnto him as worthily deferued. Moreouer, in the land of Egipt neere to the Riuer of Nilo, within fixe miles of the Gran Caer. There are feauen Mountaines builded on the out fide, like vnto ye point of a Diamond, which Mountaines were builded in King Pharoes time for to keepe Corne in, and they are Mountaines of great flrength. It is alfo faide, that they were builded about that time when lofeph did lade home his Brethrens Affes with Corne, in the time of the great dearth men- tioned in the Scripture : At which time, all their Corne lay in thofe mountaines. In the Riuer of Nilo, there is long Fifhes that are of tenne or twelue foote long, which fwimmeth neere the fhore, they are called the fifhes of King Fharao^ they are like vnto a Dolphin Thefe Fifhes are fo fubtile, that fwimming neere the fhore fide, they will pull men or women fodeinly into the Riuer and deuoure them. In the Citie of the gran Caer, the houfes are of a very olde building, all of Lime and ftone, and in mofl of the houfes the roofes are couered with fine gold, in a very workemanly fort. In Egipt there is fmall ftore of water, becaufe it neuer raineth in that Country, fo that their water is very dangerous to drinke. They haue no fprings at all in that country, and yet there falleth fuch a dew euery night, as doth refrefh and keeps their hearbes and plantes in due fort, and makes them fpring very fruitfully The Citie of Damafco is very fruitfull and greatly replenifhed with al manner of fruites whatfoeuer, as Pomhgranades^ Orenges, Limons^ Apples^ Feares^ Phimbes^ Grapes^ and all other like fruites. The Turkes are a people yat at fome time they will attempt to doe wonderfull things as going vpon Ropes, and thrufling their fwords in their naked flefh, and flricke their fworde in their flefh like vnto a Scab- bard : and many other things of great daunger. In Turkic no man may flrike the graunde Cady, that is their chiefeft ludg, if any man do ftrike him, immediatly he lofeth his Right Arme for his offence, without Redemption. 34 SKKebk })fe trauailtg; At my comming ouer into Englande from Rome, I was faine to Heal away, beeing then in yeerely fee to the King of Spaine, to be one of his chiefefL Gunners. And if the Ship where in I came ouer, had bin taken, both they and I my felfe had dyed for that of- fence. The old Cittie of lerufalem is a very deHcat place, and nothing there to be feene but a little of the old walles which is yet Remayning : and all the reft is Graffe, Moffe and weedes much like to a peece of Rank or moift grounde. They haue no Tillage at all in that partes. The Citty of lerufalem where the Temple now flandeth is almoft a mile from the olde walles of leru- falem : it is of a maruellous olde building, and there flandeth the old Relicks preferued and kept as Monu- ments of great treafure. Now to Returne where I left off, and declare vnto you in what fort I imploide my felfe fmce my firfl entring into englande : heere I vifited my friendes from May till November, and then I departed into Fraunce, where I had good entertainment at the Hands of the Renowned King and Captaine of this age, Henry of Burbon, King of Fraunce and Navarre, who Receiued me into Pay, and appointed me for his chiefe M[aister] Gunner in the fielde. So that vppon Afh-wednfday lafl, at his mofl Re- nowned Battle fought vppon the plaine of Saint Andrew neere vnto Drevx : I was in feruice vnder him, where I gaue 3 charges vppon the Enemie, and they in fteede thereof, gaue vs fifteene fhot, and yet God be thanked peruailed not againfl vs. There were wee conflrained to make Bulwarkes of the dead bodies of our Enemies and of the Carcaffes of dead Horfes : where for my paines taking that day, the king greatlye commended me, and honorably Re- warded me. But fhortly after my firfl arivall in Fraunce, I was hated by fome lewde Gunners who envying that I BJEebbe fjfe trauaflts. 35 fhould haue the Title to be Mafler Gunner in Fraunce, pra6lifed againfl me, and gaue me poyfon in drinke that night : which thing when the King vnderfloode, he gaue order to the gouernor of Deepe, that his Phifition fhould prefently fee vnto me, who gaue me fpeadely Unicorns home to drinke, and there by God and the Kings great goodneffe, I was againe reftored to my former health. Thus haue you hearde the manner of my cruell and mofl grieuous trauaile, my miferie, flaverie, and crueltie which I haue fuffred therein, the manner of fome olde Ornamentes and the cuflomes of fuch as dwell in forraine nations far off, and in places where our Saviour and his Apoflles were refident, and preached vpon the Earth : my feruice done vnder ye great Turke, of Pe7'fta^ Tartarica, Grecia, and other places of feruice, I haue omitted therein my feruice done at the taking of Tunnis, and what I did in the Royle vnder Duke lohn of Auflria : and many other thinges which I coulde heere difcouer vnto you ; onely let this fuffife, that I fhall be glad, and do daylie defire that I may be imployed in fome fuch feruice as may be profitable to my Prince and Cuntrey. iFfiKTfi^. 36 NOTES. I. Capture of Danish Freebooters, by the English Russia Fleet, io July 1570. —In a letter to the Emperor of Ruflia, dated Narue, 15 July 1570, by Chriftopher Hodfdon and Captain William Burrough, there is a full defcription of the cap- ture of thefe Danifh pirates. Mofl mightie Emperour, &c. Whereas Sir William Garrard and his felowfhip the company of Englilh merchants, this lafl Winter fent hither to the Na7'ue three Ihips laden with merchan- dife, which was left here, and with it Chrijlopher Hodfdon one of the fayd fellowlhip, and their chiefe doer in this place, who when hee came firfl hither, and vntill fuch time as hee had difpatched thofe fhips from hence, was in hope of goods to lade twelue or thirteene failes of good (hips, againft this Ihipping, wherefore he wrote vnto the fayd Sir William Garrard Tm.^ his companie to fend hither this fpring the fayd number of thirteene fhips. And be- caufe that in their comming hither wee found the Freebooters on the fea, and fuppofing this yeere that they would be very ftrong, he therefore gaue the faid Sir William and his Companie aduife to furnifh the fayd number of fhips fo flrongly, as they fhould bee able to withftand the force of the Freebooters : whereupon they haue according to his aduife fent this year thirteene good Ihips together well furnifhed with men and munition, and all other neceffaries for the warres, of which 13. fliips William Burrough one of the faid felowfhip is captaine generall, vnto whom there was giuen in charge, that if hee met with any the Danjke Free- booters, or whatfoeuer robbers and theeues that are enimies to your highneffe, he Ihould doe his beft to apprehend and take them. It fo hapned that the tenth day of this moneth, the fayd William with his fleete, met with sixe Ihips of the Freebooters neere vnto an Ifland called Tuttee, which is about 50. verfts from Narue, vnto which Freebooters he with his fleet gaue chafe, and tooke of them the Admirall, wherein were left but three men, the reft were fled to fliore in their boats amongft the woods vpon Tutiee, on Which fhip he fet fire and burnt her. He alto tooke foure more of thofe fhips which are now here, and one (hip efcaped him : out of which foure fhips fome of the men fled in their boates and fo efcaped, others were flaine in fight, and fome of them when they faw they could not efcape, caft themfelues willingly into the Sea and were drowned. So that in thefe fiue fhips were left but 83. men. The fayd Wil. Borough when he came hither to Narue, find- ing here Chrijlopher Hodfdon aforenamed, both the faid Chrifio- pher and William together, in the name of fir William Garrard and the refl of their whole companie and felowfhip, did prefent vnto your highneffe of thofe Freebooters taken by our fhips 82. men, which we deliuered here vnto Kiiez Voiuoda, the 13. of this moneth. One man of thofe Freebooters we haue kept by vs, whofe name is Haunce Snarke a captaine. And the caufe why we haue done it is this : When we (hould haue deliuered him NOTES. 37 with the refl of his felowes vnto the Voiuodaes officers, there were of our EngHfhmen more then 50. which fell on their knees vnto vs, requefiing that he might be referued in the fhip, and caried back into England : and the caufe why they fo earneflly in- treated for him, is, that fome of thofe our Englifhmen had bene taken with Freebooters, and by his meanes had their Hues faued, with great fauour befides, which they found at his hands. Where- fore if it pleafe your highneffe to permit it, we will cary him home with vs into England, wherein we requefl your maieflies fauour : notwithftanding what you command of him fhalbe obferued. Hakluyt. i. 401. Ed. 1599. 2. The Burning OF Moscow BY THE Tartars, 24MAY1571. — Two accounts are preferved in Hakluyt of this cataftrophe. (i) A letter of Richard Vf combe to M. Henrie Lane, touching the burning of the Citie of Mofco by the Crimine Tartar: written in Rofe I/land ihe 5. day of Auguft 1571. Mafler Lane I haue me commended unto you. The 27. of luly I arriued here with the Magdalene, and the fame day and houre did the Swalcnv and Harry arriue here alfo. At our comming I found mafler Pro(flor here, by whom wee underfhand very heauie newes. The Mofco is burnt euery flicke by the Cri?nnie the 24. day of May laft, and an innumerable number of people : and in the Englifh houfe was fmothered Tho7nas Southam, Tofdd, Wauerley, Gree?tes wife and children, two children of Rafe, and more to the number of 25. perfons were ftifeled in oure Beere feller: and yet in the fame feller was Rafe, his wife, Lo/ut Broivne, and lohn Clarke preferued, which was wonderfull. And there went into that feller mafler doner and mafter Rowley alfo : but becaufe the heate was fo great, they came foorth againe with much perill, fo that a boy at their heeles was taken with the fire, yet they efcaped blindfold into another feller, and there, as Gods will was, they were preferued. The Emperour fled out of the field, and many of his people were caried away by the Crimtne Tartar: to wit, all the yong people, the old they would not meddle with, but let them alone, and so with exceeding much fpoile and infinite prifoners, they returned home againe. What with the Crimine on the one fide, and with his crueltie on the other, he hath but few people left. Commend me to miflreffe Lane your wife, and to M. Locke ^ and to all our friends. Yours to command, Richard Vfcombe. Hakluyt. i 402. Ed. 1599. (2) Mafter Giles Fletcher. D.C.L. was fent by Queen Eliza- beth, in 1588 as Ambaffador to the then Emperor of Ruffia. While returning, he reduced his obfervations of the ftate and manners of that country 'into fome order': and publifhed them under the title Of the Rvffe Common Wealth. London 1591. [Reprinted in Hakluyt. i. 474— 497. Ed. 1599.] His account is as follows ; The greateft and mightieft of them [the Tartars] is the Chrim Tartar, (whom fome call the Great ChaiJi) that lieth South, and 38 NOTES. South eafl ward from Rnjjla^ and doth mofl annoy the Countrie by often inuafions, commonly once euery yeare, fometimes entring very farre within the inland parts. In the year 15 71. he came as farre as the citie of Mosko^ with an armie of 200000. men, without any battaile, or refiftance at all, for that the Rujfe Emperour (then Tiian Vafdowich) leading foorth his armie to encounter with him, marched a wrong way : but as it was thought of very pur- pofe, as not daring to aduenture the fielde, by reafon that hee doubted his nobilitie, and chiefe Captaines, of a meaning to betray him to the Tartar. The citie he tooke not, but fired the Suburbs, which by reafon of the buildinges (which is all of wood without any ftone, brick, or lime, faue certein out roomes) kindled fo quickly, and went on with fuch rage, as that it confumed the greateft part of the citie almoft within the fpace of foure houres, being of 30. miles or more of compaffe. Then might you haue feene a lamentable fpe6lacle ; befides the huge and mighty flame of the citie all on light fire, the people burning in their houfes and flreates, but moft of all of fuch as laboured to paffe out of the gates fartheft from the enemie, where meeting together in a mightie throng, and fo prefsing euery man to preuent another, wedged themfelues fo fafl within the gate, and flreates near vnto it, as that three ranks walked one vpon the others head, the vppermofl treading downe thofe that were lower : fo that there periflied at that time (as was fayd) by the fire and the prefTe, the number of 800000. people, or more. The Chrim thus hauing fired the Citie, and fedde his eyes with the fight of it all on a light flame, returned with his armie, and fent to the Rtiffe Emperour a knife (as was fayd) to flick himfelfe withall : obbraiding this loffe, and his defperate cafe, as not daring either to meet his enimy in the fielde, nor to trufl his friends or fubiecfts at home. Chap 19. 'The borderers of Ruflla.' fol. 66. 3. Prester or Presbyter John, was the name given by the Europeans of the middle ages to a dynafly of fuppofed eaftern potentates. The following account is the hiflory of this legend : — About the beginning of the eleventh century, it began to be reported in Chriftendom that a certain king beyond Perfia and Armenia had been met by the fpirit of a departed faint in a foreft ; that he had been overawed into becoming a true believer ; and that he had ordered all his fubje(fls, to the number of 200,000, to adopt the fame faith. As time paffed by, the report feemed to receive corroboration. Envoys pretending to come from the land in queftion arrived at Rome. Additional rumours, by what means nobody knew, found their way to the Wefl. The man- ners and cuftoms of this newly Chriflianized people were faid to retain many traces of the old patriarchal times. The chief was both priefl and king, and was known on that account by the name of Prefler or Presbyter John. His tribe lived a peaceful NOTES. 39 pafloral life, following their flocks through the defert, feeding upon flefh and milk, and being fo deftitute of corn and wine that they were unable in the prefcribed manner to obferve the fafl- days, or to partake of the eucharift. Nor was the exquifite primi- tive fimplicity of his kingdom unadorned by fubftantial wealth and majefty. Unbounded treafures were at his command ; many neighbouring nations were his tributaries ; and he fwayed fu- premely with a fceptre of emerald. Such pleafing reports as thefe continued to be greedily fwallowed by the fuperftitious in Europe, until inveftigations commenced to be made. It then began to appear doubtful whether this happy land were not a mere Utopia, and whether this admirable Prefter John were not a mere creature of the popular fancy. Carpini, a Francifcan friar who was fent by Pope Innocent IV., in 1246, on an embaffy to the Mongols, failed to difcover the celebrated nation of Chriftians. Not long afterwards another Francifcan, William de Rubruquis, who penetrated into Afia as far as Karakorum, could find none but a few Neftorians, who had even heard of the great priefl-king. Equally unfuccefsful were the Portuguefe explorers who reached India by the way of the Cape of Good Hope about the end of the fifteenth century. After fruitleffly feeking for the Prefter in Afia, they were fain to fuppofe, on few or no grounds, that they had found him in Africa in the perfon of an Abyffmian prince. The refult of all these explorations was, that invefligators have ceafed to inquire into the truth of the flory of Prefler John, and turned tlieir attention to an explanation of its origin. The mofb plaufible folution is that given by Molheim in his Church Hi%ry. He fuppofes that a certain Neflorian priefl named John gained pofleffion of a throne in Afiatic Tartary ; that he ftill retained the name of Presbyter after his acceffion ; and that the title of Prefter John was inherited by his defcendants along with the throne, until his dynafly was extirpated by the mighty Tartar emperor Gengiskan. — Encyclo- pcedia Britafinica^ xviii., 511. Eighth Editio7i. Among the curious defcriptions of this fabulous empire is a fmall work printed in French at Rouen in 1 506, of which the title is fimply Perrester Iehan. While the imprint runs thus — Cy fineni la dme7'fltie des hoinmes^ des bejies et des oifeaux qui fo7it en la ter7'e de prestre Iehan. Impri77iees a Rotten Pour Richard rogerie de7noura7ii a 77iorletz. It purports to be a letter from Prefter John himfelf to the Em- peror of Rome and the King of France, and is dated 'from our holy palace, in the year of our birth 506.' It is a titTue of marvel after marvel : fo as to render it hardly credible that it was ever ferioully believed in. A few fentences will fhow its charadler. "Prefter John by the grace of God all powerful king of all the Chriftians : to the Emperor of Rome and to the King of France, our friends, greeting. We wifti you to know of our ilate and of government, that is to fay, of our people and the different 40 NOTES. kind of our animals. And becaufe you fay that our people do not agree in worfhipping God as you do in your country, we wifli you to know that we adore and believe in the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit who are three perfons in one deity and one God alone. And we certify and fend to you by our letters fealed with our Seal concerning the ftate and manner of our land and of our people. And if you will come into our country, for the good that we have heard of you, we will make you lord after us, and will give you large lands and lordfliips. Know then that we have the higheft crown in all the world. Alfo gold, filver, and precious ftones, and cities, caftles, and towns. Know alfo that we have in our country forty-two kings, all powerful and good Chriftians. Know alfo that we fupport with our alms all the poor in our land whether native or foreign, for the love and honour of Jefus Chrift. Know alfo that we have promifed in good-faith to conquer the Sepulchre of our Lord Jefus Chrift and alfo all the Land of Promife Alfo in our country are elephants [oliflans] ; and another kind of animal, very great, called dromedaries ; and white horfes, and white oxen, and alfo favage cattle with feven horns ; bears and lions of different colours, that is to, fay, red, green, black, and white ; and wild affes with little horns . . . And green horfes, that go fafter than any other animal in the world. Know alfo that we have griffons that will eafily carry an ox or an horfe into their nefts for their little birds to eat. Know alfo between us and the Saracens runs a river called Sydonis, which comes from the terreftrial paradife and is quite full of precious ftones, that is to fay, emeralds, faphirs, rubies, chalcedonies, carbuncles, topas ; and feveral other kinds that I do not mention : and of each we know the name and vertue. Know alfo that in our land is an herb called parmanable ; and whofoever carries it upon him, can enchant the Devil and ask him where he is going, and what he is doing on the Earth, and can make him tell ; upon which account the Devil dares not be into our country." ——'J. AND W. RIDER, PRINTERS, LONDON. s ^ ^ t y-T-^ESTTY OF CALJFOT?NT' ■3 35 Y0'ty j^ /fikp^ijr^.^