_Of other kingdomes and notable things that are vntill
you come into Spaine, and to conclude, the compassing
of the world._
[Sidenote: Arabia Felix.]
[Sidenote: The Red Sea.]
[Sidenote: The land of Abexin that of Prester Iohn.]
[Sidenote: Mazanbiqua.]
Neere unto the straite of Oromuz is Arabia Felix, where as all the
inhabitants are of the sect of Mahomet, and doo follow the same
interpretation that the Sophi doth. So running a long by Arabia, you
come straight vnto the Red Sea, or Arabico, the which hath foure hundred
and fiftie leagues of longitude, and in some partes it is of a mightie
depth: the water thereof seemeth to bee red, although taking it out
thereof it is white: the cause thereof is for that the ground vnder the
water is of the same colour. By reason whereof, when as the sun doth
shine thereon it seemeth red, and thereby it hath got the name the which
it hath vnto this day. By this sea, and by that of Basora, the great
Turk doth carrie much spicerie, silkes, and cloth of golde, and all
riches out of the orientall Indias, the which may easily be disturbed,
but the way how is not for this place nor time. On the other side is the
land of Abexin, which is that of Prester John, a kingdome although it is
very great, yet it extendeth very litle on this coast. From this
kingdome or poynt, going to the southwest, is six hundreth leagues to
Mazanbique, whereas there is inhabitance of Portingals. All this coast
is black people, gentiles, and idolaters, and is in fifteene degrees in
altitude towardes the south, and in the same maner are all the rest that
are inhabited from Mazanbique vnto the Cape of Buena Esperansa. They are
without memorie of the preaching of the gospel; if that God for his
mercy doe not take pitie on them, and put into the heartes of some to
goe thither, and to procure the remedie of so infinite number of soules.
[Sidenote: The Ilands of Maldivia.]
[Sidenote: The Ilands of S. Lorenso.]
[Sidenote: The Cape of Buena Esperansa.]
[Sidenote: The Iland of S. Elena.]
So after the sayd father had informed himselfe of all that is sayde, and
of many other thinges more, which is left out for to euitate tediousnes,
till such time as of them may bee made a particular historie, hee
departed from Goa and Cochin towardes Portingall, and passed by the
Ilandes of Maldivia, which are many, and all are inhabited with Moores,
nigh vnto the which they doe enter the poole Antartico, crossing the
equinoctiall from the coast of Arabia; from thence they sayled with a
faire winde till they came right against the Iland of Saint Lorenso,
which is very great, for that it hath two hundreth seuentie and fiue
leagues of longitude, and fourescore and tenne of latitude; all
inhabited with much people, very quiet and ciuile: the faith of Christ
was neuer preached amongest them; yet I doo belieue that if it were,
they would quietly receiue the same. Passing from this ilande, they came
vnto the Cape of Buena Esperansa, the which is another very good iland,
whose inhabitants and dwellers are much like to those of Saint Lorenzo:
it is in the temperate zona, and nigh vnto the straights of Magellanes.
This Cape of Buena Esperansa is called by another name, the Cape
Tormentorio: it is fiue and thirtie degrees large from the pole
antartico. And from Cochin vnto this cape they put one thousand three
hundred fiftie and eight leagues, that way which they do ordinarily
nauigate. When they doo passe by this cape, they were wont to have great
and strong winds. They go from thence to the Iland of S. Elena, which is
beyond the cape forwards, fiue hundred and seuentie leagues. It is not
inhabited with people, but full of swine, goats, and great aboundance of
partriges, and in all the coast is great store of fish, the which is
taken with great ease; it is but a little iland, and hath circuit no
more than fiue leagues.
[Sidenote: Guinea.]
From this ilande they do nauigate foure hundred leagues vntil they come
vnder the equinoctiall, vpon the coast of Guinea, returning unto the
pole artike, in foure and forty degrees in altitude (which was almost at
the same place from whence he departed at his gooing forth) after hee
compassed the world. They passed in sight of the lande, and from thence
they sayled forwards and sawe other land, vntill they came vnto
Lisborne, hauing (after they had crossed the equinoctiall) sayled a
thousand foure hundred and fiftie leagues. So that after the aforesaid
father, Frier Martin Ignacio, had made his account of all that he had
trauelled from the time he departed from Siuel, til he returned vnto
Lysborne, in compassing the world, he found that it was nine thousand
and forty leagues by sea and by lande, besides many other leagues that
he trauelled in China and in other parts, of the which hee dooth make no
account. All these leagues are full of mightie kingdomes, and al, or the
most part of them, are subiect vnto the tyranny of Lucyfer. God, for his
infinite mercy, conuert them, and take pittie on them, as hee did when
that he came from heauen vppon the earth to die for all, and put into
the heart of the king of Spaine, that, amongst other good workes, the
which, with his most Christian zeale dooth intend and do, for to procure
this, which will be so much vnto the glory of God, and great desert of
honor vnto himselfe, the which he may do very commodiously, being, as he
is at this day, Lord of all the Indies, and of the biggest part of all
that newe world.
This petition is worthy, that all we Christians doo desire of God, for
that his holy name in all the world may be praised and exalted; and the
sonnes of Adam, who for their sinnes are so dispersed and forgotten of
God, and first beginning, they may go and inioy the happy and glorious
kingdome for the which they were created.