NARRATIVE
OF THE
PORTUGUESE EMBASSY
TO
ABYSSINIA
DURING THE YEARS 1520–1527.
BY
FATHER FRANCISCO ALVAREZ.
TRANSLATED FROM THE PORTUGUESE,
AND EDITED,
With Notes and an Introduction,
BY
LORD STANLEY OF ALDERLEY.
LONDON:
PRINTED FOR THE HAKLUYT SOCIETY.
MDCCCLXXXI.
T. RICHARDS, PRINTER, 37, GREAT QUEEN STREET.
WORKS ISSUED BY
The Hakluyt Society.
NARRATIVE OF THE PORTUGUESE
EMBASSY TO ABYSSINIA.
No. LXIV.
COUNCIL
OF
THE HAKLUYT SOCIETY.
COLONEL H. YULE, C.B., PRESIDENT.
ADMIRAL C. R. DRINKWATER BETHUNE, C.B. } VICE-PRESIDENTS.
MAJOR-GENERAL SIR HENRY RAWLINSON, K.C.B. }
W. A. TYSSEN AMHERST, ESQ., M.P.
REV. G. P. BADGER, D.C.L.
J. BARROW, ESQ.
WALTER DE GRAY BIRCH, ESQ.
E. A. BOND, ESQ.
E. H. BUNBURY, ESQ.
ADMIRAL SIR R. COLLINSON, K.C.B.
THE EARL OF DUCIE.
AUGUSTUS W. FRANKS, ESQ.
CAPTAIN HANKEY, R.N.
LIEUT.-GENERAL. SIR J. HENRY LEFROY, C.B., K.C.M.G.
R. H. MAJOR, ESQ.
REAR-ADMIRAL MAYNE, C.B.
DELMAR MORGAN, ESQ.
ADMIRAL SIR ERASMUS OMMANNEY, C.B.
LORD ARTHUR RUSSELL, M.P.
THE LORD STANLEY OF ALDERLEY.
EDWARD THOMAS, ESQ.
LIEUT.-GENERAL SIR HENRY THUILLIER, C.S.I.
CLEMENTS R. MARKHAM. C.B., HONORARY SECRETARY.
INTRODUCTION.
The present work on Abyssinia is the earliest extant; for though Pedro
de Covilham, the explorer of King John II, who was despatched from
Portugal in May 1487, reached Abyssinia more than thirty years before
our author, he does not appear to have left any written memorial of his
long residence in that country.
This work of Francisco Alvarez has been translated from the original
edition printed in black letter by Luis Rodriguez, bookseller of the
King, on the 22nd October 1540, the _British Museum Catalogue_
supposes at Coimbra.
The narrative of Alvarez has been translated into several languages,
but most of these translations are considerably abridged. The following
are a list of the translations:--
“Viaggio fatta nella Ethiopia, Obedienza data a Papa Clemente
Settimo in nome del Prete Gianni.” Primo Volume delle
navigazione. 1550. Fol.
“Viaggio nella Ethiopia, Ramusio.” 1 vol. 1554.
“Description de l’Ethiopie.” 1556. Fol.
“Historia de las cosas de Etiopia.” Traduzida de Portugues en
Castillano, por Thomas de Padilla. Anvers: Juan Steelsio, 1557.
8vo.
“Description de l’Ethiopie.” Translated by J. Bellere, from the
Italian version of Ramusio. Anvers: C. Plautin, 1558. 8vo.
“Historia de las cosas de Ethiopia.” By Miguel de Suelves.
Printed in black letter. Saragoza, 1561. Fol.
“Warhafftiger Bericht von den Landen ... des Königs in
Ethiopien.” Eisslebë, 1566. FOL----Another edition. Eisslebë,
1576. Fol.
“Die Reiss zu dess Christlichen Königs in hohen Ethiopien.”
1576. Fol.
“Historia de las cosas de Ethiopia,” traduzida por M. de
Selves. Toledo, 1588. 8vo.
“The Voyage of Sir Francis Alvarez.” _Purchas, his
Pilgrims_, Part II. 1625.
Francisco Alvarez relates in this volume how much he desired, on his
return to Portugal, to be sent on a mission to Rome, to present the
Prester John’s letters to the Pope, and it appears from the Portuguese
_Biographical Dictionary_ of Innocencio da Silva, that he
succeeded in going to Rome, and afterwards returned to Lisbon.
Figaniere, and José Carlos Pinto de Souza say, in their Portuguese
_Bibliographies_, that Alvarez was a native of Coimbra.
The utility and good effect of this Portuguese mission to Abyssinia
suffered very much by the dissensions and quarrels which arose
between Don Rodrigo de Lima, the Ambassador, and Don Jorge d’Abreu,
the Secretary of Embassy, quarrels which, as usual in such cases,
caused disunion amongst the whole staff of the Embassy. Father Alvarez
acted a most useful part as peace-maker on all occasions; but he is
very reticent, and has avoided saying upon which side the blame for
these quarrels should be laid. It appears from the narrative that the
Ambassador was very selfish, and thought too much of his personal
interests; his conduct appears all the more blameable, from the account
of the very different conduct of Hector da Silveira, who brought away
the mission from Africa; but Jorge d’Abreu was very quarrelsome, and
carried his quarrels further than can be excused, even by the fact that
he could not refer his complaints home to his Government. The conduct
of the Ambassador must, however, have been even worse than appears from
the narrative, or the Abyssinians would hardly have supported Jorge
d’Abreu as much as they did.
The reader is invited to compare the description of the entrance to
the mountain in which the Abyssinian Princes were confined at the
time of our author’s visit, at pp. 140–144, and the motives for this
confinement, with this opening passage of _Rasselas_, describing
the Happy Valley.
“The place which the wisdom or policy of antiquity had destined for
the residence of the Abyssinian Princes was a spacious valley in the
kingdom of Amhara, surrounded on every side by mountains, of which the
summits overhang the middle part. The only passage by which it could be
entered, was a cavern that passed under a rock, of which it has long
been disputed whether it was the work of nature, or of human industry.
The outlet of the cavern was concealed by a thick wood, and the mouth
which opened into the valley was closed with gates of iron....
“This lake discharged its superfluities by a stream, which entered
a dark cleft of the mountain on the northern side, and fell with
dreadful noise from precipice to precipice, till it was heard no more.”
These descriptions agree sufficiently to leave no doubt that Johnson
borrowed the idea of Rasselas from actual descriptions of Abyssinia,
and from the translation of Alvarez in Purchas’s _Pilgrimes_, when
he wrote that work in 1759; but the matter is proved beyond doubt, by
the fact that Johnson’s first literary work was a translation from the
French of Lobo’s _Voyage to Abyssinia_. It was published in 1735,
by Bettesworth and Hicks, of Paternoster Row, and for this task Johnson
received only five guineas, which he was in want of for the funeral
expenses of his mother.
Therefore, whatever frivolous persons in society may have done on
insufficient information, Mr. Justin McCarthy, in his _History of our
Own Times_, should have avoided the inaccuracy of writing: “He (Lord
Beaconsfield) wound up by proclaiming that ‘the standard of St. George
was hoisted upon the mountains of Rasselas’. All England smiled at the
mountains of Rasselas. The idea that Johnson actually had in his mind
the very Abyssinia of geography and of history, when he described his
Happy Valley, was in itself trying to gravity.”
Mr. McCarthy goes on to say that: “When the expedition to Abyssinia is
mentioned in any company, a smile steals over some faces, and more than
one voice is heard to murmur an allusion to the mountains of Rasselas”.
It is unfortunate that Mr. Justin McCarthy should not have fallen in
with those Englishmen who sighed over the excuse for the expedition
to Abyssinia, that “it would keep the Bombay army in wind”, or who
reprobated the conduct of Lord Napier of Magdala to King Theodore,
after having accepted from him a present of cows. But accurate ideas of
political morality are not to be expected from an advocate of the most
extreme proposals of the Irish Land League.[1]
The reader will find many descriptions of Abyssinian Ritual, and
interesting discussions between the Abyssinians and Father Alvarez, who
always showed much tact in these arguments.
It appears from this book, that the population of Abyssinia was far
larger at that time than at the present; and that the contact of
Europeans with the Abyssinians has not been to the advantage of the
latter.
An interesting part of the narrative of Alvarez is the description of
the churches cut out of the rock; he is very enthusiastic over the
beauty of these structures. The style of Alvarez is never very clear;
and there was much difficulty in translating this portion of his book,
owing to the number of architectural terms, some of which are almost
obsolete. No modern traveller has described these churches. Mr. Markham
was within a short distance of them, but was unable to visit them.
M. Antoine d’Abbadie visited them, but he has not yet written any
account of his long residence in Ethiopia, having been occupied with
the publication of his very copious astronomical observations, and
being now engaged in printing a dictionary of the Ethiopic language.
M. d’Abbadie is anxious that the work on Ethiopia of the Jesuit
Almeida, a MS. of which is in the British Museum, should be translated
and published, as he considers it to be the most exact account of that
country. I am indebted to M. d’Abbadie for several explanations of
Ethiopic words and names which have been given in the notes: many of
these were too much disfigured to be recognisable.
On one occasion, the Portuguese performed before Prester John a
representation of the Adoration of the Magi, or an Epiphany miracle
play. This would probably be similar to one that was found in a
thirteenth century Service Book of Strasbourg, and which was published
by Mr. Walter Birch in the tenth volume of the _Transactions_ of
the Royal Society of Literature.
The Abyssinian envoy, Mattheus, who went to Portugal and returned to
his country with the Portuguese Embassy, suffered much on his way to
Portugal, and also on his return, by reason of the doubts cast upon the
authenticity of his mission. What happened to him in India on his way
to Portugal, is mentioned at length in Mr. Birch’s translation of the
_Commentaries of Albuquerque_, vol. iii, p. 250. The truth appears
to be that he was sent by Queen Helena, the queen-mother.
In several cases, the dates given by Alvarez of the days of the week
and the days of the month do not agree, but as these dates refer to the
departure from some village, and not to any historical event, I have
not thought it worth while to verify and correct these discrepancies.
Mr. Clements Markham has compiled a map of Abyssinia for this volume,
extending from Massowah to Shoa.
Some years ago a rather savage criticism of the publications of
the Hakluyt Society complained of the excessive length of their
Introductions. This one is much shorter than it should have been, not
in deference to the critic, but because the researches necessary for
doing justice to the work of Alvarez have been interfered with and
prevented by other less agreeable occupations; but the delivery of this
volume could not be delayed any longer, and the members of the Society
are entreated to excuse its brevity.
_June 29th, 1881._
TITLES OF THE CHAPTERS.
Prologue to the King our Sovereign 1
CAP. I.
How Diogo Lopez de Sequeira succeeded to the government of
India after Lopo Soarez, who was governor before him, and
how he brought Mattheus to the port of Maçua 3
CAP. II.
How the Captain of Arquiquo came to visit the Captain General,
and also some Friars of Bisam 4
CAP. III.
How the Captain General ordered mass to be said in the chief
mosque of Maçua, and ordered it to be named St. Mary of the
Conception, and how he sent to see the things of the Monastery
of Bisam 6
CAP. IV.
How the Captain General and the Barnagais saw each other, and
how it was arranged that Rodrigo de Lima should go with
Mattheus to Prester John 7
CAP. V.
Of the goods which the Captain sent to Prester John 10
CAP. VI.
Of the day that we departed and the fleet went out of the port,
and where we went to keep the feast, and of a gentleman who
came to us 11
CAP. VII.
How Mattheus made us leave the road, and travel through the
mountain in a dry river bed 12
CAP. VIII.
How Mattheus again took us out of the road, and made us go to
the monastery of Bisam 14
CAP. IX.
How we said mass here, and Frey Mazqual separated from us, and
we went to a monastery, where our people fell sick 16
CAP. X.
How Don Rodrigo sent to ask the Barnagais for equipment for his
departure 20
CAP. XI.
Of the fashion and situation of the monasteries and their
customs, first this of St. Michael 21
CAP. XII.
Where and how the bread of the Sacrament is made, and of a
Procession they made, and of the pomp with which the mass
is said, and of entering into the church 28
CAP. XIII.
How in all the churches and monasteries in the country of
Prester John only one mass is said each day; and of the
situation of the monastery of Bisan where we buried Mattheus;
and of the fast of Lent 30
CAP. XIV.
How the monastery of Bisan is the head of six monasteries, of
the number of the brothers, and ornaments, of the “castar”
which they do to Philip, whom they call a Saint 33
CAP. XV.
Of the agriculture of this country, and how they preserve
themselves from the wild beasts, and of the revenues of the
monastery 35
CAP. XVI.
How the friars impeded our departure, and of what happened to
us on the road 37
CAP. XVII.
How we passed a great mountain in which there were many apes,
on a Saturday, and on the following Sunday we said mass in a
village called Zalote 39
CAP. XVIII.
How we arrived at the town of Barua, and how the Ambassador
went in search of the Barnagais, and of the manner of his
state 41
CAP. XIX.
How they gave us to eat in the house of the Barnagais, and how
in this country the journeys are not reckoned by leagues 43
CAP. XX.
Of the town of Barua, and of the women and their traffic, and
of the marriages which are made outside of the churches 44
CAP. XXI.
Of their marriages and benedictions, and of their contracts,
and how they separate from their wives, and the wives from
them, and it is not thought strange 46
CAP. XXII.
Of the manner of baptism and circumcision, and how they carry
the dead to their burial 48
CAP. XXIII.
Of the situation of the town of Barua, chief place of the
kingdom of the Barnagais, and of his hunting 50
CAP. XXIV.
Of the lordship of the Barnagais, and of the lords and captains
who are at his orders and commands, and of the dues which they
pay 52
CAP. XXV.
Of their method of guarding their herds from wild beasts, and
how there are two winters in this country: and of two churches
that are in the town of Barua 54
CAP. XXVI.
How the priests are, and how they are ordained, and of the
reverence which they pay to the churches and their churchyards 56
CAP. XXVII.
How we departed from Barua, and of the bad equipment we had
until we arrived at Barra 58
CAP. XXVIII.
How the goods arrived at the town of Barra, and of the bad
equipment of the Barnagais 59
CAP. XXIX.
Of the church of the town of Barra, and its ornaments, and of
the fair there, and of the merchandise, and costumes of the
friars, nuns, and priests 61
CAP. XXX.
Of the state of the Barnagais and manner of his house, and how
he ordered a proclamation to be made to go against the Nobiis,
and the method of his justice 63
CAP. XXXI.
How we departed from Barra to Temei, and of the quality of the
town 66
CAP. XXXII.
Of the multitude of locusts which are in the country, and of
the damage they do, and how we made a procession, and the
locusts died 67
CAP. XXXIII.
Of the damage which we saw in another country caused by the
locusts in two places 71
CAP. XXXIV.
How we arrived at Temei, and the ambassador went in search of
Tigrimahom, and sent to call us 72
CAP. XXXV.
How the Tigrimahom sent a captain in search of our goods, and
of the buildings which are in the first town 74
CAP. XXXV.[2]
How we departed from Bafazem, and went to the town called
Houses of St. Michael 76
CAP. XXXVI.
Which speaks of the town of Aquaxumo, and of the gold which
the Queen Saba took to Solomon for the temple, and of a son
that she had of Solomon 78
CAP. XXXVII.
How St. Philip declared a prophecy of Isaiah to the eunuch of
Queen Candace, through which she and all her kingdom were
converted, and of the edifices of the town of Aquaxumo 80
CAP. XXXVIII.
Of the buildings which are around Aquaxumo, and how gold is
found in it, and of the church of this town 84
CAP. XXXIX.
How close to Aquaxumo there are two churches on two peaks,
where lie the bodies of two saints 86
CAP. XL.
Of the countries and lordships that are to the west and to the
north of Aquaxumo, where there is a monastery, named
Hallelujah, and of two other monasteries to the east 87
CAP. XLI.
How we departed from the church and houses of St. Michael,
and went to Bacinete, and from there to Maluc; and of the
monasteries which are near it 89
CAP. XLII.
Of the animals which are in the country, and how we turned
back to where the ambassador was 92
CAP. XLIII.
How the Tigrimahom being about to travel, the ambassador asked
him to despatch him, and it was not granted to him, and the
ambassador sent him certain things, and he gave him equipment,
and we went to a monastery, where the friars gave thanks to God 94
CAP. XLIV.
How we went to the town of Dangugui, and Abefete, and how
Balgada Robel came to visit us, and the service which he
brought, and of the salt which is in the country 97
CAP. XLV.
How we departed, and our baggage before us, and how a captain
of the Tigrimahom who conducted us was frightened by a
friar who came in search of us 99
CAP. XLVI.
How we departed from the town of Corcora, and of the luxuriant
country through which we travelled, and of another which was
rough, in which we lost one another at night, and how the
tigers fought us 101
CAP. XLVII.
How the friar reached us in this town, and then we set out on
our way to a town named Farso: of the crops which are gathered
in it, and of the bread they eat, and wine they drink 105
CAP. XLVIII.
How we departed from the town of Farso, well prepared, because
we had to pass the skirt of the country of the Moors 108
CAP. XLIX.
How the people of Janamora have the conquest of these Doba
Moors, and of the great storm of rain that came upon us
during our halt in a river channel 112
CAP. L.
How we departed from this poor place, and of the fright they
gave us, and how we went to sleep Saturday and Sunday at a
river named Sabalete 114
CAP. LI.
Of the church of Ancona, and how in the kingdom of Angote iron
and salt are current for money, and of a monastery which is in
a cave 117
CAP. LII.
Of a church of canons who are in another cave in this same
lordship, in which lie a Prester John and a Patriarch of
Alexandria 119
CAP. LIII.
Of the great church edifices that there are in the country of
Abuxima, which King Lalibela built, and of his tomb in the
church of Golgotha 122
CAP. LIV.
Of the fashion of the church of San Salvador, and of other
churches which are in the said town, and of the birth of King
Lalibela, and the dues of this country 125
CAP. LV.
How we departed from Ancona, and went to Ingabelu, and how
we returned to seek the baggage 131
CAP. LVI.
How the ambassador separated from the friar, and how those of
us who remained with the friar were stoned, and some captured,
and how the ambassador returned, and we were invited by the
Angote Ras, and went with him to church, and of the questions
he asked, and dinner he gave us 133
CAP. LVII.
How the ambassador took leave of the Ras of Angote, and the
friar, with most of us, returned to the place where we were
stoned, and from there we went to a fertile country, and a
church of many canons 138
CAP. LVIII.
Of the mountain in which they put the sons of the Prester John,
and how they stoned us near it 140
CAP. LIX.
Of the greatness of the mountain in which they put the sons
of Prester John, and of its guards, and how his kingdoms are
inherited 143
CAP. LX.
Of the punishment that was given to a friar, and also to some
guards, for a message which he brought from some princes to
the Prester; and how a brother of the Prester and his uncle
fled, and of the manner in which they dealt with them 145
CAP. LXI.
In what estimation the relations of the Prester are held, and
of the different method which this David wishes to pursue with
his sons, and of the great provisions applied to the mountain 148
CAP. LXII.
Of the end of the kingdom of Angote, and beginning of the
kingdom of Amara, and of a lake and the things there are in it,
and how the friar wished to take the ambassador to a mountain,
and how we went to Acel, and of its abundance 150
CAP. LXIII.
How we came to another lake, and from there to the church of
Macham Celacem, and how they did not let us enter it 153
CAP. LXIV.
How the Presters endowed this kingdom with churches, and how
we went to the village of Abra, and from there to some great
dykes 156
CAP. LXV.
How we came to some gates and deep passes difficult to travel,
and we went up to the gates, at which the kingdom begins
which is named Xoa 158
CAP. LXVI.
How the Prester John went to the burial of Janes Ichee of the
monastery of Brilibanos, and of the election of another Ichee,
who was a Moor 161
CAP. LXVII.
How we travelled for three days through plains, and of the
curing of infirmities and of the sight of the people 163
CAP. LXVIII.
How a great lord of title was given to us as a guard, and of
the tent which he sent us 165
CAP. LXIX.
How the ambassador, and we with him, were summoned by order
of the Prester, and of the order in which we went, and of his
state 166
CAP. LXX.
Of the theft which was done to us when the baggage was moved,
and of the provisions which the Prester sent us, and of the
conversation the friar had with us 170
CAP. LXXI.
How the Prester moved away with his court, and how the friar
told the ambassador to trade if he wished, and how the ambassador
went to the court 172
CAP. LXXII.
Of the Franks who are in the country of the Prester, and how
they arrived here, and how they advised us to give the
pepper and goods which we brought 174
CAP. LXXIII.
How they told the ambassador that the grandees of the court were
counselling the Prester not to let him return, and how he
ordered him to change his tent, and asked for a cross, and
how he sent to summon the ambassador 177
CAP. LXXIV.
How the ambassador having been summoned by the Prester, he
did not hear him in person 180
CAP. LXXV.
How the ambassador was summoned another time, and he took
the letters he had brought, and how we asked leave to say
mass 184
CAP. LXXVI.
Of the questions which were put to the ambassador by order of
Prester John, and of the dress which he gave to a page, and
also whether we brought with us the means of making wafers 187
CAP. LXXVII.
How the Prester John sent to call me, the priest Francisco
Alvarez, and to take to him wafers and vestments, and of the
questions which he asked me 188
CAP. LXXVIII.
Of the robbery which took place at the ambassador’s, and of the
complaint made respecting it to Prester John, and how we
were robbed, and how Prester John sent a tent for a church 194
CAP. LXXIX.
How the Prester sent to call the ambassador, and of the
questions he put to him, and how he sent to beg for the swords
which he had, and some pantaloons, and how they were sent 195
CAP. LXXX.
How Prester John sent certain horses to the ambassador for them
to skirmish, and how they did it, and of a chalice which the
Prester sent him, and of questions which were put, and of
the robbery in the tent 197
CAP. LXXXI.
How the Prester sent to show a horse to the ambassador, and how
he ordered the great men of his Court to come and hear our
mass, and how the Prester sent to call me, and what he asked
me 199
CAP. LXXXII.
How the Ambassador was summoned, and how he presented the
letters which he had brought to Prester John, and of his age
and state 202
CAP. LXXXIII.
How I was summoned, and of the questions which they put to me
respecting the lives of St. Jerome, St. Dominick, and St.
Francis 205
CAP. LXXXIV.
How the lives of the said Saints were taken to him, and how he
had them translated into his language, and of the satisfaction
they felt at our mass, and how Prester John sent for us and
clothed us 209
CAP. LXXXV.
Of the sudden start which Prester John made for another place,
and of the way in which they dealt with the ambassador
respecting his baggage, and of the discord there was, and of
the visit the Prester sent 212
CAP. LXXXVI.
How the Prester was informed of the quarrels of the Portuguese,
and entreated them to be friends, and what more passed, and of
the wrestling match and the baptism we did here 214
CAP. LXXXVII.
Of the number of men, horse and foot, who go with the Prester
when he travels 217
CAP. LXXXVIII.
Of the churches at Court, and how they travel, and how the altar
stones are reverenced, and how Prester John shows himself to
the people each year 219
CAP. LXXXIX.
How Prester John sent to call me to say mass for him on
Christmas-day, and of confession and communion 220
CAP. XC.
How the Prester gave leave to go to the ambassador and the
others, and ordered me to remain alone with the interpreter,
and of the questions about Church matters, and how we all
sang compline, and how Prester John departed that night 224
CAP. XCI.
How the Prester went to lodge at the church of St. George, and
ordered it to be shown to the people of the embassy, and
after certain questions ordered me to be shown some rich
umbrellas 228
CAP. XCII.
Of the travelling of Prester John, and the manner of his state
when he is on the road 231
CAP. XCIII.
How the Prester went to the church of Macham Selasem, and of
the procession and reception that they gave him, and what
passed between His Highness and me respecting the reception 233
CAP. XCIV.
Of the fashion and things of this church of the Trinity, and
how the Prester sent to tell the ambassador to go and see the
church of his mother, and of the things which happened in it 236
CAP. XCV.
How Prester John sent to tell those of the embassy and the
Franks to go and see his baptism, and of the representation
which the Franks made for him, and how he ordered that I should
be present at the baptism, and of the fashion of the tank, and
how he desired the Portuguese to swim, and gave them a banquet 240
CAP. XCVI.
How I went with an interpreter to visit the Abima Mark, and how
I was questioned about circumcision, and how the Abima
celebrates the holy orders 245
CAP. XCVII.
How the Prester questioned me about the ceremony of holy
orders, and also how I went to the lesser orders which they
call zagonais, and what sort of people are ordained 248
CAP. XCVIII.
How long a time the Prester’s country was without an Abima, and
for what cause and where they go to seek them, and of the
state of the Abima, and how he goes when he rides 253
CAP. XCIX.
Of the assembly of clergy, which took place in the church of
Macham Selasem when they consecrated it, and of the translation
of the King Nahum, father of this Prester, and of a
small church there is there 256
CAP. C.
Of the conversation which the ambassador had with the Prester
about carpets, and how the Prester ordered for us an evening’s
entertainment and banquet 258
CAP. CI.
How the Prester sent to call the ambassador and those that were
with him, and of what passed in the great church 261
CAP. CII.
How the ambassador and all the Franks went to visit the Abima,
and of what passed there 263
CAP. CIII.
How Pero de Covilham, Portuguese, is in the country of the
Prester, and how he came there, and why he was sent 265
CAP. CIV.
How Prester John determined to write to the King and to the
Captain-major, and how he behaved with the ambassador and
with the Franks who were in his country, and of the decision
as to departure 270
CAP. CV.
How the Prester sent to the ambassador thirty ounces of gold, and
fifty for those that came with him, and a crown and letters
for the King of Portugal, and letters for the Captain-major,
and how we left the Court and of the road we took 273
CAP. CVI.
Of what happened in the town of Manadeley with the Moors 277
CAP. CVII.
How two great gentlemen from the Court came to us to make
friendship between us, and committed us to the captain-major 279
CAP. CVIII.
How they took us on the road to the Court, and how they brought
us back to this country 283
CAP. CIX.
In what time and day Lent begins in the country of Prester John,
and of the great fast and abstinence of the friars, and how at
night they put themselves in the tank 284
CAP. CX.
Of the fast of Lent in the country of Prester John, and of the
office of Palms and of the Holy Week 289
CAP. CXI.
How we kept a Lent at the Court of the Prester, and we kept it
in the country of Gorage, and they ordered us to say mass,
and how we did not say it 293
CAP. CXII.
How Don Luis de Meneses wrote to the ambassador to depart,
and how they did not find him at Court, and how the King
Don Manuel had died 298
CAP. CXIII.
Of the battle which the Prester had with the King of Adel, and
how he defeated Captain Mahomed 304
CAP. CXIV.
How the Prester sent us a map of the world which we had brought
him, for us to translate the writing into Abyssinian, and
what more passed, and of the letters for the Pope 311
CAP. CXV.
How in the letters of Don Luis it was said that we should
require justice for certain men of his who had been killed,
and the Prester sent there the Chief Justice of the Court, and
Zagazabo, in company of Don Rodrigo to Portugal 314
CAP. CXVI.
How Zagazabo the ambassador returned to the Court, and I with
him, for business which concerned him, and how they flogged
the Chief Justice and two friars, and why 317
CAP. CXVII.
How, after the death of Queen Helena, the great Betudete went
to collect the dues of her kingdom, and what they were, and
how the Queen of Adea came to ask assistance, and what
people came with her on mules 321
CAP. CXVIII.
How assistance was given to the Queen of Adea, and how the
Prester ordered the great Betudete to be arrested, and why,
and how he became free, and also he ordered other lords to
be arrested 325
CAP. CXIX.
How the Tigrimahom was killed, and the other Betudete deposed,
also Abdenago from his lordship, and the ambassador was
provided for, and Prester John went in person to the kingdom
of Adea 329
CAP. CXX.
Of the manner in which the Prester encamps with his Court 331
CAP. CXXI.
Of the tent of justice and method of it, and how they hear the
parties 333
CAP. CXXII.
Which speaks of the manner of the prison 335
CAP. CXXIII.
Where the dwellings of the Chief Justices are situated, and the
site of the market place, and who are the merchants and
hucksters 336
CAP. CXXIV.
How the lords and gentlemen and all other people pitch their
tents, according to their regulations 337
CAP. CXXV.
Of the manner in which the lords and gentlemen come to the
Court, and go about it, and depart from it 338
CAP. CXXVI.
How those who go to and come from the wars approach the
Prester more closely, and of the maintenance they get 340
CAP. CXXVII.
Of the manner in which they carry the Prester’s property when
he travels, and of the brocades and silks which he sent to
Jerusalem, and of the great treasury 340
CAP. CXXVIII.
How three hundred and odd friars departed from Barua in pilgrimage
to Jerusalem, and how they killed them 342
CAP. CXXIX.
Of the countries and kingdoms which are on the frontiers of
Prester John 345
CAP. CXXX.
Of the kingdom of Adel, and how the king is esteemed as a saint
amongst the Moors 346
CAP. CXXXI.
Of the kingdom of Adea, where it begins and where it ends 346
CAP. CXXII.
Of the lordships of Ganze and Gamu, and of the kingdom of
Gorage 347
CAP. CXXXIII.
Of the kingdom of Damute, and of the much gold there is in it,
and how it is collected, and to the south of this are the Amazons,
if they are there 347
CAP. CXXXIV.
Of the lordships of the Cafates, who they say had been Jews, and
how they are warriors 349
CAP. CXXXV.
Of the kingdom of Gojame which belonged to Queen Helena, where
the river Nile rises, and of the much gold there is there 350
CAP. CXXXVI.
Of the kingdom of Bagamidri, which is said to be very large, and
how silver is found in its mountains 351
CAP. CXXXVII.
Of some lordships which are called of the Nubians, who had been
Christians, and of the number of churches which are in the
country which they border upon 351
CAP. CXXXVIII.
Of the officials that Solomon ordained for his son that he had
of the Queen Sabba when he sent him to Ethiopia; and how they
still draw honour from these offices 353
CAP. CXXXIX.
How the ambassador of Prester John took possession of his lordship,
and the Prester gave him a title of all of it, and we departed
to the sea 354
CAP. CXL.
How the Portuguese came for us, and who was the captain 356
CAP. CXLI.
How the Barnagais made ready, and we travelled with him on
the road to the sea 360
* * * * *
_In this Part is related the Journey which was made from the country
of the Prester John to Portugal._
CAP. I.
Of how we departed from the port and island of Masua until
arriving at Ormuz 364
CAP. II.
Of the translation of the letter which Prester John sent to
Diego Lopez, and which was given to Lopo Vaz de Sampayo 368
CAP. III.
Of the voyage we made from Ormuz to India, as far as Cochim 374
CAP. IV.
Of the voyage we made from Cananor to Lisbon, and of what
happened to us by the way 378
CAP. V.
Of the journey we made from Lisbon to Coimbra, and how we
remained at Çarnache 382
CAP. VI.
How we departed from Çarnache on the way to Coimbra, and the
reception that was made, and how the embassage was given,
and of the welcome which the King our Sovereign gave us 385
CAP. VII.
Of the translation of the letter which the Prester sent to Don
Manuel 389
CAP. VIII.
Translation of the letter of Prester John to the King Don Joam
our Sovereign 396
CAP. IX.
Of certain questions which the Archbishop of Braga put to
Francisco Alvarez, and the answers which he gave 401
ERRATA AND NOTES.
Page 36, line 22, _for_ “Rodrigro”, _read_ “Rodrigo”.
„ 84 note, “mancal”. “Baton ferré des deux bouts”.--Roquette’s
_Dict._
„ 151, line 18, _for_ “sleeep”, _read_ “sleep”.
„ 178, line 28, “a crucifix painted on it”, or perhaps, “a painted
crucifix on it”.
„ 186, note. See Grove’s _Dictionary of Music_ for a note on the
Monochord.
„ 199, note. “Alaqueca, laqueca, pierre des Indes qui arrête le
flux de sang.”--Roquette’s _Dict._
„ 228, line 25, _for_ “Bruncaliam”, _read_ “Brancaliam”.
„ 241. Col. Meadows Taylor describes a similar miracle play
represented at Aurungabad by the Portuguese monks.--_Story
of my Life_, p. 39.
„ 295, line 2, _for_ “pesons”, _read_ “persons”.
„ 324, last line, _for_ “littlo”, _read_ “little”.
„ 325, “cap. cxvii”, _read_ “cxviii”.
„ 344, line 33, “Cosme, Damiano”, or the church of Saints Cosmo
and Damian, martyrs united in the Calendar under 27th
September.
„ 408, note, “Tahu.” This is the Tau-cross or T-shaped crutch
emblem of St. Anthony, so called from the name of the letter
in the Greek alphabet.
PROLOGUE TO THE KING OUR SOVEREIGN.
VERY HIGH AND VERY POWERFUL PRINCE,
Perchance your Highness may judge me to be as ignorant as over bold,
since with such weak knowledge, and little capacity, I have desired to
offer to you my poor works: but the love which I bear to your service
excuses my error, because I have done it with such strenuous daring,
as in truth I would do other greater things, if the favour of your
Highness should also oblige me as in this work of Prester John of
the Indies. Because, besides that the Bishop of Lamego incited me to
this, your Highness bade me print it, saying that you would receive
much satisfaction from it, which was a great favour to me; I give for
it great thanks to God, because with this commencement others came to
me with hope of a good end, blessed ends I hope. And if, my Lord, you
keep this in your remembrance, I well believe that with a royal mind
you will so accept the little, as you will bestow much. For a poor man
passing by one day where his King travelled, brought him a little water
with both his hands, saying: drink my Lord, for the heat is great. He
accepted it gaily from him, not looking to the small quality of that
service, but only to the good will with which he offered it. Therefore,
though in this same manner I offer to your Highness this small service
of the book of Prester John, receive with content its usefulness; for
in it are related many notable things; the truth of which is as much
shown in the deeds as in the words. Because it is a very important
thing for a Prince to recall to memory the examples of profitable lives
that have passed away, for a lesson to the living. And as, my Lord,
always since I have been yours my desire has been directed to your
service in order to derive some fruit by it, even though power may
have been wanting to me, good will has not failed: with this I went to
Paris to seek for printing types of official letters and other things
fitting for printing, which are no less of the best quality than those
of Italy, France, and Germany, where this art most flourishes, as your
Highness may see by the work which I have established in this city,
with no small satisfaction, because it seemed to me that your Highness
took pleasure in it, as has been shewn by the favours which you have
done to me, and which I hope you will do. Thus, with this confidence,
I took this little opportunity of Prester John, which (as the poets
say) is not the less to be praised on this account. May your Highness
receive with a royal and benignant mind this small service, the first
fruits of my small capacity, which may bring profit and recreation from
the labours which your great and arduous affairs bring with them. And
if your Highness should find in this book any words that do not please
you, remember that the men there abroad are lords of the words, and
that Princes are lords of deeds and of fortune.
The treatise commences with the entry into the
country of Prester John.
CAP. I.--_How Diogo Lopez de Sequeira succeeded to the
government of India after Lopo Soarez, who was governor before
him, and how he brought Mattheus to the port of Maçua._
I say that I came with Duarte Galvan, may God keep him, and this is
the truth, and he died in Camaran, an island of the Red sea, and his
embassy ceased in the time when Lopo Soarez was Captain General and
Governor of the Indies, as I have already written at length, and
here I omit to write it as it is not necessary: I shall write that
which is necessary. I say that Diogo Lopez de Sequeira succeeding to
the government of India after Lopo Soarez, he set to work to do that
which Lopo Soarez had not completed, that is to bring Mattheus the
ambassador, who went to Portugal as ambassador of Prester John, to the
port of Maçua, which is near to Arquiquo, port and country of Prester
John. And he fitted out his large and handsome fleet, and we set sail
for the said Red sea, and arrived at the said island of Maçua on
Monday of the Octave of Easter, the seventh day of April of the year
fifteen hundred and twenty, which we found empty, because for about
five or six days they had had news of us. The main land is about two
crossbow shots, more or less, from the island, and to it the Moors
of the island had carried off their goods for safety: this mainland
belongs to Prester John. The fleet having come to anchor between the
island and the mainland, on the following Tuesday there came to us
from the town of Arquiquo a Christian and a Moor: the Christian said
that the town of Arquiquo belonged to Christians, and to a lord who was
called Barnagais, a subject of Prester John, and that the Moors of this
island of Maçua and town of Arquiquo, whenever Turks or Roumys who do
them injury came to this port, all fled to the mountains and carried
off such of their property as they could carry, and now they had not
chosen to fly because they had heard that we were Christians. Hearing
this the great captain gave thanks to God for the news, and name of
Christians which he had met with, and which greatly favoured Mattheus,
who came rather unfavourably: and he ordered a rich garment to be given
to the Christian, and to the Moor he showed great favour, and told
them that they had done what they ought in not stirring from the town
of Arquiquo, since it belonged to Christians, and the Prester, as they
said, and that his coming was only for the service and friendship of
the Prester John and all his people, and that they might go in peace
and be in security.
CAP. II.--_How the Captain of Arquiquo came to visit the Captain
General, and also some Friars of Bisam._
The following day, Wednesday of the Octave, the captain of the said
town of Arquiquo came to speak to the Captain General, and he brought
him a present of four cows: and the Captain General received him with
much show and honour, and gave him rich stuffs, and learned from him
more details about the Christianity of the country, and how he was
already summoned by the Barnagais, the lord of that country, to go
there. This captain came in this manner: he brought a very good horse,
and he wore a cloak over a rich Moorish shirt, and with him there
were thirty horsemen, and quite two hundred men on foot. After the
long and agreeable conversation which they held by interpreters, the
Captain General speaking Arabic well, the captain of Arquiquo went away
with his people much pleased, as it appeared from what they said. At
a distance of seven or eight leagues from this town of Arquiquo, in a
very high mountain, there is a very noble monastery of friars, which
Mattheus talked of a great deal, and which is called Bisan.[3] The
friars had news of us, and on Thursday after the Octave there came to
us seven friars of the said monastery. The Captain General went out
to receive them on the beach with all his people with much pleasure
and rejoicing, and likewise the friars showed that they felt much
pleasure. They said that for a long time they had been looking forward
for Christians, because they had prophecies written in their books,
which said that Christians were to come to this port, and that they
would open a well in it, and that when this well was opened there would
be no more Moors there. They talked of many other things in similar
fitting conversations, the ambassador Mattheus being present at all;
and the said friars did great honour to Mattheus, kissing his hand and
shoulder, because such is their custom, and he also was much delighted
with them. These friars said that they kept eight days after the feast
of Easter, and that during that time they did not go on a journey or do
any other service, but that as soon as they heard say that Christians
were in the port, a thing they so much desired, they had begged leave
of their superior to come and make this journey in the service of God;
and also that news of our arrival had been taken to the Barnagais;
but that he would not leave his house except after the eight days
after Easter had passed. The conversation with these friars and their
reception having been concluded, the Captain General returned to his
galleon with his captains, and the friars with him. These friars were
received on board with the cross and priests with surplices, giving
them the cross to kiss, which they did with great reverence. They were
treated with many conserves which the Captain General ordered to be
given them, and much conversation passed with them of joy and pleasure
over a matter so much desired on both parts. The said friars departed
and went to sleep at Arquiquo.
CAP. III.--_How the Captain General ordered mass to be said in
the chief mosque of Maçua, and ordered it to be named St. Mary
of the Conception, and how he sent to see the things of the
Monastery of Bisam._
On Friday after the Octave of Easter, the thirteenth day of the said
month of April, very early in the morning, the said friars returned to
the beach, and they sent for them with honour; and the governor with
his captains passed over with the friars to the island of Maçua, and he
ordered mass to be said in the principal mosque, in honour of the five
wounds, as it was Friday. At the end of the mass the Captain General
said that the mosque should be named St. Mary of the Conception: from
that time forward we said mass every day in the said mosque. At the end
of that mass, on betaking ourselves to the ships, some of the friars
went with Mattheus, others with the Captain General: to all cloths were
given for their clothes, that is to say, stuffs of coarse cotton, for
that is the stuff which they wear; they also gave them pieces of silk
for the monastery, and some pictures and bells for the same monastery.
These friars all carried crosses in their hands, for such is their
custom, and the laymen wore small crosses of black wood at their necks.
Our people in general bought those crosses which the laymen wore, and
brought them with them, because they were novelties to which we were
not accustomed. Whilst these friars were going about amongst us, the
Captain General ordered a man named Fernan Diaz, who knew Arabic, to go
and see the monastery; and for greater authority, and for the matter
to be better known for it to be written to the King our sovereign, he
sent besides the said Fernan Diaz, the licentiate Pero Gomez Teixeira,
auditor of the Indies. These each for their own part said that it was a
great and good thing, because we ought to give great thanks and praise
to the Lord for that we had come from such distant lands and seas,
through so many enemies of our faith, and that we here fell in with
Christians with a monastery and houses of prayer where God was served.
The said auditor brought from the monastery a parchment book written in
their writing,[4] to send to the King our sovereign.
CAP. IV.--_How the Captain General and the Barnagais saw each
other, and how it was arranged that Rodrigo de Lima should go
with Mattheus to Prester John._