Volume 2 — PART. I.

CHAP. I.

Which way I went first of all, from Augspurg to Marseilles, and from thence shipped over the seas towards Tripoli of Syria, situated in Phœnicia.

I having always had a natural inclination, almost from my infancy, to travel into foreign Countries, but chiefly into the Eastern ones, which have been of old celebrated for fertility, which were cultivated by the most ancient people, and whose princes in former ages, have been the most potent monarchs of the world; not only to observe their lives, manners and customs, but chiefly to gain a clear and distinct knowledge of those delicate herbs, described by Theophrastus, Dioscorides, Avicenna, Serapio, &c. by viewing them in their proper and native places, partly that I might more exactly describe them, especially the most strange and rare; partly also, to provoke the Apothecaries to endeavour to procure those that are necessary for them to have in their shops: I strove always to put this my desire into execution, but was forced to defer it until, in the year of our Lord 1573, I found an opportunity, by my honour’d brother-in-law Mr Melchior Manlick, senior, which was very convenient. He received me presently, (having before a design to increase the number of them that were employ’d in his trade) and fitted me out for my voyage, that I might go with the first company that should travel for Marseilles, and then from thence farther in one of their ships to Tripoli, situated in that part of Syria which is call’d Phœnicia.

After that my honour’d friend, Mr Frederick Rentzen, of that same city, was come to me, we set out the 18th of May, Anno 1573, from Augspurg towards Lindaw, designing to go through Piedmont to Milan and Nissa, and so farther: The same day we came to Mindelheim, a very pleasant town with a princely castle, situated upon the Mindel, then belonging to the baron of Frundsberg.

The 19th at noon we came to Memmingen, a very pleasant city of the empire, and at night to Leutkirch.

The 20th we rode thorough Wangen, another imperial city, situated in Algaw, where they drove a very good trade with fine ticking and linnen cloth; about noon we arrived at Lindaw, an imperial city situated in the Boden sea, where there is a very great depository or staple of all sorts of commodities or merchandizes: some have call’d this the German Venice, because it is in like manner situated in water, and hath also a great trade. After dinner we crossed the lake towards Fuzach, a village not far from Bregentz, towards the Rhine.

The 21st about breakfast-time we came to Veldkirch, a very pleasant town, situated upon the Yll, belonging now to the house of Austria, but formerly to the counts of Montfort. By the way I saw several fine plants, viz. Saxifraga Aurea, Caryophyllata Alpina, a fine sort of Bellis-major, Christa galli with white flowers, and Auricula Ursi with brown flowers, &c. At night we came to Mayenfeld, belonging to the Grawpunters, upon the Rhine, which runs by the town, and there runs into it a river call’d Camingen, which slides down between high rocks, where the famous warm bath (from an adjacent abby, call’d Pfeffers) riseth, which may be numbered amongst the wonderful waters, in regard of it’s admirable operation in strengthening lame and contracted members, and hath this property beyond other baths, that it loseth itself from October till May, and then it cometh on again powerfully.

The 22d we came at night to Chur, a very ancient city, where also is a deposition of Goods that are brought thither from Germany by pack-horses over the mountains. A seat of that Bishop lyeth half an hour’s going from the Rhine, wherefore this bishopric is accounted the chief of all the bishoprics of the Rhine, or the Pfaffen gaste, call’d by others, because it is situated near the first beginning of the Rhine, according to the ancient proverb: Costentz the biggest, Basil the pleasantest, Strasburg the noblest, Spires the devoutest, Worms the poorest, Mentz the worthiest, Trier the ancientest, and Collen the richest.

The 23d we rode to Tusis, an ancient village belonging to the Grawpunters, the name whereof shews it’s original, for the Rhetians are descended from the Tuscans, who under the conduct of one Rhætus of old took possession of those countries; not far off upon a high mountain is still situated a ruin’d castle, call’d Realt, or which is righter, Rhœtia alta, deriv’d also from the Rhetians.

The 24th at noon we came by the Splewer-hill into a village call’d Splugi, not far from the beginning, head, or sourse of the Rhine: Thence we passed over the hill, and came at night to a little village call’d Gampolschin, situated in a valley of the same name, where we rested.

Monday the 25th at noon we came to Clæven, or Clavenna, a very ancient town, belonging to the Bunts, which had anciently a strong castle, which was demolished by the Grawpunters themselves, Anno 1524, after it was cunningly taken from them by Castel de Maess and John Jacob de Medicis, in which bustle the town was also ruin’d, for the gates and walls were beaten down, that no enemy might after that lodge himself there again. From Clæven we went to Riva upon the Lago di como, where the water Addua runs into the lake, and yet notwithstanding adds no water to it, nor taketh any from it, but only runs strait through it; and so doth the Rhine through the lake call’d the Boden-Sea: From thence we travell’d to Gera upon the same lake, where we lay all night. On the bank I saw some purple-colour’d lillies, a sort of Lilium Saracenicum with small leaves, and in the old walls the Cymbalaria.

The 26th about noon we came to Como, a very glorious and pleasant city, from whence the lake hath it’s name to this day. From thence we rode the same night to Milan, the metropolis of that dukedom. What strange passages have been committed in this town before it was possessed by the Emperor Charles the fifth, after the decease of the last duke Francis Sfortia, is related sufficiently in History.

The 27th we rode through Binasco, a pleasant village, where the very learned and famous Andreas Alciatus, Doctor in Law, and Professor of several Universities in France and Italy, hath built a very glorious palace; and in the evening passing by the great park (in which in the year 1525, was fought that bloody battel between Francis King of France, and the Emperor Charles the fifth’s officers, in which the King himself was made prisoner, and many of his men kill’d) the same night arrived at Pavia, an ancient glorious city, situated on the river Tesin, where the Kings of the Longobards did formerly keep their courts, and afterwards Charles the Great, the first German Emperor, did institute an University, which has brought up many eminent and learned men since.

The 28th departing from Pavia, we passed the River Padus, or Eridanus, which is believed to be the biggest river in Italy, to Vogera, a pleasant village, situated on the river Stafora, there we began to take post, and had eighteen stages to Nissa: By noon we arrived at Dertona, a pretty town, yet not very full of people, by reason of the many wars and intestine quarrels in which it was engaged, belonging to the Duke of Milan. In this country I found whole acres sown with Wood, and there I saw the White Poplar, also Millefolium flore luteo, and farther upon the hill Brotho the Cineraria, and the Stœchas Citrina, Cotinus Plinii, and many more fine plants. At night we came to Alexandria della Paglia, that is to say, of Chaff. When heavy and long wars did arise between the Emperor Frederick the first, and the towns of Lombardy, by instigation of Pope Alexander the third, the towns of Lombardy did agree to compile this city out of several villages in the year 1168, and did fortify it the year next ensuing, and call’d it, after the Pope’s name, Alexandria; but the Imperialists call’d it Alexandria of Straw, which name it doth retain to this day; yet we did not stay there, but rode the same night to Bellizona, a strong place, which perhaps formerly had it’s own princes, which did sell it from Uri and his relations, because they could not defend it from the Duke of Milan in the year 1422, and yet it cost a great deal of blood, until the Switzers got it into safe possession in the year 1500.

The 29th at noon we came to Ast, a considerable city belonging to the dukedom of Milan, where the King of Spain keeps a garrison, which had just then received the new Governour of Milan, and conducted him into the city. Not far off lieth Carmagnola, belonging to the King of France, and to the Marquisate of Saluzo, where is kept a French garrison, as at Moncalier, which is very near it, the Duke of Savoy hath a garrison; and so garrisons of three eminent princes lie very near one another. That night we lodged in a pitiful village call’d Baieron.

The 30th we rode thro’ Racones and Savigliano, two small villages, and at night came to Coni.

The last of May, after we had broke our fast in a village call’d Limona, we came to mount Brothus, where we saw many pleasant vineyards; and so by Tenda into another village, call’d Sorgo, where we staid all night.

The first of June we reached to Nissa in the morning, a city with a strong citadel, upon the Tyrrhenian sea, belonging to the Duke of Savoy, which the Turkish Admiral Barbarossa did for a long time besiege with great fury, and yet was forc’d to leave it, although he had the city in his possession, in the year 1543. Thither also came Francis King of France, and the Emperor Charles the fifth, to Pope Paul the third, to have peace made between them. Thereabouts I espy’d some fine plants, but chiefly two sorts of Papaver Corniculatum, with large and stately flowers, yellow and brown; and also the Ladanum latifolium, and upon the hill towards Villa Franca, a Convolvulus with white and purple-strip’d flowers, and with long and cut leaves.

The second we went from thence with more company, passing through the villages of Antibo, Cacabo, Luc, Brignola, &c. (where I found in the shops a sort of very delicate preserved Prunes, call’d in English Prunellos’s, which would be very useful in burning fevers against the thirst, in great quantity) to Marseilles, which maketh thirty French miles or leagues; and we rode so fast onward, during this journey, that we arrived there in nineteen days after our departure, that is, on the fifth day of June: By the way I saw Convolvulus foliis acutis, Rubia Tinctorum, Stœchas, a fine Sesely Peloponnesiacum, Thymelæa, Cistus with white and purple flowers, and also a kind of Ladanum of the learned Carolus Clusius, with small Rosemary-leaves, Terebinthus, Ilex Coccifera, Aspalathus, and the Polemonium Monspeliensium of Rembert Dodonæus, call’d Trifolium fruticans, Ruscus, Lentiscus, Calamintha montana, some common thistles, and others.

In Marseilles where I was lodged in my forenam’d kinsman’s house, to stay untill the ships were ready, I met with one John Ulrich Kraft, son of John Kraft, one of the Privy Council at Ulm, who was arrived there a few days before, also with the same intention to go along with us, about his own business. We staid together, and while the ships were fitting out, we made ourselves acquainted with the Physicians and Apothecaries, but above the rest with one experienced man, Jacob Renaud, a great lover of plants, who shew’d me in his garden many pretty and strange simples, viz. Scammonium verum, Ambrosia, Moly, Ammi, Aloës, &c., and a great many dry’d and laid between papers. I found also about the city, Trifolium Asphaltites, Lactuca marina, Dendillaria, Tragacantha Guilhelmi Rondeletii, a great Scabiosa with white flowers, Gratiola, Gnaphalium marinum, Medica marina, Polygonum marinum, Eryngium marinum, Coris Monspeliensium, another sort of Tamariscus, and of Consolida, with yellow sweet flowers, which I also found between Nimes, and Pont du gard, an old, strong, and fine building, upon which I did find Ruta Silvestris, a sort of Verbascum foliis dissectis, Papaver corniculatum flore flavo; I also found thereabouts Chondrilla Viminea, growing chiefly in the vineyards, Conyza major, Vermicularis fruticans, Carduus tomentosus, not unlike to Leucacantha, Nepa Lobelii in adversariis novis; I also found Tartonrayre, Aster atticus luteus, Psyllium, Seseli Æthiopicum fruticans, Jujubes, red Valeriana, Corruda Rembert. Dodon., the first kind of Catanance Dioscor., which I first spy’d by it’s dry’d leaves, just like a Vulture’s claw, and many others, not needful to be here related.

After that the ship Santa Croce was laden, victuall’d for three months, and provided with guns, and all other necessaries for a three months voyage; we two went with our master, Anthony Reinard, with some others belonging to him, in a frigat, the first day of September, in the year 1673, to our ship, which lay at anchor with several other laden ships, near the adjacent islands, with an intention to set sail the next day.

The next day about two in the afternoon, when God sent us a good wind, we hoisted up our sails, and went on: When our patron began to exhort his men to agree together, and to be obedient to him, which they all faithfully promised; then we went to prayers, and recommended ourselves to the protection of God Almighty.

In the first setting out, before we got to sea, our ship came so near to another, that they touch’d almost; and had not the seamen in time got them off, we might have suffer’d shipwreck.

When this was over, and we out of danger, we sail’d on with full sails six of us, and advanc’d so fairly, that we lost the sight of land before night, and could see nothing but sky and water.

Not long after, most of us began to be sea-sick, and to bring up what we had eaten some days before, but I and my comrade Kraft purged ourselves that night so well, that we were very fresh again the next morning. Some of the rest remain’d sick for seven days after, and not one of us, altho’ we were forty eight, but was sick, and found an alteration after our shipping off.

After we had sail’d two days with a favourable wind, by the Latins call’d Caurus, but by the French and Italians, Maistral, which bloweth between north and west, and proceeded an hundred French leagues, there arose on the fourth day about midnight another wind, call’d Græco, and by the Latins, Cæcias, which the more it went to the east, the more it was against us; so that we being hindred from going eastward, were forced to go sideways, and to traverse up and down, and were driven so far southwards, that on sunday night and monday morning we sail’d in sight of the coast of Barbary. After the wind was laid a little, and the dolphins appear’d in great numbers, we hoped for better weather, but for want of it, finding ourselves advance towards Africa more and more, we were forced to tack about, and to direct our course towards Marseilles again.

We going thus back again, contrary to our intentions, feared that the wind would hold so a while, but contrary to our expectation, it came to be so calm towards the night, that we could hardly perceive any. Then we hoped it would change, which did also succeed accordingly, for the next morning before break of day the Maistral began to blow again, which pleased us extremely, and so we return’d and pursued our former course again towards the east, and on monday we sail’d so fast, that in an hours time we made ten Italian miles, and on the 9th day came into the streights of Sardinia and Africa, where we saw an island call’d Gallicia, which, altho’ it be but small, yet, because of the high mountains, is seen afar off; we left it about thirty leagues on one side of us. This island is subject to no body, wherefore a great many pirates lye lurking there: In it is no great matter to be seen, only wild Capers grow there in great plenty. We, finding ourselves in this dangerous place, were not idle, altho’ the ship was well provided with guns, pikes, and other arms, but got our great guns ready, and fill’d our chamber, in which we two were, with guns and swords, so that it look’d rather like an armoury of the whole ship than a chamber. Moreover, because we were afraid of some huge rocks that lye in the sea, chiefly of them which the seamen call Leuci, they observ’d them diligently, not only in their sea chart, to know which way they might avoid them, but kept a good watch all that night to observe them, and so with the help of God we got safely clear of them.

A little after we came in view of the kingdom of Tunis in Africa, with some adjacent islands; amongst them there is one call’d Simles, which, tho’ but small, is very fruitful, and therein groweth the best Aristolochia rotunda in abundance.

We lost this the next morning, and westward upon our right hand, at about forty miles distance, we saw another, call’d Panthalarea, subject to the King of Spain, which is inhabited by above three hundred people; Sicily on our left, because the night fell in, we did not then see, but came so near it, that early in the morning we could not only see the hills and mountains, and chiefly the Mongibello, which is very high, situated at the other side of the famous city of Syracusa, but also the buildings and steeples distinctly; we sail’d also the whole day by that side that lieth over-against the isle of Malta, so long till we came to the last point thereof: And altho’ we were not in a little danger there, because of the war, yet we saw no more than one small ship early in the morning by Malta, which we took to be of Marseilles. So, God be praised, we arrived very well, and without any hindrance at the farthest point of Sicily, on the 11th day of September in the evening, which is reckon’d to be 900 Italian miles from Marseilles; and we hoped also with the help of the Almighty to go the rest of our voyage to Cyprus, which is 1300 more, three of which are reckon’d to a French league, for we crossed the Adriatick and Tyrrhenian seas, so happily by good weather, as if we had gone the other way through the streights. And although we sail’d on very fast, yet the wind was uncertain, for one arose after another, so that we had three several winds that night and day, viz. first, Maistral after midnight, which lasted until morning; then the Betsch, that blew from south-west very violently, in Latin call’d Africus, which lasted till night; then follow’d the Ponente, which bloweth from the west towards night, which commonly ariseth upon the coast of Africa, as the old seamen observe, and we found it so ourselves, on the day of the Holy Cross, not without trouble or danger; for as the seamen kept that day, and according to their old custom discharged three great guns, the Betsch arose immediately with very great violence, so that the waves swell’d very high, and the ship was toss’d about from one side to the other, and did rock us so, that if we had not held ourselves, we could not have kept our places, as did happen to some of our company that did not observe this, and were strangely tumbled about in the ship, and forc’d to creep on all fours to their places again. This wind began to remit towards night, when the Maistral began to blow. With this Maistral we went on, and came so far, that on monday the 15th of September early, we did make the island Candy, and soon after another, now call’d Cerigo, anciently Cythera, near to the Morea. That day we had very good weather, and it was so calm that we could reach no further than to the point of Candy. Thus going on, another wind arose, blowing from south-east, call’d Sirocco, and in Latin, Vulturnus, which was contrary too, and hinder’d us very much, so that we were forced to sail upon one side, to weather the point from one side to the other; when we came to the side of Creet, and our patron would neither land in Candy nor in a little island call’d Legosia, we turn’d on wednesday towards Africa. Some while after, a very great tempest arose, with thunder and lightning, so that we had work enough with our sails, and to rule the ship that it might take no hurt; and we sailing thus against the wind, that it might not cast us back, this made us more work than the rest, for the waves went against us so vehemently, that when we were mounted to the top of a wave, we seem’d to look down thence into a deep and dark valley; then down we went again with such a fury, that we thought we should descend to the bottom, which continued almost till the next morning. And although the tempest had thrown us a good way back, yet in a little time we got so far forward again, that we could descry Candy, and the little island Legosia. Just then we spy’d two ships, one a bark, ten miles off to the left, and the other a great ship going to Africa.

After we were thus gone along by Creet, we came on friday just over-against the city of Candy; it came to be so calm and so warm, that we could hardly perceive we were come above three or four miles. We going thus slowly, some of our company jump’d out into the sea to wash themselves; but the mate of our ship run a fish through with a long spear for that purpose, call’d Lischa, and so pull’d it out; this was delicately colour’d, and very pleasant to look upon; his back was blew, and his belly white and glisning, above a yard long, of a tender flesh, and very good to eat: This seems to have been a Tunny.

Just over-against it is a monastry of St Francis, in which is a very good Apothecary’s shop, and a delicate garden, fill’d with strange and useful plants.

There is also not far off a good and safe port, call’d Calisme, where we would willingly have taken in water, but because it lay thirty miles before us, and the wind, Sirocco, contrary to us, began to blow again, and hindred us in this enterprise; we steer’d on saturday towards the south, that we might reach it the next morning.

About noon, when we turn’d again to the Porto, we saw another ship on the left, and because we did not know how to trust her, we look’d to our great guns, of which we had thirteen, and got them ready, and also the rest of our arms, &c. But the longer we look’d upon the ship, the farther we perceived her go from us. When we came within twelve miles of the port, and hoped to make it, the wind changed, and the Tramontana blew from the north vehemently; so we went on in our right course to the islands Calderon and Christiana, so that on monday we passed the furthest point of Creet, call’d Caput Salomonis, where we saw on the hight another island, situated sixty Italian miles from Rhodus, call’d Scarpanthos, and also Carpathos, where night befel us. But when we expected to go forwards with this wind, we lost it, and it changed into Græco again, contrary to us, and so we could not go on farther, but were forced to cross up and down and to weather the point. On Monday we saw a ship that came directly down upon us, wherefore we went to meet her, and put our flag at the top of our main-mast. But when we came nearer we knew her to be a Marsilian, called Santa Maria de Lacura Bursa, they did send out one of their boats to tell us, that they came seven weeks agone from Tripoli, and that they wanted biscuits very much, and therefore desired us to let them have some of ours, to which we willingly agreed, and let them have what they would, and so they were very well pleased. While this was done, a good wind arose again, serving us both, called Tramontana, so that we could go forwards and they homewards, and so we parted. Then our master ordered three guns to be discharged, which they answered with two, so we went on, and lost sight of one another in half an hour’s time.

Here is to be observed, that of the four cardinal, and four side winds, five were for us; for we could go on as well with the Tramontana and the Midi, called north and south, as with the three other, called north-west, west, and south-west, and so we had three contrary ones, Syrocco, Levantino, and Græco, which were contrary to us in our going; during this wind we went on with such speed, that on the 24th of September in the evening we saw the great island Cyprus, five hundred miles beyond Candy. But because we had steered too much on the right, we were forced to spend all that night and the next day before we could come to Cyprus. The same morning we saw the high mountain Libanus in Syria, two hundred miles distant from us, and so at night we got into the harbour of Salamine: Here is made the best bay-salt that is in the world. Here we also discharged three guns, for joy of our safe arrival, and some of us landed, together with our master, to take in water, and to enquire after our friends and acquaintance. No sooner were we landed, but we met with two travelling Turks, with an Italian that understood their language: They spake to us by their interpreter, and conducted us to their Colonel, who was encamped near the market-place of Salamine upon a hill, where one might see a great way off into the sea. After an hour’s walk we came in sight of him, and saw about thirty tents, and amongst them his also, where we saw some curious tapestry spread, and him sitting in the midst, with a delicate white turbant, and a long red lined Caban.

He held in his hand a long iron, like a grater we use to grate bread withal, only it was a great deal smaller: The Turkish persons of quality have generally such irons in their hand in the summer-time; which they put in between their back and cloaths to scrach their backs when they itch: About him sat some more gentlemen bended down, and others kept centinel without his tent, with guns and scymiters well provided. Amongst the rest there was one of a good presence covered with a Tyger’s skin, that held a great iron club in his hand. Upon his desire we went to him, with the usual reverences, according to their custom, bending our head and the whole body downwards, and laying the right hand upon our breasts: Our master also pulled off his shoes, went in, and sate down with the rest before him: But we two set ourselves down without upon two seats that were brought us. Then the Lord began to ask our master, by his interpreter, from whence we came, how long we had been a coming, what merchandizes we had brought, and whether we designed to make any sale there; which questions our master answered. Then he began to enquire after news: viz. whereabout the Spanish Armada was at present, and how strong it was reputed; whether the King of Spain had made any leagues with other princes; and how the King of France did agree with his Hugonots; how strong the city of Rochelle was, and whether the King took it by violence, or whether they submitted themselves voluntarily. After this conference had lasted for half an hour, he dismissed us with great civility, giving us leave to go about our affairs. So we went off with the usual ceremonies, and went the same evening into the market of Salamine, to enquire after our friends; but we found this market-town, and also all the neighbourhood so strangly spoiled, that there were but very few whole houses standing. But being that we found none of ours, nor having any business there, we returned to our ship. I found nothing by the way but a few Caper-bushes with some Paliurus’s and Kali.

After our men had filled water enough out of the well by the harbour we went aboard the ship again, hoisted up our sail, and departed in the night. But in going thence for Tripoli we had for the most part contrary winds, which hindred us so much, that we did not arrive there until the last day of September. Thanks, honour, and glory be to the Almighty God, that mercifully did protect us from all dangers and mischiefs, and brought us safely into this harbour.

CHAP. II.

Of the famous city of Tripoli, of it’s fruitful neighbourhood and great trade: And also of the splendid baths, and other magnificent buildings to be seen there. Their ways of making Rusma, Pot-ashes, Soap, &c.

Before Tripoli, near the sea-shore, we saw five castles like high towers, distant from one an other about a musquet-shot, where some Janisaries are kept in garrison, to cover the ships in the harbour (which is in some measure surrounded with rocks) and to defend that custom-house, and the several ware-houses (where you may see all sorts of goods brought from most parts of the world) from an hostile attempt or assault: but after the sun was set, and night began to approach, we made what haste we could to the town, which was an hour’s going distant from us. Some Turks went with us no otherways armed but with good strong cudgels, which, I was told, they commonly carry to keep off the wolves called Jacals (whereof there are a great many in these countries that are used to run, seek, and pursue after their prey in the night). While we were a talking of them some came up pretty near us, but as soon as they saw us they turned and ran away. When we came to the gate of the town we found it shut up, wherefore one of our friends, that met us to make us welcome, called to some Frenchmen that were in their inn, in their language called Fondique, which is near the gate, and reacheth quite to the wall of the town, and desired that one of them would take the pains to go to the Sangiacho, to desire him to let the gate be opened to let us in, which they were willing to do. But in the mean time that we staid before the gate, another that was an enemy to our friend ran also away, and bespoke some Turks and Moors to set upon us, which they were very willing to do, and came with all speed through another gate that is never shut, along the wall to us, fell unawares upon us, struck at us, and took hold of us, chiefly at our good friend, for whose sake all this was done; others drew their scymiters upon us, so that I thought we should have been all cut to pieces. While this was a doing the gate was opened, and some Frenchmen and their Consul himself came to our assistance, and spoke to these fellows, earnestly exhorting them to desist, and to let the cause be decided by the Sangiacho and Cadi, which at length they did. So we came after this unfriendly welcome in the crowd into their Fondique, where we remained all that night. The Consul was very much displeased at this, considering that such-like proceedings would be very troublesome to them, wherefore he made great complaints and enquiries, until at length he found out who was the author thereof.

The next morning we went to our friends houses in order to stay a while with them: In the mean time we walked sometimes about in our own cloaths to see the town, which is situated in the country of Syria, called Phœnicia, which reached along the sea-shore to Berinthus, Sidon, Tyrus, and Acon, as far as the mountain of Carmelus. The town Tripoli is pretty large, full of people, and of good account, because of the great deposition of merchandizes that are brought thither daily both by sea and land: It is situated in a pleasant country, near the promontory of the high mountain Libanus, in a great plain toward the sea-shore, where you may see abundance of vineyards, and very fine gardens, enclosed with hedges for the most part, consisting chiefly of Rhamnus, Paliurus, Oxyacantha, Phillyrea, Lycium, Balaustium, Rubus, and little Palm-trees, that are but low, and so sprout and spread themselves. In these gardens, as we came in, we found all sorts of sallating and kitchen-herbs, as Endive, Lettice, Ruckoli, Asparagus, Seleri, whose tops are very good to be eaten with salt and pepper, but chiefly that sort that cometh from Cyprus, Taragon by the inhabitants called Tarchon, Cabbages, Colliflowers, Turneps, Horseradishes, Carrots, of the greater sort of Fennel, Onions, Garlick, &c. And also fruit, as Water-melons, Melons, Gourds, Citruls, Melongena, Sesamum (by the Natives called Samsaim, the seeds whereof are very much used to strow upon their bread) and many more; but chiefly the Colocasia, which is very common there, and are sold all the year long: I have also found them grow wild about rivulets, but could never see either flowers or seeds on them. I found also without the gardens many Dates and white Mulberry-trees, which exceed our Aspen and Nut-trees in height very much; and also Pomgranat-trees and Siliqua, which the Grecians call Xylocerata, the Arabs, Charnuby. Also Olive and Almond-trees, and Sebesten, the fruit whereof are to be had at Apothecaries shops by the same name: Poma Adami Matth. But in great plenty there are Citrons, Lemons, and Oranges, which are as little eaten there as Pears or Crabs here. Between these gardens run several roads and pleasant walks, chiefly in the summer, for they afford many shady places and greens, where you are defended from the heat and the sun-beams: And if passing through you should have a mind to some of the fruits, you may either gather some that are fallen down, or else pull them from the nearest trees without danger, and take them home with you.

Without at the sea-shore, near the old town of Tripoli (which together with many more, as Antiochia, Laodicea, &c. in the year of our Lord 1183, was so destroyed by an earthquake, that nothing but a few marks remain) there were more spring-gardens, which some of the Merchants still remember. But these were a few years agone by the violence of the seas so destroyed and so covered with sand, that now you see nothing there but a sandy ground, like unto the desarts of Arabia. Yet at Tripoli they have no want of water, for several rivers flow down from the mountains, and run partly through the town, and partly through the gardens, so that they want no water neither in the gardens nor in their houses.

The new town in itself is of no strength, for it is so meanly walled in, that in several places in the night you may get in and out: But within there is a citadel situated upon an ascent near the water, where a garrison of a few Janisaries is kept. They have low houses ill built and flat at the top, as they are generally in the East, for they cover their houses with a flat roof or a floor, so that you may walk about as far as the houses go; and the neighbours walk over the tops of their houses to visit one another, and sometimes in the summer they sleep on the tops of them: And so it may very well be, that the four men (of which we read in St Mark, chap. ii. and St Luke, chap. v.) that carried the paralytic man, and could not come to Christ because of the crowd of people, did carry him on the tops of the houses, and so let him down through the roof into the room where our Saviour was. They have not great doors, gates, or comings-in from the street as we have in our country, except some few Merchants houses, because they use neither waggons nor carts, wherefore they have only a little low door, sometimes not above three foot high, so that you cannot go into them without stooping. In a great many houses the comings-in are so dark and deep that one would think he were going into a cave or cellar, but when you are come through this entry into them, you see, in some, great court-yards wherein are cisterns to wash themselves in, in others large halls paved, and therein some ascents that go up two or three steps, paved delicately with marble, which they keep very clean, and adorned with rich tapestry, whereupon they sit, and this is covered with a large arch left open at one side, that the Turks may, chiefly in the summer, sit underneath them very airy.

Their doors and houses are generally shut with wooden bolts, which are hollow within, and they unlock them with wooden keys about a span long, and about the thickness of a thumb, into this key they have driven, five, six, seven, eight or nine short nails, or strong Wires in such an order and distance that they just fit others that are within the lock, and so pull them forwards, or shut them backwards as they please.

The streets are but narrow, paved with broad stones, and have, chiefly those that are great roads, a channel in the middle of them about ten inches broad, so that a laden Camel may walk in them with ease, or that a man may step over them, which they say are made that the laden Camels or Asses, &c., that daily arrive in great caravans, may be obliged to walk in them one after another, in good order, that people may walk in the streets without being disturbed by them. And that these channels may be kept clean and dry, they have in some places some hidden drains covered with broad stones, that as well the rain-water as that of the wells may run away through them.

They cannot brag of any fine buildings, save only the Mosques or temples, into which no Christian must come, except he hath a mind to be circumcized, and so turn a Mammeluk or Renegado: And also some great houses by the natives called Champ or Carvatscharas, (Caravanseries) wherein are a great many shops or ware-houses, and chambers, by one another, as is in stately cloisters, in the middle thereof there is a great court-yard, where the strange Merchants (that daily bring their merchandizes in great caravans) do inn, considering that the Turks keep no other inns.

The inns commonly belong to the Grand Seignior, or his Basha, which they build in several towns to get themselves a yearly revenue, as the Venetians do in Venice out of the German house.

Besides these buildings they have also hot-houses or bagnios, which are so glorious and sumptuous, that they far exceed all their other buildings in beauty, wherefore they are very well worth seeing. And because the Turks, Moors, and Arabs, &c. according to their Mahometan laws, are bound to bath themselves often, to wash themselves clean from their manifold sins which they daily commit, but chiefly when they are going to their Mosques, therefore they have their hot-houses always ready, and keep them warm and in an equal heat, with a very small charge, and with far less wood than one can imagine, all the week long, both by night and by day. They have under-ground a large and deep vault, like unto a large cellar, which is every where very close, and it hath no more but two air holes, one on the top about three or four inches diameter, and the other below which is a great deal larger, where they put in wood, or, for want of it, pieces of peat (which they make out of Camels or Goats dung, &c. and also out of the dregs of the pressed grapes); these are so dry that the great heat melts them just like sea-coals or turf, which are burnt in the Low-countries, and other places where they have not plenty of wood: And these give so great a heat that it warmeth the whole vault quite through. And yet this vault is so close made that you do not perceive the least smoke nor vapour, although it is sometimes very hot. But that the fire may not decay, there is one on purpose to attend it, that flings on as much fuel as is necessary to keep it. These hot-houses (which according to the custom of the ancient Greeks and Romans are magnificently built) have, near to the entry, a delicate hall, which is curiously paved (as also is the whole bath) and set with marbles of all colours very artificially, and a great Cupolo at the top thereof, which is covered with an arch in shape of a ball or globe. Round about the walls are broad benches made, where the people put off their cloaths; wherefore this first part of the bath (whereof the ancients had five) was called Apodyterium. In the middle of the baths is a fine fountain, where they sprinkle every one that goeth out of the bath with sweet water, and also wash the bathing-cloaths that were made use of in the bath, which they afterwards fling up upon lines that are hung at the top of the vault, two or three fathoms high, with an admirable certainty, and spread them out with a long pole, with one stroke (that they may dry the sooner) so even, as if it were done with hands, which no body can see without admiration; when they have a mind to make use of them again, they take them down with the same sticks that are ready stuck up about the fountain. These are wrought finely with all sorts of colours, whereof they give two to every one that goeth into the bath or bagnio, two others when he cometh out, one to put upon his head, the other to put about him in the manner of an apron. When you will go in the hot-house you must go through two or three chambers, whereof one is warmer than the other (which each of them are covered with round arches) until you come into the great room, these arches are full of round holes all about, which are made in such order, and set with glass so curiously, that they do not only make them very light, but give also a fine ornament to them. In the great bath are several great marble vessels which they let the water into; round about the great room, there are three or four small chambers, which they keep chiefly for persons of quality, where they may wash themselves apart from others without any disturbance. Besides these there is still another room where there is a very great marble trough, in which every one may wash himself after his sweat; there are several pipes laid in it, that you may temper your water according to your own desire. All these rooms are heated with the same fire, and the Turks and Moors (which two nations have almost the same religion and ceremonies) go into them very frequently; but chiefly the women, which flock to them in great numbers, for they never meet any where else, but here, and at the graves of their relations; wherefore they keep these sumptuous buildings (the like whereto are hardly any where else found) in very good repair. As soon as you come into the hot-house, and are grown a little warm, one of the servants (which are generally black Moors) meets you, and lays you backwards down upon the floor, and stretcheth and snaps all your joints after such a manner that they crack again; then he kneeleth down upon your arms, which he puts upon your breast one over the other, and holds them so for a good while together with his knees, then he bendeth forwards and stretcheth with both his hands (keeping you still like a prisoner under him) your head upwards. (So it happened once, when some of us went in together, and were treated by the Moor after this manner, that he sprained the neck of one of my companions, so that he could not turn his head in several days after it) when this is done he turns you round upon your belly, toucheth and stretcheth your joints again in such a manner, as if he did malax a plaister; at length he stands upon your shoulder-blades, and bending himself down, he rubs you all over your back with his hands, then he lifteth you up, and goeth away. Then when you lay your self down to rest you, or to sweat, he maketh a paste, to take off your hair (for they wear no hair upon their body, saving only their arm-pits) he taketh quicklime (by the Arab’s called Rils) and a little Sarnick, (Arsnick) that is, Orpiment, powders them, and mixeth them with water, and anoints your hair with it, and looks very often after it, until he finds that the hair begins to come off, then he washeth it perfectly off again, before it can hurt you; when this is done, he takes a fine white cloth, dips it in soap-suds, and rubs your whole body over with it. The before-mentioned cloaths are white like unto cotton, but the threads are harder, which the pilgrims bring with them from Mecca: Being made of the bark of trees that bear Bdellium, and they make ropes of them, as also of the fibers of the leaves of Palm-trees, and of the covering of the fruit of the same tree, which is of the bigness of a Wall-nut, by putting it on a distaff, and so spinning it out.

Lastly, They wash peoples heads, and mix sometimes with their lees (chiefly for women) an ash-coloured earth called Nalun, which cleanseth the head, and makes the hair grow long. They have also another earth called Jusabar, which the women eat frequently, so as breeding women in our country use to eat sometimes coals or other things. These their baths, are as free to strangers as Germans, French, Italians, &c. as to Moors and Turks, but they must have a care not to come into those where the women are, if they will not run the hazard of their lives. But that you may know where the women are, they commonly hang a cloth over the door towards the street, that if any man should intend to go in there, when he seeth this he may find himself another entrance.

Further concerning their traffick, there are in the town (because there is there a very great deposition of all sorts of merchandizes, that are brought thither from great distances) a great many merchants, chiefly French and Italians, which have two wise, understanding, and grave Presidents, of which the one that liveth here is a Frenchman, and the other at Aleppo, a Venetian, called Consuls, to assist their countrymen with good counsel. They are sent thither by their government, and confirmed, and have great privileges given them of the Turkish Emperor, to let the Merchants with their commodities lodge with them, and to defend them against any assault of the Turks and Moors, that they may trade and deal without disturbance. These Consuls were still their usual habits, made of red sattin, velvet, or damask, &c. very richly adorned; and they bring along with them Taylors, Shoe-makers, but chiefly their Physicians, Apothecaries, Barber-Surgeons and Ministers, &c. and have besides them their Interpreters, skilful in the Turkish and Arabian language, chiefly the Consul of Venice, because he must stay there but three years, when they are expired the Dogue sends another in his place. When the new one is arrived at Tripoli he dare not go on shore, before the other gives him a visit of reception in the ship.

To these two Consuls there are given two large buildings, called by them Fondiques, situated near two gates of the city, which lead towards the haven and the sea-shore, that they may the easier send their goods in and out. There are all day long a great many Moors with their Asses, that stand waiting for an opportunity to conduct Merchants and Seamen with their goods in and out. These two houses are large, and have abundance of vaults and chambers, so that there is room enough to lodge both Merchants and their goods.

With the French are also lodged, those from Genoa, Florence, St Luck, Germans, Dutchmen, &c. as also with the Venetians those of Candia, Corfu, &c. that are under their master’s jurisdiction. These Fondiques have no more than one large gate, where Janisaries keep watch: When their masters, the Consuls go out, they are accompanied with a multitude of Merchants and their servants, and they are in great authority with the Turks and Moors, even beyond the Bashaw himself: They always take along with them their Janisaries, which go before with great and long cudgels, and beat the people out of the way, even the Turks themselves.

The Merchants have daily great conversation with the Jews, for they know a great many languages, and the prizes of all merchandizes, how to buy and to sell them; wherefore they always help to conclude bargains in merchandizes, pay the money and give bills of exchange, wherefore they have their brokerage. I have seen chiefly three sorts of their silver coins, viz. Aspers, Medin and Saiject, which are very good, and pass thro’ all Turky. When great sums are paid, they do not tell the whole, but only part of it, and weigh it, and so take the rest proportionably by the same weight. Of gold coins they have only ducats which are made of fine gold, and are very limber: Besides these you hardly see any other coins but Venetian Ducats, French Testons, Joachims Thalers, of which they have so many, that they often do not only pay with them great sums and their bills of exchange, but turn them also into their own coin. So that there is abundance of Jews throughout all Turky in any trading-town, but chiefly in Aleppo, and in this town of Tripoli, where they have built a very large habitation, and a delicate synagogue. These Jews have the revenues of customs of the Grand Signior in their hands, so that nothing can be brought in or out, but it must go thro’ their hands, which is very troublesome to the Merchants. Those that buy any thing of them, must have a special care, that they be not cheated, for they are full of it, insomuch as they confess of themselves, that no body can get any thing by them, except he will be a greater Harmani (that is cheat) than they, that dare to sell Wall-nuts for Nutmegs or Myrobolans.

Concerning the merchandizes: If one will see several sorts of goods they are to be found in the Carvatscharas or Champen, whereof I have made mention before, but chiefly in the Batzaren or houses where they buy and sell, or exchanges. These exchanges are wide and long, and partly arched, partly covered with timber, that you may walk and trade there without being wetted, they have shops on both sides, which are also kept by handicrafts and tradesmen, as Shoe-makers, Taylors, Sadlers, Silk-embroiderers, Turners, Copper-smiths, Cutlers, Woollen-drapers, Grocers, Fruiterers, Cooks, and many more, which are very orderly distributed and placed in their several streets and places. They also drive a great trade in silk, and there are a great many that deal in nothing else but silk, which is convey’d thither from the adjacent places; for mount Libanus is inhabited by a numberless people, that live by spinning and working of silk, but chiefly they of Damascus, where is such plenty of silk, that a Merchant may quickly lay out in it many thousand ducats: Because of the great abundance of white Mulberry-trees (by the natives called Tut) which grow there so high and large, that they have plenty of leaves to feed their silk-worms: But the Mulberries thereof are white, and they carry them about in baskets to sell to ordinary people. So there is in the Batzars many silk-workers, which make all sorts of embroidery, as purses, buttons, and girdles or sashes of several colours, which they tie about their loins; these are at work before their shops, that every one may see them. When they work, or tie two threads together, they hold their work oftener with their great toe, than pin it to any thing, and the same do the Turners, (which sitting to it) hold their turning irons as well with their toes as with their fingers. Further, at a certain time of the year there is brought from Damascus and other adjacent places, to these Batzars, so great a quantity of large and well-tasted Cibebs, a kind of Raisins, having but one or no stone, that several ship loads are sent from thence to us. These and the like goods are daily brought and found in their Batzars, as rare tapestry and delicately wrought silks with flowers and roses of several colours, some of which look like pure gold. But of all the tradesmen there are not so many of one sort as of them that only deal in Soap and Pot-ashes, for of these ashes (besides Soap) several ship-loads are yearly sent from thence to Venice, which they use for making of Glase as well as Soap. These ashes are made chiefly of a herb, called by the Arabians, Schivan, whereof there are two sorts, which amongst others I have pasted upon paper, one whereof is not unlike to our little Kali; it is a thick and knotty plant, with several small sprigs growing out of it, which have several full buttons at the top, and underneath small pointed leaves, just like the lesser Kali, as I said before, tasting somewhat sharp, the leaves thereof are underneath white, and on the other side of the colour of ashes. The other sort becometh also many stalks, which are full of knots like our Equisetum, and underneath them appears a woody and ash-coloured root.

Both these herbs grow thereabout in great quantities, and are burnt into ashes upon the high mountains, in burning thereof there settleth an oily matter underneath towards the bottom, which united with the ashes is almost as hard as a stone when it is cold: at the top thereof a part of the ashes remains unmix’d and loose, therefore it is not so good as the rest. These ashes are brought down from the mountains upon Camels backs by the Moors, to some Merchants that drive a great trade with them, for partly they send away into foreign parts, and partly they make soap of them, some more, some less, according to every one’s capacity and pleasure. The way they make their Soap in Syria, I am informed, is this, viz. They take commonly twelve hundred weight (or twelve centners) of these ashes, which in the summer they divide into eight, and in the winter into four parts, because the Soap is sooner boiled up in winter, for the heat being then included by the outward cold is more vehement than in summer. Of this they take first one part and make it into a good sharp Lye, which they pour into a very large kettle or caldron made of stone, with a large bottom made of a copper-plate, and very thick, wherein they have before put sixteen hundred weight of Sallet-oil, and let it simper for twenty four hours, pouring daily in more Lye of another part. But before it is quite boil’d up (which in winter requireth perhaps five days, and in summer nine or ten) they take an hundred weight of quick-lime, and mixing it with the ashes, draw a Lye from it, which they put two days before it is quite enough into the caldron, more or less, according as they find it thick or thin. But if it should happen, that there should be too much of the Lye in the kettle, they have a cock coming out of the copper-plate, whereby they let out as much of the Lye as is convenient. When it is almost boil’d up, they take out, with a copper kettle that holds eight or ten pounds, the thicker part of the soap that swimmeth on the top, and pour it upon the floor, which is cover’d with lime or chalk beaten to powder; let it lie there for one day in winter, and two days in summer, and it grows so hard that they can walk over it; then they make it smooth, cut it into square pieces, and put their mark upon it.

CHAP. III.

Of the Turks of high and low conditions, men and women; of their employments, offices, manners, customs, cloaths, as much as I could at Tripoli, during my abode, understand, see and learn thereof.

The city of Tripoli is, as well as a great many more of the adjacent towns and provinces, subject to the Turkish Emperor, wherein he hath his officers, as in all other places, that they may be ruled according to his pleasure, and protected from all assaults and dangers. Such superiors are by them call’d, Sangiacks or Bashaws, which we may render State-holders, which have several hundred horse-men under their command, more or less according to the revenues of the provinces that are committed to their care. These are brave and experienced soldiers, that lead their men out into the fields several times in the week to exercise them, the horse-men in riding, and the foot in shooting with bows and arrows, which have their several marks done upon high poles, to shoot at in their running; that if there should be occasion they may be ready to take the field presently to fight their enemies. There Sangiachi have other captains and commanders under them, of which the Soubashaws or Judges are the chief; these are placed by him round about in the adjacent places, to officiate for him where he cannot be present. To such places are commonly call’d the Burghers or Citizens of the same places, and they continue no longer than half a year. By them are examined all criminal matters, and they have power to examine and put to the torture all malefactors, to make them confess their crimes. They also accompany the malefactors, that are sentenced and condemn’d by the Cadi, to the place of execution, to see the sentence duly executed; so I have seen them often to ride along, but chiefly at one time with a poor malefactor condemn’d to die, who was carry’d on a camel’s back, ty’d with his back to a cross, with his arms extended, to the place of execution; and between the cross and his shoulders were put two burning torches, prepared with bacon, so that the grease run all over his body, and burnt it severely. The Turks have also for several crimes, whereof there are a great many, their several punishments; as for thieves and murderers, the gallows; for traytors, impaling; and for them that kill a man, beheading, &c. and so they keep a great many servants, which they send out every where to bring to them any that are suspected to have transgressed the laws, by beating or wounding one another, which happens very seldom, by stealing, or murdering, or adultery.

For any other transgressions besides these, the Turks are brought before other magistrates, call’d Cadi, which are to understand the laws, and to judge, and to pronounce sentence after they have examin’d the witnesses: If it be for debt, they are immediately cast into prison until they pay, or find out any other means to make up the debt. But if it be for transgressing the laws, they are severely fined or else punish’d with blows. Wherefore also their Cadi keep several men and spies, which they daily send out, to find out any that transgressed the laws in drinking of wine; in not going to prayers frequently; in not strictly observing their fasts, or in transgressing the laws any other ways. If they find any, they summon them before their Cadi, who punishes them according to their default, with a pecuniary mulct; or if they have no money to give, he sentences them to receive a certain number of blows upon the soals of their feet, and besides pay half a penny for each blow. Being that a great many of such transgressors are daily brought before him, whereof the greatest part receive blows, it causeth so miserable a howling and crying, that we might plainly hear it in the French Fondique, which is just over against it; and although the Cadi is very much troubled with such transgressors, yet matrimonial causes take him up a great deal more time, because all that will marry, must come to him, and make their agreements and contracts, which are consign’d into his books; partly that they may have them to shew, if any differences should arise between them, (seeing that the Turks and Moors have several wives, and are divorced again for a small matter) and partly that they may give them copies of their contracts upon their marriages, which they write for ordinary people upon smooth and plain paper; but for others that are rich, upon a piece of white sattin, about a yard long. These their contracts they comprehend in a few words, and draw them up so short, that they scarce contain above eight or ten lines a piece, at least two inches distant from one another. For this purpose they keep several clerks, which oftener write upon their knees, than on desks or tables. These Sangiacks, Soubashaws and Cadi’s, of which I have made mention before, and also their wives go very richly cloathed with fine flower’d silks, artificially made and mix’d of several colours. But these cloathes are commonly given them by those that have causes depending before them, (for they do not love to part with their own money) to promote their cause, and to be favourable to them; for they are so very covetous that, where there is nothing given them, there they do but little; for the Bashaws and Sangiachi, which under the Grand Signior, rule kingdoms and principalities, know very well that they must rule but three years in the same place; for as soon as their Sultan commands them, they must go to another place, perhaps far distant from that place. Wherefore they always strive after honour and riches, that they may either by gift or favour be by the court promoted to greater authority and office; or else if that cannot be obtain’d, they may at least lay up in the mean time such riches, that they may be able to maintain themselves after the same greatness as they did before.

When I lived there, a new Sangiack was promoted into the place of the old one, who made his entrance, follow’d by his Saphi’s, and was honourably received by the town. His train consisted most in horse, and archers with arms and shields very well stored; they also had drums and kettle-drums, and other musical instruments, &c. their sabers or scymiters were for the most part tipp’d up a great way with some gilded metal, and very smooth and shining, and so were their stirrups, that at a distance they made a great glittering.

All these officers love to be look’d upon, as if they perform’d their office with great integrity, and yet they are so addicted to covetousness, which is the root of all evil, that, for gifts or bribes, they let the false depositions of those that out of spite accuse the innocent to pass for good. Therefore it is a very easy matter for any one, that would be revenged of his enemy, by way of a small present, to bring him into great trouble and costs. The Soubashaws are of the same stamp, for they do not at all stick to punish, for lucre sake, the innocent, chiefly if they be rich and strangers; their men are very well skill’d in these affairs, to find one trifle or other against them; and because their time is also but short, therefore they make all possible speed to grow rich; and this so much the bolder and opener as they need not fear their Sangiack, nor Bashaw, for they wink at it, as being sharers of the prey, that receive their dividend weekly. In short, let one have committed never so much evil, if he giveth but money to them all is well, and he is as good again as ever he was before. Seeing that many, chiefly in law suits, are wrong’d by them, therefore higher judges, call’d Cadileschier, are set over them, to punish them for their rogery; these are esteem’d by the Turks to be the principal teachers of the Mahometan faith and laws; they are generally grave and understanding men, before whom are brought all intricate causes and appeals to be decided, and they have power to punish these and other officers, but chiefly the Cadi’s, and to put them in and out, according to their behaviour, wherefore they often take their circuits from town to town, to see how the Cadi’s execute justice; wherefore they are very much afraid of their coming, and if they know themselves guilty of any misdemeanor, they often times run away. If they are complain’d of by the people, they are presently punish’d with many blows, put out of their places, and if the crime be great, they are after beheaded, strangled, burnt, or otherways executed; and this happeneth very often in these countries. But if one or more that were also wrong’d by the Cadi, could not stay till the arrival of the Cadileschier, to make their complaints to him, they have another way, that is, to make their complaints to the Porte or the Emperor’s court, or else to go themselves and make their complaints in person, where they are speedily heard (for such causes, as I am inform’d, are heard certainly once in fifteen days) and righted. If any be poor he is maintain’d by the court until his cause is ended.

Such a cause did formerly happen to an interpreter of the Venetian Consul, who being very well to pass, a Soubashaw did strive to make booty of him; but not being able to prove any thing against him, whereby he could make him punishable, he found at length a way, and got one of his servants to hide a common whore in the interpreter’s house, unknown to him, that he might have sufficient cause to accuse him. This being done, the servants of the Cadi broke into the house, and searching it found this whore, and put him into prison. The interpreter, notwithstanding he pleaded his innocency, and that he was totally ignorant of the fact, could not satisfy the Cadi by any means, but was condem’d by him in nine hundred ducats, which he was forc’d to pay. This troubling the interpreter, he could not brook this unjust imposition, being an experienc’d man, well skill’d in their laws, wherefore he took horse immediately, unknown to the Cadi, for Constantinople, where he made his complaints to the court himself so well, and with that success, that he was declared innocent and not guilty of the fact. But as this court usually doth severely punish those that do commit injustice, so this Cadi did not escape; for within a little while after the Turkish Emperor sent to him a Chiausbashaw, which may be compared to an executioner, with a little note, the contents whereof were to send him his head by the bearer, which frighted the gentleman very much; but yet, after, by a peculiar favour, he had taken his leave of his wife, submitted himself to it. This is the reason, that many ill intentions and designs, chiefly if one summon’d the other to appear at the court before the Emperor, are stopt and drawn back, which else would have taken effect and been gone on withal.

If a man appeareth before any Turk that is a person of quality, he must have especial care, that chiefly in departing he do not turn his back side towards him, for this is accounted the greatest incivility and affront that can be given throughout all the Turkish dominions. Nay if a servant appears before his master to ask him forgiveness of his faults, he useth peculiar ceremonies; first he submitteth himself, and sheweth his master all respect imaginable, then he taketh, with his knees bended, his master’s hands to kiss them: If his master lets him have them freely, he is in good hopes that his master will grant him his request, but if not, but draweth them back, although he maketh several profers towards them, he knoweth certainly that he is still out of favour, and that there is but small hopes of obtaining his intention.

They love that one should bear a great deal of honour and respect towards them, for they know that their masters the Sultan’s power hath for a long time past, not been decreasing but always increasing; wherefore they take very much upon themselves, and are always richly cloathed, and ride delicate horses, well adorn’d with stately accoutrements, with embroider’d saddles, and saddle-cloths of scarlet, velvet, or other silks, the bridles and stirrups well garnish’d with silver and gold.

They commonly speak in the Turkish language (and so do all that lie about in garrisons) which is a very manly one, and sounds in proper pronouncing much like unto our German tongue; but they also generally are expert in the Arabian tongue, which is the common one there to the whole country, and goeth through many provinces; for you meet there with many Arabians, Syrians, Jacobites, &c. Christians and Heathens, to whom this speech is common.

The Turks have also some very fine manners and customs; they are affable, they begin their discourse, chiefly to relations and acquaintance, with a friendly salutation and kissing; but they are also lazy, and do not esteem the liberal arts and sciences, love idleness better than labour, for you shall see them spend a whole day in the game of chesse and other games, and in playing on their (quinterns) guittars, which have three, five, seven, and sometimes eleven strings, as I have seen them with the musicians of the Bashaw of Aleppo several times. They commonly play only with their fore-finger, or a piece of a quill, they walk about with them in the streets, chiefly the soldiers, all day long, and so use themselves to laziness and leachery, and contaminate themselves with all sorts of terrible and chiefly sodomitical sins, which by them, because both high and low are equally guilty thereof, are not at all punish’d.

They love to wear good cloaths of light colour, but do not care they should cost them much; their upper garments, which hang down very long before, set with buttons, under which they wear other coats instead of doublets, which (commonly those of the soldiers) are made of blew cloth, somewhat shorter before than behind, with white sleeves, and without collars about their neck, and so are their shirts, which generally are wrought of cotten, and cut about their neck as wide as their cloaths. Instead of bands they wear neck-cloths, which they wrap about their nacked necks, to defend them from the violent heat of the sun. They also, chiefly in the summer, wear white and wide cotton drawers, which reach to their ancles, and are much narrower below; to them they have no cod-pieces, which they do not suffer others to wear, that they may wash, without hindrance, their private parts, feet, arms, necks or any other parts, to cleanse themselves as often as their laws shall direct them. These drawers they tie about their middle with some strings or bands about their naked body, and let their shirts hang down over them. When they have occasion to make water, they untie their drawers again, sit down and cast their cloths round about them like women, turn themselves from the south, to which they turn when they are going to pray. If they see a man make his water standing, they immediately conclude him to be a Christian, and none of their faith. They commonly sit with their legs laid one over the other, which they do every where in the east, wherefore they have neither chair nor table, but instead thereof, they have a paved place, two or three steps high, which is arch’d over head, which they keep very clean, and cover it with tapestry, or serge, or matts finely twisted with several colours, according to their ability; wherefore to save them, the Turks pull off their shoes and leave them at the chamber door. Their shoes are like unto those our lackies use to wear, and like slippers easy to be put on and off, they commonly are of a white or blew colour, painted before, underneath defended with nails before, and with horseshoes behind; these are worn by young and old, men and women, rich and poor. Besides these they also wear sometimes wooden shoes, which are to be sold every where; they are about three inches high, and in the middle underneath carved out, to distinguish the soals from the heels, painted with several colours; the same wear the women, which have almost the same garments with the men, and have also drawers, which sometimes are so long that they hang out before their coats; they are commonly made of fine cotton of several colours, and laced at the sides. You very seldom see any Turkish women either in the streets or in the markets to buy provision, or in their churches, where only the chiefest of them come, and that but seldom, where they have a peculiar place separated from the men. They have also in their houses secret places and corners, where they hide themselves immediately, if any body should come to see their housholds. When they go abroad, which is very seldom, you see three or four of them together with their children, which are all one man’s; for according to their law they are allow’d to take as many as they can maintain. Their faces are all cover’d with black vails, whereof some are of fine silk, and some of horse-hair, which the poorer sort wear; and over their head they put some white scarfs made of cotton, which are so broad that they not only cover their heads but their arms and shoulders, they look in them almost like our maids, when, to keep themselves from the wet, they put a table-cloth or sheet over their heads. But because the Turks are very jealous, therefore their wives seldom meet in the streets or markets, but only in the hot-houses, or when they go to visit the tombs of their deceased parents or relations, which generally are out of town near the highways. When they go thither, they take along with them bread, cheese, eggs, and the like to eat there, which was call’d Parentalia by the Latins, just as the Heathens used to do in former ages; and sometimes they leave some of their cheer behind them, that the beasts and birds may eat it after they are gone; for they believe, that such good bestow’d upon the beasts is as acceptable to God as if it were bestow’d on men. Their graves are commonly hollow cover’d at the top with great stones, which are like unto children’s bed-steads in our country, which are high at the head and feet, but hollow’d in the middle; they fill them up with earth, wherein they commonly plant fine herbs, but chiefly flags; they also put some green myrtles in little air-holes that are round the tombs; and they are of opinion, that their relations are the happier, the longer these remain green and retain their colour: And for the sake of this superstition there are in several places of the town myrtles to be sold that stand in water, that they may remain fresh, which the women buy to stick up at the graves of their relations. Their burying-places are always out of town near the highways, that any body that goeth by may be put in mind of them, and pray to God for them, which is the reason that so many chapels are built about their burying-places, that people that go by, chiefly the relations of the deceased, may go into them to pray to God in their behalf. When any of them dieth, they wash him, and put on his best cloaths; then they lay him on a bar or board, and strow him with sweet smelling herbs and flowers, leaving only his face bare, that every body may look upon him that knoweth him, as he is carry’d out. If it be a Tschelebii, that is, a noble person, they put his helmet and his other ornaments at his head; his friends and acquaintance, which go before and follow the corps, keep no order, but hang upon one another, as if they were fudled, and go merrily and shouting along to the grave; as also do the women, who come behind and hollow so loud that you may hear them a great way off.

CHAP. IV.

A description of the plants I gather’d at Tripoli.

Considering that I undertook this journey into the eastern countries, not only to see these people, and to observe their manners, &c. but also, and that principally, diligently to enquire and to search out the plants that were growing there; I cannot but shortly describe those I found about Tripoli, during my stay there, and will begin with such as grew on the sea-shores, which were Medica marina, Gnaphalium marinum, Leucoium marinum, Juncus maritimus, Peplis, Scammonium Monspeliense, which the natives call Meudheuds; but Rhasis, in his book ad Almans. call’d it Coriziala, Brassica marina, which spreads it’s roots above the sand for some cubits round, and has instead of round leaves rather square ones. A kind of wild white lillies by the Latins and Greeks call’d Hemerocallis, which did not only grow on the sea-shore, but also in islands thereabouts in great plenty, with a great many others, which I forbear to mention here, being common. Behind the custom-house, near the harbour, I found in the ruins of the old walls that are left of that city, Hyoscyamus, and hard by it in the sand an herb not unlike unto Cantabrica secunda Caroli Clusii, saving only the stalks and leaves which are woolly. But the Ricinus groweth there above all in so great plenty, that you can hardly make your way through it; the inhabitants call it still by it’s old Arabian name Kerva.

If you turn from thence to the high-way towards your right hand, you see the Tythimalus Paralius, and also a kind of Conyza Diosc. out of one root there spring up several stalks, whereof some grow upright, but the greater part of them lie down upon the ground, and so shoot new roots, which afterwards sprout out into new stalks; it beareth long olive-leaves, which are thick, fattish, and somewhat woolly, and have a strong and equally sweet smell; for the rest, as the flowers, it is very like unto the great one. You find there also the greater and lesser Medica, which the Moors to this day call Fasa. Likewise so great and many Squills that the inhabitants weed them up, chiefly those that grow near their gardens, and fling them up in high heaps like stones. There also groweth Securidaca minor, Tribulus terrestris, by the inhabitants call’d Haseck, and a kind of Echium, which groweth by the way as you go to St James’s church, which from thence is situated upon an ascent at a mile’s distance. Hereabouts, and in other adjacent places, groweth a great quantity of sugar-canes, so that there is yearly sold a great many sugar-loaves that are made thereof. These are as high and big as our canes, and not much differing from them, but within and down towards the root, where they are best, they are full of this pleasant juice, wherefore the Turks and Moors buy a great many of them, being very pleasant to them to chew and eat, for they are mightily pleased with sweet-meats, whereof they have variety. Before they begin to eat or chew them, they stript off the long leaves and cut away what is tasteless, so that only the juicy and good remaineth, which is hardly two foot. Of the thus prepared canes they carry many along with them through the streets, and cut off one piece after another, skale them, and so chew and eat them openly every where in the street without shame; for they are, principally near the root, very tender, and feel as mellow between your teeth as if it were sugar itself. So the Turks use themselves to gluttony, and are no more so free and courageous, to go against their enemies to fight, as they have been in former ages. The sugar canes do not grow there from seeds, neither are they propagated by the root, but by the canes themselves, whereof they lay into the ground some green pieces of two or three joints long, and that they may grow the sooner, they bore pretty large holes in between the joints; when they begin to grow, they sprout out in the joints, and grow up into great canes, and so bring in good profit.

There also by the rivers are found Anthilis Marina, Visnaga, the first Apocymum, and Oleander with purple flowers, by the inhabitants call’d Defle, and a delicate kind of Scabiosa Melissa Maluca, and if you go to the gardens, you see Heliotropium majus, Convolvulus folio acuto, Vitis nigra, Phaseolus Turcicus, with yellow flowers, which still retain the ancient name of Lubie, Lysimachia lutea, and wild vines call’d Labruscæ, whereon nothing groweth but only the flowers, call’d Ocnanthe; and also a shrub like unto the Polygonus of Carol Clusius, which climbs up into high trees, and hang down again from the twigs; and I verily believe they are the same with Ephedra, whereof Pliny maketh mention in the seventh chapter of his twenty sixth book.

When I went farther, with an intention to consider the plants that grew in the country, first came before me some Sycomores, whereof chiefly Dioscorides and Theophrastus make mention, and tell us of two sorts; and when I call’d these things to mind, I light of one of the second sort of Sycomores, whereof abundance grow in Cyprus, wherefore these wild figg-trees might be call’d, the one the Cyprish Sycomore-tree, and the other the Egyptian Sycomore-tree, according to the places where they are most frequent and fruitful. I found a great many of them: the Moors and Arabians call them Mumeitz, they are as great and as high as the white Mulberry-trees, and have almost the same leaves, but they are only somewhat rounder, and are also whole at or about the sides; they bear fruit not unlike to our figg-trees, only they are sweeter, and have no little seeds within, and are not so good; wherefore they are not esteem’d, and are commonly sold only to the poorer sort of people; they grow in all fields and grounds, as you may see by the words of the second book of the Chronicles ix. 27. And the king made silver in Jerusalem as stones, and Cedar-trees made he as the Sycomore-trees that are in the low plains in abundance. Zacheus did climb upon such a one when he had a great mind to see our Saviour. Essaias also maketh mention of them in his ninth chap. vers. 10, and Amos in his seventh chap. vers. 14, where he saith of himself: I was a herds-man, and a gatherer of Sycomore-fruit. These two sorts are very like one another, in stem, leaves, and fruit, only as the fruit of the one comes more out of the great stems and great twigs, so that of the other does the same, but not out of the stems and twigs immediately, but out of twigs or sprouts without leaves of the length of five or six inches, whereon they grow sometimes very thick, and in a bunch together. These trees bear fruit three or four times yearly, which are small, of an ash-colour, oblong, round, like Prunes, and are found upon the trees almost all the year long. Hereabouts also grow many thorns, whereof is made mention in Scripture, by the inhabitants call’d Hauseit, and by the Arabians Hausegi, but the Latins call them Ahamnus; and also white Poplars, still to this day call’d Haur by the Arabians. There also groweth a great and high tree which beareth delicate leaves and flowers, pleasant to look upon, by the inhabitants call’d Zensetacht, but by Rhasis and Avicenna, Astirgar, & Astergir, and Azadaracht, whereof you see here and there several planted in the streets, to make a pleasant shade in the summer, the fruit thereof remaineth upon them all the year long, until they put out again a-new, for they are hurtful, and kill the dogs if they eat thereof.

Near the town upon the highlands, (where you see abundance of corn-fields, and abundance of pleasant Olive-trees, that reach quite up to mount Libanus) are found Polium montanum, Pecten veneris, ferrum equinum, Chamæleon niger, with it’s sharp pointed and black roots and leaves, very like unto the leaves of Carlina, whereof the stalks are of a reddish colour, a span long, and of the thickness of a finger; whereon are small prickly heads, of a blewish colour, not unlike to those of the little Eryngium. Another fine plant grows thereabouts, call’d Sathar in their language, but when I consider it’s beautiful purple-colour’d flowers, and it’s small leaves which are something long withal, I rather judge it to be the Hasce of the Arabians, or the true Thyme of Diosc. which we call Serpillum Romanum. It hath as pleasant an acrimony as any spice can have, wherefore the inhabitants use it very much, whole or in powder, at home and abroad, with and without their meat, chiefly for to correct an ill digestion of their stomach. This herb is never found in our Apothecaries shops, they take another in it’s room, which hath lesser and greener heads, and is rather the first Satureia of Diosc. brought from Candia. There are also two sorts of Clinopodium, whereof the lesser and tenderer (considering it’s long stalks, leaves and flowers, which grow in good order, and at equal distances one over the other) may very well be taken for the true one of the Diosc. There are also Ilex minor, Sabina baccifera, Terebinthus, and many more.

In the town are found several strange plants; one called Musa, whereof the stalks are from nine to twelve foot high, which are smooth, and without they are inclosed in their leaves, and often quite surrounded like our reeds, of a fine shining green; at the top thereof the leaves spread themselves out, and look like a great bush of feathers, for they are very long, and so broad, that the biggest person may lie upon them with his whole body very well. These leaves have a rib in the middle, which keepeth them up streight, and so strongly, that although the wind breaketh them at the sides in several places, yet notwithstanding they remain upright. These trees bear their fruit no more than once, wherefore they are cut down, and so the root shoots out several other stalks about a foot distant from the old one, which grow up again, and bring forth fruit, which groweth on a thick stalk in great numbers; they are almost shaped like the Citruls, round and bended, only they are less, smooth without, invironed with a thick rind, which is first yellow, but when they are kept a few days it grows black, it is easily separated when they are new; within they are whitish, full of seeds, sweet and good to eat; but they fill mightily, and are apt to gripe: Wherefore, (as Theophrastus mentioneth in the fifth chapter of his fourth book) Alexander the Great forbid his army to eat them, when he went into the Indies. There groweth but very little of this fruit about Tripoli, but it is brought from the neighbouring places plentifully. We also find there another tree, not unlike unto our Privett, by the Arabians called Alcana, or Henne, and by the Grecians, in their vulgar tongue Schenna, which they have from Egypt, where, but above all in Cayro, they grow in abundance. The Turks and Moors nurse these up with great care and diligence, because of their sweet-smelling flowers, and put them into earthen pots, or wooden cases or boxes, to keep them in the winter in vaults from the frost, which they cannot endure. And because they hardly begin to sprout before August, they water them with Soap-suds, but others lay lime about the root, to make it put forth the earlier, that it may flower the sooner, because of the pleasantness of the smell of the flowers, which is somewhat like musk: They are of a pale yellow colour, and stand in spikes of the length of a span, but not very close, so that leaves appear between them; their twigs are also of the same colour, whereof many are sent to us, to cleanse the teeth with, as it were with a brush, when they are bruised a little at the ends. They also, as I am informed, keep their leaves all winter, which leaves they powder and mix with the juice of Citrons, and stain therewith, against great holydays, the hair and nails of their children of a red colour, which colour perhaps may be seen with us on the mains and tails of Turkish horses. The powder is greenish, and so common with them, that you see in their Batzars whole bags full thereof standing before their shops, which come from Ægypt and Africa, from whence whole ship-loads are sent through Turky, as I have seen myself in this harbour several, from whence the Turkish Emperor hath yearly a great revenue. The Arabians burn their Spodium out of the root thereof, as Avicenna remarks in his seventeenth chap. This being thus, it appeareth that there is no small difference between these two, ours and theirs; I am of opinion, that theirs (which is mentioned in the first chapter of Solomon’s Song) is liker to that which Dioscor. describeth, than our Ligustrum.

Thereabouts is also found within and without the gardens a peculiar sort of mallows, by them called Chethince, which is very large, and high, and, like other trees, spreads it’s woody twigs and soft boughs, that are covered with a brownish bark; amongst the rest I saw one as big as a man’s middle, the leaves thereof are of a dark green, long, and at the sides towards the point crenated; it’s flowers are rather bigger than other mallows, of a blew colour; their seeds I did never see. Hard by I found another outlandish Doschet flower, which was almost decay’d, so that it had neither leaves, flowers nor seeds: It was about three foot high, the stem and twigs were hairy, hollow within as other stalks, of a green colour, inclining somewhat to yellow, which had at top many other shoots, each of them had behind like unto other tree-stems it’s proper joint. This is so juicy quite through, that it drops almost with milk, which is sharper than any spurge. I made great inquiry of them about it, but could have no certain account thereof; but as it seemed to me, it is very like unto Xabra and Camarronus of Rhasis by the Arabians called Tanaghut and Sabeam, and may be taken, according to that author’s description, for it.

Farther hereabouts, chiefly in the town upon the cisterns and conduits, I found Adiantum, by the Apothecaries called Capillus Veneris, and in old walls the Apollinaris. I also found in the shops in their Batzars two sorts of roots, whereof one was rounder, which may be the Bulcigeni of the Venetians, which are called Thrasi at Verona, where they grow (as the learned Malthiolus testifieth) many of these are sent out of Egypt to Tripoli, and sold there, chiefly to eat in June, by the name of Habel, Assis and Altzis, this being true, and they being very like both in name and quality to the grains of Altzelem of the Arabians, they must be the same, although Rhasis reckoneth these amongst the fruits. The other called by them Hakinrigi, and Hakeuribi is somewhat longer, not unlike to our Doronicum; there is also a great many of them to be sold; they are hard, of a sweetish taste, with a piercing bitterness, and in their bigness, and white nerves (which spread themselves under ground in the gardens round about like unto the wild Angelica of Tragus) so like to the Haronigi Serapionis, and to the Durungi and Durunegi of Avicenna, according to their description, and so uniform, that they must be taken for the same. Then I found also in their shops abundance of the seeds of Sumach, whereof they make a red powder, to excite the appetite of the stomach. These and more strange and unknown simples I did find at Tripolis. But because it would be too tedious to describe them all, therefore I have only made mention of those that authors have describ’d.

CHAP. V.

Which way I travell’d from Tripolis farther to the two famous cities of Damant and Halepo.

After I had rested for several weeks in Tripolis, and had observed that city, it’s building, and pleasant situation, and moreover the manners, customs, and habits, as well of the low as high ones, I propounded to myself to travel to Aleppo, which is almost the biggest, and the most famous trading city of Syria, which lies five or six days journey towards the north-east of Tripolis. And when I met with some companions to travel with me, we stored ourselves with provisions, viz. bread, cheese, eggs, &c. for our journey, and so set out of Tripolis the ninth of Novemb. Anno 1573.