Part 10

But by your leave, Ferdinando in person, the yeare following, was more than revenged of such a cruell and faithlesse proceeding: He over-maisterd a Turkish towne and castle, put two thousand Turkes to the sword, sparing neither old nor young, and recoyling infinit richesse and spoyles of the towne, he brought home their heads with him to Ligorne, and set them up there for a mercilesse monument.

After some certaine dayes attendance, I imbarked in a Carmoesal, bound for Nigropont, which was forth of my way to Constantinople; but because I would gladly have seene Macedonia, and Thessaly, I followed that determination: In our way we touched at [The Ile of Mytelene.] Mytelene, an Iland of old called Isa: next Lesbos: And lastly Mytelene, of Milet the sonne of Phoebus. Pythacus, one of the seaven Sages of Greece, the most valiant Antimenides, and his brother Alceus the Lyricall Poet, Theophrastus the peripatetike Philosopher, Arion the learned Harper, and the she Poet Sapho, were borne in it.

This Ile of Lesbos or Mytelene, containeth in compasse, one hundreth forty sixe miles: the East parts are levell and fruitfull, the West and South parts mountainous and barren: The chiefe Citties are Mytelene and Methimnos: It was long under subjection of the Romane and Greeke Emperours, till Calo Joannes, Anno 1355. gave it in dowry with his sister, to Catalusio a Nobleman of Genoua; whose posterity enjoyed it till Mahomet (surnamed the Greeke) did seaze on it, 1462.

[A comparison of Iles.] These Iles Sporades, are scattered in the Ægean Sea, like as the Iles Orcades are in the North Seas of Scotland; but different in clymate and fertility: for these South-easterne Iles in Summer are extreame hot, producing generally (Nigroponti excepted) but a few wines, fruites, and cornes, scarce sufficient to sustaine the Ilanders. But these North-westerne Ilands in Sommer, are neither hot nor cold; having a most wholesome and temperate ayre: and do yeeld abundance of corne, even more then to suffice the Inhabitants; which is yearely transported to the firme land, and sold: They have also good store of Cattell, and good cheape, and the best fishing that the whole Ocean yeeldeth, is upon the coasts of Orknay and Zetland.

In all these seperated parts of the Earth (which of themselves of old, made up a little Kingdome) you shall alwaies [The plentifulnesse of Orkney & Zetland.] finde strong March-Ale, surpassing fine Aqua-vitæ, abundance of Geese, Hennes, Pigeons, Partridges, Moore-Fowle, Mutton, Beefe and Termigants, with an infinite number of Connies, which you may kill with a Crosse-bow, or Harquebuse, every morning forth of your Chamber window, according to your pleasure in that pastime, which I have both practised my selfe, and seene practised by others; for they multiply so exceedingly, that they digge even under the foundations of dwelling houses. Such is the will of God to bestow upon severall places, particular blessings; whereby he demonstrateth to man, the plentifull store-house of his gracious providence, so many manner of wayes upon earth distributed; all glory be to his incomprehensible goodnes therefore. I have seldome seene in all my travells, more toward, and tractable people (I meane their Gentlemen) and better house-keepers, then be these Orcadians, and Zetlanders: whereof in the prime of my adolescency (by two voyages amongst these Northerne Iles) I had the full proofe and experience.

And now certainely, as it is a signe of little wisedome, and greater folly, for a man to answere suddenly to every light question; so it is as great a shame and stupiditie in man to keepe silence, when he should, and may deservingly speake; Wherefore damnifying the one, and vilifying the other, I come forth betweene both (Pugno pro Patria) to have a single bout with the ignorant malice of an imperious and abortive Geographer, brought up in the Schooles neere Thames, & Westward Ho at Oxford; who blindlings in an absurd description of the world, hath produced many errors, & manifest untrueths to the world.

And these amongst thousands moe, which I justly can censure to be false; namely, he reporteth the Orcadians to be a cruell and barbarous peeple, and that the most part of Scotland regarded neither King nor Law: tearming us also to have monstrous backes, against the execution of Justice: and because (saith he) they resemble us somewhat in visage and speech, the Scots are descended of the Saxons; where when the blacke wings of the Eagle spred in the South, they fled thither, thinking rather to enjoy penurious liberty, then rich fetters of gold: Moreover, [False aspersion upon Scotland.] that the scurvy Ile of Manne, is so abundant in Oates, Barley, and Wheate, that it supplieth the defects of Scotland; so venemous also is the Wormewood of his braine, that he impugneth Hector Boetius, to have mentioned a rabble of Scottish Kings before Kenneth, the first Monarch of all Scotland; but were he fast rabled in a rope, I thinke his presumptuous and impertinent phrase were well recompensed: Yea, further he dare to write, that if the Mountaines, and unaccessable Woods, had not beene more true to the Scots, then their owne valour, that Kingdome had long since beene subdued.

Many other introductions flow from his shallow base-branded apprehension which I purposely omit: To this his perverst malignitie (without partiall or particular construction) I generally answere; that for courteous penetrating lenity; industrious tractability; prompt and exquisite ingeniosity; nobly taught, vivacious, & vertuous Gentility; humane, and illustrious generosity; inviolate, and uncommixed nationall pedegree; Learned, Academicall, and Ecclesiasticke Clergy; for sincere Religion, and devoute Piety; affable and benevolent Hospitality; civill & zealous orders in spirituality; so docible a people to supreame regality; and for true valour, courage, and magnanimity; there is no Kingdome or Nation within the compasse of the whole universe, can excell, or compare with it.

Now what a selfe Losungeous fellow hath this fustian companion proved, when the flat contrary of his abjured impositions, is infallibly knowne to be of undoubted trueth. And how often hath Europe, the seat of Christendome, and Mistresse of the world, had the full experience in all her distressed corners, of the valiant, faithfull service, and unresistable valour of the people, of that never conquered Nation: the testimonies are evident, for my part I desist, and will not medle to peramble through peremptory inferences, on particular Kingdomes, although I acquitingly can; Howsoever a pertinacious Buffon dare, and falsely will doe it:

[Certaine replyes.] Each base fantasticke braine, dare forge new stiles, And alter Regions, customes, Townes, and Iles: Strip'd in a bravad, he can joyne (disjoyne Contiguat Kingdomes) distant lands in one; First Broaker-like, he scrap's rags, snips and bits, Then playes the Ruffian, shifting with his wits: Last Serpent-like, he casts a winter skin, And like a strumpet boldly enters in; This charling Ape, with counterfeits and lies, And blandements; would feede the worlds wide eyes: Thus like a stupid Asse, this blocke-head Foole, Must turne a Coxcombe, studying in the Schoole: Would he be wise and exercise his braines Goe travell first, experience knowledge gaines: Dare he to write of Kingdomes, that ne'er saw His fathers Oxe, perhaps the plough to draw; And scarce can tell even of the bread he eates How many frames it suffers, toyle, and sweats; Nor ne'er ten miles, was travell'd from his cradle Yet faine would sit, the steerd Pegasian sadle: Whiles loytring in a Colledge, thus he dare Sow lyes, reape shame, build Lottries in the ayre; Goe doting Gull? Goe? blot away thy name? And let thy labours perish with thy fame.

This Ile of Mytelena, is by the Turkes called Sarcam lying without the mouth of the gulfe of Smyrna, and opposite to the Westerne coast of Phrigia minor; where besides excellent Wine and Cornes, there are two sorts of dregs made there, which the Turkes use to put in their pottage: In Turkish the one is called Trachana, the other Bouhort, which the Romanes aunciently named Crimnon and Mazza. Whence Loosing from Mitylene in the aforesaid Carmosal, we touched at Dalamede, in the [The Ile Androsia.] Ile Androsia, the Northmost Ile of the Syclades toward Thessalia: It is indifferent copious of all things necessary for humane life, and round sixty miles: The Athenians of old (as Plutarch mentioneth) sent hither Themistocles to demaund tribute; Themistocles told them, he came to inflict some great imposition upon them, being accompanied with two Goddesses; the one was (Eloquence) to perswade them, and the other was (Violence) to enforce them. Whereunto the Androsians replyed, that on their side, they had two Goddesses as strong; the one whereof was (Necessity) whereby they had it not; and the other (Impossibility) whereby they could not part with that they never enjoyed.

This Ægean Sea, or mare Ægeum, had its denomination from Ægeus the father of Theseus, who misdoubting his sonnes returne from the Minotaure of Creet, here leaped in, and drowned himselfe: The greatest part of these sixty nine Kings, that Agamemnon tooke with him to the siege of Troy, were onely Kings of these little Ilands: By some they are divided into two parts, Cyclades, and Sporades; the former containing fifty foure, and the latter twelve Iles; modernely they are all cognominat Archipylago, or the Arch Ilands.

Hoysing saile from Dalamede, we set over to Nigroponti, being sixty miles distant, and bearing up Eastward to double the South Cape, we straight discovered [Two Turkish Galleots.] two Turkish Galleots pursuing us: Whereupon with both sailes and oares, we sought in to the bottome of a long creeke, on the West side of the Cape, called Bajo di piscatori; whither also fled nine Fisher-boates for refuge: The Galleots fearing to follow us in, went to Ankor, at a rocky Isolet in the mouth of the bay, and then within night were resolved to assaile us. But night come, and every night of sixe (for there sixe dayes they expected us) we made such Bonfires, that so affrighted them (being two miles from any Village) they durst never adventure it: Yet I being a stranger was exposed by the untoward Greekes to stand Centinell every night, on the top of a high Promontore, it being the dead time of a snowy and frosty winter; which did invite my Muse to bewaile the tossing of my toylesome life, my solitary wandring, and the long distance of my native soyle:

Carmina secessum scribentis, & otia quærunt Me Mare, me venti, me fera jactat Hyems.

I Wander in exile, As though my Pilgrimage: Were sweete Comedian scænes of love Upon a golden Stage. Ah I, poore I, distres'd, Oft changing to and fro, Am forc'd to sing sad Obsequies Or this my Swan-like wo. A vagabonding Guest, Transported here and there, Led with the mercy-wanting winds Of feare, griefe, and dispaire. Thus ever-moving I, To restlesse journeys thrald, Obtaines by Times triumphing frownes A calling, unrecal'd: Was I præordain'd so Like Tholos Ghost to stand. Three times foure houres, in twenty foure With Musket in my hand. Ore-blasted with the stormes Of Winter-beating Snow, And frosty pointed haile-stones hard On me poore wretch to blow. No Architecture Lo But whirling-windy Skyes. Or'e-syld with thundring claps of Clouds, Earths center to surprise. I, I, it is my fate, Allots this fatall crosse, And reckons up in Characters, The time of my Times losse. My destiny is such, Which doth predestine me, To be a mirrour of mishaps, A Mappe of misery. Extreamely doe I live, Extreames are all my joy, I find in deepe extreamities, Extreames, extreame annoy. Now all alone I watch, With Argoes eyes and wit. A Cypher twixt the Greekes and Turkes Upon this Rocke I sit. A constrain'd Captive I, Mongst incompassionate Greekes, Bare-headed, downeward bowes my head, And liberty still seekes. But all my sutes are vaine, Heaven sees my wofull state: Which makes me say, my worlds eye-sight Is bought at too high rate. Would God I might but live, To see my native Soyle: Thrice happy in my happy wish, To end this endlesse toyle: Yet still when I record, The pleasant bankes of Clide: Where Orchards, Castles, Townes, and Woods, Are planted by his side: And chiefly Lanerke thou, Thy Countries Laureat Lampe: In which this bruised body now Did first receive the stampe. Then doe I sigh and sweare, Till death or my returne, Still for to weare the Willow wreath, In sable weed to mourne. Since in this dying life, A life in death I take, Ile sacrifice in spight of wrath, These solemne vowes I make, To thee sweete Scotland first, My birth and breath I leave: To Heaven my soule, my heart King James, My Corpes to lye in grave. My staffe to Pilgrimes I, And Pen to Poets send; My haire-cloth roabe, and halfe-spent goods, To wandring wights I lend. Let them dispose as though My treasure were of Gold, Which values more in purest prise, Then drosse ten thousand fold. These Trophees I erect, Whiles memory remaines: An epitomiz'd Epitaph, On Lithgows restlesse paines: My will's inclos'd with love, My love with earthly blis: My blisse in substance doth consist, To crave no more but this. Thou first, is, was, and last, Eternall, of thy grace, Protect, prolong, great Britaines King, His Sonne, and Royall Race. AMEN.

Upon the seaventh day, there came downe to visit us, two Gentlemen of Venice, clothed after the Turkish manner; who under exile, were banished their Native Territories ten yeares for slaughter; each of them having two servants, and all of them carrying Shables, and two Gunnes a peece: which when I understood, they were Italians, I addressed my selfe to them, with a heavy complaint against the Greekes, in detaining my Budgeto, and compelling me to endanger my life for their goods: whereupon they accusing the Patrone, and finding him guilty of this oppression, belaboured him soundly with handy blowes, and caused him to deliver my things, carrying me with them five miles to a Towne where they remained, called Rethenos, formerly Carastia, where I was exceeding kindly entertained ten dayes: And most nobly (as indeed they were noble) they bestowed on me forty Chickens of Gold at my departure, for the better advancement of my voyage, which was the first gift that ever I received in all my travells. For if the darts of death had not beene more advantagious to me, then Asiaticke gifts, I had never beene able to have undergone this tributary, tedious, and sumptuous peregrination: The confluence of the divine providence allotting me meanes, from the losse of my dearest consorts gave me in the deepnesse of sorrow, a thankefull rejoycing.

[The Ile Nigroponti.] Nigroponti was formerly called Euboea, next, Albantes: and is now surnamed the Queene of Archipelago: The Turkes cognominate this Ile Egribos: The Towne of Nigropont, from which the Ile taketh the name, was taken in by Mahomet the second; Anno. 1451. and in this Ile is found the Amianten stone, which is said to be drawne in threeds, as out of Flaxe, whereof they make napkins, and other like stuffes; and to make it white, they use to throw it in the fire, being salted: The stone also is found here, called by the Greekes Ophites, and by us Serpentine. The circuit of this Ile is three hundred fourty sixe miles. It is seperated from the firme land of Thessalia, from the which it was once rent by an Earthquake, with a narrow channell, over the which in one place there is a bridge, that passeth betweene the Ile, and the maine continent, and under it runneth a marvellous swift current, or Euripus, which ebbeth and floweth sixe times night and day. Within halfe a mile of the bridge, I saw a Marble columne, standing on the toppe of a little Rocke, whence (as the Ilanders told me) [Aristotles death.] Aristotle leaped in, and drowned himselfe, after that he could not conceive the reason, why this Channell so ebbed & flowed: using these words, Quia ego non capio te, tu capias me. This Ile bringeth forth in abundance, all things requisite for humane life, and decored with many goodly Villages.

The chiefe Cities are Nigropont, and Calchos: The principall rivers Cyro, and Nelos, of whom it is sayd, if a sheepe drinke of the former, his wooll becommeth white, if of the latter coale blacke. From thence and after 22. dayes abode in this Ile, I arrived at a Towne in Macedonia, called Salonica, but of old Thessalonica, where I stayed five dayes, and was much made of by the Inhabitants, being Jewes.

[Salonica.] Salonica is situate by the sea side, betweene the two Rivers Chabris and Ehedora: It is a pleasant, large and magnificke City, full of all sorts of merchandize; and it is nothing inferiour in all things (except nobility) unto Naples in Italy: It was sometimes for a while under the Signiory of Venice, till Amurath the sonne of Mahomet, tooke it from this Reipublicke. And is the principall place of Thessaly which is a Province of Macedon, together with Achaia, and Myrmedon, which are the other two Provinces of the same.

This City of Salonica is now converted in an university for the Jewes; and they are absolute Signiors thereof under the great Turke, with a large Territory of land, lying without and about them: It hath beene ever in their hands since Soliman tooke in Buda in Hungary, Anno. 1516. August. 20. to whome they lent two millions of money, and for warrandice whereof, they have this Towne and Province made fast to them: They speake vulgarly and Maternally here the Hebrew tongue, man, woman and child, and not else where in all the world. All their Sinagogian or Leviticall Priests are bred here, and from hence dispersed to their severall stations.

[Thessaly.] Thessaly a long the sea side, lieth betweene Peloponnesus, and Achaia: Wherein standeth the hill Olympus, on which Hercules did institute the Olympian games, which institution was of long time the Grecian Epoche, from whence they reckoned their time.

Macedon is now called by the Turkes Calethiros, signifying a mighty & warlike Nation: Macedonia, containing Thessaly, Achaia, and Mirmidon, lieth as a center to them; having Achaia to the East: Thessalia to the South: Mirmidonia, bordering with Ætolia to the West: And a part of Hoemus, whence it was called Hæmonia, and some of Misia superior to the North: It was also called Amathia, from Amathus once King thereof, and then Macedonia from the King Macedo: The chiefe Cities are Andorista, Andesso, Sydra, Sederaspen, where the mines of gold and silver be, which enrich the Turke so monethly, receiving thence somtimes 18000. 24000. & 30000. Ducats. And Pellia, where Alexander the great was borne. Bajazet the first, wonne this Countrey, from the Constantinopolitans. About this City of Salonica is the most fertile and populous Countrey in all Greece.

[The vicissitude of Greece.] Greece of all Kingdomes in Europe, hath bene most famous, and highly renowned for many noble respects: yet most subject to the vicissitude of Fortune than any other: who changing Gold for Brasse, and loathing their owne Princes, suffered many tyrants to rule over them, scourging their folly with their fall, and curing a festered soare with a poysoned playster: whence succeded a dismall discord, which beginning when the State of Greece was at the highest, did not expire till it fell to the lowest ebbe; sticking fast in the hands of a grievous desolation: which former times, if a man would retrospectively measure, he might easily find, and not without admiration, how the mighty power of the divine Majestie doth swey the moments of things, and sorteth them in peremptory manner to strange and unlooked for effects: making reason blind, policy astonished, strength feeble, valour dastardly, turning love into hatred, feare into fury, boldnesse into trembling, and in the circuit of one minute, making the Conquerour, a conquered person.

Greece now tearmed by the Turkes Rum-Ili, the Romane Countrey, was first called Helles, next Grecia of Grecus, who was once King thereof: The Greekes, of all other Gentiles, were the first converted Christians, and are wonderfull devout in their professed Religion: The Priests weare the haire of their heads hanging over their shoulders: These that be the most sincere religious men; abstaine alwayes from eating of flesh or fish, contenting themselves with water, hearbes, and bread: They differ much in ceremonies, and principles of Religion from the Papists, and the computation of their Kalender is as ours.

[Foure Patriarchs in the Greekish Church.] They have foure Patriarkes, who governe the affaires of their Church, and also any civill dissentions, which happen amongst them, viz. one in Constantinople, another in Antiochia, the third in Alexandria, & the fourth in Jerusalem. It is not needfull for me to penetrate further in the condition of their estate, because it is no part of my intent in this Treatise. In a word, they are wholly degenerate from their Auncestors in valour, vertue, and learning: Universities they have none, and civill behaviour is quite lost: formerly in derision they tearmed all other Nations Barbarians: A name now most fit for themselves, being the greatest dissembling lyers, inconstant, and uncivill people of all other Christians in the World.

[False testimonie of vagabonding Greekes.] By the way, I must give the Kings Kingdomes a caveat here, concerning vagabonding Greekes, and their counterfeit Testimonials: True it is, there is no such matter, as these lying Rascals report unto you, concerning their Fathers, their Wives, and Children taken Captives by the Turke: O damnable invention! How can the Turke prey upon his owne Subjects, under whom, they have as great Liberty, save onely the use of Bels, as we have under our Princes: The tyth of their Male children, being absolutely abrogated by Achmet, this Amuraths Father; and the halfe also of their Female Dowry at Marriages: And farre lesse for Religion, can they be banished, or deprived of their Benefices, as some false and dissembling fellowes, under the Title of Bishops make you beleeve; There being a free Liberty of Conscience, for all kinds of Religion, through all his Dominions, as well for us free borne Frankes as for them, and much more them, the Greekes, Armenians, Syriacks, Amoronits, Coptics, Georgians, or any other Orientall sort of Christians: And therefore looke to it, that you be no more gulled, golding them so fast as you have done, least for your paines, you prove greater Asses, than they do Knaves.

In Salonica I found a Germo, bound for Tenedos, in which I imbarked: As we sayled along the Thessalonian shoare, I saw the two topped hill Pernassus, which is of a wondrous height, whose tops even kisse the Clouds.

[Pernassus.] Mons hic cervicibus petit arduus astra duobus, Nomine Pernassus, superatque cacumine montes.

Through thickest cloudes, Pernassus bends his height, Whose double tops, do kisse the Starres so bright.

Here it was sayd the nine Muses haunted: but as for the Fountaine Helicon, I leave that to be searched, and seene by the imagination of Poets; for if it had bene objected to my sight, like an insatiable drunkard, I should have drunke up the streames of Poesie, to have enlarged my dry poeticall Sun scoarch'd veine.