The arrivall and intertainements of the embassador, Alkaid Jaurar Ben Abdella, with his associate, Mr. Robert Blake From the High and Mighty Prince, Mulley Mahamed Sheque, Emperor of Morocco, King of Fesse, and Suss. With the ambassadors good and applauded commendations of his royall and noble entertainments in the court and the city. Also a discription of some rites, customes, and lawes of those Affrican nations. Likewise Gods exceeding mercy, and our Kings especiall grace and favour manifested in the happy redemption of three hundred and two of his Majesties poore subjects, who had beene long in miserable slavery at Salley in Barbary.

with the commodities of another : For though every Countrey doth not yeeld every commodity , yet by the meanes of Merchandize and transportation , almost every Countrey in particular , enioyes the fruition of all things needfull in generall . Thirdly , it conserves , and makes peace , love , and amity with Princes , and Potentates , though they are far remote from each other in Religions , Realmes , Regions , and Territories ; yet they are conioyned in leagues and friendship together , and by the meanes of Negotiation , may , and doe send Letters , Ambassadors , Messuages , and rich gifts , Magnificent presents , Aides of Armies , and Navies , by Land and Sea , for the expression of their greatnesse and supportation of peace and unity one with another . Fourthly , it is the strength of Kings & Kingdomes , in the encrease of Shipping and Marriners , whereby either in peace or warre they are furnished upon all occasions : And what thing is there more in the World so great , or so to be esteemed , whereunto love will not stirre , and animate the mindes of mortall men . Lastly , it acquaints each Nation with the Language , Manners , Behaviour , Customes , and carriage of one another ; so that by these meanes men are made capable of understanding and knowledge ; and therefore preferre knowledge before wealth and riches , for the one soone fadeth , the other abideth for ever : for amongst all Naturall and Terrestriall things , onely wisedome is immortalll ; and for that maine reason knowledge and understanding ought to bee imbraced before ignorance ; and especially for that in all other things which are odious , yet there is some profit to bee found : but ignorance onely is ever noysome and hurtfull to the ignorant , and doth make them bare the paine of those offences which they commit , by their imbecillity and want of knowledge . Therefore study for knowledge whilst thou hast time and leisure to learne , & and be diligent to give care to those that are wise and learned ; for by this meanes thou shalt easily obtaine understanding and knowledge of that , which others have invented with great labour and difficulty .

But to the matter in hand , concerning this Alkaid ( or Lord ) Ambassador ; for the word Alkaid , is Lord in the language of the Morocco , the Larbies , or Barbarie . I onely meane to relate his arivall in England , his abode and entertainment , with his comming up from Gravesend to London , the manner of his receiving into the City , and how he was conducted to his house , his manner of riding to the Court at White-Hall , where he had royall entertainment and audience ; his magnificent and rich Presents , his returne from the Court , his estate and condition , and lastly a short description of the Emperor of Morocco and his Empire , with his Kingdome of Fez , or Fesse , and his Kingdome of Sus , and other his Dominions , with something of old and new Salla , or Sallie , with the late proceedings there .

The Ambassador is by birth a Portugall , a Gentleman borne in a Towne called Mondego , who was taken Captive in his Child-hood at the age of almost eight yeares ; he was ( as the misery and fortune of Captives is ) bought and sold , and by command ( as the manner of those barbarous Nations is ) hee distesticled , or Eunuch'd , and as he grew in yeares hee by his acceptable services , was daily more and more in favour with the Emperor of Morocco , insomuch , that his Maiesty was pleased to take him into his especiall grace , making him his chiefest favorite , and trusty councellor of State , dignifi'd him with the high stile or title of Alkaid , or Lord , than which , there is not a degree higher under the Emperor ; endowed with Lands and revenewes fit and correspondent for so eminent a calling , gave him the two most honourable places of Lord great Chamberlaine , and Lord Privy Seale , and to his prudent care and honourable mature wisedome was committed the maine charge and management of the most important affaires of his whole Empire , and in suffering him to make Lawes and Edicts : And he which is in an Office or place of command , and maketh Lawes for other men , ought appointment , Sir John Finnet Knight , Master of the Ceremonies , was sent downe to Gravesend , to conduct the Embassadors to London .

They had no sooner taken their Barges , and were launched , but an expression of Love and Welcome flew in thundering manner out of the mouths of the great Ordnance , from both the Block-houses of Gravesend , and on Essex side , and the Tyde being reasonable calme , they pleasantly past to Woolwich , where they saw his Maiesties new great Ship ( the Eighth Wonder of the World ) with pleasing and much contenting Admiration . After which they past to Greenewitch , where they landed , and stay'd at the Rose and Crowne foure Houres , because the Kings Barge with the Lord Kenwell , and 12. Gentlemen of his Maiesties Privy Chamber , and other were appointed to come to Greenewitch , to bring them to the Tower-wharfe in State as was fitting and honourable .

So they tooke Barges at Greenewitch , almost an houre before Night , with their Trumpets sounding before them all the way : And after an Houres Rowing they landed at the Tower , where they were attended by Thousands , and ten Thousands of Spectators , and welcomed and conveyed with his Maiesties Coach , and at the least 100. Coaches more , and the chiefest of the Cittizens , and Barbary-Merchants bravely mounted on Horsebacke , all richly apparrelled , every man having a Chaine of Gold about him ; with the Sheriffes and Aldermen of London in their Scarlet Gownes , with such abundance of Torches and Links , that though it were Night , yet the Streetes were almost as light as Day . And in this brave and noble way the Embassador with his Associate Mr. Blake , were accompanied from the Tower-wharfe to their Lodgings in Wood-streete , at the House that was Sir Martin Lumley's , Knight , and Alderman of the Citty of London , and where he kept his Honourable Office of Maioralty in the yeare 1623.

The Alkaid , having reasonable , well recovered him of his Health , after hee had taken rest fifteene or sixteene dayes , till Sunday the fift Day of November , our Kings Maiesties Physitians all this while ( by his Maiesties Command ) attending , and using their approved best skill , whose paines and industrious Knowledge tooke such good effect for his Health , that on the said fore-named Sunday , his Maiesty was graciously pleased to give them Audience , at his Palace or Mannour of White-Hall , and to that intent these preparations following were ordered for the Accommodation of so Royall and Honourable a Designe .

The Orders that were observed upon Sunday , the 5. of November , 1637. by such Honourable and Worshipfull persons , and others that were appointed to conduct the Embassadors to their Audience .

FIrst , the Right Honourable the Earle of Shrewsbury was in the Privy Chamber at White-Hall , at one of the Clocke in the After-noone , and twelve Gentlemen of his Maiesties Privie Chamber were there at the same Houre , and according as it was commanded , it was accomplished .

Secondly , the EarIes Coach ( with as many other as was held to be fitting ) waited , and were ready at the Court-gate , to carry his Lordship and the Gentlemen privately to the Embassadors Lodging , or House in Wood-streete .

Thirdly , the Foure Horses which were sent as Presents from the Emperour of Morocco , to the King of Great Brittaine , did stand ready at the Embassadors House at the Houre afore-said , and all the Horses of those that came from the Court for the same Service , were ready at the sayd House the same houre .

Fourthly , a good Guard of Officers , and other men with Halbards , Bills , and lavelins , were at Wood-streete end in Cheap-side , and the like was in Wood-streete below the Embassadors House , to keepe the passage cleare from the presse of people .

now it follows , that I relate somewhat of the greatnesse of the Emperour of Morocco that sent tham , and some Causes why they were sent , with some iust and true Remembrances of the good services that Mr. Robert Blake ( Associate with the Alkaid ) hath done for his captive and distressed Countrey-men , our Kings Subiects , English , Scottish , Irish , and of the Isles of Garnsey , and Jarsey , and of other places of his Maiesties Dominions : besides his goodnesse in relieving and helping of many Christians of sundry Nations , both with his Word and Purse , when they were in miserable thraldome and slavery ; hee never ceased to doe his best to comfort them .

This Mighty and Potent Prince Mulley Mahamed Sheque , is Emperor of Morocco , King of Fez , or Fesse , or Sus , or Susa , with many other Dominions of large extent ; some part of his Territories butting Northward upon the Mid-land or Mediterranean Sea , over against part of Spaine , and some large bounds of hundreds of Leagues South and West upon the Atlantick Ocean : as also his Empire extends it selfe many hundred Miles upland Southward into Affrica .

The Citty of Morocco , ( which is the Metropolis of his Empire ) as Atlas relates in his History of Affrica , hath beene one of the greatest Citties in the world , being once of that huge circuite , that it had 100000. houses within it , most strong and defencibly walled , with 24 Gates to issue divers wayes out and in at , but within these 100. yeeres past , what with forraigne Warres and domesticall seditions , the Citty is much ruined , and abated of its ancient greatnesse ; yet by the Maiestick Valour and Prudency of this Emperor it begins to re-flourish , and may re-assume the former Magnitude which once it had .

The Kingdomes of Fesse and Sus are vaste in extention , and rich in divers Commodities , as Chamelots , Grograines , and many other Stuffes made of the haire of Cammels , and other Beasts : besides , the best Gold is found there in plenty , with Oyles , Sugars , and many other sorts of Merchandize , for which our Barbary Merchants doe traffique into those parts , with our Iron , Tinne , Lead , and other commodities which are vendible there . As concerning any further Description of those Countries , I am no Geographer , and whosoever will know more of them , let them looke in Pliny his Naturall History , or in Mr. Purchase his Pilgrimage , or in Atlas , ( a compendious Worke , well Translated lately ) or in Lithgows Travailes , and there they may have more ample and satisfactory Relations ; there shall they finde that in these Dominions of Mauritania , the great Battell of Alcazer was fought in the yeare of our Lord 1578. on the fourth Day of August , when Don Sebastian , King of Portugall , came into Barbary with a great Army , in a wrong quarrell to ayde an usurping Rebell against the true Heire to the Empire of Morocco , for the which Ayde the Rebell had promised to Sebastian , to give him the Kingdome of Fesse : But in that fatall Battell King Sebastian seeking after the shadow , lost the substance ; and instead of obtaining Fesse , he was slaine that Day , and there lost both his Life , and Kingdome of Portugall ; by which meanes the King of Spaine got it , and holds it ; and in the same Fight was slaine the lawfull King of Fesse , and the Vsurper , with our Country-man Thomas Stukeley , to whom the Pope had largely promised the Kingdome of Ireland ; so that 3. Kings fell in that one Battell .

This Emperor now Reigning , is the Sonne of Xeriffe Mulley Cidan , ( deceased ) who was a valiant and victorious Prince , and his Grandfather was Xeriffe Mulley Hamet , a Prince that held good League and Amity with Queene Elizabeth , ( of blessed and most famous memory ) and this Emperor as soone as he came to the Crowne , he most lovingly desired the Friendship and Royall Amity of our Gracious King Charles : He is a white man , of a goodly proportion , and a Maiesticall Aspect ; he is not above 18. yeeres of age , and yet of such surpassing strength , that he hath taken a new Horse-shooe , and with both his hands hath writhed and inforced ▪ through extremity and want to retire the Army , without any designe accomplished : And indeed it prooved no otherwise , but still Laishi held Friendship with our Generall , and made many shot out of the Towne of old Sally into new Sally , so that they were sore distrest in the Towne , with Famine , and the battering of our great Ordnance from our Ships by Sea , which did sink and teare their Shipping , and beate their houses about their eares ; as also Laishi beate upon them on the Land-side , that by Sea and Land they had lost so many men , that they began to talke of yeelding .

The Emperor hearing of the perfidious dealing of Laishi towards him , ( for Laishi still stands out , and holds Old Sally from the Emperor ) he sent his Alkaid and Mr. Robert Blake his Associate , in Commission with him , to command them of New Sally to surrender to him the Towne , and deliver the Captives that were the King of Great Brittaines Subiects .

But before the Alkaid and Mr. Blake came , the Towne , being unable to hold out longer against the force of our English Ships , that they were in a manner neere yeelded before the Embassadour came thither : so that ( under God ) our Ships were the meanes to reduce Sally to the obedience of the Emperor , the right Lord and owner thereof , and also to redeeme all the poore Captives that were there , Christians . So on the 28. day of July the Alkaid , with Master Blake , went into the Towne , and in the Emperors name did place there their old Governour , and all the Captives were sent a boord the King of Englands ships : those that list to have a more ample Relation of the surrendring of this Towne , with the other passages that happened there , they may read a Journall written by Master John Duntons Direction , who was the Master of the Admirall-ship the Leopard , who , as it is thought , hath described it truely ; but hee is here and there wrong'd by the Writer , in misplacing some things unorderly .

were in number 302 , English , Scottish , and Irish ; amongst whom there were 11 Women : Also there were 27. French men , which wisely ran away from their keepers ; and there were likewise set at Liberty 8. Dutch-men , and 11. Spaniards : all these great Mercies of God to these poore captived Christians , ought never ( by them ) to be forgotten , but with praise , Thankesgiving , and amendment of life to be had in perpetuall Remembrance : and we and they are all bound to love , honour , and obey Our most Gracious King , whose piety and pitty was so great , as to take the Affliction of his poore Subiects so farre into his most Princely consideration , as to send his Ships under such wise and able Commanders for their Redemption . And it is a most Remarkable Note of the Almighties Mercy , in that hee stir'd up and ordain'd Master Robert Blake to be the Agent and Instrument to move the Emperor of Morocco , to be so well affected for their enlargement .

Their slavery ( for the time ) was worse than the Aegyptian Bondage under Pharaoh ; for imagine ( Good Reader ) what misery can be more , than for a man or woman to be bought and sold like a Beast , for a Christian to be servile to an Infidell , in the most base and contemptible drudgeries ; to eate the Bread of sorrow , and drinke the water of affliction ; to have the Head shaven , the body pin'd and beaten , to grind in Mills , to digge and dresse Vineyards , to draw Ploughes , to be labourers dayly , and all their wages to be hard fare , hard blowes , hard lodging , and ( more hard than those ) never to hope to be freed till Death ; but hardest and worst of all , to be urged , enforced , and enticed to forsake their Faith , and turne Miscreants ; or ( at the best ) to be ever debar'd the exercise of the Freedome of their Religion and Conscience . Now the Learned doe say , That all kind of Servitude is miserable , but that especially is intollerable , when a Man is enforced to serve one that is dishonest and vicious : And therefore ( as a wise man saith ) it is better to live free with a little feare , than to be in servitude with much and great aboundance ; for Liberty is sweete , and worthy to be regarded .

These , and more than these were the insupportable calamities of our poore distressed Countrey-men , with 46. of other Nations , who are now by Gods especiall mercy and providence at liberty , some of them having endured 30. yeeres slavery , and some fewer ; but all too much , and too many .

In February last , 1635 , Mr. Robert Blake being a Merchant , and trading to Morocco , by his good conversation and carriage there , the Emperor cast an eye of Regard and Favour upon him , insomuch that he caused him to leave his Merchandise and Traffique in trust to his servants and Factors , and himselfe to be neere attendant to his Person in the Court , where his Maiesty taking especiall notice of his good diligence and Integrity , entertain'd a liking to him and his Services every day more and more , so that in short space hee purchas'd the Office of Farmer of all his Ports and Customes , ( which place hee still retaines . ) There were then in the Emperors Court 33. English Captives , whom hee and his Father had formerly bought from Argeir and Tunnis , and some of them had beene in Captivity 25. yeeres , some 20. yeeres , some 14 , some fewer , but each of them thought that the time was too long .

And although these mens miseries were not altogether so great , nor their Captivity so heavy in the Court at Morocco , as it was at Tunnis , Argeir , or Sally , yet was their Thraldome so irkesome to them , that they had a desire to see their owne Countries ; their mindes ran upon their Parents , Kinred , Friends , and Acquaintance , from whom they had beene long unfortunately separated : so that their best mirth was but forc'd , and a kinde of mourning , and all their ioyes were too much mixed with care and sadnesse , which Mr. Blake ( with great griefe of heart ) did note in them dayly ; and his most sorrow for them was , that he suppos'd hee could not helpe them , and therefore he did often see them with an eye of Christian compassion and pitty , and in his minde ( like a true English-man ) had a Sympathy or brotherly feeling of his with houses for so large a circuite : It hath three Castles , two of them to the Land-ward , and one to the Sea-ward , with other strong Cassamats and Platformes , well furnished with great Artillery . From Sally to Saffee is neere fifty Leagues more to the Southward , and there the Embassador tooke shipping , as is before-said .

And although I have written before in this Relation , that I have no skill in Geography , or Description of Countries and Climates , yet for the satisfaction of many , such as will not , or cannot be at the charge to buy larger Relations , it is not impertinent that I write somewhat of Affrica , and consequently of Barbary , Morocco , Fesse , Sus , and other of those Dominions , with their Religions , manners , Rites , Lawes , and Cermonies .

For their Religion , they are strict observers of the Law of Mahomet ; they say Christ was a great Prophet , borne to bee a Saviour of the World , ( but not incarnate ) that hee was the Breath of God , that hee was borne of a Virgin , and that the Iewes should have beleev'd in him , but would not ; and therefore because they went about to murder and crucifie him , he left them , and ascended from them into Heaven , and that then they put another man to Death instead of him , whom they tormented , and cruelly Crucified . Therefore these Mahometans doe hold and esteeme the Jewes as the worst of men , and very slaves to all Nations of the World .

The one and onely Booke of their Religion is called their Alcaron , devised by their false Prophet Mahomet , who was of their Nation , ( a Larbee : ) They may not use any other Booke for Devotion , nor on paine of losse of life , no part of it doe they dare to examine or question ; but if any be diffident , or any point or Sentence be intricate and hard to be understood by any of them , then it is lawful to aske the meaning of the Talby , which is a poore weake learned Priest : They are all Circumciz'd , and they use a kind of Baptisme , but not in their Churches , but at home in their houses .

Their Lent is much about the time as it is with us , which they doe hold but 30. dayes ; and they neither eate nor drinke all that time on any of those dayes , betwixt the dawning and the twi-light , but when once the Starres doe shew themselves , then ( for their Day Fast ) they feed fast all Night . That Priest or Talby that cannot Read over the Booke of the Alcaron ( or Mahomets Law ) all over on their Good Friday at night , is held unworthy of his place and Function : they say their prayers six times every day and night , and they doe wash themselves all over very often : they have no Bells to toll them to Church , but he that is the Clarke , or Sexton , hath a deepe base great voyce , and goes to the top of the Steeple , and there roares out a warning for the people to come to their Devotions . No man doth enter their Churches with his shooes on ; their Talbies or Priests each one of them are allowed a Wife , or Wives if they will : The Lay-men may have Captive women , but they must not lye with them in the night-time , for that belongs to the Wives by turne , and if any wife be beguiled of her turne , she may complaine for satisfaction to the Magistrate : he that hath foure wives must be a Rich man ; a poore man is allowed as many , but his meanes are too short to keepe them , therefore one or two must serve his turne . The Bride and Bridegroome doe never see each other before the Wedding-night that they are going to bed , where if he finde her a Maid , all is well ; if otherwise , hee may turne her away , and give her no part of the portion she brought him .

As concerning their Burials , if any one doth dye , they doe wash the Corps all over , and ( by reason the Countrey is extreame hot , they cannot keep them above ground ) with all speed they send for the Friends or Kinred of the party deceased , and carry the dead out of their Townes or Citties , to a place appointed for that use , ( for none are buried in their Churches , or Synagogues , or within their Townes ) and there the Talby sayes a short Prayer , and then the Corps is interred . They have a custome to speake in praise of vertuous persons departed , to encourage and animate taken with false weights or measures , doth lose all his Ware in his house to the use of the poore , and is a defamed person , and cruelly whipt . Their Execution for life and death is , that commonly the person adiudged to die , hath his throat cut by the Executioner . And these are part of the Religion , Lawes , and Manners of the people of Morocco , Fesse , and Sus , and I doe wish they were all inspired with Holinesse from God ; for I am sure they doe surpasse many Christians in Righteousnesse and iust dealing towards men .

In Affrica there are many Nations , Kingdoms , and Provinces , many parts whereof are inhabited by Christians , as Spaniards and Portugalls . Aethiopia is a great tract of Land in the South part of Affricke , it hath many Kingdomes in it , over whom ( as Chiefe Ruler ) is Prester John : He is Emperor of Aethiopia , or of the Abassines ; he is a Christian , and so are his people , but withall they are all Circumcised : The Evnuch whom Philip the Evangelist converted , was Governour of Aethiopia , and chiefe Treasurer under Candaces the Queene then Reigning there , Acts 8.

Egypt ( now under the Turke ) is another part of Affrica ; in that Land the Israelites were in bondage , whom God delivered by the hand of Moses : it is bounded on the East with the Red Sea , wherein Pharaoh and all his Host were drown'd . Also the Kingdomes of Gaogan , Nubia , Dangaly , Doba , Gansila , Dasila , Barnagasso , Doara , Balli , Angola , Numidia , Guiney or Binney , Bizarchus , Triptoletana , Mauritaunia Cesariensis , Mauritaunia Sitiphensis , Tingitania , Congo , ( far to the South ) Carthage , neare where Tunis stands , ( famous for Dido and Hanniball ) Hippon more famous for being the the Bishops Sea of the renowned and blessed Lampe of light and Learning , Saint Augustine , and Utica , where the admired Roman Cato Uticensis did enrich them with his Venerable bones .

And in some parts of Affrica the people doe use to eate three whole daies together , and are in all things obedient to their Wives or Concubines : Moreover , they never suffer any of their Daughters to be married , except she or they have first slaine with her owne hand by Policy one of their Enemies : this they doe observe from the Tartarians .

In other parts of this Countrey they doe honour their Women more than their men , and they take their Sur-names of their Mother , and not of their Father : and they leave their Daughters to be their Heires and inheritors of their Lands , and not their sons .

And in some places many have beene punished , and some banished , because they have kissed their Wives in the presence of their Children or Daughters ; but at the least they have beene fined to their Governour many Duckets for this offence .

Their Lawes command , that men accustomed to wickednesse and viciousnesse , should be cut off , without being spared or concealed : and that they which were attainted , and convinced as guilty of any crime , should never escape without some punishment or other .

Affrica is that part of the World that doth produce most Wonders , Monsters , strange Beasts , Fowles , and Serpents .

For Monsters , it is said that there are a people called Aramaspians , with one eye in the Fore-head ; some with their Feete naturally growing backward , some with heads like Dogges , some with long tailes , some with but one legge , that doe hop very swift , and are called Sciopedi , who with the shaddow of the foote ( as they lye on their backs ) doe defend their whole bodies from the violent heate of the Sunne ; some without Heads , with Eyes in their shoulders ; some Satyres , ( halfe men and halfe Goates ) some with no Noses , but flat-fac'd , with holes to breath at : some with legges as limber and pliable as Lamparnes , ( without bones ) who doe creepe and crawle . Some with eares so great that they cover the whole body ; and that in Aethiopia there are some men that are 8. Cubits , or 4. Yards high ; let the Reader beleeve as much of this as he list : but I am perswaded , that many of these things are true , or else so many Grave and approved Authors would never have written of them , and divulg'd them to the World .

Also in Affrica are store of Elephants , Tigers , Lyons , Buffles , Panthers , Leopards , Cammells , Rhinoceros , Lynces , Musk kats , Onces , Elkes , Porcupines , Dragons , Serpents , Crocodiles , Ichneumons , the Hiena Vipers , the Basiliske , the Chamelion , the Sallamander , Tarentalaes , and Scollapendraes , Vultures , Eagles , Ostriches , Osprayes , the Bird of Paradise , ( that is almost all tayle ) with many other , too long to recite : so that those parts of the World doe breed and produce more venemous Beasts and vermine , and strange Rarities of Nature , than all Europe , Asia , and America .

And thus having briefly related the Religions , Manners , Rites , Lawes , and Ceremonies of some of the Dominions of Affrica , as Barbary , Morocco , Fesse , and Sus , I hope it will satisfie any indifferent Reader : To name all were too tedious , and impossible ; and therefore those that will have more ample Description , let them get the credit to borrow , or the Ability to buy larger Volumes .