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