I found here abundance of slaves, most of them Spaniards, whom they dayly constraine within Towne to beare all manner of burdens here and there, and without Towne to drudge in the fields, amongst their Vines and Cornes, and other toyling labours, abusing them still with buffets and bastinadoes as their perverstnesse listeth: Neither durst I leave my lodging, unlesse I had three or foure Christian slaves to guide me, and guard me too from scelerate vulgars: who beare no respect to any stranger nor free Franck. A naturall sublime policy.Here I remarked a wonderfull policy in the Turkish state, concerning these thiftuous and rapinous Townes of Barbary; who as they are ordained ever to plague and prey upon the Spaniard, yet under that colour they licentiat them to make havock and seaze upon all other Christiane ships, goods, and persons as they please, the French Nation excepted: And so they doe notwithstanding of our several Ambassadours lying at Constantinople, who rather stay there as Mungrells than absolute Ambassadours: for why should Christian Princes meditate for peace and commerce with the Turke, when theirs, with his subjects the Barbarian Moores have no safety; they being obedient to his lawes, and over-ruled by Bassawes, as well as these are of Asia and Easterne Europe: from which I gather, as from all other like examples, that there is a more sublime over-mastering policy, subtility, and provident foresight, in meere naturall men as Turkes be, then in our best Grandeurs, for all their Sciences, & schoole studies can either perceive or [VIII. 362.]perform farre less prosecute. To which avowed dangers if any small ship, ruled by rash fellowes, should adventure within the straites, as too many English doe, beeing unable and unprovided for defence; and so are taken & Captivated, and afterward redeemed by Contributions over the Land: I justly affirme it, they deserve rather to be punished, and remayne there in punishment, then any reliefe or redemption to be wrought for them, who will nakedly hazard themselves in knowne perrils, without Ordonance, munition, and a burdenable ship.
But reverting to my purpose, the marine Provinces which lye betweene Ægypt and Sewty, over agaynst The Barbarian Provinces twixt Egypt and Gibelterre.Gibelterre being the Straits, are these; Cyrene, Barca Marmorica, Ezzeba, the Trypolian Jurisdiction, the Kingdomes of Tunneis, Abirouh, Arradetz, Tremizen, Algier, and a part of Fez; extending to two thousand and three hundred Maritine miles: All which, by ignorant Sea-men, and ruvide Moores is tearmed Barbary, who can not distinguish parts nor provinces, but even as the Orientall Turkes doe, that denominate all Asia minor, under the name Carmania, and know no further of their ancient nor particular titles.
Now as concerning their Customes, it is the fashion of all these Barbarian Moores, in marrying of their wives, that after the Bridegroome and the Bride are inrolled by their Totsecks or Priests in the Mosque before the Parents of each party, and the Bride presently brought home to the house of her Husband, accompanied with al their Friends, Musicke, and Revelling: He immediatly withdraweth her to a private Chamber, having onely one old woman standing by them in a corner of the Roome: where hee lying with the Bride, and shee being found a Mayde, [VIII. 363.]by a certayne cloath layd under her privy place, which being by the old Hagge drawne out, and found sprinkled with spots of blood shee presenteth it first to him, as a token of virginity; and then forthwith runneth through the house, among all the friends of the new married couple, crying with a loud voyce, and carrying the bloody napkin in her hand, the Virgine-bride is broken up; whereat they all rejoyce, giving rewards and good cheare to the Cryer: The tryall of Moorish Brides.But if the bride be not found a Mayd, then he returneth her backe unto her Parents which they accompt as an immortall shame, and the nuptiall feast, and all the assistants thereunto, are suddenly dismissed: But if a Virgine, the banquet continueth all the first day, with great cheare, dancings, revellings, with Musicall Instruments of divers sorts.
The second night is onely the feast of women for both parties; and the third banquet is made on the seventh day after the nuptiall, the provision of which the father of the Bride sendeth to the house of his new sonne in law: where after this banquet, and the seventh day, in the next morning the Bridegroome goeth then abroad from his house (which hee doth not till the aforesayd time) unto the market place, where he buyeth a number of fish to carry with him to his dwelling, as a signe of good lucke, it being an auncient custome through the most part of all the Notherne Affrick.
The men and women at such meetings dance a part, each of them having their own Musicke and orders of merriment.
They have also a custome that when Infants beginne to breed teeth, their Parents will make a solemne feast to all the Children of the Towne, with divers ceremonies; which custome they reserve yet, in divers parts of Italy.
[VIII. 364.]The women through all Barbary, weare abundance of Bracelets on their armes, and Rings in their eares, but not through the nose and lips as the Ægyptians doe; and turne also the nayles of their hands and feete to red, accounting it a base thing to see a white naile: The men here for the most part, are the best Archers, and Horse-men that are in Affrick, and take great pleasure in breeding of their Barbes: So are they both active and couragious, and very desperate in all their attempts, being all of the Mahometanicall Religion, though more ignorant thereof than the Turkes: some whereof are subject to the Turke, some to the Emperour of Morocco, and some to their owne barbarous Princes.
And now it was my fortune here in Algier, after 12. Monsieur Chatteline a French Lapidator.dayes abode, to meete with a French Lapidator, Monsieur Chatteline borne in Aise du Provance, who intending to visit Fez, joyned company with me, and we with certaine Merchants of Algier that were going hither: being in all 30. passengers, with two Jannizaries and a Dragoman.
Whence advancing our way, some on Mules, and some on foote, with Asses carrying our baggage and provision; we left the marine Townes of Saly and Tituana, far to the West on our right hand, and facing the in-land wee marched for three dayes through a fruitfull and populous soyle: And although the peoples barbarous and disdainefull countenances were awfull, yet we two went still free of tributs, as not being a thing with them accustomary, to execute exaction on Francks as the Turkes and Moores do in Asia, neither understood they what wee were, being cled with company, and after their fashion: save onely that nature had set a fairer stamp on my face, than theirs, which oft I wished had beene as blacke as their uglines. [VIII. 365.]In this misculat journeying of paine & pleasure we found every where strong Wines, abundance of excellent bread, and the best, and greatest Hens bred on the earth, with plenty of Figges, Fruits, Olives, and delicious oyle, yea, and innumerable Villages, the houses whereof are all builded with mudde, and platformed on their tops; and so are they in Asia, and all Affrick over.
Upon the fourth day having past the Plaines, we entered in a hilly Countrey, yet pastorable; where I beheld here and there clouds of Tents, filled with maritine people, that were fled hither from the Sea coast for the fresh and cooling ayre.