Chapter II: Front Matter (2)

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.