U I W J'' » «^ 
 
 a^-.^-W'^jJii 
 
 DUKE 
 
 UNIVERSITY 
 
 LIBRARY 
 
 FRIENDS OF 
 
 DUKE UNIVERSITY 
 
 LIBRARY 
 
 GIFT OF 
 
 Glann R. Negley 
 
THE 
 
 ADVENTURES 
 
 O F 
 
 . Signor Qaudentio di Lucx:a. 
 
 BEING 
 
 THE SUBSTANCE OF HIS EXAMINATION BEFORE THE FATHERS OF 
 
 THE INQJJISITION, AT BOLOGNA, IN ITALY. 
 
 GIVING AN 
 
 ACCOUNT OF AN UNKNOWN COUNTRY 
 
 IN THE MIDST OF THE DESARTS OF AFRICA. 
 
 COPIED FROM 
 THE ORIGINAL MANUSCRIPT IN ST. MARK'S LIBRARY, AT VENICE. 
 
 V'lTH 
 
 Critical notes by the learned signor ruEDi", 
 
 TRANSLATED FROM THE ITALIAN, 
 
 
 L O N D O N s 
 
 Printed for Harrison and Co. No. ii^, p3*enHi;lv!-K«''Vj 
 
 M DCC LXXXVl. 
 
Digitized by tine Internet Arciiive 
 in 2010 witii funding from 
 Duke University Libraries 
 
 littp://www.arcliive.org/details/adventuresofsigOOberi 
 
7?. ^- AT. 
 
 THE 
 
 PUBLISHER TO THE READER. 
 
 IT is very natural to think the reader would willingly be apprifed 
 of two things relating to thefe Memoirs : Firft, how this curious 
 manufcript came to light, confidering the dark and deep fecrecy with 
 which all things are tranfadled in the Inquifition. Secondly, how it 
 came into the tranflator's hands*, To fatisfy fuch a commendable cu- 
 riofity, he is to be informed, that the manufcript was fent by the fe- 
 cretary of the Inquifition at Bologna to the learned Signer Rhedi, 
 keeper of the library of St. Mark at Venice, his intimate friend and 
 correfpondent, with the whole account how the author was taken up, 
 and fecured in the Inquifition, as the letter of the fecretary to the 
 fame Signer Rhedi will ihew : which letter, as it contains a great many 
 curious particulars in the examination of the criminal, (for he was 
 taken up as fuch, though nothing very material was proved againfl: 
 him ; for which reafon, he received a more favourable treatment thaa 
 is generally believed to be cuftomary in that dreadful iribuna!) Co it 
 difcovers no indiredl praftices of the Inquifition, but, on the contrary, 
 ihews they proceed with a great deal of circumfpedion within their 
 walls, though all things are involved in impenetrable darknefs to thofe 
 without. Befide, the fuceeffion of new popes, and, generally fpeak- 
 ing, the change of other officers attending it, might make them be 
 ]efs upon their guard, as the fecretary feems to hint in his letter. 
 Neither is there any thing that might do him any harm, in cafe he 
 were difcovered; efpecially writing to a friend of his own communion 
 •and a prieft, as Signor Rhedi was; which is likevvife feen bv the 
 letter. 
 
 As to the fecond Quaere, The manufcript came into the publiHier's 
 hands, by the means of the fame Signor Rhedi, who is an honour to 
 his church, profeflion, aad country, and one of the moit learned and 
 polite men in the world. He is not fo bigotted to his religion or pro- 
 feflion, as tolhun the company of the Heretical Tramontani, a title 
 the Italians generally give us, but loves and efteems a learned man, 
 though of a different perfuafion. One reafon for this may be, that he 
 breathes a freer air at Venice, than they do in the other parti of Itai/. 
 The Inquifition hasnothing to do in the Venetian territories. Though 
 they are Roman Catholicks, the flate admits of no tribunal indepen- 
 dent of itfelf. Befides, as they are a trading people, their commerce 
 obliges them to be civil to perfons of all perluafions, efpeciaiiv itran- 
 gers.^ But of all others they feem to have the greateft rcfpcft'for the 
 Englilh; whether it be on account of their power at fea, or their frank- 
 nefs in fpending their money, fo many of the Engliih nobility and 
 gentry travelling that way; or from the candour and fincerity of our 
 nature, fo oppofite to the Italians, and therefore the more valued by 
 
 A z them: 
 
iv PREFACE. 
 
 them : be that as it will, the publifher, who had feveral times made 
 the tour of Italy, was not only intimately acquainted, but had ccoi- 
 traJlt-d a particuhr fricndfhip with Signer Rhedi, as well on account 
 of their mutual inclinations for learning and antiquity, as for feveral 
 lecipiocal obligations pafling between them. The laft time he was at 
 Venice, which was in company of a perfon of the firft rank, v^ho liked 
 the place as well as he did ; he ftaid there upwards of fifteen months, 
 during which time he had the opportunity of enjoying the conver- 
 iition of his learned friend, with as much liberty, as if he had been 
 of the fame perfuafion. But the prefent of a gold repeating watch, 
 with fome other of our Englifli curiofities, Co won his heart, that one 
 thiy being together in the great library, he unlocks a little grate where 
 he Jrept his rarities, and turning to me with a fmile — * Signer Inglefe,* 
 fays he, holding a manufcript in his hand, * here is fuch a curiofity, 
 
 * as, r anj fure, you never faw, and perhaps never heard of; 'tis the 
 
 * life of a perfon who is now in the Inquifition at Bologna, taken from 
 ' his own confefllon before the Inquifitors ; with the account of a country 
 ' in the heart of the vafl defarts of Africa, whofe inhabitants have lived 
 
 * unknown to all the world upwards of three thoufand years, and inac- 
 ' cefliblc to all the world, but by the way he was carried thither. The 
 ' Inquifitors are fo far perfuaded of the truth of it, that they have 
 ' fromifcd him his liberty, if he will undertake to conduft fome mif- 
 ' nonaries the fame way, to preach the gofpel to a numerous peoplcj 
 
 •.v!io, by his account, have the greatell knowledge of natural religion 
 ..;id policy of any heathen nation yet known, even beyond the 
 Chiacfe. For my own part, I could fcarce have believed it, had 
 "ot the fecretary of the fame Inquifition, who, you may be fure, 
 ; y his poll, is not a man to be impofed upon, affured me of the 
 ■fu:h of it : nay, that he himfelf was prefent at his feizure and e\- 
 „:nination, and fent me a copy of his life, which he was ordered 
 lo give in by the Inquifitors ; with the whole account of the occafion 
 
 * v:,d manner of his feizure.' 
 
 It fcems he had lived fome time in Bologna inquality ofa phyfician, 
 ii'.iusr the name of Signer Gaudentio di Lucca, which he fays is his 
 true name, and confirms ic by the place of his birth, the names of his 
 ]»arents, time of his captivity, &c. He had dropped fome words of 
 I'evcral llrange fecrets he was mafler of, with mutterings of an unknown 
 ration, religion, and cuiloms, quite new to the Italian ears ; for which 
 J eafon the Inquifition thought fit to feize him, and, by ways and means 
 made ufe of in that tribunal, obliged him to give an account of his 
 whole life, which is the moll furprifing I ever read. Here is the fe- 
 crctary's letter, giving a fuccinft account of the whole affair. ' I have 
 ■ added,' continued he, * fome critical remarks in proper places, to 
 ' Ciew that this account is not fo incredible as it may appear at firft 
 ' ilghr, and that it agrees with fome hints left us in the remains of 
 ' ancient hiflory. Befides, the man ilands to the truth of it with a 
 
 * itedfailnefs that is furprizing. He is a perfon of a very handfome 
 ' prelence, well read, good fenfe, and, as it appears to the Inquiii- 
 ' tors, (who are nice judges) of feemingly good morals. He profeffes 
 
 * iiimfelf a zenlous Roman-Catholick, and that he always was fo; 
 ' for which reaibn, the Inquifitors are more civil to him than ordinary »* 
 He gives fuch a rational and circumftaniial account of his adventures, 
 iiiui I aji; of ihc fecretary's opinion, as to the truth of ic 'But,' 
 
 added 
 
PREFACE. V 
 
 added he, ' Twon't foreflall the fatisfadion you will find in the perufal:* 
 lb delivered the manufcript and the fecretary's letter into the publiflier's 
 hands, who running his eyes over it for Tome time, was (o ftruck v.'ith. 
 the novelty of the thing, that he afked Signor Rhedi, whether he might 
 not take a copy of it. He was anfwered, he could not permit the ma- 
 il ufcript to be taken out of the library; nor could he, with fafety to 
 himfelf, allow a ftranger, and of a different religion too, the liberty 
 of Itaying fo long in the library by himfelf, as the tranfcribing would 
 take up. The publifher faid he might put what guards upon him he 
 pleafed, provided he might but tranfcribe it. * No,' fays he, ' that's 
 
 * inconvenient too ; but I will order one of my under-librarians I caa 
 
 * confide in, to write you out an exaft copy, with the fecretary's let- 
 ' ter, and my own remarks, if you think them worth your notice ;' 
 which he did m.oft faithfully; generoufly commanding the tranfcriber, 
 at the fame time, not to take any thing of me for his pains. Thus 
 this curious manufcript came to hand, to the infinite latisfa<5lion of 
 the publiflier, and he hopes it will prove no lefs to the readers, in the 
 perufal of it. The charafler of Signor Gaudentio cannot be called 
 in queftion ; nor is the publifher a perfon fo little verfed in the nature 
 and ways of the Italians, as to be impofed upon. The tranflation from 
 the Italian is as exadl as poffible. This is the previous account the 
 publifher thought proper to give of this affair. 
 
 N. B. Great part of the matters treated of in thefe Memoirs, being 
 tran faded in a Roman Catholick country, and among Roman Ca- 
 tholicks, the reader muft not wonder, if they fpeak of their religion 
 as if it were the only true one in the world. 
 
 It will not be improper to admonifh the reader, not to difcredit 
 immediately feme of the relations contained in thefe Memoirs ; but to 
 fufpend his judgment till he has read Signor Rhedi's remarks; par- 
 ticularly, when he comes to the origin and antiquity of the people 
 the author fpeaks of. The learned will find in them fuch a vafl know- 
 ledge in hiflory, and the mofl intricate remains of antiquity, as will 
 render them very well worth their notice. The fame Signor Rhedi 
 told the publifher, he had enquired into what happened at Venice; 
 particularly what the author mentions of Monfieur Godart, one of 
 the molt improbable parts of his adventures, and found the whole to 
 be jull as he relates it. 
 
 The publifher is fatisfied the reader will be extremely forry, as well 
 as himfelf, for the lofs of fome fheets belonging to the middle part of 
 this hiftory. How they came to be lofl, he cannot tell ; but he fup- 
 pofes, by the incivility of the cuflom-houfe officers at Marfeilles ; for 
 they tumbled over his efFedls at a very rude rate, and while he had an 
 eye on other matters, they either took fome of the loofe fheets, or 
 they dropped out in the tumbling; he was very much troubled whea 
 he came to mifs them in the courfe of the tranflation. 
 
 INTRO. 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 AN ACCOUNT OF THE CAUSES AND MANNER OF THE SEIZURE OF SIGNOR 
 GAUDENTIO DI LUCCA, AND THE FIRST PART OF HIS EXAMINATION; 
 
 IN A LETTER FROM THE SECRETARY OF THE INQUISITION TO SIC NOR RHEDI. 
 
 * SIR, 
 
 THE prefent turn of f affairs which fills the heads of other people with intrigues 
 of ftate, gives me an opportunity of returning my beft thanks, for the rich 
 prefent you were pleafed to lend to a perfon who was yours before by the ftrifleft ties 
 of gratitude. The cabinet, with the other curiofities, came fafe to hand, and {hew, 
 that wh'jever is fb happy, as to oblige Signor Rhedi, fows a feed v,-hich returns a 
 hundred fold. The poverty of our X profefiion, hinders me from being capable of 
 making a fuitable return for your magnificent prefentj but nothing ought to take 
 from me the defire of expre/Rng my acknowledgments. In teftimony of it, and to 
 /hew that poverty itfelf may be grateful, I fend you by the bearer, the account of 
 a man, whofe life has filled om- Inqiiifitors with wonder and aftonifhment. He has 
 been in the Inquifition at this place about two years: we have employed all our en- 
 gines to find out the truth of what he is, and can find nothing material againii^ l""i'!i« 
 unlefs It be the unheard-of account he gives of himfelf. Our firft Inquifitor has 
 obliged him to write his own life, with all tlie particulars, as fuccinftly as poflible, 
 adding threats withal, that, if we find him in a falfe ftory, it fhall be worfe for him. 
 He tells us ftrange ftories of one of the mod beautiful countries in the world, in the 
 very heart of the vaft delhns of Africa, inaccelfible to all the world but by one 
 way, which feems as extraordinary as the country it leads to. As you are a perfon 
 of univerfal knowledge in antiquity, and an admirer of curiofities of this nature, 
 I fend yon ? copy of the manufcrlpt, to have your opinion of it; and to give you 
 as clear a notion of the man as I can, you muft know, that about three years before 
 he was taken up by the Inquifition, he took a neat ho\ife at Bologna in quality of 
 a phyfician, pafTing through fome flight examination for form fiike, and paying his 
 fees as is cuftomary with Itrangers. His name, as he lays, is Gaudentio di Lucca, 
 originally of Lucca§, but bom in Ragufajl. He is a tall, handfome, clean-built man, 
 as you flrall fee in a thoufand, of a very polite addrei's, and fomething fo very en- 
 gaging in his afpeft, as befpeaks your favour at firft fight. He feems to be near 
 fifty; he is a man of good fenfe and fine difcourfe, though his accent is not pure 
 Italian, from his living, as he fays, fo long in foreign countries. He fpeaks almoft 
 all the oriental languages, and has a very competent fhare of other parts of learning, 
 as well as that of his profefiTion. WefenttoRagufa and Lucca toenquireabouthim, 
 butcould not get the lealt information of his being known in thofe places. The reafon 
 of which he has given in his life, as you will fee ; only at Ragufa, fome people re- 
 membered there had been a merchant of that name, about five and twenty or thirty 
 years ago, who was either loft, or taken by pirates, and never heard of more. 
 
 The Inquifition, as you know, Sir, has eyes every where, efpecially on ftrangers j 
 
 * The Italian titles oi Illujirijfirr.o, &c. are left out, as not ufed in our language. 
 -j- He either means the death of fome pope, or fome extraordinary crifis in the Romilh 
 ceconomy. 
 X The fecretary was a Dominican Friar5 the Dominicans being mafters of the Inquifition. 
 4 A little republick in Italy. 
 jl A republick in Dalnjatia, and tributary to the Turks. 
 
 we 
 
viii INTRODUCTION. 
 
 •we kept an eye upon liim from his nrn il-ulihg at Bologna ; but as we proceeded wirji 
 jultice as well as caiUion, wc roukl r.ot difcover any liriiicunt re.,lon to take him 
 xip. His life was as regular ;>s thai of athers of his profefiion, wiijch he did not 
 follow very clofely, but on^y for form faLe,he'r.g chieily confulied at his own houfc, 
 on account of fome extraordinary fecrets he preiended to be mafter of, witliout 
 making any vif'ts but to ladies, with whom he grew in p'-odigioiis requell. Theyl'aid 
 he had a fwcctnefs and eafein convcrfatioP; that was aimoll bewitchintr. This un- 
 accountable fondnefs of the ladies gave us the iirli: f ifpicion, I'Jit he Ihould inltil 
 fome ill notions into that fex.fo ciedvi'.oi-s where they are fond, and fo incredulous 
 where they dillike. He profeffed himielf a Roman Cathciick ; fcemed to have a 
 competent knowledge, and even veneration, conir-ierir.g he was aphylician, for our 
 holy mylteries: fo we had nothing againlt him on that account. We could not find 
 that he wanted for money, thcugii he lived rather genteelly than magnificently: we 
 ioondon fevernl occafions, that money, the idol of other people, was the lead of his 
 care ; and that he had fome fecret f :i ings we coidd not fathoi'!i . His houfe was but 
 decently, thougli compleatly, turnifhed for one of his rank ; he kept two fervants 
 in livery and a valet de chamhve ; wlio, being of this town, knew no moi-e of him 
 than we did. There was an ekieriylady we thought had been his wife, but itprovecJ 
 file was not; a forei;;ner, ior wlioni he ftemed to have a great refpei^, antl her 
 maid a foreigr.er alfo ; and an elderly maid-lervant of the town. We have them 
 all iecured in the Inquifilion, though he does not know it. The lady has the re- 
 mains of a wonderful fine face,'and an air of quality; fhe fieaks a broken Italian, fo 
 that we can get vcr)' liale out of her, but what agrees with his account. I am con- 
 fident yen will rather be pleafed with thefe particulars than think them tedious. There 
 is fomething fo extraordinary in the man, I ought not to omit the Icaft circumftance; 
 we had feveral confuItatioiiS aliout him in our Inquifition, as well as our Leigcr 
 intelligences, but could difeover nothing cf moment. We examined what inler- 
 courfe he had in other parts, by ordering the poll:- mailer to fend us all his letters, 
 Tvhich we could eafily open, and feal up again with tlie greateft nicety. But we 
 found he had only two corrtfpondents, one polTefied ot a moderate income of about 
 four tlioufand crowns in the bank of Genoa ; the other a lady of your city of Ve- 
 nice, whom we difcovered to be a relcbratcd courtezan, who fubfcribes herfelf 
 Favdla. We find by her Ir.it letter, that he had given her very good advice, and 
 pediiaded her to become a penitent ; you'll oblige us if you will enquire whaL ihe is. 
 Amorous intrigues not falling under our cognizance, we let him alone for f me 
 time, having a perfon tmdcr our c.camination on fufpicion of being a Jew in mafque- 
 rade, antl a fpy from the Grand Signor, who kej^t us employed for fome time. 
 JBefides, the good advice he gave the comtezan, and he being paft his prime, made 
 t!« lefs fufjiiclo'is of the ladits ; wefuppofed they had lecourle to him on account of 
 fome female infirmities. Tliouidi tlie yoinTg ladies were moft fond of him, his be- 
 haviour to them wjs more an endearing iweetnefs and coui tefy, than love, with very 
 Jittle fions, at kali he hrd the addrel's to conceal them, of more kindnefs for one 
 than another. In tine, perlcns of the bell: rank, of both fe>:t •, began to iiave a pro- 
 dio-ious liking for his company; he Itoleupon them infenfibi}-. As he incrcafed in 
 tilts eood opinion, he opened hinifcif with greater irecdom ; he made no fliew at all 
 at firU, more than a fine prefcnce and a polite addrefs : lx!t after faithcr acquaint - 
 iince they difcovered he was mailer of moil fciences, and iliewed a fuperior genius 
 in any thing they could dii":ourfe of. We employed proper perfons to mfmuate 
 themielves into his good liking, and coniiilt him a-< a friend on feveral nice points ; 
 hut he had luch a piefenceof mind, yet appeared fo unconiirained in his difcourfe, 
 that they ov/ned their.felves novices in comparifon to him. If they talked ot poli- 
 ticks he faid very iudicioufly, it was not for men of his rank to meddle with alfairs 
 of ftate, or examiriewhat perfons did in the cabinet. If oi' religion, he feeaiedto 
 nnder'fand it very well for one of his profefiion ; fo that nothing canie from hira 
 b'lt what was confonant to the Catholiek faith ; exprefling on all otrafions a great 
 deference for the authority of the Church. But ilill ihe more fagacious were per- 
 fuaded fomething move than ordinary lay hid under that fpecions cover. At length, 
 talkinc' one day "with fome of our ipicj about the cuttoms of foreign countries, he 
 laid lie had met witii a nation in one of the reinotetl parts of the world, who, though 
 they' were Heathens, had moi-e knowledge of the law of nature and common mo- 
 lality, than the moft tivilked Chriftians. Tliis v. as immediately ciirled to us, and 
 ■' explained 
 
INTRODUCTION. Ix 
 
 cxplaineJ as.3 refleftion on the Chriftian religion. Another time, as he had a great 
 knowledge in philolbphy, hedropt fome words as if he had fome fkill in judiciary 
 alh-ology; which you know, Sir, is a capital crime with iis. We were as 
 good as refolved to fcize him, when we were determined to it by the following ac- 
 cident. Two of the mod beautiful women in all Bologna had fallen in love with 
 him, either on account of the handfomenefs of his perfon, or, by a whimficalaefs pe- 
 culiar to fome women, b;caufe he was a ftranger, or thinking he might keep their 
 lecrets better under the cloak of being a phyfician; or, in fine, drawn in by fome 
 love potion or other, we cannot tell; but the matter grew to fuch a height, that on 
 his fhewing more dlftlnguilhing favour to one of them, as it is natural Tor our wo- 
 men to be violent in iheir jealoufy, as well as love, the other, to be revenged, iaid he 
 had bewitched her; which /he was fure of, for that, fmce the very firft time flie faw 
 him, fhe thought there was (bmething more in him, than ever flie law in any man 
 in hei- life. Befides, flie faid, fhe liad often found him drawing circles and figures 
 on paper, which to her looked like conjuration. Her friends inmiedlately informed 
 our fathers of it; fo we refolved tofeize him, if it were but to find out his fecrcts,and 
 fee what the man was. There was another realbn induced us to it, which the world 
 will hardly believe, though it is matter of fa6t: that is, we were afraid, the man 
 would be affaiTmated by fome fecj-et means or other, for being fo great with our 
 ladies ; ib, to iave_his life, and not lofe the difcoverics we expecled from him, it was 
 determined he fhould be feized immediately. Accordingly, I was deputed, with 
 three imder-officers, to do the buhnefs, but with all the caution and fecrecy ufiial in 
 fuch cafes. It was done about madnight, when we had watched one of the two ladies 
 he favoured moft, into his houfe. We went in a dole coach, an?l myfelf and one of 
 the officers flopping at the door, as foon as the fervant opened it, ftcpped in, telling 
 him what we were, and charging him, at his peril, not to make the lealt noife. 
 The fervants being Italians, and knowing the confequence of the lead: refift- 
 ance, flood as mute as fifties. We immediately went into tlie inner parlour, and, 
 contrary to cur expectation, found our gentleman, the young lady with her gover- 
 tiante, and the elderlv lady that belonged to him, fitting veiy decently at an elegant 
 collation of fruits and fweetmeats, brought, as we fuppofcJ, by the fair lady as a 
 preient. At our firlt appearance, he feemed more furprized than terrified; as we 
 make no ceremtMiies in thofe cafes, we told him our errand, and comimanded him to 
 come along with us without the leaft refiflance, or eli'e it Oiould be vi'orfe for him. 
 Then we turned to the young lady, whofe friends and perfon we knew, and told her 
 we wondered to find her in fuch company, at fuch unfeafonabb hours; but on ac- 
 count of her friends, wo ild not m.eddle with her, but bid her, for her own fake, as 
 file tendered her life and honour, never to take the leaft notice of the atfair. She 
 trembling, and ready to faint away, after fome hefitation, was able to fay, that ilie 
 was com.e to confult about her health; that flie brought her governante along with her 
 to take oft' all fufpicion, and as flie was miftreis of horfelf and fortune. It was not 
 nnuilial for perfons of her rank to be out at that time, confidering the heat of the 
 leafon. She had fcarce pronounced thefe words, v.'hen Ihe fell dircilly into a fwoon. 
 Her governante liaving things proper for fuch cccafions, revived and comforted h.er 
 as well as flie could. But when we were going to take the gentleman along with ui, 
 the elderly lady, to whom we fuppofed he had told his misfortunes, inftead of falling 
 into fits, flew at us like a tigreis, with a fury I never faw in any human creature 
 in my life; tearing at us with her nails and teeth, as if fhe had been in the mofl rag- 
 ing madnefs. We, rot accultomed to refiflance, confidering otw charafltr and cloth, 
 and flie a woman, were aimoihnotionlefs, when the lervants at the noife came up. 
 We commanded them, in the name of t!ie Inquiiition, to feire her; thegenileman ir- 
 terpofcd in our favour, faying feme words to her in an unknown language, which lie 
 !afl"ured us, were to beg her to be pacified, as ftie tendered his life as well as her own ; 
 then the violence of her paffion turned another way, and threw her into th.e ftrcngcft 
 convulfiuns I ever faw. By this time the other two officers v>'ere come up, wonder- 
 ing at our delay, and to find refiflance againft the officers of thelnquifition. The 
 gentleman, with a becoming fiibmiflion, rather than fear, yielded himfelf a prifoncr, 
 ^nd begged us to pardon the fudden tranfports of a perfon unacquainted with our 
 curtoms, whofe life in fome manner depended on his. That flie was a Perfian lady of 
 quality, brought into this country by great misfortunes, v/ho had oncefaved his life. 
 
r, 
 
 X INTRODtJCTION. 
 
 as hehiunieen afterwards inftnimcntalin favingher's. That fhe was dirpofed to turn 
 Chrillian, with intention, aftei I'ome time, to end her days in a convent. That for 
 his own part, reivinij; on his innocence, he readily liibmitted to our authority, and of- 
 fered hiintelf to \>e carried wherever we pleafed ; he uttered all this with an air of 
 conftanry that was lurprizing. We immediately took him into the coach, leaving 
 two of the officers with the elderly lady, and commanding them and the gentleman's 
 I'ervants not to ftir out of the room till further orders. As foon as we arrived at the 
 Inquifition, we lodged him in a handfome ftrong room ; not fo much like a criminal, 
 as like a perfon for whom we had fome refpeft. There we left him to his own 
 thoughts, and returned to his houfe to fcize the elderly lady and his papers, having 
 difmiffed the young lady and her governante before. I forgot to tell you, that 
 Signer Gaudentio, by our permifTion, had fpoke to the elderly lady coming out of 
 her fits in Italian, (for we would not let him fpeak to her in the unknown language, 
 for fear of a combination) and with much pains made her underftand, that he begged 
 her by all that was dear, to fubmit to whatever we fliould enjoin her; afTurlng her by 
 that means all would be well for her fafety and his own: which lall words feemed 
 to give fome calm to her tempeituous fpirits. You may believe. Sir, we were much 
 furprized at the novelty of the thing, and the account he gave of her quality. But 
 as we often meet with fall'e Itories in our employment, that did not hinder us from 
 doing our duty. So I took her by the hand with a great deal of relpeft, and put her 
 into the coach between mylllf and my companion; not without apprehenfions of 
 fome extravagant follies, tonlidcring the violence ot her temper; but fhe continued 
 retty itdate, only, fcemed to be overwhelmed with grief. We brought her to the 
 nquiiltion, and lodged her in a very handfome apartment feparate from the convent, 
 on account of her lex; with two waiting- women to attend her with all refpc^, till we 
 were better apprized of the trutti of her quality. This obliged me to take another 
 journey to Signor Gaudentio's houfe, to lecure his papers, with whatt-verelfc might 
 contribute to further our dil'covcry. I found all things in the fame order I left them; 
 but being extremely fatigued, I fat down to the elegant collation that was left, and 
 after a fmall repalt, went to bed in his houfe, to have the morning before us for fe- 
 curing his efl^'efts. I fiialed up all the papers I could find, to examine them at more 
 leiftue; took an inventory of all the moveables, that they might be reftored to him 
 in calc he was found iniiocent ; and Knt for a pioper officer to remain in the houfe, 
 who was to be rcfponfible for every thing. There were two little cabinets of cu- 
 rious workmanfliip; one of them, as it appeared, belonged to him, tlie other to the 
 Ihauge huly ; but being full of intricate drawers or tills, we took them both along 
 witii us. Thefe and the papers we delivered to the head Inquifitors, not being 
 willing to proceed in either of their examinations, till we had got all the light we 
 could, to find out the truth, for that was all our aim; then we could tell wliat courfe 
 to take with them. We placed two cunning lay-brothers, in the nature of fervants, 
 for Signor Gaudentio, who were 1o hiflnuate themfelves into his favour by their 
 kindoflkes, compaffionating his misfortunes, and adviting him to difirover the whole 
 truth, in the account of his life, quality, profcffion, opinions, and, in fine, whatever 
 articles he was to be interrogated on, to confefs ingenuoufly what he knew: that 
 that was the only way to find"" favour at the hands of the Inquifitors; that ihcy par- 
 d6ned almoll all faults on a finccre confeffion, and an afluranae of amendment, I 
 vifited him myfclf feveral times before his examination, and gave him the fame ad- 
 vice and affui-ance; he promil'ed me faithfully he would, and Itemed fo fleady and 
 confirmed in his own innocence, with f\ich an agreeable, yet fincere way in his dil- 
 courle, as leally furprized me, and caufed me already to be prejudiced in hk fa- 
 vour; adding with a fuiile, that the hiiWy of his life would adminifter more caufe 
 Of wonder than indignation. Not to be too particular, the chief of the Inquifition, 
 with mylllf along with them, fit to the fcrutiny of his papers: we examined them 
 with all the care im3ginnble,but could find nothing to ground any material accufa- 
 tion, except fome imperfe^ memoirs of the cuiloms of a country and people unheard 
 of to us, and I believe to all the world befide, with fome odd charafters, or words, 
 which had no affinity with any language or characters wc ever faw. We difcovered 
 he had a great knowledge in natural pkilofbphy, with fome remarks that were very- 
 curious. There was a rough draught of a map of a country, with towns, rivers, 
 lakes, &:c. btU no climate markc J down. In fhort, all his papers containerf nothing 
 
 'but 
 
INTRODUCTION. xi" 
 
 but fome fmall (ketches of pliilofophy and phyfick, with fome pieces of poetry of an 
 uncommon tafte. Neither could we find any footlleps of judiciary aitrology, or cal- 
 culations of nativities, of which we had the grcateft iufpicion; only a pair of globes, 
 a fet of mathematical inftrumcnts, charts of navigation, forms of unknown trees 
 and plants, and fuch like things, as all gentlemen who delight in travelling are cu- 
 jious to have. There were indeed ibme lines, circles, fegments of circles, which we 
 iuppofed the informing lady meant j b\it looked like an attempt to find out the lon- 
 gitude, rather than any magical fchemes. His books were of the fame nature; no- 
 thing of herefy that we could fee, but fuch as belonged to a man of learning. There 
 were feveral common books of devotion, fuch as are approved by our chiuxh, and 
 feemed pretty well ufed j by which we judged him to he really a Catholick, and a 
 perfon of no bad morals. Brt as nothing looks fo like an honelt man as a knave, 
 this did not take away all our fufpicion. When we came to open the cabinets, in 
 the firfl of them, which belonged to him, we found in one ot the drawers about four 
 hundred and fifty Roman crowns, with other fmall money, and lome foreign coin 
 along with it, as Turkilh fequins, and fome we knew nothing of. The fum not 
 being very extraordinary, we could conclude nothing from thence. In another 
 drawer we found feveral precious llones, fome fet, fome unfet, of a very great value, 
 fo far from being counterfeit, that we never faw any fo brilliant. Eefides, feveral 
 pieces of native gold, of fuch finenefs, as nothing with us can come up to it. In :* 
 third, we found a fmall heap of medals moft of gold, but of an unknown Itamp ai/d 
 antiquity. There were outlandiih ftones of odd figiues enough, which to other* 
 might look like talifmans, but we took them for fome out-of-the-way ci riofities. 
 In a private drawer inthe centre of the cabinet, there was fomething wrajit up in a 
 piece of green fiik of wonderful finenefs, all embroidered with hearts and hands 
 joined together, wrought in gold with prodigious art, and intermixed with different 
 flowers, unknown in our part of the world; in the midit of it was an azure ftone, as 
 large as the palm of one's hand, fet round with rubies of very great value, on wWch 
 was moft artfully painted in miniature, a woman at length, holding a httle boy in 
 her left hand, the moft beautiful creature that ever eyes beheld; clad iikewife in 
 iji'een filk fpangled with golden funs: their complexion was fomething darker than 
 that of our Italian ladies; but the features, efpecially the woman's, fo uncommonly 
 beautiful as if fhe had been of another fpecies. Underneath was engraved with a 
 diamond in a modern hand — ' S>uejlo folo.'' You may be fnre, Sir, this raifed our 
 ideas of the man: at firft, we thoiiglit he had the fecret of the philoro;)hcr's ftone; 
 but in all his inventory wc could find no implements of that art. Then we thought 
 lie muft have been fome famous pirate, or one who had robbed the cabinet of Ibme 
 great prince, and was come to live at Bologna in that private manner, under the dif- 
 o^ife of a phyfician. But having been three years in the town, if it had been any 
 European prince, the world would have had an account of it before now: fo we 
 concluded that either what he faid of that unknown country was tnje, or tliat he 
 had robbed fome of theEaftern princes, and gotoff clearwithhisprize. Butthepiclure 
 of the woman made us incline to think he had married fome outlandifh quciu, and 
 on her death had retired with his effefts. The reft of the drawers were full of 
 natural curiofities of foreign plants, roots, bones of animals, birds, infe6Vs,&c. from 
 whence very likely he took his phyfical fecrets. The other cabinet, which belonged 
 to the eldeily lady, was very rich, hut nothing equal to the firft; there were a great 
 many fmall jewels, and fome very fine pearls, with bracelets, pendants, and other 
 curious ornaments belonging to women; and a little pi£\ure of a veiy handfome man 
 about thirty, nothing like our gentleman, in a warlike drefs, with a TurkiO; fcy- 
 mitar by his fide, who by his mien feemed to be a man of note. But we could find 
 nothing tliat could give us any knowledge what they were ; fo that we were at a lols 
 with all our fagacity what^o think of the matter, or to find any iuft caufe to keep 
 them in the Inquifition : for though we do not difcover our motives to other people, 
 we never proceed againft any one but on very ftrongfufpicions. On which account we 
 were refolved to make his confinement as eafy as poillble, till we couhl fee further 
 into the affair. We had thoughts of examining the woman firft, togetwhat wecoul-.l 
 from her to interrogate him upon; but ftie not underftanding Italian enough, \\e 
 fent to Venice with our accuftomed privacy, for fome of your people, that trade to the 
 i-evant, to be our interpreters. In the mean lirae we refolved to trv v.hat wc could 
 
 B a 'get 
 
xii INTRODUCTION. 
 
 get out of him by hi: own confeflion; Co wc fent for him before us. He c anje into 
 the room with a modeil unconcernednels, that rather argued wonder than fear: we 
 had the cabinet and jewels al! before us, fhewed them to him all togetlier, with the 
 inventory of his goods, aflTuring him they Tnouid be forth-coming, in cafe v/e were 
 apprised of his innocen'je ; but withal advifjng him, as well as commandin<'- him to 
 confefs the truth, and then not a hair of his head fhould be touched. But if ever 
 wc caught him in a talfe ftoiy, all fhould be confifcated, and he never fee fun or moon 
 more. He aflured us with great i-efpecl, he would own the truth to every thing wa 
 fhould interrogate him about, in an accent that would have perfuaded any one of 
 his fincerity, humbly defiring to kuQw what accufitions vye had againil him. We 
 anfwered, that was not the method of the Inquifitionj but that he fhould anfwerdi- 
 rc£ily to ourinterrogatcries. As the holy office chiefly concerns ilfelf about religion, 
 we afked him firft, what religion he was of. The reufon of this was, becaufe, though 
 he (irofclfed himfe'f a Catholick, we were to keep up the forms: neither did v.-e 
 know b' ;i that he might be fome Jew or Turkifh fpy in mafquerade: then his name; 
 place of his birth ; where he was educated j how he came by thofe jewels ; what was 
 the cccafion of his fettling at Bologna; who that elderly lady was; in fine, every 
 thing in general and particular we could think of at firft, the better to compare his 
 anfwers afterwards. He told us he was a Catholick bri.dand born; always pro- 
 fcffcd himlelf inch; and in that faith would live and die, let what would happen to 
 him. He explained himfelf on the chief heads, to f]iew that he was well initni61ed 
 in liis religion: he appealed to all the enquiries we could make, whether he hud not 
 behaved as a Catholick on all occafions, naming a Capuchin in the town, who was 
 his father confefToi-; to whom, he faid, he gave leave to declare all he knew on that 
 head. As to his name, he faid, his true name was Gaudentio di Lucca, though born 
 at Ragufa. That his father was a merchant trading to the Levant; which employ- 
 ment he defigned to follow himlelf; but in his tirft voyage was taken by an Al- 
 gerine pirate, who carried him a flave to Grand Cairo, and fold him to a merchant, 
 of what coimtry r.o body knew; which merchant took him along with him, through 
 the vaft dcfarts ct Africa, by a way he would dsfcribe to us if we required it, till he 
 came to a countiy, perhaps themofl civilized and polite in the whole univerfe. In 
 that country he lived near five and twenty years, till on the death of his v.'ife, and 
 his only furviving fen, whofe piftures were in that cabinet, the melancholy difailer 
 made him induce his father-in-law, who was the merchant that had firfl bought 
 him, to take another journey to Grand Cairo, from whence he might be able to ic- 
 turn to his native couniry. This the meichant, (for he puffed fc-r fuch, though he 
 was a great rultr in his own country) complied with : but iiappening to come thither 
 when the plague raged in the city, his father-in-law and feveral of his attendants 
 died of it; leaving him heir to mofl of his effefls, and part of the jewels we faw be- 
 fo^-e us. That being now entirely at liberty, he returned in a French fhip trading 
 from Marfeilies to the Levant, the mailer's r>ame Francois Xavier Godart, who l)y 
 agrenv.ent was to land him at Venice; but touching at Candy, they accidenui'ly 
 f iVed the life of that elderly lady, and brought her off along with them, f»jr whicii 
 they were purfued by two Turkifh vefiels, andc.Tiiied prifoners to Conflantinople, , 
 but relcafed by the order of the fuhanefs motlier. Th:it Monlieur Godart was well , 
 known at Venice; particularly by Signor Corridani, r.n eminent merchant there, 
 who could affure vsof rhe truth of what he faid. That, in fine, having flaid fbme 
 time at Venice, to fee the cunofities and the carnival, an affair relating to the young 
 lady we faw with him, when he was feized, and the love he had for learning, Bo- 
 logna being a fimious univerfity, induced him to fettle there, where he prefumed we 
 hall been very well informed of his behaviovir ever fince. * This,' faid he, ' is 
 
 * the moll fuc'cin(51 account I can give to your Reverences, on the iiuerrogatories you 
 
 * have proj-ofed to me; thougli my life has beenchequered with Inch a variety of 
 
 * incid-nts, as would take a great deal of time to delcend to particiihu;?.'' We looked 
 at one another with forae furprize at this flrange account, which he delivered with 
 fuch an air of fteadinefs , as fcarce left any room to doubt of the truth of it. How- 
 ever, our fupe-.ior turning to him, faid — ' Signor Gaudentio, we neither believe, 
 
 * nor difoelicve, what you tell us; as we condemn no man without a full convic- 
 
 * tion of his crime, lb we are not to be impofed upon, by the accounts people may 
 
 * give of themfclves. What is here before us, fliews tliere is fomething e::trncrdnvary 
 ' in the cafe. If we find you to be an impollor, you fhall fuffer as fuch ; in the mean 
 
 ' time. 
 
INTRODUCTION. Xni 
 
 * time, till we can be better informed, we enjoin you to give in your whole life, 
 
 * with ail occurrences, except your private fins, it' you haveany, in writing; which 
 
 * you fhall read to us, and be crofs-examined, as we tiiink proper. It will concern 
 
 * you therefore to be very exaft ; for nothing will pais here but innocence, or a lin- 
 
 * cere repentance.' 
 
 This, Sir, is the manufcript I fend you, given in byhimfelf as ordered^ with the 
 Inquiiitors interrogatories as we examined it, article by aiticle. Which inteiroga- 
 tones I have inierted as they vv^ere propofed, with a further account at the end, for 
 the better clearing of the whole. We beg you to inform yoiiriclf of the facfrs, v.-liich 
 his memoirs fay happened to him at Venice, particularly aiiovit Monficur Gcxlart. 
 Befides, Sir, you that can trace ail the branches of ancient hiiloiy to the fountain 
 head, are abic to form a better judgment of the j^robahility of his relation. He is 
 ItiU in the Inquifition, and offe'S himicU to ccndutl foine of our niilfu'jiiaries, to 
 preach the Gol'pel to thofe ur.known people. The length of tliii only gives rae 
 leave to alTure you, that I am'withthegreaicftelleem imaginable, 5ii, ivc. 
 
 T,!";",;;!. F. ALISIO DE ST. IVORIO. 
 
 THE 
 

 THE 
 
 ADVENTURES 
 
 O F 
 
 SIGNOR GAUDENTIO DI LUCCA. 
 
 r*S -*> Should be infenfible, re- 
 *V i* verend Fathers, if I were 
 
 ^ I <f not highly concerned to 
 £ \f find myfelf" under any ac- 
 
 v^ 1-^ cufation before this holy 
 tribunal, which I fevere 
 with all the powers of my foul : but ef- 
 pecially if your Reverences fhould har- 
 bour any hnifter opinion of my religion ; 
 for I was born and bred up in the bo- 
 fom of the moft holy Catholick church, 
 as well as my parents before me; in the 
 defence of which my anceftorsfpent part 
 of their blood, againft the infidels, and 
 enemies of our faith; and tor which faith 
 I am ready to lay down my life. But I 
 am asyeta llranger to your Reverences, 
 and on feveral accounts may be liable to 
 fufpicion. Wherefore, I blame not the 
 juftice of your proceeding, but rather 
 extol your goodiicfs in allowing me the 
 liberty to clear myfelf, by a true and fin- 
 cere declaration of my whole life, wherein, 
 I own, have happened leveral aftonifliing 
 and almoft incredible occurrences ; all 
 which I ihall lay before your Reverences, 
 according to the commands impofed on 
 me, with the utmoft candour and un- 
 cerity. 
 
 My name is Gaudenfio di Lucca : I 
 was lb called, becaufe my anceftors were 
 faid to be originally of that place ; though 
 they had been fettled for feme time at 
 
 Ragufa, where I was born : both which 
 places are not fo far off, but they may 
 be very well known to your Reverences. 
 My father's name was Gafpaiino di 
 Lucca, heretofore a merchant of fome 
 note in thole parts . My mother was a Cor- 
 fican lady, reported to be defcended from 
 thofe who had been the chief perfonages 
 in that ifland. My grandfather was 
 likev^lfe a merchant: but my great grand- 
 father, Bernardino di Lucca, was a fol- 
 dier, and captain of the great Venerio's 
 own galley *, who was general for the 
 Venetians in the famous battle of Le- 
 panto againft the Turks. We had a 
 tradition in our family, that he was Ve- 
 nerio's fon by a Grecian lady of great 
 quality, fome fay defcended from the Pa- 
 leoiogi, who had beeii emperors of Con- 
 ftantinople. But fliedj-ing in childbed, 
 and they having been only privately mar- 
 ried, Vencrio bred him up as the Ion of a 
 friend of his who was killed in the wars. 
 That famous battle, in which the Chrif- 
 tians and ^^enerio got fo great renown 
 againft the Turks, inftcad of raifingmy 
 great grandfather's fortune, was theoc- 
 cafion of his retiring from the wars, and 
 turning merchant. The reafon was 
 this : Venerio the Venetian admiral had 
 caufed a Spanifti captain to be hung up 
 at th.e yaid-arm for mutiny f ; which 
 fevere difcipline fo difpleafed Coji John 
 
 of 
 
 * THs part of the account is certainly true; thjjre was fuch a captain in the lift of the 
 officers in that famous battler 
 
 f It is like-.vifa true, that there was fuch a quarrel between Don John of Auftria, the 
 generalilTimo, and Venerio, admiral of the Ventt'an gailies; whrvh bad like to have put 
 
 the 
 
i6 
 
 GAUDENTIO DI LUCCA. 
 
 ef Anftiia, gcneralifTiino of the whole 
 ■fleet, that, alttr tlie battle, the Vene- 
 tians, to appeat'j Don John, and not to be 
 deprived ot the iuccours of the Spaniards 
 againll the Turks, were'forced to facri- 
 fice Vencrio's honour to the rcfentmcnt 
 of the Spaniards, and put him out of 
 coinmillion*. After this difgrace, Ve- 
 jierio retired ; and my great grandfather, 
 •whole fortune depcided on his having 
 beenbred up to the(i;a, turned merchant, 
 or rather privateer againlt the Moors j 
 and, vvitli the Knights of Maka, not 
 only did great leivice againlt ihem, 
 but made a conaderabie fortune in tlie 
 world. 
 
 But, to return to myfelf : my father 
 having a plentiful fortune, took particu- 
 lar care of the edjcaticn of iiis ciiiklren. 
 He had only two fons, of whom I was 
 the youngeit; and a ditughter, who died 
 'voujig. Finding I had a great inclina- 
 tion to learning, lie promoted it, by pro- 
 Tiding 'me with the beft malters, till I 
 ■was fit to go to the univerfity. The 
 knowledge of languages being of great 
 vie as v/ell as ornament to young gen- 
 tlemen, he himfelf, by way of lecrea- 
 tion, taught nie that mixed language 
 called Lingua Franca, fo necelTary in 
 eafteni countries. It is made up of Ita- 
 
 lian, Turki/h, Perfian, and Arabian, 
 or rather a jargon of all languages toge- 
 ther. He fcarce ever Ipoke to us but in 
 that language, faying, we might learn 
 Lalin fiom our malters, and our mother- 
 tongue from our play fellows. The 
 fame reafon induced him to fend me to 
 the famous univejfity of Paris, to learn 
 French at the fame time with my other 
 ihidies. I lived in the College desQu^atrc 
 Nations, and maintained my thelijs of 
 luiiverfai philofophy under the celebrated 
 Monfie'ar Du Hamel, who was omc of 
 the 6)11 in the univeriity who decried 
 ', Arilloile's philofophy, and leaned to- 
 iwards the opinions of Defcartes. 
 ''ISecrerarj. Here the inquifitors mut- 
 tered a little, fearing he was inclined 
 to the Co-pernican I'yllem, which has 
 been condemned at Rome. But, fmcc 
 it regarded philofophical matters only, 
 they palled it over.] 
 Iwisenteringinto my nineteenth year, 
 and had Ibme thoughts of taking to the 
 church, when my brother wrote me the 
 melancholy account of my father ard 
 mother's death, and the unfortunate oc- 
 cafion of it ; which in fliort was, that 
 havin.?; loft his richeft (hip, with all his 
 efFeots, by pirates, and his chief fa6\or 
 at Smyrna being gone off, his other cor- 
 
 the whole Chriflian fleet at variance together) before the battle, and ruined the hopes of 
 all Chriikndom. The occafion was, as he relates it 5 Don John, as geneialiirinao, view- 
 ing the whole fleet before the fight, and finding the Venetian gallies too thinly manned, or- 
 dered four thoufand Spaniards to be put on board the faid gallies. But one Mutio Tor- 
 lona, a Spani/h captain, proving nnutinoub, aftvr a great many injurious wordj, came to 
 blowi with the captain of the Venetian galiey where he was; upon which the whole fleet fell 
 to it. Veneiio, hearing th; uproar, lent his own captain to lee what was the maiter; buc 
 the proud Spaniards treated him no better than tliey did the reft ; fo that Venerio himfelf 
 \va? forced to come to appcafe them', but feeing the Spanirti captain perfift in his mutinous 
 temper,' and the aflVonc I.e had put upon his captain, who was reported to be his fon, or- 
 dered Tortona and his enfign to be hung at the % ard arm. At this all the Spaniards in the 
 ■fleet were up in arms, and threatened to cut the Venetians to pieces; but, by the interpi:- 
 fition of the other gt-nrrals, the matter was made up till after ths fight; v.-hen Venerio, 
 who had behaved with incomparable valour, and, according to Don John's own confeflion, 
 was the chief occafion of the vidlory, to appeate the haughty Spaniard, had his commilfion 
 taken from him, and was recalled by the fenatc. 
 
 * It was f iifcarini, who was m3;le general of tlie Venetians in Vcnerio's flead. 
 
 Every one who is the leaft acquainted with hiftoiy, knows that the battle of Lepanto wa.s 
 thegreateft fea-fighi that ever wa. fought between the Chriftians and Turks ; a:.d the vic- 
 tory on the Chriliians fide the moft fignal. The Spani(h gallies weie commanded by Don 
 John of Auiiria, generaliflimo : the Pope's gallies by the famous Colonna : the Genoefe 
 by old Dcria, who iiad gained fo much renown againfr the Turks and French, under Charles 
 V. the Venetians by the gvear Venerio, one of the brnveft foldiers of his time. H^ily the 
 Turk, great bafl'a of the lea, was flain, and almoft all the Turkilh commanding officers 
 killed o"r taken. Amongft the prifoners, were Haly's two fons, nephews to the Grand 
 Sisnior. Of , he commoii foldiers of the Turkr, were (lain two-and-thirty thoufand : a 
 hu'ndred and forty-one of the cnemi's gallics were taken, forty funk or burnt;of galliots and 
 other fmall vePrds were taken about fixty. V'uhtue Turkiih hiftory, and other accounts 
 of this famous battle, and the whole affair as is there related. Tire battle was fought on 
 the 7th of 06tober J571. 
 
 refpondents 
 
GAUDENTIO DI LUCCA, 
 
 Scfpondents came upon him thick ; and 
 hot being in- a condition to anfwer their 
 calls, it threw him ar.d my mother into 
 a deep melancholy, which fliortened 
 their days, both dying in three weeks of 
 one another. My brother told me he 
 was not able to maintain me longer at 
 the univerfity, as before ; but acquainted 
 me, he had made a fhift to fit out a fmall 
 VelTel, wherein he had put his all ; and 
 invited me to join the linall portion that 
 fell to m.y ftiare along with him, with 
 which, he faid, we coUld make a pretty 
 gjod bottom ; and fo retrieve the fl\at- 
 tered fortune of our family. Not to be 
 too prolix, I followed his advice : he fold 
 his houfe and gardens to pay his father's 
 creditors, and put what was leh, toge- 
 ther witl) my littk ftock, into that imfor- 
 tiinate bottom. We let fail from Ra - 
 gufa the thirtl of March, ///?«oZ>ow.i 68 8, 
 very inaufpiciouily for my dear brother, 
 as will ajipear by the fequel. We touch- 
 ted at Smyrna, to fee if we could hear 
 any thing of ihy father's fa£tor: and 
 were told, that he was turned Turk, 
 and gone offj very magnificently dreffcd 
 lu^-) in borrowed feathers, to fettle at 
 Conlhu'.tinople; however, we picked up 
 ibmething offomehoncll Chriliian mer- 
 chants, vvit'n whom he had lodged a part 
 of his effects. This encouraged us to 
 proceed to Cyprus and Alexandria; butj 
 as we were purfuing our voyage one 
 morning, in a prodigious tog, as it tlie 
 fea was fatal to our tamily, we fpied on 
 a fuddeh two Algerine rovers bearing 
 down upon us, one en each fidei We 
 had fcarce time to clear our little veficl, 
 when they fired 'Jpon us, and called to 
 us to ftrike, or we were dead men. My 
 brother and I, coniidering that our all 
 was at ftake, and that we had better die 
 honoiu'ably than be niade fiaves by thofe 
 unbelieving mifcreants, called up our 
 men, who were but twenty-three in all, 
 of whom five were young gentlemen 
 who had engaged to try their fortune 
 along with usi We were armed only 
 with fwords, and piftols under our gir- 
 dles. After a fhort confultation, itwas 
 agreed to fight it out to the laft mail ; 
 imd w'e turned brxk to back to make 
 head againil both fides, my brother in 
 tlie middle of one rank, and myfelf in 
 the other> The enemy boaided us in 
 great num.bers, looking on us as macl- 
 !nen to pretend to make any refiftance ; 
 but they were foon made to leap back, 
 at leaft all that \7£;e able; for being clofe 
 
 up with them, and they crowded toge- 
 ther, we fired our piftols fo luckily, that 
 fcarce one miffed doing execution. See- 
 ing them in this confufion, we made a 
 pufli at them on each fide, {till keeping 
 our ranks, and drove the remainder- 
 headlong off the deck. This we did 
 twice before any of our men dropt. We 
 V/ere grappled fo clofe, they had no ufe 
 of their cannon or mufkets, and fcarce 
 thought of firing their pittols at us, ex- 
 pefting v.'e fiiould yield immediately, or 
 to have borne us down widi their weight;. 
 I am more particular in defcribing this 
 petty fight, fincc there are but few ex- 
 amples where a handful of men made 
 fuch a long rehftance. The arch-pirate, 
 who was a (tout, well-built, young man, 
 raged like a lion, calling his men a thou- 
 fand cowards, fo loud, that his voice was 
 heard above all the cries of the foidiers. 
 The edge of their fury war. a little abat- 
 ed after the dropping of fo inany men ; 
 and thev began to fire at fome diftance; 
 which did us more harm than their molt 
 furious attacks. My brother, feeing his 
 men begin to drop in their turn, order- 
 ed me to face the one (liip, while he with 
 his rank leaped in amongft the enemies 
 ill the other. He did it with fuch a noble 
 intrepidity, that he made a gap airioncr 
 the tljickeltof them immediately. But 
 their numbers clofing together, their very 
 weight drove him back in fjiite of all he 
 could do, and l:e loft feveral of his men 
 before he could recover his poft. The 
 enemy would neither board us, nor leave 
 us ; but firing at us continually, Itill 
 killed fome of our men. There were 
 now only eleven of us left 5 and no hopes 
 of victory, or of quarter after fuch ob- 
 Itinate refillance. They durfc not come 
 to a clofe engagement with us for all this; 
 when my brother, to die as honourably 
 as he could, once more lea; ed into the 
 pirate's thip, and feeing their captain in 
 the midft of them, made at him with all 
 his might, calling on the few he liad left 
 to fecond him. He fcon cut his way 
 through ; but juft as he was comin?; up 
 to him, a cowardly Turk clnpt a pifrol 
 iiift below his two ftiou'.dcr blades, and, 
 1 believe, ftiot him quite through the 
 heait, icr he dropped dov/n dead on the 
 Ipot. The Turk that fliot him was iMn 
 through the body by one of oui men, 
 and hehimfelf, with the others that weje 
 left, being quite overpo vtreil, were all 
 cut in pieces. I had yet four men left 
 on mv fide againft tl-.e leiTer fhip, and 
 C hp.d 
 
i8 
 
 GAUDENTIO DI LUCCA. 
 
 had till tlien kept ofT the enemy from 
 boarding, but the piiates giving a great 
 Hiout at my brother's fall, the captain 
 of the Hiip I was engaged with, wiio was 
 the arch-pirates brother, cried out to his 
 crew, that it wasa ihame to Itand all day 
 firing at live men ; and leaping on my 
 deck, made at me like a man of honour, 
 with his piltol fteadily poiled in his hand. 
 1 met him with equal refolution. He 
 c:ime boldly up wiiliin (word's length, 
 and fired his piftol directly at my face; 
 lie aimed his fliot lb well, that one of the 
 balls went through my hair, and the 
 other grazed ilie lide of my neck. But 
 before he could fcrond his fliot, I gave 
 him fuch a Ifroke with my broad fword, 
 between the temple and the left-ear, that 
 it cut through pai t ot his fkidl, bis cheek- 
 bone, and going crof-, his mouth, almofl 
 fevered the lowtr part of his face from 
 The upper. I had juft the fatisfa^fion to 
 fee him fall, when a mtiflcet ball went 
 through the brawny part of my right- 
 Jirm, and, at the I'air.e time, a Turk hit 
 iTie iuft in the n;ipe of the neck with the 
 butt end of hii miifi^et, that I fell down 
 flat on my face, on the body of my flain 
 enemy. My companions, all but one, 
 who died of his wounds foon rdter,fell ho- 
 nourably by my lide. The'l'urks pouied 
 in from both fliips like wolves upon their 
 prey.Aftcrtheirbarbarousflioutsandvcl- 
 lingforthevi,^lory, they fell to liripping the 
 dead bodies, and threw them into the Tea 
 xvithout any fui ther ceremony. Ail our 
 trev.-, belide mylelf, were flain, orgalp- 
 ing, «ith threefcore and fifteen of the 
 enemy. The reafon why we fought I'o 
 defperateiy v/as, that we knew very well, 
 having killed fomany at the rini attacks, 
 we were to expect no qviarter; fo we 
 were reiblved to lell our lives as dear as 
 we could. When they came to ftiip me 
 like tJjercO', I was iult co«iie to m)ie.'f, 
 bein.; onlv ibnineJ '^y the Itroke of the 
 niufkct. They found by my cloaths, 
 that I was one of tlie moft confiderable 
 perfons of the Ciew. I was got upon 
 my knees, endeavouring to rile, and 
 reaching for my fword to defend inyfelf 
 to the laft gafp ; I found I could not 
 hold it in my hand, by reafon of the 
 rvound in my ai-m, though if I could, it 
 had been neeuiefs ; for three of them fe!i 
 down upon me, and preffed me td the 
 deck, while oth:;-3 brought cords and 
 tied my hands, tr> carry me to the cap- 
 tain. He was drelling a flight wound 
 he had in his leg wi;;h a pidol ihot j and 
 
 four women in Perfian habits were ftand* 
 by ; three of whom feemcd to be attendants 
 to the fourth, who was a perlbn of the 
 largeftfize, about five or hx-and-twenty, 
 a moft exquifite beauty, except that fhe 
 had an Amazonian kind of fierccnefs in 
 her looks. When I was brought thus 
 bound to the captain, they aflTured him 
 I was the man that had flain his brother, 
 and done the moll hann of any. Upon 
 which, ftarting up in the greateftfury a 
 barbarian was capable of, and calling 
 for a new fcymitar he hail in his cabin, 
 he laid — ' Let me cleave, if I can, the 
 ' head of this Chriitian dog, as he 
 
 * ilid my poor brotlier's : and then do 
 
 * you chop him into a thoufand pieces.' 
 With that he drew the fcymitar, and 
 was going to ftrike, when, to the alfo- 
 nirtnnent of the very Barbarians, the 
 flrange lady cried out — ' O fave the brave 
 ' young man!' and immediately falling 
 down on her knees by me, catched me 
 in her arms, andclafping me clofe to her 
 bofoin, covered my body with hers, and 
 cried out — ' Strike, cruel man, but Itrike 
 ' through me, for othervvile a hair (jf 
 
 * his head fhall not be hurt.' The Bar- 
 barians that Hood round us were Ihuck 
 d\'.mb with amazement ; and the pirate 
 himfelf lifting up his eyes towards hea- 
 ven, faid, with a groan enough to break 
 his heart — ' How, cruel woman ! fl;ail 
 ' this ftrangerin a moment obtain more 
 
 * dian I can with all my iiglis and tears* 
 
 * Is this your paramour that robs me of 
 ' what I have fought for with the dan- 
 
 * ger of life ? No, this Chriftian dog 
 
 * fliall be no longer my curled rival'.' 
 and lifting up his hand, was again go- 
 ing to Ihike, when, covering me more 
 clolely with her delicate body, fhe cried 
 out again — ' Hold, Kamet ! this is no 
 
 * rival ; I never law his face before, nor 
 ' ever will again, if you will but fpare 
 
 * his life : grant me this, and you ihall 
 
 * obtain more from me, than all your 
 ' fervices could ever do.' Here he be- 
 gan to paule a little. For my part, I 
 was as much in amaze as he was. After 
 a little paufe — ' Cruel woman,' faid he, 
 
 * what is the meaning of this?' Says 
 flie — ' There is fomething in this young 
 
 * man,' (for I was bi.t turned of nine- 
 teen) ' that he muft not die. But, if 
 ' you will engage and fwear by the moit 
 
 * holy Alcoran, that you will do him no 
 
 * harm, I not only promife to be your 
 ' wife, but, to take off all umbrage of 
 
 * jealoiify, I give you leave to fcH him 
 
 * to 
 
GAUDENTIO DI LVCCA, 
 
 19 
 
 * to fome honourable perfon for aflavcj 
 < and will never lee him more.' Nor 
 would file part from mc, till he had 
 fworn in that folemn manner, never to 
 do me any hurt dircftly or indireiflly ; 
 and, for greater fecurity, llie ordered 
 one of her own I'ei vants to attend me 
 conftautly. So I was unbound; and 
 thclady, widiout fo much as looking at 
 me, or ftaying to receive my thanks, 
 retired with her women into the cabin. 
 The pirate, who had Ibmething very 
 noble in his looks for a Turk, confirm- 
 ed again to mc in the hearing of her of- 
 ficer", that I Ihould receive no harm; and 
 then ordered me to be carried under 
 deck to the ether end of the Ihip; com- 
 manding his men to fteer back for Alex- 
 andria, in order, as I fuppofed, to difpofe 
 of me the firft opport\mity, that he might 
 be rid, as he thought, of fo formidabb 
 a rival.* 
 
 [Secretary. Here the fuperior of the 
 Inquilition receiving a meflage on fome 
 other bufmefs, we told him wewouJJ 
 conlider further of the account he had 
 given us, which, we faid, might be 
 true, though the adventure was ex;- 
 traordinai'y ; and that we would hear 
 the remaining narrative of his life an- 
 other time. He affured us with the moll 
 natural air, that the whole, let it feem 
 never fo extraordina.rj , was real fact. 
 Whether it were true or falfe, it did 
 not much concern the holy office, only 
 fo far as we might catch him tripping 
 in his ftory : however, fome of the 
 inquiljtors alked him the following 
 qucftions 
 jj} Inquifttor. Why did you not yield 
 at firft, confidering the piodigious in- 
 equality of your Ihength 2nd num- 
 bers, when you might have been ran- 
 fomed afterwards; and not, like mad- 
 men, expole yonrfelves to be cut in 
 pieces, as they all really were, except 
 yourfelf? 
 paudoitio. I told your Reverences, 
 we had put our all in that bottom ; 
 which once loft, we had nothing to 
 ranfom ourielves with, but in all like- 
 lihood muft have remained in milerable 
 ilavery all our life. We were moit of 
 us ra/h young men, of more courage 
 
 than prudence ; we did not doubt but 
 we could keep them off from board- 
 ing us, as we did; and thought, by 
 their warm reception, they would have 
 been forced to ftieer off; befidos, 
 lighting againft Turks and infidels 
 though for our lives and fortunes, wc 
 judged meritorioiis ar the fame time, 
 and that it miglit be looked upon as 
 laying down our lives for our holy re- 
 ligion. 
 id Liquifitor. You faid tliat the ftrange 
 lady cried out — ' Theic is fomtlhing 
 ' in that young man, that tells me, he 
 ' }f2uji not die:' I hope you do not 
 pretend to thefcience of phyliognomy; 
 which is one of the brandies of divi- 
 nation; or that an infidel or Heathen 
 woman could have the Ipirit of pro- 
 phecy ? 
 Caiidentio. I cannot tell what was her 
 motive for faying lb; I only relate mat- 
 ter of fail. As for phyfiognomy, I 
 do not think there can be any certain- 
 ty in it. Not but that a periba of pe- 
 netration, who has oblcrved tlie hu- 
 mours and paiTions of men, and con- 
 fidering the little care the generality 
 of the vyorld take to conceal them ; I 
 fay, fuch a perfon may give a great 
 guefs, a poferiori, hew they are in- 
 clined; though reafon and virtue may 
 ipdeed overcome tiie moft violent. 
 But I entirely iiibmit my opinion to 
 your better judgments. 
 Secretary. I caimot fay, v/e were dif- 
 fatislied with thele ani'wers : we faw 
 he was a veiy noble prcllnce; and 
 muft have been extremely handlbme 
 in his youth: therefore no wonder 
 a Barbarian v.-oman (hould fall in love 
 with lum, and make ufe of that turn 
 to fave his life. Hovvever, for the 
 prefent, we remanded him back to his 
 apartment. Some days after he was 
 called again to prolocutc his itory.] 
 While I was under deck in confine- 
 ment with the pirates, itveral of them 
 were tolcral)ly civil to me; knowing the 
 afcendant the lady had over their capiain, 
 and being witnelTes how fne had fived 
 my life. But yetfhe would notconfent 
 to many him, till flie was aftin-ed I wa^ 
 fate out of his hands. The arch-piiate 
 
 • This Is an odd adventure enough; but the circumflanc's arc prettv wsrll conncdtpd to- 
 gether. There happen very ftrange accltlents among thofc lawlels Ea'f.ern people, and the 
 v.ild Arabs, who obferve no rules but what the iions and tigers, could they fpealc, wouH 
 make for their own prcfervation, I fear tlicrc are fome who proteti thenifcivci Chriftians 
 weuld da the lame, 
 
 C 3 nevfr 
 
u 
 
 GAUDENTIO DI LUCCA, 
 
 rcver came to fee me himfelf, not being 
 \yillitig to tntrt liis palTion ; or elfe to 
 watch all favourable opportunities of 
 waiting on hismiftrefs. One day, being 
 indifpofecl for want of air, I begged to 
 be carried upon deck to breathe a little; 
 when I came up, I faw the lady, with her 
 wpmen, ftanding at the other end ot the 
 fnip on the fame account. I made her 
 ;i very refpe^tful bow at a diltancc; but 
 as foon as ever (he calt her eye on me, 
 fhe went down into the cabin, I fuppofe, 
 to keep her promife with the captain, and 
 not to adminifter any caufe of jcaloufy. 
 I dcfued to be carried down again, not 
 to hinder my benefaiSlrcl's from taking 
 her diverfion. I cannot lay I fo'.:nd in 
 myfelf the leaft inclination or emotion of 
 love, only a fcnfe of gratitude for lb great 
 a benefit ; not without fome admiration 
 of the oddnefs of the adventure. When 
 I was below, I al'ked the moil fenfible 
 and civilized of the pirates, who thcT 
 captain was, and who was my fair deli- 
 verer. How long, and by what means 
 fhe came to be among them : becaiue 
 ihe feemed to be a perfon of much higher 
 rank. He told mc his captain's name 
 was Hamet, fon to the Dcy of Algiers ; 
 who had forfaken his father's houfe on 
 account of his young mother-in-law's 
 falling in love with him. For whicii 
 rcafon his father had contrived to have 
 him affafTuiated, believing him to be in 
 the fault. But his younger brother by 
 the fame mother, difcovercd t!)e defign. 
 So gathering together a band of ftout 
 young men like tliemfelves, they icized 
 two of their father's belt (liips, and re- 
 folved to follow the profeHion they were 
 now of, till they heanl of their father's 
 death. That as for the lady who had 
 fuved his lift, flie was the late wife of a 
 
 petty prince of the Curd! *', trJ!)Utary to 
 the King of Perfia, whole hnlband had 
 been lately killed by treachery, or in an 
 ambufcade of the wild Arabs. That, 
 as far as he had been informed, the prince 
 her hulband had been lent by the king 
 his malkr to Alexandria f; who, ap- 
 prehending an infurre6lion among his 
 fubjeils X> liad ordered him to treat for 
 fome troops of Arabian horfe§. That 
 he went there with a very handfome equi- 
 page, and took his beaxitiful wife alon^- 
 with him. ' Our captain,' continued 
 he, ' happened to be there at the fame 
 ' time to fell his prizes, and had not 
 
 * only fold feveral things of great value 
 
 * to the Curdifti lord and lady, but had 
 ' contracted a particular friendfliip with 
 ' him, though, as we found fmce, it was 
 
 * more on account of his fair wife than 
 ' any thing elfe. Nothing in the world 
 ' could be more obfequious than our 
 ' captain. He attended them, and of- 
 
 * fered his feiTice on all occafions : you 
 
 * fee, he is a very handl'ome man, and 
 ' daring by his profefhon. We could 
 ' not imagine of a long while, why he 
 ' made fuch a itny at tliat town, con- 
 
 * trary to his cuilom ; living at a very 
 ' high rate, as men of our calling gene- 
 
 * rally do. At length the Curdilh lorcj 
 ' having executed his commiffion, was 
 
 * upon the return, when we perceived 
 
 * our captain to grow extremely penfive 
 ' and melancholy, but could not tell 
 ' what was t!ie caufe of it. He called 
 ' his brother, who loit his life by your 
 ' hand, and me to him, and told us in 
 ' private, he had obfervcd fome of the 
 
 * Arabian Itrangers muttering together^ 
 
 * as if they were hatching fome plot or 
 ' other, whether ngainft himfelf, or the 
 ' Curd, he could not ttU ; but bid us be 
 
 * The Curdi, or people of Curdidan, are a warlike nation, paying a fmall tribute to the 
 Pcrf.ans, and IbmeCime'^ to the Turks; their very wornen are martial, and handle the fword 
 and pike. The country ruivs from the Aliduli, a m-uintainnus people, made tributaryto 
 the Turks by Selim I. father of -Scliman the Magnificent, and reaches as far as Annenia. 
 
 -}- Alexandria is a Yea- port, at the further end of the Mediterranean, belonging to the^ 
 Turks, but much frequented by Arabian merchants, both by land and lea. One point ot 
 Curdiftan is not f.ir from this port. 
 
 I This infumction he fpeaks of, might be the feeds, or the firft plotting of the grand 
 rebellion of Mercwiis, which began about the date of this account, and cauied fuch a ter- 
 riole revolution in the Pcihan empire ; which uo one vvho undcrftands any thing can be 
 ignorant of. 
 
 ^ The Arabian horfes are the bi ft in the world, though not very large. The horfemen 
 nrevery dextrous in th:: Eaftcrn way of fighting. On which account one cannot wonder it 
 the King of Perfia, and his rebellious fulijedts, m::de it their inti reft to procure as many 
 auxiliaries as they could. It is very likely the lifle parties would always be on watch, to. 
 fuiprize one another whe ■ they couid find an opportunity. And tins petty Curdian prince 
 beii^g zealous i'oT t.he feivice of his king, m ghi be taken off by the rebels that way. 
 
 *. fuve 
 
GAUDENTIO DI LUCCA. 
 
 21 
 
 fure to attend him well armed wherever 
 he went. The event proved he had 
 reafon for his I'ulpicions ; foroneeven- 
 ino;, as the Curd and his wife were 
 taking the air, wlih our captain, who 
 was always of tlic parly, pafTing through 
 a little grove about a league out ot 
 town, fix Arabian horfemen, exceed- 
 ingly well mounted, came full gallop 
 up to us ; and without faving a word, 
 two of them fired their pillols dire6\ly 
 at the Curdifti lord, who was the lore- 
 moll, but by good fortune milfed us 
 all. The Curd, as allihat nation are 
 naturally brave, drew his fcymetai', 
 and milling in among them, cut otf 
 the foremolt man's head, as clean as 
 if it had been a poppy j but advancing 
 too far, unarmed as he was, one of 
 them turned lliort, and fliot him in the 
 flank, that he dropped down dead im- 
 mediately. Our captain feeing him 
 fall, rufired in like lightning, his bro- 
 ther and myfelf filling on them at the 
 fame time : but the affalfins, as if they 
 wanted notiiing but the death of the 
 Curd, or law by our countenances their 
 ftaying would coll them dear, imme- 
 diately turned their hoifes, and fled lb 
 fwiftly on their jennets, that they were 
 out of fight in an inllant. We con- 
 ducted the poor dlfconfolate lady and 
 her dead hulband back to the town, 
 where thole people made no more of 
 it (being accullomed to fuch things) 
 than if it had been a common accident. 
 When hergiief was a little abated, our 
 captain told the lady, that it was not 
 fale for her to return home the iame 
 way ihecame; that in all probability, 
 thofe who killed her hufband were in 
 confederacy with, the difaffcfled party, 
 ami would way-lay her, either for his 
 papers, or her goods. That he had 
 two lliips well manned at her fervice, 
 and would conduil her fafe by lea to 
 fome part of the Perfian empire, from 
 whence flie might get into her own 
 country. She confented at lall, having 
 fcen how gallanilv my mailer had be- 
 haved in her defence. So fhe came 
 aboard with her attendants and eflecls, 
 in order to be tranfported into her own 
 country. Our captain, you may be 
 fure, was in no haile to carry her home, 
 beijtg tallen mod uefpcrately in love 
 with her : lb that inllead of carrying 
 
 ' her to any of the Perfian dominions, 
 
 * he direc5led his courfe for Algiers, 
 ' hearing his father was dead ; but meet- 
 
 * ing with you, it has made him alter his 
 
 * meafures forthe prcfcnt. He has tried 
 ' all ways to gain iier love, but flie 
 ' would notgivehimthelcallencourage- 
 ' mcnt, till this late accident, by whiclx 
 ' fhe laved your life.' When he had 
 ended his relation, I reflcclred on it a 
 good wlnle, and conlidcring the natme 
 of thole pirates, I thought I fawa piece 
 of treachery in the affair, n'iUch mors 
 black than what he defcribed, and could 
 not forbear compaflionating the poor 
 lady, both for her difallcr, and tliecom- 
 pany fiie was fallen into. However, I 
 kept my thoughts to myfelf. Not lonw 
 after we arrived at Alexandria, where 
 the pirate fold all cur effefts, that is, the 
 m.erchandize he had taken aboard our 
 Ihip, except fome particular things that 
 belonged to my brother and myielf, as 
 books, papers, maps and fea-chai ts, pic- 
 tures, and the like. Pie determined to 
 can-y me to Grar\d Cairo*, thefirft op- 
 portunity, to fell me, or even give me 
 away to a llrange merchant he had an 
 acquaintance with, where I Ihould never 
 be heard of more. 
 
 Nothing remarkable happened during 
 our flay at Alexandria ; they told me the 
 captain had been in an extraordinary 
 good humour, ever fmce the lady's pro'- 
 mife to marry him. But fhe, to be fare 
 he IhouLl not deceive her by doing me any 
 injury when I was out of the ihip, ordered 
 her officer to attend me wherever I was 
 carried, till I was put in C^{t hands, and 
 entirely out of the pirate's power. Whei^ 
 we were arrived at Grand Cairo, I was 
 carried to the place where the nx-rchants 
 meet to exchange their commodities ; 
 there were perfons of ulmoft allthe eallei ni 
 and Indian nations. The lady's officer, 
 according to his millrefs's order, never 
 ilirred an inch from me, to witncfs the 
 performance ofarticles. At length, the 
 piraie and a llrange merchant fpied one 
 another almolt at the inllant, and ad- 
 vancing the fame way, faluted each othT 
 in thcTurkiOi language, which lundei - 
 ftood tolerably well. Af;er fome mu- 
 tual compliments, the pirate told him he 
 h:td met with fucli ajierlbn he had pro- 
 mifed to procure for him two years he • 
 tore, meaning mylllf, only I was not an 
 
 * Grand Cairo is the pL-\ce of ref.dcnce of the grcit BalTa of Tlgypt, higher up the coun- 
 try, on the river Nile. 
 
22 
 
 GAUDENTIO DI LUCCA. 
 
 eunuch^ but thnt It was in his power to 
 make me fo, if he pleafed. Your Reve- 
 rences cannot doubt but I was a little 
 ftartkd at inch a Ijiecch, and was going 
 to reply, that I would iole my lifea thou- 
 ihnd times, before I would fiifferluch an 
 injury. But the lady's officer tiu-ned to 
 the pirate, and laid, he had engaged to 
 his lady I P.iould receive no harm ; and 
 that he mull; never expeft to obtain her 
 for his wife, if file had the Icaftfulpicion 
 kA liuh a thing. But the merchant loon 
 put us out of doubt, by alTuring us, that 
 it was againft their laws to do fuch an 
 iulurv to any one of their own Ipecles; 
 but it it were done before, they could not 
 help it. Tlien turning to me, he fiid in 
 very good Lingua Franca — ' Young 
 
 * man, if I buy you, I ftiall foon con- 
 
 * vincc you, you need not apprehend any 
 ' fuch ufage from me.' He eyed me 
 from top to toe, with the moll peneti-at- 
 ir.glook I ever fawin my life; yet feemcd 
 picafed at the fame time. He was very 
 richly clad, attended with two young 
 men in the fame kind of dref^, though 
 not rich, who feemed rather Ions than 
 krvants. His age did not appear tome 
 to be above forty, vet had the inoft ferene 
 and almoft venerable look imaginable. 
 His complexion was rather browner than 
 that of the Egyptians, but it feemed to 
 be more the effeft of travelling, than na- 
 tural. In lliort, he had an air lb uncom- 
 mon, that I was amazed, and began to 
 b;'.ve as great an opinion ot him, as he 
 feemed to have of me. He aflced the 
 pirate, what he muft give for me ; he 
 tolci him, I had coll him very dear, and 
 with that recoinUed to him allthe circum- 
 ll-mces of the fight wherein I was taken ; 
 and, to give htm his due, reprefentcd it 
 no v/ays to m y difad vantage. However, 
 thclc were not the qualifications the mer- 
 tliarit defiled; what he wanted was a 
 pcrlbn who was a fcholar, and could give 
 him an accoimt of the arts and fciencc,-!, 
 laws, culloms, kc. of the Chrilliauii. 
 This the pirate .affiired him I could do; 
 that I was an European Chrillian, and a 
 fcholar, as he guefled by my books and 
 writings ; that I undcrftood navigation, 
 geography, allronomy, anc ihveral other 
 fclences. I was out of counrenance to 
 hiar lilm talk fo; for though I had as 
 much knowledge of thole fclences as 
 could be c::pe51ed fromi one of my years, 
 va my -g" would not permit me to be 
 maffcr of them, but cr.ly to have theS: ll 
 
 principles, by which I might Improrfe 
 
 niylelf afterwards. 
 
 [^Secretary. The Inquifitors demurred 
 a little at this, fearing he might be ad- 
 difted to judicial allrology ; but con- 
 fidering he had gone through a courfe 
 of philofophy, and was defigned for 
 the fea, they knew he was obliged 
 to have feme knowledge in thofc 
 fclences.] 
 
 The pirate told him, I had fome Ikill 
 In mufick and painting, havingfeen fomc 
 inftruments and books of thoi'e arts a- 
 mong my effefls, and alked me if it were 
 not fo. I told him, all young gentle- 
 men of liberal education in my countr)', 
 learnt thefe arts, and that I had a com- 
 petent knowledge and genius that way. 
 This deteiTnined the merchant to pur- 
 chafe me. When they came to the price, 
 the pirate demanded forty ounces of na- 
 tive gold, and three of thofefilk carpets, 
 he faw there with him, to make a prefent 
 to the Grand Slgnior. The merchant 
 agreed v/ith him at the firft word ; only 
 demanded all the books, globes, mathe- 
 matical inftruments, and, in fine, what- 
 ever remained of my effefls, into the bar- 
 gain. The pirate agreed to this, as eafily 
 as the other did to the price; fo, upon 
 performance of articles on both fides, I 
 was delivered to him. As foon as I was 
 put into his power, he embraced me with 
 a great deal of tendernefs, faying, I 
 fhould not repent my change of life. 
 His attendants came up to me, and em- 
 braced me in the fame manner, calling 
 me Brother, and expreffing a gi-eat deal 
 of ioy for having me of their company. 
 The mei chant bid them take me down to 
 the caravanfcra or Inn, that I might re- 
 frclli myfeU", and change my habit to the 
 fame as they wore. I was very much 
 furprized at fuch unexpe6led civilities 
 from llrangers. But, before I went, I 
 turned to the pirate, and laid to him witli 
 an air, that made the merchant put on a 
 very tl]oughtf\d look, that I thanked 
 him for keeping his promife in faving 
 my life; but added, that though the 
 fortune of war had put it in his power 
 to fell me like a beaft in the market, it 
 might be in mine fpme time or other to 
 render the like kindnefs. Then turning 
 to the lady's officer, who had been my 
 guardian fo faitl.fidly, and embracing 
 him with all imaginable tendernefs, I 
 betrged him to pay my beft refpects to 
 my "fair deliverer; and aflure her, that I 
 
 Ihou^ 
 
GAUDENTIO DI LUCCA. 
 
 fliould efteem it the gieateft happinefs to 
 be one day able to make a return for lb 
 unparalleled a favour, though it were at 
 tlie expence of that life flie had fo gene- 
 roufly laved. So we parted, the pirate 
 gnambling a little within himfelf ; and 
 I in an amazing lufpenfe, to know what 
 was likely to become of me. As they 
 were condiifliiig me to the cnravanfera 
 where they lodged, I was full of the Ibr- 
 lowful reiieftion, that I was Itiil a flave, 
 though I had changed my mailer : but 
 my companions, who were lome of the 
 handfomeil young men I ever law in my 
 life, comforted me with the moll endearing 
 words, telling me, that I need fear no- 
 thing; that I (hould efteem myfelf one of 
 the happielt men in the world, when they 
 were arrived fafe in their own country, 
 which they h.oped would be before long; 
 that I fhouid then be as free as tliey were, 
 and follow what employment of life my 
 inclinations led me to, without any re- 
 Ifraint whatfoever. In fine, their dif- 
 courfe filled me with frelh amazement, 
 and gave me at the fame lime an eager 
 longing to fee the event. I perceived 
 they did not keep any ftrii5l guard on me; 
 that I verily believed I could eafdy have 
 given them the ilip; and might have got- 
 ten fome Armenian Chrillian to conceal 
 me, till I (hould find an opportunity of 
 returning into my own country. But, 
 having loft all my effefts, I thought I 
 could fcarce be in a worfe condition, and 
 was refolved to run all hazards. When 
 I came to the houfe, I was (truck with 
 wonder at the magnificence of it, efpe- 
 cially at the richucls of the furniture. It 
 was one of the beft in all Grand Cairo, 
 though built low according to the cuf- 
 toin of the cotmtry. It ("eems they al- 
 ways (laid a year before they returned 
 into their own country, and fpared no 
 coft to make their banifhment, as they 
 called it, as eal'y as they could." I was 
 entertained with all the raritic-i of Egypt; 
 the moit delicious fruits, and the riched 
 Greek and Afiatick wines that could be 
 taded ; by which I faw they were not 
 Mahometans. Not knowing what to 
 make of them, I aiked them who they 
 were; of what country, what fe£l and 
 profelTion, and the like. They frniied 
 :;t my quefiions, and told me they were 
 children of the Sun, and we re called Me - 
 Zoranlans ; v.liicirw'as' as" unintelligible 
 TO YtTc as all the red. But their country, 
 they told me, I (hould fee in a few 
 months, and bid ir.e alk no further quef- 
 
 tjons. Prefently my mafter came in, 
 and embracing me, once more bid »>.o 
 welcome, with fuch an engaging arFabili- 
 ty, as removed almofl ail my feais. 
 But what followed, filled me with the 
 utmoll furprlze. ' Young maji,' faid 
 he, ' by the laws of this country vou 
 
 * are mine ; I have bought you at a very 
 
 * high price, and would give twice as 
 
 * much for you, if it were to be done 
 
 * again. But,' continued he, with a 
 more ferious air, ' I know no jufl laws 
 
 * in the univerfe, that can make a fiee- 
 
 * born man become a (lave to one of his 
 
 * own l]x;cles. If you will voluntarily 
 ' go along with us, you (hall enioy as 
 
 * much freedom as 1 do myfelf: yon 
 
 * fiiall be exempt from all the barbarotis 
 ' laws of thelc inhuman countries, whole 
 
 * brutal culloras are a reproach to the 
 
 * dignity of a rational creature, and 
 
 * with whom we havenotommtrce, but 
 
 * to enquire after arts and fcicnce?, 
 
 * which may conti Ibute to the cuinmoM 
 ' benefit of our people. We are ble!i 
 ' with the moft opulent country in the 
 ' world : we leave it to your choice, to 
 ' go along with us, or net; if the latter, 
 ' I here give you your liberty, and re- 
 
 * (lore to you all that remains of vonr 
 
 * etftdls, with wliat allillance you vvanr 
 
 * to caiTy you back again into your own 
 ' country. Only, this I nmft tell vou, 
 ' if you go with us, 'tis likely vou'will 
 ' never come back again, or perhaps de- 
 ' (ire it.' Here he (topped, and obferv- 
 ed my countenance with a great de:J r>t 
 attention. I was (truck with luch ad- 
 miration of his generofity, together with 
 the fentiments of joy for my unexpcfled 
 liberty, and gratitude to mybenelailor* 
 coming into my mind all at once, that 
 I had as muchdiihcuity to believe wh.u 
 I heard, as y<^ur Reverences mav now 
 have at the relation or' it, till the fequel 
 informs you of the real'ons for fuch un- 
 heard of proceedings. On tiie one hand, 
 the natural deiirc or liberty prompted me 
 to accept my freedom; on the other, I 
 confidered my (battered fortune; that I 
 was left in a ftran;4e country fo far from 
 home, among Turks ar.d Inlrdcls; the 
 ardour of youth excited me to pu(h my 
 fortune. The account of fo glcriciis, 
 tnough unknown a country, limed upmy 
 curiofity; I (aw gold was the lealt part 
 of the riches cf theli people, who ap- 
 peared to me t!ie moft civilized I ever 
 law in my life ; i^ut, above all, the fenfe 
 of v/hat I owed to f j noble a b^-ncfactor, 
 
 who 
 
GAUDENTIO DI LUCCA." 
 
 wlio I fiw ckrued it, nnJ had mc as 
 much in his power now, as he coiilJ 
 "Lave afterwards. Thde coiifideiations 
 ahnofl determined me to go along with 
 him. I had continued longer thus irre- 
 ioKite, and fluftuating between lb many 
 difR-rent thoughts, if lie had not lirought 
 me to myfeU, by faying — * What fay 
 < you, young man, to my propofalr' 
 I Itarted out of my rcveiies, as if I had 
 a-.vaked fiom a real dream ; and making 
 a molf profound reverence — ' My l»j;d,' 
 laid 1, ' or rather my father and deh- 
 ' verer, I am yours by all the ties of 
 
 * gratitude a human heart Is capable of j 
 
 * I reiign myfelf to your condu6l, and 
 
 * will follow yon to the end of tl.e 
 
 * world.' This I fald with fuch emo- 
 tion of fjiiiit, that I believe he law into 
 my very foul, for embracing me once 
 more with a moft inexprcllilile tender- 
 iiels — ' I adopt you,' laid lie, * for my 
 
 * ion; auiUhtleaieyourbrothcis, "point- 
 ing to his two young companions ; ' all 
 
 * I lecpiireof vou Is, that you live as inch.'' 
 — Here, reverend Fathers, I nuiftconfel's 
 «ne of the greatell faults I ever did in 
 my life. I never confidertd whether 
 thefe men were ChrilHans or Heathens : 
 I engared myfelf with a people, where I 
 rould never have the exercile of my re- 
 ligion, a!t!iough I always jireferved it in 
 m'y heart. But, what couldbcexpeftcd 
 from a daring young nian, juft in the 
 heatofhis youth, who had loft alibis 
 fortune, a;id had fuch a gloiious pro- 
 I'lKec olfeied him for retiieving it r — 
 Soon after this, he gave orders to his at- 
 tenlanfs to withdiaw, as if he intended 
 to fay fomething to me in private ; they 
 obeyed immediately with a filial refpe6t, 
 as if they had indeed been his fons, but 
 they were not ; I only mention it to fliev/ 
 the nuture of the people I was engage;! 
 with : the n taking me by the hand, he 
 made Uie fit down by him, and aiked me 
 if it were really true, as the pirate in- 
 formed him, that I was an Emopcan 
 Chriltian ? ' Though/ added he, ' be 
 
 ' what you will, I do not repent my buy- 
 ' ingofyou.' I told him I was, and 
 in that beliei' would live and die. ' So 
 
 * you may,' laid he, ibcmlngly pleafcd at 
 my anfwer. ' But I have not yet met 
 ' with any of that part of th.e world, 
 
 * who lijcuKd to have the difpofilions of 
 
 * mind I think I fee in you,' looking at 
 the lineaments of my fare with a great 
 deal of earneltnefs. * I have been in • 
 
 * formed,' continued he, * that your laws 
 ' are not like thebarbarous Turks, whole 
 
 * government is made up of tyranny and 
 
 * brutality, governing all by fear and 
 ' iorce, and making ilavcsof all who fall 
 ' uuiler their power. Whereas the Eu- 
 ' ropean Cluiftians, as I am told, are 
 ' governed by a divine law, that teaches 
 ' them to do good to all, injury to none 5 
 ' particularly not to kill and deitroy their 
 ' own fpecies; norto Ifeal, cheat, over- 
 ' icacli, or defraud, anyone of their juft 
 ' due ; but to do in all things juft as they 
 ' would be done by ; looking on all men 
 ' as common brothers of the fame ftock, 
 ' and behaving with juftict and equity 
 
 * in alltheiradlions publick and private, 
 ' as if they were to give an account to 
 
 * the univerfalLord nndFathcrof all.' I 
 told him O'.ir la\v ditl really teach and 
 command us to do lb ; but that very few 
 liveil up to this law; that we were obliged 
 to have recourfe to coercive laws and pe- 
 nalties, toenforcewhatwe acknowledged 
 
 ; oiherwile to be a duty : that if it wei« 
 inot for the fear of ftich puniftinients, 
 |lhe greatcft part of them woilld be worie 
 ■than the vt"-y Turks he mentioned. He 
 tfeemed ftrangely furprifed at this.— 
 
 * What)' fays he, ' can any one do \n 
 ' private, what his own vealbn and lo- 
 ' lemn profeflion condemns ?' Then atl- 
 dieirmg himfelf to m*: in a more parti- 
 cular maiuier — ' Do you prof el's this juif: 
 
 * and holy law you nuntionEd'' I told 
 him I did. — ' Then,' lays he, * d*) but 
 ' live up to your ov/u law, and we re- 
 ' quire no more of you*.' Here lie 
 made a little nolle with his ftaff, at which 
 
 two 
 
 * If it appenr incredible to any one, thnt Heathens, as thefe people were, nioulc! have 
 fuch ftrift iiitas of moralitv and juftice, wiien they fee i'ucli liorrid injuftice, frauds aiiii op- 
 prclluins, anions Cliiiilians, let them tonlider firft, that the law and light of nature will ne- 
 ver be entirely exiingiji(l;ed in any who do not ihut their eyes againftit ; but that they ^ouIJ 
 tllftin the injuiief they do to others, without any fcruple, to be very gr^at hardihipi if done 
 to themle'vei ; they have ther<rtore the ideas of juftice and equity irnprinted in their minds, 
 l)ow> ver obl'curcdby their wicked lives, idly. Let them read the celebrated Bilh 'pof Mcaux's 
 Uji'.verfal Hiftoiy, pt. iii. of the morals and equity of the antier.t Egyptians under their 
 crc.it king Sefollris, or about that time. 3dly, Not only the lives anu maxims of the firft 
 Htathen pl:il.l':'phe s, afford us very juft luks of moraliry, ijut there arc a!lc f.^r^iifnts of 
 
 anciuKt 
 
GAtTDENTlO DI LUCCA.' 
 
 two of his attendants came in ; he aflced 
 them if my effects were come tiom 
 the pirate, Being anrwered, they were, 
 he ordered them to be brought in, and 
 examined them very nicely. There were 
 among tliem ibme piftures of my own 
 drawing, arepeating watch, two compafs 
 boxes, one of them very cnrioufly wrought 
 in ivory and gold, which had been my 
 great grandfather's, given him by Ve- 
 nerio; a fet of mathematical inftnunents, 
 draughts of Itatuary and architeflureby 
 the beft mafters ; with all whicli he 
 Teemed extremely pleafed. Afterlie had 
 examined them with a great deal of ad- 
 miration, he ordered one of his attend- 
 ants to reach him acabinetfull of gold; 
 he opened it to me, and faid — ' Young 
 
 * man, I not only reftore all your effects 
 
 * here prefent, having no right to any 
 
 * tiling that belongs to another man j 
 'but once more offer you your liberty, 
 ' and as much of this gold, as you think 
 ' fufficientto carry you home, and make 
 
 * you live eafy all your life.' I was a 
 little out of countenance, imagining 
 what I faid of the ill morals of the Chril- 
 tians had made him afraid to take me 
 along with him. I told I'.im, I valued 
 nothing now fo mucli as his company, 
 and begged him not only to let me go 
 along with him, but that he would be 
 pleafed to accept whatever he law of 
 mine tiiere before him ; adding, that I 
 efleemed it the grer.tc-li happincfs, to be 
 able to make fome fm?.ll recompence for 
 the obligations lowed him. ' I do ac- 
 
 * cept of it,' fays he, ' and take you fo- 
 
 * Icmnly into my care; go p.longwith 
 
 * thefe yoimg men, and enjoy your li- 
 ' berty in elteil, which I have hitherto 
 
 * only given you in words.'' Here fome 
 
 ofliis elder companions coming In, as 
 if they were to confult about bufmefs, 
 the young men and myfelf went to walk 
 the town for our diverfion. Your Reve- 
 rences may be furc I obferved all the ac- 
 tions of thefe new people, v.'ith thegreatell 
 attention my age was capable of. They 
 feemed not only to have a horroi' of the 
 barbarous manners and vices of the 
 Turks, but even a contempt of all the 
 pleafures and uiverfions of the country. 
 Theirwhole bjhnefs was to inform thcm- 
 felves of what they thought might be an 
 improvement in their own country, par- 
 ticularly in arts and trades, and whatever 
 curiofities were brought from foreign 
 parts; fctting down their obfervations of 
 every thing of moment. They had 
 mailers of the country at fet hours to 
 teach them the Turkilh and Perlian lan- 
 guages, in v.'hich I endeavoured to per- 
 ieR myfelf along with them. Thouglx^ 
 they feemed to be the mod moral men in 
 the world, I, could obferve no figns of 
 religion in them, till a certain occafiou 
 ' that happened to us in our voyage, of 
 which I fliall fpeak to your Reverences in 
 it's proper place. This was the only 
 point they wei-e fhy in; they gave me 
 the reafons for it afterwards ; but their 
 behaviour was the molf candid and f:n- 
 cere i n other matters that can be imagined . 
 We lived thus in the moft perfeft union 
 all the time we ftaid at Grand Cairo ; and 
 I enjoyed the fame liberty that I could 
 have had in Italy : alll remarked in thcna 
 was an uneafinefs they cxpreffed to be fo 
 long out of their own country; but they 
 comforted themfelves with the thought 
 it would not belong. I cannot omit 
 one obfeLA'ation I made of thefe voung 
 men's conduil while we llaid in L vpc. 
 
 ancient hiftory, from the eailied times, of whoh Heathen nr.tior.s. whofe lives woulii make 
 Chrift'ans blufh at their own imiTioralities, if they were r.ot hardened in them. The people 
 of Co^chos, whom the great Bocharr, in his Fhaleg:, proves to have been a colony of ar.cienr 
 Egyptians, as will be feen in the fequel of thil'e memoirs, or the ancient inhabitants of 
 Pontiis, who come from them, were, accoraing to Homer, the tncft juil; of men. 
 
 Milk-eaters the moil juft of men. Hom. II. K. 
 
 Clictii!us in Xerxis Diabafi apud Bnchart, fpeaking of the Scythians on the Euxir.e fra, 
 fays — ' No.uiS'i'v rxav a'TiOiKH AvQ^ii'jrxv •mj^iy.aiv — they were a colony of the Nomades, a juft 
 
 * people.' 
 
 Strabo faj's, that Anachaifis and Abaris, both Scythians, eftecmedbv the ancient Greeks 
 for thejr peculiar and national affability, probity, and juftice : — • cs-i ISviiir; tivj ■^acatCr^n 
 
 * STTS^-aivoeiKa^iij, xj TiXSi^TJir©-, ■^hy.cno(rw.q.^ AndNcholaus Dara-lcenu;, ottheGa- 
 >a<flophagi — ' i.<r, ii yj hKtiW.aiQi — they ats :be nioiljuft of merv' Vide Boch art, lib. iii. 
 e.g. 
 
 D They 
 
7b 
 
 GAUDENTIO DI LUCCA. 
 
 They were all ahout my own age, ftrong 
 and vigorous, and the handfomell race 
 of people, pei hap?, the world ever pro- 
 duced : we were in the inoit voluptuous 
 and lewd town in the whole eaftem em- 
 pire; the young women feemed ready to 
 devour us as we went along the ftreets. 
 Yet I never could perceive in the young 
 iTien the leaft propenfity of lewdnefs. I 
 imputed it at ftrll to the apprehenfion of 
 my being In their company, and a Gran- 
 ger; but I foon fotmd they afted by 
 principle. As young men arc apt to 
 encourage, or rather corrupt cne another, 
 I own 1 co.dd not forbear exprefiingmy 
 wonder at it. They feemed furprized at 
 the thought; but the reafons they gave 
 were as much out of our common way 
 of thinking, as their behaviour. They 
 told me, for the firftreafon, that all the 
 women they faw were either married ; 
 or particular men's daughters ; or com- 
 mon. As to married women, theyfaid, 
 it vv-as fuch a heinous piece of injulHce 
 to violate the marriage-bed, that every 
 man living would look upon it as the 
 greateft injury done to himfelf : how 
 could they tijercfore in reafon do it to 
 another ? If they v/ere daughters of par- 
 ticular men, bred v.p with fo much care 
 and folicitude of their parents, what a 
 terrible affliftion muii It be to them, or 
 to curfelves, to fee ou.r daughteis or 
 fifters violated and cornjpted, after all 
 o»u- care to the contr?-ry; and this too, 
 perhaps, by thcfe v/e had cheriihed in 
 our own bofoms? If common ftrum- 
 pets, what rational man could look on 
 them otherwife than brute beafts, to pro- 
 Ititute themfclves to every il ranger for 
 hire? Befides, their abandoned lewdnefs 
 generally defeats the great dcfign of na- 
 ture to propagatqthe fpecies ; or by their 
 iriipure embraces, fuch diforders may be 
 contrafte'd, as to make us hereafter, at 
 beft, but fathers of a weak and fickly 
 offspiing. And if we fhovild have 
 children by them, what would become 
 of cur f-.ther's grand- children ? But 
 what mar. who had the leaft fcnfe of the 
 dignity cf his own birth, would ftain 
 his race, andgivebirtUto fuch a wretch- 
 ed breed, and then leave them expofed to 
 want and infamy? This they faid clilefly 
 with reference to the vaft id:as they had 
 of their ov.n nation, valuing themfelves 
 above ail other people ; though the con- 
 fideraticn holds e-ood vyith all men, I 
 
 own, I was mute at thefe reafons, and 
 could not fay but they were very jull, 
 though the warmth of my youth had 
 hindered me from reflecting on them be- 
 fore. Thefe refleftions appeared fo ex- 
 traordinary in young men, and even 
 Heathens, that I fhall never forget them. 
 Some time after, I found by their di- 
 ligence in feitling their aflTairs, and the 
 chearfulnefs of their countenances, that 
 they expefted to leave Egypt very foon ; 
 they feemed to wait for nothing but or- 
 ders from their governor. In the mean 
 time there happened an accident to me, 
 fcarce fit indeed for your Reverences to 
 hear ; nor fhould I ever have thojght of 
 relating it, had you not laid your com- 
 mands on me to give an exaiSt account 
 of my whole life. Befides, that it is in- 
 terwoven with feme of the chief occur- 
 rences of my life in the latter part of it. 
 Our governor, whom thevcalled Pophar, 
 v/hich in their language fignifies Father 
 of his people, and by which name I fhail 
 always call him heieafter, looking at his 
 ephemeris, which he did veiy frequently, 
 found by computation, that he had ftill 
 fome time left to ftay in the countr}', 
 and rcfolved to go down once more to 
 Alexandria, to fee if he could meet with 
 any more European curiofities, brought 
 by the merchant fhips that are perpetu- 
 ally coming at that feafon into the port. 
 He took only two of the young men and 
 me along with him, to ftiew me, as he 
 faid, that I was entirely at my liberty, 
 fince I might eafily find fome fliip or 
 other to carry me into my own country} 
 and I, on the other hand, to convince 
 him of the fincerlty of my intentions, 
 generally kept in his company. The 
 affair I am goiiig to fpeak of, foon gave 
 him full proof of my fincerity. 
 
 While we were walking in the pub- 
 lick places to view the feveral goods and 
 curioiities, that v/ere brought from dif- 
 ferent patiS cf the world, it happened 
 that the bafia of Grand Cairo, with all 
 his family, was come to Alexandria on 
 the fame account, as well as to buy fome 
 young female flaves. His v^ife and 
 daughter were then both with him. The 
 wife was one of the Grand Signipi's 
 fillers, feemingly about thirty, and a won- 
 derful fine woman. The daughter was 
 about fixteen, of fuch exquifite beauty, 
 and lovely features, as v/ere fufhcient to 
 charm the greateft prince in the world *. 
 
 When 
 
 * N. B. The baffli of Gr:nd Cairo is one of the greateft officers in the Turkifh em- 
 pire, and the moft indjpsndeat of any fubjeft in Turky. Ic is cu ternary fgr thefulrans to 
 
 ' P.17C 
 
 gl7C 
 
GAUDENTTO DI LUCCA. 
 
 27 
 
 When he perceived th^m, the Pophar, 
 who naturally abhorred the Turks, kept 
 off, as if he were tieating privately with 
 fome merchants. But I, being young 
 and inconfiderate, ftood gazing, though 
 at a relpeftfui diltance, at the bafla's 
 beautiful daughter, from no other mo- 
 tive but mere curiofity. She had her 
 eyes fixed on my companions and me at 
 the fame time, and, as I fuppofed, on 
 the fame account. Her drefs was fo mag- 
 nificent, and her perfon fo charming, 
 that I thought her the mo(i beautiful 
 creature I had ever feen in my life. If 
 I could have forefeen the troubles which 
 that (liort interview was to coft both the 
 Pophar and myfelf, I fhould have chofcu 
 rather to have looked on the moft hide- 
 ous monfter. I obferved that the young 
 lady, with a particular fort of emotion, 
 whifpered fomelhing to an elderly wo- 
 man that attended her, and that this lall 
 did the fame to a page, who immediately 
 went to two riatives of the place, whom 
 the Popharufed to hire to carry his things : 
 this was to enquire of them who we were. 
 They, as appeared by the event, told 
 them, that I was a young flave lately 
 bought by the Pophar. After a while, 
 the balFa with his train went away, and 
 I, for my part, thought no more of the 
 matter. The next day, as the Pophar 
 and we were walking in one of the pub- 
 lick gardens, a little elderly man, like 
 an eunuch, with a moft beautiful youth 
 along with him, having dogged us to a 
 private part of the walks, came up to us, 
 and addreffing themfelves to the Pophar, 
 aflced him what he would take for his 
 young flave, pointing at me, becaufe the 
 bafla defired to buy him. The Pophar 
 feemed to be more furprized at this un- 
 expected queftion, than I ever obftrved 
 him at any thing before, which confirm- 
 ed me more and more in the opinion of 
 the kindnefs he had for me. But foon 
 coming to himfelf, as he was a man of 
 great prefence of mind, he faid veiy 
 calmly, that I was no flavej nor a pei'- 
 fon to be fold for any price, fince I was 
 as free as he was. Taking this for a 
 pretext to enhance the price, they pro- 
 duced fome oriental pearls with other 
 jewels of immenfe value; and bid him 
 name what he would have, and it firould 
 be paid immediately : adding, that I was 
 
 to be the companion of the bafTa's font 
 where I migiu make m\' fortune for ever, 
 if I would go along with them. The 
 Pophar psrfifted in his firil anfwer, and 
 faid he had no power over me: they al- 
 ledged, I had been bought as a flavc,ibiit 
 a little before, in the Grand Signior's 
 dominions, and they would have me. 
 Here I interpofcd, and anfwercvl brifklv, 
 that though I had 'xen taken prisoner by 
 the ciiance of war, I was no flavc, nor 
 would I part vVith my liberty but at the 
 price of my life. The balfa's Ion, for 
 fohe now declared himfelf to be, inftead 
 of being angry at my refolnte anfvvei-, re- 
 plied with a molt agreeable fmile, that 
 I fliould be as free as he was ; making 
 at the fam.e time the moft folemn proteft- 
 ations by his holy Alcoran, that our 
 lives and deaths fliould be infeparablc. 
 Though there was fomething in his 
 words the moft perfuafive I ever felt, 
 yet confidering the obligations I had to 
 the Pophar, I was rcfolved not to go ; 
 but anfvvered with a moft refpeftful bow, 
 that though I was free hy nature, I had 
 indifpenfable obligations not to go with 
 him, and hoped he vvovdd take it for a 
 determinate anfwer. I pronoimced this 
 with fuel) a refolute air, as made him fee 
 there w^as no hopes. Whethei' his dellre 
 was more enllamcd by mydcnial, or whe- 
 ther they toolc us for perfons of greater 
 note than we appeared to be, I cannot 
 tell ; but I obferved he put on a very laii- 
 guiftiing air, with tears ftealing down his 
 cheeks, which moved me to a degiee I 
 cannot exprcfs. I was fcarce capable of 
 fpeaking, but caft down my eyes, and 
 flood as immoveable as a ftatuc. This 
 feemed to revive his hopes j and recover- 
 ing himfelf a little, with a tiembling 
 voice he replied — ' Sup|)ofe it be thebaf- 
 ' fa'e daughter, you law yefteiday, that 
 * defires to have you for her attendant, 
 ' what will you fay then ?' I ftarted at 
 this, and calling my eyes on him more 
 attentively, I law him fwimming in tears, 
 witli a tendernefs enough to pierce the 
 hardeft heart. I looked at the Popliar, 
 who I faw was trembling for me ; and 
 feared it was the daughter herfelf that 
 allced me the queftion. I was fcon put 
 out of doubt ; for (lie, finding fhc had 
 gone too far to go back, difcovered iicr- 
 ielf, and faid, I muft go along with her. 
 
 give their daughters in marriage to fuch perfons ; but they arc often difliked by their huf- 
 bandsj on account of their imperious behavigurt 
 
 I) z or 
 
2S 
 
 GAUDENTIO DI LUCCA. 
 
 oroneof us moft die *. — I hope your Re- 
 verences uiil exciife this account I give 
 of n-iyfeif, which nothing fhuiild have 
 drawn from me, though it is literally true, 
 but your exjnefs commands to tell the 
 •whole hillc: y of my life. — The perplexity 
 I was in cannot be imagined; I conu- 
 dered ihe was a Turk, and I a Chriflian ; 
 that my death muft certainly be the con- 
 fequence of fuch a lafh affair, were I to 
 engage in it; that \\V.ether flie concealed 
 me in her father's court, or attempted to 
 go off with me, it was ten thouland to 
 ■ one, we fliould both be faciificed : nei- 
 ther could the violence of fuch a fudden 
 paflion ever be concealed from the balfa's 
 fpies. In a word, I was refolved not to 
 go; but how to get off was the difficulty. 
 I faw the mod beautiful creature in the 
 world all in tears before me, after a de- 
 claration of love, that exceeded the moft 
 romantick talcs ; youth, love, and beauty, 
 and even an inclination on my fide, plead- 
 ed her caufe. But at length the confi- 
 tkration of the endlefs miferies I was 
 
 likely to draw on the young lady, (hoiild 
 I comply with what flie defired, prevail- 
 ed above all other. I was refohed to re- 
 fufe, for her fake more than my own, 
 and was juft going to tell her fo on my 
 knees, with all the arguments my reafon, 
 could fuggeft to appeafe her; wh;n an at- 
 tendantcame running in hafle to the other 
 perfon, who was alfo a woman, and told 
 her the baffa was coming that way. She 
 was roufed out of her lethargy at this. 
 The other woman immediately fnatched 
 her away, as tlie Pophar did me ; and 
 fhe had only time to call out v.-ith a threat 
 — ' Think better on it, or die.' I was 
 no fooner out of her fight, but I found 
 a thoufand reafons for what I did, mote 
 than I could think of before, while the 
 enchanting obje^l was before my eyes. I 
 faw the madnefs of that paffion which 
 forced the moft' ch::rming perfon of the 
 Ottoman empire, cnpablc by her beauty 
 to conquer the Grand Siguier himfclf, 
 to make a declaration of love, fo con- 
 trary to the nature and modelty of her 
 
 Love adventures are not the dcfign of thefc memoirs, as will appear by the reft of his 
 liie : otherwile, this acsourtt of the baflVs daughter had like to have made me lay down 
 my pen, witliout troubling myfelf to write any further remark. But, when I confidered, 
 the man is no fool, let him be what he will, nor could defign to embcllifli his hiftory by 
 this extraordinary adventure, fo like the former, "and juft upon the back of it, 1 am in- 
 clined to believe he wrote the matter of fad juft as it happened. More unaccountable ac- 
 cidents than this have hap^'cned to fome men. \ 
 
 The amorous temper of the Turkish ladies, efpecially at Grand Cairo, where the women 
 are the moft voluptuous in the world, and the furpiizing beauty of this young man, ft'ho, 
 ^the fecretary fays, has the nobleft prefence he ever faw, even at that age, mij^ht eafily charm 
 'a wanton giddy girl at the firft fight. Befides, fhe was informed he was a flavr, and mi-ht 
 think fl'.e could iiave purcjiafcd him for her private gallant; or might be encouraged in it 
 hy the iuftfu! elderly woman that attended her. Such things have been done before now; 
 but when ilie came nearer to the tempting obje<Ji, and found him to be fomcthing more 
 Koble than flie expeded, her p afTion might thereby grow to the higheft pitch. 
 
 Extraordinary beauty, in either fex, is oftentimes a great misfurrunc; finer it frequently 
 leads them into very great follies, and even oifafters. What will not heedlefs youth do, 
 when fired with flattery or charms ? 'Tis no new thing for women to fall in love at firft 
 fight, as well as men, and on as unequal terms ; in fpight of all reafons and confiderations 
 to the contrary. I believe thtre may be men in the world, as charming in the eyis of wo- 
 men, as ever the fair Helen appeared to the m.en. The almoft incredible cataflrophcs, 
 caufed by her beauty, are i'o far from being fabulous, that, befiries the gccount Homer 
 gives of her, there is extant an oration of the famous Ifocrates De laudibus Heienae, before 
 Alexander t';e jGreat's time, v\lilch gives a more amazing acccunt of the efteds of her 
 beau;y, than Homer does. He fays, (he Vv'as ravifned for her beauty by the great and wife 
 *rh:feus, when fhe was but a girl. She was afterwards courted by all the Grecian princes ; 
 and, after her marriage, was carried from Europe into Afia by the beautiful Paris ; which 
 kindled the' firft war, that is recorded in hiftory to have been made in ihofe parts of tlie 
 ■world. Yet notwithftanding that falfe and fatal ftfp, her beauty reconciled her to her 
 hulnand. The fight of fonie men niav have as violent effcds on women. 
 
 It is poflible the young lady would hate been very angrv with any one, who fhould have 
 perfuaded Signor Gaudentio to do as he did; yet in c-fFed it was the greateft kindnefs : 
 for th's very lady, fome time after, became miftrefs of the whole Ottoman empire. Where- 
 as if /he had run away with him, as the violence of her pafTion fuggefted, they had both of 
 t'-em been inevitably mifcrable. Nctwithftanding all thffe reafons, I fhould r^ot have be- 
 lieved this ftory, if 1 had not examined fome other fads, which, he faid, happtued to him 
 at Venicf, ai incredible as this, and found them to be really true. 
 
 fex. 
 
GAUDENTIO DI LUCCA; 
 
 29 
 
 fex, as well as her quality and dignity, 
 and ready to facrifice her reputation, the 
 duty {ht owed her parents, her liberty, 
 perhaps her lite, for an unknown perfbn, 
 who had been a flave but feme time be- 
 fore. I ilvv, on the other hand, that had 
 I complied with the fair charmer's pro- 
 pofal, I muft have run the rifque of lofmo; 
 my religion, or life, or rather both, with 
 a dreadful chain of hidden misfortunes, 
 likely to accompany fuch a rafti adven- 
 ture. While I was taken up with thefe 
 thoughts, the wife Pophar, after refleft- 
 ing a little upon what had happened, 
 told me, this unfortunate affair would 
 not end fo, but that it might coli: us both 
 our lives, and fomething elfe that was 
 more dear to him. He feared fo violent 
 a pafTion would draw on other extremes ; 
 efpecially confiJering the wickednefs of 
 the people, and the brutal tyranny of 
 their government : however, he v/as re- 
 folved not to give me up but with his li'e, 
 if I would but ftand to it myfelf : add- 
 ing, that we mull make off as fail as we 
 could ; and, having fo many Ipies upon 
 us, cfe policy as well as expedition. Ac- 
 cordingly he went down direftly to the 
 port, and hired a flnp in the mod public 
 manner to go for Cyprus, paid the whole 
 freiglit on tlie fpot, and told them they 
 muii neceffarily fail that evenmg. We 
 fliould aftually have done fo, had not our 
 companions and eftccls oldiged us toi^e- 
 turn to Grand Cairo ; but inftead of em- 
 barking for Cyprus, he called afuie trie 
 maftcr cf the velfei, who was of his a:- 
 qvraintance, and for a good round funi, 
 privately agreed with him to fail cut of 
 the poi t, as if we were really on board, 
 while the Pophar hired a boat for us at 
 the other end of the town, in wiiich we 
 went that night dirt 6lly for Giand Cairo. 
 As foon as we were arrived there, we en- 
 quired how long it would be before the 
 bulfa returned to that city. They told 
 us it woidd be about a fortnight at foon- 
 clt ; this gave the Pophar time to pay off 
 his houfe, pack up his effeiSls, and get 
 all things ready for his great voyage ; 
 but he Itill had greater apprehenfions in 
 his looks than ever I remarked in him. 
 However, he told us, he hoped the affair 
 woidd end well. In five days time all 
 things were in readinel's for our departure. 
 We ftrt out a little before fun-fet,asiscuf- 
 tcmaiy in tliofe countries, and march.cd 
 but a Ijow pace whilft we were near the 
 town, toavoidanvfufpicionot flight. Af- 
 ter we bad ti-avelled thus about a league 
 
 upby the fide of the river Nile, the Pophar 
 leading the van, and the reft following 
 in a pretty long ftring after him, we met 
 five or fix men coming down the 1 iyer- 
 fide on horfeback, whofe fine tuibans 
 and habits Aiewed they were pages, cr 
 attendants of fome great perfon. Tiie 
 Pophar turned olT from the river, as if 
 it were to give them way : and they 
 paffed on very civilly without feeming to 
 take any further notice of us. I v.'us 
 the hindmoll but one of our traLn, hav- 
 ing ftaid to give our dromedaries forae 
 v/ater. Soon after thefe, came two la- 
 dies riding on little Arabian jennets, with 
 prodigious rich f.irniture, by which I 
 gueffcd them to be perfons of quality, 
 and the others gone before to be their 
 attendants. They were not quite over 
 ag?.inil where I was, when the jennet cf 
 the younger of the two- ladies began to 
 fnoit and ftart at our dromedaries, and 
 became fo unruly, that I apprehended 
 Are could fcaice fit him. At thatinflant, 
 one of the led dromedaries coming pretty 
 near, that and the rulliing of it's load- 
 ing, fo frighted the jennet, that he gave 
 a bound all on a fudden, and being on 
 the infide ct us towards the river, he ran 
 full fpeed towards the edge of the bapk, 
 vvhere not being able to llop his career, 
 he flew dire£lly off the precipice into the 
 river, with the lady Hill fitting him? 
 but the violence of the leap threw her oS" 
 two or three yards into the water. It 
 happened very luckily that there was a 
 little ifland juft by where (he fell,- and 
 her cloaths keeping her up for fome mi- 
 nutes, the ftream carried her againll 
 fome ftakes that ftood juft above the wa- 
 ter, which catched hold of her cloaths, 
 and held her there. The nni'ks of tl.e 
 other lady Ijroughtthe nighell attendants 
 up to us; butthofefeaiful wretches dudl 
 not ventiueinto the rivcrto her afTiftance- 
 I jumped off my dromedary with indig- 
 nation, and thj owing ofi:' my Icofc gar- 
 ment and Irmdals, fwam to her, and 
 with much diiHculty getting hold of her 
 hand, and loofing her gaimcnts from 
 the ftakes, I made a fnift to draw her 
 acrofs the fticam, till I brought her to 
 land. She was qi:ite fenfelefs for Icme 
 time ; I held down her head, which I 
 hud not yet looked at, to make her dif- 
 gcrge the water fhe had fwallowed; but 
 I was foon flnick with a double fuqirize, 
 when I looked at her face, to find it was 
 the bailVs daughter, and to fee her in 
 thai place, whom I tho-!ght I had left at 
 Alexandria. 
 
3^ 
 
 GAUDENTIO DI LUCCA. 
 
 Aicxandna. After fometime, (he cnme 
 tohen'clf, and looking fixed on me a good 
 vrnib, hev fenles not being entirely re- 
 covered, at lart /he cried out — ' O Ma- 
 
 * hornet, mv.'^ 1 owe my life to this man !' 
 and fainted away. The other lady, who 
 was her coniidant, with a great deal of 
 pains brought her to herl'eif again j we 
 raifedhcr up, and endeavoured to com- 
 fort her as well as we could : ' No,' fays 
 Ihe, ' throw mc intothe river once more; 
 
 * let me not be obliged to a Barbarian 
 
 * for whom I have done too much al- 
 
 * ready.' I told her in the mod refpeiTt- 
 ful tenv.s I could think of, that Provi- 
 dence had ordered it fo, that I might 
 make fome recompence for theimdeferv- 
 ed obligations fhe had laid on me ; that 
 I had too great value for her merit, ever 
 to make her miferable, by lovingaflave, 
 fuch as I was, a ftranger, a Chriitianj 
 and one who had indifpenf:i.ble obliga- 
 tions to aft as I did. She ftai'tlt-vl a little 
 at what I faiJ ; but after a (hcrt recol- 
 leftion anfwered — • Whether you are a 
 
 * flave, an infidel, orwhatever you pleale, 
 ' you are one of the moft generous men 
 
 * in the world. I luppofe your obi ga- 
 
 * tions are on account of fome more hap- 
 
 * pv woman than myfclf; but fince I 
 
 * owe my life to you, I am refolved not 
 
 * to make you unhappy, any more than 
 
 * you do me. I not only pardon you, 
 < but am convinced my pretenfons are 
 
 * both unjuft, and againlt my own ho- 
 
 * nour.' She faid this with an air be- 
 coming her qual ty: (he was much more 
 at eaf>.' when I afiured her I v/as engaged 
 to no woman in the world ; but that her 
 memory fliould be ever dear to me, and 
 imprinted in my heart till my lalt breaih. 
 Here tei or a dozen armed Turks came 
 Bpon us fi;ll fpeed from the town, and 
 feeing the Fophar and his companions, 
 thcv cried oiit-^' Stop, villains! wearreft 
 
 * you in the nameof the balfa.' At this 
 we Itaried up to fee what was the matter, 
 when the lady, who knew them, bid me 
 not be afraid ; that fiie had ordei ed tliefe 
 men to purfue me, when (Ire left Alex- 
 and.'ia. That hearing we were fled off 
 by fea, (lie pretended fsckncfs, and afked 
 leave of her father to return to Cairo, 
 thereto bemoan her misfortune with her 
 confidant; and was in thofe melancholy 
 fentimcnts, when the late accident hap- 
 pened to her. That (lie (bppofed thtie 
 jr.en had difcovered the trick we had plaid 
 them iVi not^oing by fea, and on better 
 infcrmation had purfued us this w.-y. 
 
 So fhe difinifTed them ImmeJiately, 1 
 was all this while in one of ihe greafeft 
 agonies that can be expreffed, both for 
 f^ar of my own refolutions and hers : fo 
 I begged her to retire, left her wet cloaths 
 diould endanger her health. I fhould 
 not have been able to pronounce thefe 
 words, if the Pophar had not call a look 
 at me, which pierced nie through, and 
 made me fee the danger I was in by my 
 delay. Her refohuions now fecmed to 
 be ftronger than mine. She pulled off 
 this jewel your Reve:ences fee on my 
 finger, and juft faid, with tears trickling 
 down her beautiful cheeks — ' Take this, 
 
 * and adieu !' She then pulled her com- 
 panion away, and never looked at me 
 more. I (lood amazed, almoft without 
 life or motion in me, and cannot tell 
 h >w kng I might have continued fo, if 
 the Pophar had not come and congratu- 
 lated me for my deliveran-e. I told him, 
 I did not know what he m.eant by deli- 
 verance, for I did not know whether I 
 \\'3s alive or dead, and that I was afraid 
 he would repent his buying of me, if I 
 procured him any mere of thefe adven- 
 tures ? ' If we meet with no worfe than 
 
 * thefe,' fays he, ' v/e are well enough j 
 
 * no vi6lory can be gained without fome 
 
 * lofs.' So he awakened me out of my 
 lehargy, and commanded us to make 
 the belt of our way. 
 
 Though the Pophar was uneafy to be 
 cut of the reach of the fair lady and her 
 failhlefs Turks, yet he was not in any 
 great hafte in the main, the prefent time 
 for his great voyage not being yet come. 
 There appeared a gaiety in his counte- 
 nance, that feemed to prom.ife usapro- 
 fperous journey. For my own part, 
 though I was glad I had efcaped my 
 dangerous enchantixfs, there was a hea- 
 vineis lay on my fpirits, wh.ch I could 
 give no account of ; but the thoughts of 
 fuch an unknown voyage, and variety of 
 places, di.Tipated it by degrees. We 
 were eleven in number, five elderly men, 
 and five young ones, myfelf being a 
 fupernumerary perfon. We were all 
 mounted upon dromedaries, which were 
 very fine for that fort of creature ; they 
 are fomething like camels, but lefs, and 
 much fwifter; they live a .great while 
 without water, as the camels do, which 
 was the reafon they made ufe of them, 
 for the barren fands they were to pals 
 over j though they have the fined horfes 
 that can be feen in their own country. 
 They had five (pare ones to carry pro- 
 
 vifions^ 
 
GAUDENTIO DI LUCCA. 
 
 3r 
 
 vifions, or to change, m cafe any one of 
 their own Ihould tire by the way. It 
 was upon one ot" thele five that I rode : 
 we went up the Nile, leaving it on our 
 left-hand all the way, fleering our courle 
 direfdy for the Upper Egypt. I pre- 
 fume your Reverences know, that the 
 river Nile divides Egypt in two parts 
 lengthways, defcendhig from Abyflinia 
 with fuch an immenfe courfe, that the 
 Ethiopians lliid it had no head; and 
 running through the Hither Ethiopia, 
 pours down upon Esjypt, as the Rhine 
 does through the Spaniih Netherlands, 
 making it one of the richelt countiies in 
 the univcrfe. We vifited all the towns 
 on that famous river upwards, under 
 pretence of merchandizing ; but the true 
 reafon of our delay was, becaufe the 
 Pophar's critical time for his great voy- 
 age was not yet come. He looked at 
 his ephcmeris and notes almoU: every 
 hour, "the red of them attending his nod 
 in the moft minute circumitances. As 
 we approached the upper parts of Egypt,3 
 as nigh as I could guels, over againir 
 the defarts of Barca, they began to buy 
 previfions proper for their purpofe; but 
 particulaaly rice, dried fruits, and a foit 
 of dried palte that ferved us for bread. 
 They bought their provifions at different 
 places, to avoid lufpicion ; and I ob- 
 ierved they laid up a confidcrable quan- 
 tity, both for their dromedaries and 
 their felves : by which I found we had a 
 long journey to make. Wh.cn we came 
 over againil the middle coall of the vad 
 defart of Barca, we met with a delicate 
 clear rivulet, breaking out of a rlfing 
 part of the land?, and making towards 
 the Nile. Hi-re we alighted, drank our- 
 felves, and gave our dromedajies to 
 drink as much as they would : then we 
 filled all our velfels, made on purpofe 
 tor carriage, and took in a much greater 
 proportion of water than wc had done 
 provifions. — I forgot to tell your Reve- 
 rences, that at feveral places as we patf- 
 ed, they difinounted and kiiTed the 
 ground with a very fuperftitious devo- 
 tion, and fcraped feme of the dult,vvhich 
 
 they put into golden ur;:s, which they 
 had brought with them on purpofe, let- 
 ting me do wliat I pleafed all the while. 
 This fort of devotion I then only guefled, 
 but found to be true afterwards, was the 
 chief occaiion of their coming into ihofe 
 parts j though carried on under the pre- 
 tence of merchandizing. They did the 
 fame in this place; and when all were 
 ready, the Pophar looking on his papers 
 and needle, cried — ' Gaulo Benm,^ which 
 I was informed, was as much as to fiy — 
 * Now, children, for our live?,;' and 
 immediately, as he had fteered fouth all 
 along before, he turned Ihort on his right- 
 hand due wed, crofs the vaft defart of 
 Barca, as faft as his dromedary could 
 well go. V/e had nothing but fands and 
 iky before us, and in a few hours were 
 almoil out of danger of any one's at- 
 tempting to follow us. 
 
 Being thus embarked, if I may fay fo, 
 on this vail ocean of fand, a thoufmd 
 peiplexing thoughts came into my mind, 
 , which I did not refleft on before. Be- 
 hold me in the midit of the inhofpitable 
 defarts of Africa, where whole armies * 
 had often pcnfhed. The further we ad- 
 vanced the more our danger encreafed. 
 I was v.'jth men, who were not only 
 Grangers to myfelf, but to all the world 
 befide; ten againftone: but this v>'as not 
 all; I was perfuaded nowtliey were Hea- 
 thens and Idolaters; for befide their fu- 
 perftitious kifling the earth in feveral 
 places, I obferved they looked up towards 
 tile Sun, and feeraed to addrtfs their orai- 
 fons to that planet, glorious indeed, but 
 a planet and a creature neverthelefs. Then 
 I reflciled on wliat the Po-'lwrfaid when 
 he bought me, that I was not likely to 
 return. ' It is polfibie,' thought I, '1 
 ' am defined for a human iacrifice, to 
 ' fome Heathen god in the midltof this 
 ' vaft defart.' But not feeing any arms 
 they had, either ofFenfive or dcfenfive, ex- 
 cept their fliort goads to prick on their 
 dromedaries, I was a little eafy: I had 
 privately provided myfelf v/ith two 
 pocket-piftols, and was refolved to defend 
 myfelf till the iaft gafp. But when I con- 
 
 * Ancient halories give u feveral inftances of a great number of perfons, and even whole 
 armies, v/ho have been bfl in the fands of Africa. Herodotus in Thalia, fa-.s ;hat Cam- 
 byfes the Ion of Cyrus the CieaC, in his expedition againft the Ethiopians, was brought to 
 fiich ftraits in thofe vaft defarts, that they were forced to eat every tfnch man before they 
 could gee bjck again. The other army, wl-ich he f-nt to oieftroy the temple of Jupiter 
 Hammon, was entirely overwhelmed and loit in the fands: Hebodot. Thama. The 
 Idolaters irnputej it ai a puniihmsnt for his iniylety aijaioft Jupiter, but it was fcr uint of 
 knowing the danger. I fuppcfe very few aie i^noiancof the contrivance of Niarius the ' 
 Roman g"ne!:3l, to get over the fands to Caffa, to feize Jigt'rtha's titafurc, which he 
 U:OJght f.C.r.', Sk.\LI,V5T. rs BelLO JVCVKTHIN, 
 
 fidcicl 
 
3^ 
 
 GAUDENTIO DI LUCCA. 
 
 ildcreJ that unparalleled jiiftice and h\i- 
 mr.nity 1 had experienced in their treat- 
 ment ot me, I was a httle comforted. As 
 lor the difficulty of paflTmg the dtfarts, I 
 refiected that their own lives were as 
 much in danger as mine; that they mult 
 have fome unknown wavs ot pafTins: them 
 ovtr, otht-rwile they would never expofe 
 themfelves to fiich evident danger. 
 
 I jliould have told your Reverences, 
 that we fet out a little before fun-fet, to 
 avoid the hca'.s, June the 9th, 16S8; the 
 moon was about the hrlt quarter, and 
 caiTiedon the light till nigh dawn of day 5 
 the glittering of the fands, or rather 
 pebbly gravel, in which there were abun- 
 tiance of flxiriing (tones like jewels or cry- 
 ftal, tncreafed the light, that we could fee 
 -to Iteerour courfe by the needle very well. 
 We went on at a valt rate, the drome- 
 daries being very fjvift creatures ; their 
 pace is more running than galloping, 
 much like that of a mule; thai I verily 
 believe, from fix o'ciock in the evening 
 till about ten the next day, we ran almoit 
 an hundred and twenty Italian miles : we 
 had neither (top nor let, but fleered our 
 couric in a direct line, like a ihip under 
 fail. The heats were not nigh fo unfuf- 
 ferable as I ^x,e6tedi for ihuugh wefaw 
 nothing we could call a mountain in thofe 
 immenfe Bares, yet the fands, or at lealt 
 the way we fteered, was very high grou nd : 
 that as foon as we were out of the breath 
 of die habitable countiies, we had a per- 
 petual breeze blowing full in our faces ; 
 yet fo uniform, that it fcarce railed any 
 dnft : partly becaufe, where we praled, 
 the fands w.^re not of that fmall dufty 
 kind, as in fume parts of Africa, which 
 fly in clouds with the wind, ovei-wh'.lm- 
 ing all before it, but of a more gravelly 
 kind; and partly from an imperceptible 
 dew, which, though not fo thick as fog, 
 moiftcned the fuitaceof the ground pretty 
 nuich. A little after sine next morning, 
 we came to feme clumps of Ihrubby 
 trees, with a little mois on the ground in- 
 flead of grafs : here the wind fell, and the 
 heats became very violent. The Pophar 
 ordered us to aliglit and pitch our tents, 
 to (belter both ourfelves and dromedaries 
 from the heats. Their tents were made of 
 the fineft Ibrt of oiled cloth I ever faw, 
 prodiiijious liglit and poitable, yet capa- 
 ble of keeping out both rain and fun. 
 
 Here we refreihed ourfelves and beads till 
 a little after fix ; when we fct out again, 
 Itepring ftiil direclly weft as nigh as I 
 '■ add guefs. We went on thus for three 
 days and nights without any conhderable 
 accident, only I obferved the ground 
 ll'emed to rife infenfibly higher, and the 
 breezes not only llronger, but the air it- 
 felf much cooler. About ten the third 
 day, we faw fome more clumps of trees 
 on our right-hand, which looked greener 
 and thicker than the foimer, as if they 
 were the beginning of fome habitable 
 vale, as in effeft they were. The Pophar 
 ordered us to turn that way, which was 
 the only turning out of our way we had 
 yet made. By the chearfulnefs of their 
 countenances, I thought this might be 
 ihebeginningof thcircountry; but Iwas 
 very much miftaken; we had a far longer 
 and moredangerous way to go, than what 
 we had pafTed hitherto. However, thio 
 was a very remarkable ftation of o;ir 
 ■•oyage, as your Reverences will find by 
 ^hf- fecjuel. As we advanced, v/e found it 
 to open and defcend gradually; till at 
 length we faw a molt beautiful vale, full 
 of palmsi dates, oranges, and other fruit- 
 trees, entirety xmknown in thcfe parts, 
 with fuch a refrefliing fmell from the 
 odoriferous flu^ubs, as filled the whole air 
 with perfumes*; we rode into thethickell 
 of it as faft as we could to enjoy the in- 
 viting fliade, Weeafed our dromedaries, 
 and look the firft care of them ; for on 
 them all our fafeties depended . After we 
 had refreflied ourfelves, the Pophar or- 
 dered every one to go to deep as foon as 
 ho could, hiKe we were like to have 
 but little the three following days. I 
 lliould have told your Reva"ences, that as 
 foon as they alighted, they fell down fiat' 
 on their faces and kilfed the earth, with a 
 great deal of feeming joy and ardour, 
 which I took to be a congratulation for 
 their happy arrival at lb holpitable a 
 place, but it was on a quite diflerent ac- 
 count. I was the firft who awoke after 
 our refrefii.ment; my thoughts and fears, 
 though much calmer than they had been, 
 would not fufFer me to be fo fedate as the 
 reft. Finding the hour for departing was 
 not yet come, I got up, and walked in 
 that delicio':s grove, which was lb much 
 t he more delightful, as the defarts we had 
 p affed were dreadful and horrid : I paflcd 
 
 * The prodigious fertility of Africj, iu the vaies between the defarts and the llcirtscf it, 
 for a great breadth towards the two leas, is recorded by ihebcft hiftorians; though the ridge 
 of it, over wh'ch oiiV author wa conJucled, and other particular tracts, ais all covered 
 with iuads. 
 
 • en 
 
GAUDENTIO DI LUCCA. 
 
 33 
 
 on, defcending towards the centre of the 
 vale, not doubting but by the greennefs 
 and fragrancy of the place, I (houlcl find 
 a fpring of water. I had not gone far, 
 but I law a moll delicate rill, bubbling 
 out from under a rock, forming a little 
 natural bafon, from whence it ran glid- 
 ing down the centre of tho vale, encreaf- 
 ing as it went, till in all appearance it 
 might form a confiderable rivulet, unlefs 
 it were fwallowed up again in the fands. 
 At that place the vale ran upon a pretty 
 deep defcent, fo that I could fee over the 
 trees and (lirubs below me, almolt as far 
 as my eyes could reach; encreafing or 
 decreafing in breadth as the hills of fands, 
 for now they appeared to be hills, would 
 give It leave. Here I had the mod de- 
 lightful profpefl; that the moll lively ima- 
 gination can form to itfeif ; the fun-burnt 
 hills of fand on each fide, made the greens 
 look ftill more charming; but the fmg- 
 ing of innumerable unknown birds, with 
 the different fruits and perfumesexhaling 
 from the aromatiick flirabs, rendered the 
 place delicious beyond expreflion. After 
 I had drank my fill, and delighted my- 
 fclf with thole native rarities, I faw a 
 large lion come out of the grove, about 
 two hundred paces below me, going very 
 qu'Cfly to the f,>ring to lap-, when he had 
 cirank, he whiiked his tail two or three 
 times, and began to tumble on the green 
 grafi. I tonkthe opportunity to llip away 
 back to my companions, very glad I had 
 efcaped fo: they were all awake when I 
 came up, and had been In great concern 
 for my abfence. The Pophar feemed 
 more difpleafed that I had left him, than 
 ever I faw him ; he mildly chid me for 
 expofing myfelf to be devoured by wild 
 bealls; but when I told them of the water 
 and the lion, they were in a greater fur- 
 prize, looking at one another with a fort 
 nf fear in their looks, which I interpret- 
 ed to be for the danger I had efcaped ; but 
 it was on another account. After fome 
 words in their own language, the Pophar 
 fpoke aloud inLingua Franca — ' I think,' 
 fays he, ' we may let this young man fee 
 
 * all our ceremonies, eipecially fmce he 
 
 * will foon be out of danger of difcover- 
 
 * ing them, if he fliouldhave a mind to 
 
 ' do It." At this they pulled cut their 
 Itorcs, fome of their choicelt fruits, a cruile 
 of rich wine, fome bread, a burning glalV, 
 a thurible*, perfiunes, and other inlhu- 
 ments commonly ufcd in the Heathen fa^ 
 crifices. I looked aghaft at this Itrange 
 fight, which was fuch as I had never ob - 
 ferved in them before, and began to ap- 
 prehend that I was now really delig-j;d 
 for a human facrifice-f to fome infernal 
 god or other; but when I compared the 
 Pophar's late words with what I faw, I 
 fcarce doubted of it, and was contriving 
 with myfelf to fell my life as dear as I 
 could. The Pophar ordered us to bring 
 the dromedaries, and every thing along 
 with us, for fear, as he faid, they ftiould 
 be devoured by wild beads. Wedefcend- 
 ed towards the centre of the vale, where 
 I faw the fountain. Thery went on a great 
 way lower into the vale, till it began to 
 be very iteep; but we found a narrow 
 way made by art, and not feeming to have 
 been very long unfrequented, which was 
 more furprizing, becaufe I took the place 
 to be uninhabited, and even inacceffible 
 to all butthefe people. V/e were forced 
 to defcend one by one, leading our dro- 
 medaries in oar hands: I took particular 
 care to be the hindmofi, keeping at a 
 little dillance from the rell, for fear of a 
 furprize. They marched down in 3 
 mournful kind of proceifion, oblerving a 
 moll profound filence all the while. At 
 length we came into the finell natural 
 amphitheatre that it is poflible to de- 
 icribe. Theif- was nothing but odori- 
 ferous greens and Iky to be feen; except 
 downwards right before us, where we had 
 a moil delicious profpecl over that gio- 
 riotis vale, winding a little to the right, 
 till It was intercepted by the collateral 
 hills. At the upper part of the amphi- 
 theatre, where the break of the hill made 
 that agreeable efplanade, there Hood an 
 ancient pyramid, juft after the manner of 
 thofe in Egypt, but nothing near fo big 
 as the leait of them. In the front of it 
 that faced the vale, the fteps were cut out 
 in the form of an altar, on which was 
 erc6led a ftatue of a venerable old man, 
 done to the life, of the iineft poli/hed 
 marble, or rather fome uiJcnown (lone at 
 
 * An inftrament to hold incenfe, 
 •f- Our author's fcirs were not vain, confidering the preparatives he faw, and other cir- 
 cumftances. Befides, it is well known, the ancient Africans, particularly the Getulians and 
 Lyl)ians, and even the Carthaginians, made ufe of human facrlfices to appeafe their deities. 
 Bochart, in the fecond part of his Geographia Sacra, proves beyond queltion, that the Car- 
 thaginians were part of the people of Canam driven out by Joftiua, who ufed to facrihce 
 their children to Moloch, &c. Even in Hannibal's time, when they were grown more polite, 
 thfy fent privately children to Tjrc, for a facrjfice it Hercuki. 
 
 £ infinite 
 
GAUDENTIO DI LUCCA. 
 
 infinite more value. Here, I had not the 
 
 leaft doubt, but that I wns to be I'acri- 
 ficeJ to this idol. The Fophar feeing me 
 at a dillance, called to me to come and 
 fee their cejemouies. Then I thought it 
 was time to Ipeak. or never. * Father,' 
 faid I, ' lince you give nic leave to call 
 
 * you fo, I am willing to perform all 
 
 * y^ur commands, where tlie honour of 
 
 * the fupreme God is not called in quef- 
 * . tion ; but I am ready to die % tljoufand 
 
 * deaths rather than give his honour to 
 
 * another. I am a Chrift;ian,and believe 
 
 * one only God, the fupreme Being of 
 
 * all beings, and Lord of the univerfe; 
 
 * for which reafon I canr^ot join with 
 
 * you in your idolatrous worfhip. If 
 
 * you are refolved to put me to death 
 
 * on that account, I here offer my life 
 'freely. If I am to be made a part of 
 
 * your infernal lacrifice, Til defend my- 
 
 * ielf to the la(t drop of my blood, before 
 
 * I will fiibmit toit.' He anlwered me 
 with a fmile, rather than with any indig- 
 nation, and told me, when I came to be 
 better acquainted with them, I Ihould 
 find they were not fo inhuman as to put 
 people to death, becaiife thay were of a 
 different opinion from their own. That 
 this was only a religious ceremony they 
 performed to their deceafed anceilors*, 
 and if I had nofa mind to affift at it, 
 I might fit down at what diftance I 
 pleafed. 
 
 [_Secrct^>y. The inquifitors were ex 
 
 would deftroy the religion of our fore* 
 fathers, and lead others into the fame 
 damnation with themfclvcs. If trea- 
 fon againft one's prince maybe punilh- 
 ed with dearh, why may not treafoii 
 againd the King of heaven bepuniftei 
 with the like penalty ? Haveacarcyou 
 do not calt reflections on the holy in- 
 quifition. 
 
 Gaudent'to. Reverend fathers ! I only 
 relate bare matter of fiiCt, as it was 
 fpoke by the mouth of a Heathen, ig- 
 norant of our holy myfteries ; I have 
 all the reafon in the world to extol the 
 juftice of the holy Inquifition : nor do 
 I think, but in fuch cafes mentioned 
 by your Reverences, it may be lawful 
 to ufe the utmoft feverities to prevent 
 greater evils. But it argued a won- 
 derful moderation in the Pophar, 
 which I found to be his real fenti- 
 ments, net unbecoming a Chrirtian in 
 fuch circumftances, where it did not 
 tend to the deftruflion of the whole. 
 — But in this, as in all other matters, 
 I fubmit to your decifions. 
 
 Secretary. I interpofed in his favour, 
 and put the inquifitors in mind, that 
 there was nothing but what was, jult 
 in his anfwers : and we ourfelves only 
 iifed thofe rigours in the laft extremi- 
 ty, to prevent greater mifchiefsj fo 
 they bid him read on.] 
 When the Pophar had faid this, he 
 
 and the relt of them fell down on their 
 
 tiemelj pleafed with the f.rll part of faces and kitTed the earth : then v^-ith the 
 
 his difcourfe, wherein l\e iliewed fuch 
 courage in defence of his religion, and 
 icfolution to die rather than join in 
 tl'.eir idolatrous worfhip ; but all had 
 liked to have been dallied again by the 
 feccnd part, which made one of the 
 inquifitors interrupt his narration, and 
 ?Jk him the following quellion. 
 hiquifiior. I hope you do not think it 
 imlawful to Of rfecute, cr even to put 
 
 burning-glafs they kindled fome odori- 
 ferous woods ; put the ccals in the thu- 
 rible with the incenfe, and incenfed the 
 idol or ftatue: that done, they pouied 
 the wine on the altar ; fet bread on tlie 
 one fide, and fruits on the other ; and 
 having lighted two little pyramids of 
 mcft delicious perfumes at each e^nd ot 
 the great pyramid, they fat them down 
 round the fountain, which I fuppofe v/as 
 
 to death, obilinate Hereticks, who conveyed by art under the pyi-amidf, 
 
 * The earlieil accounts of Egypt, from whence thefc people come, tell us that they had 
 a great veneration for their iecealed anceftors. Sec the third part of theBiihop of Meaux's 
 
 Ujiixferfal Hiiroiy, qu Xti abov:. Diodorus SIcuIus, who lived in the beginning of Au- 
 
 guftiis's reign, fays of the Egyptians, ' to urepi ri; Ta<}>i; /xaX:;-* o'^soat'ii', they were par- 
 ticularly dil gent about their lepulchrcs, or in the worfiiipof tlieir aead. The fame fupei- 
 flltlon reigp.s 'ftill among the Chinsfe, whom I /hall ftiew afterwards to have been a colo- 
 nv of Egyptians, notwithftanding that China and Egypt are fo far diftant from each other. 
 ' \ The ancient Egyptians had a ftrange fondnefs for building pyramids ; whether they 
 were for the fame end as the tower of Babel, that is, to make themfclves a name, or for 
 Other ends, we cannot tell. The great pyamid is m>'re ancient than all the reft, info- 
 much that the beft authors do not know when to fix it's date, fome faying it was built by 
 WcEris their fiift Jcing, others by Cecrops Le£Vor. But if the account the Pophar gives of 
 their origin, at the next ftation, be true, it was built before there was any klr^g in Egypt. 
 The xlver Ni.t wa« conveyed by art under the great pyramid, 
 
 an4 
 

 iil.lill..-.! .,5 llir Art rllr^otH.l.y Hauria.u^vC'.Mnrri. jj.i^/ 
 
GAUDENTIO DI LUCCA. 
 
 35 
 
 and iflued out in the middle of the am- 
 phitheatie. There they refrefhed them- 
 jfelves, ar.d gathered the fruits which 
 liun'g roind us in the grove, eating of 
 them very heartily, and inviting me to 
 <lo the like. I made fome difficulty at 
 firft, fearing it might be part of the fa- 
 crifice; but they affuring me all was but 
 a civil ceremony, I joined them, and did 
 as they did. The Pophar turned to me, 
 tind faid — ' My fon, we worfliip one 
 ' moft high God, as you do : what we 
 
 * did juft now, was not that we believe 
 
 * any deity in that ftatue, or adored it 
 ' as a God ; but only refpeft it as a 
 
 * memorial, and in remembrance of our 
 
 * great anceltor, who heretofore con- 
 ' du6led our fore-fathers to this place, 
 
 * and was buried in this pyramid*. 
 
 * The reft of our fore-fathers, who died 
 ' before they v.-ere forced to leave this 
 
 * valley, are burled all around us : that 
 
 * is the reafon we killed tlie ground, not 
 
 * thinking it lawful to ftir the bones of 
 
 * the dead. We did the fame in Egypt, 
 
 * becaiife we were originally of that 
 
 * land : our particular anceRors lived in 
 
 * that part, which was afterwards called 
 
 * Thebes f. The time will not permit 
 
 * me to acquaint you at prefent, how 
 
 * we were driven out of our native coun- 
 ' try to this place, and afierwra^ds from 
 ' this place to the land we are now 
 
 * going to, but you fliall know all here- 
 
 * after. The bread, fruits, and wine, 
 
 * we laid on the altar|, as they are tlie 
 
 * chief fupport of our being ; fo v.-e leave 
 
 * tliem there as a teftimony, that the 
 ' venerable old man, whofe ftauie you 
 ' fee, was, under God, the author and 
 
 * father of our nation.' This faid, he 
 told us it was time to make the beft of 
 our way ; fo they all got up, and having 
 kiffed the ground once more, the five 
 elderly men fcraped a little of the earth, 
 and put in fine golden veflels, with a 
 great deal of care and refpeft. After 
 refrefaing ourfelves again, we made our 
 provifion of fruits and water, and lead- 
 ing our dromedaries up the way we came 
 down, m»ounted and I'et out for the re- 
 mainder of our journey. 
 
 We were now paft the tropick of Can- 
 cer §, as I found by our fhadows going 
 fouthward ; and went on thus a little, 
 bending towards the weft again, almoft 
 parallel to the tropick, the breezes in- 
 crealing rather ftronger than before, fo 
 that about niidnight it v/as really cold. 
 We gave our dromedaries water about 
 fun-rifmg, and refreftied ourfelves alittlc ; 
 then fet out with new vigour at a prodi- 
 gious rate : ftill the breezes fell between 
 nine and ten; however we made fliift to 
 go on, becaufe they came again about 
 noon ; between three and four was the 
 hotteft time of all. Befides, going now 
 parallel to the tropick, we travelled on the 
 hot fands, a very little dcfcending; where- 
 as \vhen we pointed fouthwards towaids 
 the line, we found the ground to be in- 
 fenfibly rifmg upon us ||; but as we went 
 
 ■* One of die ends of building the pyramids, was certainly for burying-places for fome 
 great men. 
 
 f Thebe?, once the moft famous city of Egypr, having a hundred gates, &c. was the No 
 Amon, or Di^ifpofis of the ancients, Bochaki. Phaleg. i.ir.4. Tacitus fays, thatin 
 tl.e time of Germanicus, there %vas remaining an infcription in the Egyptian language, fig- 
 r.ifying, Ilabit.tJJi quondaw [Thehh) Jtpti rgfrita tniUia Hnmintim atate miiitari. That there 
 vvre once feveu hundred thoufand iuli-btaats in Thebes iit to bear arms. Tacit, lis. 
 a. Anj;al. 
 
 X This is certainly rank idolatrj-, norwithftanding the Pophar calls it but a ciyi! cere- 
 mony. Tlijs the worfliip the Chinefe pay to their dead, and allowed by the Jefuits, was 
 Slid by them to be but a pious civil ceremony, tho-.igh it was like this, or rather more fuper- 
 ttirious. See the condemnation of it by Pope Clement XI. 
 
 ^ When perfons are beyond that tropick, at mid-day the ihadows of things are towards 
 the fouth, becaufe the fun is then north of us ; 
 
 Miranturqi:! umhrai tranjirc Jinij1ra%. 
 
 They might havepafffd the tropick before, fince it runs over part of the defart of Barca, not 
 
 much f)utr.watil'of Egypt j but it fecms they fteered weitvvard for fome time. 
 
 jj His obfetvations are juft', fince all tSe new philofcphers allow the eaith to be fphero*- 
 
 dal and gibbous towards the equator. Whoever therefore goes by land, either from the north ' 
 ■ or fouth towards the eq'iator, nuift afcend. This feems to be a ^^ry natural reafon, why 
 
 tbofe immenfe Bares are not fo eKceffive hot. The higheli moimtains are confiderably 
 ^r.igher the fun than the lowlands, yet exeeiTive cold in the hotteft climates; in the vales the 
 
 rays of the fun are cooped in, and doubled and trebled by rcfi action and reflection, &w. 
 jThe iwxit air put in a tuibnUnt motion v/ill be hot, and in a direft one cold. 
 
 E s ©n 
 
GAUDENTIO DI LUCCA* 
 
 en tliefe almoft flats, If It lud not been 
 that we were almoli on the ridge of Africa, 
 which made it cooler than one can well 
 believe, it had been impofllble to bear 
 the heats. When we refted, we not only 
 pitched our tents for ovn lelves and dro- 
 medaries, but the fands were fo hot, that 
 we were forced to lay things under our 
 feet to preferve them from burning. 
 Thus we travelled through thofe difmal 
 defarts for four days, without fight of 
 any living creature but ourfelves. Sands 
 and Iky were all that prefcnted itfelf 
 to our view. The fatigue v/as the 
 greateft I ever underwent in my life. 
 The fourth day, about eight in the morn- 
 ing, by good fortune for us, or elfe by 
 the prudent forecaft of the Pophar, who 
 knew all his ftations, we faw another 
 vale towards the right-haud, with fome 
 ftraggling trees here and there, hut not 
 feeming nigh fopleafant as the firlt : we 
 nlade to it vnth all our fpeed, and had 
 much ado to bear the heats till we came 
 to it. Wt alighted Immediately, and 
 led our dromedaries down the gentle de- 
 fcent till we could find a thicker part of 
 it. The firft trees were thin and old, as 
 if they had juft moifture enough to keep 
 them alive j the ground was butjuft co- 
 vered over with a little fun-burnt mofs, 
 without any fign of water, but our ftock 
 was not yet gone. At length, as we 
 defcended, the grove encreafed eveiy 
 way, the trees were large, with fome 
 dates here aiul there, but not fo good as 
 in the other. We relied a little, and 
 then continued to defcend for fome time, 
 till we came into a very cool and thick 
 fhade. Here, the Pophar told us, we 
 muft ftay two or three days, perhaps 
 longer, till he faw his ufual figns for 
 proceeding on his journey; and bid us 
 be fparing of our water, for fear of ac - 
 cidents. We fettled our dromedaries as 
 before : for ourfelves, we couid fcarce 
 take any thing, we were fo fatigued, 
 wanting reltmore than meat and drink. 
 The Pophai-, ordering us fome cordial 
 
 wines they had along with theJn for that 
 purpofe, told us, we might fleep as long 
 as we would ; only bid us be fure to co- 
 ver ourfelves well ; for the nights were 
 long, and even cold about midnight. 
 We were all foon alleep, and did not 
 wake till four the next morning. The 
 Pophar, folicltous for ail our fafeties as 
 well as his own, (for this was the critical 
 time of o\ir iournc)') was awake the firll 
 of us. When we were up, and had re- 
 freflied oui fclves, which we did with a 
 very good appetite, he told us we muft go 
 upon the fands again to obferve thefigns. 
 We took our dromedaries along with 
 us, for fear of wild beafts, though wj 
 faw none, walking ge:itly up the hinds, 
 till we came to a very high ground. 
 We had but a dreary profpei^, as far 
 as our eyes could carry us, of fun-burnt 
 plains, without grafs, ftick, or (hi"ub, 
 except when we turned our backs to look, 
 at the vale where we had lain all night, 
 which we faw fprcad and extended itfelf 
 a vaft way. He allured us, the notes left 
 for rules by his anceilors, mentioned a 
 fpring in that vale below us, which run- 
 ning lower became a rivulet; but that, 
 either by an earthquake, or fome flood 
 of fand, it was quite choaked up, nin-- 
 ning imder ground, witliout any one's 
 knowing whetiier it broke out again, or 
 was entirely fwallowed up"*. He faid 
 alfo, that by the moft ancient accounts 
 of liis forefathers, the fafids were not in 
 their times fo dangerous to pafs as thtv 
 are now, or of fuch vaft extent f, br.t 
 had fruitful vales n^ucli nearer one an- 
 other than at prefcnt. He added, that 
 he wiflied earneftly to fee the figns he 
 wanted for proceeding on our way; (mcf: 
 there was no ftirrmg till they appeared j 
 and that, according to his ephemeris and 
 notes, theyfliouldappearaboutthis time, 
 unlefs fomething very extraordinary hap- 
 pened. This was about eight in the 
 morning, the ninth day after we ftt out 
 for the defarts. He was every now and 
 then looking fouthward, or fouth-weft. 
 
 * Geograpl-.crs agree, that rivers, and even great lakes in Africa, fink under ground, and 
 are quite loft without any vifiblc outlets. The vaft depth of the ftrata of fand icem more 
 proper to fwaUovir them up there, than in other parts of the v.'orid. 
 
 + Tliere feems to be a natural reafon for what he fays ; f»T thole vaft fand<;, or hills of 
 gravel, were undoubtedly left by t,he general deluge, as probably all tiie leiler ihata or beds 
 of gravel were. Yet great part of them muft have been covered with flime, or mud, for 
 feveral years after the deluge, fome thinner, fome thicker, and confequently more moift 
 and produftive accordingly. Neverthclefs, the violent rays of the fun ftill render them. 
 more diy and barren, and, in all probability, thefe defarts will encreafc more and more, 
 where the country is not cultivated. 
 
 with 
 
GAUDENTIO DI LUCCA. 
 
 37 
 
 with great lolititude in his looks, as if 
 he wondered he law nothing. At Jength, 
 he cried out, with great emotions of joy — 
 
 * It is coming ! — Look yonder,' lays he, 
 
 * towards the fouth-weli-, as far as your 
 
 * eyes can carry you, and fee what you 
 
 * can difcovcr.' We told him, we faw 
 nothing but fome clouds of fand, carried 
 round here and there like whirlwinds. 
 
 * That is the lign I want,' continued he; 
 
 * but mark well which way it drives.' 
 "VVe faid it drove direftly eaftward, as 
 nigh as we could gutfs. ' It dees,' fayj 
 he; then turning his face vvellwards, 
 with a little point of the Ibuth — ' All 
 
 * thofe vaft defarts,' fays he, ' are now 
 
 * in fnch a commotion of ftorms and 
 
 * whirlwinds, that man and bealt will 
 
 * loon be overwhelmed in the rolling 
 
 * waves of fands.' He had Icarce faid 
 this, but wc law, at a vail diilance, ten 
 thouland little whirlfpouts of land, riling 
 and falling with a prodigious tnrauit 
 and velocity* eaftward, with vaft thick 
 clouds of fand and dull following them. 
 — ' Come,' fays he, ' let us return to 
 
 * our relling-piace, for there we mull 
 
 * ftay, till we fee further how matters 
 
 * go.' As this appeared newer to me 
 than any of tlie reft, and being pofftfted 
 with a great id^a of the knovv'ledge of 
 the man, I made bold to aik him, v/hat 
 was the caule of this fudden phaenome- 
 tion : he told me, that about that fuli- 
 inoon there always fellprodigiousrainsf, 
 coming from the wefternpart of Africa, 
 on this fide the equator, and driving a 
 Jirtlefouth-weft for fome time at firft, b-.:t 
 afterwards turning almoft fouth, and 
 crollmg the line till they came to the 
 
 fourcc of tlie Nile ; in which parts they 
 fell for three weeks or a month together; 
 which was the occafion of the over-flow- 
 ing of that river | : but that on this fide 
 the equator, it only rained aljO'it fifteen 
 days, preceded by thole whirlwiixJs aR<i 
 clouds of land, which rendered all that 
 trail impnlTable, till the rains had laid 
 them again. By this time we were 
 come down to our relting-place, and 
 though we did not want fleep or rcfrefh- 
 mcnt, yet we took both ; to have the cool 
 of the evening to reci'eate onrfelves after 
 fo much fatigue, not being likely to 
 move till the next evening at fooneft. 
 
 At five in the evening, the Pophar 
 called us up to go with him once more to 
 the higheft part of the defart, faying he 
 wanted one fign yet, which he hoped to 
 have that evening, or clfe it would go 
 hard with us for want of vv-ater, our pro- 
 vifion of it being almcitlpent; and there 
 were no fprings in the defarts that we 
 were to pafa over, till we came within a 
 long day's journey of the end of our 
 voyage. However, he fcarce dcubtel 
 but we Ihould fee the certain fign he 
 wanted this evening ; on which account 
 there did not appear fuch a folicitude in 
 his countenance as before : for though 
 he was our governor, or captain, and 
 had the refpeftful deference paid to him, 
 yet he governed us in ail refpeffs, as ii' 
 we were his children, with all the ten- 
 dcrnefs of a father, as his name imported) 
 tliough none of the company were his 
 real children. If there were any figns 
 of partiality, it was in my favour, al- 
 ways expreffing the moft endearing teu- 
 dernefs for me, which the ether young 
 
 * Though in the vaft ocean bstwe;n the fop'cks, where promontories do not inter- 
 vene, :he winds a.-e generally eafterly, yet there is apcrretual weft wind blowsliito Guinea. 
 T.her« are vaft rains at the folftices between the troplcks, as the accounts of thofe parts 
 declare ; though at that time of the year, more beyond the line than on this fide of it. It 
 is not to be queftioned, bu: in fuch violent changes, particularly before thofe rains, there 
 muft be furious hurricanes of wind and l\ni, enough to overvvhel.-n whole armies and coun- 
 tries. The mbft incredible part of this ruirHtion, is how they could travel at all under the 
 tropick, in thefummer folftice; only, as he lays, the ground being very hi^h and open, \% 
 muft draw air. 
 
 -j- Naturalifts agree, that beyond the line there are great rains at that fcafon. It is f of- 
 fible th;y may b-^g'n on this fide, being driven by the perpetual weft winds into Gui:.ea, 
 and then by n.'taral ciufcj.tLirn tov/ards the iir.e and foLithcrn tropick. 
 
 X The caufcs of the overflowing of the river Nile, unknown to rooftof the ancients, are 
 nowallov;ed to be the great rains falling in June and Juiy about the line, and the fouthcrn 
 tropick, and the melting of tlie fnow en the mountains of the moon laying in thattrafl. 
 None can wonder there ihould be fnow in thofe hot climates, who have heard of the Andes 
 or Cordillerias bordering oa Peru. Our luly is very hot, yet the Alps and Appenines are 
 three parts of the year covered with fnow. The Nile cvertlows in Auguff, which feems to 
 tie a proper diftance of Dmefur the waters to come down to Egypt, fuch a vai^ wav ofl" from 
 the caufe gf it. There i?R river inC^chinch'ni, and dfewhcrej that ovei flows ia the fame 
 manner. 
 
x» 
 
 GAUDENTIO DI LUCCA. 
 
 rrten, Inflend of taking any diflike at, 
 wure ically plcafed with. No brothers 
 in the world could be more loving to one 
 another than we were. Theeldeiiymen 
 tooli delight in feeing our youthful gam- 
 bols with one another : it is true their 
 nature is, of the two, a little more in- 
 clined to gr?.vity than that of the Ita- 
 lian?, who are no light nation ; vet their 
 gravity is accompanied with all the fe- 
 renity and chearfulntfs imaginable, and 
 I tlwught then at our firll acquaintance, 
 that I had never feen fuch an air of a 
 free-born people in my life; as if they 
 knew no other iiib'etlion b'.it what was 
 merely tilial. When we came to the 
 ■high ground, we could fee the hurricanes 
 play ftil! ; but what was more wonder- 
 ■i'ul, very fev/etiefls of that aerial tumult 
 came our way, but drove on almoft pa- 
 rallel to the equator : the air looked like 
 a brown dirty fog, towards the eaft and 
 fouth-eaft; all the v.'hirlwinds tending 
 tovrards thofe parts: it began after fome 
 time to look a little more lightfome to- 
 wards the weft; but fo, a<; if it were oc- 
 calloncd by a more ftrong and fettled 
 v^Ind. At length, we perceived at the 
 fartheft hoiizon, the edge of a prodigious 
 black cloud, extending itfelf to the fomh- 
 weft and weltern points, rifing with a 
 difcernible motion, though not very faif. 
 We faw plain enough, by the blackr.efs 
 and thicknefsof it, thatit prognofticated 
 a great deal of rain. Here they all fell 
 prollrate on the earth; then raifing up 
 their hands and eyes towards the fun, 
 they feemed to pay their adorations to 
 that great Kiminary. The Pophar, with 
 an audible voice, pronounced fome un- 
 known words, as if he were retiiruing 
 thanks to that planet for what he faw. 
 At this I (teppedback, and kept myfelf 
 at a dillaucc ; not fo much for fear of 
 
 my life, as before, as not to Join wkh 
 them intheir idolatrous worfiiip. For I 
 could not be ignorant now, that they had 
 a wrong notion of God, and if they ac- 
 knowledged any, it was the fun : which 
 in effect is, the leaft irrational idolatry 
 people can be guilty of*. When they 
 ha.l done their oraiions, the Pophar turn- 
 ed to me, aTid faid — ' I fee you won't 
 ' join with us in any of our religious ce- 
 
 * remonies ; but I mull tell you,' con- 
 tinued he, * that cloud is the facing of 
 
 * all our lives : and as that great fun,* 
 pointing to the luminary, ' is the inltrd- 
 
 * ment that draws it up, as indeed he is 
 
 * the prefer\'erofall our beings, we think 
 
 * ourfelvcs obliged to leturn our thanks 
 
 * to him.' Here he flopped, as if he had 
 a mind to hear what I could lay for my- 
 Iclf. I was not willing to enter into dif- 
 putes, well knowing that religious quar- 
 rels rre the moft provoking of any ; yet 
 I thought myfelf obliged to make pro- 
 feffion of my belief in the fupreme Gcd, 
 now I was called upon to the profefled 
 w-orlhip of a falfe deity. I anfwered 
 with the moft modeft refpeft I was ca- 
 pable of, that that glorious planet was 
 one of the phyfical caufes of the prefer- 
 vation of our beings, and of the produc- 
 tion of all things; but that he was pro- 
 duced himfelf by the moft high God, 
 the firft caufe and author of all things in 
 heaven and earth : the fun only moving 
 by his order, ns an inanimate being, in- 
 capable of hearingour prayers, and only 
 operatingby his direflion. However, I 
 offered tojoin with him in returning my 
 bert thanks to the moft high God, f( r 
 creating the fun, capable by his heat to 
 railetliat cloud for thefiving our lives. 
 Thus I adapted jny anfwer, as nigh to 
 his difcourfeas I could, yet not fo as to 
 deny my faith. For I couhi not entirely 
 
 • All idolatry being a worfhip of creatures inflead of the one Supreme God, rruft be ir- 
 j-ational. But it is certain, and well attefted by ancient hiftorj', that the caftern natW.ns 
 wor&ippeuthe fun : probably it was the tirft idolatrov.s worfhip that was in the -ivorld. The 
 great benefits a:l nature receives front) hii influence; thegbrinus bnghtncfs of his rays; the 
 variety, yet conftant tenor of iiis motions, might induce ignorant people to believe him to 
 be of a fiiperior nature to other creatures, though it 'n evidently certain, he is limited in 
 Jiis pcitcdions, and confequently no God. It is tru?, the ancient Egyptian?, from whom 
 tbefe people fprung, as will be f;;en afterwards, worlhipped the fun in the moft early times. 
 There was a prieft of the fun in the patriarch Jofepn's time. And the Egyptians were 
 I'ome of the sir(i aflronomers in the world, contending for antiquity with the Chaldeans. 
 Though both ths Chaldeaus and Egyptians had their knowledge from the dcfcendants 
 of Shem, or his father Noah, who by the ad.-nirable ftruflure of the ark, appears to have 
 b:en matl-cr of very great fciences. I fay the Egyptians being (o much addifted to aftro.- 
 romy, it is probable that glorious luminary was the thief objsft of their worffiip. They 
 did not woriliip idols and bcail: till long afterwardi. Se; the learned Boch art's Pha- 
 
 LEG. IN MI;R.^J^.■ 
 
 tell 
 
GAUDENTIO DI LUCCA. 
 
 39 
 
 ttell what to jnake of them as yet ; fince 
 I obfei'ved, they were more my:terious in 
 their religious ceremonies, than in any 
 thing elfe* 5 or rather, this was the onJy 
 thing they were relerved in. He pon- 
 dered a good while on what I faid, but 
 at length he added—' You are not much 
 ' out of the way: you and I v/ill talk this 
 * matter over another time;' lo turned off 
 the difcourie ; I fuppoled it to be becauie 
 of the young men itanding by us, who 
 he had not a mind fhould receive any 
 other notions of religion, but what they 
 had been taught. It was fun-fet by the 
 time we came down to the grove. We 
 had fomc finall fiights of fund, caufcd by 
 an odd commotion in the air, attended 
 with liule whirlwinds, which put us in 
 I'omeapprehenfions of a fand-diowcr; but 
 he bid us take courage, fince he could not 
 find in all his accounts, that the hmri,- 
 cancs or rains ever came, in any great 
 quantity, as far as we were, the nature 
 of them being to drive more parallel to 
 the equator: but he was fure we ihculd 
 have lojne; and ordered us to pitch our 
 tents as him as we could, and draw out 
 all our water veflels, to catch the rain 
 againft all accidents. When this was 
 done, and we had eat our fuppers, we re- 
 created ouiTelves in the grove, wandering 
 about here and there, and difcourfing of 
 the nature of thefe phenomena. We did 
 not care to go to rell fo foon, having le- 
 polcd ourfelves lb well that day, and 
 having all the following night and the 
 next day to Itay in that place. The grove 
 grew much pleafantcr as we advanced 
 into it; there were a great many dates and 
 other fruits.the natural produce of Africa; 
 but not quite fo rich as in the hrli: grove. 
 I made bold to aik the Pophar, how far 
 
 that grove extended, or whether there 
 were any inhabitants. He told me, he 
 could not tell any thing of either. 'I'hat 
 it was poffible the grove might enlarge 
 itfelf different ways, among thewindina". 
 liills; fince his accounts tcid him, there, 
 had been a rivulet of water, though now 
 fwallowed up; but he believed there were 
 no inhabitants, fince there was no men-. 
 tion made of them in his papers. Ncr. 
 did he believe any other people in tho 
 world, befide ihemfelves, knew the way, 
 or would venture fo far into thofc horrjii 
 inhol'piiable dcfarts. Having a mind to 
 learn wh.ether he had any certain know- 
 ledge of the longitude, which creates I'uch 
 difficulties to the Europeans, 1 afked 
 how he was lure that was the place, or by, 
 what ri'le he could know how far he vvas> 
 come, or where he was to tin'n to right 
 or left. He flopped a little at my quef- 
 tions; then, without any apparent hefita- 
 tion — ' Why," faid he, ' we know by the 
 ' needl;-, how far we vary from the ncrtli 
 
 * or fouth point, at leall till we come to 
 ' the tropickf; if not, we can lake the 
 ' meridian and height of the fun, and 
 ' knowing the time ofthe year, we can tell 
 ' how near we approach to, or are oil' the 
 ' equator.' — ' Yes,' faid I; ' but as there 
 ' are different meridians every ftep you 
 ' take, how can you tell how far you go 
 ' call or well, when you run either way 
 ' in parallel lines % to the tropick or the 
 ' equator?' Here he flopped again, and 
 either could not make any certain dillo- 
 very, or had not a mind to let mc into the 
 fecret. The firlf was moll likely ; h.owever, 
 he anfwered readdy enough, and faid — 
 
 * Ycu pLafe me widi your curious quef- 
 ' tions, fince I find you are fenfible of 
 » the diiHcuity. Why,' continued he. 
 
 * This agrees with all ancient accounts of th? firft j-eople of Egypt; vvitnefs their em- 
 blems, hieroglyphicks, &c. Moftof the ancient fabks, under which fa many mvfierics v.cri 
 couched, did not firft fpilng from the Greeks, though improved by them; but from the 
 Egyptians and Chaldeans, who atfin'l held a communicstion uf fciences with one another, 
 but grew to emulofity aficrvvards. The wundeiful things the Egyptian Magi did, in imiu- 
 tion of the miracles wrought by Mofi<;, fliew they were great artifts. 
 
 t Experimental philofophy tells us, that the needle is of little ufe in navigation, when 
 under the line; but lies fluctuating without turning to any point of itfelf, bicaule, as fome 
 I'.ippofe, the current of the magnetick effluvia, flying from pole to pole, has there it's Inigcll 
 axis, as the diameter of the equator is longer than the axis of the world. But whether this 
 has the fame effedl on the needle by land, which is the cafe, as it has by lea, we muli have 
 more certain experiments to know, thor.gli it is probable it may. 
 
 X Wherever we (land, we arc on the fiimmit of the globe svith refpeft to us. Who- 
 ever therefore thinks ro go due weft, parallel to the equator, or ea(>, will net do fo, hut 
 will cut the line at long-run, becaufe he makes a greater circle. Thefe men therefore, when 
 they thought they went due wefV, were approaching to the line, more than they were aware 
 ot, and fuppofing the ftrudurc of the caith to be fpheroidical, went up hiil alt the «.ay, 
 Ijuting fome fmall inequalities. 
 
 ' all 
 
4» 
 
 GAUDKN'TIO DI LUCCA. 
 
 * all the method we have is, to obferye 
 
 * exaflly how hr our dromedaries go in 
 
 * an iionr, or any other fpace of tune : 
 
 * you lee we qo much about the ftme 
 ' p>ace; we have no itops in our way, but 
 
 * what we know of, to refreih ourfelves 
 
 * or lb, for which we generally allow fo 
 
 * much time*. When we let out from 
 
 * Egypt, we went due weft 5 onr hearts 
 
 * o-uin lb many mihs an hour; we know 
 
 * by that how far wc are more weft 
 
 * than we weref. If wc decline to the 
 
 * nonh or the fouth, we know likewile, 
 
 * how jiiany miles we have advanced in 
 
 * fomany hourj, and compute how much 
 
 * the deciination takes otf from our go- 
 
 * in"- due weil. And though we cannot 
 
 * tell to a demonllrative exaclnefs, we can 
 ' tell pretty nigh.' This was all I could 
 get out of him at that time, which did 
 not fatisfy the difficulty. I afterwards 
 alked him, how they came to find oy.i this 
 way, or to venture to feek out a habitation 
 imkno\vn to ail the world bclide. He 
 anfwered — ' For liberty, and the pre-' 
 
 * fei-vation of our laws.' I was afraid of 
 afkiug any further, feeing he gave fuch 
 genei-al anfwers. By this time, it was 
 prodigious dark, though full moon J . We 
 had fome little gufts oT wind that ftartjed 
 us a little ; and it lightened at fuch a rate 
 as 1 never faw in my life. And although 
 it was towards the horizon, and drove 
 fjde-wa)S of us, yet it was really terrible 
 to lee; the tlafbes were lb thick, that the 
 &y was almolt in a light fire. We made 
 up to our tents as fait as we could; and 
 thouo-h wc had only the Iklits of the 
 clouds over us, it rained lb very hard, 
 that we had our veilelsfoon Aippiied with 
 water, and got fafe into our ftultv;r. The 
 thunder was at a valt ihltance, but juft 
 audible, and, for our comfort, drove Itill 
 to the caftward. I do not know in what 
 diipofitions tiie elderly men might be, 
 beir.g accuftomcd to the nature of it; 
 but 1 am fure I was in fome apprehen- 
 «on, fully perftiadcd, if it had come di- 
 rectly over us, nothing couid withiland 
 us impetuollty. I had very little incli- 
 
 nation to refl, whatever my companiunsi 
 had; but pondering with mvicit, both 
 the nnture of the tiling, and the pro- 
 digious Ikill thcfe men muft have in the 
 laws of the univerfe, 1 itaid with impa- 
 tience waiting the event. 
 
 I v»as mufing wjth myfelf on what I 
 had heard and leen, not being able yet 
 to guefs with any fatisfa£tion, what thele 
 people were, when an unexpefted ac- 
 cident was the ca';fe of a difcovery, 
 which made mc fee they were not greater 
 Ifrangcrs to mi , than I was to myfelf. 
 The weather was ftiflinghot, fo that we 
 had thrown oit our garments to our iliirts, 
 and bared our brealts for coolnefs fake; 
 when there came a prodigious flafh, or 
 rather blaze of lightning, which ftruck 
 full againft the brcaft of one of the young 
 men oppofite to me, and dilcovcred a 
 bright gold medal hanging down from 
 his neck, with the flguit- of the fun en- 
 graved on it, furrour.ded with unknown 
 chara£lcis ; the very lame in all appear- 
 ance I had feen my deceafed mother al- 
 v/ays wear about her neck, and fiiice her 
 death I carried with me for her fake. I 
 alktd the meaning of that medal, fince I 
 had one about mc, as it appeared, of the 
 very fame make. If tliC Pophar had 
 been ftruck with lightning, he could not 
 have been in a greater furprize tlun he 
 was at thefe words. — ' You one of thofe 
 
 * rredals,' faid he; ' how, In the name 
 ' of v/onder, did you come by it?' I 
 told him my mother wore it about her 
 neck from a little child; and with that 
 pulled it out of my pocket. Ke fnatch- 
 ed it out of my hands with a prodigious 
 eagerneis, and held it againlt the light- 
 ning perpetually fialhing in upon us. 
 As Icon as he faw it was the fame with 
 the other, he cried out — • Great Sun, 
 
 * what cr.n this mean?' Then r.fked me 
 again, where I had it ? how my mother 
 came by it ? who my mother was ? what 
 age fne was of when Ihe died? As foon 
 as the violence of his extafy would give 
 me leave, I told him my mother had it 
 ever fmceftiewas a little child: that Ihe was 
 
 ♦ This mud be undcrSood according to the forejO'ng rfmark. 
 
 + At fiift fig'it, it i'jcnisto be ejfi.r to rind out the longitude by land than by fra, be- 
 csiif'-: v»e mav be more ctitiin how tar we uova-ice. At lea there are currents, and tides, and 
 feitinos in of the fea, v.'.iich make the ihip to go aflant more or lefs infenfibly. As yet there 
 has been no certain rule found to teli us, how tar we advance due eaft or due well. The 
 elevation of the pole, or the height of the fun, fhews us, how far we decline to the north or 
 fo'» h; but we have no certain rule for the rail or weft. 
 
 ~l The fun moon about the fummer folftic- generally brings rain, and the overfiowing 
 •S ihe Wile is r.cv; kaova to i>c CiuleJ by the Vaft lains ir» the regions near the equator. 
 
 l!ic 
 
GAUDENTIO DI LUCCAi 
 
 4'7 
 
 the adopted o.aughter of a noble merchant 
 in Corlica, who had given her all his ef- 
 fe<Ss when my father married her : that 
 Ihe was married at thirteen ; and I being 
 nineteen, and the fecand i'on, I giiefied 
 flie was towards forty when ftie died.^ 
 
 * It muft be IfiphenaT cried he, with the 
 xitmoit extaly, ' it mufl; be llie.' Then 
 he caught me in his arms, and faid— 
 ' You are now really drie of iis, being 
 
 * the grand-fon of my father's daughter, 
 
 * my dear filler Ifiphena.' The remem- 
 brance of whom made the tears run down 
 the old rnan's cheeks very plentifully. — 
 ' She was loll at Grand Cairo about the 
 ' time you mention, together vvith a 
 ' twin-filler, who I tear is never to be 
 
 * heard of.' Then I refleSled I had 
 heard mv mother fay, (lie had been in- 
 formed, the gentleman who adopted her 
 for his daughter had bought her when 
 me was a little girl of ;a Turkifti woman 
 of that place ; that being charmed with 
 the early figris of beauty in her, and 
 haviiig tlo chilirerij he adopted her for 
 his own. * Yes,' faid the Popliar, ' it 
 
 * muftbefiie; but what is becoine of the 
 
 * other filler? For,'faidhe,' mydeari'iller 
 
 * brought two at one unfortunate birth, 
 ' which coft her her life.' I told him 
 I never heard :lny thing of the dthcr. 
 Then he accjuainted riie that his filler's 
 hufband was the perfon who coiiduifled 
 tlie rell to vifit the tombs of their ancef- 
 f ors, as he did now ; that the lad voyage, 
 he took his wife with him, who cut of 
 her great fondnefs had teazed him and 
 importuned him lb much to go along 
 with him, that, though it was contrary 
 to their laws, he contrived to carry her 
 dlfguifed in man's cloaths,like one of the 
 young men he chofe to accompany him 
 in the expedition • that Itayirig at Grand 
 Cairo till the next feafon for his return, 
 Ihe proved with child of twins; and to 
 his unfpeakable grief died in child-bed. 
 That when they carried her up to Thebes 
 to be interred with herancellorsj of vvhich 
 I ihould have a more exa6l information 
 by and by, they were obliged to leave 
 the children with a nurfe of the country, 
 with fome Egyptian fervai.ts to take care 
 of the hcufe and effecls j but before they 
 tame back, the nurfe, with her accom- 
 plices, ran away with the children, and, 
 as was f'lppofed, murdered t'.iem, rifled 
 the houfe of all the jewels and other va- 
 luable things, and were never heard of 
 
 afterwards. But it feems they thought 
 it more for their advantage to iell the 
 children, as we find they did by your 
 mother; but what part of the world the 
 other filter is in, or whether the be at all, is 
 known only to the great Author of our, 
 being. ' However,' continued he, ' we 
 ' rejoice in finding thefehopeful remains 
 
 * of your dear grand-mother, whole re- 
 ' femblance you carry along with you. 
 
 * It was that gave me fuch a kindnefs for 
 ' yoiir perfon the frrft time I faw you; 
 ' methought, perceiving foinething I 
 ' had never obferved in any other race of 
 
 * people. But,' laid he, ' I deprive my 
 
 * companions and children here of the 
 ' happinefs of embracing their ov/n flefh 
 ' and blood, fince we all I'prung from one 
 
 * common father, the author of our ua- 
 ' tion, with whom you are going to bts 
 
 * incorporated once more.' Kere we em- 
 braced one another with a joy that is in- 
 expreffible. Now all my former fears 
 were entirely vaniflied: ih.ough I had loft 
 the country whtTe I was born, I found 
 another, of which I could no ways be 
 afhamed, where the people were the raofl: 
 humane and civilized I ever faw, and the 
 foil the fineil, as I had reafon to hope, ia 
 the world. The only check to my hap- 
 pinefs was that they were infidels . How- 
 ever, I was refolved not to let any con- 
 ilderation blot out of my mind that I was 
 a Chriftian. On which account, when 
 the Pophar would have tied the medal 
 about my neck, as a badge of my race, 
 I had fome difficulty iii that point, for 
 fear it fhould be an emblem of idolatry^ 
 feeirg them to be extremely fuperllitious. 
 So I afked him, v?hat was the meaning of 
 tlie figure of the fun, with thofe unknown 
 charailers round about it. He told me 
 the cliara£lers were to be pronounced 
 Omahim, i.e. The Sun p the A^iihov of 
 our bring, or more lilerally. The Sun is 
 cur-Fattrr.' Cmov O;;, iignifies the Sun, 
 [ThiswiUbeexplainedinano herplace. J 
 Ab iignifies Father, Jm or Mim Us. This 
 made me remember, they had told meia 
 Egypt, that they were children- of the 
 Sun; and gave me fome uneatinefs at 
 their idolatrous notions. I therefore told 
 him, I would keep it as a cognizance of 
 my country; but could not acknowledge 
 any but God to be the fupreme Author 
 of my being. ' As to the fupreme Au- 
 
 * thor,' faid he, ' your opinion is littis 
 
 * cli.ferent from ours *.' 
 
 * Thefe peaple are fomething like the Chlnefe, who vvorflilp the mairerlal heaven or fky, 
 which iomi iDiiSanarii* could think corapatlbk v.ith Ghriltianity. 
 
 F • But 
 
42 
 
 GAITDENTIO DI LUCCA. 
 
 ' But let us lenvethcfe religious mat- 
 ters till another time : we'll dole this 
 happy dav with thankigiviug to tlic 
 fupreme Kcing for this difcovery : to- 
 nionow morning, fmce you are now 
 really one of us, I will accjuuint you 
 with your origin, and how we came 
 to hide ourlelves in thefe inholpitable 
 dclarts.' 
 
 [The reader is defired not to cenfure or 
 dtjhel'ieve the foili-xving account of the 
 ot igin and tranfmigration of thefe peo- 
 ple, till he has perufed the lear/ied re- 
 marks of Signal' Rhedi.] 
 
 The next morning the Pophar calling 
 me to him — ' Son,' laid he, ' to fulfil 
 ' my pjomife winch I made you lalt 
 
 * night, and that you may not be li'r;e 
 
 * the reft of the ignorant world, who 
 
 * know not who their forefathers and 
 
 * anceltors were* : whether they fpvung 
 
 * from brutes or Barbarians is all alike 
 ' to them, provided they can but gro%'cl 
 *■ ou tlie earth, as they do. You malt 
 
 know therefore, ns I fuppofe you r(^ 
 member what I told you at our fii ft 
 ftation, that we cante originally from 
 Egypt. When you alked me, how 
 we came to venture through thefe in- 
 hofpitable defaits, I told you, it wa3 
 for liberty, and the prefervationof our 
 laws ; but as you are now found to be 
 one of us, I defign to give you a more 
 particular account of your origin. Our 
 anceftois did originally come fronx 
 Egypt, once the happieft place in the 
 world : though the name of Egypt, 
 and Egyptians, has been given to that 
 countiy, long fmce we came out ot 
 it : the original name of it was Mez- 
 7oivimf , from the firft man that peo- 
 pled it, the father of our nation j 
 and we call ourfelves Mezzoranians 
 from h'm. We have a tradition de- 
 livered down to us from our firll 
 ancel'tors, that when the earth firlt 
 rofe out of the waterj, iix perfons, 
 three men and three women rofe along 
 with it J either fent by the iupieine 
 Deiiy to inhabit it, or produced by 
 
 * It would certa'itilv be a great fatlifaftion to mofl: nations to kno^v from what race of 
 pronl;, country, or family, they fprung originally. This ignorance is owing chiefly to the 
 BarWri Trainontani^; and other Northern nations, who have from time to time overrun 
 the fjce ot Europe ; leaving a mixture of their (pawn in all parts ot h; fo that no one 
 knows whether he came originally from Scythia or Afia, from a civilized na ion, or from 
 the piejteft brutfs; and though wars and invafions have deftroyed or interchanged the in- 
 habitints of mort countries, yet this man's obferv.uion ii a juit cenfure of the ncgkdt of 
 moft people, vfith refpr-ft to their genealogy and icnowledge of their anceftors, where they 
 have been fetlied in a country f.>r feveral ages. But theie are matters of greater moment: 
 in thisruans relirtK^n, true or falfe, which lead us into lome curioas remains of antieiiE 
 biftory. 
 
 ^ Signor Rhfdi being an Italian, one cannot wonder he fpeaks fo contemptibly of the 
 }s;ortl.crn people; the Italians call them all Barbari. 
 
 f The original name of Egypt was Mifraim; from Mlfiaim, Meforaim, or Metforaim, 
 a-; the learned Bochart explains it, lib. iv. of Geograph. Sacra in MilVaim, Mr. Du Fin's 
 Hillorv cf ih • Old 'lei^. c. vi, and others. All ancient authors agree, that it was once 
 the ris'heft and happieil country in the world; ftourilhlng with plenty, and even learning, 
 before the patriarch Abraham's' time. There is avery remarkable fragment of Eupolemus, 
 an ar.tict Hfathen writer, taken from the Babylonian monuments, preferved by Eufebius, 
 lib. ix^ Fr«javat. Evan. The words are, ' iiaL^'jivlai; >.iysi.7 -nr^irov y=v:-j-9ai E^?isv, I* 
 ' iTyat KpoTW iSsX'^Jv t3 Mc^jalw. -srar,-;.: Alj-./TAa^v.' The whole fragment, in our mother 
 tongue, fignilicf, that scKordi:ig to the Bab)!oiii.ins, the firft was Bt>!ns, the fame with 
 Kronos or Saturn ; from him came Ham or Cham, the father of Chanaan, brother to 
 Mefraim, father of the Egyptians. , „ , -r. n 
 
 t This is an obfcure notion of Noah's flood, known to all nations, at Icalt the haltern, 
 as appears by the oldeft remains, of which fee Bochart on that article, lib. i.' The earth 
 » rofe out of the water,' or the waters funk from the earth. Thefe people m'ght miftake 
 fomething of that undoubted and ancient trjditioii. But Mifraim could not be ignorant of 
 the flood, hi'^ fath-r Ham having been in the ark, wheclief ignorance or other motives made 
 his pofterity vary in the account; but it is evide.^t th^ ancie/us had a notion of the general 
 deluge, as n.ay oafily be proved by the remains of He*tiie.i 3u:hi>rHj. bearing teilimony to the 
 Scripture account ut it. ^ 
 
GAUDENTIO DI LUCCA. 43 
 
 * the Sun*. That Mezzoraim, our firft * world: extremely given to the fearch 
 
 * founder, was one of thofe fix ; who * of fciences, and contemplation of t!v 
 
 * encreafmg in number, made choice of ' heavens^. It vYas he who was tlieHrfi 
 
 * the country now calhd Egyptf, for ' inventor of all our arts, and whatever 
 
 * the place of his habitation, where he ' is ufeful for the government of life 
 ' (cttled with fixty of his children and * fpning from him. Though his grand- 
 
 * grandchildren, all whom he brought ' Ion Thaoth^ rather excelled him, par- 
 
 * along with him, goveining them as a * ticularly in the moie fublime (ciences. 
 
 * real father, and inftruf>ing them to ' Tims our anceltors lived four hundred 
 
 * live with one another as brothers of * years, encreafmg and fpreading over 
 
 * one and the fame familyj. He vv-as a ' all the land of Egypt, and abounding 
 
 * peaceable man, abliorring the (bedding ' with the bleiTings of peace and know- 
 
 * ofbloodjj, which lie faid woidd be pii- ' ledge; without guile or deceit, neither 
 
 * nifhed by the iupreme Ruler of the * doing or fearing h:irm from any j till 
 
 the 
 
 * The ancient Egyptians thought men, as well as infefls, were produced out of the flime 
 of the Nile, by tlie heat of the lun, and ca led themfelves Aborigines, as feveral other na- 
 tions did. Though this wife man is inclined to think they we're created by God, as it is\ 
 •evident and certuin they were; tor fin«e we fee one fingle infeft cannot be produced without 
 a caufe, it is nonfenfe, as well as impoflible, to imagine an infinite feries of men and ani- ; 
 mals could be produced without a feparate caufe : on which account Atheifm is one of the 
 moft foolirti and abfurd notions in the world. 
 
 -{- Herodotus tells us, the Egyptians pretended to be the firft inhabitants of the earth ; 
 though the Ethiopians contended with them for antiquity. I mu!t quote the words in 
 Latin, out of Laorenij Valla's tranflation, becaufe I have him not in Greek, ^ Omniums 
 
 * Homtium prlores fe (xtlt'ijfe arhitrahantur.—'Yhty efteemed themfelves,' fays he, ' to have 
 
 * been the firft of all men.' Her odot. lib. ii. Euterpf. 
 
 \ It is certain frorH Bochart, and other learned authors, that the Egyptian government, 
 as well as that of moft nations, was at firft patriarchal : till Nimrod founded the firft king- 
 dom or empire in the worloj wliofe example others followed, according to their power. 
 However, the patriarchal government was foon broke in upon in Egypt, fince they had 
 kings in Abraham and Ifaac's time, as we learn from the Old Teftament. See Bochart'* 
 Geographia Sacra. 
 
 11 The celebrated Bifhop of Meaux, in Part 111. of his Univerfal Hiftory, gives us a won- 
 derful defcription of the jullice and piety of the firft Egyptians, who had Uich a horror of 
 ihsdding nan's blood, that they punifhed theircriminais after they were dead ; which was 
 as much tn tcrrorim, conUi;ring their luperftitious reverence for their deceafed fiiends and 
 parents, as if they had been punifhed wiien alive. The reaion why the an^"ient moral 
 Heathens abhorred the /heddlng of blood might be, that Koah's fons having, lived before 
 the deluge, knew that the wickednefs of the world v.'as the caufe of that dreadful judgment; 
 and ftiedding of blond being the firft crime punifhed by God, they might take warning by 
 fuch teirible exa.nples, though the impiety of fomc nations foon obfcurcd this innate light 
 of nature, particularly the defcendants of Ham ; all but this Mifraim; who, with his fa- 
 mily, by all accounts, firft peopled Egypt; and they were noted for juftice and knowledge. 
 Jt will be made evident in the I'ubfequent remarks, that thefe Hickfoes were the defcendantt 
 of wicked Chanaan, or Cufh, who dcftroyed the peaceable ftate of the firft Egyptian^, and 
 introduced idolatry among them; which made great numbers of them ily into other parts 
 of the world to fave themfelves. 
 
 \ The fame learned Bifhupof Meanx, and other hifiorians, afTure u;, a: it h a thing 
 well known to all the learned, that arts and fciences were brought to very great perfection, 
 in the earlieft tinrjss in EgvpC. Mufes was inftrucled in the fciences of the Egyptians. 
 Triptolemusj the founde: of agriculture, can-e out of Egypt. Bacchus, the inventor of 
 wine, according to the ancients, came out of Egypt, or Libya, which borders upon it; 
 though it was firft learned from Ngah, Pythagoras, and other learned men, went intj 
 Egyut to be inftrudied by the priefts. iScc. Herodotus fays the fame of himfelf. 
 
 ^ This Tha-oth, the famous philofopher of the Egyptians, was before Mercury, or 
 Trifmegiftus ; though fome take him to be the fame. All allow him to be extremely 
 ancient, but cannot fix the time when he lived, Hiftorians murder his name at a ftrange 
 rate. Bochart calls him Ta-autus, lib. ii, cap. iz. Clemens Alex. lib. vi Strom, fajs, 
 he wrote xii. bo;)ks of adrology, geog'-aphy, phylick, policy, theology, rclijiion, and go- 
 vernment. Jofeph Ben-Gorlon De Divifione Gentium, calls him Tutis ; fome call hin\ 
 Thput; others Teut, Ta.ut, Thoth, &c. But, according to this man, his name was 
 Tt^a'-oth. It is certain, howcvir, that he was ihe jireit miller of the Egyptians, but de- 
 
 F 2 rived 
 
44 
 
 GAUDENTIO Dl LUCCA. 
 
 * the wicked defcenclants of the other 
 
 * iricn, called Hickfoes*, cnryinEj their 
 
 * happinefs, and the richnels ot their 
 
 * country, broke In upon them like a 
 
 * torrent, dcftroying ail before them, 
 
 * and taking poffefllon of that happy 
 
 * place our ancellors had rendered lb 
 
 * fiomifhing. The poor innocent Mez- 
 
 * 7oranians abhorring, as I faid, the 
 
 * fliedding of blood, and i?norant of all 
 
 * violence, weie (lain like meep all over 
 
 * the country, and their wives and daugh- 
 
 * ters violated before their eyes. Thole 
 
 * theirmercilefs enemy fpared, weremade 
 
 * flaves to work and till the earth for their 
 
 * new lords.' 
 
 [^Secretary. Here the Inquifitors Inter- 
 rupted him, and afked liim, whether 
 he tliought It unlawful in all cafes to 
 refill force by force, or \yhcthcr the 
 law of nature did not allow the Mez- 
 zoranians to refilt thofe cruel invaders 
 even ^o the fhedding of blood ; as nl(b 
 to pi;nirti puMick malefactors with 
 death forthe prefervationot the whole. 
 Their intent was, as they are cautious 
 of any r.ew opinions, to know v/hether 
 he might not be a Dogmatizer, and 
 advance fome erroneous notions, 
 either by holding tliat to be lawful, 
 which was not fo ; or denying things 
 to be lawful, which re::Ily may b; al- 
 lowable by the light of nature. 
 
 Gaudentio. Doubtlefs they might {awr 
 fully have refilled, even to the fhed- 
 ding of blood in that cafe, as pubiicjc 
 criminals may be put to death. I only 
 acquaint your Reverences with the no- 
 tions peculiar to thefe people : as for 
 the puniflimcnt of their criminals, your 
 Reverences will fee, when I come to 
 their lavys and cufl;oms, that they have 
 other ways and means of punifliing 
 crimes, as effeclual as putting to death; 
 though living entirely within them- 
 felves, free from all mixture and con\- 
 ■ merce with other people, theyhave pie- 
 ferved their primitive innocence In tnat 
 ref :ecl to a very great degree. 
 
 Inquifitor. Go on. 
 
 ThePophar continuing his relation, ad- 
 ded: ' Cut what was molt intolerable, was 
 
 ' that thefe impious Hickfoes forced them 
 
 ' to adore men and beafls, and even in- 
 
 ' fefts for gods : nay, and fome to fee 
 
 * their children offered in facrifice to 
 ' thofe inhuman deities-f. This dread- 
 
 * ful inundation fell at f.rfl only on the 
 ' lower parts of Egypt, which was then 
 *: the mod fluuriflTlng. As many of the 
 
 * dillrefied inhabitants as could efcapc 
 ' their cruel hands, fled to the upper 
 
 * parts of the country, in hopes to rind 
 
 * there Ibme little refpite from their mU- 
 ' fortunes. But alas', wh'v^t could they 
 
 rived his learr.b g from Noah, >vho might have the knowledge of arts and fciencesfrom the 
 Antediluvian world, Or from the columns of Seth, which Jofephus fays, contain the prin- 
 ciples of a.trclojv, and were erected before the fIo.-d by the rit:ph^ws of Seth : one uf whicji 
 columns, zz he fjys, remained in S^ria in his time. Joseph. Ant. lib. ii. c. 2. 
 
 * 'l"hc fame Jofephus, lib ii. Contra Appion, fays, that Hyckfoes, or Hycloes, an old 
 Egyptian word, lignifies EairiX^rc 'n^'</-'-i'''af — King Shepherds, or King of Beatls, given them 
 by the native Egyptians, as a name ot difgracc and contempt. It is out of all controveriy 
 that there was a great revolution in ligypt, about four hundred years after the flood, or a 
 little before .Abraham's time. Monlicur Du Pin ma!:es the time from the fl.iod to Abra- 
 ham s birth three hundred and tif!.y years, and about tour hundred to his being ca'led by 
 God. It is certain alfo, there were kings in Egypt in Abrahim's time. Jt is probable 
 thefe kirgs were the Hyckf„es, or king fhepherds, who altered the government of the an- 
 cient Egyptians, and continued about rive Icings re'gn?. For when the patriarch J< ftph 
 called his father and br thrtn into Egypt, he bid them aiTc the land of Gofhen to inhabit, 
 becaule, fai:i he, all fhepherds are aii abomination to the Egyptians. By which it appears 
 the Shepherds wer" lately driven out. In all likelihood thefe were the kings who introduced 
 idolatry and the adoration ■ f brute hearts among the Egyptians, for wiiich reafon they 
 called t!)?m in d:rifion A;r^yZ>r/./^fr(/i, or hrg hcojls. — Ilie great Bochart, in his Phaleg. 
 looks upon this rt-volution in Egypt to have been bifore Abraham's time,' and fo far from 
 bei;-g a fiftion, that he fays in cxprefs words — ' Cafiu:os & Cafthor^oi,'' (whom he proves 
 to be the pef)ple of Colchos, lor all it is fo far from Egypt) ' ex ^gypto migrcjjc lett-m eji 
 « ante Jlhralai;:} !fr:fi.rj.\ It is certain,' fays he, 'that the C'aflu.i ai.d the Capthora?! 
 * went out of Ejvpt before Abraliam's time." Bochart Phai.ec. lib. iv. c. 31. He~ 
 rod;)tis in Eute-pc fays, that the people of Colchos were oilginally Egyptians; though fome 
 fiv they went back funie ages afrei, and fettled in Pa eiliiie, and v. ete called atter that 
 Fhiliftir-.. 
 
 \ Thef" riyrkfoes being in ell aripear^iice the drf.cmlants of wicked Chanaan or Cufh, 
 were fo abn-nn ibly imp;ou5, as to faclfice human vidiims and childrea to th?ir talie godj; 
 and even wne the lirll authors 01 all jmpi;cy ana idoUuy. 
 
 • do? 
 
GAUDENTIO DI LUCCA. 
 
 45 
 
 • do ? they knew no ufe of aims : nei- 
 ' thcr wouk' their laws fufFer them to 
 ' ileftroy their own Tpecies ; fo that they 
 ' expected every hour to be devoured by 
 ' tlieir cruel enemies. The heads of the 
 ' famihes in inch diflrefs were divided 
 ' in their coiini'els, or rather they had 
 ' no counfel to follow: fome of them 
 ' fled into the neighbouring defarts, 
 ' which you have feen are very dilinal, 
 
 ' on both fide.s the upper part ot that 
 ' kingdom 5 they were dilperfed like a 
 
 • flock of fliecp fcattered by tlie raven- 
 ous wolves. The confternation was fp 
 great, that they were relblved to fly to 
 the fartheli parts of the earth, rather 
 than fall iniii the hands of thofe inhu- 
 man mor.fters. The greatelt part of 
 them agreed to build fliips, and try 
 their fortune by lea. Our great fatlier 
 Liuzzoraim had taught them the art of 
 
 • making boats*, to croi's the branches 
 of the Great River [Nile ; ] which fome 
 faid he had learned by being preferved 
 in fuch a thing from a terrible flood 
 that over-flowed all the landf . Which 
 inlirument of their prefervation theyfo 
 improved afterwards, that they could 
 crofs the Leffer SeaJ without any dif- 
 ficulty. This being refolvcd on, they 
 coiild not agree where to go ; fome 
 being refolved to go by one fea, fome 
 by the other. However, they fet all 
 hands to work, fo that in a year's time 
 they liad built a vail numberof veflels; 
 trying them backwards and forwards 
 along the coalts, mending what was 
 
 deficient, and improving what they 
 imagined might be for their gieatw 
 fecurity. They thought now, or at 
 leait their eagernels to avoid their ene- 
 mies made them think, they could go 
 with fatcty ail over the main lea. AsouT 
 anceflors had chiefly given themfelvts 
 to the ftudy of arts and fcicnces, and 
 the knowledge of nature, they were 
 the molt capable of fuch cnterprizes of 
 any people iu the world. Bnt the ap- 
 prelienfion of all that was niiferable 
 beingju.1: frefli before their eyes, quick- 
 ened their iud'.itiy tr) fuch a degree, as 
 none but men in the like circumrtanccs 
 can have a jufi: idea of. Moll of thefe 
 m.en were thofe who had fled in crowds 
 from Lower Egppf. The natural in- 
 habitants of the upper parts, though 
 they were in very great conllernition, 
 and built iliipsas fait as thcv couid,)^ 
 their fears were not fo immediate, ef- 
 pecially feeing the Hickfoes remained 
 yet quiet in their new poffeffions. But 
 news being brr.tght them, that the 
 Hickfoes began to flir again, more 
 fwarms of their cruel brood ftill flock- 
 ing into that rich country, they re- 
 folved now to delay the time no longer, 
 but to commit themfelves, wives and 
 children, with all that was moft dear 
 and precious, to the mercy of that in- 
 conftant element, rather than truft to 
 the barbarity of their own ipecies. 
 They who came out of the Lower 
 Egypt were refolved to crofs ihe Great 
 Seajl, and with immenfe labovn- were 
 • forced 
 
 * It is hi^My probable the Egyptians haH tjic knowledge of /hipping longbefore the Greeks, 
 whole firft Ihip was Argo, built by Jafon to fetch ihe golden fleece from Colchos. The firfl 
 notion of fhipp'ng was undoubtedly ta!:en from tiie ark; the Egyptians were necsITitated to 
 make ufe of boats, by reafon of the annual overflowing of the river Nile, and to pafs tht 
 different branches into which that famous river divides itfelf in the Lower Egypt. Ths Si- 
 donians, whom B;;chart proves to be the defcendants of Chanaan, hjd the ufe of fhipping, 
 as he alfo proves, before the ;:hildren of Ifrael departed out of Egypt. 
 
 f In all appearance this mull have been Noah's flood, which 'tis ir.uch Sijnor Rhidi 
 palVes over in his rema-ks, * 
 
 \ Egypt is bounded on the one fide by the end of the Mediterranean \ on the other fide by 
 the Red Sea, dividing it from Arabia : this lie calls the LcflTer Sea, as beirg much narrower 
 ilian tlie Mediterranean. 
 
 II This Great Sea, as dilinguilhetJ from the Lefs, muft be the Mediterranean. Thofe 
 who fled by that fea, muii b- thofe who went to Colches; they could not go by land over 
 the jfthmus, bccaufe the Hickfoes poured in upon them that way ; we muft not fuppofe 
 they w-nt a!) the way by fea to Colchos, quite round by the Streights of Hellcfpont. They 
 muft crofs t^ c end of the Mediterranean, and go by land the flioi tcft way they could, till 
 they came to the borders of the Euxine Sea. It is almoft incredible men fliould go fo far 
 to feek an habitation. But Bochart fays, it is certain the people of Colchos came out of 
 Egypt; they mud therefore have been driven out by fome terrible enemies. You will fay, 
 why may n't this liriV revolution in Eg;pt, wliich Bochart fper.ks of, have been made by 
 the great Scralramisj wilt to Ninus, tht; iuvk of Nlmrcd ? It is aiifv.-:red in the full place, 
 
 bccaufe 
 
46 GAUDENTIO DI LUCCA. 
 
 * forced to carry their materials partly * off again in cafe they were purfneij. 
 « by land, till they cameto the outermoft * This we learnt from the account of 
 
 * branch of the Nile, fince :heirenemies * ouranceftors who met with fome of 
 ■ * coming over the Ifthmus, though they ' them that came to vifit the tombs of 
 
 * hin-leri-d them from going out of their ' their dccealed parents, as we do ; but 
 
 * country by land, unkfs by the defarts, ' it is an immenfe time fince, and we 
 
 * yet had not taken poflelTion of that part ' never heard any more of them. The 
 
 * of the coimtry. Itisncedlelstorecount * other part, who were much the greater 
 
 * their cries and lamentations at their * number, w>.nt down the Lefler Seaf , 
 
 * leaving their dear country. I fhall on- * having built their fliips on that feaj 
 
 * ly tell you, that they ventured into the * they never flopped or touched on either 
 
 * Great Sea, which they croffed, and ' fide, till they came to a narrow part of 
 
 * never (topped till they came to another * it J, which led them into the vait ocean, 
 
 * fea*, on the fides of which they fixed ' there they turned off to the left into 
 
 * their habitation, that they might go * the Eafcern Sea§. But whether tliey 
 
 ' were 
 
 bfcaufe Tofephus calls the firft- "invaders of Egypt Baa-iXeT; woi/^svar, king Jhef-herds, which 
 cannot agree with the great heroine Semiratnis. zdly, Becaule it is not credible, notwith- 
 iiaiiding the contrary opinion of moll: hiftorians, that Ninus, the hulband of Semiiamis, 
 6ould befo early as they make him to be, i. e. the fon of Nimrod, but fome other Ninus, 
 long after him. For though Semiran/is conquered Egypt, and afterwards loft her army 
 againft the y^thiopians, this could not be fo fwon after the flood; bccaufe blflorians defcrib« 
 that army to confift of three hundred thoufand men in(lru6ted in difciplijie after a military 
 manner, armed with warlike chariots, &c. as were the /Ethiopians acainil her, and even 
 fuperior to her. I fay, it is not credible lucn great armies could be raifed fo foon after the 
 flood, if (he was daughter-in-law to Nimrod the great hunter, who was the fon of Cufli, 
 and great grandfon to Noah. 
 
 * i. e. The Euxine Sea. 
 -{■ i. e. The Red Sea. There were feveral other revolutions in Egypt, as, by the j^thi- 
 opians, after Semiramis was conquered ; who were expelled r.^ain, either by the great Sefoftris, 
 of whom Herodotus relates fuel) famous exploits; or a littie before by his predeceflor. The 
 Ch3naani»es alfo, who were driven out oi Palefiine by Jofhua, conquered part of it, as we 
 ihjjl fee afterwards. Long after that^ it v;as fubdued by Nabacod<inofor, who deflroyed the 
 renowned city of Thebes, with her hundred gates. Bochart in Ninive. Then the Fcr- 
 IJans under Cambyfes, the fon of Cyrus the Great. In fine, the Romans made a province 
 of It in Augurius's time. Strabo fays of that famous city of Thebes— ' vuvi 11 >i.ii.f.nii) 
 
 * s-i/veixE'iTai. Atprefent,' fays he, .* it is but a poor village.* 
 
 ^tqucvctus Thebc centum jacet chtruta fcrtis. Juven. Sat. 15, 
 
 X This muft be the Streights of Babelmandel, which let them into the vaft Eaftern 
 Ocean. 
 
 ^ it is likely that colony was carried to China ; f(!r, letwhat will come of this man's re- 
 lations, there are very llroi.g reafons to believe, that the Chiacfe, notwithl>anding the vaft 
 diftance from Egypt, came originally from that country, abovit the time of the invafion of 
 the king Jhrfherch , which was ttforc Jacob and his fon? went into the land of Egypt. For 
 whoever compares the account given by the karned Bifhop of Meaux, in the third part of 
 hi; UniverfalHillory,of the lives and maniK;is of the fiilt Egyptians, with thofe of theChi- 
 iirfe, will find them to agree in a gieat many points. As ift, their boallcd antiquity ; zdly, 
 thir fo early knowledge of arts and fciences : ^dlyi their veneration for learned men, who 
 hjve the preference before others: 4thly, the r policy: 5thly, their unaccountable fuper- 
 llition for their deceafed parents : 6thly, their annual vifiting the faqiily of their ancertors: 
 7t-i!y, their peaceable oifpofitions : ?chly, their religious woifiiip. As for tiiis lad, it is 
 well known the firit E\;yptians wor.'hinped ths fun, long before the gods Apis, and Ifis, and 
 Anubis, were ir.troductd among thejn by their idolatrous invaders. And theChinefe to this 
 day woiftip the tnr.teriul Lewvea, as is feen in the condernnationof tlie Jefuits'by Clerr). XI. 
 • Laitly, the ufe of pyramids in tgypt, which vyere like ancient idols ami/ng the ChinefeJ See 
 X\\'- account of them * in Moreri -J-. ^The on^y difi|iculty is to know how they got from 
 F.gjp*. to China, which is not fo infupportable as people may iraaginr. It is certain, ihe 
 iigyptians, as has been remarked, had a very early knowltdfic of navigation^ Jt is certain 
 aUoj ',h jt in thvlc barbarous invafjons, the invaders of kingdoms a.'moft der.royed all be- 
 
 • ]. t. Pyramids. ■\ Ed"tio Clcrlcl. 
 
 fore 
 
GAUDENTIO DI LUCCA. 
 
 V 
 
 were fwallowcd up in the mercilefs 
 abyls, or carried into fome unknown 
 regions, we cannot tell, for they were 
 never heard oi" more. Only of late 
 years, we have heard talk, at Grand 
 Cairo, of a very numerous and civi- 
 lized nation in the eaftern parts of the 
 world, whole laws and cuitoms have 
 fonie rcfemblance to ours ; but who, 
 and what they are, we cannot tell, fince 
 we have never met with any of them. 
 ' The father of our nation, fince we 
 feparated oui-felves from ihe reft of the 
 world, who was priell of the Stin at 
 No-om*, (called afterwards by rhofe 
 mifcreants No-Ammonf, becaul'e of 
 the temple of Hammon) was notalleep 
 in this general contternation ; but did 
 not as yet think they would come up 
 fo high into the land. However, he 
 thought proper to loo'; out for a place 
 to fecure himielf and family in cafe of 
 need. He was the deicendant, in a 
 dire6l line, from the great Tha-oth ; 
 and was perfe6lly verfed in all the 
 learned fciences of his anceftors. He 
 gueffed there muft certainly be fome 
 
 ' habitable country beyond thoredr<^ad~ 
 
 * ful fands that furrounded him, if he 
 
 * could but find a way to it, where h<; 
 
 * might fecure himfclt and family ; at 
 ' leaft, till thofe troubles were over: for 
 
 * he did not atthat time thinkof leaving 
 ' his native country for good and all. 
 
 * But, like a true father of his people, 
 
 * which the name of Pophar implies, he 
 
 * was refolved to venture his own life, 
 
 * rather than expofe his whole family to 
 ' be loft in thofe difmal defarts. He 
 ' had live Ions and five daughters mar- 
 
 * ried to as many fons and daughters of 
 
 * his deceafed brother f. His two eldeft 
 ' fons had even grand-children, but his 
 ' twoyoungeft fons as then had no chil- 
 
 * dren. He left the government and 
 
 * care of all to his eldeft fon, in cafe he 
 
 * himfelf (hould mifcarry; and took hi* 
 
 * two youngeft fons, who might bell be 
 ' fpared, along with him. Having pro- 
 
 * vided themfelves with water for ten 
 
 * days, with bread, and dried fruits, 
 ' juft enough to I'ublift on, he was re- 
 
 * folved to try five days journey end> 
 
 * ways through thefe fands, and if he 
 
 fore them. Since we find therefore in the mof{ ancient hlftories, that tlierewasamofl terrible 
 revolution In Egypt about that time made by the people, whofe cuftjms the Egyptians had 
 in abomination, the Cliinefe might feck their fortune by fia, and might be carried beyond 
 the Perfian gulph, till they came to Cochin China, from whence they might get into the 
 main continent, and fo people that vaft empire ; preferving their ancient laws and cuftoms 
 inviolable. So that, whatever becomes of this man's relation, it is extremely probable the 
 Cliinffecamcfiift from Egypt. 
 
 • No-om, or No-on, fignities, in the old Mezzoranian, or old Egyptian language, the 
 Houfe of the Sun. Their words are made up of monofyllables put together like the Chi- 
 nefe, which is another reafon why the Chincfe ought to be looked upon as a colony of the 
 Egyptians. Vide the remarks ot the foregoing part of this relation. The patriarch Jcfeph 
 married the daughter of the prieli- of On ; which feveral learned men fay, is the fame with 
 Heliopolis, or City of the Sun. From N$ comes the Egyptian Noir.es, or divifions of the 
 country, which the great Ijuch art, in his Phalcg, fays is an Egyptian, not a Greek word, 
 though Dynafly is Greek. Bochart, lib. iv. c. 24. Hence very likely came the No- 
 mades and Numida;, from their wandering, and frequently changing their habitation, or 
 names ; the firft and moit ancient of all nations lived thus. 
 
 -|- That is, the houfe or temple of Ham, or Hammon; orCharnoon,or Chum, asBochsrC 
 varies it. This Ham wis the Tyrian Jupiter, and in this place was afterwards fituated 
 the great city of Thebes, as has been observed before, called by the Greeks Diofpolis, or 
 the city of Jupiter. Cadmus, v.'ho was of Thebes in Paleftine, being driven cut from thence 
 by Joihja, built it; but was driven out from it, and forced to retire to Tyre, from whence 
 he conduced a colony of Tyrians, or baniHied Chanaanite^, into Bcsotia, where he built 
 Thebes alfo, or rather the citadel of Thebes, called Cadmeia. Vide Bochart, in Cadmus 
 and Hermione. Which lalt, the fame author fays, came originally from Mount Hermon 
 in Paleftine; and as that word in the Chananean language fignifies a Serpent, from hence 
 arofe the fable of the ferpenc's teeth turning into men. The temple of Jupiter- Ammon, or 
 Kammon, in Africa, was built by the Chinani, who fpread themfelves from Egypt int* 
 L.'iya. 
 
 X It is certain that the ancients, particularly the Eaftern nations, married their nigh 
 relations, as well as ths Jews, to keep up rheir nsmes or tribes ; but we don't find inhiftory 
 that they married thcirown lifters, till the Ptrfians kings, who were condemned fur it by 
 the Greeks. The Egyptians under the Ptolemies followed that barbarous cv»ftom, though 
 they begun with Ptolemy Lagus, one of the captains of Alexander; the Yncas in Americs 
 4id the fame, net to profane their blood, as theyfaid, with sther mixtures, 
 
 *faw 
 
4« 
 
 * faw no li8p« of making a difcovery 
 
 * that time, to return again before his 
 » provifious WL-re Ipent, and then try the 
 
 * lame metliod towards another quarter. 
 
 * In Oiort, he let out with all it^crecy, 
 
 * and pointing his rourfe dire<511y weft- 
 
 * ward, the better to guide himfclf, he 
 
 * came to the firit grove that we arrived 
 
 * at, in a little more time than we took 
 
 * up in coming thither. Plaving now 
 
 * time enough before him, and feeing 
 
 * there was water and fruits in abund- 
 
 * ance, he examined the extent of that 
 *■ delicious vale j he found It was large 
 
 * enough to ful^lift a great many thou- 
 
 * fands, in cafe they fiiould increafe and 
 ' be forced to ftaythtrrfomegencrations, 
 « as in rfteet they did. After thi--, he 
 
 * laid in provifions as before, with dates 
 
 * and fruits of tiie natural produce of the 
 
 * earth, finer than ever were feen in 
 « Egypt, to encourage them in their 
 
 * tranli-nigration, and lb fct out ag.u'n 
 « for his native cotir.try. Tliciimepre- 
 
 * fixed for his return was elapfcd by his 
 
 * ftav in viewing the country j fo thaj: 
 
 * his' people had entirely given him for 
 
 * lolt. But the joy for his unexpefteJ 
 ' return, with the promlfmg hopes of 
 
 * fuch a fafe and happy retreat, made 
 *■ theni vnanimoully refolve to follow 
 
 * him. Whei'eforc, on the firft news of 
 
 * the Hickfoes being in motion again, 
 
 * they packed up all their effects and 
 
 * provifions as privately as they could; 
 
 * but particularly all the monuments of 
 
 * arti and fclences left by their ancellors, 
 
 * with notes and ohiervatlons of every 
 
 * part of their deai" country, which they 
 
 GAUDENTIO DI LUCCA. 
 
 were going to leave, but lio})ed to fes 
 again when the ftorm wa.iov'cr. They 
 arrived without any confiderable diJ- 
 ai^er, and relblved only to live in tents 
 tdl they could retu.'-u to their native 
 homes. As they enax-afed in num- 
 ber, they defcended further into tiif 
 vale, which there began to fpread itlelf 
 dirtcrent ways, and fupplied them with 
 all the necefliiries and conveniencies of 
 life; fo that they lived In the happielt 
 banlfliment they could wlflr; never 
 f1 Irring out of the vale for feveral years, 
 for fear of being difcovered. The 
 Pophar finding himfelfgrowcld, (hav- 
 ing attained almolt two hundred years 
 of age*) though he was h;de and 
 Itrong for his years, refolved to vifit 
 his native country once more before he 
 died, and get wliat intelligence he 
 could for the cotmnon inteielt. Ac- 
 cordingly, he and two more difguifed 
 themfelves, and repaifed the defarts 
 again. They iulf ventured at firft into 
 the bonlers of the country ; but, alas! 
 when he came there, he found it all 
 over-run by the barbarous Hickfoes. 
 All the poor remains of the Mezzora- 
 nians were made flaves ; and thoic 
 barbarians had begun to build habita- 
 tions, and elfablifli themfelves, as if 
 they dcfigned never more to depart the 
 country. They had made No-om one 
 of theirchief towiisf , where theyerciTf- 
 ed a temple to their Ram-GodJ, call- 
 ing it No-Hammon 1|, with liich in-- 
 human laws and cruellies, as drew u 
 flood of tears from his aged eyes §- 
 However, being a man of great pru- 
 
 * The regular lives of the firft Egyptians, and of thefe people deftendsd from them; to- 
 ret^>er with tht: climate, their diet cf truirs and liquors, their exemption (Vom violent p.Tf- 
 fiDa-*", vvithoutbeing corrupted by the fpurious fpawn of other nations, and the like, raighi 
 contribue very much to the length 'f their lives, and iirengthproporcionably. The Ma- 
 crobii, or Long-livers, a people of /Iit!ii«pia, and a colony of the ancient Egjptiins, lived 
 to a vjft ;ige. and were called Macrobii, from their long lives. Sec Herodotus of the 
 ^"th op ans ; and what he fays of the'r ilrength in the bow; one of which they fent to 
 Cambvfes, VA'henhehad denounced war agair.ft them ; f.iying. that when he cniild liend that 
 bow, he might make war againflr them ; v/hich bow only Smerdis, Cambyfes's brother, 
 could bend, and fir that realon was af er>vards put to death b? his brother out of envy. 
 
 ■j- It leems Thebes, though aftei wards fuch a prodigious city, was then bat the head of 
 the nameof that man's family. 
 
 J Jupiter Hanmion, whom BocharC proves to have been Ham or Cham, the fon of 
 Noaii, was leprefented wiih a ram's head, which was held in fuch abomination by the fill* 
 Ii»ypiiaiis, from whence they called thofe firft invaders Hickfoes; 
 
 11 No-Hammon, the houfeoFthe Ram-God.- 
 
 ^ Itis likely he means Bufiridis Aras, fo infamous in antiquity; dr the cruel Bufii's", 
 who facrificed kis gueft'. Though hiftorians don't agreeabont the time when Bufl'is lived, 
 vhich fticv.'S he was very ancient, yet ail a;^eee, he was a monfter of cruelty,^ and became 3< 
 piiiveib on that r.ccount. 'This was a very natural reafon for the Egypti.ms to difperle thera- 
 ulvc: latJ fu many colonics as they did, to avoid fuch cruelciesi 
 
 * dcQCCi 
 
GAUDENTIO DI LUCCA. 
 
 49 
 
 * dcnce and forefight, he eafily imagin- 
 
 * ed, by their tyrannical way of living, 
 
 * they could not continue long in that 
 
 * ftate without fome new revolution. 
 
 * After making what obfervations he 
 
 * could, and vifiting the tombs of his 
 
 * fore-fathers, he returned to the vale, 
 
 * and died in that place where you faw 
 
 * the pyramid built to his memory. Not 
 
 * many generations after, according as 
 
 * he liad forefeen, the natives, made de- 
 
 * fperate by the tyrannical oppreffions 
 
 * of the Hickfoes, were forced to break 
 
 * in upon their primitive laws, which 
 
 * forbade them to fhed blood ; made a 
 
 * general infurreilion; and, calling in 
 
 * their neighbours around them, fell 
 
 * upon the Hickfoes when they leaft ex- 
 
 * pefted it, and drove them out of the 
 
 * country, They were headed by a 
 
 * brave man of a mixt race, his mother 
 
 * being a beautiful Mezzoranian, and 
 
 * and his father a Sabian*. After 
 
 * young conqueror had driven out the 
 
 * Hickfoes, heeftabliflicd anew form of 
 
 * government, making himfclf king over 
 
 * his brethren, (liut not after tlie tyran- 
 ' nical manner of the Hickibes) and 
 
 * grew very powerful. Our anceltors 
 
 * fent perlbns from time to time to in- 
 
 * form themfelves how matters went. 
 
 They found the kingdom in a flourifli- 
 ing condition, indeed, mider the con- 
 quering Sofsf, for fo he was called. 
 He and hi'> fucceffors made it one of 
 the moft powerfid kingdoms of the 
 earth ; but the laws were different from 
 what they had been in tlie lime of our 
 anceftors, or even from thofe the great 
 Sofs had eftablifhed. Some of his 
 fucceffors began to be very tyrannical ; 
 they made (laves of their brothers, and 
 invented a new religion; Ibme adoring 
 the fun, fome the gods of the Hick- 
 foes ; fo that our anceftors, as they 
 could not think of altering their lavv-s, 
 though they might have returned a- 
 gain, chol'e rather to continue Hill un- 
 known in that vale, under their patri- 
 archal government. Neverthelefs, in 
 procel's of time, they increafed fa 
 much, that the country was not capa- 
 ble of maintaining them; fo that they 
 had been obliged to return, had not 
 another revolution in Eygpt forced 
 them to fcek out a new habitation. 
 This change was made by a race of 
 people called CnanimJ, as wicked 
 and barbarous in etfe6f, but more 
 politick, than the Hickfoes ; though 
 fome faid they were originally the fame 
 people, who bting driven out of their 
 
 • Thefe Sabaeans were the defcendants of fome of the fona of Chiifti, or Chufs, a very 
 tall race of men, great negotiators, and more polite than the other Arabians. Bochart, in 
 Sebafilio Chus, where he quotes a paflage out of Agatharcides of the handfomnefs of the 
 Sabaeans— 
 
 • To, a-d)(A,cL\a. Iq-i tmv narotKiivlciiV a^isXoyi'TEcct.— 
 
 * The bodies of the inhabitants [the Sabseans] are more majeftick than other men.' 
 
 ■f This mud: be the great Sefoftris or Sefofis, of whom the learned Bifhop of Meaux, 33 
 alfo Herodotus, fays fuch g'orious things. Though authors da not fay precifely when he 
 lived, all acknowledge him to have flourirtied in the earlieft times. He extended his con- 
 «]uefts over the greateft part of the Eaft, and aimoft over the known world, as fome fay. 
 "Where his enemies were cowards, and made no refiftance, he fet up ftatues of them refem- 
 biing women. Herodot. lib. ii. Euterpe. Moks. de Meaux, par. hi. Hist. 
 Univ. This great conqueror's name is very much varied by authors. 
 
 X Thife in all appearance were the wicked Ghananeans, who being to bedeftroyed, and 
 being driven out of Chanaan by Jofliua, difperfed themfelves, and invaded the greateft part 
 of the countries round about them. Bochart in Chanaan proves almoft demonftrab'y, that 
 they difperfed themfelves over ail theiflands and fea-ports of Europe, Afia, and Africa. Ir» 
 his preface he quotes a moft curious palTage out of Procopius De Bello Vandelico, of a pil- 
 lar that was found in Africa, with a Phenician or Chananean infcription v.'hich fignifies ia 
 Greek— 
 
 HMEIS E2MEN 01 OETrCN'TEX AUO nPHIOnOT IH^OY TOT AH2T0T YIOY NATH, 
 
 « We are thofe who fled from the face of Jefus, or Jofhua the robber, the fon of Nave.* 
 Eufebius, in Chronico, has much the fame; and St. Auft!n, in his City of God, fays, that 
 the ancient country people about Hippo in Africa, who were the remains of the ancient Car- 
 thaginians, if you a/ked them who they were, would anfwer— .' We are originally Chanani^ 
 * or Chananean^. "., 
 
 G * owi? 
 
^a 
 
 GAUDKNTIO DI LUCCA. 
 
 ' own country by others more powerful 
 ' than thcnifelves, came pouring in, not 
 
 * only over all the land ot Mezoraim, 
 ' but all along the coaits ot" both leas, 
 
 * deftroyin;^ afl beforethem, with greater 
 « abominations than the Hicitlots had 
 < ever been guilty of: in ihort, a faith- 
 
 * lefs and molt perfidious race of men, 
 
 * tliat corrupted the innocent manners* 
 
 * of the whole earth. Our forefathers 
 
 * were in the moft dreadful confternation 
 
 * imaoinable. There was now no pro- 
 
 * fpe£l of ever returning into their an- 
 
 * cient country. They were Inrrounded 
 « with delaits on all fides. The place 
 
 * they were in beg .m to be too narrow for 
 « fo many thoufands as they were in- 
 
 * creafed to : nay, they did not know but 
 « the wicked Cnanim, who were at the 
 
 * fjm.e time the boldelt and moll enter- 
 
 * pii/ing nation under the funf, might 
 < find them out Ibme time or other. Being 
 
 * in thii diitref?, they refolved lo feek out 
 
 * anewhiriiitation; and,toth:itend,com- 
 
 * parfd all the notes and o; icvvations on 
 ■^ the heavens, the courfe of the fun, the 
 « feafons and nature of the climate, and 
 
 * whatever elfe mij^ht direct them what 
 
 * courfe to Ifeer. They did rot doubt 
 ■* but that there might he Ibme habitable 
 
 * countries in thcmidft of thofe valt de- 
 
 * farts, perhaps as delicious as the vale 
 
 * t'.iey lived in, if they coul-d but come 
 
 * at them. Several p^ribns were fent out 
 
 * to make Ciifcoveriesj but without fuc- 
 « cefs. Tlie finds were too vaft to travel 
 
 * ovt r witiiout water, and they could find 
 ' no iprings nor rivers. At length the 
 ' moll fagacious of them began to reflect, 
 
 * that the annual overflowing of the gr'eat 
 
 * river Nile, whofe head could never be 
 
 * found out, niuft proceed from foms 
 ■* prodigious rains which fell Touthward 
 
 of them about that time of the year J 
 which rains, if they cculd but luckily 
 time and meet with, might not only 
 fupply them with water, but alio ren- 
 der the country fertile where they fell. 
 Accordingly the chief Pophar, alTifted 
 by fome of the wifeft men, gencroufly 
 refolved to run all rifques to fave his 
 
 ' people. They computed the precife 
 time when the Nile overflowed, and al- 
 lowed for the time tiie waters muft take 
 
 ' in defcending ib fai' as Egj'pt. They 
 
 ■ thought therefore, if they could b\it 
 carry water enough to i'upply them till 
 
 ■ ihey met with thefe rains, they would 
 
 ■ help them to go on further. At length 
 
 * fiveaf them let out, with ten dromeda- 
 ' lies, carrying as much water and pro- 
 ' vifions as might fervethem for fifteen 
 ' days, to bring them back again in caie 
 
 * there was no hopes. 
 
 ' They fteered their courfe as we did, 
 '' though not quite lb exaft the firft time^ 
 ' till they came to the place, where we 
 ' are now. Finding here, as their notes 
 
 * tell us I, a little rivulet, which is fince 
 ' fwallowed up by tiie fands, they filled 
 ' their veflels, and went up to take an 
 ' obfervation, as we did ; but feeing the 
 
 * figns of the gieat hurricanes, which 
 
 * was our greatcrt encouragement, it had 
 
 * like to have driven them into defpair }■ 
 
 * for the Pophar, knowing the danger 
 
 * of being over\vhelm.cd in the fands, 
 
 * thought of nothing but flying back as 
 ' faft as he could, fcaiing to be fwal- 
 
 * lowed up in thofe ftifling whirlpools. 
 
 * This apprehenfion made him lay afide 
 ' all thoughts of fucceeding towards that 
 
 * climate ; and now his chisf care was 
 
 * how to get back again with fafety for 
 
 * himfdf and his people. But finding 
 
 * all continue tolerably ferene where they 
 
 *' The celebrated Bochart; fo often quoted, proves that the Phoenicians or Carthaginians, 
 whom he alio proves to have been Chananeans, were the perfons who ipread idolatry, with 
 all the tribe of the Heathen gods, and their abominable rite-, over the whole world. 
 EocHART IN CuANAAN. The fame author fays, the Phocnicijns, or Chanani, invaded 
 Egvpt about that very time. This he proves diredtly : and that they had their Caftra about 
 JWeiTipais; as alio that CadmM and Phenix, whom he makes contemporaries with Jofhua, 
 having fled before him, came out of Egypt afterwards; and built Thebes in Boeotia. See alfo 
 Herodotus in EuTERVr. 
 
 -f HeroJotus fav.r, that they failed (even in thofe early davi^ fiom the Red Sea, round 
 Afric», and came bick to Egypt, through the Streights, and up the Mediterranean. 
 HKRonoT. M»i.T0MTNT-, and Bochart. Tliat Hanno the elder, by order of the 
 fsiiate of Carthage, failed round chegreateft part of the world, and after his return delivered 
 TO them sn account ct his voyage, which is called the Periplus of Hanno. He. afteftrd to be 
 honoured as a god for it, and lived before Solomon's time. Bocuart in CHA^AA^", 
 
 3L.IB. i- c. 37. r c \ e 
 
 1 Th'ife wir- ancients kept records of every thing that was memorable and ufeful tor 
 their people, if this had been the praflicc of the Europeans, we ftwuld no: have loft fo 
 tnany fecrets ef nature as we faavc. ' 
 
GAUDENTJO DI LUCGA.. 
 
 St 
 
 * -were, they made a halt in order to 
 
 * make i'ome farther obfervations. In 
 
 * the mean time, they reflefted that thole 
 hurricanesmuilbe tore-runners of tem- 
 peits and rain. Tlren they recoUeiled 
 that no rain, or what was very incon- 
 fiderable, ever fell in Egypt*, or for 
 a great way fouth of it, till they came 
 within the tropicks; and tiience con- 
 cluded, that the rams muft run parallel 
 with the equator, both under it, and 
 for foine bier.'.lth on both fides, till 
 they met the rife oi the river Nile, and 
 there cauled thole valt inundations fo 
 hard to be accounted for by other peo- 
 ple. That, in fine, thofe rains muft 
 lalt a conliderable while, and probably, 
 though beginning with teinpelfs, might 
 continue in fettled rain, capable of be- 
 ing palled through. Then he at firft 
 reloived to venture back, again to the 
 firlf vale,- but being a man of great 
 prudence, he preiently confidered, that 
 as he could not proceed on his way 
 without rains, fo he could not come 
 back again but by the fame help, 
 which coming only atone feaibn, muft 
 take up a whole year before he could 
 return. However, he was refolvcd to 
 venture on, not doubting but if he 
 could find a habitable country, he 
 Ihould alfo find fruits enough to fubfift 
 on, till the next feafon. Therefore 
 hevordered two of his companions to 
 return the fame way they came, to tell 
 his people not to expcft him till the 
 next year, if Providence fhoidd bring 
 him back at all ; but if he did not re- 
 turn by the time of the overflowing 
 of the Nile, or thereabouts, they might 
 give him over for loft, and muft never 
 attempt that way any more. They 
 took their leaves of one another as if 
 it were the laft adieu, and fet out at 
 the fame time ; two of them for their 
 homes in the firft vale, and the other 
 three lor thofe unknown regions; be- 
 ing deftitute of all other helps but thofe 
 of a courageous mind. The three 
 came back to this place, where it thun- 
 dered and lightened as it does now ; 
 
 * but the Pophar obferved it ftiU tended 
 
 * fide-ways, and guefTecJ, when the firft 
 
 * violence was over, the lains might b» 
 ' more lettled. The next day it fell out 
 
 * asheforel;;vv; whereiipon,i"ecommend- 
 
 * ing himielf to the great A.thor of our 
 ' being, he launched boldly out into that 
 ' vatt ocean of fi»nds and rain, fteering 
 ' his courle fouth-weft, rather inclining 
 
 * towards the fouth. They went aa far 
 ' as the heavy fands and rains would let 
 
 * them, till their drom.edaries could iard- 
 
 * ly go any farther. Then they pi tcaed 
 ' their tents and refrefhtd thenik-ives jult 
 ' eno'.igh to undergo new labour, weii 
 ' knowing all their lives depended on 
 ' their expedition. They obferved the 
 
 * fands to be of a different kind from 
 ' vv-hat they bad feen hitlierio, fo fine, 
 
 * that anv guft of wind muft overwheliu 
 ' man and beaft, only the rains had. 
 ' clogged and laid them. 
 
 * Not to prolong your expcflation too 
 
 * much : they went on thus for ten days, ^ 
 
 * till the rains began to abate; then they 
 
 * faw their lives or deaths wouldfoonbede- 
 
 * termined. The eleventh day the ground 
 
 * began to grow harder in patches, with. 
 
 * here and there a little mofs on thefur- 
 ' face, and now and then a fmall wither- 
 
 * ed fnrub. This revived their hopes, 
 ' that they Ihould find good land in a Ihort 
 ' lime, and in effeft the foil changed for 
 ' the better every llep they took ; and 
 
 * now they began to fee little hills co- 
 ' veied v/ith grafs, and the valleys fink 
 ' down as if there might be brooks and 
 
 * rivers. The twelfth and thirteenth day 
 ' cleared all their doubts, and brought 
 
 * them into a country, which, though 
 
 * not very fertile, had both water and 
 
 * fruits, with a hopeful profpeft further 
 ' on of hills and dales, all habitable and 
 
 * fiouri/hing. Here they fell profcate 
 ' on the earth, adoring the Creator of 
 
 * all things, who had condu6fed them 
 ' fnfe through fo many dangers, and 
 
 * killing the ground, which was to be 
 
 * the common nurfe for them, and, as 
 
 * they hoped, for all theii- pofterity ; 
 ' when they had repofed tbemfcivcs for 
 ' fome days, they proceeded further into 
 ' the country, which they found to mend 
 
 ♦ This is well known by all the defcriptions of that country, the inundation of the Nile 
 fupplying the want of it, and making it one of the moft fertile kingdoms in the world ; 
 every one knows it was once the granary of the Roman empi/e. However, fome fmall 
 rain fabs fometimes : nor is there any more higher up in the country. The overflov.-ing 
 of the Nile is known to be caufed by vaft rains falling under the line, or about that c.i- 
 mate ; and fince thofe don't take Egypt and the adjoining part of Africa in their way, they 
 muft by confequence run par^iUcl wiUl the line j which was a very natural and philofophical 
 lDKsiva;lon of th«fe wife men. 
 
 C a * upon 
 
52 
 
 GAUDENTIO DI LUCCA. 
 
 * upon them the more they advanced 
 
 * into it. Not intending to return till 
 « next year, they I'ought the properelt 
 
 * place for their habitation j and letting 
 
 * lip m.uks at every modtrate diilance 
 
 * not to lofe their way back again, they 
 
 * made for the highelt hills they could 
 
 * fee, from whence they perceived an 
 
 * immenfe and delicious country every 
 
 * wav ; but, to iheir greater fatisfaiStion, 
 
 * no inhabitants. They wandered thus 
 
 * at pleafure through thofc natural gar- 
 
 * dens.wherethercwasaperpetiiallpring 
 
 * in forae kinds of the produce uf the 
 
 * earth, and the ripeneis of autumn with 
 
 * the moft exquilite fruits in others. 
 f They kept the moltexaft oblervations 
 
 * pofllble. Which ever way they went, 
 
 * there were not only fprings and foun- 
 
 * tains in abundance, but, as they guefled 
 
 * (for they kept the higher ground) the 
 « heads of great rivers and lakes, fome 
 
 * of which they coukl perceive j fo that 
 
 * they were fatisfied there was room 
 
 * enou£;li for whole nations, without 
 
 * any danger, as they could find, of be- 
 
 * inor dillurbcd. By their obfeivationof 
 « the fun, they were nigher the equator 
 
 * than thev had imagined*, fo that they 
 « there patted the middle fpace between 
 
 * the tropick and the line. Being come 
 < back to their hrrt ftation, they there 
 
 * waited the proper feafon for their re- 
 
 * turn. The rains came fomething 
 ? fooner than the year before, becaufe 
 
 * they were further wellward. Thehur- 
 
 * ricanes were nothing like what they 
 
 * were in the valt fands. As foon as 
 
 * they began to fix in fettled rains, they 
 
 * fet out again as before, and in twenty 
 
 * days time from their lad fetting out, 
 
 * happily arrived at the place where they 
 
 * left their dear friends and relations, 
 
 * whole ioy for their fafe and happy ar- 
 
 * rival was greater than I can pretend to 
 
 * defcribe. "Thus this immortal hero ac- 
 
 * compliflied his great undertaking, lij 
 
 * much more glorious than all the vic- 
 « tories of the greateft conquerors, as it 
 ' was pro-tiled, formed, and executed 
 
 * Vy his own wifdom and courage ; not 
 , ' by expofing and facrificing the lives 
 
 « of thoufanus of his fubjefts, perhaps 
 
 * greater men than himfelf, but by cx- 
 
 * pofing his own life for the fafcty of 
 
 * thofe that depended on him. 
 
 * It were too tedious to recount to yoii 
 ' all the difficulties and troubles they had, 
 
 * both in refolving to undertake fuch a 
 ' hazardous tranfmigration, as well as 
 ' thofe of tranfporting fuch a multitude, 
 ' with their wives and children, and all 
 
 * their moft precious effects, over thole 
 
 * mercilefs fands, which they could only 
 
 * pafs at one feafon of the year. But 
 
 * the voyage being at length refolved on, 
 ' and the good Pophar wiRly confider- 
 
 * ing the difficulties ; and ueceffity, the 
 ' mother of invention, urging him, at 
 ' the lame time, to gain as much time 
 
 * as he could, fince the vale where they 
 ' were at prefent was fufficient to main- 
 
 * tain them till the rains came ; got all 
 
 * his people hither in the mean time, to 
 
 * be ready for the feafon. The new- 
 
 * born children were left with their mo- 
 ' thers, and people to take care of them, 
 
 * till they v.-ere able to bear the fatigue. 
 ' Thus, in feven years time, going back- 
 ' wards and foi wards every feafon, they 
 
 * all arrived fafe, where we ourfelves 
 
 * hope to be in ten or twelve days time. 
 
 * This great hero wedefervcdly honour, 
 
 * as anotl'.er Mefraim, the fecond tuunder 
 ' of our nation, from whofe loins you 
 
 * yourfelf fpnjng by the furer fide, and 
 
 * are going to be incorporated again with 
 
 * the offspring of your firft ancellors.'" 
 
 Here he ended his relation, and your 
 Reverences may ealiiy believe,. I was in 
 the greatell: admiration at this unheard 
 of account. As it railed the ideas I had 
 of the people, fo I could not be lorry to 
 find myfelf, young and forlorn as I was 
 before, incorporated with, and allied to 
 fuch a flouriffiing and civilized nation. 
 My expeftation was not dlfproportion- 
 able to my ideas : I was pcrfuadcd I was 
 going into a very fine country j but the 
 thoughts of their being Pagans left fome 
 little damp on my fpirits, and was a 
 diawback to my ex}>e6led happinefs. 
 However, I was refolved to preferve my 
 religion, at the expence of all that was 
 deal" to me, and even of lite itfelf. 
 
 By this time, the Pophar ordered us to 
 
 * Though we may iraa^me a leffer circle parallel to the tropicks and the equator, which 
 i.s called Maximus Parallelorum ; yet whoever travels either by land or fea, parallel as he 
 thinks, to the equator, does not fo, but will approach to it j nay and crofs it at I aft, (unlefs 
 he goes frirall- )- and make indentures as he goes along : the reafon is, becaufe wherever wc 
 arf, '.v» are en rhe I'ummic of the giobf^ wi'.h refpeft to us, and ojr feet make a perpendicular 
 to the center; fo that if wc go round th? ;;lobe, ws ftiiil make a great cirsle, and by con- 
 fenusfice cut ^e cpuncr, ^ 
 
 rfirefL 
 
GAUDENTIO DI LUCCA. 
 
 SI 
 
 refrefii ourfelves, and prepare all things 
 for our departure, though the ftorm of 
 thunder and lightning did not ceafe till 
 towards morning. At length, all things 
 being ready for our n-.oving, we march- 
 ed on llowly till we came int^ the coxirfe 
 ©f the rains. It was t ue moll fettled aiid 
 doiunright rain, (as ihe faying is) that 
 ever 1 faw; every thing feemed to be as 
 calm, as the tempeft was violent before. 
 Being accuftomed to it, they riad provided 
 open velTels on each fide oi the dromeda- 
 ries, to catch enough for their ufe as it fell, 
 and they covered themlelves and their 
 beafts witii tiiat fine oiled cloth I men- 
 tioned before. All the fands were laid, 
 andevi n u^.aen hard by he rains, tiiough 
 heavy and cloggy at tlie fame-time. We 
 made as much way as >. fliole for five 
 days, jurt reitingand retrefhing ourfelves 
 when abfolutely nccelTary. I muft own, 
 iiothing could b: more dumal than thofe 
 dreary folitary defarts, where wc could 
 neither fee f-.n nor moon, but had only 
 a gloomy, mangnant light, luil fufficient 
 to look at th^ needle, and take our obfer- 
 vations. On the fixth day, we tb.ought 
 we favv fomethi]:,g move ndeways of 
 us, on our right hand, but Seemingly 
 paiTmg by us, when one of the young 
 men cried — ' There they are,' and 
 immediately croffed down to them. 
 Then we perceived them to be peifons 
 travelling like ourlelves, crofling in 
 the fame manner up towards us. I 
 was extremely furprized to find, that 
 thofe defarts were known to any but our- 
 felves. But the Pophar foon put me out 
 ef pain, by telling me, they were fome 
 cf their own people, taking the fame lea- 
 fonto go for Egypt, and on the fame ac- 
 count. By this time we were come up 
 to one another. The leader of the other 
 caravan, with all his company, imme- 
 diately got off their dromedaries, and fell 
 prollrate on the earth before our Pophar; 
 at which he ftept back, and cried — ' A- 
 * las I is our father clead?' They tajd 
 him, Yes j and that he being the iaft of 
 
 the fecond line, was to ht regent of the 
 kingdom, till the young Pophaj-, whs 
 was horn when his father was an old 
 man, fhould come to the age of fifty- 
 Then our people got off, and proflrated 
 themlelves before him *, all but mylelf. 
 They took no notice of ray negleft, fee- 
 ing me a fupernumerary perfon, and by 
 confequence a ftranger; but as foon as 
 the ceremonies were over, came and em- 
 braced me, and welcomed me into their \ 
 brotherhood with the moll fmcere cordia- 
 lity, as if I had been one of their nation. 
 The Pophar foon told them what I was, 
 which made them repeat their carefl'es with 
 new extaiies of joy peculiar to thefe peo- 
 ple. After reiterated enquiries concern- 
 ing tlieir friends, and aflurances that all 
 was well, except what they hadjuft told 
 him, the Pophar afked them, how they 
 came to direct tlieir courfe fo much on 
 the left hand, expeding to have met them 
 the dav before, and they feeming to point 
 as if they were going out of their way. 
 They told us, they were now fenfible of 
 it, and were making up for the true road as 
 fall as they could: but that the day be- 
 fore, they had like to have loll themlelves 
 by the darknefs of the weather, and their 
 too great lecurity ; for, bearing too much, 
 on the left hand, one of their dromedaries 
 floundered, as if he were got into a quick- 
 fand f . The rider thinking it had been 
 nothing but fome loofer part of the fand, 
 thought to go on, but fell deeper the fur- 
 ther he went, till the commander ordered 
 him to get off innnediately, which he did 
 with fo much haite, that not minding his 
 dromedary, the poor beaft going on lur- 
 ther into the quick-fands was loll. Then, 
 the Pophar told them, there was fuch a 
 place marked down in their ancient 
 charts, which, being fo well acquainted 
 with the roads, they had never minded 
 of late years : that he fuppofed thofe 
 quick-fands to be either the rains, which 
 had f mk through the lands, and meet- 
 ing with Ibme (Irata of clay, flaguatedj 
 and were forming a lakej or more pro. 
 
 * Theeaflern manner of /hewing refpeiS. 
 . -^ Perfons may v/onder to hear of quick-fands in the mid ft of the fun-burnt defarts of 
 Africa, But the thing will n»t lecm to improbable, when we come to examine the reafons 
 of it. Witliout doubt, our author docs not mean fuch quick-fands as are caufed by the com- 
 ing in of the tide under the fands; a man of fenfe would be incapable of fuch a blunder. 
 But that there fhould be fome ftagnating waters in the iow fwamps of the lands, is fo far 
 from being incredible, that it can be h.irdiy thought to be otherwife. It is very well known, 
 there are vnft lakes in fome parts of Africa, which have no vifiblc outlets. There are rivers 
 alfo that lofe themlelves in the fands, where finking under for fome time, they may form 
 fandy marlhes, or quitk-fandSj a^ the author calls thcnj. 
 
 bably. 
 
54 
 
 GAUDENTIO DI LUCCA, 
 
 fcahly, it was the courfe of Tome diftant 
 river, riling perhaps out of a habitable 
 country, at an unknown diilance, but 
 liad loft idelf in thofc immenlc fands. 
 However, he congratulated them on their 
 jcfcapc; and, like a tender father, gently 
 chid them for their too great fecurity in 
 that boundlefs ocean. Our time not 
 permitting us to (lay long, each caravan 
 iet out again for their deftined courfe, 
 having but five or fix days journey to 
 E>ake, that is, as far as we coiild travel 
 in fo many days an^ lb many nights ; for 
 Vr-2 never ftopped but to refrclli ourlelves. 
 The rains had fo tempered the air, that 
 it was racher cold than hot, efpecially tire 
 nio'hts, which grew longer, as we ap- 
 proached the line. Here we fteered our 
 courfe more to the wefr again, but not 
 foas to leave the ridge of tiie world. I 
 obferved, the more we kept to the weft, 
 the more moderate the rains were, as 
 indeed they llackened in proportion as 
 we came nighcr our journey's end ; be- 
 caufe coming from the weft, or at leaft 
 with a little point of the foutli, they be- 
 gan fooncr than where we let out. The 
 tenth day of our journey, I mean from 
 ■ thelaft grove or r'dting-place, one of our 
 dromedaries failed. We had changed 
 Jhem feveral times before, to make their 
 labour more equal. They would not 
 
 let it die, for the good it had done ; but 
 two of the company having water 
 enough, and knowing where they were, 
 ftaid behind, to bring it along v/ith 
 them. We now found the nature of the 
 fands and foil begin to change, as the 
 Pophar had informed me: the pround 
 began to be covered with a little mofs, 
 tending towards a greenfward, more like 
 bai ren downs than lands j and I unex- 
 pe(5\edly perceived in fome places, inftead 
 ct thole barren gravelly fands, large 
 fpaces of tolerable good foil*. At 
 ler.gth, to our inexprelllble joy and com. 
 fort, at leaft for myfelf, who could nof 
 but be in forne fufpenfe In fuch an un- 
 known world, we came to patches of 
 trees and grafs with ftanting falls and 
 heads of vales, which feemed to enlarge 
 themielves beyond our viewf. The 
 rains were come to their period; only it 
 looked a little foggy at a great diftance 
 before us, which was partly from the 
 exhalations of the country after the 
 rains J, partly from the trees and hills 
 ftopping the clouds, by which we found 
 that the weather did not clear up in the 
 habitable countries fo foon as in the 
 barren defafts. The Pophar told me, 
 that it it were not for the hazineis of the 
 air, he would ft\ew me the moft beauti- 
 ful profpcil that ever my eyes beheld. 
 
 • It was obferved in fome of the former remarks, that not only the Jefarts of Africa, 
 but all the ftrata, or gre.u beds of gravel, which are found in al! parts of the world, proba- 
 bly werecaufed by the univerfal deluge, nor can they be well accounted for 'therwife. The 
 deeper the beds of gravel are, the more they fliew, by the heterogeneous ftuft" lodged with 
 them, that they were brought thither , not produced there ab criglr.e. The vafl faUs and 
 gulle;&, which are feen on the Ikirts of all the mountains in the world, evidently fliew they 
 uere caufed by Come violent agitation, which carried the loofer earth and fmall ftones along 
 v.:jch it: tor which nothing can be more natural, than the fuppofition of a flood, or agitated 
 fiuid, /hich, by it's violence and fliakings, carried all that was moveable before it for fome 
 time. This gravel was incorporated with the loofe earth before the flood, aad was carried 
 flp and fro, while the waters were in their grcateft agitation, wafhing and melting the loofe 
 «arth from the grave! and ftones. But wh-n the waters came to their higheft pitch, and 
 begnn to fubfide, the ftones and gravel would link fooner than lighter things, and fo be left 
 ilnsoft in a body in thofe Arata they appear in. This might be illuftrated much further, if 
 there were occafion. The vaft numbers of petrified (hells and fcallops, which are found in 
 all parts cf the world, on the higher grounds, could ntver be a mere lufus natura as fome 
 SCO curious phl'ofophers imagine, butmuft be accounted for by fuch a flood; and thcfc ap- 
 pearins in all parts of the univeife, the flood muft have been univerfal. The fudden change 
 «)f foils hi every regisn, with the exceeding richnefs of fome more than others, and that too 
 Sometimes all at once, is to be accounted for from the fame caufe; for the fame violence of 
 waters waftiing the earth from the ftones, muil naturally make an unequal accumulation of 
 ^th. As for Africa, all ihe ancients fpeak of the incredible fertility of it in fojme places, 
 and the extreme barrennefs of the defarts in others. 
 
 + Tht prodigious height of the fands in Africa, in thofe parts which lie between the tro- 
 picks, may not only be the caufe of the fands or gravel finking in greater quantities at the 
 decreafe of the flood j but the moft extenfive vales may have had their rife from very fmall 
 gullets at firft. 
 
 t It is very natural to think, that thofe barren fun-burat defarts fend w^ but fewexhala- 
 
 »ocs. 
 
GAUDENTIO DI LUCCA. 
 
 ss 
 
 I was fenfibly convinced of It by the per- 
 fumes of the fpicy (hrubs and flowers, 
 which llruck our fcnfes with fuch a re- 
 viving fragrancy, as made us almoft for- 
 get our paft fatigue, elpecially me, who 
 had not felt the like even in the firll vale : 
 neither do I believe all the odours of the 
 Happy Arabia could ever come up to it. 
 I was juft as if I had rifen out of the 
 moft deHcious repofe. Here the Pophar 
 ordered us to ftop for refreihment, and 
 added, that we muft Itay there till next 
 day. We pitched our tents on the laft 
 deicent of thofe immenie Bares, by the 
 fjde of a little rill that iffued out of the 
 iinall break of the downs, expelling fur- 
 ther orders. 
 
 The caufe of otu* ftay here, where we 
 were out of danger, was not only for our 
 companions we had left behind us, but 
 on a ceremonious account, as your Re- 
 verences wili fee by-and-by : they were 
 alio to change their habits, that they might 
 appear in the colours of their refpe6live 
 tribe or Nome, which were five, accord- 
 ing to the number of the fons of the firlt 
 Pophar, who brought them out of Egypt, 
 whofe ftatue we faw at the Pyramid. By 
 their laws, all the tribes are to be diftin- 
 guiflied by their colours ; that wherever 
 they go, they may be knov/n what Nome 
 they belong to; with particular marks of 
 their ports and dignities 5 as I (halldefcribe 
 to yourReverences afterwards. The grand 
 Pophar's colour, who was defcended from 
 theeldell fon of the ancient Pophar, was 
 a flame colour, or approaching nigh the 
 rays of the fun, becaule he was chief 
 
 f)rieft of the Snn. Our new regent's co- 
 our was green, fpangled with liais of 
 gold, as your Reverences faw in the pic- 
 ture; the green reprefenting the fpring, 
 v/hlch is the chief fcafon with them. The 
 third colour is a fiery red, for the fum- 
 mer. The fourth is yellow, for autumn; 
 and the fifth purple, reprefenting the 
 gloominefs of winter; for thefe people, 
 acknowledging the fun for the immediate 
 governor of the univerfe, mimick the na- 
 ture of his influence as nigh as they can. 
 The women obferve the colours of their 
 relpcftive tribes, but have moons of fd- 
 ver intermixed with the funs, to fliew 
 that they are influenced in a great mea- 
 fure by that variable planet. The young 
 virgins have the new moon ; in the ftrength 
 of their age the full moon; as they grow 
 old, the moon is in the decreafc propor- 
 tionably. The widows have the moon 
 expreflTed juft as it is in the cliange; the 
 defcendants of the daughters of the firft 
 
 Pophar were .incorporated with the reft* 
 Thofe of the eldeft daughter took the 
 eldeft fon's colour, with a mark of dif • 
 tinflion, to fltev/ they were never tofiic- 
 ceed to the Popharfhip, or regency, till 
 there fliould be no male illue of the others 
 at age to govern. This right of elderfhip, 
 as thefe people underftand it, is a littit 
 intricate, but I fliall explain it to your 
 Reverences more at large, v,^hen I come 
 to fpeak more particularly of their go- 
 vernment. When they are fent out irKo 
 foreign countries, they take v/hat habit 
 or colour they pleafe,and generally go all 
 alike, to be known to each other; but 
 they muft not appear in th.eir ov»n c-mm- 
 try but in their proper colours, it being 
 criminal to do otherwife. They carry 
 marks alfo of their families, that in cafe 
 any mifdemeanor fhould be committed, 
 they may know where to trace it out ; for 
 which reafon, now they drew near their 
 own cou.ntry, they were to appear in the 
 colours of their refpeftiveNomes; allbiif 
 myfelf, who had the fame garment I 
 wore at Grand Cairo, to fhew I was a 
 ftranger, though I wore the Pophar' s co- 
 lour afterwards, as being his relation, 
 and incorporated in his family. When 
 they were all arrayed in their fdken robes 
 of different colours, fpangled with fuas 
 of gold, with v/hite fillets round their 
 temples, fludded with precious ftones, 
 they made a very delightful fliew, being 
 the handfomelt race of people this day in 
 the univerfe, and all relembling each 
 other, as having no mixture of other na- 
 tions in their blood. 
 
 The fun had now broke through the 
 clouds, and dilcovcred to us the profpeft 
 of the country, but fuch a one as I am 
 not able to defcribe ; it looked rather 
 like an iinmcnle garden than a country : 
 at that diffance I could fee nothing but 
 trees and groves; whether 1 looked to- 
 wards the hills or vales, all fcemed to be 
 one continued wood, though with fome 
 feemingly regular intervals of fquares 
 and plains, with the glittering of golden 
 globes or funs through tlie tops of the 
 trees, that it looked like a green mantle 
 fpangled v/ith gold. I alkcd the Pophar, 
 if they lived all in woods, or whether the 
 country was only one continued immenfe 
 forcit. He fmiled, and laid — ' When we 
 * come thither, you fhail fee fomething 
 ' elfe befides woods;' and then bid me 
 look back, and compare the dreary lands 
 we had lately paffed with that glorious 
 profpe£l we faw before us : I did fo, and 
 found the difmal banennels of the one 
 enhanced 
 
'.S 
 
 GAUDENTIO DI LUCCA. 
 
 •nlianced the beautiful delight of tlie 
 other. ' The reafon,' fays he, ' why it 
 
 * looks like a wood is, that bcfides in- 
 
 * uumerahle kinds of fmits, all our 
 
 * towns, fquarcs, and fti'eets, as well as 
 ' fields and gardens, are planted with 
 
 * ti^ees, both for delight and convenience, 
 
 * thov gh you will find lj:are ground 
 
 * enough for the produce of all things 
 
 * iurticientto make the life of man eafy 
 
 * and happy. The glittering of gold 
 ' throughthetopsof the trees, are golden 
 
 * luns on the tops of the temples and 
 ' buildings : we build our houfes fiat 
 
 * and low on account of hurricanes, 
 
 * with gardens of perfumed ever-grcens 
 
 * on the tops of them; which is the rea- 
 
 * fon you lee nothing but groves.' 
 We deicended gradually from off ihe 
 
 tlefart through tlie fcattercd ilirubs, and 
 were falutcd every now and then with a 
 gale of perfumes quite different from 
 what are brought to the Europeans from 
 foreign paits. The frefli air of the 
 morning, together with their being ex- 
 haled from the living flocks, gave them 
 inch a fragrancy as cannot be exprdled. 
 At length we came to a fpacious plain 
 2 little flrelving, and covered witli a 
 jjreenirti coat, between mofs and grafs, 
 wliich was the utmoft border of the de- 
 fart ; and bcjond it a fmall river, col- 
 IciSlcd from the hills, as it were, weep- 
 ing out of the lands in different places ; 
 which river was the boundary of the 
 kingdom that way. Halting there, we 
 difcovtrtd a fmall company of ten per- 
 fons, the fame number, excluding me, 
 with ours, advancing gravely towards 
 ns: they were in the proper colours of 
 tire Nomes, with fpangled funs of gold, 
 as my comi)anions wore, only the tops 
 of their heads were fprinkled with dull, 
 in token of mourning. As foon as they 
 came at a due diitance, they felj flat on 
 their facesbcfore the PophaTjwithout fay- 
 uig a word, and received the golden Uins 
 with the earth which we brought along 
 with us. Then they turned, and march- 
 ed directly before us, holding the Urns in 
 theirihandsas high as they could, but all 
 in a deep and mournful filence. Thele 
 ■weie deputies of the fiveNomesfent to 
 meet the Urns. We advanced in this 
 
 filent manner, without faying one worij, 
 till we came to the river, over wliich was 
 a ftately bridge with a triumphal arch 
 on the top of it, beautified with funs of 
 gold, moft magnificent to behold. Be- 
 yond the bridge, we immediately paffed 
 through a kind of circular grove, which 
 led us into a moll delightful plain, like 
 an amphitheatre, with five avenues or 
 llreets leading to it : at theentrancif of each 
 avenue ftood an innumerable multitude 
 of people reprefenting the five Nomcs, or 
 governmentsof thofeimmcnfekingdom.s, 
 all in their different colours, ipangled 
 with funs of gold, which made the moft 
 glorious (how in the world. As foon as 
 we entered the amphitheatre, our filence 
 was broke withlhouts of joy that rended 
 the very Ikies; tnen the whole multitude 
 falling flat on their faces, adoritig the 
 Urns, and thrice repeating their fliouts, 
 ar.d adorations, there advanced ten tri- 
 umphant chariots, according to the co- 
 lours of the Nomes with funs as before j 
 nineot the chariots were drawn with fix 
 horles each, and the tenth with eight for 
 the Pophar regent. I'he five deputies, 
 who were the chief of each Nome, with 
 the Urns and companions, mounted rive 
 of the chariots; the other five were for us, 
 two in a chariot; only being a fupernu- 
 merary, I was placed backwards in the 
 Pojjhar's chariot, which he told me was 
 the only mark of hmriili.ition and in- 
 equality I would receive. We werecon- 
 ducled with five fquadrons of horfe, of 
 fifty men each, in their proper colours, 
 with llreamers of the fame, having the 
 fun in the centre, through the oppohte 
 avenue; till we came into anothei ani- 
 pliitheafre of avail extent, where we law 
 an infinite number of tents of filk of the 
 colour of the Nomes, all of them Ipangled 
 with golden iuns: here we were to reft 
 and refrcfliourfelves. 'llic Pophar's tent 
 was in the centte of his own colour, 
 which was gieen, the fecond Nome in 
 dignity, in whole dominions and govern- 
 ment we now were. 
 
 I have been longer in this dcfcription 
 becaule it was more a religious ceremony 
 than any thing elfe, the! e people being ex- 
 tremely myfterious in ail theydo*^. Illiall 
 explain the meaning to your Reverences 
 
 * The ancient Egyptians were fo myflerious, particularly in their religlnus ceremonies, and 
 ercaia of government, that in ail probability, the ancient fables, which very few yet un- 
 derftand rlghtiy, had their rife from them; ihough the learned Bochait, in his Phaleg. de- 
 rives them chiefly from the Canaanites, who difperfjng themfclves all over the world, when 
 thev fled fruna Jofhua, impofed upo.i the credulous Greeks by ths differenc fignifications of 
 
 the 
 
GAUDENTIO DI LUCCA; 
 
 57 
 
 Gs briefly as lean. The flopping before 
 we came to the bridge on the borders of 
 thofe inhofpitabledelarts, and walking in 
 that mournful filent manner, not only 
 exprefled their mourningfortheirdeceafed 
 anceltors, hut alfo fignihed the various 
 calamities and labours incident to man 
 in this life, where he is not only looked 
 upontobe,but really is, in a (late of ba- 
 nifhmeiit and mourning; wandering in 
 fun-burnt delarts, and toll with llorms 
 of innumerable lawlefs defires, flill figh- 
 ing after a better country. The pallage 
 over the bridge, they would have to be- 
 token man's entrance into reft by death j 
 their fliouts of joy, when the lacred Urns 
 arrived in that glorious country, not only 
 fignified the happinefs of the next life, 
 (for thefe people univerfally believe the 
 immortality of the Ibul, and think none 
 but brutes can be ignorant of it) but alfo 
 that their anceftors, whofe burial duft 
 they brought along with them, were now 
 in a place of everlafting reft. 
 
 \^InquiJitcr. I hope you do not believe To 
 of Heathens, let them be ever fo mo- 
 ral men, fmce we have no afi'urance of 
 happinefs in the next life mentioned in 
 the Holy Scripture, without faith in 
 Cln-ift. 
 
 GauJentio. No, Reverend Fathers ; I only 
 mention the fenfe in which thele men 
 imderftand the myfterics of their reli- 
 gion. As I believe in Chnft, I know 
 there is no other name under heaven by 
 which men can be laved. 
 
 Inquijit07-. Go on.] 
 
 Every ceremony of thefe people has 
 fome myftery or other included in It; 
 but there appeared no harm in any of 
 them, except their falling proftrate be- 
 fore the duft, which looked like rank 
 idolatry: but they faid ftill, they meant 
 no more than what was merely civil, to 
 
 fignify their refpefl for their deccaftJ 
 parents*. 
 
 I fhall not as yet detain your Reve- 
 rences with the dcfcription of the beau- 
 ties of the country through which we 
 paffed, having fo much to lay of the more 
 fubftantial part; that is, of their form of 
 government, laws and cuftoms, both re- 
 ligious and civil ; nor defcribe the pro • 
 digiousmagnificcnce, though joined with 
 a great deal of natural iimplicity, in their 
 towns, temples, fchools, colleges, &c. 
 Becaufe, being built moflly alike, except 
 forparticularufe;, manufa6lurcs,andthe 
 like; I (hall defcribe them all in one, 
 when I come to the great city of Phor, 
 othei-wife called, in their fa red language, 
 No-om f : for if I fiiouhl ftay to defcribe 
 the immenfe riches, fertility, and beauties 
 of the countiy, this relation, which is 
 defigned as a real account of a place 
 wherein I lived fo many years, would ra- 
 ther look like a romance than a true le- 
 lation. I fliall only ttll )our Reverences 
 at prefent, that after having t 'ken a moll 
 magnificent repaft, conlifting of all the 
 heart of man can conceive delicious, 
 both of fruits and wines, while we Itaid 
 in thofe refrefhing tabernacles, we pallid 
 on by an eafy evening's journey, to oile 
 of their towns, always conducted aud 
 lodged in the fame triumphant manner, 
 till we came to the head of that Nome, 
 which I told your Reverences was the 
 Green Nome, belonging to the Pophar 
 regent, fecond in dignity of the whole 
 empire. Here the Urn or tlull belong- 
 ing to that Nome was repolited in a kind 
 of golden tabernacle Ibt with precious 
 ftones of immenfe value, in the centre of 
 a fpacious temple, which 1 fliall def rilie 
 afterwards. After a week's feafting and 
 rejoicing, both for the reception of 
 the dull and the fafe return of the Po- 
 phar and his companions, together with 
 
 the fame words in their language. It is obfeivable, by the bye, that the moft ancient 
 languages, as the Hebrew, with it's different dialedls, of which the Canaanean or Phoenician 
 language was one, the Chinefe language, &c. had a great many fignifications for the fame 
 word, either from the plain fimplicity or poverty of the ancient languages, or more probably 
 from an affe£led myfterioufnefs in all they did. 
 
 * See the remarks before on that head, and the accounts of the worfhip of the Chinefe, 
 who were originally Egyptians, in the difputes between the Dominicans and Jefuits, where 
 the latter maintained the idolatrous ceremonies and offerings made to their dtceafed an- 
 cefl-ors, to imply nothing but a natural ?tnA Cfuil refpcB . The Dominicans, on the contraiy, 
 very juftly held them to be idolatry, as they were judged to be, and condemned as fuch by 
 Clement XI. 
 
 \ Jofephus againft Appiondiftingulfhes two languages of the ancient Egyptians, the one 
 facred, the other common. Their facred language was full of myfterics, psihaps like the 
 Cabala of the Jews. 
 
 H his 
 
GAUDENTIO DI LUCCA. 
 
 58 
 
 his cxalt.ition to the regeiicv, we fet ovit 
 in the liimc msnnif for the oiherNoines, 
 to lepcfite ail the Uins in their rclpe'Rive 
 temples. Thele are five, as I informed 
 your Reverences before. The country is 
 ibmething mountainous, particularly 
 under lite fine, and net very uniform, 
 though every thing elfe is; containing 
 valiies, or rather whole reoions running 
 out between the defarts J belidesvalt ridges 
 tif mountains in the lieart of the country 
 which inclcfe immenfe riches in their 
 bowels. The chief town is fituated as 
 righ as polllble in the mid.ilc of the 
 Nomes,and about the centre of thecoun- 
 trv, bating thofe irregularities I men- 
 tioned. The four inferior Nomes were 
 like the four corners, with the flame- 
 coloured Nome, wheie the grand Pophar 
 or regent pro tempore refuted, in the centre 
 f)f the fqiiare. Their inethod was to go to 
 the four Inferior Nomes firft, and lepo- 
 fite the Urns, and then to c»mplcat all at 
 the chief town of the firft Nome. Thefe 
 Nomes were each about eight days very 
 ealy iouinev over. Thus we went the 
 round of all, which I think, as I then re- 
 marked, was a kind of political viiliation 
 nt the fame time. At length we came to 
 the great city of Phor,or No-om, there to 
 j^epofitethe laft Urn, and for all the people 
 to pay their rcfpefts to the grand Pophar, 
 if in being, or elfe to the regent. By that 
 lime, what with thofe who accompanied 
 the procelfion of the Urns, and the inha- 
 bitants of that immenfe town, more 
 people were gathered together than one 
 woidd have ainiolt thought had been in 
 the whole woriil; but in fuch order and 
 decencv, diftinguifhed in their ranks, 
 tribes, and colours, as is not eafy to be 
 compr>.hended. The glittering tents 
 fpread thendelvcs over the face of the 
 earth. 
 
 I fhall here give yo\KE.evcrtnccs a de- 
 fcriptioii of the town, becauie all other 
 great towns or heads of the Nomes are 
 built after that model; as indeed the lefler 
 tov/ns come as nigh it as they can, except, 
 as I faid.pl.ices for arts or trades,which 
 tire geneiallv built on rivers or brooks, 
 for conveniency ; fuch is the nature of 
 the people, that they affefi: an exaft uni- 
 formity and e(]uality in all they do, as 
 being brothers of the (anie itock. 
 
 The townof Phor, that is, the Glory,- 
 or No ofn, which fignifies the houfe of 
 the Sun, is built chcular, in imitation 
 of the fun and it's rays. It is irmated in 
 the largell plain of alJ the kingdom, and 
 upon the largeft river, which is about a;* 
 bfg Ss our Po, rifmg from a ridge of 
 mountains under the line, and running 
 towards the north, where itforms a grcaf 
 lake, almoft like afea, whofe waters are 
 exhaled by the heat of the fun, having 
 no outlet, or link underground in the 
 fands of tliC vait defart;s encompafhng it. 
 This rivti is cut into a moft magnificent 
 canal, runnmg directly throughthe mid- 
 dle of t!ie town. Before it enters the 
 town, to prevent inundatiaits, and for 
 other conveniencies, there are prodigious 
 bafons, and locks, and iluices, with col- 
 lateral canals, to divert and let out thi 
 water, if need be. The middle ftream 
 forms the grand canal, which runs 
 through the town, till it comes to the 
 grand place; then there is another lock 
 and fluicc, which dividing it into two 
 fcmiciixlcs or wings, and carrying it 
 round the grand place, fonns an idand 
 with the temple of the Sun in the cen- 
 tre, antl meeting again oppofitcto where 
 it divided, fo goes on in a canal again. 
 There are twelve bridges with one great 
 arch over each, ten over the circular ca- 
 nals, and two where they divide and 
 meet again. There are alfo bridges over 
 the iiraight canals, at proper dillances. 
 Before the river enters the town, it is 
 divided by the firft great lock into two 
 prodigious femicircles encompaffing the 
 whole" town. All the canals arc planted 
 with double rows of cedars, and walks 
 the moft delightful thatcan be imagined. 
 The grand place is in the centre of the 
 town, a prodigious round, or immenfe 
 theatre, encomp^flcd with the branches 
 of the canal, and, in the centre of that, 
 the temple of the Sun. This temple con- 
 fifts of three hundred and fixty-five double 
 marble pillars, accordhig to the number of 
 the days of the year*", repeated with three 
 ftories one above another, and on the 
 top a cupola open to the Iky tor the fun 
 to be I'cL-n through. The pillars are all 
 of the Corinthian orderf, of a marble as 
 white as fnow, and fluted. The edges 
 of the flutes, with the capitals cornilhed, 
 
 are 
 
 * Our authur feems to be n Uttlc out in thli pl.ic? 5 for it is certain, the ancient Egypti- 
 ans did not make their \ear to cnnfuT: of fo many days, unlefs you U fay, that thefe people, 
 b'ing vfv gr at aftrononner', were more e-::'i.\ in their oblVrvations. 
 
 f°It is generally fi)->pfecl, that the (lifivic::t orders of pillar?, as the Doric, the Ionlc» 
 Corinthiar', &c. came fitft f.om the Greeks, r.D thcii appellations, being Greek, would 
 
 make 
 
GA'UDENTIO DI LUCCA. 
 
 are all gilt. Tlie inner roofs of the vaft 
 
 59 
 
 galleries on thele pillars, are painted with 
 the fun, moon, and ftars,exprening their 
 different motions, with hieroglyphicks 
 known only tofome few of the chief el- 
 ders or rulers. Theoutfidcs of all are 
 doubly gilt, as is the dome or grand 
 concave on the top, open in the middle 
 to the (ky. In the middle of this con- 
 cave is a golden fun, hanging in the ^oicl, 
 and fupported by golden lines or rods 
 from the edges of the dome. The arti- 
 ficial fun looks down, as if itwere Alin- 
 ing on a globe of earth, erefted on a pe- 
 dcltal altar-wife, oppofite to the fun, ac- 
 cording to the fituation of their climate 
 to that glorious planet; in whicli globe 
 or earth are inclofed the urns of their de- 
 ceafed anccllors. On the indde of tlie 
 pillars arc the feats of the grandees or 
 elders, to IioKl their councils, wliich are 
 all publick. Oppofite to the twelve great 
 fheets, are fo many entrances into the 
 temple, with as many magnificent ftair- 
 cafes between the entrances, to go into 
 the galleries or places where they keep 
 the regilters of their laws, &c. with gilt 
 bahiitrades looking down into the temple. 
 On the pedeftals of all the pillars were 
 engraven hieroglyphicks and chara61ei s 
 known to none but the five chief Pophars , 
 and coinmiinicated under the greatefc fe- 
 ci ecy to the fucceffor of any one of them in 
 cafe oi death, lofs of fenfes, and tlie 
 like. I prefume, the grand i'ecrets and 
 arcana of liate, and it may be, of their 
 religion, arts, and fciences, are con- 
 tained therein. The moil improper de- 
 corations of the temple, in my opinion, 
 are theflutings of the pillars, which ra- 
 tlier look too finical for the augull ami 
 niajeftick fimplicity aftefledbythefe peo- 
 ple in other refpe6ls. 
 
 The fronts of the honfes round the 
 «;raTK.l place are all concave, orfegments 
 of circles, except where the great llreets 
 meet, which are twelve in numbei', ac- 
 cording to the twelve figns of th^ zo- 
 diack, pointing to the temple in ifraight 
 lines like rays to the centre. This vaft 
 round is let with double rows and circles 
 
 of ftately cedars before thehoufe^, at an 
 exai5l diftapce; as are all the Ihects on 
 each fide, like fo many beautiful ave- 
 nues, which produce a moft delightful 
 efFeft to the eye, as well as convcnieiicy 
 of fliade. The crofs ftreets are fo nuuiy 
 parallel circles round the grandplaceand 
 temple, as the centre ; making greater 
 circles as the town enlarges itfclf. They j 
 build always circular ways till the cir- 1 
 cle is compleat; t'.ien another, and lb ■ 
 on. All the ftreets, as I laid, both 
 fhaight and circular, are planted witli 
 double rows ol cedars* The mi.lJle 
 of the areas between the cuttings of 
 the llreets are left for gardens, and 
 other convenienc!es,enlargingthemfelves 
 as they proceed from the centreorgrand 
 place : at every cutting of the ftreets, is 
 a lefler circular fpace fet round with, 
 trees, adorned with fountains, or fta- 
 tues of famous men; tliat, in effbi^t, 
 the whole town is like a prodigious gar- 
 den, diilinguifljcd with temples, pavi- 
 lions, avenues, ami circles of greens ; 
 fo that it is difticu't to give your Re- 
 vei-ences a juft idea of the beauty of it. 
 I forgot to tell your Reveiences, that 
 the twelve great Iheets open them lei ves 
 as they lengthen, like the radii of a 
 wheel, fo that at the firft coming into 
 the town, you have the prcfpeel of 
 the temple and grand place dire^Iy be- 
 fore you ; and from tiie temple a direft 
 view of one of the fineft avenues and 
 countries in the world. Their princi- 
 pal towns are all built after this form. 
 After they have taken apian of theplace, 
 they firft build a temple ; then leave the 
 great area or circular market-p^laee, 
 round which they builda circle of houies, 
 and add others as they encreali;-, acconl- 
 ing to the fore*goiug defcription ; ridi- 
 culing anel contemning other countries, 
 whole towns aix generally built in a con- 
 fided number of houfes and ftreets, 
 without any regular figure. In all the 
 fpaces or cuttings of i!ie ftveets, theie 
 are are either publick tountains brought 
 by pipes froni a itiO'ajUaii^ at a confide- 
 rable diltauce from the town j or, as I 
 
 make us believe; but the famous and ancient palace of Perfepolls, notvvithftanding it's 
 Greek name, where there were hieroglyphicks and iiifcriptions in charadters none could 
 underftjnd, befides other reafons, iliew that the invention came from Egypt, or from the 
 ancient Chaldeans, or rather from Seth, Noali, and the ancient Hebrews. It is likewife. 
 very obfervable, that the invention of arts and fciences came horn the eaft, and can he 
 traced no higher than Noah's flood ; unlefs you will allow the fables of .Sttii, aljcdged by 
 the learned Jofephus in his Antiquities, quoted above. All which is a very natural confir- 
 mation of thu account givejj bv Moles, agalnft our modern fceotics. 
 
 lU find 
 
6o 
 
 GAUDENTIO DI LUCCA. 
 
 faid before, ftatues of great men hold- 
 ing: fomtthing in their hands to declare 
 their merit ; which, having no wars, is 
 tak.cn either from the invention of arts 
 and fcienccs, orfome memorable action 
 done by them for the improvement and 
 good of their country. Thel'j they look 
 xjpon CL5 more laudable motives, and 
 greater fpurs to glory, than all the tro- 
 ])hies erefted by other nations to the 
 dciliroycrs of their own fpecies. Their 
 hoiifes are built all alike, and low, as I 
 oblerved before, on account of ilorms 
 and hurricanes, to which the country is 
 lubjeft ; they are all exaftly of a height, 
 fiat-roofed, with artificial gardens on the 
 top of each*, fidl of floweis and aroma- 
 tick (hrubs ; fo that when you look from 
 any eminence down into the itreets, you 
 fee all the circles and avenues like an- 
 other world under you ; and if on the 
 level, along the tops of the houfes, you 
 are charmed with the profpeft of ten 
 thouland different gardens meeting yoiir 
 fight wherpver you turn ; iniomuch, that 
 I believe the whole world befides cannot 
 afford luch a prcfpecl. There are a 
 great many other beauties and conveni- 
 encies, according to the genius of the 
 people; which, were I to mention, would 
 make up a vvliole volume. I only fay, 
 that the riciirs of the country are im- 
 menle, which in fome meafure are all 
 in common, as I nrnll fliew when I come 
 to the nature of their government ; the 
 people are the mo(t ingenious and indu- 
 Ihious in the world ; the governors aim- 
 ing at nothing but the grandeur and 
 , good of the publick, having all the af- 
 j fiuence the heart of man can defue, in 
 'a place where there has been no war 
 for near tlnee thoufand years ; there be- 
 ing indeed no enemies but the inhofplta- 
 hle fands around them, and thev all con- 
 fider tht ml'elves as brothers of tlie fame 
 llock, living \;nder one common father; 
 fo that it is not fo much to be wondered 
 at, if they are arrived to fuch grandeur 
 
 and magnificence as 'perfons in our 
 world can fcarce believe or conceive. 
 
 When the ceremonies for the recep- 
 tion of the Urns were over, religious ce- 
 remonies with thefe people always tak- 
 ing place of the civilf, they proceeded to 
 the inauguration of the Pophar regent, 
 which was performed with no other ce- 
 remony, for reafons I (hall tell your Re- 
 verences afterwards, but placing him in 
 a chair of • itate, with his face towards 
 the eaft, on the top of the higheft hill in 
 the Nome, to fhew that he was to infpe6t 
 or over-look all, looking towards the 
 temple of the Sun, which ftcod df- 
 reftly eaftward of him, to put him in 
 mind that he was to take care of the re- 
 ligion of his ancellors in the firit place. 
 When he was thus placed, three hun- 
 dred fixty-five of the chief of the 
 Nome, as reprefentatives of all the 
 reft, came up to him, and making a 
 refpe5tful bovi', faid — * Eli Pophar,' 
 which is as much as to fay, ' Hail, fa- 
 ' ther of our nation ;' and he embracing 
 them as a father does his children, an- 
 fwered them with — ' Cali Benim,' that 
 is, ' My dear children.' As many of 
 the women did the fame. This was all 
 the homage they paid him, which was 
 efteemed fo facred, as never to be violat- 
 ed. All the diftinction of his habit was 
 one great fun on his breaft, much bigger 
 than that of any of the reft. The pr^ 
 cious ftones alio, which were feL in the*"* 
 white fillet binding his forehead, were 
 larger than ordinary, as were thofe of 
 the crofs circles over his head, terminat- 
 ed on the fummit with a large tuft of 
 gold, and a thin plate of gold in the 
 Hiape of the fun, faftened to tlie top of 
 it horizontally : all of them, both men 
 and women, wore thole fillet-crowns 
 with a tuft of gold, but no fun on the 
 to;-", except the Pophar. 
 
 As foon as the ceremonies and rejoic- 
 ings were over, which were performed in 
 tents at the publick expence, he was con- 
 
 * Tlie ancient Baby'ionians had art'ficial gardens, or bcrti psrjila, on the tops of their 
 houfss, as eariy as the great Semirami«; though Herodotus derives their invention from a 
 later Babylonian queen, who being a Mede by nation, and loving wjods, and not b'sing 
 permitted to go out of the palace, l)ad thofe artificisi garden'; made to divert her. 
 
 ■\ The moft polite nations of antiquity, even among the Heathens, gave the preference- 
 to religion, before all otiier coniiderati'ips : as for the Chriilian religion, though of late 
 perfons i<f fome wit, little judgment, and no morals, call it in qudtion, it is well known, 
 men become more men as they become Chriftians. The light of faith brought in learning, 
 p^liteuefs, h-imanity, juflice, and equity, inftead of that ignorance, and a brutal barbarity, 
 that overfpread the fnce of tl)e earth ; and tiie want of it will lead us in time into the fame 
 enormities wtiich religion has taught us to forfake ; on which account it is the part of all 
 wife gov-ernijients to countenance and prellrvc rcHj,!jn. 
 
 dueled , 
 
GAUDF.NTIO DI LUCCA; 
 
 6r 
 
 duelled, with the chearful acclamations 
 of the people, and the found of mufical 
 inftruraents, to a magnificent tent in the 
 front of the whole camp, facing the eaft, 
 which is looiced upon as the molt ho- 
 nourable, as fir(^ feeing the riling fun; 
 and fo on, by eafy journeys, till he came 
 to the chief town of that Nome. The 
 reafon why thefe ceremonies were per- 
 formed in tlie different Nomes, was to 
 fhew that they all depended on him, and 
 becaufe the empire was fo very populous, 
 it was impofiible they could meet at one 
 place. I can't cxprefs the careffes I re- 
 ceived from then;, cfpecially when they 
 fotir.d I was defcended from the fame 
 race by the mother's fide, and fo nearly 
 related to the Pophar. When I came 
 firif into their company, they all em- 
 braced me, men and women, with the 
 moft endearing tendernefs ; the young 
 beautiful women did the fame, calling 
 me Brother, and catching me in their 
 arms with iiich an innocent affurance, 
 as if I had been their real brother loft and 
 found again. I can't fay but fome of 
 them exprelfed a fondnefs for me that 
 feemed to be of another fort, and which 
 afterwards gave me a great deal of trou- 
 ble; but I mipiited it to the nature of 
 the fex, who are unaccountably mere 
 fond of ftrangers, whom they know no- 
 thing of, than of penonsof much greater 
 _ inerit, who converfe with them every 
 day. Whether it proceeds from the 
 wantof a lufficient foiidir-,- in their judg- 
 ment, or from a levity and ficklenefs in 
 their nature, or from the fpirit of con- 
 tiadiflion, which makes them fond of 
 what they moftly fhould avoid ; or think- 
 ing that ftrangers are not acquainted with 
 their defeiSts, or in fine, are more likely 
 to keep their counfel ; be that as it will. 
 
 their mutual jealoufies gave me tnuch 
 imeafinefs afterwards. But to fay a 
 word or two more of the nature of the 
 peo:jle, before I proceed in my relation; 
 as I told your Reverences, they are the 
 handfomelt race of people I believe na- 
 ture ever produced, with this only dif- 
 ference, which fome may thinkadefeft, 
 that they are all too much like one ano- 
 tlier : but if it be a defefl, it proceeds 
 from a very laudable caufe; that is, 
 from their fpringing from one family, 
 without any mixture of different nations 
 in their blood*; they have neither wars, 
 nor traffick with other people, to adul- 
 terate their race, for which reafon they 
 know nothing of the vices fuch a com- 
 merce often brings along with it. Their 
 eyes are fomething too fm;.i!, but not fo 
 little as thofeof the Chinefe ; their hair 
 is generally black, and inclined to be 
 a little cropped or frizzledf . and their 
 complexion brown, but their features 
 are the moft exaft and regular imagina- 
 ble; and in the mountainous parts, to- 
 wards the line, where the air is cooler, 
 they are rather fairer tlian our ItaliansJ; 
 the men are univerlally well lhaped,tall, 
 and (lender, except through ibme acci- 
 dental deformity, which is very rare; 
 but the women, who keep themfelves 
 much within doors, are the moft beau- 
 tiful creatures, and the fineft fhaped in 
 the world, except, as I faid, being tOo 
 much alike. There is fuch an innocent 
 fweetnefs in their beauty, andfucli a na- 
 tive modefty in their countenance, as 
 cannot be dcfcribed. A bold forward- 
 nefs in c woman is what they diftike; 
 and, to give them their due, even the 
 women are the moft chafte I ever knew, 
 which is partly owing to the early and 
 provident care of their governors. But 
 
 * Tacitus f.iys mnch the fame of the Germans, ' Ipfe eorum ophi'icn'tbuz accedo, qui Gcr- 
 
 * mania pcpulos nullis aliarur,: nattonum connuhiis Ir.f.Sos pr:pnam !^ Jin: cram Cf tar.q:tam 
 
 * Jul Jimikm gerttem extitljjc arb'itrantur. 'Iacitus D£ moriki's Germanorum. 
 
 * I agree,' fays he, ' with their opinion, who think the people of Ge;:nany fo peculiarly like 
 
 * oneanother, becaufe they have not been corrupted by marriag'^s with other nations." They 
 were noted in Auguftus's time to have bKie eyes, as moft of die native Germans have to 
 this day. I remeuiler I faw a review of a German regi;: vnt in the city of Milan, where al- 
 motl every one of the common foldicrs had Lilue eyes. No wonder, therefore, if thefe Afri- 
 cans our author fpeaks of (hculd be fo like one another. 
 
 -j- The ancient Egyptians, according to Hejodctus and Bochart, wercfo. 
 
 \ Though our Italians are fomethJng more fwaithy than the northern Tramontanl; yet 
 our ladies keeping much in the houfe from their childhood, have very line Ikins, and excel 
 »li others for delicacy of features^. 
 
 § I fancy Signer Rhcdi never faw our Sflglifh beauties. 
 
 a» 
 
 i 
 
62 
 
 GAUDENTIO DI LUCCA. 
 
 as I defign to make a feparate article of 
 tli; education ot tlicir young people, I 
 (ball I'ay no more at prcfent on that head. 
 The vii'itations which we made to car- 
 ry the Urns, gave me an opportunity of 
 lering the greatclt part of their country 
 as loon as I came theie; though the Po- 
 phar,with a lei's retinue, and with whom 
 1 nlvvays was, vilitcd them more parti- 
 cularly afterwards. The country is ge- 
 nerally more hilly than plain, and in 
 I'omo partsevcn mountainous ; there are, 
 as I faid, vaft ridges ot mountains, which 
 ntn fevcral hundred milts, either under 
 or. parallel to the equator. Thefe are 
 vevv cold, and contiibiite very much to 
 render the climate more temperate than 
 mighiotherwill; beexpecled, botli by re- 
 fn<*€raling the air wuh cooling breeyes, 
 which aie waftetl from thence over the 
 icft of the country, and by Uipplying 
 jhe plains with innumerable rivers run- 
 ■Pfng both north and fouth, but chiefly 
 towards the north*. Thefe hillr, and 
 the great woods they are generally co- 
 vered with, are theoccafion ot the coun- 
 try's being fub'ccl: to rainsf ; there are 
 vart forefts and places, wliich they cut 
 «!t'.'.vn and delUoy as they want loom, 
 leaving lefl'er groves for beauty and va- 
 netv, as well as ufe and conveniency. 
 The rains and hillinefs of the country 
 make travelling a litlle incommodious, 
 but then they atfonl numberlefs i'prings 
 2nd rivulets, with fuch delicious vales, 
 that adding this to the honefty and 
 innocence ot the inhabitants, one would 
 think it a perpetual paradife. The foil 
 i? fo prodigioufty fertile, not only in 
 <lifVercnt forts of grair, and rice, with 
 a fort of wheat much larger and richer 
 in flower than any Indian wheat I 
 *ver fawj but particularly in an ineoc- 
 haiilhble vai-iety of fiuits, legumes, 
 and eatable herbs of fuch noiuifhing 
 juice, and delicious tafte, that to pro- 
 vide fruit for fuch numbers of people is 
 the leaft of their care. One would think 
 the curie of Adam had fcarce reached 
 tf.at part of the world ; or that Provi- 
 dence Ivad proj'ortioned the fertility of 
 
 the country to the Innocence 6f tht inha- 
 bitants; not but the indultry and inge- 
 nuity of the people, joined with their 
 perpetual peace and reft from external, 
 and almoli internal broils, contribute 
 very much to their riches and fertility. 
 Their villages being moft of them built 
 on the rivulets for manufactures and 
 trades, are not to be numbered. Their 
 hills are full of metallick mines of a!] 
 forts, with materials fuiiicient to work 
 them ; lilver is the fcarceft, and none 
 more plentiful than gold; it comes out 
 oftentimes in great lumps from the mir 
 neral rocks, as if it wept out from be • 
 twecn the joints, and was tlirown off by 
 the natural heat of the earth, or other 
 unknown caufes : this gold is more duc- 
 tile, eafier to work, and better tor all 
 ulbs, than that which is drawn from the 
 ore. Their inventions, not only for 
 common conveniencies, but even tire 
 magnificence of life, are aftonifliing. 
 When I fpoke of their fruits, I (bouUl 
 have mentioned afmall fort of giape that 
 grows there naturally, of wl\ich they 
 make a wine, Jbarp at tiilt, but which 
 will keep a great many years, mellowing 
 and improving as it is kept; but the 
 choicell grapes, which are chiefly for 
 drying, are cultivated among them, and 
 a very fittle pains does it. Their wines 
 are more cbirdiaLtlian inebriating ; but a 
 fmaller fort, diluted with water, makes 
 their conilant drink. I don't remember 
 I ever law any hoined beails in the coun- 
 try, except goats of a very large fize, 
 which ferve them for milk, though it is 
 rather too rich : deer there are innume- 
 rable, of more different kinds than are 
 in Flurope. There is a little beaft, feem- 
 ingly of a fpecies between a roe and- 3 
 flicep, whole flefli Is the moft nourifhing 
 and delicious that c^n be tafted ; theie 
 make a dilh in all their fcafts, and are 
 chiefly rel'erved for that end. Their 
 fowl, wild and tame, make the greateft 
 part of their food; as to flefli-meat, of 
 which they don't eat much, it being, as 
 they think, too grofs a food. The rivers 
 and lakes are ftorcd with vaft quantities 
 
 • It JS remarkable, that moft fprings r"fe from the north-lide of the hills, and more rivers 
 ma northward than fouthwaid, at Icaft on this fide of the line, though the obfervatiun does 
 net ;:Kvay» l:o:d ; die reafon may be, for that thfre aie move mifts and dew s hanging on the 
 nwth-Sde, bicaufe the fun dries up the moifture on the fouth- fide of the mountains more 
 than on the north ; though perhaps all fprings don't rife fjom rain and mifts, &c. yet 
 XQuft do. 
 
 -J- It is well known to the naturalirts, that great woods and hills colleil clouds andv.Tpours, 
 and ccnfe^uemly caufe it to rain mere there than in other iilaces. 
 
 eiT 
 
GAUDEN-TIO DI LUCCA, 
 
 C3 
 
 of molt exquifite fifli, •jwrticulaily a 
 goUlen troiir, whofe belly is of a bright 
 iairlet colour, as delcifable to the paiata 
 as to the eye. Thev fuppolt' fidi to be 
 more nourirtiing and caficr of digcllion 
 than flefli, for which rcafoa they eat 
 much more of it ; but having no rivers 
 that nni into the fea, they want all ol" 
 that kind. 
 
 Their liorfes, as I obferved before, 
 are but fmall, b>it full of mettle and life, 
 and extremely fwift. Thty have a wild 
 ;ifs longer than the horfe, of all tlie co- 
 lours of the rainbow) very ftrong and 
 profitable f-or burden and drudgeiy ; but 
 their great carriages are drawn by elks; the 
 dromedaries are for travelling over tiic 
 fands. The rivers, at Icalt in the plain 
 and low countries, are cut into canals, 
 by which they cany molt of their provi- 
 iion and effects all over the country. 
 This is only a fmall iketch of the nature 
 of the country, becaule I know thefe 
 matters don't fall 'muler the cognizance 
 t)f your Reverences^ fo much as the ac- 
 count 6f their religion, morals, cuftoms, 
 laws, and government. Yet I muft fay 
 that for riches, plenty of uU delicacies of 
 Jife, manufactories, inventions of arts, 
 and every thing that conduces to make 
 this mortal Ifaie as happy as is poflible, 
 no country in the known world can pa- 
 rallel it; though there are fome inconve- 
 niencies, as your Reverences will obferve 
 as I go on with my relation. 
 
 Before I come to the remaining occur- 
 rences of my own life, in which nothing 
 very extraordinary happened till I can-.-e 
 nway, unlefs I reckon the extraordinary 
 liap].inefs I was placed In, as to all things 
 of ihls life, in one of the moll delicious 
 regions of the univerfe, married to the 
 regent's daughter, whole pI6lure Is there 
 before you, and the deplorable lofs of hei', 
 with my only remaining fon, [Here he 
 could not refrain from weeping fur fome 
 tune. ] as well as the prelent ftate to which 
 I am reduced ; thotigh I muft own I have 
 received more favourable treatment than 
 could well be expected. I fliall give your 
 Reverences a fucciai5l account of their 
 
 religion, laws, and cuiloms, which ait 
 alinoll as far out of the common way of 
 tliinklng of the reft of the world, a? 
 their country. 
 
 OF THEIR RELIGION. 
 
 The religion of thefe people is ren!!*- 
 idolatry In the main ; though as limpJe 
 and natural as pofiible foi- Heathens* 
 They indeed will not acknowledge their; - 
 felves to be Heathens, In the fcnle we take 
 the word; that Is, wor/lilppers of falfe 
 gods*; for tliey have an abhoirence of 
 idolatry in words as well as the Chinele. 
 but are idolaters in effe6t, worfliippin^ 
 the material fun, and paying thole li;- 
 perftitious rites to their deceafed arceT- 
 tors; of which part of their religion yonr 
 Reverences have had a full account al- 
 ready. Thefe people however acknow- 
 ledge one fupreme God, maker of a'ii 
 things, whom they call El f , or the moft 
 high of all. Tiiis they fay natural rea- 
 fon teaches them from an argument, 
 tliough good m Itfelf, yet formed after a 
 different way of ai^gulng from other peo- 
 ple: they fay all th^Ir own vvifdcm, or 
 that of all th.e wifelt men in the world 
 put together, could never form this glo- 
 rious world in all it's caufes and effefts, 
 fo iuftly adapted to it's refpeitive ends, 
 as it is with refpeft to eveiy individtial 
 fpecies. Therefore the Author of it mult 
 be a Being infinitely wiftr than all in^dl- 
 leiSlual beings. As'for the notion of anr 
 thing producing itfe'f, without a prior 
 caufe, they laugh at it, and alk why wc 
 don't fee Aich effects produced without a 
 caufe ? Hence they hold one only inde- 
 pendent caufe, and th^t there mvft be 
 one, or nothing could ever he produced. 
 Though they make a god of the fun, 
 they don't fay he is independent r.s to his 
 own being, but that he rccciveil It fi-om 
 this El. Some of the wifer fort, when 
 I argued with them, fecmcd to acknow- 
 ledge the fun to be a material beinp- 
 created by God ; but Ptiurs think hlin 
 to be a fort of vicegerent, by whom the 
 
 * This opinion was very ancient, and cams originally fromEgypt, where Pythagoras 
 le.irnt it : !hough perhaps not liking this way of employiag :t, hr altered It quite from what 
 ■thefe men held, which is the lefs initional of the two. Though, with Sifjnor Gaudentio s 
 feivc, I can never believe, chefc wife mzn really held that opinion, but only underftood it 
 aliegorically ; I mull own, at the fame: time, fome of the ancients did hold the other 
 metempfychofis. 
 
 f The old Arabians by Al, or perhaps El, mean fomething very grand or h'gh, as 
 Al-Cair, for Grand Cair ; Alchymy for the higheii Chyinyftry, &c. I wonder Signor 
 Rhedl took no notice of this in hij remwk;. 
 
 n 
 
GAUDENTIO DI LUCCA. 
 
 64 
 
 El peifomis every thing, as the chief 
 inllnimeiital caiife of all produ£lions. 
 This is the reafon that they addrefs all 
 their prayers to the fun, though tney al- 
 low ail power is tube referred originally 
 to the El. The men look upon the moon 
 to be a material being, dependent on the 
 j\m ; but the women fecm to make a goi- 
 defs of her, by reafon of the influence (he 
 has over that fex ; and foollihly think flie 
 brings forth every month when flie is at 
 the full, and that the ftars are her's and 
 the fun's children. They all of them, 
 both men and women, relf fitisfied in 
 their belief, without any difpiites orlfu- 
 died notions about a Being fo infinitely 
 above them, tlfinking it nnich better to 
 adore him in the infcrutability of his ef- 
 fence, in an humble filence, than to be 
 <lifputing about what they cannot com- 
 prehend ; all their fearch is employed in 
 lecond caufes, and the knowledge of na- 
 ture as far as it may be ufeful to men. 
 
 [Inqtti/itor. I hope you don't deny but 
 that fome men may have wrong no- 
 tions of the Deity, in whicli they ought 
 to be fet right by wifer ui.d more learn- 
 ed men than themfelves ; by confe- 
 quence all fearches and difputes about 
 the being and nature of God are not 
 to be condemned. 
 
 Gaudentio. No, may it pleafe your Re- 
 verences; for I prefume you only un- 
 derfland me now as reprefcntmg other 
 people's opinions, not my own, which 
 is entirely conformable to what tise 
 Catholick church tcaclies. I often 
 told the Pophar, to whom I could fpcak 
 my mind with all the freedom in the 
 world, that as no niort;il man could 
 pretend to tell what belonged to the 
 incomprehenfibility of God's effence, 
 yet our reafon obliging us to believe 
 his Being; it was neccffary, by the 
 lame reafon, that we fliould he in- 
 ftiuiSled by himfelf, or Ibme lawgiver 
 immediately commifTioned by him, lell 
 we fliould err in fo material a point. 
 This law-giver we Chrillians believe 
 he did fend, by giving us his only Son, 
 who was capable of inftru6ling us in 
 what belonged to the eternal Godhead ; 
 that he did not only give us the jufteft 
 notions we could yofilbly liave, but 
 confirmed the truth of what he faid, 
 by inch figns and wonders, r<s none 
 but one lent from God could pertorm. 
 
 Inquijitor. Go on.] 
 
 When I faid, they sddicTs all their 
 
 prayers, and moft: of the external a£lid 
 of their worlhip, to the fun, it is on ac- 
 count of their believing him to be the 
 phyfical caufe of the produftion of all 
 things by his natural influence ; which, 
 though the wifer fort of them, when you 
 came to reafon more clolely, will grant 
 to be derived from the El, and fome of 
 them will own him to be a mere material 
 being, moved by a prior caufe, yet the 
 generality of them don't refleil on this ; 
 but are really guilty of idcla'.ry in wor- 
 flripping a mere creature. Neve.thclefs, 
 as to the moral efFefts of the univerfe, or 
 the free aflions of men with refpeil to 
 equity, juflice, goodnefs, uprightnefs, 
 and the like, which they ;,lIow to be pi-o- 
 perly the duty of rational creatures, and 
 of much greater confequen e than the 
 phvfical part of the world: this I fay, 
 they all refer to the fupreme Being, whofe 
 will it is they fliould be merciful, good, 
 juft, and equitable to all, agreeable to the 
 juft notions of the all -wife Author of 
 their cxiftencc, v/hofe f ipreme realbn be- 
 ing incapable of any irregular bias, ought 
 to be the rule of his creati.res that de- 
 pend on him, and are in fome meafure 
 partakers of his perfe6lions. They con- 
 firm this notion by a very proper com- 
 parifon; as for example, to ai5f contrary 
 to the laws of nature in phyfiLal produc- 
 tions, is to produce monftrous births, 
 Sec. fo to a6l contrary to the ideas of the 
 fupreme reafon In moral cafes, muft be a 
 great deformity in his fight. 
 
 I own I was charmed with this natural 
 way of realbning, and alked them fur- 
 ther, whether they believed the fupreme 
 Being troubled himfelf about the m.oral 
 part of the world, or the free aflions of 
 men ? They fecmedfurprizcdatthequef- 
 tion, and alkcd me, whether I thought 
 it was poffible he fliould leave the noblell 
 part out of his care, when he took the 
 pains (that was their expiefllon) to create 
 the lead infeft according to the moft exa6l 
 rules of art and knowledge, beyond all 
 that the art of man can come up to ? I 
 alked them again, what were the rules, 
 which it was his will that free agents, 
 fuch as man for inftance, fliould follow 
 in the direif ion of their live-;. ? They told 
 me, reafon, jullice, and equity, in imi- 
 tation of the fupreme reafon in him— 
 ' For,' faid they, ' can you think the fu- 
 
 ♦ preme Being can approve of the cnor- 
 
 ♦ mous afticns committed by men ; or 
 
 ♦ that any vile praftices can be accord- 
 ' ing to thejult ideas ol lus reafon ; if 
 
 * not 
 
GAUDENTIO DI LUCCA, 
 
 * not, they muft be contrary to the baft 
 
 * light of reaibn not only in God but 
 ' man, and therefore liable to be punifh- 
 
 * ed by the juft Governor of all.' 
 I iubmit thefc notions to your Re- 
 verences better judgment ; but I thought 
 them very extraordinary for perlbns who 
 had nothing but the light of natiu-e to 
 direft them : it is pity but they had been 
 as riglit in their more remote inferences 
 as they were in thefe principles. The 
 lum therefore of the theoretical part of 
 their religion, is — 
 
 Fu-ft, That the £1 is tlie fupreme intel- 
 leSlual, rational, and molt noble of all 
 beings ; that it is the duty of all intel- 
 leftual beings to imitate the juft laws of 
 reafon in him, otherwife they depart li cm 
 the fupreme rule of all their aclions, 
 fmce what is contrary to the moft per- 
 fe6l reafon in God, muft be contrary to 
 our own, and by confequence of a de- 
 formity highly blameable in his light ; 
 all their prayers, and whatever they alk 
 of this fupreme Being is, that they may 
 be ju't and good as he is. 
 
 Secondly, That the fi:n is the chief, at 
 leaft inftrumental caufe of their bodies, 
 and all other phvfical efFe6ls. Your Re- 
 verences know better than I can inform 
 vou, that this is wrong : to him they ad- 
 drefs their prayers for the prefervation of 
 their lives, the fruits of the earth, Sec. 
 
 Thirdly, That their parents are the 
 more immediate infrruniental caufe of 
 their natural being, which they derive 
 partly from tlie El, and partly from the 
 inn; and they reverence them the more 
 en this account, as being the vicegerents 
 of both, and believe thesr. to be immortal, 
 as to the fpiritual or inttllt^Lual part, and 
 confequently able and ready to affiil them 
 according to the rel"pe6t they fliew them 
 by reverencing their tombs and honour- 
 ing their memories. Though, upon a 
 nicer examination, I found that the fu- 
 perftitlous worfliip they pay to their de- 
 ceafed anceftors v/as as much a politick 
 as a religious inftliution ; becaufe their 
 government being patriarchal, this in- 
 violable refpeft they fhew to tlieir parents 
 makes them obey their elders or gover- 
 nors, not only v/ith the moft dutiful ob- 
 iervance, but even with a filial love and 
 alacrity. 
 
 * This notion of the tranfmigration of the fouls of brutf 5 into men and women in thi« 
 life, panicul.irly into the latter, was not unknown to the anrients, though explained fome- 
 thing atrer a ditTerent way : vvltnefs a rsmaining fragmer^ ot Simonides, a very accient 
 Greek poet, t»> that eff^rit, 
 
 I vne 
 
 65 
 
 There are fome other points of lefs 
 confequence, and reduceable to thefe 
 three heads, which your Reverences will 
 obferve in the courfc of my relation. As 
 for the immortality of the foul, rewards 
 and puniftnn'ints in another life, they be- 
 lieve both, though they have an odd way 
 of explaining them. They fuppofe, 
 without any heiitation, that'the foul is 
 a being independent of matter, as to it's 
 eftence, having faculties of thinking, 
 willing, and chufmg, which mere mat- 
 ter, let it be fpun ever fo fine, and ac- 
 tuated by thequickeft and the moft fub- 
 tie motion, can never be capable of; but 
 their notion of their pre-exillcnce with 
 the El, before they wa«e fent into bodies, 
 is veiy confufed. The rewanls and pu- 
 nifhmcnts in the next life they believe 
 will chiefly confift in this ; that in pro- 
 portion as their actions have been con- 
 formable to the juft ideas of the fupremp 
 Being in this life, partaking ftiil more 
 and more of his infinite v/ifdom, fo their 
 fouls will approach ftill nearer to the 
 beautiful intelligence of their divine mo- 
 del in the next. But if their actions in 
 this life have been inconfiltent with the 
 fupreme reafon in God, they fliall be 
 permitted to go on for ever in that in- 
 confiftency and difagreement, till they 
 become fc rnonftroufly wicked and enor- 
 mous, as to become abominable even to 
 themfelves. 
 
 OF THEIR OPINION CONCERNINa 
 THE TRANSMIGRATIO.N- OF SOULS, 
 AND THE SCIENCE OF PHYSIOG- 
 N M Y . 
 
 I foun 1 the wifeft of them held the 
 Metempfychofis, crthetranfmigi-ation of 
 fouls*, not as a punliliment in the next 
 life, as fome of the ancient Heathen philo- 
 fophers did, but as a puniftmientin this j 
 the chief pnmihmcnt in the next was ex- 
 plained above. This tranfmigration of 
 fouls is quite different from the received 
 notion of the word. Inftvjad of believ- 
 ing, as the ancients did, that the IbuU 
 of wicked and voluptuous men, after 
 their deaths, tranfmiyrated into bcaft* 
 aciording to the fimilitude of their vi- 
 ciuus iuciinatlons, till, palling through 
 
 i 
 
66 
 
 GAUDENTIO DI LUCCA. 
 
 or.e animal into another, they were per- 
 niiltcd to coniintuce men again j I lay, 
 thclc peoi)le, infctad ot" believing this, 
 lioKl a Mercmpl'ycholis of quite a dif- 
 feient nature; not that the Ibuls ot" men 
 enter into brutes, but that the fouls of 
 brutes enter into the bodies of men even 
 in this life. They fay, for example', that 
 the bodies of men and women are fuch 
 delicate habitations, that the fouls of 
 brutes are perpetually envying them, and 
 contriving to get into them ; that, un- 
 Jefs the divine light of retiibn be peipe- 
 tually attended to, thei'e brutal fouls Ileal 
 in upon them, and chain up the rational 
 foul, fo that it (hall not be al)le to govern 
 the body, unlefs it be to carry on the de- 
 figns of the brutal foul, or at beft only 
 make feme faint efforts to get out of it's 
 llavery. I took it at iirft, tliat this iyftem 
 was merely allegorical, to ihew the funi- 
 littide betvveen the paflions of men when 
 not directed by reafon, and thofe of brutes. 
 But upon examination, I found it was 
 their opinion, that this tranfmigration 
 did really happen ; infbmtich, that in my 
 laft journey with the Pophar into Egypt, 
 when he faw the Turks, or other Ihange 
 nations, nay, feveral Armenian and Eu- 
 ropean Chriltians, he would fay to me 
 in his own language, There goes a hog, 
 fliere goes a lion, a wolf, a fox, a dog, 
 and the like ; that is, they believe the 
 body of a voluptuous man is poffefledby 
 the ibul of a hog, of a Inftful man by 
 that of a goat, a treacherous man by that 
 of a fox, a tyrannical man by that of a 
 wolf, and fo of the reft. This belief is 
 inirilled into them fo early, and with fo 
 much care, that it is of very great benefit 
 to keep them v/ithin the bomids of rta- 
 fun. If a voung man finds himfelf in- 
 clined to any ot" thefe paflions, he ad- 
 dreffes Iximielf immediately to fome per- 
 louwhoMi bethinks of luperiorwifdom, 
 who affures him that the foul of fome 
 ceituin brute is endeavouring to furprize 
 and captiviUc his rational foul, and take 
 poffefiion of it's place. This makes 
 ihem alvvav's watchful, and upon their 
 guard againll their own palfions, not to 
 be furprized by fuch a mercilefs enemy. 
 Their immediate remedy i-s, to look ikd- 
 falHy at the divine light that (liines with- 
 in them, -and compare it with it's ori- 
 gii-.al, till by the i'oixc of it's rays they 
 drive away thofe brutal fouls, which, as 
 foon as fully difcovercd in their trea- 
 cherous attacks (for they come on, fay 
 t'',-v, by Health, not daring to attack 
 
 that divine light direftly) are eafilv rc- 
 pulfed, before they have obtained pof- 
 fefllon, tliough it cofts a great deal of 
 pains to diflodge them when once they 
 are got in. The fear of being abandon- 
 ed to the flaverj- of thefe brutal fouls is 
 fo deeply imprinted in them from their 
 infancy, that they look upon the tem- 
 perance and regularity of their lives to be 
 m a great mealure owing to this doctrine. 
 The fame notions hold with their wo- 
 men ; into whom their mothers and go- 
 \'ernefl"cs inllil them, as the wife men do 
 to the men : only they believe the brutal 
 folds that enter into women are of a dif- 
 ferent fnecies from thofe that enter into 
 men. Thty fay, for inftance, that of a 
 'cameleon makes them falfe and incon- 
 ftant ; that of a peacock, coquettish and 
 vain 5 that of a tigrefs, cruel and ill-na- 
 tured; and fo of the reft. They add 
 another difference between men and wo- 
 men, that when thefe brutal fouls are en- 
 tered into them, they are much harder 
 to be driven out from them than from 
 the men ; befides that thefe brutal fouls 
 will lurk uiidifcovered in women a great 
 while, and are often fcarce diicernible, 
 till the age of five and twenty or thirty ; 
 whereas in moft men it difcovtrs itfelf 
 prefently after it's entrance. 
 
 It was on account of this doflrine, as 
 I found by repeated obl'ervations, that 
 they were fo addicted to tlie ftudy 
 of Phyfiognomy, laying down ndes to 
 know by the countenance, the lines of 
 the face, and unguarded looks of men, 
 whether the brutal Ibid has got pcfTciliou 
 or not, in order to apply proper remedies. 
 This fcience, however uncertain and 
 doubtful among Chriltians, (who have 
 greater afliftunce of giace anil virtue to 
 lefifl their pafTions, thole treacheious in- 
 vaders) is brought to greater jjerfeftion 
 and certitude than one would imagine, 
 among fuch of thefe people, who, hav- 
 ing no fuch helps, take little care to cul- 
 tivate and moderate their vicious incli- 
 nations, unlel's they are apprized and fore- 
 warned of the danger. Therefore their 
 wife men, whenever they come in com- 
 pany of the younger fort, confider at- 
 tentively with thcmfelves ail the linea- 
 ments of the countenance, complexions) 
 motions, habit of body, conllitution, tone 
 of the voice, make and turn of the face, 
 ncfe,ears, &c. but particularly tiiey ob- 
 ilyve the Itructure and glances of the eye, 
 with innumerable figns proceeding frorri 
 it, by which they pretend to difcover thole 
 palfions. 
 
GAUDENTIO Dl LUCCA. 
 
 pafTions. I fay, they pretend to know by 
 thele what brutal Ibul lays iiegc to the 
 rational Ibul, or whether it has already 
 taken poffefhon of it's polh If they are 
 Ih-angers, they prudently take care to 
 avoid their company, or at leali areon tlieir 
 guard notto have any dealings with tliem 
 in matters obnoxious to the brutal foul 
 they think them poffelfed by. But if the 
 perlbn attacked by thefe brutal fouls be 
 of tlieir own nation, they immediately 
 forewarn fuch to be on his guard, by 
 which, and the dread thsy have enter- 
 tained from their youth of thele brutal 
 enemies, they are kept in fuch order, that, 
 as I faid, I never faw fuch moral people 
 in my life. The worll is, they are ex- 
 ti'emely inclined to be proud, and have 
 too great a value for themfelves, defpil- 
 ing in their hearts all other nations, as if 
 they were nothing but brutes in human 
 fliape*. However, their wife men take 
 as much care as pcflible to corrc6l this 
 fault, as far as the ignorance of the law 
 of grace will allow; by putting them of- 
 ten in mind of the mileries and infirmi- 
 ties of human life, which being real 
 evils, muft be in punifliment of fome 
 faultj that the moft perfeil: are liable to 
 death, which makes no dillinftion be- 
 tween them and the reft of the world. Be- 
 fides, humility, and a commiferation for 
 the defe6ls of others, is one of the rays 
 of the divine light that is to guide them. 
 From fuch documents and inlhuftions 
 of the wifer fort, though they do not 
 care to have any correlpondence witli 
 ether people, feeing them lb pofl'effed with 
 thofe brutal fouls, yet they are a molt 
 courteous and compafiionate people in 
 all their behaviour. 
 
 OF THEIR LAWS AND CUSTOMS. 
 
 Over and above what has been fai3 
 already of the nature and cuftoms of thefe 
 people, I rtiall hereobferve that their laws 
 'are very few in number; but then they 
 are prodigious exa6l in the obfervance of 
 them. I have often heard the Pophar, 
 contrary to his cuftoms make very fevtre 
 reflexions on the lawyers of other coun- 
 tries, who make laws upon laws, and add 
 precepts upon precepts, till the enulcfs 
 
 67 
 
 number of them makes the f.indamental 
 part to be lorgottcn; leaving nothing but 
 a confuted heap ef explanations; which 
 may caufe ignorant people to doubt, 
 wliether there is really anv thing meant 
 by the laws, or not. ' If I forbid my 
 ' fon,' fays he, * to do any wrong to any 
 
 * one, what need is there of reckoning up 
 
 * all the particulars by which a perfon 
 ' may be wronged ? Shew but the fa6l 
 ' on both fides, any man of fcnfe and 
 ' equity can ttll, if there be any wrong 
 ' done. For if you multiply an infinity 
 ' of circumftance,;, itwill be mv.ch more 
 
 * difficult to decide wliat Is right, or 
 ' what is wrong, than if you preci!t;iy 
 ' and abfolutely forbid all injui-y wliar- 
 
 * foever.' It is almoil Incredible, with 
 what nicety and equity, and how loon, 
 their judges determine the few difputes 
 they have -^mong them. To v/eigh the 
 merits of the caufe by the weight of the 
 purfe, would be counted by them one of 
 the greatelt enormities. There are no 
 courts for difputcs of this nature; all Is 
 done by laying the cale before their pub- 
 lick aflemblies, or before any one or two 
 prudent and jult men; and the atFair is 
 finally decided at once. All the law for 
 Meum and Tuum among them is— 
 ' Thou flialt do no wrong to any one,' 
 without enteiung into any f. rther niceties. 
 
 * Such explanatory fuppofitions,' fay 
 they, ' oftener ftiew people how they may 
 
 * ingenioully contrive to do an injurv, 
 
 * than how to avoid it.' 
 
 Their laws therefore are nothing but 
 the firft principles of natural jufticc, ex- 
 plained and applied by the ciders, in the 
 publick hearing of all wiio have a minj 
 to come In when the facts are brought 
 into difpute. 
 
 The worfhip of the Deity , and that ex- 
 ceflive and even fuperftitious reverence 
 they pay to their parents, both alive and 
 dead, Is fo carefully inculcated to them 
 from their infancy, that there is no need 
 of any written law to enforce it. They 
 look on a man to be polfvllcd with fome 
 brutal foul, who fhould pretend to call 
 in queftion or negleft this duty. 
 
 There is a pofitive law among them, 
 not to fhed human blood voluntnriU f . 
 They carry this fundamental law of na- 
 ture 
 
 * TheChinefe, whom I have proved to be dcfccnded from the firft Egyptian?, are fiibjeft 
 to the like pride and contempt of other people, faying that all other nations have but one 
 eye, whereas nature has given them two; lignifying thereby, how much wifer they think 
 themfelves than other men. 
 
 ■\- Thefe people defcending from Mifraitn, who might know the patriarch Noah, and 
 might have karat by tradition the punifliaient of Cain for the murder of his brother .'Vbel, 
 
 i z carried 
 
GAUDENTIO DI LUCCA. 
 
 tnrc to fuch a height, that they never put 
 any one to death, even for murder, which 
 very rarely happens^ that is,oncQ in fe- 
 veral ages. If it appears that a perfon 
 lias really nun dered anotlier, a thing they 
 think ahnort impofiible, the perfon con- 
 vifted is fnut up from all commerce of 
 men, with provifions to keep him alive as 
 long as nature allows. After his death, 
 the fact is proclaimed, as it was when 
 they fhut him up, over all the Nomes. 
 His name is blotted out of their genea- 
 logies; then his dead body is mangled 
 jult in the fame manner as he killed the 
 innocent, and afterwards burnt to aflies, 
 which are carried up to the4iigheft pait 
 of the dcfirts, and then lofled up i^-.to the 
 air, to be carried away by the winds blow- 
 ing from their own country: nor is he 
 ever more to be reckoned as one of their 
 race; and there is ageneral mourning ob- 
 ferved throughout the kingdom for nine 
 days. 
 
 Tliere is alfo an exprefs law againft 
 adultery and whoredom, which are like- 
 wife punifhcd after death. Ifperfonsare 
 cauglit in adultery, they are fhut up apart 
 till death ; then they are expofed naked 
 as they were furprized, and the body of 
 the woman treated after the mod ignomi- 
 nious manner for three days. After which 
 they are burnt, and their aflies dilperfed 
 as before*. Whoredom is only punifhed, 
 in the man, by chaining him to a he-gcat, 
 and the woman to ^falt bitch, and lead- 
 ing them thus round the Nome. Alf in 
 the refpeiftive Nome, men an 1 women, 
 are to be prefent at the more fignal pu- 
 nifhmcnt--, and parents are obliged to ex- 
 plain 10 iheir children the vv-ickednefs and 
 horror of the crime, for a warning for 
 the future. I forgot to tell your Reve- 
 rences, that if the woman brings forth 
 by adultery, the child is preferved,^ till 
 
 able to be carried with them when they 
 go into Egypt, and there given to Ibme 
 Itranger, with ample provifion for it's 
 maintenance, but never to be heard of 
 more f . 
 
 There is alfo one particular I (hould 
 have mentioned, relating to injuftice. If, 
 for example, the elders find there has been 
 any conlulerable injuftice done, the cri- 
 minal is obliged to rcllore nine times the 
 value. If any one be convifled to have 
 impofed upon the judges, he is to be fcnt 
 out to the Ikirts of the country, to live by 
 himfelf for a time proportionable to his 
 guilt, with a mark on his forehead, tor 
 all perfons to avoid him, left he fhould 
 inllil his principles into others. AH 
 other matters are regulated rather by cuf- 
 tom than by laws, which will be feen 
 when I come to the form of their govern- 
 ment, and other particular inftitutions. 
 
 OF THEIR FORM OF GOVERNMENT. 
 
 Their form of government, as I had 
 the honour to acquaint your Reverences 
 before, is patriarchal, which they pre- 
 ferve inviolably, being the moft tena- 
 cious people in the world of their primi- 
 tive indltutions, But the order of the 
 fucceffion is extremely particular, in or- 
 der to keep up the quality of brother- 
 hood and dignity as exaft as they can. 
 Your Reverences, I prefume, remember 
 that they all fprung from one family, 
 (iind lived as fuch when they were driven 
 out of Egypt) the hea.l of which was 
 priefi: of the Sun. This government they 
 had obferved ever fince Mifraim took 
 poffefTionof that land for his habitation. 
 But when they were fecured from all the 
 world in the firft vale, as was mentioned 
 before, they eftablifhed that form of go- 
 vernment after a particular manner. The 
 
 carried tliat opinion to an excefs. Be thefa people who they will, or not be at all, I canmt 
 but obferve how incxcufable xht wickednefsof men was from the beginning, without blaming 
 G'l.i, a's fonie libertines do, for leaving them in ignorance. 
 
 Th ■ wicked Ham, or Cham, was in the ark with Noah, and lived many years before the 
 deluge, (the truth of which is attained by ancient hiftory, hs well as by facred Scripture) and 
 favv the dreadful punifliment inflldted o:\ the world tor fin; could not he have learnt god- 
 Jinels, and the reward for it, of his father Noah? Could not Ham have taught his own 
 chilcrcn, they theirs; and fo on? But they corrupted their own ways, and thereby fhewed 
 the iieceflity <^t a revelation. 
 
 * See the learned Bi/hop of Meaux's Univerfal Hiftory, concerning the Egyptians, Par. 
 i.'i. and of their punifliments after death. 
 
 f With our author's leave, this is not fuch a juft and compafTjonate part, to turn inno- 
 cent children out among people whofe cufloms they had fuch a horror of, only for their 
 parents fjults. For though the maxim be good, Beware a Breed; yet the c^re they took of 
 f heir yoMth, and the moral ipfiruftion ihcy gave then), might make them abhor the crimes 
 of tbeir parents. 
 
GAUDENTIO DI LUCCA. 
 
 69 
 
 fuft Pophar fettling in that vale with liis 
 five fons, and as many daughters, with 
 their hnfbands, governed them during 
 lit'i;, as father or patriarch of them all. 
 Their prodigious veneration for their pa- 
 rents, and fepar^tion from all other 
 people, render this form infinitely more 
 prafticable than can well be imagined. As 
 they were children of one man, the in- 
 tereff of the v/hole was the intereft of 
 every particulra-. All the nation of the 
 firll tranfmigration v/ere children, grand- 
 children, or great grand-children of the 
 good old man who conducted them thi- 
 ther. Having no wais, or voyages at 
 fea, nor commerce with the difttrnpers 
 as well as vjces of other nations, who ge- 
 nerally differ in their way of living as 
 well as their climate; having nothing of 
 this, 1 lay, to deftroy their people, tb.ey not 
 onlyincrcafed prodigioufly, without plu- 
 rality of wives, but by that and their al- 
 i7ioft primitive way of living, they pre- 
 fcrvc J tlieir lives to a great old age, molt 
 of them living above a hundred years, 
 and Ibme above a hundretl and lifty. 
 The firll Pophar (lay their memoirs) 
 lived til! an liundied and fifty- five, and 
 his eldell Ion his fucceffor, more robull 
 (till, to a hundred and fixty. Prefently 
 after his eftabhfhment in the firll vale, he 
 divided his fmall dnminions into five 
 Nomes, or governments, under his five 
 Ions, as was obftrved before. All were 
 to be fubordinate to the eldell; but it was 
 only a patriarchal fabordination, relating 
 to the whole. Tlie other governors, and 
 ind' ed all fathers of families, were entire 
 minillers of the laws in their refpeclive 
 families; but thefe lail were liable to the 
 infpeftion of the more immediate iiipe- 
 riors, and all to that of the Grand Po- 
 phar, aflilted with fuch a number of couu- 
 iellors as were ellablilhed afterwards. To 
 give your Reverences a more dillinil idea 
 of this wonderful government, it will 
 come much to the fame, whether we de- 
 fcend from the chief Pophar to every re- 
 fpeflive family, or from thefe upwards. 
 The particularities of the liuceHion I 
 lliall confider afterwards. However, it 
 will be eatier feen, if v\-e take them when 
 their numbers were not fo great, at the 
 fir'.l beginning of their eftabliflnnent. 
 
 The Pophar, then, having diitingnilh- 
 ed tiie bounds of every Nome, I mean in 
 their firll tranfmigration, each fon took. 
 poiTcfTion of it for himfelf and pofterity. 
 While eacli fon'b children were unmar- 
 ried, they eojiliuued under the govern- 
 
 ment of their father, v^ho made ufe of as 
 much land as wasfufficient for thecon- 
 veniencies and pleafures, as well as the 
 necelTluies of life. But as foon as any fon 
 was married, or at ieaft when he could 
 be called a father of a fa.mily, the fathei', 
 with confent of the Pophar, alloned hira 
 likewife a fufticient quantity for the fajne 
 end: fo they fpread and enlarged them- 
 felvcs as it were from the centre to a 
 farther extent, much in the fame manner 
 as they build their towns, till they had 
 occupied the whole Nome. Here yon 
 will fay, thefe people mull in proc( fs of 
 time increafe ad infinitum, witliout lands 
 futficient to maintain them. This was 
 really the cafe in the firll plantation, 
 which was fb entirely occupied by them, 
 that if the famous Pophar, who brought 
 them into the vail continent they no<.v 
 enjoy, had not made that glorious difco- 
 very with the danger of his life, they mift 
 have returned into Egypt, or eat up one 
 anoth.er; but where tiiey ai'e at prefent, 
 they have room enough; nolv,'iih Handing 
 their numbers, for feveral ages. How- 
 ever, I often reprelented to the Pophar, 
 that it mull come to that at lall: the 
 thought made him unealy at firft, and at 
 length put him on a further difcovcry, as 
 your Reverences will fee in the fequel. 
 But fuch vail numbers of them betaking 
 themfelves to arts and manufadlurcs, and 
 the country being lb prodigioufly fertile, 
 there does not appear any great difficulty 
 in that refpecl. Of all arts, they look 
 upon agricuhure as the firft in dignity 
 next to the liberal fciences, lince that 
 nouri(hesalltherell;butitcomesfoeaniy, 
 and the fruits and legumes are lb licii 
 and delicious, that they have littler more 
 trouble than to gather thiin : betides, 
 having two furamers and two I'pvings, 
 each different fealbn produces it's pecu- 
 liar fruits. But to return to the idea of 
 their government, each father of a family 
 governs all his defcendants, married or 
 immarried, as long as he lives. If his 
 fons are fathers, thev have a liibordinate 
 power vmder him ; if he dies before lie 
 comes to fuch an age, the eldell fon, or the 
 eldell uncle, takes care of them, till they 
 are fulHcient to let up a family cf them- 
 felves. The fatlier, on extraordinar)' oc- 
 cafions, is liable to be infpe6ied by five 
 of the moll prudent heads of that dilhi^t ; 
 thefe by five of the five adjacent dillrifls 
 chofen by common conllnt ; thefe lait, 
 by the heads of the five Nome;, and all 
 the Nomss by the Grand Pophar afiiile J 
 
 wiili 
 
GAUDENTIO DI LUCCA. 
 
 with three hundred and fixty-five ciders 
 or fonators, cholen out of every Nome 
 What is moll particukir in this govern- 
 ment is, that they are nil nblolute in fome 
 manner, and independent, as looking on 
 themfelves r.s all equal in bu'th; yet in an 
 entire dependency ct natural fubordina- 
 tiou or elderrtiip, which runs through the 
 whole a-conomy> as your Reverences 
 will fee when I come to the fucceffion. 
 Xhey aie in the fame manner lords and 
 proprietors of their own pollciTions, yet 
 the Pophar and governors can allot and 
 tlilpofe of all for the publick emolument, 
 becaufe they look on him to be as 
 much the father of all, as the immediate 
 natural father is of his proper children, 
 and even in fome fenfe their natural fa- 
 ther by right of elderfliip, becaufe they 
 fpning originally from one man, whom 
 the Grand Pophar reprefents. To this, 
 that natural, or politick, or even fupcr- 
 llitiousreipeft they (hew totiieir parents, 
 contributes fo much, that they never dif- 
 pute, but, on the contrary, revere the re- 
 gulations made by their fuperiors; being 
 latisfied that they are not only juft and 
 good, but that it is their own aft, fmce 
 it is done by virtue of a fubordination to 
 which they all belong. 
 
 The fuccefllon of elderfliip has fomc- 
 tliing very particular, and even intricate 
 in it. To exprefs at the lame time the lii- 
 periority of the elder fon, and tlie equa- 
 lity of independence, I Ihall endea\our 
 to explain to voiu' Reverences, as well as 
 I can, the right thereof. The eldeft fon 
 of the firft Pophar is always Grand Po- 
 phar, when he is of age to govern, which, 
 as I faid, is at fifty at fooncft; biU if the 
 direft line fails, not the uncle's Ion, nor 
 any one in that Nome, but the right heir 
 of the next Nome; and fo of all the five 
 Novnes. If they fhoald fail in all the 
 Nomes, the right heir of the fecond fon 
 of the firit Nome, and fo of ail the reft. 
 This, they fay, has happened fevera! 
 times fince their firll eftablifhment, which 
 is not much to be wondered at, if they 
 arc lb ancient as thev pretend. Thus, 
 though the Grand Popharfhip be confined 
 to the eldeft in fome fenfe, in eiTcft it be- 
 longs to them all; but if the next heir be 
 a minor, as he is always judged to be till 
 he is fifty years of age, the eldeft of that 
 ao-e, of the fecond fon of the next Nome, 
 is regent till the heir be out of his mino- 
 rity, and fo on: infomuch that, in order 
 to divide the fuperiority among them as 
 equally as pofTible, he who has the next 
 right to be Grand Pcphar, is ncvei- to 
 
 be regent. All other publick officei-s, 
 teachcis of arts and fciences, overlcers 
 of all the publick emplo^Tnents, &c. arc 
 con iVituted by the Grand Popharand San- 
 hedrim, with alfcciates of every Nome. 
 
 MORE PARTICULARS OF TKEIR. 
 PUBLICK. OECONOMY. 
 
 Though, as I faid, the Pophar is in 
 fome fenfe the proprietor of the whole 
 country, as head of the govei-nment and 
 chief patriarch; yet the paradox of this 
 government confilts in this, that they are 
 joint lords, acknowledging no inequali- 
 ty, but merely elderfViip, and the refpeft 
 due to dignitaries, which they efteem as 
 ther own, or redounding to themlelves, 
 becaufe they ail give their confent to their 
 eleftion forthe publick good. In a word, 
 the whole country is only one great fa- 
 mily governed by the laws of natme, with 
 proper officers, conflituted by the wliole, 
 for order and common prefervation. 
 Every individual looks on himlelf as 
 a part of that great family. The Grand 
 Pophar is the common father, efteeming 
 all the reft as children and brothers, call- 
 ing them univerlally by that name, as 
 they all call one another brothers, bar- 
 tering and exchanging their commodi- 
 ties as one brodier would do with ano- 
 ther; and not only fo, but they all join 
 in building their towns, publick places, 
 fchools. Sec. laying up all the ftores and 
 provifions, over and above the prcfent 
 confumption, in publick places, for the 
 uie of the whole, with overfeers and in- 
 fpeftors, conrtituted by common con- 
 fent, who are to take care chiefly, that 
 no diforder be committed. Thus every 
 one contiibutes to all publick expences, 
 feafts, and the like, which on fome oc- 
 callous are extremely magnificent; af« 
 fectincr external grandeur in all relVefts. 
 Thus alio every man, wherever he goes, 
 enters into what houfe he pleafes, as if it 
 were his own home; this they are doing 
 perpetually throughout the whole coun- 
 try, rather viliting than merchandizing; 
 exchanglnglhe rarities of each ref;'e6"tlve 
 place with thofe of other parts, juft like 
 friends making prefents to one another; 
 fo that all the roads are like ftreets of 
 great towns, with people going back- 
 ward and forward perpetually. They 
 do this the more frecjuently to keep up a 
 correfpondence between the Nonu'S, left 
 diftance of place fhould cauie any for- 
 getfuhiefs of their being of one fumily, 
 
 The 
 
GAUDENTIO DI LUCCA." 
 
 The plenty of the country affords them 
 every thing tliat naviire can call delight- 
 ful, and that with luch eate, that infinite 
 numbers are employed in trades and arts, 
 according to theirgenins or inclinations; 
 which, by their continual peace and 
 plenty, their long ellablilhment in one 
 country, and under one form of govein- 
 ment, the natural ingenuity of the peo- 
 ple, the To early knowledge of arts, 
 which they brought with them out of 
 Egypt; by the improvements their wile 
 men make in them from tirae to time j 
 and from what they learn when they pay 
 their viilts to their deceaied ancellors, 
 they have brought to prodigious perfec- 
 tion. One may fay of them, that they 
 are all malkrs, and all fervants; every 
 one has employment; generally fpeak- 
 ing, the younger fort wait on the elders, 
 changing their offices as is thought pro- 
 per by their fuperiors, as in a v/ell-regu- 
 lated commvmlty. All their children 
 univerfdly are taught at the nublick ex- 
 pence, as children of the government, 
 without any diltinclion but that of fer- 
 Jonal merit. As the perfons deputeii fur 
 that end judge of their genius, or any 
 particular indin-.uion, they are dil'pofed 
 afterwards to thofe arts and callings for 
 which they feem molt proper; the molt 
 I'ublime fciences are the molt in refpecl 
 with them, and arc chiefly the emjiloy- 
 ment of their great men and governors, 
 contrary to the cultom of other counti'ies; 
 the rcafon of which is, becaufe thefe 
 being never chofcn till they are fifty years 
 of age, thev have had more time to im- 
 prove therafelves, and generally are 
 perfons of more extenfive capacities. 
 They rightly fuppofe, that perfons who 
 excel others in the moit rational fciences, 
 are not onh^ fittelt to govern a rational 
 people, but alfo mod capable of making 
 themlelves mailers of what they under- 
 take ; not but fuch men, knowing the 
 governors are chofen o'it of that rank, 
 have an eye In their Itudies to the rules 
 and arts of governing, which are com- 
 municated at a diftance by them, accord- 
 ing to the talents they remark in the 
 fibje^ts. They do not do this out of 
 any fpirit of ambition, employments be- 
 ing rather an honorary trouble than an 
 advantage, but for the real good of the 
 whole. Agriculture, as I faid, has the 
 next place in honour after the liberal 
 arts; and next to that, thofe arts are 
 juoft eiisemed which are moit necelfary ; 
 
 the lall of all are thofe which areof leaft: 
 ule, though perhaps the molt delightful. 
 
 Since eveiy one is employed for tlie 
 common good more than for themlllvcs, 
 perhaps perfons may apprehend that this 
 gives a check to indultry, not having 
 that fpur of private intered, hoarding 
 up riches, or aggrandizing their families, 
 as is to be found in other nations. I 
 was apprehenfive of this myi'elf, when 
 I came to underftand their government; 
 but lb far from it, that pcllibly there is 
 not fuch an Indultrious race of people in 
 the imiverle. They place their great am- 
 bition in the grafideur of the countryy 
 looking on thole as narrow and meicc- 
 nary fpirlts, who can prefer a part to 
 the whole: they priile tliemfelves over 
 other nations on that account, each man 
 having a proportionable fhare in the pub- 
 lick grandeur, the love of glory and 
 pralfe feems to be their greatelt palTion, 
 Bcfides, their wife governors have fuch 
 ways of Itirrlng up their emulation by 
 publick honours, harangues, and pane- 
 gyncks in their affemblies, with athou- 
 fand other ways of Hiew and pageantry, 
 and this for the moil minute arts, tltat 
 were it not for that fraternal love Ingraft- 
 ed Sn thtm from their infancy, they 
 would be in danger of raihng their emu- 
 lation to too great a height. Thofe who 
 give indi:aiions of greater wifdom and 
 prudence in their conduc'l than others, 
 are marke<l out for governors, and gra- 
 dually raifed according to their merit. 
 Whoever invents a new art has a ftatue 
 erected, accoj-dlng to the ul'efulnefs of 
 it, with his name and family inferted in 
 publick records. Whoever dillinguilhes 
 huufelf by any particular excellency, 
 has fuitable marks of diftinaion paid 
 him on publick occalions, as garlands, 
 crowns, acclamations, longs, or hymns 
 in his praife, &c. It is incredible how 
 fuch rewards as thefe encou:-age indullry 
 and arts in minds fo affected with gloiy 
 as thefe people are : on the other hand, 
 their greateft punifhments, except for ca- 
 pital crimes, which are punilhed as above, 
 are by pubiick difgraces. 
 
 But now I am fpeakingof their youth: 
 as they look upon them as feeds of the 
 commonweahh, which, if corrupted m 
 the bud, will never bring forth fniit, fo 
 their particular care is laid out in their 
 education, in which I believe they ex- 
 cel all nations. One cannot fay there 
 is o.ae in the whak nation who may be 
 
 called 
 
7* 
 
 GAUDENTIO DI LUCCA. 
 
 rnllttd an ivlle perPjn, thougli they in- 
 ihilgL* tlieir youtli very much in proper 
 recrcatioi^s. endeavouring to keep them 
 as gaj' us they can, becaiife they arena- 
 tiu:illy iiichiied to gravity. Befides 
 daily recreations, they have fet times 
 and Icafons for puhJick exercifcs, as rill- 
 ing, vaulting, running, but particularly 
 hunting wild bealh, and filhingfor cro- 
 codiles and alligatorsjin their great lakes, 
 which I (lull delcribe to your Reverences 
 on another occaiion ; yet they are never 
 fufFered to go alone, that is, a company 
 of young men together wiiliout grave 
 men and perfons in authority along 
 with them, who are a guard to them in 
 all their aflions ; nay, they arc never 
 fufFered to ileep together, each lying 
 ia a fmgle bed, though in a publicic 
 room, widr Ibme grave perlbn in the 
 fame room with them. Their women 
 arc kept much in the fame manner, 
 to prevent inconveniencies which I lliall 
 touch npon when I come to the educa- 
 tion of their women : and this fo uni- 
 verfaliy, that as there are no idle com- 
 panions to lead them into extravagan- 
 cies, fo there are no idle and loofe wo- 
 men to be found to corrupt their minds. 
 Their whole time, both for men and 
 women, is taken up in employments or 
 publickrecreations, which, with thcearly 
 care to inflruft them in the fundamental 
 principles of the morality of the country, 
 prevents all thofe diforders of youth we 
 fee elfewhere. Hence too comes that 
 ftj-ength of body and mind in their men, 
 and modell blooming beauty in tlieir 
 women ; fo tliat among this people na- 
 ture feems to have kept up to it's pri.ni- 
 tive and original perffftion. Bciiues, 
 that univerfal likenefs in them, proceed- 
 ing from their conjugal fidclit;' and ex- ■ 
 ciufiun of all foreign mixture in their 
 breed, (where all the lineaments of their 
 anceftors, direfl and collateral, meet at 
 hftin their olrspring) gives the parents 
 the comfort of feeing their own bloom 
 and youth renewed in their children; 
 though, in my opinion, this univerfal 
 likenefs is rather a defeiSl 5 not but the 
 treafures of nature are fo inexhauliible, 
 that there are fume diftinguiihing beau- 
 ties in every face. Their young men 
 and women meet frequently, but then 
 it is in their pubiick affemblles, with 
 grave people mixt along with them. At 
 all pubiick exercifes the women are placed 
 in view to fee and be feen, in order to 
 
 infpire the young men with emulation In 
 their performances. They are peinnt- 
 tc-d to be decently familiar on thofe pub- 
 lick occafions, and can .hufe their lov- 
 ers refpe(!;lively, according to their lik- 
 ing, there being no fuch thing as dow- 
 ries or intereft, but mere perional me- 
 rit in the cafe j but more of this after- 
 wards, when I ftiall fj>e:ik more parti- 
 cularly of tlie education of then* women 
 and marriages. Tiiis is a ftiort iketch 
 of the government and oeconomy of a 
 people, who are as much diitinguifhed 
 irom the cuftoms of others, as they are 
 feparated by their habitation and coun- 
 try. 
 
 [Inquijltor. You feem, Sir, to have a 
 very high idea of this patriarchal go- 
 vernment, and look upon it according 
 to the law of nature; I hope you don't 
 deny but perfons may be obliged by 
 the law of nature to obey their foims 
 of government, as well as a patriarchal 
 one ? 
 Caudentio. No, Reverend Fathers, by 
 no means, I don't enter into compa- 
 rlfons, but rejate matter of fa(5t. It 
 is not to be doubted, but different 
 forms of government may be propev 
 for different nations; and where once 
 a form of government is lawfully e(la- 
 blilhed, perfons are obliged to obey, 
 to avoid anarchy and confufion; as for 
 example, whoever (hould endeavour 
 to fubvert a monarchical government 
 once lawfully ellabliflied, muft break 
 in upon the laws of right and jultice, 
 which are obligations of the law of 
 nature. 
 Inquifitor. Read on. 
 Second Inqtiijltof. Under favour, I 
 muft afk him a quelUon or two firlf. 
 I think. Signer Gaudentio, ycu make 
 the grand Pophar to be both prince 
 andprieft ; that is, to be velfeil both 
 with temporal and fpiritual power: is 
 it your opinion that t lie fpiritual pov^er 
 is fubjefl to the temporal ? 
 Caudentio. I fpcak of Heathens, Re- 
 verend Fathers, anda Hcathenifli wor- 
 fliip, where the grand Pophar was botii 
 prince of tlie people, and chief prielt 
 of the Sun by hi.; place. I acknow- 
 ledge no head of the church but his 
 Holinefs, as moft agreeable to the pri- 
 mitive inltitulion of our religion. 
 Here be nvent on in his exalted notions 
 of the foa)ereiv,n Pontiff, partly being 
 a Roman Caiholickt but chiefly, in all 
 appear- 
 
GAUDENtiO Dt LUCCA. 
 
 n 
 
 appearance, hecaufe he nuas before 
 the lnqmj1tion\ for tjohkh reafon the 
 publijber thought fit tolea'ueit Out. 
 
 XSaudent'w. Is it your Reverences plca- 
 fu re that I go on with my hiftory? 
 
 hiquijitor. Ay, ay, read on. ] 
 
 THE EDUCATION OF THEIR WOMEN^ 
 AND MARRIAGES. 
 
 As Fdr their women, the Pophar told 
 me it was what gave them the moft 
 trouble of any thing in their whole go- 
 vernment; that by their records, their 
 anceftors had held frequent conlultatibns 
 after wliat manner they were to be ma- 
 naged, there being great difficulties to 
 be feared either from allowing them li- 
 berty, or keeping them under rellraint. 
 *= If you allow ihem liberty, you mull 
 ' depend on their honour, or rather ca- 
 ^ price, for your own ; if you keep thent 
 
 * under confinement, they vv'iil be fare 
 •^ to revenge themfelvts the firit oppor- 
 ^ tunity, which they will find in fpite oi 
 ' all you can do. The rules,' faid he, 
 ■^ by which men are governed, won't 
 ' hold with women 5 folid reafon, If you 
 
 * can make them fenfible of it, will fome 
 
 * time or other have an influence on molt 
 ' men; v/hereas humour isvvhatpredo- 
 
 * minates in women. Hit that, you 
 
 * have them; mifs it, you do nothing: 
 
 * and yet they are fo far from being an 
 
 * inditferentthingin thecommonwealt!!, 
 
 * that much more depends on the n'glit 
 
 * management of them, than people ima- 
 
 * glnc. Liccntioufnefs of youth draws 
 
 * innumerable misfortunes on any go- 
 ' vernment; and wliat greater incentive? 
 
 * for liccntioufnefs than lewd women; 
 ' whether common proftitutes, wanton 
 
 * ladies, or adulterefl'es? For all loofe 
 
 * women belong to one of thefe claOes. 
 
 * Our women,' continued he, * are ex- 
 
 * tt'errtciy beautiful, as you fee ; oul" men 
 
 * li-rongand vi2:crt3us; conjugal fidelity, 
 
 * therefore, rind chaftity, raui\ be the 
 ' Ih'ongell bonds to keep them in their 
 ' duty. As for our young men, we 
 
 * keep them in pei-j>etual employ)i.ent, 
 ' and animate tliem to glory by eveiy 
 
 * thing that can move generous minds 5 
 ' with our women, we endeavour the 
 ' fame byways adapted to their genius. 
 ^ But our greateft care of all, \z to make 
 
 * marriage efteemed by both parties the 
 ' happieit flate that can be wifiied for in 
 "■ this life. This we believe to depend 
 
 on making the woman, rather than the 
 man, happy and fixed in her choice; 
 becaufe, if the perfon be impofed upon 
 her, contrary to her own inward in- 
 clination, diflike, or revenge, or per- 
 haps a more fliameful paffion, will 
 make her feck for relief elfewhere ; and 
 where women are not virtuous, mea 
 will be lewd. We therefore permit 
 the wdrnart to chufe entirely for her- 
 felf, and the men to make their ad- 
 drelfes where they pleafe : but the wo- 
 man is to diftinguifla her choice by 
 fonie fignal occafion or other, and 
 that too not without great difficulties 
 on both fides, which being furmounted, 
 they efteem themfelves arrived at the 
 happy part of all their wilhes. The 
 molt ardent arid tried love determines 
 the choice: this endears the man to 
 her on the one hand, and the difficulty 
 of finding any woman who has not 
 the fame inducements to love her huf- 
 band, leaves him no encouragement 
 for his lawlefs defires among married 
 women ; and the fingle women are ei- 
 ther fo early engaged with their lovers, 
 or fo pofiefled with the notion that a 
 married man cannot belong to her, 
 that his fuit would be entirely vain. 
 In a word, v/e do not allow the leaft 
 temporal intereft to interfere in the 
 choice, but rather" wUh our young peo- 
 ple fh-:ruld be mutually attracted by 
 cfreem and affeillon. The whole bu- 
 finelsof courtfhip Is to prove their con- 
 ftancy, and to make tliem fo : v/hen 
 we are well altured of this, all obfta- 
 cles are removed. We found this me- 
 thod to have the leall inconveniencles 
 of any, and the bc(^ means to preferve 
 conjugal fidelity, on which the good 
 of families fo much depends. 
 * When our nation,' continued \x% 
 began to grov/ very populous, and the 
 country full of liches and plenty ; the 
 prohiii'cuous convcrfation of our yoimg 
 men and women, with fome negleft 
 on the part of the governors, was the 
 occafion that the bounds of our inno- 
 cent ancefi^ors v/ere not fufficient to 
 kee|) them in their duty; ftrange dif- 
 orders were crept among our youth of 
 l)Oth fexes ; oUr men grcv* enervated 
 and efteminatc, our women wanton 
 and enflamed; unnatural abufes -aft- 
 ed their coriiHtution j 10 that we loft 
 thou lands of our young men and %vj- 
 men, without knowing what was the 
 taufe ; even in the marrisd itate, the 
 K • women 
 
f^ 
 
 GAUDENTIO DI LUCCA. 
 
 women began not to be contented with 
 one manj on which account oui an- 
 cellors h.ii.1 ahnoll lefolved to keep all 
 our women tVom the iiyht of men till 
 they weie married, and then to deliver 
 them lip to their luifbands, who ihould 
 have a delpotick. righfover them, as I 
 am inf jrmed they have in other na- 
 tions. They imagined this to be a cer- 
 tain means to afcertain the legitimacy 
 of their children, and to prevent jea- 
 loufy, the hrft caid'e, however dif- 
 fembled, of the man's dillike to his 
 wire. Oth.crs objefted againll this ic- 
 vere difcipline, and laid, it was mak- 
 ing the moR beautiful part of the cre- 
 ation mere ilaves, or at lead mere pro- 
 perties ; that it was to give a fatal 
 check to the ;dory of a free people, to 
 deprive the liufoand of the voluntary- 
 love of iiis moiety, and take away the 
 moll endearing part of conjugal hap- 
 pinels. To this the fevtrer fide an- 
 i'wered, that the women were come to 
 fuch a pafs, that their abufes of liberty 
 {hewed they were fcarce capable of 
 making a proper ufe of it. However, 
 a medium betwixt both carried it tor 
 that time. Theinjiu-iesof the marriage 
 Ihte, and the corruption of youth, 
 which was the occafion of it, were 
 judged to he of fuch confequence to the 
 commonwealth, that, refolved to put 
 a ftop to it at any rate, all the wife men 
 and governors conAilted together, and 
 refolved unanimcully to put the laws I 
 mentioned againit adultery and whore- 
 dom in execution, caufmg proclama- 
 tions to be made for that intent through- 
 out the whole empire. All corruptors 
 of youth of both ft- xcs v/ere (liut up im- 
 mediately, with the regulations I re- 
 lated above, of having grave perfons 
 always in the company of young peo- 
 ple, whether nii^n or women. They 
 married off all that were of age for it, 
 us fall as they could ; but quickly 
 found the numoer of inhabicants did 
 not increr.fe as ufua], their native vi- 
 gour being exhaultcd or debilitated by 
 
 their unnaiurai abules ' 
 
 [Some paniyrufhs feem loanting in this 
 part of Caudintws narrativi:,'whicb 
 douhtlefs tvere very curious.'] 
 There is one peculiar metliod allowed 
 by them, in which they diner from all 
 other nations ; for whereas thefe lall en- 
 deavour to preieivc tiieir young people 
 from love, led they Ihould thiow them- 
 felves away, or make difudvantageous 
 
 matches; the former, having no !n(e-> 
 relied views in that refpeil, encourage 
 a generous and honourable love, and 
 make it llieir care to fix them in tin: 
 llr!(flell bonds they can, as foon as they 
 judge, by their a geand conltitution, of 
 their inclinations: this they do ibnKiimc,-> 
 by applauding their choice, but mollly 
 by raifingvalt difficulties, contrived on 
 purpofe both to try and enhance their 
 conilancy. They have hiilorles and llo- 
 ries of heroick examples of hdelity and 
 conftancyin both fexes; but particular- 
 ly for the young women, by which thev 
 are taught rather to fuffer ten thoular.d 
 deaths than viohite their plighted faith. 
 One may fay they are a nation of faitli- 
 full overs ; the longer they live together, 
 the more their friemlfliip encreaie.s, and 
 infidelity in either fex is looked upon as 
 a capital crime. Add to this, that be- 
 ing all of the fame rank and quality, ex- 
 cept the regard paid to eld.erfliip and 
 publick employments, nothing but per- 
 fonal merit, and a liking of each other, 
 determines the choice; there mull be fig- 
 nal proofs produced, that the woman 
 prefers the man before all otliers, as his 
 lervice muil be dillinguilhed in the fame 
 manner. Where this is approved of bv 
 the governors or elders, it the woman 
 in^its on her demands, it is an invioia- 
 K .' law that that man mud be her huf- 
 band. Their hands are firih joined to- 
 gether in pubiick, then they clafp each 
 other in tlie clolell enibrace, in which 
 polluie the elder of the place, to (hcw 
 that this union is never to be diffolved, 
 takes a circle of the fined tempered detl, 
 woven with flowers, and firil lays it over 
 their necks, as they are thus clafping 
 each other, then round their v/aids, and 
 lad of all round their breads, or hearts, 
 to fignify tliat the ardency of their love 
 mud terminate in an indilloluble friend- 
 ship; which is followed by infinite accla- 
 mations and congratulations of the whole 
 afiembly. I believe tiie world cannot 
 furnifh fuch examples of conjugal chaf- 
 tity as are preferveil lietwcen tiiem by 
 thefe means. Widowers and widows 
 never marry fingle pcrlbns, and butrare- 
 ly at all, except left young ; v^ien they 
 are to gain each other as before. By 
 fuch prudent precautions, infinite dif- 
 ordci-s and misfortunes to the common- 
 wealth are prevented, proceeding not 
 only from difjjroportionale and forced 
 marriages, but from the licentioufnefs 
 cf idle perlbns, who either ninny for 
 
 money 
 
GAUDENTIO DI LUCCA. 
 
 imoney, or live on the fpoll of other peo- 
 ple, till they can get an advantageous 
 match. This is a fliort flcetch of their 
 government and cuftoms,\vliich I thought 
 -would not be unacceptable to your Re- 
 verences, though a great many other cuf- 
 •toms of lefs moment will occur in the 
 fequel of my life, to which I now re- 
 turn. 
 
 The Pophar regent made choice of 
 me for one of his attending companions, 
 with the other young men who cnme 
 home with us: he had a great many other 
 attendants and officers, deputed by com- 
 mon confent to wait his orders as regent; 
 thefe were changed every five years, as 
 were thofe attending the governors of the 
 ether Nomes, on account of improve- 
 ment; for, being all of equal quality, 
 they endeavour to give them as equal an 
 education as is polfihle, changing their 
 employments, and waiting on one ano- 
 ther in tlieir turns, by the appointment 
 oftheli rel'peclivegovernors, except thofe 
 whofe genius or choice determines them 
 to arts and fciences, according to their 
 oeconoray defcribed before. I muft only 
 add, that having fuch a high value for 
 their race, no one thinks it a difgrace to 
 peifonn the meanelt offices, being all 
 to be attended in like manner themfclves 
 when itcomes to their turns, each looking 
 on the honours done to every branch of 
 their government as their own. Hence 
 all their publick ranks and ceremonies 
 are the moft magnificent that can be ima- 
 gined ; there is fcarce any thing done, 
 even in entertainments between the pri- 
 vate tribes, but there are proper officers 
 deputed for it, and all expences pait! ont 
 of the connnon Itock, with de.nuiesand 
 cverfeers for every tl.ing. Their houles 
 are all open to one another, with a long- 
 gallery, which runs from the end of one 
 range of building to the other. The 
 womens apartments join together; with 
 the men of each family joining to tlieir 
 own women, that is, their wives, fillers, 
 and daughters. Tlie women have their 
 fuhakern officers like the men. Thefirlt 
 apartment of every break of a ftrect be- 
 longs to the men, then the women's be- 
 longing to them ; then the women of 
 the next family joining to them, and 
 their men beyond them, andfc on, with 
 large puiffick halls at proper diltances 
 for public): alTemblies ; fo that every 
 tiling they do is a fort of paradox to ns, 
 for thpy arf the freelt and y^t ftri£t?ll 
 
 7i 
 
 people in the world ; the whole nation, 
 as I obferved before, being more like 
 one univerfal regular college, or com- 
 munity, than any thing elfc. The wo- 
 men are pei pet'jally eniployed as well as 
 the men ; it is theirbufirefs fo work all the 
 fine garments for tiumfelves and the 
 men, which being much the fame, ex- 
 cept devices and flowers for their friends 
 and lovers, are made withlcfs difficulty; 
 the chief difference is in t!ie wearing 
 them. But the chief diilinftion of fexes, 
 is in the ornamenis of their necks and 
 hair. Crown.s and fillets are worn by 
 all, juft after the model of the little pid 
 ture your Reverences law in the cabinet j 
 all tlieir tapeftry, embroider}-, and the 
 like, with infinite other curiofities, are 
 the works of their women, fo that the 
 chief q'.alification of their women or la- 
 dies, for they are all fich, is to excel at 
 the loom, needle, or diaaff. Since I 
 came there, by the Pophar's defire, they 
 have added that of painting, in which, 
 I believe, the vivacity of their genius 
 will make them excel all the reft of the 
 world. Not teaching for hire, I thought 
 it no difgrace in me to inllruiSt fnch 
 amiable fcholars in an art no man ought 
 to be artiamcJ of. It is a thing unknown 
 with thefe people for young ladies of 
 any degree, or even young men, to have 
 nothing elfeto mindorthinkof biitvifits 
 and drefs. When I gave them an ac- 
 count of the lives of our quality and 
 gentry, they cried out — ' What barba- 
 ' rians ! Can any thing become beauty 
 ' more than knowledge and ingenuity r' 
 They feemed to have fuch a (.ontempt, 
 and even a lioircr for a lite of that na- 
 ture, that the young ladies alked me, 
 with great concern, if ovir ladies had 
 any lovers? as if it were impoffible to 
 love a woman who had notiiing to I'e- 
 comraend her but what nature gave her. 
 In fine, by the defcription I gave of the 
 idle life of our ladies, they judged them 
 to be no mere than beautiful brutes.Thejr 
 alked me alio, if I did not think myfelf 
 fortunate by my captivity, where I met 
 with ladies, who thought the ornaments 
 of them-nd more defirable than thole of 
 the body; and told me, they imptitcd 
 v/hat they faw in me, to my good for- 
 tune of being bom of their lace by 
 the mother's fide; nay, could fcarce 
 believe but my father had a mixtuic of 
 tlieir blood fome wav orother. I alTured 
 them, I efteemed myltlf vciy happy to be 
 in tlie rriidftof lb many charms of body 
 K » and 
 
•;a 
 
 GAUDENTIO Dl LUCCA. 
 
 anJ mind j ami added, that though 
 they had the Ineftimable hnppinefs of be- 
 ing born all of one race, without any 
 mixture of foreign vices, yet in efFeft, 
 all the world were originally brothers 
 and fillers, as fjiringing from one pnii", 
 fince men and women did not rife out of 
 tiie groinul like miiflu'ooms. This I 
 faitl to give them a little hint of natural 
 and revealed religion, which are inl'e- 
 parably linked together. But to return 
 to myfelf : the Pophar being my nearcft 
 relation, took me Into his own family, 
 as his conitant companion and attendant, 
 wjien he was not on the publick con- 
 cerns ; where I likevvile accompnnied hnii 
 fometimes, and received moftdiltingulfti- 
 ing marks of his favoiu". He would of- 
 ten confer with me, and Initruft m? Vi\ 
 their ways and cuftoms, and the polity 
 of their government, enquiring frequent- 
 ly into the particularllies of our govern- 
 ments, both civil and religious. He 
 never endcavov.red to perfuade me to con- 
 form to their religious ceremonies, and 
 iny own good fenfe told me it was pru- 
 dence not to meddle with them. I ra- 
 ther thought he feemcd inclined to have 
 more iavourabie femiments of our reli- 
 gion, as f'ich, than his own, though he 
 was prodigioully bigotted to their civil 
 cuftoms; laying, it was impoflihle ever 
 to preferve a commonwealth, when they 
 did not live vp to tlielr laws ; which 
 /hould be as few and as fimple as pol- 
 fible : for when once people come to 
 break In upon fundamentals, all fubfe- 
 quent laws v^'ould not have half the 
 (trength as prlmniy ones. To tliefe he 
 added many other reflections, that flitw- 
 ed him a man of confummate wifdom, 
 and worthy the high poit he bore. He 
 hud had t.vo fons, both dead ; and two 
 daughters living j the one was about ten 
 years old when I arrived there, (it is flie 
 your Reverences faw In that pi(5\iire) the 
 other born the vear before the Pophar fet 
 out for Grand Cairo. His ia-'y, much 
 younger tlian himfelf, iliewed fucii fref'i 
 remaiiiE of beauty, as demonltrated that 
 nothing but what fprung from herfelf 
 could equal her; both the Pophnr and 
 his confort lookeLl on mc as their own 
 Ton, nor C(iuld I expeft gi eater favour 
 had I really been fo'. I took ail the care 
 imaginable not to render myfelf un- 
 worthy of it, and botn revered and loved 
 them beyond waat I "m able to exprcfsj 
 though indeed, as I obferVjed, the whole 
 race of ihem was nothing but a kingdom 
 
 of brothers and friends, no man laving 
 the lealt fufpicion or fear of one ancther. 
 They were fo habituated to the oMlrv- 
 ance of their laws, by their natural dil- 
 pofitions and tlie never-ceafing vigilancy 
 of their governors, that they lecined to 
 have a greater horror for the breach of 
 their laws, than the punlfliments attend- 
 ing it; faying, that infinite diforders 
 might be connuitted by the malicious 
 inventions of men, if there was nothing 
 but fear to keep them in their duty. 
 Such force has education and the light 
 of nature rightly cultivated ; for mylelf, 
 I was left to follow what liberal em- 
 ployment I liad a mind to. Philofophy, 
 mufick, and painting, had been the thief 
 part of my ftudy and divcrfion, till my 
 unhappy captivity and the lofs of my 
 brother; but as I was fallen among a 
 nation of philofophers, that noble fclence, 
 the millrefs of all others, made up the 
 more ferious part of my employment ; 
 though at fome times, by the Pophar re- 
 gent's earneft defue, I applied myfelf to 
 the other two, particulaily painting. 
 They had a great many old-fa(hioned 
 muficalinftruments, and an infinite num- 
 ber of performers in their v/ay, who at- 
 tended their fealls and publick rejoicings ; 
 but their mufick, both vocal and inlhu- 
 niental, was not near fo pcrfefl as one 
 might have expecfed of fo polite a peo- 
 ple, and did not come up to the elevated 
 genius of our Italians. Their phllofc- 
 phy chiefly turned on the more uRful 
 part of It ; that is, the mathcmatlcks and 
 diretStion of nature : in the moral part 
 of It they have a fyftem, or rather no- 
 tion, of which I forgot to acquaint your 
 Reverences before; it Is a too high and 
 exalted notion of Providence, if that ex- 
 prelfion mny be allowed, by which they 
 imagine all th.ings to be fp governed In 
 this world, that whatever u'.jury a man 
 does to another, it will be returned upon 
 him or his poftcrity, even In this world, 
 in the lame manner, or even in a greater 
 degree, than what he did to others. 
 \_InquiJttor. You'll be pleafed to explam 
 you« own fentiments in this particu- 
 lar, fince v.c hope you v'pn't deny that 
 fundamental law of nature and reli- 
 gion, viz. That the d-ij,^ne Pioviden'ce 
 prefides over all tlffiigs; and as for 
 uibluhnry things, we premfne you be- 
 ll' -ve that Providence does not only fliew 
 itfelf in the wonderful produftion and 
 harmony conlpicuous in all natural 
 ■ caufes and eifefts, beyond all tiie wit 
 
 and 
 
GAUDENTIO DI LUCCA. 
 
 77 
 
 anJ art of men; but alfo over the 
 luoral part, that is, the free aftions of 
 men, byluitable rewards and piinifli- 
 ments in this world or the next, to 
 make an equal and juft compenlution 
 for all the good and evil of this life, 
 ai God is the juftandequal Father ot all. 
 So pray explain yonrfelf, that we may 
 know your real fentiments on thr.t 
 head. 
 
 Gaudeniio, I hope, reverend Fathers, 
 I dial' convince you, my feniimcnts 
 are really oithodox in this point; no 
 man has more reafon to magnify Pro- 
 vidence than myfelf ; hut heaiheniOi 
 people may carry a juft belief to fu- 
 perltition. That there is a providence 
 over the phyfical part of the world, 
 no man who has any jnll: knowledge 
 in natrwe can be ignorant, ilnce he 
 may be convinced by the leaft infe6l, 
 every thing being adapted to it's pe- 
 culiar ends, with fuch art and know- 
 ledge in the Author cf it, that all the 
 art and knowledge of men can't do 
 the like ; and by confeqnence not be- 
 ing able to make itlelf, it muft be 
 produced by a canfe infinitel}' know- 
 ing and forefeeing. Then, as to the 
 moral part of the world, the iame rea- 
 fon fliews, that fince the great Creator 
 defcends fo low as to take care of the 
 leaft infeft, it is incredible to think that 
 the nobleft part of the world, that is, 
 the free aftions of men, fhould be 
 without his care. But as he has given 
 them the glorious endowments of free 
 V/ill, the fame Providence knows how 
 to adapt the dire<5ticn of them by ways 
 and means fui table to their beings ; 
 that is, by letting them know his will, 
 andpropoilngfuitable rewards and pu- 
 ni/hments for their good and bad ac- 
 jions-j which rewards and punidmients. 
 It is evident, are not always feen in 
 this life, fnice the wicked often pro- 
 fper, and the good fuffer, but by con- 
 fequence mult be refciTed for another 
 ftate. 
 
 But thefe people not having a juft notion 
 of the' next life, though they believe a 
 future ftate, cany matters fo far, that 
 they think every injuiy done to ano- 
 ther will be fome way or other reta- 
 liated upon the aggrejTor, or his poftc- 
 rity, in this life: only they lav, ihe 
 punilhment always lalls the heavier 
 the longer it is dcfci red. In this man- 
 ner do tliey account for all the rtvo- 
 Ivitions of the earth, that one wicked 
 
 a6lion is puniflied by another ; that the 
 defceudants of the grcateft monarchs 
 have been loft in heggaiy for aJmoft, 
 endlefs generations, and the perfons 
 that diipolfcfled them treated after the 
 fame manner by fome of the defcenr 
 dants of the former ; and fo on : which 
 notion, in my opinion i-; not juft, fmce 
 a hncere repeiuance may wipe off the 
 moft grievous offences. B'-t as per- 
 fons, generally fptaking, are more fen-r 
 fibly touched with tlie i.i'nillimentsof 
 this life, it is not to be doj.bted but 
 there are often moft fignal marks of 
 avenging providence in this life^ in 
 order to deter the wicked. 
 Itiquifitor. Go on.] 
 
 Finding tlie Pophar had a prodigious 
 fancy for painting, by fome indiffereat 
 pieces he had pic;: 1 up, I applied my- 
 felf with extraordinary diligence to that 
 art, particularly fmce he would have me 
 teach his daughte;-, whofe unparalleled 
 charms, though cut in the bud, made 
 me infenfible to all others. By frequent 
 drawing, I not only pleafed him and 
 others, but almoft myfelf; eveiy one 
 there, men and women, were to follow 
 fome art or fcience : the; Pojdiar deliied 
 me to impart my art to fome of th-j young 
 people of both iexes ; faying, there weie 
 very great encor.ragements for the in- 
 ventors of any nev/ arts, which I migltt 
 juftly claim a title to. I did foj and 
 before I left the place, I had the plea- 
 fine to fee fome of them equal, or even 
 excel their mafter. 
 
 Thefe were the chief emplopnents of 
 my leifure hours ; though I was forced 
 to leave them for con ficlei able inteiTals 
 to attend the legent in the private vifita- 
 tions of his cliarge, which he did fre-r 
 quenily from time to Xiiv.i, fcmefimesto 
 one Nome, ibmctimcs to another, l:aving 
 an eye over all, both officers and people. 
 Thefe vilitation'"- were rather pnferva- 
 tions againft, than remedies for, any dif- 
 order<. He ufed to fay, \\\2it the com- 
 monwealth was like a gi-cat machine 
 with different movements, which if fre- 
 quently viiited by the artift, the kaft 
 flaw bei.ig taken notice of in time, was 
 not only foon remedied, but was a means 
 of prelen'i.ig all the reft in a conftant 
 and regvlar motion ; but if neglecled, 
 would foon dilbrder the motions of the 
 other parts, ar.d either colt a great deal 
 to repair, or bring the whole machine 
 to deftru61ion. Unlefs on publick fo- 
 lemnities, which were always veiy mag- 
 nificent, 
 
GAUDENTIO DI LUCCA. 
 
 nlficent, the Pophar (not to burden his 
 people) went about witlioiit any f^rcat 
 train, accompanied by only an afHiLirg 
 elder or two, the young Pcphar, and 
 myillf: he had frequent converfaticnj 
 with the fubalterns, and even with the 
 mtaneft artifans, calling them his chil- 
 di-en; and thi-y having rccourfe to him 
 as their common father. For the firft 
 five years of his regency, the only diih- 
 culty we had of any moment to deter- 
 .mine was an affair of tl;c moft delicate 
 natui-e I ever heard : though it does not 
 concern myieif, I fliall relate it to your 
 Reverences forthe peculiar circumftances 
 of it, being a cafe entirely new, as well 
 as un;:ircvided for by the laws of their 
 conftitution. 
 
 The cafe was tfais ; two twin brothers 
 had fallen in love vith the fame woman, 
 and Hie with them. The men and the 
 woman lived in different parrs of the fame 
 .Nome, and met accicTen(-lly at one of 
 their p;reat folemnities j it was at ihe feall 
 oi the Sun, which is kept twice a year, 
 .hecnnft, as I informed your Reverences, 
 their kingdom lies between the tropicks, 
 but moie on this fide the line than the 
 jCther. This fituation is the occafion that 
 [Ihey have two fprings and two IvmuTiers. 
 •At the beginning of each fpring, there 
 'arc great feafts in every Nome, in ho- 
 ^nour of the Sun ; they arc held in the 
 j'or-cri fields, in teftimony of his bei;ig the 
 'immediate caufe (in their opii>ion) of the 
 [production of all things. Allthefacri- 
 'fice they offer to him arc five little pyra- 
 .mids of inccnfe, according to the num- 
 'htr of their Nomes, placed on the altar 
 'in plates of gold till, they take fire of 
 themfelves. Five young men, and as 
 many women, are deputed by the go- 
 vernors to j^erform thi; office of placing 
 the pyramids of incenfc on the altar: 
 they are clad in their fpangled robes of 
 the colour of the Nome, with crowns on 
 their heads, marching up two by two, a 
 man and a v.'cman, between tvv-o rows of 
 young rrjen and women, placed theatre- 
 wife one above another ; and make the 
 jnoft beautiful fhow that e^es can be- 
 hold. It happened that one of the twin 
 brothers was deputed, widi the young 
 lady I am fpcaking of, to make the firlt 
 couple for the placing tb.e incenfe on the 
 altar. Tl^y marched up on different 
 fides tin they came to the altar : wlien 
 they have placed the incenfe, they falute 
 each otiicr, and crofs down, the men by 
 the ranks of the wpmcuj and the vvoniea 
 
 by the men, which they do with a won- 
 derful grace becoming fuch an auguft 
 alftmbly. The defign of this is to en- 
 courage a decorum in the carriage of the 
 youug people, and to give tliem a fight 
 of each other in their greatcil lulhe. 
 When the five couple have performed 
 their ceremony, the other ranks come 
 two by two to the altar, faluting each 
 other, and crofling as before, by which 
 means the young people have an oppor- 
 tunity of feeing every man and woman 
 •of the whole company, though the plac- 
 ing of them is done by lot. If th.y have 
 not any engagement before, tiiL-y ge- 
 nerally take the firft liking to one ano- 
 ther at fuch interviews, aiid the woman's 
 love and choice being what determines 
 the marriage, without any view of in- 
 tereft, being, as I laid, all equal in qua- 
 lity, the young gallants niake it their 
 b-.ifnu'fs to gain the affeBion of the per- 
 fon they like by their future fervices. 
 To prevent inconvcniencti of rival/hip 
 at the beginning, if tlie man be the per- 
 fim tiie woman likes, he pieftnts her 
 with a flower juft in the ^ud, which fhe 
 takes and puts in her breaft. If fue is 
 engaged before, fiie fhesvs him one, to 
 figi:ify her engagement j which if in the 
 bud only, .'hews the courtlhip is gone no 
 further than the firft pjopofal and lik- 
 ing; if half blov/n, or the like, it is an 
 emblem of fiirtlicr progrcfsj if full 
 blown, it fignifies that her choice is de- 
 term.ined, from whence they can never 
 rjicedc; that is, flie can challenge the 
 man ihat prefentsit, but he cannot chal- 
 lenge her till n-e has worn it publickly. 
 If any diflike (hould happen after that, 
 they are tcbe iliut up, never tohaveany 
 hulband. If {he has no engagement, 
 but does net :-pprove of the perfon, flie 
 makes him a low courtefy, with her 
 eyes flmt till he is gone away. The 
 women, it is true, for all this, have 
 fome little cofjuettifli arts, dilTemblin^ 
 their afFeftious now-and-then, br;t not 
 often. If the man be engaged, he wears 
 fome favour or other to ftiew it; if he 
 likes not the woman, he prefcnts her with 
 nothing; if the v/oman fliould make 
 fome extraordinary advances, without 
 any of his fide, flie has liberty to live a 
 nr.'.id, or to be difpofcd of among the 
 widows, being locked upon as fuch, who, 
 by the bye, iriany none but widowers. 
 But to return to the twins. It happened 
 that the brother who went with the lady 
 to the altar, feemg flie had no bud upon 
 
 hec 
 
GAUDENTIO DI LUCCA. 
 
 79' 
 
 her breaft, fell in love with her, and flie 
 with him J the awe of the ceremony hin- 
 dered them from taking any further no- 
 tice of one another at that time. As Die 
 went down the ranks, the other hrotlier 
 law her, and fell in love with her like- 
 wife, and contrives to meet her with a 
 bud in his hand, jiift as the ceremony 
 ended, which ihc accepts of, taking him 
 to be theperibnwhohad marched up with 
 her to the altar; but being obliged to go 
 oif with the other young ladies, whether 
 tiie concern fhe had been in, in perform- 
 ing the ceremony before fuch an illnlhi- 
 o'.is aflembly, or the heat of the weather, 
 or the joy The conceived in finding her af- 
 fei5lion reciprocal, or all together, had 
 I'uch an efftif, that Ihe fell into a faint- 
 ing-fit jniong her companions ; who 
 opening her bofom in haite, not minding 
 the flower, it fell down, and v;a3 trod 
 imder foot. Juft as file was recovered, 
 /he brother whoperlormed theceremony, 
 came up and preiented his bud, flie 
 thinking- it had been that flie had loft, 
 received it with a look that fliewcd he had 
 made a greater progrefs in h:;raffecT;ions 
 than wliat that flower expielVed; the 
 laws not permitting any fm-ther conver- 
 fation at that junilure, they retired to 
 their refpeftive habitations. Some time 
 after, the brother who had the luck to 
 prelent the firft flower, whom for dif- 
 tinftiou I fhall call the yoj.nger brother, 
 as he really was, found a way to make 
 hei^a vifit by ftealth, at a grated window, 
 which, as I obferved, was uubliclcly pro- 
 hibite<l by the wife governor.s, but pri- 
 \ ately connived at to enh:mce their love. 
 He came to her, and after fonie amorous 
 <onverlation, makes bold to pi^eient her 
 tiic more advanced mark of iiis atfection, 
 which fhe accepted of, and gave him in 
 return a fcarf, worked with hearts iepa- 
 rated by little brambles, to (hew there 
 were fijmt ditiiculties for him to over- 
 tome yet; iiowever, they gave one ano- 
 ther mutual alTurances of love, and he 
 was permitted to proflfs himfeif her 
 lover, without declaring !ier name, for 
 fome private reafons ihe had. Not long 
 after, the elder brother came, and pro- 
 cured an opportunity of meeting her at 
 the lame window. Tlie night was very 
 dark, fo that he could not Ice the fecoiui 
 flower which fiie liad in her bolbm, only 
 ilie received him with greater ligns of joy 
 and freedom than he expciSled; but re- 
 flefting on the figns he iiad remarked in 
 her couiiten:uice, and afiei her illnefs by 
 
 a fort of natural vanity for his own me- 
 rits, flattered himlclf that her pafTion was 
 rather greater than his, extiifed himfeif 
 for being lb long without feeing her, and 
 added, that if he were to be guided by 
 the height of his flame, he would lee her 
 every night. She, reflecting liow lately 
 file had feen him, thought his diligence 
 was very extraordinary, but imp.uted it 
 to the ardour of his paflion; in fine, fhe 
 gave him fuch allured iigns of love, that 
 he thought in himfeif he might pals the 
 middle ceremony, and prefent her with 
 the full-blown flower, to make fure of 
 her. She took it, but told him flie would 
 not wear it for fonie time, till fhe liac! 
 pafTed fome forms, and had further proof 
 of his conftaucy; but for his confirma- 
 tion of her affe^iion, flie put out her hand 
 as far as the grate would permit, which 
 lie kifled with all the ardours of an en- 
 flamed lover, giving her a thoufand af- 
 furances of his fidelity, and Are in return 
 gave him a ribband with two hearts in- 
 terwoven with her own hair, feparated 
 only with a little hedge of pomegranates 
 almoft ripe, to fhew that the time of ga- 
 thering the fruit was nigh at hand. Thus 
 were the three lovers in the greateit de- 
 gree of happinefs- imaginable; the bro- 
 thers wore her favours on all publick oc- 
 cafious, congratulating each other for the 
 fuccels in their amours; but as lovers af- 
 feci a fecrecy in ail they do, never telling 
 one another who were the objecls of dieir 
 alre61ion. The next great feaft drew on, 
 when the younger brother thought it was 
 time to piefent the laft mark of his affec- 
 tion, in order to demand her in marriage, 
 which v/as ufually performed in thofe 
 pubhckiblcmnities. He told her he hoped 
 it was now time to reward his flame, by 
 wearing the open flower, as a full fign of 
 her content, and gave her a full-blown 
 artificial carnation, witli gold flames and 
 little hearts on the leaves, interwoven 
 with wonderful art and ingenuity. She 
 thinking it had been a repetition of the 
 a-rdour of his aficclion, took it, and 
 p'.'.t it in her bofom with all the marks 
 of tendcrnefs, by which the fair fex in all 
 countries know how to leward all the 
 pains of their levers in a moment. Upon 
 this he refolved to afk her of her parents, 
 which was the only thing neceflury on 
 his fide, the woman having a right to de- 
 mand any mar.'s fonin the kingdom, if 
 he had but preiented her with the lall 
 mark of liis afieftion. The elder brother 
 liaving given in hii fome time before, 
 thought 
 
So 
 
 GAUDENTIO DI LUCCAi 
 
 thought the parents approbation was the 
 only tbii'ig wanting on his fide, and re- 
 foives the lame day on the lame thing. 
 They veie llrangely lin'ijnzed to meet 
 one another} but feeing the different fa- 
 vours, tliey did not know wl.a'. to make 
 of it. When the father came, they de- 
 clared tlie caufe of their coming, in terms 
 v-hich fully exinefled tl\e agony of their 
 nnnda: the father was in as great con- 
 cern as they vyeie, aflurmg them that he 
 tad but one daughter, who he was con- 
 fident would never give fuch encourage- 
 jiiirA to two lover^ at the fame time, con- 
 ti-aiy to their laws; bnt feeing their ex- 
 treme likcneis, he gueffed there mult be 
 fome miftake. Upon this the daughter 
 •w-us lent for, who being informed it was 
 to declare her confent in the choice of her 
 lover, ca:r.e down with four flowers in 
 her bofum, not tliinking but the two full- 
 blown had belonged to the fame perfon, 
 Cnce n.c liad received two before flie had 
 vrorntlie firft. Thedefcription the poets 
 give of the goddefs Venus rifmg out ci 
 the lea, could not be moi"e beautiful than 
 the bloom that appeared in her cheeks 
 when flie came into the room. I hap- 
 pened to be tliere prefent, being fent be- 
 fore by llic Puphar, to let the father know 
 of the regent's intended vilitj that being 
 a confiderable officer, he might order his 
 concerns accordingly. As foon as the 
 young lady heard the caufe of their com- 
 ing, and faw them indiftinguilhably like 
 each other, witli the publick figns of her 
 favours wrought wiih her own haml, 
 xvhich tlicy brought along vvidi them, (lie 
 icrcamed out — ' I am betrayed I* and 
 immediately fsU in a fwoon, flat on tlie 
 floor, almolt between her (wo lovtrs. 
 The fathei-, in aconditiofi veiy little bet- 
 ter, fell down by his daughter, and bath- 
 ing her with his tears, calkd to her to 
 open her ej'cs, or he muft die along with 
 her. The yonngmen flood like Itatues, 
 r\'h\\ rage and delpair in their looks at the 
 I'lme time. I being the only indifferent 
 perfonin thercomjtlicugh extremely fnr- 
 prizcd at the C'.'ent, called her mother and 
 women to come to her affiflance; who 
 carried her into another room, undrefled 
 T er, and Iiy proper remedies brought 
 h-.r at lail to herfelf. The firft word ilie 
 lliid was — ' Oh,EtTiiIa! v/i\at liave you 
 * done ?' All th.e veil was nothing hut 
 £ohs and fighs, enough to melt the hardeil 
 heart. Wtien (he was in a C(nidinon to 
 espittin herfelf, Ihe declared, (he liked the 
 jeiicaof the man who went up with her 
 
 to the altar; that fome time after, tii^ 
 famcperlbn, as (he thought, had pre(ent- 
 ed her with the firft marks of his affec- 
 tion, which fne accepted of, and in fma 
 had given her conlijnt by wearing the 
 full-blown flower; but which of the two 
 brothers it belonged to (he could not tell; 
 adding, that (he was willing to fubmit to 
 the decifion of the ciders, or to tindergo 
 what punilhment they thought f,t for her 
 heedlefs indil'cretion ; but protellcd that 
 (he never defigned to entertain two per- 
 fons at the fame time, but took them ta 
 be the fame perfon. The care of their 
 marriages being one of the fundamentals 
 of their g(^ernment, and there being no 
 provilion in the law for this extraordi- 
 nary cafe, the matter was refeired to the 
 Pophar regent, who was to be there in a 
 few days : guards in the mean time were 
 fet over the brothers, for fear of mifchicf, 
 till a full hearing. The affair was dif- 
 cufTed bctore the Pophar legent, and the 
 reflof the elders of the place. The three 
 lovers appeared before them, each in fuch 
 agony as cannot be e::prclTi;d. The bro- 
 thers were fo alike, it was harrf to dif- 
 tinguifli one from the other : the regent 
 alketl them, which of the two went up to 
 the altar with the young lady; the elder 
 faid it was he, which the younger did not 
 deny; the lady being interrogated, own- 
 ed (he deiigned to entertain the perlbn 
 that went up with her to the altar, but 
 went no further than the firft liking. 
 Then they alked which of the two bro- 
 thers gave the flrlt flower ; the younger 
 faid, he prelbmed he did, (ince he fell in 
 love with her as (lie went down the ranks, 
 and contrived to give her th.e flower as 
 Icon as the ceiemony was over, not 
 knowing of his brother's afteftion, nei- 
 ther did (lie bear any mark of engage- 
 ment, 'but accepted of his (icrvice; thf: 
 lady likewlfe owning the receipt of fuch 
 a flower, but that (he lolt it, fainting 
 away in the crowd; but when, as fhe 
 thought, he reftored it to her, fiie did not 
 like him quite lb well, as when (he re- 
 ceived it the flrlt time, fuppofuig them to 
 be the lame perfon. Bcii'.g alked who 
 gave her the feeond, third, and lail marie 
 of engaeement, it appt.ijed to be ths 
 Vouna;er bi other, whoie flower flie wore 
 publickly in htr bofom; but then ihe re- 
 ceived ihe fuii'iilown flowcrr from the 
 elder brother tlib. The judgos looked at 
 one fncther forfcm? time, not knowing 
 well wlint t< fay lo the matter. Thc-n thi 
 regent alked her^ when &t gave her con- 
 
0\W^ 
 
 Pi<l.Ull,r.l «s rL.r Aci .lir.'m. bv H^ml'o 
 
 r: April ».17>6. 
 
GAUDENTIO DI LUCCA. 
 
 2i 
 
 fcnt, if ihe did not un Jerftand the perfon 
 to be him that went \i\> with htr to the 
 altar. Slie owned Ihe did; which was the 
 elder^ but in fa6t, iiad j-laced her affec- 
 tions on the perfon who gave her the iirll 
 Hower, wiiicli was the younger. Then 
 the two broiliers wtTe placed before her, 
 and llie was alked, that, iuppollng fhe 
 were now at libert}', without any engage- 
 ment, which of the two brothers Ihe would 
 chufe for her hulband ? She Itopt, and 
 biulhed at the queftion 5 but at length 
 laid, the younger had been more ardu- 
 ous in his courtihip; and with that bur ft 
 into tears, calting a look at the younger 
 brother, which eafdy (hewed the fenti- 
 inents of her heart. Every one was in 
 thelall fui'penfe how the regent would de- 
 termine the cafe; and tiie young men ex- 
 preffed fuch a concern in their looks, as 
 if the final fentence of life and death, 
 happinel's or mifei y, was to be pronounced 
 to them: when the regent, with a coun- 
 tenance partly f^vere as well as grave, 
 turning towards the young lady — 
 
 * Daughter,' faid he, ' your ill fortune, 
 
 * or indifcretlon, has deprived you from 
 
 * having eitherof them : both you cannot 
 ' have, and you have given botli an equal 
 
 * right : if either of them will give up 
 
 * their right, you may marrj' the other, 
 
 * not elfe. — Whatdoyou fay, fons,' fa)'s 
 he, ' will you contribute to make one of 
 
 * vouhappv?'' They both perfilied they 
 would not give up their ngiittill thelait 
 gaip. ' Then,' lays the regent, turning 
 to the lady, who was almolt dead with 
 fear and confufion, ' hnce neitherof them 
 ' will give up their right, I pronounce 
 
 * f«ntence on vou, to be lh''t up from the 
 
 * commerce of men, till the d.-ath of one 
 
 * of your lovers; then it fiiall be left to 
 
 * your choice to marry the furvivor.' So 
 giving orders to have her taken away, 
 the court was going to break up, when 
 the yoimger brother, tailing on his knees, 
 cries o\it — ' I yield my right, rather than 
 ' the adorable Beriila (hould be mifeiable 
 
 * on my account ; let me be iliut up from 
 
 * the commerce of men, for being the 
 
 * occafion ol^ fo divine a creature's mii- 
 
 * tortune. — Brother, take her, and be 
 
 * happy — And you, divine Beriila, only 
 
 * pardon the contulion my innocent love 
 
 * has brought upon you; and then I (hall 
 
 * leave the world in peace.' Here tiie 
 whole court rofe up, and the young man 
 was going out, when tile regent (topped 
 him. ' Hold, fon,' fays he, ' there is a 
 ' greater happinel's preparing for you 
 
 ' than you expeft ; Beriila is yours ; j»ou 
 
 * alone deferve her, you prefer her good 
 ' to your own ; and asl find her real love 
 ' is for you, here join your hands, as I 
 
 * find your hearts are already.' They 
 were married immediately ; the regent 
 leaving behind him a vaft idea not only of 
 his juftice, but wiidom, in fo intricate a 
 cafe. I drew an hiltorical piece of paint- 
 ing of this remarkable trial, exprelTmg 
 as nigh as I could the poftures and ago- 
 nies of the three lovers, and prefented it 
 to the divine Ifyphena, (he regent's 
 daughter, telling her, that if (he were to 
 accept of flowers, as that young lady did, 
 flie would ruin ail the youths of Mezo- 
 rania. She received it blufliing, and faid 
 (he (liould never receive any but from or,e 
 hand, nor even that, if (lie thought (he 
 (liould do him any harm ; adding, that 
 (he thought her father had given a ju(t 
 judgment ; then waved the dilcourfe with 
 fuch innocence, yet knowledge of what 
 (he faid, that I was furprized to the lall 
 degree; not being able to guefs whether 
 I had offended her or not. 
 
 Thefe vifitations in the company of 
 the Pophar, gave me an opportunity of 
 feeing all the different parts and chief 
 curiofities of the whole empire. Tlu.ir 
 great towns, efpecially the heads of eve- 
 ry Nome, were built, as I faid, much 
 after the fame form, differing chiefly in 
 the iituation,and are principally deiign- 
 ed (or the winter refidence, for their 
 courts and colleges, but particularly for 
 inffruiTcing and polifhing their youth of 
 both ("exes, and fuch a^lmirable care and 
 oeconomy, to avoid all difloliitenefs and 
 idlenefs, th.at, as I obfervcd before, there 
 is no f.-.ch thing known, as for peiCons 
 to have no other buhnefs on their hands 
 but vihis and drefs ; elteeming thofe no 
 better than brutes and barbarians, who 
 are not conihntly employed in improv- 
 ing their naturrd talents in fome art or 
 fcience. Tlieir villas, or places of plca- 
 i\n-e, are (battered all over the country, 
 with molf bea\itiful variety : the villages 
 andtown? built for manufaclures, trades, 
 conveniency of agriculture, Sec. are in- 
 numerable; their canals, and great lakes, 
 fome of them like little fcas, arc very fre- 
 quent, according as the nature of the 
 country will allow; with j)leafure-houfes 
 and pavilions, built at due dillanccs, 
 round the borders, interfprrfcd witlv 
 idands and groves, (bme natural, fome 
 artificial, vidierc at proper feafons you 
 might (ce thoulands of bonts ikimming 
 L backwards 
 
82 
 
 GAUDENTIO DI LUCCA. 
 
 backwards and foi-waids, botli for plea- 
 fure and the profit (;f catching fi(h, of 
 which there is an iuexhaiillible Itore. 
 'I'here are alfo vaft foreits of infinite va- 
 riety and delight, diftinguiflied here and 
 there with theatrical (paces or lawns, ci- 
 ther natural, or cut out by art, for the 
 convcHiency of pitching their tents in the 
 hot feafons; with fuch romantick Icenes 
 of deep vales, hanging woods, and pre- 
 cipices, natural falls, and cafcades, or 
 rather catarads of water over the rocks, 
 that all the decorations of art arc nothing 
 but foils and (hadows to thole niajeftick 
 beauties of nature; bcfides glorious pro- 
 Ipects of diikient kinds over the edges of 
 the mountains where we palfcd in our 
 vifitations, fometin>es prefenting us with 
 n houndlefs view over the molt delicious 
 plains in the world ; in other places, 
 h;'ving our view terminated with other 
 wuiding hills, exhaling their reviving 
 perfumes from innumerable fpecies of 
 natural fruits and odoriferous fhrubs. 
 Travelling thus by eal'y journeys, Itay- 
 Jng or advancing in our progreis as we 
 thought fit, I had an opportunity of ad- 
 nirir.g with infinite delight the ctfciSls of 
 indufhy and liberty, in a country where 
 nature and art feemed to vie with each 
 nilier in their different jModucStions. 
 There was another extraoidinary latis- 
 iaclion I received in thefe viiitations, 
 which was, the opportunity of feeing, 
 :ind partaking of their grand matches, 
 or rather companies, if I may ulh the ex- 
 prefiion, of hunting and filhing. All 
 the young people with their governors:, 
 or all vvh.o are able or willing to go, at 
 particular leafons difpeil'e themlelvcs for 
 thefe hunts all over the kingdom : ihe 
 country being lb prodigious fcitiie, that 
 it furnidies them, almoll fpontaneoufly, 
 with wluitcver is neceffary, or even de- 
 lectable for life, the people living inlbme 
 mcafure in common, and having no other 
 interelt but that of a well regulated com- 
 munity. They leave the towns at cer- 
 tain fealbns, and go and live in tents for 
 the conveniency of hunting and fifliing, 
 according as the country and f'eafbns 
 are proper for each recreation : the flat 
 part of the country (though it is gene- 
 rally more hilly than campaign) is flock- 
 ed with prodigious quantities of fowl and 
 game, as pheafants, ])artridges of dif- 
 ferent kinds, much larger than our wild 
 hens; turkeys, and peacocks, with other 
 fpecies of gaine, which we have not in 
 Italy J hares almoll innumerable, but no 
 
 conies that ever I faw, unlefs <^e call 
 conies a lefler fort of hare, which feed 
 and run along the cliffs and rocks, but 
 do not burrow as ours do. There is 
 alfo a finall fort of wild goat, much lefs 
 than ours, not very fleet, of a very high 
 tafte, and prodigious fat. Thty take 
 valt quantities of all forts, but ftill leave a 
 fuflicient Hock tofupply nextfeafbn, ex- 
 cept hurtful bealts, which they kill when- 
 ever they can. But their great hunts 
 are in the mountains and woodland parts 
 of the country, where the foreits are full 
 of infinite quantities of malt and fruits, 
 and oilier food for wild beaits of all 
 kinds } but particularly flags of four 
 or five different fpecies, fome of which, 
 almoft as big as a horfe, keep in the wdd- 
 efl parts, whofe flelh they dry antl feafbii 
 with fpices, and is the richeft food I ever 
 tafted. Their wild fwine are of two 
 kinds, fome valtly large, others very lit- 
 tle, not much bigger than a lamb, but 
 prodigious fierce. This lalt is moll de- 
 licate meat, feeding on the malls and 
 wild fruits in the thickelt parts of the 
 groves 5 and multiplying exceeding!)-, 
 where they are ijot dilturbcd, one low 
 bringing fixteen or eighteen pigs ; fb 
 that 1 have feen thoufands of them caught 
 at one hunting-match, ami fent in pre- 
 fents to the other parts of the kingdom, 
 where they have none ; which is their 
 way in all their recreations, having per- 
 fbns appointed to carry the rarities of the 
 country to one another, and to the gover- 
 nors, parents, and friends left behind. 
 When they go out to their grand hunt, 
 they cliufe fome open vale, or vaft lawn, 
 as far in the wild forells as they can ; 
 where they pitch their tents, and make 
 their rentiezvous : then they fend out 
 their moll courageous young men, in 
 fmall botiies of ten in a company, well 
 armed, each with his l] ear and his tufil 
 flung on his back, which lall of late years 
 they find morefcrviceable againll the wild 
 beafts than fpears, having got lamples of 
 them from Perfia. Tiiefe go (juietly 
 through the wildeit parts of the foreit 
 at proper di fiances, fb as to meet at fuch 
 a place, which is to view the ground, 
 and find a place proper to make their 
 fland, and pitch their toils. They are 
 often fcveral days out about this ; but 
 are to make no nolle, nor kill any wild 
 bead, unlefs attacked, or they come upon 
 him in his couch, at unawares, that they 
 may not dillurb the refl. When they 
 have made their report, feveral thoufands 
 
GAUDENTIO DI LUCCA. 
 
 ef them fuiround a confiderable part of 
 the foielt, Handing clofe together for 
 their mutual afilttance, making as great 
 a noife as they can, with dogs, drums, 
 and rattles, and other noify inlbuments, 
 to frighten the game towards the centre, 
 that none niav efcape the circle. When 
 this is done, all advance in a hreaft, en- 
 couraging their dogs, founding their 
 horns, beating their drums and rattles, 
 that the molt courageons hearts are all 
 roufed, and run before them towards the 
 centre, till by this means they have 
 driven together fevtral hundreds of wild 
 bearts, lions, tigers, elks, wild boars, 
 ifigs, foxes, hares, and in fine all forts 
 of hearts that were within that circle. 
 It is iViOrt terrible to fee fuch a heap of 
 cruel bealts gathered together, grinning 
 and roaring at one another, in a mort 
 frightful manner: but the wild boar is 
 the marter of all ; whoever comes near 
 him in that rage, even the largeft lion, he 
 (hikes at him with his tuiTcs and makes 
 him keep his diltance. When they are 
 brought within a proper compafs, they 
 pitch their toils roiinil them, and indole 
 tliem in, every man joining cloie to his 
 neighbour, holding o\it their fpears to 
 keep them off". If any heart flioidd en- 
 deavour to make his efcape, which fume 
 will do now and then, (particularly the 
 wild boars) they run againll the points 
 of tlie Ipears, and make very martial 
 fport. I was told, that a prodigious 
 wild fow once broke through three files 
 of fpeais, overturned tiiemen,and made 
 a gap, that fet all the reft a running al- 
 mort in a body that way, lb that the peo- 
 ple were foixed to let them take their ca- 
 reer, and left all their labour. But now 
 they have men ready with their fufils to 
 drop anybeaft that fliould ofter to turn 
 a-head. When they are enclofed, there 
 is moll terrible work, the greatelt bealts 
 fighting and goring one another, for rage 
 and fpight, and the more fearful running 
 into the toils for (lielter. Then our men 
 with their fufils drop the largeft as t'r.A 
 as they can. When they intend to (lioot 
 the wild boar, three or four aim at him 
 at a time, to be fure to drop him or dif- 
 able him, otherwiie he nms fidl at the 
 laft that wounded him, v/ith fuch fury, 
 tliat fometimes he will break through the 
 ftrongert toils ; but his companions all 
 join their fpears to keep him off. When 
 they have dropped all that are dangerous, 
 and as many as they have a mind, they 
 ©pen their toils, and difpatch aW that are 
 
 83 
 
 gafping. I have known above five hun- 
 dred head of beafts of all forts killed in 
 one day. When all is over, thcv carry 
 off their fpoil to the rendezvous, fcaftini'- 
 and rejoicing, and fending prcfcnts as 
 before. 
 
 There is oftentimes very great danger, 
 when they go through the woods to make 
 difcovery of their haunts ; becaufe, if in 
 fmall companies, fome ftvibborn bealf or 
 other will attack them direiUy; every 
 man, therefore, as I laid, has a fulil (lung 
 at his back, and his fpear in his hand for 
 his defence. Being once in one of their 
 parties, we came upon a prodigious wild 
 boar, as he was lying in his haunt; fome 
 of us were for palTing by him, but I 
 thought fuch a noble prey was not to be 
 let go; fo we furroundtd him, and drew 
 up to him, with more courage and curio- 
 fity than prudence: one of my compa- 
 nions, who was my intimate friend, be- 
 ing one of thofe who condudled me over 
 the defarts, went up nigher to him than 
 the reft, with his fpear in his hand, 
 ftretched out ready to receive him, in cafe 
 he fliouId come at him; nt which the 
 beaft ftarted up of a fudden, with a noife 
 that wotildhave terrified tiie ftouteft hero, 
 and made at him with fuch a fury, thai; 
 we gave him over for loft. He ftood hi-J 
 ground with fo much courage, and held 
 his l])ear fo finn and e\-a6f, that he i-ua 
 it d-rettly up the mouth cf the beaft, quite 
 into the inner part of his throat 5 the -ooar 
 roared and fticok his head in a ten il^ie 
 manner, endeavouring to get the fpear 
 out, which if he had done, all the yvoi Id 
 could not have faved the young man. 
 I, feeing the danger, ran in with the 
 lame precipitancy, and clapping the 
 muzzle of my gun almoft clole to his 
 fide, a little behind !.is lore-fiunihicr, 
 fiiot him quite tiircugh the body ; fo he 
 dropped down dead before us. Juft as 
 we thought th.e danger was ovei', the 
 fow, hearing his ciy, came ruftiing 011 
 us, and that fo fuildenly, that before I 
 could tiun mylirlf with my fpear, Ih? 
 ftruck at me behind witii her fnout, and 
 pulhing on, knocked me down with her 
 impet\iofity; and the place being a littje 
 (helving, (he came tumbling quite over 
 me, which was the occafion of favimr 
 my life. Alhamed of the foil, but very 
 well apprifed of the dangea", I was fcarce 
 got up on my feet, and on my guard, 
 when, making at me alone, '■Jiough my 
 companions came in to my aiiiftance, (he 
 pufheJ at me a fecond time with equal 
 L 2 fui\» 
 
GAUDENTIO DI LUCCA. 
 
 84- 
 
 f ,11 y. I held my fpear will; all my might, 
 thinking to take her in the njouthj but 
 milTiiig my aim, I took her juft in the 
 throat, where the head and neck join, and 
 thruft my fyiear with i\u h force, her own 
 career meeting me, that I ftruck quite 
 througli her windpipe, the ipear iticking 
 fo i'a(t in her neck- bone, that when ihe 
 dropt, we could fcarce get it out again. 
 She toflld and reeled her head a good 
 while before (he fell; but her wind-pipe 
 being cut, and bleeding inwardly, ftie was 
 choaked. IVIy companions had hit her 
 with their fpears on the fides and back; 
 but her hide and briftles were To thick 
 and hard, they did her very little damage. 
 They all applauded my courage and vic- 
 tory, as if I had killed both the fwine. 
 But I, as jultice required, gave the 
 greatell part of the gloiy, for the death 
 of the boar, to the courageous dexterity 
 of the young man, who had expofcd him- 
 lelf fo gencroufly, and hit him fo exa£l 
 in the throat. We left the carcafes there, 
 not being able to take them with us; but 
 marking the place, we came aftei-wards 
 with fome others to carry them off. I had 
 the honour to caj-ry the boar's head on 
 the point of my fpear; which I would 
 have given to the young man, but he re- 
 futed it, faying, that I hud not only 
 killed it, but faved his life into the bar- 
 gain. The honour being judged to me 
 by every one, I fent it as a prefent to the 
 divine If) phena; a thing allowed by their 
 cuftoms, though as yet I never durll 
 make any declarations of lov'e : flie ac- 
 cepted of it, but added, rtie hoped I would 
 make no more fuch prefents; and ex- 
 plained hcrfelf no further. 
 
 Thefe people having no wars, nor fmgle 
 combr.tswitiione another, which lall are 
 not allowed for fear of dellroying their 
 own fpecies, have no other way of View- 
 ing their courage but againll wild beafts, 
 where, without waiting for any exprefs 
 order of their fuperiors, they will expofe 
 themfelves to a great degree, and fome- 
 t imes perform exploits worthy the greatell 
 heroes. 
 
 Their fifhing is of two kinds ; one for 
 recreation and profit ; the other to deltroy 
 the crocodiles and alligators, which are 
 only found in the great lakes, and the 
 rivers that run into them, and that in the 
 hotter and campaign parts of the coun- 
 try. In fome of the lakes, even the largeft, 
 they cannot live; in others they breed 
 prodigioufly. As they iilh for them only 
 
 to dcftroy them, they chufe the propereft 
 time for this pu.tpofe, that is, when the 
 eggs are hatching; which is done in tlic 
 hot fands, by tlic fides of the rivers ai»d 
 lakes. The old ones arc not only very 
 ravenous at that time, but lie lurking iu 
 the water near their eggs, and arc; fo pro- 
 digious fierce,thattheie is no taking their 
 eggs, unlefs you firlt contrive to kiil the 
 old ones. Their way to ii(h tor ihein is 
 this: theybeat at adiftance, by the fides 
 of the rivers and lakes where they breed, 
 which makes the old ones hide themfelves 
 in the water. Then twenty or thirty of 
 the young men row quietly backward 
 and forward on the water where they 
 fuppofe the creatures are; having a great 
 many ftrong lines with hooks, made after 
 the manner of fifh-hooks, well aimed as 
 far as the throat of the animal reaches. 
 Thefe hooks they falf en under the wings 
 of ducks and water-fowls, kept for the 
 purpofe, which they let drop out of the 
 boat, and fwim about the lake. When- 
 ever the ducks come over the places 
 where the , creatures are, thefe lall lirike 
 at them, and fwallow the poor ducks 
 immediately, and fo hook themfelves 
 with the violence and check of the boat. 
 As foon as one is hooked, they tow him, 
 floundering and beating the water at a 
 Itrange rate, till they have brought him 
 into tlic middle of the v/ater at a diif ance 
 from the reft of his companions, who all 
 lie nigh the banks; then the other boats 
 furround him, and dart their harping- 
 fpears at him till they kill him. Thefe 
 harping- fpears are pointed with the nneft 
 tempered Iteel, extiemely Ihaip, witli 
 beards to hinder them from coming out 
 of his body; there is a line faftened to 
 the fpear, to draw it back, and the crea- 
 ture along with it ; as alfo to hinder the 
 fpear from flying too far, if they mils 
 their aim. Some of them are prodigious 
 dextrous at it; but there is no piercing 
 the creature but in his belly, which they 
 muft hit as he flounces and rolls himfelf 
 in the water. If a Ipear hits the fcales 
 of his back, it will fly off as trom a rock, 
 not without fome danger to thofe who aie 
 very nigh, though they generally know 
 the length of the ihing. I was really ap- 
 prehenfive of thofe llrange fierce crea- 
 tures at firft, and as it was a coniiderable 
 time before I could dart with any dexte- 
 rity; but the delire of glory, and the ap- 
 plaufes given to thofe that excel, who 
 have thefkins carried like trophies before 
 
 their 
 
' GAUDENTIO DI LUCCA. 85 
 
 tlieir miftrefles ; thefe, and the charms of ties in Europe. When tlils fifhtngisover, 
 the regent's daughter, lb infpiiedmc, that they retire to the towns, becaule of the 
 
 I frequently carried the prize. 
 
 It is one of the finelt recreations in 
 the world; you might fee feveral hundred 
 boats at a time, either employed, or as 
 fpeilators, with fuouts and cries, when 
 the creature is hit in the right place, that 
 make the very hanks tremble. Whenlhcy 
 have killed all the old ones, they fend 
 their people on the fhore, to rake for the 
 fggs, which they burn and deltroy on 
 
 rainy feafons, which begin preleatly 
 
 after. 
 
 I am now going to enter on a pait of 
 my life, which I am in Ibme doubt, whe- 
 ther it is proper to lay before your Re- 
 verences or not: I uican the hopes and 
 fears, the joys and anxieties, of a young 
 man in love; but in an honourable way, 
 witii no lefs a perfon than the daughter 
 the 1 pot; not but fome will be hatched of the regent of this valt empire. I Ihall 
 before the reli:, and creep iiuo the water, not however enter into the detail of the 
 to ferve for fport the next year. They de- many various circumlfmces attending 
 ftroy thefe animals, not only for their fuch a paifion; but Ihall juit touch on 
 own fecurity in the ufeot the lakes, but fome particidarpatTages, which weit very 
 alfo to preferve the wild fowl and fifh, extraordinary even in a pafllon which 
 which are devoured and deltroyed by the generally of itfelf runs into extremes, 
 crocodiles. Your Reverences will remember, that 
 
 But the fiihing on the great lake Gil- there is no real diftinilion of (|uality in 
 
 gol, or Lake of Lakes, is without any , 
 danger; there being no alligators in that 
 water, and is only for recreation and the 
 profit of the fiPn. The lake is above a 
 hundred Italian miles in circumference*. 
 ■ At proper feafons, the whole lake is 
 
 theie people, nor any regard either to in- 
 terett or dignity, but merely to perfonal 
 merit; their chief view bemg to render 
 that Itate happy which makes up th(, bet- 
 ter i)art of human life. I had nothing 
 therefore to do in this affair, hut to fix 
 
 covered with boats, great numbers of niy choice, and endeavour to pleafe and 
 
 tliem ttdl ot lathes to fee the Iporr, befide 
 what are on the illands and fiiores, with 
 trumpets, hautboys, and other niuiical 
 inlhuments, playing all the wliile. It is 
 impolhble todefcribe thedifferenL kinds 
 of n(h the lake abounds with; many of 
 them we know nothing ot in Emcpe ; 
 
 be pleaied. My choice was loDn deter- 
 mined; the firil time I law the incompa- 
 rable Ifyphena, the regent's daughter, 
 though llie was then but ten years old, 
 ten t'noufand budding beauties appeai'ed 
 in her, with fuch unutterable c'aarms, that 
 thoue;li I as good as def()aired of arriving 
 
 though they have fome like ours, but at my wifned for happinefs, I was refolv. 
 much larger, as pikes, or a fi(h likeapike, ed to fix there, or no where 
 
 two or three yards long; a fiflr like a 
 bream, a yard and half over ; carps forty 
 or fifty pountis weight tliey catch incre- 
 dible numbers ot them, fome kinds in one 
 part ot the lake, fome m another. They 
 fifh in this manner, and afterwards fealt 
 on what they catch, for a fortnight or 
 
 I obferved, when I wasWirfi introduc- 
 ed into her company by the regent hei" 
 father, that (he ha-i her eye fixed on me, 
 a-i a Itranger, as I i'uppol'ed, but yet with 
 more than a girliih curiofity. I was in.- 
 formed afterwards, that ihe'.old her play- 
 fellows, that that Ihangcr llioidd be her 
 
 three weeks, if the feaibn proves kind, hufband.or no onc.Tlie wilcPophar her 
 
 retiring at night to their tents, either on 
 the illands or fliore, where there are per- 
 fons employed in drying and curing 
 what are proper for ui's ; fending prefents 
 of them Into other parts of the country, 
 in excliange for venifon, fowl, and the 
 like. Though there are noble la!:es and 
 
 fatlier had obferved it ; and wlietlier it 
 was from his knowledge of tlie lex, and 
 their unaccountable fomincls for itraa- 
 gers, or whether lie difipproved <;f the 
 thought, I cannot leii, but he was re- 
 lolved to try both our coni^ancies to the 
 utmoft. I was obliged by the Pophar to 
 
 ponds, even in the foreils, made by the teach her and ibmeother young ladies, as 
 
 enclofures of the hills and woo'.s, that well as Ibmc young men, to paint ; but 
 
 are Itored with excellent filh; yet they are it was always in the father or mother's 
 
 entirely deltitute of the bell fort, that is, company. NottodetainyourReveiencas 
 
 fea filh, which we have in fuch quanti- with matters quite foreign to, and per- 
 
 * The hike Meris in Egypt, according to D'odorus Siculus and Herodotus, q-ioted by the 
 Blfhop of Meaux. (HisT. U.M. Scd, 3.) was a hundred and fourl'core French leagues in 
 fircumferencef 
 
 haps 
 
te 
 
 GAUDENTIO DI LUCCA. 
 
 haps unworthy your cognizance, it was 
 iivL- years before 1 duilt let her lee tlie 
 lealt glinnnering of mv affeflion. Sl>c 
 WHS now tifieen, vvhicU was the Iieight 
 of her bloom. Her father feting ilie car- 
 ried r.o mark of any engagement, aflccd 
 her in a familiar wav, if her eyes had 
 made no conqxielts : fhe bliirtied, and liiid 
 <he hoped not. He told me alio as a friend, 
 that I was older than their culfoms cared 
 to allow young men to live fmgle, and 
 with a linile, alked me, if the charms of 
 theBafiVs daughter of Grand Cairo had 
 extinguiilied in me all thoughts of love. 
 I told him there were obiccis enough in 
 Mezorania to make one forget any thing 
 one had feen before, but that being a 
 ftranger, I was willing to be tiioroughly 
 acquainted with the genius of the people, 
 left I fliould make any one unhapjiy. I 
 was julf come back fiom one of oiu- vi- 
 fitat ions, when I was (truck with the molt 
 liveiy feni'e of grief I ever felt in my life. 
 I hud always obferved before, that Ifv- 
 phena never wore any fign of engage- 
 ment, but then I found (he carried a bud 
 in herbofom. I fell ill iinmedir.lely upon 
 it; which fhe jierceiving, came to fee me 
 without any bud, as flic uled to go be- 
 fore, keeping her eyes upon me to fi^e 
 what effeiSf it woultl have. Seeing her 
 continue without any marks of engage- 
 ment, I recovered, and made bold to tell 
 her one day, that I coukl not but pity tlie 
 mliirrahle perfon, whoever he was, who 
 had loll tiic place in lier bofom, he had be- 
 forej fhc laid unconcernedly, that both 
 the wearing and taking away tlie flower 
 from her bolbm, was done out of kind- 
 riefs to the perlun. I was then lb taken 
 up with contrary thoughts, that I did 
 not })erceive fhe meant to try whether 
 Ihewas the obiett of my thoughts or not. 
 However, finding fhe ca)iied no more 
 marks of engagement, I was lefojved to 
 try my foi tune tor life or death ; when an 
 tijipoiUmitvofleretl btvoitd my wifli. Her 
 jiKjther biouglit her to perfeil a piece of 
 painting flie was drawing": I obferved a 
 melancholy and trouble in her counte- 
 nance I had never lien before; that mo- 
 ment the mother was lent for to tlie re- 
 gent, and I made ufe of it to afk her, 
 Nvhat it was that afte6^cd her in lb fenfibie 
 a manner. I pronounced thefe words with 
 fuch emotion and concern on my own 
 part, that fhe might eallly fee I was in 
 fome very great agony. Sheexpielled a 
 great deal of confiifion at the queifion, 
 infomuch, that, without anfwering a 
 
 word, flie got upand went outof the room, 
 leaving me leaning againft the wall al- 
 nioft without life or motion. Other 
 company coming in, I was rouzed out 
 of my lethargy, and flunk away tu 
 my own apartment, but agitated with 
 fuch ninnberlefs fears, as left me almofl 
 tiellitute of leafon. However, I was re- 
 fblved to make a moll iuft difcovery, and 
 to be fully determined in my happinefs 
 or milery. There was a grated window 
 on the back lideofthepalace, where I had 
 fcen Il'yphena walk fometimes, but never 
 dared to approach; I went thither in the 
 evening, and feeing her by herfelf, I 
 ventured to it, and falling on my knees, 
 afked her, for heaven's fake, what was 
 the matter, or if I had offended her? She 
 immediately burft into tears, and juft 
 fiiid — ' Afk no more,' and withdrew; 
 though I caimot fay with any figns of 
 indignation . Some time after, I was fent 
 for to inftrucl her in the finilliing of her 
 piece. I mult tell your Reverences, that 
 I had privately drawn that pi6lure of her 
 which you faw, and put the little boy in 
 afterwards. In a hurry 1 had left it be- 
 hind me in my clofet, and the Pophar 
 finding it by accident, had taken it away 
 without my knowledge, and fliewn it lo 
 the mother; and making as if he did not 
 mind Ifypliena, who flootl by, and faw 
 it (as flie thouglit, undilcerned) feemed 
 to talk in a threatening tone to the mo- 
 ther about it. When I came in, I had 
 juft courage enough to caft one glance at 
 Il'yphena, when, methought, 1 law her 
 eyes meet mine, and fhew a mixture of 
 comfort and trouble at the fame time. 
 As this fiibjed^ cannot be very proper 
 for your Reverences ears, I fhall co)n- 
 prife in half an hour what coft me whole 
 years of fighs and folicitiulc, though 
 happily crownetl at laff v^'ith unfpeakable 
 jo\s. This trouble in Ifvphena was, 
 that having made herfelf miilrefs of the 
 })eni!l, file had privately drawn myjiic- 
 ture in miniature, which fhe kcptfecretly 
 in her boloni, and it having been difeo- 
 vered by the mother, as that which I had 
 drawn was by the father, tu try her con- 
 fhmcy he had expreffed the ulmolt in- 
 dignation at it: but Ifyphena's greatelt 
 tioulile was, left I fhould know, ancV 
 take it for a difcovery of her love, be- 
 fore I had made any overtures of mine. 
 In procefs of time we came to an eclair- 
 cifTement : file received my two firffc 
 flowers ; but becaufe I was half a ftranger 
 to their race, we were to give foine more 
 
 lignal 
 
GAUDENTIO DI LUCCA. 
 
 fignal proof of our love and conftancy 
 than ordinary : we liad frequently com- 
 mon occallons offered us, luch as might 
 be looked upon as the grcatelt trials. 
 She was the paras on not only of the 
 kingdom, but polHbly of the univerfe, 
 for all perfcftions tliat co'.ild be found in 
 tlie fcx. Her ftature was about the mid- 
 dle fize, the jiill propoition of her fhape 
 made her really taller than flie ieeined to 
 he; her hair was black * indeed, but of 
 a much finer glofs than the reft of the 
 fex, nor quite lb much curled, hanging 
 down in ealy trellis over her flioulders, 
 and (hading fome pait of her beautiful 
 cheeks. Her eyes, though not lb large 
 as our Europeans, darted fuch luifre, 
 with a mixture of fweetnefs and vivacity, 
 that it was impoffible not to be charmed 
 with their rays ; her features weie not 
 only the moft exaft , but inimitable and 
 peculiar to herfelf. In fine, her nofe, 
 mouth, teeth, turn of the face, all con- 
 curring together to form the moft excjui- 
 fite fymmetry, and adorned with a bloom 
 beyond all the bluflies of the new-born 
 Aurora, rendered her the moft charming, 
 and the molr dangerous objeci in natin-e. 
 The noblelt and gayeft youths of all the 
 land paid their homages to h.er adorable 
 perfections, but all in vain : (he avoided 
 tloing hurt where fhe could do no good; 
 (he ilid not lb much fcorn, as (hut her 
 eyes to all their offers, though I'vch a 
 treal'ure gave me ten thoufand anxieties 
 bciore I knew what (hare I had i)i it; 
 bill when once ftie received my addrelfes, 
 the llcuiity her conitant virtue gave me 
 w,as proportionable to the immenfe value 
 of her perfon. For my part, I hid Ibnie 
 trials on my (ide. I was furrounded 
 with beauties, who found a great many 
 ways to (hew me, they had no didike to 
 rnc. Whether being a Itranger, of 
 difterent features and make from their 
 youth, gave them a more plealing crio- 
 fity, or the tallncls of my liature, (cme- 
 thing exceeding any of theirs, or tlie 
 gaiety of n\y lemper, which gave n)e a 
 freer air than is ulual with them, being, 
 as I oblerved, natjrally too grave, (be 
 that as it will) Ifyphena's bright icnfe 
 eafdy [avj I made Ibme I'acrificcs to her. 
 But we had greater trials than thefe to 
 imdergo, which I (liall briefly lelate to 
 your Reverences, for the particularity of 
 them. When I thought I was almoit 
 arrived at the height of my happinels. 
 
 «7 
 
 being affured of the heart of the divine 
 li'yphena, the Pophar came to me one 
 day with the moll leeming concern in his 
 countenance I ever remarked in him, 
 even beyond that of the affair with the 
 great balfa's daughter. After a little 
 paufe, he told me, he had obferved the 
 love between his daughter and myfelfj 
 that, out of kindnefs to my peribn, he 
 had conl'ulted their wife men about -it, 
 who all concluded, that, on accoimt of 
 my being a flranger, and not of dieir 
 race by the father's ("ide, I could never 
 marry his daughter; (b that I miilf either 
 lolemnly renoimceali pretentions to her, 
 or be (li'.it up for ever without any com- 
 merce with his people, till death. • But,' 
 fays he, * to (Irew that we do juftice to 
 ' your merii, you ai'e to have a publick 
 ' llatueerefled in your honour, bccaule 
 ' you have taught us th^artof paiining; 
 ' which is to be crowned witli a garkuitl 
 
 * of flowers by the moft beautiful young 
 ' woman in the kingdom ; thus yoi; will 
 ' live to glory, though you are dead to 
 ' the world. But if you will lenouncc 
 
 * all pretenfions to my daughtei', we v/iil 
 ' furnifn you with riches, llilficient, 
 ' with the handlbmenefs of your perfon, 
 
 * to gain the greatelt princels in the 
 
 * world, provided you will give a folemu 
 ' oath never to dilccfver the way to this 
 ' place.' I fell down on my knees be- 
 fore him, and cried out — ' Here take me, 
 ' (Init me up, kill me, cut me in a thoufand 
 ' pieces, I will never renouricellyplKna."* 
 Hel'aid no more, but that their laws muft 
 be obeyed. I obllrvcd teais in his eyes, 
 as he went out, which made me lee lie was 
 in earneft. I had fcarce time to leflect 
 on my mllerabie (fate, or rather was in- 
 capable of any reflection at all, v/hen four 
 perlbns came in with a difmal hcavinefs 
 in their looks, and bade me come along 
 v/ith them ; they were to conduil mt to 
 the place of n;y confinement. In the 
 mean time, the Pophar gcca to ids daugh- 
 ter, and itlis her the lame thing, only 
 adding, that 'I was to be fent back to 
 my own country, loaded with fuch im- 
 mei^fe riches as might procure me the 
 love of any woman in the world. ' For,' 
 fays he, ' thole Barbarian?,' me.ining I'le 
 Europeans ' will marry their daugh- 
 ' ters to any one who has but riches 
 
 * enough to buy them ; the men will 
 ' do the Huue with relpect to the women ; 
 ' let the woman be whole daightcr (h^ 
 
 * The author being an Italian, did not think black hair fo beautiful. 
 
 will ; 
 
sg 
 
 GAUDENTIO DI LUCCA. 
 
 ■ will: if /he had but money enough to 
 
 • piu'chafv^ a kingdom, a king would 
 
 * in,u TV her.' Before lic had pronounced 
 all this, Ilyphena had not Itrength to 
 hear it out, hut fell down in a I'woon at 
 his feet : when Hie was come to herfclf, 
 he endeavoured to comfort her, and aild- 
 ed, that fhe was to have tlie young Po- 
 jihar's fon, a youth about her age ; for 
 though he was not old enough to govern, 
 be was old enough to have children. He 
 went on and told her, I was to have a 
 ftatue erefled in honour of me, to be 
 crowned by the faireft woman in all Me- 
 7orania; * Which,' fays he, ' is judged 
 
 • to be yourlelf; and, if you rcfule it, 
 
 * Amnophilla is tobe the pcrfon.' This 
 T\ as tlie molt beautiful woman next Ily- 
 phena, and by ii^me thought equal to 
 her, whole figns of approbation and lik- 
 ing to my perfon I had taken ho notice 
 pf, for the lake of iryi>hena. She an- 
 Iwered with a refolution that was fur- 
 prizing, even to her father, that /he 
 w'ojld die before fhe would be wanting 
 to her duty, but that their laws allowed 
 her to chufe whom /he pleafed for her 
 huftiand without being undutifulj that 
 as for the crowning of the itatuc, /he ac- 
 cepted of it, not for the realbn he gave, 
 but to pay her la(t reff-efts to my me- 
 mory, who, /lie was lure, would never 
 many anyone clfe. As for the young 
 Pophar, /lie v ould give her anfwer when 
 this ceremony was over. When all things 
 %vere ready for it, there was piiblick pro- 
 clamation made in all parts of the Nome, 
 that whereas I had brought into the 
 kingdom, and freely commiwiicated to 
 them, tliG noble art of painting, I was tf> 
 have a publick ftatue erefted in my ho- 
 nour, to be crowned with a crown of 
 flowers by t'ae hand of the talicli: woman. 
 in all Mczoranla. Accordingly? a llatue 
 of full proportion, of the /inelf poliilied 
 marble, was erected in one of their fpa- 
 cious fquares, with my name engraven 
 on the pedellal in golden characters, let- 
 ring forth the I'ervice I had done the com- 
 monwealth. Sec. The ftatue had the 
 picture of Ilyphena in one hand, and the 
 emblems of the art in the other. The 
 laft kindnefs I was lo receive, was to be 
 permitted to fee the ceremony with a per- 
 ipeftive glafs, from the top of a high 
 tower belonging to the place of my con- 
 finement, from whence I could difcern 
 every minute circumftance that pafl'ed. 
 Immediately the crowd opened to make 
 way for Ifyphena, who came in the re- 
 
 gent's triumphant chariot, drawn by 
 eight white horfes, all caparilbned v/ith 
 gold and precious ftones, herlelf more 
 relplendent than the fun they adored. 
 There was a fcaffold, with a throne upon 
 It, juft dole to the ftatue, with gilt Heps 
 for her to go up to put tlie crown on the 
 head of it. As loon as /he appeared, a 
 /lioutof joy ran through the whole crowd, 
 applauding the choice of her beauty, 
 and the work /he was going to perform; 
 then proclamation was made again for 
 the lame intent, fetting forth the realbns 
 of the ceremony. When all was lllenf, 
 /he fteps from the throne to the degrees 
 with the crown in her hand, holding it 
 tip to he fecn by all, fupported by Am • 
 nophiila and Menifa, two of the molt 
 beautiful virgins after herfelf. There 
 appeared a lerenity in the looks of Jfv- 
 phena beyond what could be expelled, 
 exprelTmg a fixed refolution at the fame 
 time : as foon as fhe had put the crown 
 on the head of tlie ilatue, which was ap- 
 plauded with repeated fhouts and accla- 
 mations, /he ftood ftlll for fome time, 
 with an air that /licwed /he was deter- 
 mined for fome great aftion ; then turn- 
 ing to theofhcers, ordered them to make 
 proclamation, that every one ftiould re- 
 mark what /lie was going to do. A 
 prof;>uiid fdence enfumg through the 
 whole alfemlily, fne went up the fteps 
 again, and taking out the molt coni'pi- 
 cuous flower in the whole crown, tirft 
 put it in the light-hand of the ftatue, 
 and then clapt it into her boibm, with 
 the other two /lie had received from me 
 before, as a fignof herconfeutfor mar- 
 riage, which could not be violated. 
 This occafioned alhoutten times lowder 
 than any beforf, applauding fuch an 
 hcroick aft of conlfancy as had never 
 been fcen in Mezorania. The regent ran 
 up to her, and embracing her with tiars 
 of ioy trickling down \tii clicek's, f lid, 
 /he (hould have he)' choice, fince /lit had 
 fulfillc-d the law,and fupiJied all defers 
 by that extraordinaiy act of fidelity : 
 and immediately gave orders to have 
 that heroick action regiitered inthe pub- 
 lick records, for an example and encou- 
 ragement of conftancy to pofterity. But 
 tlie people cried out — ' Where is the 
 * man! where is'theman! Let their con- 
 ' /fancy be rewarded immediately- ■ ■' 
 
 Here the reader, as tvell as the fub- 
 lifher, i:ill lament the irreparable 
 ioj's oftheJheetSf ivhichivere mijlaid 
 
GAUDENTIO DI LUCCA. 
 
 nt his coming over ; he does not pre- 
 tend to charge his memory luith '-what 
 ' ikey contained ; juj} hanjing had time 
 to run them o-ver in the Italianjivhen 
 Signor Rbedi got them copied out for 
 him. As far as the publijher remem- 
 bers^ the loft Jheets contained federal 
 difcourfes- betnveen the Pophar and 
 Gaudetttio, concerning religion, phi- 
 lofophy, politicks, and the like ; ixrith 
 the account of the lofs of his auife and 
 children, atid fome other accidents 
 that befel him during his fay in ike 
 country, 'which, as 'zue jhall fee, in- 
 duced him to leave the place; '^vith 
 fe-veral curious remarks of Signor 
 Rbedi; all inhich tvoidd doubtlefs 
 have given a great dealoffatisfatiion 
 to the reader. But no one can he 
 fo much concerned for the lofs as the 
 puhlijher, Jince they cannot noxv be 
 repaired, by reafan of the death of the 
 fame Signor Rbedi, never to be fuf- 
 ficiently regretted by the learned 
 vjorld. ] 
 
 Thefe difcourfes* made very great 
 jmprellions on the mind of a perfon of fo 
 much penetration as the regent was, in- 
 Ibmuch that he feemed refolved, when 
 his regency was out, which wanted now 
 bat a year, to go along with me into 
 Europe, during the llay he was to make 
 at Grand Cairo, that he might have an 
 opportunity of examining matters at the 
 fountain head ; wifely judging a conii- 
 deration of fiich conl'cquence, as that of 
 religion, to be no indifferent thing. For 
 my own part, notwithftanding the beau- 
 ty and riches of the country, I could find 
 no fatisfaftion in a place where I had loit 
 all that was dear to me, though I had 
 the comfort to have my dear Ifyphena, 
 and her three children, all baptized by 
 my own hantl before they died : neither 
 could length of time allay my grief ; 
 but, on the contrary, every tiling I faw 
 revived the memory of my irreparable 
 lofs. I coniidcred the inltability of the 
 fleeting joys of this world, where I 
 thought I had built my happinefs, for 
 a man of my fortune, on the molt folid 
 foundation. But alas I all was gone, as 
 if it had been but a dream, and the 
 adorable Ifvphena was no morei The 
 good olil Fophar was in a very little 
 better condition, having Ibit his deareft 
 daughter, and his lirtic grand-children, 
 
 particularly the eldeft boy, who is in 
 thatpiftwre with his mother. This re- 
 fleftion on the vanity of human felicity, 
 made him more difpofed to hear the 
 truths of our divine religion, fo that he 
 was refolved to go and fearch further 
 into the reafons for it. There was ano- 
 ther yet more forcible reafon induced me 
 to folicit the Pophar for my return to 
 my native country, which was the care 
 of my future (fate. I had livsd fo many 
 years without the c::ercifc of ihofj duties 
 our church obliges us to perform, and, 
 though I had not been guilty of any great 
 crimes, I was not willing to die out of 
 her bofom : however, to clo all the good 
 I could to a country where I had once 
 enjoyed fo much happinefs, this being 
 the lall year we were to ftay, I at length 
 perfuaded the regent, that there might 
 be fome danger of an invafion of his 
 country, from the oppofite fide towards 
 the fouthern tropick; at leatt, I did not 
 know but there might be Icme habitable 
 climate not fo far over the fands, as to- 
 wards Libya and Egypt. I had often 
 fignified my thoughts to him in that re- 
 fpeft. I told him, that though his 
 kingdom v/as fafe, and inaccefTible to all 
 but ourfelves on that fide, it was pofllble 
 it might be nigher the great ocean on the 
 oppofite one, or that the fands might 
 not be of fuch extent ; or in fine, there 
 might be ridges of mountains, and from 
 them rivers running into the ocean, by 
 which, in procefs of time, fome barba- 
 rous people might afcend, and diiiurb 
 their long uninterrupted reft, without 
 any fence to guard againlt fuch an emer- 
 gency. This laft thought alarmed him ; 
 fowe were rtlblvcd to make a new trial, 
 v/ithoutcommunicatingthedefign to any 
 but the chief council of five, where we 
 were fu re of inviolable fecrecy. What 
 confirmed me in my notion was, that 
 when we were on the utmolt point of 
 our mountains fouthward, looking over 
 the defart-, I could perceive fomething 
 like cloudn, or fogs, hanging always 
 tov.T.rds one part. I imagined them to 
 befogs covering the tops of fome great 
 mountains, which mu'ft have habitable 
 vales. Being refolved to make a trial, 
 we provided all things accordingly, and' 
 fetout from the furthelt part of ine king- 
 dom fouthwards, taking only five pcr- 
 fons in 0'.:r company, fteeringour courfe 
 dire^f ly towards that point of the horizon, 
 
 Probably aLout the.Chnftian re''''a::>n, which are loft, as aforefi'id. 
 
 M 
 
 where 
 
-90 
 
 GAUDENTIO DI LUCCA. 
 
 where I obferved the thick air always 
 hanging towards one place. We took. 
 
 firovifions and water but for ten days,- 
 eaving word that they fhould not trou- 
 ble themfclves about us, unkfs we made 
 a confiderable iby, becaule in cafe we 
 found mountains, we fhould always 
 find fprings and fruits to fubfift on, by 
 making a further fearch into the coun- 
 try : otherwife, if we faw no hopes at 
 the five days end, we would return the 
 other five, and take frefli meafures. 
 The third dav of our voyage, we found 
 the deferls nothing fo barren as weex- 
 pefted, the ground grew pretty hard, 
 and the fourth day we difcovered fome 
 tufts of mofs and flnubs, by which we 
 conjectured we fliould foon come to firm 
 land ; the evening of that day we difco- 
 vered the tops of hills, but firrther otT 
 than we thought, lb that though we tra- 
 velled at a great rate all that night and 
 jnoli of the next day, we could only ar- 
 rive at the foot of thjm the fifth day at 
 night. After fome little fearch we came 
 to a fine fpiing, and, to our comfort, 
 no figns of inhabitants; it there liad, 
 we fliould have returned immediately to 
 take further advice. The next morning 
 we got up to the top of the higheft hill to 
 difcover the country ; but found it to 
 be only the point of a vail mountainous 
 counti-y, iiki the worft part of our Alps, 
 though there were fome fertile vales and 
 woods, but no footfteps of it's ever hav- 
 ing been inhabited, as welielieved,fince 
 tiie creation. Finding we could make 
 good provifion for our return, we were 
 in no great pain about timej but wan- 
 dered from place to place, viewing and 
 oi)fcrving every way. After proceeding 
 along thole craggy hills and precipices 
 in this manner for fi'ie days, they began 
 to lelfen towards oiu" right, but feemed 
 rather to increufe the other way : at 
 length, in the mofl difmal and hoirid 
 part of the hill-brov/, one of our young 
 men thought he fpied fomething like the 
 figure of a man, fitting by alittleipring 
 under a craggy rock julT: below us j we 
 fent three or our people round another 
 \yay 1o keep him from runiung into the 
 wood, while thePopharandmyfelf liole 
 quietly over the rock where he was. As 
 foon as he faw us, he whips up a broken 
 chirk in the rock, and difappcared im- 
 mediately : wo were fure he could not 
 get from us, fo we clofed and fcarched, 
 till we found a little cave in the windings 
 of the rock, where was his retiringplace. 
 
 His bed was made of mofs and kavts, 
 with little heaps of drieil fruits, of dif- 
 ferent ibrts, for his fuftenance. When 
 he faw us, he was furprized, and ruflied 
 at us like a lion, thinking to make his 
 way through us, but being all five at 
 the mouth of the cave, he Hood ready 
 to defend himfelf againft oin- attempts. 
 Viewing him a little nigher, we faw he 
 had fome remains of an old tattered coat, 
 and part of a pair of breeches, with a 
 ragged fafli, or girdle, round his wailt, 
 by which, to our greatfui prize, we found 
 he was an Europe-fH^ The Pophar fpoke 
 to him in Lingua Franca, and aiked him 
 who, or what he was ; he fiiook his 
 head as if he did not underfiand us. I 
 fpoke to him in French, Italian, and 
 Latin, but he was a firanger to thofe 
 languages ; at length he cried * Inglis, 
 ' Inglis.' I had learned fomething of 
 that language when I was a lludent at 
 Paris :. for knowing my father had a 
 mind I fliould learn as many languages 
 as I could, I had made an ac- 
 quaintance with feveral Englifli and 
 Scotch ihidents in that univerfity, par- 
 ticularly with one F. Johnfon, an Eng- 
 lifli Benedictine ; and could fpeak it 
 pretty well for a foreigner, but had al- 
 molt forgot it for want of ufe. I bid 
 him take courage and fear nothing, for 
 we would do him no harm. As foon as 
 ever he heard me fpeak Englidi, he fell 
 down on his knees, and begged us to 
 take pity on him, and carry him to fome 
 habitable counti-y, where he might pof- 
 fibly get an opportunity of returning 
 home again; or, at leaft, of living like 
 a human creature. Upon this he came 
 out to us, but looked more like a wild 
 bead than a man; his hair, beard, and 
 nails, were grown to a great length, 
 and his mien wns as haggard, as it he had 
 beenagreatwhi!einthatwildplace;though 
 hewasaftoutwell built man,andfliewed 
 fomething above the common rank. Wc 
 wentdowntolhefountain together,wheie 
 he made us to uuderiland, that his fa- 
 ther was an Ealt India m.erchant, and 
 his mother a Dutch woman of Batavia ; 
 that he had great part of his education in 
 London, but being very extravagant, his 
 father, vvhofe natural fon he was, had 
 turned him off, and lent him to Batavia, 
 to his mother's friejjds; that by his 
 courage and indufiry, he wasin a way 
 of making his fortune, being advanced 
 to be a lieutenant in the Dutch guards 
 at Bataviaj but was unhappily cau away 
 
'^—t 
 
 Fublia.».l « "li. A.1 .H,-.-ct,.l,v JT^rriroi. vC-VA|.ill. 1.17'i.fj. 
 
GAUDENTIO DI LUCCA. 
 
 yi 
 
 en the coaft of Afika, where they had 
 been on apaiticuhir adventure: that lie 
 and his companions, four in number, 
 wandering up in the country to feek pro- 
 vifions, were taken by fome llrangt Bar- 
 baj'ians, who carried them a vail un- 
 known way into the continent, defigji- 
 ing to eat them, or lacrifice them to their 
 inhuman gods, as they had done by his 
 companions. But being hale and iatat 
 the time of his taking, they referved him 
 for fome particular fcaft; that, as they 
 were carrying him through the woods, 
 another party of Barbarians, enemies to 
 the former, met them, and fella fighting 
 for their booty : which he perceiving, 
 knowing he was to be eaten if he (laid, 
 flunk away in the fciiflle into the thickeft 
 woods, hiding himfelf by day, and 
 marching all night he did not know 
 where, but, as he conjeftured, ftill higher 
 iinto the country. Thus he wandered 
 from hill to hill, and wood to wood, till 
 he came to a defart of iands, which he 
 was refolved to try to pafs over, not dar- 
 ing to return back, for fear of falling 
 into the hands of thofcmercilefsdevour- 
 ers. Hepaffed two days and two nights 
 without water, living on the fruits he 
 carried with him, as manv as he could, 
 till he came to this mountainous part of 
 the country, which he found uninhabit- 
 ed; taking up his abode in that rock, 
 where he never had any hopes of feeing 
 a human creature again : neither did he 
 know himfelf where he was, or which 
 way to go back. In fine, he told us he 
 had lived in that miferablc place now 
 upwards of five years. After we had 
 comforted him, as well as we coidd, I 
 afked him which way the main fca lay, 
 as near as he could guefs, and how far 
 he thoua;ht it was to it ? He pointed with 
 his hand towards the fouth, a little turn- 
 ing towards the eaft, and faid, he believ- 
 ed it might be thirty or forty ciavs jour- 
 ney, but advifedusneverto go tiiat way; 
 tor we rtiould certainly be devoured by 
 the Barbarians. I afked him whether 
 the cotmtry was habitable from that place 
 down to the fea; he told me Yes, except 
 that defart we had pafled; b'lt whether 
 it %vas broader in other places he could 
 not tell. 
 
 All the time he was fpeaking,the Po- 
 phar eyed him from top to toe ; and calling 
 me aiide — ' What monfter,' fays he, 
 * have we got here? There is a whole ie- 
 
 ' gion of wild beads in tliat man. I fet 
 -* the lion, the goat, the wolf, and the 
 * fox, in that one periljn.'' I could not 
 forbear finiling at the Pophar's ikiil in 
 phyliognomy, and told him, we ihouid 
 take care he fhould do no harm. Then 
 I turned to the man, and alked him, 
 whether he would conform himfelf to the 
 laws and rites of the country, if we car- 
 ried him among men again, where he 
 fliould want for nothing. Hecmbraced 
 my knees, and faid, he would conform 
 to any laws or any religion, if I would 
 but let him fee a habita'de country again. 
 I flared at the man, and began to think 
 there was fome truth in the Pophar's 
 fcience. However I told him, if he would 
 but behave like a rational creature, he 
 fliould go along with us -. but he mult 
 futfer himfelf to be blindfolded till he 
 came to the place. He Itarted a little, 
 and feemed to be prodigious fulpicious, 
 leftwefhonld deceive him. But on my 
 affiiring him on the faitii of a man, that 
 he fliould come to no harm, he con- 
 fented. 
 
 Afterwe hadrefreflicd ourfelves, being 
 both glad and concerned for the inform- 
 ation we had received of the nature of 
 the country, which was the Intent of our 
 jouiney, in order to guard againlf allin- 
 conveniences, wg covered his eyes very 
 clofe, and carried him back with us, 
 fometimes on foot, fbmetimes on one of 
 tlie fpare dromedaries, till vie arrived 
 fafe from where we fet out. Then we 
 let him fee where he was, and what a 
 glorious country he was come into. We 
 cloathed him like ourfelves, that fs, in 
 our travelling drel's, to fhew he was not 
 an entire ftranger to our race. He leem- 
 ed loft in admiration of what he lav/, and 
 embraced me with all the figns of gra- 
 titude imaginable. He readily conform- 
 ed to all ourcultoms, and madenofcru- 
 ple of afhfting at all their idolatrous ce- 
 remonies, as if he had been as good a 
 heathen as the bell of them. Which I 
 feeing, without declaring myfelf to be a 
 chiiftian, told him I had been infoimtd, 
 the people of the country, wheic he w: 8 
 educated, were chrilHans ; and won- 
 dered to fee him join in adoring the f"\in. 
 — ' Pugh !' fays he, ' feme bigotled 
 
 * people mak* a fcniple; butmoflof ot t 
 « men of I'tnfe think one religion is as 
 
 * good as another.' By this I perceived 
 our favage was of a new fet of per>plr, 
 
 M z wlrttii 
 
'02 
 
 GAUDENTIO DI LUCCA. 
 
 which I had heard of before I left Italy, 
 called Politici *, who are a ibrt of athe- 
 jfts in niafquerade. The Pophar, out of 
 his great ikill in phyfiognoiiiy, would 
 .have no converfalion with him, and com- 
 manded me to have a Uriel eye over him. 
 However, the information he had given 
 us of the poflibility of invading the king- 
 dom the way he came, anfwered the in- 
 tent of our voyage, and my former con- 
 jeftvires ; about which there was a grand 
 council lield, and orders given to lecure 
 the foot of our outermoft mountain fcuth- 
 wards, which ran a great way into the 
 defart ; fo that it was fufficient to guard 
 againft any of thofe barbarous invaders 
 of the continent. But to return to our 
 European lavage, for he may be juftly 
 called lb, being more dangerous in a 
 commonwealth than the very Hickibes 
 themlelves ; though he was a perfon who 
 had had a tolerable civilized education, 
 bating the want of all lenfe of religion, 
 which was owing to his perpetual con- 
 verfation with libertines. He had a 
 fmattering of moft kinds of polite learn- 
 ing, but without a bottom in any refpeft. 
 After he had been with us fometime, his 
 principks began to fliew themfelves in 
 his pradlce. Firlt, he began to be i-ude 
 with our women ; married or fmgle, it 
 was all alike to him, and by an unac- 
 countable Ipirit of novelty or contradic- 
 t\or\, our women feenied to be inclined to 
 be very fond of him ; fo that we were at 
 our wits ends about him. Then he be- 
 s;an to find fault with our government,- 
 dcfpiiing and condemning all our cere- 
 monies "and regulations : but his great 
 nim was, to pervert our youth, enticing 
 ihem into all manner of liberties, and en- 
 deavouring to make them believe, that 
 there was "no fuch thing as moral evil in 
 nature; that there was no harm in tlie 
 greateft crimes, if they could but evade 
 the laws and pu ni ihmen ts attending them . 
 As I had endeavoured to create a coufi- 
 cience in him, he came to me one day, and 
 fiid, that iince I was an European as 
 well as klmfclf, we might make onr- 
 feives men for ever, if I would join witli 
 him: Yon i'cz,' lays he, ' thele men 
 « cannorfight! nay, will rather bekiU- 
 ' cd themfelves, than kill any one elfe; 
 • can't you Hiew me the way out of this 
 ^ country, where we will get a troop of 
 < ftout follows well armed, and come and 
 
 « plunder all the country ? Wc fhall get 
 
 * immenfe riches, and make ourlelvcs 
 
 * lords and mafters of all.' I heard him 
 with a great deal of attention, and an- 
 fwered him, that I thought the projeft 
 might eafdy take, only for the horrid 
 wickednefs of the faft; ; efpecially for us 
 two, who had received inch favours from 
 the Pophar and his people : he, in his be- 
 ing delivered from the greatell mil'ery; 
 and myfelf, in havmg been freed from 
 flaveiy, and made one of the chief men 
 of the kingdom: that the ailion would 
 defcne to be branded with eternal in- 
 famy, and the blacked ingratitude : 
 befide the infinite villainies, injullices, 
 crimes, and deaths of innocent per- 
 fons, who muft perifa in the attempt; 
 which would always (fare »is in the 
 face, and torment us with never-ceaf- 
 ing ftings of confcience till our death. 
 ' Confcience!' fays he, ' that's a jelt}- 
 ' a mere engine of prieilciaft : all right 
 ' is founded in power ; let us once get 
 ' that, and who will difpute our right? 
 ' As for the injuftice of it, that's a mere 
 
 * notion; dillinftion of crimes, mere 
 
 * bigotry, and the eft'eif of education, 
 
 * ufliered in under the cloak of religion. 
 ' Letus be but fucccfsfuljundrilanl'wer 
 
 * for all your fcruples.' I told him, it 
 was a matter not to be refolvcd on on a 
 fudden ; and that I v/ould confider on it. 
 But I bid him be furc to keep his matters 
 tohimfelf. I went immediately to the Po- 
 phar, and gave an account ot what had 
 palled. He was llruck with horror at 
 the recital; not fo much for the confe- 
 quences, as that human nature could be 
 brought to fuch a monftrous deformity. 
 ' If,' lays he, * your Europeans are men 
 ' of fuch principks, who would not fly 
 ' to the furtheft corner of the earth to 
 ' avoid their Ibciety? Or ratlitr, who 
 ' can be fure of his life among fuch peo- 
 ' pie? Whoever thinks it no greater 
 ' crime in itlllf to kill me, than to kill 
 
 * a fly, will certainly do it, if I Hand in 
 
 * his way. If it were lawful,' conti- 
 nued he, ' by our conifitutions, to kill 
 ' this man, hs deferves a thoufand deatl^s 
 ' who makes it lawful to deltroy all the 
 ' vvciid bclides.' I aniwered, that all 
 llie Europeans were not men of his prin- 
 ciples, nor even -fhofe of his nation, who 
 were generally the moft compaflionate 
 and beft-natured men in the world. But 
 
 * Thefe Politici were fore-runners of our modern free-thinker?, whofe principles tend to 
 the deftruaiQ.a of all human iociety, as our author Ihcvvs incomparably well by and by. 
 
GAUDENTIO DI LUCCA. 
 
 93 
 
 that he was of a new fet of wretched 
 people, who called themfelves Dei lis, 
 and interiorly laughed at all religion End 
 morality, looking upon them as mere en ■ 
 gines of policy and iiriellcraft. ' In- 
 ' teriorly T fays he j ' yes, arid would ci t 
 
 * any man's throat exteriorly and aclual- 
 
 * ly, if it were not forfearof the gallows. 
 
 * Shut him iiu,' cried he, ' from all 
 
 * commerce of men, left his breath fhould 
 
 * infeft the whole world ; or rather, let 
 
 * us fend him back to his cave, to live 
 ' like a wild bealt ; where, if he is de- 
 
 * vouredby the favages, they do him no 
 
 * injury, on his ov/n principles.' I re- 
 prefented to him, tiiat we were juft on 
 our journey back to Grand Cairo, v/here 
 we might cairy him blind-fold, that he 
 ilrould not know our way over the fands, 
 and there give him his liberty ; buttliatwe 
 would flint him up till then. This be- 
 ing agreed on, I took a fufticient num- 
 ber of men to feiye him; and to do it 
 without any miichief, for he was as ftout 
 as a lion, we contrived to come upon him 
 in his bed, where wc caught him with 
 one of our young women. Three of 
 our men fell upon him at once, and kept 
 him down, v/hiie the reft tied his hands 
 and legs, and carried him into a ftrcng 
 hold, whence it was impcllible for him 
 ,to efcape. The woman was ihut up a- 
 part, according to our lavt-s. When lie 
 found himfelf taken, he called me by the 
 moft cruel names he could think on, ns 
 the moft wicked and treacherous villain 
 that evej- was, thus to betray him, and 
 the truft he had put In me. ' Yes,' 
 fays I, ' it is a crime to difcover your 
 
 * fecrets, and no crime in you to fub- 
 
 * vert the government, and fet all man- 
 
 * kind a cutting one another's throats, 
 
 * by your monftrous principles:' fo I 
 left him for the prelent. Some time af- 
 ter, I went to him, and told him, o;ir 
 council had decreed he fliotild be carried 
 back from Vvhence he came, and be de- 
 livered over to the favages, cither to be 
 devoured by ihtm, or to defend himfelf 
 by his principles, as well as he couid. 
 He cried out, hire wc would not be guilty 
 
 'of fuch horrid barbarity! ' Barbarity!" 
 faid I, ' that's a meiL jell : they v.-iU do 
 
 * you no injury ; if your flcfli is a ra- 
 
 * rity to them, when they have vou in 
 
 * their power, tliey have full right to 
 
 * make ufe of it.' He begged by all 
 that was dear, we would not fend Iiim 
 to the favages ; but rather kill him on 
 the fpot. ' "vVhy,' favs I,- ' )ou arc 
 
 * worfe than the greatefl cannibals; be- 
 
 * catifethey fpare their friends, and only 
 ' eat their enemies ; , whereas your prin- 
 ' ciples fpare no body, and acknowledge 
 
 * no tie in nature.' At length he own- 
 ed 'nimfelf in a miflake, and leemed to re- 
 nounce his errors ; when I told him, if he 
 would engage his moftfolemn promife to 
 fuffer himfelf to heblinti-folded, an<l be- 
 have peaceably, we would carry him to a 
 place where he might find an opportunity 
 to return to his own country. ' But,' 
 fays I, ' what fignihes promifes and en- 
 ' gagements in n man v.-ho laughs at all 
 ' obligations, and thinks it as juft and 
 
 * lawful to break them, as to make 
 ' them?' No; he curfed himfelf v/ith the 
 moft dreadful imprecations, if he were 
 not tradable in all things we fiiould 
 command him. 'But,' fays he again, 
 ' won't you deliver me back to tlie fa- 
 ' vages ? I anfwered in the fame tone— 
 ' Should we do yon any wrong if we 
 ' did r' At length, to appeafe him, I 
 prcmifed him faithfully we would j)ut 
 him in a way to return into his own 
 country: but bid iiim confuiei-, if there 
 were no fuch thing as right and wrong, 
 what would become of the world, or what 
 fecurity could there be in l:un-,an life ? 
 
 In a few weeks, the time drew on 
 for our great journey to Grand Cairo, 
 v/hei-e I was in hopes of feeing ray na- 
 tive country once more. All things 
 v^crc now as good as ready; the Po- 
 phar and myfclf had otlier ileligns than 
 ufual, and were in fome pain to think of 
 leaving that once fo hapi)y country. 
 Though, as I fild, all tilings that could 
 make me happy, were buried with my 
 dear Ifyphena. Tiie Pophar had foine 
 ferious thoughts of turning Chriftian : 
 the evidences of our religion were foon 
 perceived by a perfon of his deep j;ene- 
 tration ; though perlbns of little Lam- 
 ing, and great vices, pretend they do not 
 fee them. But, like a wile man, he was 
 refolved to examine into it, in the places 
 where it was exercifod in the gi-catctl 
 fpleiidor. We provided a-good ijuantity 
 ot jewels, and as much gold as we could 
 well carry, for our prelent cxpences at 
 Grand Cairo, and cli'cwhere, in future 
 exigencies. I went to my Deift in his 
 grotto, and threw him as much gold and 
 jev^tls as were fiiffi.ier.t to, glut his ava- 
 rice, and make !iim happy m his binital 
 way of thinking. But I would not truft 
 myfelf with him alunc, for all his pro- 
 miies, as he on lii? fide e.^picfTcd ftill a 
 di-tdcncc 
 
94- 
 
 GAL'DENTIO Dl LUCCA. 
 
 diffidence of trufting any body; I fup- 
 pofe, from the confcioufnefs of his own 
 vile principles. Then I threw him a 
 blinding-cap, which we had made for 
 him, that he fhould not fee onr waj- over 
 the defarts. This cgp was made like a 
 head-piece, with brcathmg-places for his 
 month and nofe, as well as to take in 
 noiirifliment, opening at the back part, 
 and clafping with a fu-ing behind, that 
 being once locked, he could not open it 
 himfelf. He put it on his head two or 
 three times, before he durft venture to 
 clofe it. At length he clafped it, and 
 he was as blind as a beetle. We went 
 to him and tied his hands, which he let 
 us Jo quietly enough; but dill begged 
 us, that we would not betray him to the 
 favages. I bid him think once more, 
 that now his own interior fenfe told him 
 that to betray him would be a crime, by 
 confequcnce thei'e was fuch a thing as 
 evil. 
 
 All things being in readincfs, we 
 mounted our dromedaries. The Po- 
 phar ant! all the velt kiffed the ground 
 as ufual : I did the fame ; out of lefpeft 
 to the place which contained the remains 
 of my nevertoo much lamented Ifyphena, 
 the afties of whofe heart are in the hol- 
 low of the ftone, whereon is her picture. 
 Not to mention the ceremonies of our 
 taking leave, we were conducted in a 
 mournful manner over the bridge, and 
 launched once more into the ocean of 
 fands and defarts which were before us. 
 Our favage was on a dromedary which 
 would follow the reft, but led by a cord 
 fallened to one of them forfccurity. It 
 Humbled with him twice or thrice, and 
 threw him off once, but without any 
 great hurt. But the fear of breaking 
 his neck put him into a great agony, 
 and though he was as bold as a lion cnother 
 occafions, he was prodigioufly (iartled 
 at the thoughts of death. We arrived 
 at Grand Cairo at the ufu:d period of 
 time without any particv.lar difaiter. As 
 foon as we were fettled, the Pophar or- 
 dered me to fend the Deift packing as 
 foon as we could. ' This brutal race,' 
 fays he, ' next to the Cannibals, are the 
 * fitteft company for him.' I imlocked 
 the blinding- helmet, and told him we 
 had now fultilled our promife ; that he 
 was at Grand Cairo, where he might 
 find fome way or other to return into 
 Europe; and, to convince him, carried 
 him to fome European merchants, who 
 affured him of the fame. Delivering to 
 
 him his gold and jewels, begged liim to 
 refle6f on his obligations to us, and the 
 grateful acknowledgments due to our 
 memory on that account : we had taken 
 him from a miferable folitude, where he 
 lived more like a wild beall than a man j 
 and where he was in danger of being 
 found and devoured by the cannibals: 
 we had brought him into one of the hap - 
 pieft countries in the world, if he would 
 but have conformed to it's laws ; and 
 now had given him his liberty to go 
 where he pleafed, with riches fufficient 
 to make him eafy, and benefits to make 
 him grateful all his life. I then took 
 my leave of him. But to our forrow we 
 had not done with him yet. As foon as 
 the Pophar and the reft had performed 
 the ceremony of vifiting the tombs of 
 their anceftors, or rather the places where 
 the tombs had been, the good old man 
 and mj'fclf began to think of meafures 
 for our journey into Italy. He orilered 
 his people to ftay at Grand Cairo till the 
 next annual caravan; and in cafe he did 
 not return by that time, they were to go 
 home, and he would take the opportu- 
 nity of the then next following caravan, 
 becaufe he was upon bufmefs that nearly 
 concerned him. We had agieed with a 
 mafter of a fliip to cany us lo Venice, 
 which, as I had the honour to acquaint 
 your Reverences before, was a French 
 fliip, commanded by Monfieur Godart. 
 We had fixed the day to go on board, 
 when, behold! our favage, at the head 
 of a band of Turks, came and leized 
 every one of us, in the name of the great 
 Baffi. By great good fortune, while I 
 ftaid at Grand Cairo, I had the grateful 
 curiofity to inform myfelf Vv-hat was be- 
 come of the former Bafla's daughter we 
 left there five and twenty years ago. 
 The people told me, the daughter was 
 married to the Grand Sultan, and was 
 now fultanefs, mother to the prcfcnt ful- 
 tan, and regent of the empire ; adding, 
 that her brother was their prefijnt great 
 Baffa. This lucky information faved 
 all o\ir lives and liberties. We were 
 carried prifoners before the great BalTa, 
 the faithlefs favage accxifmg us of crimes 
 againft the ftate ; that we were immenfe- 
 ly lich, (a crime of itfelf finficient to 
 condemn us) and cculd make a difto- 
 very of a country pf vaft advantage to 
 the Grand Signior.' To be fhort, we 
 had all been put to the torture, had not 
 I begged leave to fpeak a word or two 
 in private to the great BafTu, There I 
 
 told 
 
GAUDENTIO Dl LUCCA. 
 
 95 
 
 told him who I was; that I was the 
 perlbn who had fp.ved his filter's (the 
 now empreis) life ; and, to convince 
 him, told him all the circumftances ex- 
 cept that of lier love, though he had 
 beard fomething of that too : I (hewed 
 him the ring flie had given me for a re- 
 membrance, (which he alfo rcmembere 1) 
 adding, that we were innocent men, who 
 livedhoneltly, according to our own laws, 
 coming there to traffick, like other mer- 
 chants, and had been traduced by one of 
 the greatelt villains upon earth. In a 
 word, this not only got us oif, and pro- 
 cured us an ample pafTport from the 
 great Bafla for our further voyage ; but 
 he alfo ordered the informing wretch to 
 be feized, and lent to the galleys for life. 
 Heoftered to turn Turk, if tiiey would 
 fpare him. But being apprized of his 
 princlpli_'s, they faid he \voiiid be a dif- 
 grace to their religion ; and ordered him 
 away immediately. Upon which, fee- 
 ing there was no mercy, being grown 
 mad with rage and defpair, befoi^e they 
 could feize his hands, he drew out a 
 piftol, and fiiot himfelf through the 
 head; not being able to find a worfe 
 hand than his own. The Pophar, good 
 man ! boie thefe misfortunes with vvon- 
 derful patience, though he allured me his 
 greateft grief was, to fee human natuie 
 lb far corrupted, as it was in that Im- 
 pious wretch, who could think the moft 
 horrid crimes were not worth the notice 
 of the fupreme Governor of the uni- 
 Tcrfe. * But we fee,' fays he, ' that 
 
 * Providence can make the v/icked them - 
 
 * felves the inllruments of it's ju(t vcn- 
 
 * geance : for can any thing be fo great 
 ' a blot upon hr.man nature, as to be 
 
 * it's own deilroyer, when the very brutes 
 
 * will Itruggle for life till the laft gafp r' 
 However, he was uneafy till he had left 
 that iiatefal pltice. Befides, there were 
 fome figns of the plague breaking out ; 
 fo we went down to Alexandria as fait 
 as we could : and to encourage Monfitiir 
 Godart, he made him a prefent before- 
 hand of a diamond of a confiderable 
 value. V/c fet fail for Candy, where 
 Monfieur Godart was to touch, the 1 6 th 
 day of Auguit, Anr.o 171a. But, 
 alas ! whether thefe troubles, or net be- 
 ing ufed to the fea, or fome infeilion of 
 the plague he had caught at Grand 
 Cairo, or all together, is uncertain; but 
 that great good man fell fo dangeroudy 
 ill, that we thouj^ht wc fhould fcarce get 
 him to Candy. H; alTured me by the 
 
 knowledge he had of himfelf and nature, 
 that his time was com.e. We put in at 
 the fiift creek, where the land air a little 
 refrefhed him ; but it was a fallacious 
 crifis, for in a few days all of us per- 
 ceived his end draw near. Then he told 
 me he was relolved to be baptized, and 
 die in the Chriltian faith. I got iiina 
 i}iftruc"ted by a reverend prieft belonging 
 to Monfieur Godart; his name was 
 Alonfieur Le Grclle, whom I had for- 
 merly known wlien he was a ftedent ia 
 the college for foreign miffions; and, 
 what was the only comfort I had novr 
 left, I faw him baptized, and yield up 
 the ghofc with a courage becoming the 
 greateft hero, and the belt of men. 
 This was the gr.:ateft. affliction I ever 
 had in my whole life, after the death of 
 his daughter. He left me ail his effeils, 
 which v/ere fulEcient to make me happy 
 in this life, if riches could piocure hap- 
 pinels. 
 
 We had fome days to Hay, hefoi-c 
 Monfieur Godart could make an end of 
 his bufinefs. I was walking in a me- 
 lancholy poihire along the fea-fliore, and 
 reflefling on tlie ad^'entures of my paft 
 life, occalioned bv thofe very waters 
 Vv'hereon I was looking, when I came, or 
 rather my feet carried me, to a hanging 
 rock, on tiie fide of the illand, juft on the 
 edge of the fea, and where there was 
 fcarce room enough tor two or three per- 
 fons to ftand privately imder covert, very 
 difficult to be difcerned; where going to 
 fit down and indulge my melanclioly 
 thovights, i cfpied a Turk and two wo- 
 men, as if concealed under the rock; my 
 own troubles not allowing me the cu- 
 riofity to pry into other people's con- 
 cerns, made me turn (liort back again: 
 but the eltier of the two women, who 
 was midrefs of the other, feeing by my 
 drefs, that I was a ftranger and a Chrif- 
 tlan, (being now in that habit) came 
 running to me, and falling on licr knees, 
 laid hold of mine, and begged me to lake 
 pity on adlltreffed woman, vvhocxpefled 
 every moment to be butchered by one of 
 tlie moft inhuman villains living, from 
 whofe violence they had fied and hid tliem- 
 felves in that place, in expectation of 
 finding a boat toconvey tiicmofF. I lifted 
 lier up, and thouglit I faw fomething in 
 her face I had feen before, though much 
 alteivd by years and troubles. She did 
 the fame by me, and at length cried out 
 — ' O heavens ! it can't be the man I 
 * hope!' Irememberedconfufsdlyfomer 
 
 thin* 
 
95 
 
 thing of the voice, as well as the face; 
 and after ;i deal cf a(toni(hment, found 
 it was the Curdifh lady, who hud faved 
 my life from t!ie pirate Hamets. • Oh!' 
 lays ftic, * I have jiUl time enough to tell 
 ' VI', tiiat we expeft to be puifi.ed by 
 
 * that inhuman wretch, unlefs yoii can 
 
 * find a boat to cany us off before he 
 
 * finds us, otherwife we muft fall a fa- 
 
 * crifice to his cruelty.' I never llaid to 
 confider co'.ifequenccs,but anfwered pre- 
 cipitately, that I would do my bell; fo 
 ran back to the (liip as faft as I could, 
 andwiththchelpof the firft man, brought 
 tlic boat to the reck. I was juft getting 
 out to take hold of her hand, wheu we 
 heard feme men coming luHiiiig in be- 
 hind us, and one of th^m cried — ' Hold, 
 
 * villain 5 that wicked woman Ihan't 
 
 * efcapefo;' and fiiesapillol, which mif- 
 fing the ladv, fliot the man attending her, 
 into the belly, fo that he fell down pre- 
 fcntly, though not quite dead. 1 had 
 provided myfcif with a Turkifh fcymi- 
 tar, and a cafe of piltols, under my fafli, 
 for my defence on fliip-board; I faw 
 there was no time to deliberate, fo I fired 
 dire6lly at tliem, for they were three, and 
 had the good luck vo drop one of them. 
 But H?mets, as I found afterwards, 
 minding nothing but his revenge on the 
 woman, fired again, and milTmg the lady 
 a fecond time, Ihot her maid through the 
 ann, and was drawing his fcymitar to 
 cleave her down, when I Itept in before 
 the lady, hut (hooting with too much 
 precipitancy, the bullets palfed under his 
 ann, and lodged in tiie body of his fe- 
 cond; he ftarted back at the fire fo near 
 him, which gave me time to draw my 
 fcymitar. Being now upon equal terms, 
 he retired two or three paces, and ciied — 
 ' Who art thou, that ventureft thy life 
 
 * fo boldly for this wicked woman ?' I 
 knew his voice perfeftly well, neither 
 was he fo much altered as the lady. ' I 
 
 * am the man,' faid I, ' whcfe life thou 
 
 * wouldlthave taken, but this lady faved 
 ' it, whole caul'e I lh"il now revenge as 
 
 * v.-ell as my Ovvn, and my dear brother's.' 
 We made no more words, but fell to it 
 with our fcymitars, with all our might ; 
 he was a brave llout man, and let me fee 
 I nioiild have work enough to hew him 
 down. Aftei fcveral attacks, he gave me 
 a confiderable \vo\md on my arm, and I 
 cut him a-crofs the cheek a pretty large 
 gafli, but not to endanger his life; at 
 leneth the iuftice of my caufe would have 
 it, that Itriking off his turban at one 
 
 GAUDENTIO Dl LUCCA. 
 
 ftroke, and with another falling on his 
 barehead,Iciithim qiiite into the brains, 
 that fouie of them fp-rted on my fcymi- 
 tar. He tell down, as I thought, quite 
 dead, but after fome time, he gave a 
 groan, and uttered thefe words — < Ma- 
 
 * homet, thou art juft; I killed this wo- 
 ' man's hufband, and (he has been the 
 ' occafionofmydeath.' With thefe words 
 he gave up the ghotl. By this time, the 
 lady's attendant was dead; fc I took the 
 lady and her woman, without (laying, for 
 fear of farther difliculties, and putting 
 them into the boat, conducted them to 
 the (hip. MonfieurGodartwas extremely 
 troubled at the accident, (ayingwediould 
 have all the ifland upon us, and made 
 great di(ficulty to receive the lady ; but 
 upon a juft reprefentation of the cafe, 
 and an abundant recompence for his 
 effefts left behind, we got him to take 
 her in, and hoift fail for Venice as fa(t as 
 we could. The lady had now time to 
 thank me for her delivery, and I to con- 
 gratulate my happy fortune in being able 
 to make a return for her Caving my life. 
 During our paflage, I begged her to give 
 us the hiilory of her fortunes fince I left 
 her, which I prognolticated then could 
 not 'ne very happy, confidering the l;ands 
 (he had fallen into. Says (lie — ' You 
 ' remember I made a promifeto Kr.mets, 
 ' that I would marry him on condition 
 
 * he would fave your lite.' — ''Yes, Ma- 
 
 * darn,' faid I; ' and am ready to ven- 
 ' ture mine once more in return for I'o 
 ' great a benefit.' — ' You have done 
 
 * enough,' fays (he ; and with that ac- 
 quainted us, that when I was (old off to 
 the (trange merchants, Hamets carried 
 her to Algiers, and claimed her promife. 
 
 * I was entirely ignorant,' fays (he, ' of 
 
 * his havlr.g a hand in the death of my 
 
 * dear lord; but, on the contrary, the vil- 
 ' lain had contrived his wickednefs fo 
 ' cunningly, that I thought he had ge- 
 ' neroudy ventured his own life to fave 
 ' his; and being, as you know, a very 
 ' handfome man, of no very inferior 
 ' rank, and £xpre(nng the moitardent love 
 
 * for my pertbn, and I having no hopes 
 
 * of returning into my own country, ftd- 
 ' filled my promife made on your ae- 
 ' count, and mairied him. We lived 
 ' contentedly enougli together for fume 
 ' years, bating that we had no children, 
 
 * til! his conftant comparison, wlio was 
 
 * the man attending me at the rock, 
 
 * and was killed by that villain, fell out 
 ' about a fair Ibve which Oiuar ((b he 
 
 ' was 
 
GAUDENTIO Dl LUCCA. 
 
 97 
 
 was called) had bouglit, or taken pi i- 
 foneriuromc of their piracies. Hamets, 
 as well as he, fell in love with her, and 
 would have taken her for his concu- 
 bine, but the other concealed her from 
 him. Thcv had like to have fought 
 ahoutit. Haniers vowed revenge : the 
 other, who was the honcfter man of 
 the two, v/as advifed to be upon his 
 g'!ard,andtodelivemhewomantohim ; 
 which he never would conient to, but 
 was refolved to run all rifques, rather 
 than the young lady Ihould fuffer any 
 di (honour. In the mean time, her 
 friends, who were rich people of Cir- 
 caflia, hearing where (he was, made iri- 
 tereft to have her ranfomed, and taken 
 from botli of them , by the authciity of 
 the Dey of Algiers'^ who was other- 
 wife no friend to Kamets. This laft 
 had been informed, that Omar, be- 
 caufe he could not enjoy her himfclf, 
 contrived to have her ranfomed from 
 his rival, and I myfelf had a hand in 
 the affair, for which he threatened re- 
 venge on both of us; and being alfo 
 difguftedwith the Dey, he gave orders 
 to have his fliips ready to remove and 
 follow his trade of piracy. Then 
 Omar informed me how Hainets had 
 murd';red my fiiil huiband, by hiring 
 the Arabians to do it, while he pretend- 
 ed to defend him, to avoid my fiifpi- 
 cions, with fuch circiunilances of the 
 fa6f, that I liiw the truth was too clear. 
 The lioiTor and deteftation I was in is 
 not to be expreffed, both againft Ha- 
 mets, and againft mylelf, for marrying 
 fuch a monitor. Omar added, that he 
 was certainly informed, that as loon as 
 he had us out at fea, he would make 
 away with us both; and told me, if I 
 would truft myfelf with him, he would 
 undertake to carry me off in a boat, and 
 conduce me into my own country. I 
 was refolved to flv to the farthelt end 
 of the earth, to avoid his loathed fight; 
 fo refolved to pack up our moft precious 
 things, and go along with him. He 
 procured a boat to meet us, at a little 
 cr.ek of the ifland, by a perfon he 
 tiiouglit he could confide in ; but who 
 betrayed t'le whole affair to Kamets: 
 of which alfo we had timely notice, and 
 removing fVum the ftation wherewe ex- 
 ; el tlie boat, fled along the coail 
 , ::vately as we could, and hid our- 
 ic! . ls under the lock v.'nerr vou found 
 us, expecting either to find fonic fa- 
 vourable occaiion to be carried c, or 
 
 ' to die by the hand of Hamets, which 
 ' we certainly had done, had not he met 
 * with his jiUt death by yours.' The lady 
 had fcarce given us this ftiort ac'ount of 
 her misfortrnes, and we were not only 
 congratulating her for her deliverance, 
 but admiring the jr.ftice of Providence, 
 which reached this villain, both to bring 
 him to condign punifinr.ent for the mur- 
 der of the innocent Curd, and make him 
 die by my hand, five and twenty years 
 after he hz.d robbed and killed my bro- 
 ther with all his crew, fold mc for a flave, 
 and attempted to kill me alfo, had not 
 the lirange lady laved my life : I fay, we 
 were making fuch like refle6lions on this 
 ({range accident, when they told us frrm 
 above, two vefTels feemed to come full 
 fail upon us, as if they were ptirfviing us 
 with all their m.ight. We made all the 
 fail we could, but our fliip being pretty 
 heavily loaded, we faw we rnuff be over- 
 taken. Some of us were refolved to light 
 it out to the laft, in cafe they were ene- 
 mies. But Monfieur Godart would not 
 conftnt to it, faying the Btiila's paiTport 
 would fecure us, or by yielding peaceably 
 we might be ranfomed. They came up 
 to us in a fhort time, and fainted us wiih 
 a volley of fl':Ot, to fhew what we were to 
 truft to. We ftri'ck pur fails, and let them 
 board us without any refiflance. Mon- 
 fieur Godart, with too mean a fpirit, as 
 I thought, told them with cap in liand, 
 that he would give them any fiitisfiflion, 
 and afTured them he would not willingly 
 fall out with the fuhjecfs of the Grand 
 Signior. They feized every man of us, and 
 fpying the lady and me — ' There they 
 
 * are,' faidthey; < the aduherefsand her 
 
 * lover with the fpoils of her murdered 
 
 * hufband.' Which words fhewing they 
 were Turks in puriiiit of us from Candy, 
 quite confounded Monheui^ Godart at 
 once, and made me imagine I (iiould 
 have much ado to find any quarter. They 
 hauled us upon deck, making fhcw, as 
 if th.ey were going to cut off my head. I 
 never thought myfelf lb nigh death be- 
 fore; but had the pixlence of mind to cry 
 out in the heajingof the whole crew, that 
 we were .'brvanis of the Grand S-ikanefs; 
 and pioduced the paftpcrt' of the great 
 BalTa her brother, cliarging thenj on their 
 peril not t a touch us. 'i bio itopt their 
 fury a little: fome cried out — ' Hold, 
 ' liave a care what you do ; others cried. 
 — ' Kill them all, for rolihers and mur- 
 
 * derers; 'he Sultanefs vill never proteiTt 
 
 * fuchvillainsaiihefe.' When the hfrlv- 
 
 N ' b.iily 
 
98 
 
 GAUDENTIO DI LUCCA. 
 
 burly was foir.ething appeafed, Monfieur 
 Godart realbned the cale with them, and 
 told them, if they murdered us, they 
 co\ild never conceal it, Imce all the crew 
 of the three fliips heard our ap])eal to the 
 SultanelVs niciher, the pafl'port felting 
 foith, among other things, that I had 
 faveil the life of the Grand Sultanef*. 
 This hioiioht them to a demur. The 
 chief of them began to confult among 
 themftl vts what was bcft to be done; when 
 I, begging leave to fpeak, told them, if 
 they would carry us to Conrtantinoplc, 
 we world willingly fubmit our lives, and 
 all tliat belonged to us, in cafe the Sul- 
 fanefs ilid not own the fafl, and take us 
 into her prote£tion: that, in cafe they put 
 us to death., fome one or other in fucli a 
 number, would certainly inform againft 
 them, the conlccjuences of which ihcy 
 knew very well. I touched alfo, but ten- 
 derly, on the death of Hamets, and our 
 innocence. The firll part of my fpcech 
 made them pafs over the other. Tliey de- 
 murred again, and at length reiblved to 
 carry us to Conllantinople, and jirorecd 
 againft us by wayof jultice, not doubt- 
 ing to make good prize of us, on account 
 of our being Chrillians. Thus was our 
 journey to Venice interrupted for fome 
 time by this accident. When we came 
 to the port, Monfieur Godart got leave 
 to fend our cafe to Monfieur Savigni, the 
 French refident; who found means to re- 
 prefent to the Sidtanefs's motlicr, that 
 there was a ftranger in chains, wlio pre- 
 tended to be the peribn who liad faved her 
 life when fhe was at Giand Caiio, and 
 would give her proofs of it, if he coidd 
 he admitted to her highnefs's prefence. 
 I would not fend the ring ftie gave nie, 
 for fear of accidents. The Sultanefs gave 
 orders iniinediately, I lliould be brought 
 to her prefence, faying, (lie could eafily 
 know the perfon, for all it was fo long 
 before. I put on the fame kind of drels 
 I was in wlien Ihe tirft law me, which, 
 if your Reverences remember, was the 
 travelling drcfs of the Mezoranians. 
 ■When I was brought into her prefence, 
 I fcarce knew her, being advanced to a 
 middleage,and in the attire of the Grand 
 Sultanefs: the looked at me with a great 
 deal of emotion, and bid me approach 
 nigher. I immediately fell on my knees, 
 and holding the ring in my hand which 
 file gave me at parting, as if I were mak- 
 ing a prefent of it — ' Madam,' faid I, 
 
 * behold a flave, who had the honour to 
 
 * fiive yoiir highnefs's life, and now begs 
 
 * his own, and that of his companions j 
 
 * and molt humbly requefts your high- 
 
 * nefs to accept of this jewel, as a tokeri 
 ' of our latt dilhefs.'' Inltead of an- 
 fweringme, which put me in great pain, 
 as doubting whetlier I was right or not, 
 flie turned to her nigheft attendants, and 
 faid, in a pietty foft voire — ' 'Tis he; I 
 
 * knowhimbyhisvoice, as well asdreJ's:' 
 and riling off her feat, came and took 
 the ring. Then looking attentively at it 
 — ' Yes, Sir,' fiidfhe, ' I own the ring 
 ' and bearer, and acknowledge you to be 
 ' the perfon who faved my life. For which 
 ' reafon I give you yours, and all that 
 ' belongs to you; forbidding all, under 
 ' pain of death, to give you the leaft 
 ' trouble;' and withal ordered a very rich 
 Turkiflr robe to be thrown over my Ihoul- 
 ders, as a fign of her favour. In)me- 
 diate orders were fent to the port, to 
 fet Monfieur Godart and all his crew at 
 liberty, and to feaft- us as particular 
 friends of the Graml Sultanels. The 
 company being difmilfed, fliemade a fign 
 for me to Hay, having further bufinefs 
 with me. \Vhen all were gone but two 
 of her chief favourite women, }he came 
 to me without any ceremony, and taking 
 me in her arms, as if I had been her 
 brother, embraced me with a great deai 
 of tendeirefs; her joy to fee me making 
 her lay afide her graiKlelir, and yield to 
 the tranfportsof uiutiiguiled nature. She 
 led me by the hand into a molt majjni- 
 fi:ent apaitmenr, faying — ' Come, Sig- 
 ' nor Gaudtntio, for lo I think you arc 
 
 * called; after yon have refrefhed yoiir- 
 
 * felf, you ihali tel 1 mc your adventures .' 
 She made no fcruple to lit down with 
 me, being now not only miltrefs of her- 
 felf, but of the whole Ottoman empire, 
 as well as fure of her attendants. We 
 had a refrelluuent of all the rarities of 
 the caft, with the richelt wines for me, 
 though flie drank none herfelf. ' I long 
 ' to hear your adventures,' corAtnucd 
 fhe, ' of fo many years abfence.' So I 
 told her, in fliort, how I was carried by 
 tb.at itrange merchant into an unknown 
 country, withotit telling her the way we 
 went thither, where I had married the 
 regent's daughter. She bluflied a little at 
 that part, and Ihewed the remains of all 
 her former baauty. But it put me in mind 
 of my own indifcrelion to touch on fuch 
 a nice point. Slie pafi'ed it off with a 
 great deal of goodnel's ; and, recovering 
 myfelf, I continvied to acquaint her of 
 the reafon s of my return, as well as how 
 
 I was 
 
GAUDENTIO DI LUCCA. 
 
 99 
 
 T was taken by Hamets the firft time, 
 which ilie had not been acquainted with 
 before; and, laftly, how I met vyiththe 
 fame Hamcus again, killed him, and by 
 that means came into that misfortune. 
 
 * 1 called it then a misfortune!' laid I, 
 
 * but look upon it now to be one of my 
 
 * greatell iiappineffes; fmce by that oc- 
 
 * cafion, I have the honour oi feeing 
 
 * yourhighnefs in that dignity of which 
 
 * you are the moll worthy of any one m 
 ' all the Ottoman empire.' Shefeemedto 
 be in admiration at the coiu'le of my lite, 
 and added — ' I think, Signor, you faid 
 
 * you were married; is your fpoulc with 
 « you?'—' No, Madam,' laid I: ' alas! 
 
 * Ihe is dead, and all my children; and I 
 
 * am going to retire, and lead a private life 
 
 * in my native country.' With thele and 
 other difcourfes we palTed the greatell 
 part of the day, when Ihebid me go back 
 to the fliip in publick, attended with all 
 the marks of her high favours; b jt Ihe 
 laid Ihe would fend for me privately in 
 the evening; ' For,' added llie, * I have a 
 
 * thoufand other things to aik you.' 
 Accordingly I was introduced privately 
 into the feraglio; which llie, being Sul- 
 tanefs regent, could eafily do. There llie 
 entirely laid afide her grandeur. We 
 talked all former palTages over again, 
 with the freedom of friends and old 
 acquaintances. In our converfation, I 
 found llie was a woman of prodigious 
 depth of judgment, as indeed her wad- 
 ing through ib many difficulties, at- 
 tending the inconitancy of the Otto- 
 man court, particularly the regency, 
 evidently lliewed. I made bold to aik 
 her, bow Hie arrived at that dignity, 
 though Hie was the only perlon in the 
 world that deferved it; and took the li- 
 berty to fay in a familiar way, that I be- 
 lieved her highncfs was nov/ I'enhble of 
 the llrviccl did her, in refufmg to com- 
 ply with her former demands, fince the 
 iates had rtfcrved her to be the greattft 
 empiel's in the world, not the conibrt of 
 a wandering Have. Had I not been en- 
 twely allured <n hergoodnels, I Hiould not; 
 have daied to have touched on that head. 
 Sheblulhed with a little confufion at firft, 
 but putting it off with a grave air— 
 
 * Grandeur,' fays ibe, ' does not ahvays 
 
 * make people happy. Ten thouland 
 
 * cares attend a crown; but the in-lif. 
 
 * ference I have for all things makes mini 
 
 * fit ealier than it might have doneother- 
 
 * wife. It is true,' continued Ihe, ' tnat 
 
 * young people very fcldoni Ice their own 
 
 * good, and oftentimes run into fuch er- 
 ' rors, by the violence of their palhons, 
 
 * as not only deprive them of greater 
 
 * blefllngs, but render their mi^foi tunc* 
 
 * irretrievable. Some time after yoa 
 
 * were gone, my father the Grand BaHa 
 
 * was accufed, by fonie underhand ene- 
 ' mies, of mal-admi;iifcration, a tiling 
 ' too frequent in our court, and privately 
 ' condemned to be llranglcd. But hav- 
 ' ing fome trufty friends at the Porte, he 
 
 * had notice of it, before the orders 
 ' came : he immediately departed from 
 ' Grand Cairo, and look a round-about 
 
 * way towards Ccrftantinople, to pre- 
 
 * vent, as the way is, the execution of 
 
 * them. He fent me before to prepfue 
 
 * matters, and to intercede v/ith the young 
 
 * Siiltan, my late deceafed lord, for his 
 ' life, leaving word whire I might let 
 
 * him know of the fucctl's of my inter- 
 
 * celTion. I prefented mvfclf before the 
 ' Sultan with that niojell allurance, 
 
 * which my innocence, my youth, and 
 
 * grief for my father s danger, gave me. 
 ' I tell down on my knees, and with % 
 ' flood of tears, begged my father's life. 
 ' The Sultan looked at me with Ibme 
 < amazement; and, whatever it was he 
 
 * law in my face, not only granted my 
 ' I equelt, and confirmed my father in his 
 ' former poll, but made a profelfun of 
 ' love to my perlon, and even conLinued 
 ' it with more conllancy than I ilio ght 
 ' a grand Sultan capable of, having lb 
 ' many exquilite beau urs to divert him, 
 ' as they generally have. I confentcd, 
 ' to fave mv father's lite; and whether 
 ' the inditfeiency I had for all men 
 ' made him more eager, I cannot tell j 
 ' but I found I was the chief in his fd- 
 ' vour. He had fonie other milljvlles 
 ' now and then, of whopi he ■ as veiy 
 ' lond. But never te.tzijig Inm, n.or 
 ' fretting myfelfabo' t it, I ealiiy found 
 ' I continued to have the Iblid part of his 
 
 * friendlliip; and l;riiiging him the riril 
 ' male child, the preLnt cnipeior, I be- 
 
 * camechicf Suit:inefs; and by l.isdcath, 
 
 * and tiie minoi ity of my fon, am now 
 ' regent; by which I am capable of ren- 
 
 * dcring you all the fcrvice the Ottoman 
 
 * empire can perform, which 1 eftevrn 
 ' one of the happiell events of my lite.' 
 I returned her the molt profound how, 
 and humble thank* a hc.-.rt fuU of tae 
 moll lively fenfe of graLitude could ^ro- 
 fel's. She offered me the H.lt poll ut tiie 
 Ottoman empire, it I v/oid I but become 
 a MufUilnian, or o\->\y fo iu apptar- 
 
 N ^ ance. 
 
lOO 
 
 GAUDENTIO DI LUCCA. 
 
 ance. ' Or if,' faid flie, ' you had rather 
 
 * be nigh inc, you (hall he the chief of- 
 
 * ficerof my houiho'd. I hnve hud af- 
 
 * furnace ei'ouf^Ii/ udded fuc, ' that 
 
 * neither youi" in liuations norprinciples 
 
 * can be forced ; neiti'.er v.'ill I cnd2avcur 
 
 * to do it, but leave y.u as much at 
 
 * your liberty as ysnir generous mailer 
 
 * did, \vhi.n kebou^'iL you of Hamcts.' 
 I exprelTed all the gratetid acknowlrdg- 
 aents pofiible for fo generous an oiTer; 
 but alfured her, with an air that even ex- 
 preiTcd forrow for the refufal, that I lay 
 under religious obligations, wliich bound 
 uie indifpenfably to return into my 
 own country. She was become now as 
 much millrefs of her inclinations, as ilie 
 had acquired prudence and experience by 
 the long command fiiehad over herhuf- 
 baiid's heait, and the whole Ottoman 
 empire. So after a month's itay, fhe let 
 me go, with all the marks of honour her 
 dignity would fuffer her to exprefs. She 
 would have pimifhed the i erfons that 
 took US, but I interceded for them. 
 T»Ionficur Godart, who was well reward- 
 ed for the lofs of his time and confine- 
 ment, can tel'cify the truth of this hillory. 
 The laft words fhe laid to me, were, to 
 bid me remember, that a Turk and a 
 woman were capable of generous grati- 
 tude and honour, as well as Chriftians. 
 So we fet fail for Venice, 
 
 ISuretcrj'. Here one of the inquifitors 
 came in with a gold medal in his h^nJ, 
 and turning to the e-iaminale, fnld — 
 
 * Signor Gaudentio, I btlieyc you have 
 ' found a relation in Italy, as well as 
 ' in Africa, and one of the fame na- 
 
 * tion with your mothfr. It is tiie 
 
 * Perfian lady you brought with you, 
 
 * whom we j'ecured at t!'.e fame time 
 
 * we did you ; but would not let you 
 
 * know it, till we could procure intel- 
 
 * ligence from Venice, and a perfon 
 
 * who could I'peak tiie Perfian lan- 
 ' gua^e. We own we find lier in the 
 ' fame (lorv with you, and nothing 
 ' material againft you from Venice. 
 
 * Upon the examining hir etTefts, we 
 
 * found this medal of the fame make 
 ' wkh yours, by which vou knew who 
 ' your mother v.-as She fays it was 
 ' about her neck, when (he was fold 
 
 * to the Perfian merchant. But fi nee 
 ' we fliall give you both your libcr- 
 
 * lies in a fliort time, (lie fliall be 
 
 * brought unto you, and we give you 
 
 * leave tc fay what you will to her, wJih 
 
 * the interpreter by.' Upon this thelady 
 was introduced, with her maid and the 
 interpreter. As loon as (he faw our 
 examinate in good health, and feem- 
 ingly at lib-rty , a joyful ferenity fpread 
 itlelf over her countenance, fuch asfve 
 had not leen before. Our examinate 
 sliced her, to be pleafed to give an ac- 
 count of her life, as far as (he thought 
 proper, and how (lie came by that 
 medal. 
 Lady. ' All I know of myfelf,' faid 
 (he, * is, that the noble Cui'd, who 
 bought me of a Perfian merchant for 
 a companion tor his only daughter, 
 about m y own age, whom he thought 
 I refembled very much, often de- 
 clared to me, that the merchant 
 bought me of a Tuikifh woman, 
 who left that medal about my neck, 
 fuppofing it to be feme charm or 
 prelcivative againft diftemptrs, or 
 becaufe a iifterof m.ine had the fame 
 fartencd about her neck, wiih a gold 
 chain, whicli could not be taken off 
 without breaking; but who, or where 
 the iifter was, I never knew. The 
 noble Curdifli lord, who bought me, 
 grew prodigious fond of me, and 
 bred me up as another daughter; and 
 not only lb, but having an only (on, 
 fomethiiig older than myfelf, he con- 
 nived at a growing love he perceived 
 between his (on and myfelfj which, 
 after fome difficulties on both fides, 
 at length came to a marriage; though 
 it colt my generous benefaftor and 
 father in-law his life. For another 
 young lord of Curdiftaii, falling in 
 love with me, of Unchallenged Prince 
 Cali (that was my dear hu(b;ind's 
 name) to decide their pretcnficns by 
 the (word, which I had always for- 
 bid him to do; faying, that man 
 (hould never be my hulband who ex- 
 pofed my reputation by a duel; iince 
 the world would never believe, that 
 any man would expofe his life for a 
 woman, unld's there liad been (bme 
 encouragement given on both fides j 
 whereas I never gave the leait to any 
 but Prince Cali. However, the 
 other met him one day, and attack- 
 ed him fo furioufly, that Prince Cali 
 was forced to kill him m his own 
 defence, making a thoufand pro- 
 tcftations, that he had almoft fuffer- 
 ed himfelf to be killed, rather than 
 f to difobey my orders. But the fa- 
 ' ther of the prince who was (lain, 
 ' with 
 
GAUDENTIO DI LUCCA. 
 
 lOI 
 
 ' with a company of aflaflins, laid an 
 
 * ambufcade for Prince Call and his 
 
 * father, in which this latter was killed, 
 
 * and moil of his train. But by the 
 
 * valour of his fon, and two of his 
 
 * companions, the chief aflaflins were 
 
 * laid dead on the fpot, and the rcfl: 
 
 * put to flight. But Prince Cali, after 
 
 * the death of his father, fearing fur- 
 
 * ther treachery of that nature, pre- 
 
 * fently after we were married, re- 
 
 * moved to another part of the king- 
 
 * dom, fiom whence being fent on a 
 
 * commifllon by his king, he was in- 
 
 * humanly murdered by the barbarous 
 
 * Hamets. This is. the fum of my un- 
 
 * fortunate life, till I had the good 
 
 * fortune to fave yours.' 
 Secretary. We permitted the nephew and 
 
 the aunt (for lb they were found to be 
 by the medal) to embrace one another; 
 Signor Gaudentio afl'uring her, that 
 by all appearance he was the fon of her 
 filler and the mother's lifter that was 
 loft, and both of them pix-ferved to 
 fave each other's life. The lady then 
 declared, fhe woidd turn Chriftian, 
 linceher misfortunes were come to that 
 period; and that flie was reiblved to 
 leave the world, and retire into fome 
 of our monafterles. We pv.ther among 
 the nuns ot our order, where flie pro- 
 mifes to be a fignal example of virtue 
 and piety. The Inqulfitors ordered 
 the examinate to give them the re- 
 maining part of his life, which, in all 
 appearance, if they found his ftory to 
 agree with their informations, might 
 purchafe him his liberty. Upon which 
 Gaudentio proceeded -as follows.] 
 
 I was telling your Reverences, that at 
 length we let fail from the Porte, and 
 fleered our courfe direftly for Venice, 
 where we happily arrived, without any 
 confiderable accident, the loth of De- 
 cember 1712. I do >iot qutilion but 
 your Reverences are already informed, 
 that fuch perfons did arrive at Venice 
 about that time. MonfieurGodart is well 
 known to feveral merchants, and fome 
 of tiie fenators of that famous cit}'-, 
 whom he informed of what he law with 
 his own eyes. But there were fome par- 
 ticular pUl'ages, unknown to your Re- 
 verences, wherein I had like to have 
 jnade a flilpwreck of my life, after lb 
 many dangers; as I did here of my li- 
 berty; though I do not complain, but 
 only rcprefcni my hard fortune to your 
 
 Reverences confideratlon. Tt happened 
 to be the carnival time during our ftay 
 at Venice. Curiofity led me, as well a.s 
 a great many other ftrangers of the firft 
 rank, to fee the nature of it. I put oa 
 my Mezoranian habit, fpangled with 
 funs ot gokl, and the fillet-crown on my 
 head, adorned with feveral jewels of veiy 
 great value, which I believe was the mod 
 remarkable and magnificent drefs of any 
 there. I went unmafqued, being aflured 
 my face and perfon were unknown to all 
 that world. Every one's eyes were up- 
 on me. Several of the mafqueraders 
 came up to me, and talked to me, parti- 
 cularly the ladies. They I'poke to mc 
 in feveral languages, as Latin, French, 
 Italian, Spanifli, High Dutch, &c. I 
 anfwercd them all in the Mezoranian 
 language, whic'n feemed as ftrange ta 
 them as my drefs. Someof thtin fpoke 
 to me in the Turkifli and Perfian lan- 
 guages, in Lingua Franca, and fome la 
 an Indian language I really did not un- 
 derftand. I anfwered them Itill in tlie 
 Mezoranian, of which no body knew 
 one word. Two ladies particularly, 
 very richly drefled, followed me wherever 
 I went- The one, as it proved after- 
 wards, was Favilla, the celebrated cov«r- 
 tezan, in the richeft drefs of all the com- 
 pany; the other was tlie lady who was 
 with me when I was taken up, and who 
 was the occafion of my fettling at Bo- 
 lopua ; I mean the true occafion, for I 
 will conceal nothing from your Reve- 
 rences. Notvi'ithftanding their diligence, 
 I got av/ay unknown at that time. The 
 next time I came, I appeared in the fame 
 drefs, but with richer jewels. I had more 
 eyes upon me now than before. The 
 courte/an purfuedme again in a different, 
 but richer drefs than the former. At 
 length flie got me by myfelf, and pul- 
 ling off her mafquc, flievved me a won- 
 derful pretty face, only there was tod 
 fierce an afiiirance in it. She cried In 
 Italian — ' O Signor, you are not fo ig- 
 
 * norant of our language, as you woidd 
 ' feem to be! you can fpeak Italian and 
 
 * Frencii too : though we do not know 
 ' who you are, we have learnt you are 
 
 * a man of honour. If you would not 
 
 * under ftand om' words, you may un- 
 ' dcrftand a face, which veiy great per- 
 ' Ibnages have been glad to'look at/ 
 and with that put on one of the moll en- 
 fnaring airs I ever law. I do not doubt 
 but your Reverences have heard of that 
 famous courtezan, and how the gieatei 
 
 maa 
 
102 
 
 GAUDENTIO DI LUCCA, 
 
 m^n in Venice was once her Have. I 
 was juft going to anfwer her, when the 
 other lady came tip, and pulliiig off her 
 HiaJk alfo, faid alinoft the lame things, 
 but with a nwdelty more graceful than 
 her beautv, which was moft exqniiite, 
 and the likell the incomparable Ilyphena 
 i evxr law, I made them both a moll 
 relpeftfiil bow, and told them, that it 
 had been much fater for me if I had 
 kept mvlclf itill unknown, and never 
 iciiW fuch dangerous charms. I pro- 
 nounced thefe words with an air that 
 liiev\«d that I was more pleafed with 
 the modeity of the laft lady tlian the 
 commanding affurancc ot the firft. The 
 cmiriezan, though a little nettled at the 
 pieference (he thought I gave the other, 
 put on a iiwre ferions air, and laid Ihc 
 had been informed there was fomething 
 very exti-aordinary in my character, and 
 Ihould be glad to hear more of it by 
 hcrllif ; that her name was Favilla, and 
 that Ihe lived in fuch a ftreet, where I 
 Ihould find her houfc rcmark.3bIee»noue,h. 
 The Bolognian lady, wliom your Re- 
 vei'gnccs knew very well, und who was 
 tlien at Venice on account of the death 
 of her uncle, one of tlic fenators, who 
 liad left her all his etfciirts, laid modeftiy, 
 if, were I to favour her with a vi'.lt, as 
 ihe had been informed that I was a 
 learned man and a virtuofo, being in- 
 clined that way herfelf, Ihe Ihould be 
 glad of an hour's converlation with me 
 on that fubieft, telling me her name and 
 where ihe lived ; adding, if I would in- 
 form niyfelf ot her char,i6ter, I need not 
 be afhametl of her acquaintance. ' Nor, 
 * I hope, of mine, Madam,' lavs the 
 other, thinking (he had been rcfieclcd on 
 bv that word. It was Monfieur God.trt, 
 ■who, with a levitv ]ieculiar tohis nation, 
 hati made the dil'covery who I was, 
 though he knew nothing of me but what 
 pafleti fuKe I came from Grand Cairo. 
 1 was go'Ug to reply to the ladies, when 
 company came up and broke off the dif- 
 coui'le •, I was rcfolved to fee neither of 
 them, and would go no more to the af- 
 lembly, though, aimoft unavoidably, I 
 faw both aftei-wards. I enquired into 
 Favilla's chara6\cr, tliough I fcarce 
 doubted of it by v.-hat I law and heard, 
 and was informed that Ihe was an im- 
 perious courtezan, who had enflaved fe- 
 veralpe.fons of the finl rank, of ditferent 
 nations, and enriched herlVlf by their 
 fpoils : this determined me not to fee her : 
 butj^s Moofieur Godart and myfelf were 
 
 walking to fee the town, he bronghtme, 
 either indulbioully or accidentally, by 
 her door; (lie was fitting at the window 
 of one of the molt magnificent palaces 
 in Venice, (fuch fpoils had llie reaped 
 from her bewitched lovers.) As foon 
 as (lie efpied me, llie lent a fei-vant to tell 
 me, that that lady would fpeak with me. 
 I made fome difficulty, but Monfieur 
 Godart told me, a man of honour could 
 not rcfiife fuch a favour as that; fo I 
 went in, and Monfieur Godart with ine. 
 The lady received me with a molt 
 charming agreeable air, much ditferent 
 fiom her former alTurance, and conduc- 
 ed me into a molf magnificent apart- 
 ment, leaving Moniieur Godart enter- 
 taining a veiy pretty lady, her com- 
 panion. Not to detain your Reverences 
 too long, when I vi'o\ild not underlland 
 what llie meant, Ihc offered me mar- 
 riage, with the inheritance of all her ef- 
 fefts. I was put to the laft nonplus ; 
 I allured her, v/ith a molV profound bow, 
 that though I was not worthy of fuch a 
 happinefs, I had an indifpenfablc obli- 
 gation never to niairy. All the blood 
 immediately came into her face : I did 
 not know what Hie was going to do, but 
 linding her in that diforder, I made 
 another bow, faying I would confider 
 further on her propolal ; and walked di- 
 reftiy out of the houi'e, defigning to 
 leave Venice as foon as my affairs would 
 give me kave. Some time after Mon- 
 fieur Godart came to me, and told me 
 he was forced to do as I did; that the 
 lady was in fuch an outrageous fury, he 
 did not knov^ what might be the confe- 
 quence. Three nights after, as Mon- 
 fieur Godait and a young kinfman of 
 his, and myfelf, were going towards the 
 Rialto, in the dufk of the evening, four 
 ruffians attacked us unawares; two of 
 them fet upon ine, the other two attacked 
 Monfieur Godart and his kinfman ; the 
 poor young gentleman was run through 
 the body the hrft puih ; I made ihift to 
 difahle one of my adverfaries, but in do- 
 ing it, the other run me through the ribs ; 
 but the fvvord took only pait of my body, 
 and inifTing my entrails, the point went 
 o-.:t on the fide of my back. Monfieur 
 Godart, who, to give him his due, behaved 
 with a great deal of coui'age and bravery, 
 had killed one of his men, and wounded 
 the other; and the ruffians, feeing us now 
 two to two, thought fit to march off as 
 well as thev could. I was forced to be 
 kd to my lodging, not doubting but 
 
 the 
 
GAUDENTIO DI LUCCA. 
 
 103 
 
 Sie wound was mortal, though it proved 
 otherwife. The afFau- made a greut noife 
 about town: we very rationally fiippofcd 
 it was Favilla, who had let the allafiins 
 on; but wc knew her to be lo powe)luI 
 with the fenators, that there-was no hupes 
 of juftice. While I was recovering, I was 
 told there was a lady with two waiting- 
 women, defned to lee me on very earneit 
 bufmel's, if it would not be incommodi- 
 ous to me. (MonfieurGodart would not 
 ftir from my bed -fide, for fear of acci- 
 dents.) Who fliould this be but Favilla, 
 who came all in mourning for my misfor- 
 tune ! I pretended to be a dying man, and 
 took the liberty of telling her of her way 
 of living, to what adifmal pafs her pal- 
 lions had brought her; in fine, I laid lb 
 much, and begged her, by all that was 
 dear to her, to conlider her Itate, that, 
 burfting into a flood of tears, flie pro- 
 mifed me, if I died, Ihe would become a 
 penitent nun. I effected lb much by let- 
 ters afterwards, that, though I recovered, 
 Ihe performed her promiie. 
 
 The Bolognian lady had heard of my 
 misfortune; and, by a goodnefs peculiar 
 to the tender fex, particularly with regard 
 to llrangers, (he fent often to know how 
 I did, with prefents of the richeft cordials 
 that cuuld be got in Venice. Finding my 
 illnefsconiinuedlongerthan was expeft- 
 ed, (h'i lent me word, that though it was 
 not lb decent forher to make the firft vifjt, 
 flie had heard To much of my adventures, 
 as very much railed her curiofity to hear 
 them from my own mouth, when I was 
 capableot converfation withoutdoingme 
 any prejudice. I had informed myfelf 
 of her chara6ler from very good hands; 
 fo that I was very curious to converfe 
 with a perlbn of thofe incomparable ta- 
 lents I heard flie was miftrefs of. She 
 was the only woman, next to Ifyphena, 
 and the great BalTa's daughter, I ever 
 much liked in my life. To fum up all in 
 
 fhort, fhe came feveral times to fee me, 
 infomuch that we contra6\ed themollvir- 
 tuous fricndrtiip, by our mutual inclina- 
 tion to learning and the fympathy of ouv 
 tempers, tliat ever fubfilted between two 
 perlbns of different fexes. It was on her 
 account I relblved to fettle at Bologna j 
 and having fome knowledge in nature 
 and phylick, I took on me that chai-a£ier, 
 to be the oftener in her company without 
 fcandal. We were neither of us inclined 
 to many. As fhe is one of the moft vir- 
 tuous women living, and I am pretty 
 much advanced in years, being both en- 
 tirely mafters of ourfelves, we thought 
 our innorent friendfliip could be offenfjve 
 to no one. What has palled ilnce I came 
 to this town, I do not doubt but your 
 Reverences are apprized of. 
 
 This Is a true and full account of my 
 life hitherto. Whatever is blameable in it, 
 I liojie your Reverences will pardon, as I 
 fubmlt it entirely to your judgment. 
 
 \_Secreiary. As I had the honour to in- 
 form you before, we enquired into all 
 thele fafts, which he faid happened to 
 him in the company of Monfieur Go- 
 dart; which finding to be true, we judg- 
 ed tlie reft might be fo. We alked him 
 if he would condiift fome of our mif- 
 fionaries to that llrangc country he 
 mentioned; he told us he would. But 
 not willing to truft him entin ly, as not 
 knowing what he might do with them 
 when he had them in unknown coun- 
 tries, we thought fit to give him his li- 
 berty fii ft to go where he would, even 
 out of Italy, with afi'urances, if hecame 
 back of his own accord, we would 
 fend iniffionarics along with him. He 
 went to Venice and Genoa about his 
 concerns, and is now come back, and 
 with us; fo that we believe the man to 
 be really what he profefles hlmfclf t» 
 be.] 
 
 FINIS.