The legacye or embassate of the great emperour of Inde prester Iohn, vnto Emanuell kynge of Portyngale, in the yere of our lorde M. v.C.xiii. Of the fayth of the Indyans, ceremonyes, relygyons [&]c. Of the patryarche [and] his offyce. Of the realme, state, power, maiesty, and order of the courte of prester Iohn — Legatio magni Indorum Imperatoris Presbyteri Ioannis, ad Emanuelem Lusitaniae Regem. English.

The legacye or embassate of the great emperour of Inde prester Iohn, vnto Emanuell kynge of Portyngale, in the yere of our lorde M. v.C.xiii. Of the fayth of the Indyans, ceremonyes, relygyons [&]c. Of the patryarche [and] his offyce. Of the realme, state, power, maiesty, and order of the courte of prester Iohn — Legatio magni Indorum Imperatoris Presbyteri Ioannis, ad Emanuelem Lusitaniae Regem. English.

Table of contents

Title page

Iohn̄ More to the crysten sten reader.

Damyane Gooes a Portyngale, vnto the ryght reuerent father in god lord Iohn̄ ye great Goth, archbysshop of wpsalen̄ inhabytyng the countrey of Swetia sendes gretynge.

The confessyon of the fayth, ceremonyes, and manner of theyr relygyon, of the empyre of prester Iohn̄.

Of theyr patryarche, and of his offyce.

Of the realme and estate of themperour prester Iohn̄.

Of the order of the same empyre, and maner of the courte.

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Of the people of Pilapes.

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¶ The legacye or embassate of the great emperour of Inde prester Iohn̄, vnto Emanuell kynge of Portyngale, in the yere of our lorde M.v.C.xiii.

Of the fayth of the Indyans, ceremonyes, relygyons &c.

Of the patryarche & his offyce.

Of the realme, state, power, maiesty, and order of the courte of prester Iohn̄.

Iohn̄ More to the crysten sten reader.

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FOr as myche as euery mā naturally is desyrous to here new thinges and straunge (as both authours testyfye, and experyence proueth) all though there were none other commodyte therof then the neweltye: I thought yt a thynge worthe the labour, to translate this lyttell worke, late happed in my hande through the helpe of a specyall familyar frende of myne / syns surely I thought it shuld be a worke not onely new, trew, and plesaunt to the reader, but also for ye knowlege of sundrye thynges therin conteyned very profytable and necessary. For in this lytle treatyce be conteyned, the state, the fayth, the relygyon, the ceremonyes, the Patryarche wyth his offyce, the powre, the lawes of the lande and empyre of prestre Iohn̄, besydes his royall maiestie [Page] and order of his courte. All whyche thynges were rehersed vnto ye myghty and pusaunt prynce Emanuell kynge of Portyngale, by the mouth of one Mathew, sent frō themperour of Inde prester Iohn̄, vnto the fornamed Emanuel, in the yere of our lord M.v. hundred .xiii. And all though of this prester Iohn̄ syr Iohn̄ Maū defeld knyght, in a worke yt he made of the dyscrypcyon of coūtrees, somwhat hath made mencyon: yet this embassatour that came from thens to the kynge of Portyngale, as he to whome euery thynge perteynyng eyther to the religyon and fayth of that people, or to the polytyque order of that lande, was myche more perfytely knowen, yt is no meruayle though he myche more perfytely descrybe theym, namely to that prynce, whych from poynte to poynte was curyouse to enquyre. This empyre of prester Iohn̄ ys reputed as great a maygne countre in a maner (yf yt be not gretter) as all the remanaunt that nowe remayneth christened, except the new founden landes, that haue ben bycomen [Page] chrystened wythin few yeres of late. And therfore yt greatly may, & of reason greatly ought to reioyce all good chrystē people, to perceyue that though there are dyuerse thynges wherein they and we dyffere in rytes lawes, customes, and ceremonyes: yet in all other thynges necessaryly perteynynge as well to the vertues of fayth and relygyon, as all other vertues morall, they so farreforth accorde and agre wyth these cristen nacyons of ours, and wyth the catholyque doctryne of the chyrche, that yt may well appere euen by that thynge alone, that the spyryte of god hath wrought and worketh this full agrement & consent, in so many thynges necessary to saluacyon, thorowe so many great countreys and regyōs as ours are and theyres both, ye tone by so longe space hauynge so lytle accesse vnto the tother, that of many yeres tyl nowe very late, we coulde not wel tell whyther they were well cristened or not. Howe be yt yet appereth well nowe by many thynges, not in this boke onely, but in those letters [Page] also, whyche now very late the emperour of that lande that nowe is, & son vnto him that sent thembassatour vnto the kynge Emanuell, dyd send not onely to the noble kynge of Portyngale that now is, sonne vnto the said noble kynge Emanuell, but also to the popes holynesse that now is Clement of that name the .vii. by his embassatour, wyth his obedyence after the maner of other chrysten prynces: by this treatyce and those letters yt doth I saye well appere, that the said emperour and all the chyrche, that ys to wytte all the chrysten people of that empyre, be of the same fayth that we be. And in this treatyse ye also se, that ye great thynges whych haue ben byfore this tymes establyshed agaynst heretyques by generall counsayles of olde, agaynst whych old determynacyons these new heretyques make newe besynesse nowe, the selfe same thynges haue the chrysten people of that great chrysten empyre frō the tyme of theyre fyrste cōuersyon, whych was forthwyth vpon the deth of Chryste, cōtynually byleued and [Page] euer obserued styll. So yt this poynt is able alone yf yt be pondered as yt is worthy, eyther to tourne and conuert or putte to sylence for shame, all the besye bretherne that wolde make men so madde, as to wene that those thynges were new deuysed and late brought vppe here by prestes / whych thynges theym selfe se well ynough (though they dyssymyle and say nay) in the bokes of old holy sayntes, and whych thynges are now well knowē to haue ben this .xv. hundred yere byleued and vsed thorough that great empyre as great a people as oures, into whyche our prestes as farre as men can tell of, neuer came hense to teache them. But syth that we begyn nowe eache to heare more of other, I pray god as there is in bothe many thynges very good, and some thynges that myght be better: eche peple may lerne & take of other those thynges that be good, and lette the badde go by. And that we may make bothe so but one chyrche mylytant here in erth, that we may both be partes of one gloryouse chyrche, that euer shall be tryumphaunt in heuen.

Damyane Gooes a Portyngale, vnto the ryght reuerent father in god lord Iohn̄ ye great Goth, archbysshop of wpsalen̄ inhabytyng the countrey of Swetia sendes gretynge.

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THrough the great famylyar frenshyp (god therof the vndouted autor) that was betwene your holynes & me whē we were to gether at Dantiske, what tyme I had there maters of my pryncis to do, after often metynges, at the last happened vs cōmunycacyon of ye maters of Portīgale, as of ye viages of the Indyans, Arrabies, and Perses. And also of the longe and dyffyculte passage into those coūtreys, of the parelles of the mayne Occean see also, and of the cōtynuall warre that the inhabytours as well on thys [Page] syde Gaūge as beyond, made agayn ye Arrabyans, Persyās, & Indyans, of the yerely inuasion of the Turkes, whych by theyr mighty naueyes sent by the see of Arrabye vnto Inde the lesse, all though not venqueshyd, yet greatly vexed and troblyd our peple. But after we had mych debated this mater, your holynes putte wel in mynde of the high emperour of Inde prester Iohn̄. From whome surely my self ones saw an embassatour sent vnto our kynge, and beynge present by, harde all that euer he tolde, as well of the fayth, as of the ceremonies and estate of prester Iohn̄s empyre, whyche he parcell mele descrybed in the presens of many of his nobles. All whych when in order I had shewed your holynes you requyred me, yf euer yt chaūced me to returne to the lowe countres, that I wolde sende you all those thynges breuely descrybed, wyth the artycles of the fayth, ceremonies, and estate of theyr countrey. whyche I faythfully promysed to do. Therfore, after ones (though a thousande daungers escaped) [Page] I was come saufe to the lowe countreys, callynge to mynde your moste holy company (whych I neuer forget nor neuer shall) and therwyth all my promyse, all those thynges as was your request dylygently haue I done, whyche now here I sende you. I sende you chyefely the copye of the letter whyche the hygh and myghtye prynce themperour of Inde prester Iohn̄, writ on a season vnto my maystert he kyng of Portyngale / & after that, all the artycles, as the religyon, ceremonies, themperours power, the noblenes of his court, euen in as compendyous maner as the same legate descrybed them.

More ouer then this (to thentent the trouth of the mater more playnly may appere) I shall shewe you bryefly, howe presently I both harde and saw all those thynges.

In the yere of our lorde a thousande, fyue hundred, and .xiii. there landed & arryued in Portyngale, an embassatour of the high emperour of Inde prester Iohn̄, and of quene Ellynes his mother, sent vnto the most [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] chrystened prynce Emanuell kyng of Portingale. Thembassatours name was Mathew, an Armenicane born̄, wyth whome was ioyned in commyssyon a nother noble yonge man an Abessyne, brought vp in thēperours prester Iohn̄s courte, and his name was Iames. These were very well welcomed of ye kynge, in whose court they abode and remayned .iii. yeres to gether, & had there in great reputacyon, foūde onely at the kynges coste and charge / tyll afterward they toke theyr leue, and so merely retourned saufe home agayn to theyr countrey. This Mathew then, all suche thynges as he had in cōmaundemēt, commyssyon, and charge, ones declared to ye kynges hyghnes, & lykewyse the letters of his emperours delyueryd: the kynge wythin few days after caused thē to be sent for / & so there in the company of certayn well lerned men, and presence of his nobles, demaunded by an interpretour, of the fayth, ceremonyes, and estate of thēpyre of Inde.

Now thē at this time was I .xii. yere [Page] olde, and one of those chyldrene that are wonte to brynge in the kynges seruyce vnto the kynges table. Two yere after I hadde done the kynges grace seruyce in that offyce, I was by at all this as other of the court were, and both harde saw and vnderstode all, as myche at leste ways as my yonge and tender age wolde gyue me leue.

But here you maye obiecte and say, howe couldest thow beyng so yonge (as then thou wast) other wryte or remember all those thynges, so that thow sholdest thereby be able so long tyme after, in euery poynt so perfytely to describe yt. I answere, I cōfesse my yough wold not suffer me to do it But after I hadde spent full .x. yere in that offyce, the moste chrystened prynce kynge Emanuell my brynger vppe, gaue me a new offyce. He sent me hether to the lowe coūtres on his busynes. whether as sone as I was come, I founde a companyon a very noble quycke yonge man, both of the same order & offyce I was on, whose name was Roderyke Fardynande, [Page] whyche now was there for maters of his prynce (and suche a one in theyre vulgare tonge is called a factour) He beyng before sent as an embassatour from the kyng Emanuell vnto Maximiliane themperour, and Alberte the duke of Bauarye, had receyued letters frō Antony Carnere ye kyng Emanuelles secretary, in whyche letters these artycles whyche ones he hadde wryten before the kyng hadde inclusyd and sent. Now after I was fully acquaynted wyth thys Roderyke Ferdynāde, & eche had shewed a nother others besinesse I happened to speke of his legacy into Germany, chaūsed vs also to fall in cōmunycacyon of Inde. After which he shewed me he hadde receyued from Antony Carner, both thartycles fore remembred, and also the copy of the letter yt was sent vnto the kynge, from the hygh emꝑour of Inde prester Iohn̄. whych as soone as I had hard, incontynent I desyred he wold let me haue a syght of them. He was content. I toke theym, and as well as I could, haue translated them out of the Portyngale [Page] tonge into latyne. To you I dedycate them, to you I sende them. In which if ye espye any Barbarous speche perdon me, as a courtyer and vnlerned, and with great besynes very myche let and troubled. But how so euer they be wryten, trew they be. Al whyche we requyre your holynes to take in good worthe. But nowe heare you, what that hygh and myghty emperour prester Iohn̄ wrote vnto our kynge, here I saye this letter vnto our kyng not fayned, but very trew &, word for word almoste, translate oute of the Caldeane language (which speche they most vse) into the Portyngale tonge, and so agayn out of that into latyne.

The letter of the hygh emperoure of Inde Prester Iohn̄ vnto the moste myghtye prynce Emanuell kynge of Portyngale.

IN the name of the father the sonne and ye holy gost, thre persons and one god, helth, grace, and the blessynge of our lorde and redemer [Page] Iesu Chryste ye sonne of Mary the vyrgyn, borne in the house of Bethleem, be wyth our welbeloued brother, the moste chrystened kynge Emanuell, lorde of the sees, the subdewrr of the fers and mysbeleuyng Moers. Our lord god prosper you, and sende you thouer hande of your enymyes, and dylate & enlarge your kyngdomes and realmes through ye deuout prayers of the messengers of Iesu Chryste our redemer, that is to say of the foure euangelystes, saynte Iohn̄, saynt Luke, saynt Marke, & saynt Mathew, whose holynes, and prayers preserue you.

we certyfye you our interely welbeloued brother, that here vnto our coū trey be cōe out of ye hygh noble court of yours, two messengers, of whych two one is named Iohn̄ and calleth hym selfe a prest, and thother Gomer who of vs haue desyred vytayle and soudiers. wherfore vnto you we send our embassatour Mathew wyth the leue of ye patriarch Marce, whych geueth vs his blessyng, & sendes prestes to Hierusalem, whych is our father, [Page] and of all those that be vnder our domyon, the pyller of Cristes fayth and the holy trynyte. He by our cōmaundement hath sent vnto your great capytayne of them, that in Inde fyght for the fayth of our sauyoure Iesu Cryste, to shewe hym that we shall be always redy when nede requyreth to sende them both vitayle sustynaunce and soudyours. Therfore the fame goeth that ye prynce of Cayry prepareth many a nauy agaynste your armyes to be reuenged of the iniurys & damages, that they haue susteyned by the capytayns of your warre that ye haue in Inde. whyche (as yt is informed vs) they haue often sufferyd, wherin I pray god of his gret goodnes dayly prosper you, that so in conclusyon all infydeles may vtterly be subdewed. we therfore agaynst theyr assaute shall sende soudyours, whiche shall abyde and tarye at the see of Mecha, that is to wit at Bebalmamdes, or to be sent (yf you so thynke beste) vnto the hauen of Iuda, or Thor, that so at the laste you maye rydde oute of the way & destroye such [Page] myscreant Moers, so that the gyftes and oblacyons, that be offered vppe at the holy sepulcre frome that tyme forward be not deuoured of dogges.

Now is come the tyme that was ꝓmysed in whych (as they say) Cryst & his blessed mother Mary forshewed, that in the later dayes of the Crysten countreys in Europe, a certayne kynge sholde arryse, whych sholde destroy the hole nacyon of the Babaryanes and Moers. And surely this is the same selfe season whych our sauyour Chryste promysed to hys blessed mother Mary shulde come. Furthermore what so euer our embassatour Mathew shall shewe you, accompte you yt, as spoken of myne owne mouth & byleue him. For he is one of the chyefe of our courte, and for that cause we wylled to sende hym to you. we wolde haue commytted all this, to your owne messengers you sent hether, had yt not ben that we feryd lest our besynes sholde not come to passe accordynge to our mynde.

we sende vnto you by this our embassatour Mathew a crosse, made of [Page] the same selfe wood, on whych our sauyour Iesu Cryste was crucyfyed at Hierusalē. A pyece of this holy wood was brought vnto vs from Hierusalem, of whyche we haue made .ii. crosses, wherof the one styll remayneth wyth vs, & thother we sende by our embassatour vnto you. The colour of the wood is black, and hangeth at a lyttell syluer rynge. Moreouer yf it please you eyther to mary your doughters with our sons, or your sons wyth our doughters, yt shall be very plesaunt and profytable for both partes, and a great stablyshement of the brotherly lege all redy enterd, whych I pray god longe to cōtinew. No more at this tyme but the helthe and grace of our redemer Iesu Cryst and of his blessed mother our ladye saynt Mary the vyrgyn, holde theyr hande ouer you, your sonnes, your doughters, and all your hole housholde. Amen.

Besydes all this we certyfye you yf we lyst to assemble our power that we haue strength ynough to destroye (yf god be our helpe) all the enymyes [Page] of our holy fayth. But as for our realmes and countres so be annexed and ioyned to gether, that on no parte we can breke out to the see. wherfore we haue no power on ye water, wherin (god be thanked) you of all nacyons are most myghty.

Iesu Cryste be your ayde, helpe, & succour, for the thynges that ye haue done in Inde / be surely more by goddes myght then mannis. If so be it you wold prepare & set out a thousande sayle to se, we shall fynde vytayle, and all other thynges, plentyfully, necessarye for the furnyshynge of your nauey.

After that the moste chrystyned kynge emanuell by the interpretour had well vnderstanden these letters, very desyrous to heare of Cristen maters, gredy to knowe agayne, of the legate, how the maters and Crystes fayth stode amongest the Indyans / after certayne dayes, callynge to gether the nobles of his court, commaū ded that by certayne well lerned chrysten deuyns, whyche was there redy at hande, he shold be demaunded in [Page] hys presens, of euery poynt. And he answerynge by parcell mele declared all thynges, as hereafter in order foloweth.

The confessyon of the fayth, ceremonyes, and manner of theyr relygyon, of the empyre of prester Iohn̄.

IN this poynt, fyrst of all, they beleue as we do, thre persons and one god, in whyche one and moste beste father thei faithfulli trust and byleue.

2 Item that he of no subiecte mater at all, nor of nothynge erthly, but by a meruaylous meanes made both heuen and erth, & lyke wyse all thynges conteyned in them.

3 Also that Iesu Cryste, that anoynted kynge, oure sauyoure, the verye Messyas so often by prophetes promysed, is the very sonne of very god borne in Bethleem the cytty of Dauid (accordynge to ye prophecyes) [Page] of Mary, whyche contynued a vyrgyne, both byfore the byrth and also euer after.

4 Moreouer that the same Iesu Cryste for our synne at Hierusalem byfore Pontius Pylate a Romayne there presydent and gouernour of Iury, by an vniuste iugement, both was condempned, suffered, died, and was buryed.

5 Furthermore he incontenent after his deth descended to hell, & theyr gates shaken and all to broken, the thyrde daye arrose from deth to lyfe hauynge the vyctory of his enymyes and deth, and that after he retourned agayne, and meruaylously ascended vp to heuen frō whens he came.

6 Bysydes this, they faythfully cō fesse that after all this mortall lyfe, they loke for an vnyuersall and endeles resurreccyon of our body.

7 Also that by the same fayth they loke for Cryste to be iudge, who shall geue an vnyuersall iudgement of good and euyll, in whyche eche man shall receyue a iuste rewarde, accordynge to his deserte in this worlde.

[Page]8 By whych iudgemēt geuē ones, good men shal haue eternall ioy with out ende, and euyll men euerlastyng payne vexacyon and shame.

9 Therfore they as well as we, solemnely obserue and dyligently kepe the .x. preceptes of Moyses.

10 Also they rekē as we do the .vii. dedely synnes.

11 They haue also all ye bokes writen of Moyses, & fynally all the prophetes, wyth all such other volumes of the olde lawe.

12 The four euāgelistes haue they in great estymacyon, euen the selfe same that we haue, that is to wytte, saynt Mathew, saynt Marke, saynt Luke, and saynt Iohn̄.

13 Of Poules epystles they lacke nothynge, whyche eche by name he there in presence recyted.

14 The crede made by thapostles and euery artycle of the same they well allowe.

15 The pater noster made by Crist they so mych set by, that they preferre yt byfore all other prayers.

16 The Aue Maria also they mich [Page] vse, in the honoure of the mother of god the virgyn our lady saynt Mary

17 Theyr chyldrē the .vii. day after theyr byrth, both be baptysed, and also after Moyses law cyrcumcysed. And that not for any respecte of meryte or trust they haue in it, but onely for yt yt so hath remayned of an olde custome frō theyr forefathers, and so to them left from hande to hande.

18 All the people in the remēbraūce of the trewe and theyr ones receyued baptyme, yerely in feste of the epyphanye wyth a meruaylouse great gladnes and reioysynge of mynde, openly a freshe professe the fayth of Cryste, and be solempnely baptysed agayne.

19 In the remembraunce of our lordes maundy, euyn in maner as we vse, they saye masse, but that not for any rewarde money or lucre, vnlesse that percase some of a good relygyouse mynde frely wythoute axynge geue theyr almoyse.

20 The blessed sacrament of thauter they recounte for the hyghest sacrament, fyrmely wyth a syncer and [Page] pure fayth, professyng it to be the vndouted bodye and blood of our lorde Iesu Chryste / and accordynge vnto Chrystes ordynaunce, receyuynge yt vnder both the formes.

21 As for the sacramentes of anoylynge and vnxyon, they confesse.

22 Strayte ways as soone as they haue cōmitted any dedely synne, they get them a preste to whome in secrete they confesse theyr fautes.

23 They receyue payne for theyre trespas (whyche in theyre vulgare tonge they call penaunce) lymyted at the dyscrecyon of the confessour, whyche the party cōfessed fulfylleth with all dylygence.

24 On fastynge dayes (as often as they come) they absteyne both from fleshe and fyshe, wythoute the receyuynge of collocyons or refeccyon.

25 In stede of the lenton faste, they faste the septuagesime. And that (as we may gathere of the tyme) bygynneth wyth our lent.

26 As for sondayes and other holy dayes, appoynted by theyr byshoppes, in the remembraunce of god and [Page] our lady and other saintes, they kepe wyth al reuerence.

27 In the later weke of theyr lent, they vse the memoryall of Crystes passyon euen as we do.

28 They kepe ye palme sondaye yerely euen aboute the same selfe tyme that we do, and as we do.

29 And they vse to burne tapers as we do, & at the same tyme that we do.

30 The go on comon processyons, as the tyme or necessyte requyreth.

31 Ones in ye yere they vse to haue a solemne dyryge for all chrysten soules.

32 They vse to take ashes, both in the maner we do, and also about the tyme that we do.

33 There is there an infynyte nomber of monasteryes, as well of womē as of men, lyuynge very straytely in great abstynence.

34 Amongeste these monasteryes some there be, wherof eche hath in yt eyther vii. hundred viii. hundred or a thousand monkes.

35 In that realme is there a certayne montayne, that hath inhabytynge [Page] here and there vppon yt .xii. thousande monkes.

36 All those mōkꝭ as many as they be, get theyr lyuynge by theyr handy labour, nor in no wyse may go to axe almoyse house by house, in stretes, vyllage, countres, or townes. All maner of beggynge is vtterly forbydden them, vnlesse that some of a good godly mynde gyue theym any thyng frely, then may they receyue yt, not as begged, but as frely gyuen.

37 Here and there be preachers, whych preche to the people the fayth of Cryste, and those be prestes or mō kes, and that of the beste lerned.

38 Euery where be many hospytalles, wherunto all pore folke be gētylly welcomed and receyued.

39 Theyr holy houses, that is to wytte the temples of sayntes, yf any malefactour fle thyther for ayde and helpe, yt shall succour hym and serue hym. But this herein prouyded yet, that yf any happen to come thyther for murderynge of theyr neyghbour, they gyue hym so small a porcyon to eate, that at the laste he is compelled [Page] to dye for hunger.

40 If one dy, they make myche a do at his buryeng, euen as it is wyth vs, wyth prayers, crosses, prestes, & such other kynde of ceremonyes, and burye hym in the chyrche.

41 Such as haue ben holy, & men of good conuersacyon in theyr lyfe, after they haue bene longe tyme dede and buryed, they make dylygēt serch of theyr vertuous lyuynge. whyche done, they recounte hym a saynt, that is to say (as the greke worde is) canonyse hym.

42 The housbandes solempnely wyth a great company come to the chyrche doers, and mary onely but by wordes that they speke of the present tyme.

43 Of an olde custome they haue, men may not mary any of theyr kyndred wythin the .vii. degree / wythin whych, no not theyr hygh patryarche in any wyse eyther may or wyll presume to dyspense.

44 In theyr chyrches and temples they haue and worshyppe the ymages of god, oure blessed lady saynte [Page] Mary the vyrgyn, wyth other holy sayntes.

45 They haue in theyr temples holy water, whyche they beleue good and effectuall agaynst euyll and wycked spyrytes.

46 Very many costly temples and belles they haue.

47 The garmētes wherin they say masse in, vse to be consecrate.

48 Chyefly they honoure the feaste of saynt Iohn̄ Baptyste.

49 They begynne the yere at September.

50 The pope of Rome they knowlege / but the cause why they do not theyr obedyence to hym (as other crysten people do) is the euyll dyffycult waye.

51 Saynt Bartholmew thapostel of Chryst, preached fyrste the gospell and Chrystes fayth vnto them.

Of theyr patryarche, and of his offyce.

[Page] THey haue but one chyefe preste or bysshoppe which they call a patryarche, that is to saye the chyefe of the faders. He only hath power on spyrytuall maters, that is to saye as well in ecclesiastycall offyces as dyspensynge wyth benefyces, wythoute the interrupcyon of any tēporall person / & he lyueth contynually vnmaryed.

2 This patryarche hath very gret possessyons / for the thryde parte of prester Iohn̄s reueneus commeth to his parte, and that besydes all the tythes of the hole realme.

3 All the profytes hereof ys bestowed onely vppon pore folke, the maryage of fatherlesse chyldren, and prysoners.

4 when the patryarche dyeth, the emperour prester Iohn̄ is the heyre of al his goodes. His successour hath no maner a thynge left hym, besydes the dignyte of ye patryarches chayre, and the cure of al his fold of shepe cō mytted [Page] to his charge.

5 This patryarche is called the patryarche of Alexādry / and for this cause. For that where of olde there were onely foure through out al crystendome, of whyche Inde chansed to haue the patryarche of Alexandry.

6 This patriarche of an old vsage was wonte to be chosen at Hierusalē onely, and that by the voyces of all good relygyous men of thempyre of prester Iohn̄ that there were at the same season dwellynge.

7 This patryarche extendeth hys curse or excōmunycacyon vpon such as are obstynate and rebellyous persons / whyche in so farforth is dreded and feryd, that who so euer stande so accursed dare not touch neither meat nor drynke tyll tyme he knowe hym selfe assoyled. For yf so be yt there be any so obstynate a persone that he careth not for the curse, but that not wythstandynge he leueth not from the cryme for whych he so was accursed: his meate and drynke shall be taken from hym, and he so compelled to dye for famyne.

[Page]8 This patryarche shall not let or forbydde the people from the sacramentes of the chyrche, for no maner of offence but onely for murder.

9 The prestes haue wyues / but when one is dede, they may not mary another.

10 Bastardes shall neuer be admitted to be prestes.

11 Neuer shall there be any admytted to the order of presthed, but that before he shal be examined, by a well lerned company, whether he be mete for yt or no. If he be not mete, he ys reiected wyth shame ynough.

12 The emperour him self. Prester Iohn̄, hath no maner powre on the clergy. For that is a thynge bylongeth onely to the patryarche.

13 If any spyrytuall man committeth any abomynable cryme, hym the patryarche after his own dyscrecyon suffereth to eate but certayne vnces of meate, & so lyttel and lytell to dye for famyne. But none of them euen out of hande putteth he to deth, but onely murderers.

14 That same patryarche geueth [Page] playne and full remyssyon and absolucyon of synnes.

15 Twelue hath he of his coūsayl, wyth whome he ordereth and gouerneth al spyrytuall maters.

Of the realme and estate of themperour prester Iohn̄.

AFter al this beyng further demaūded of the emperours realme and domynyon, he answered in this maner.

1 Fyrste he hath in his realmes very many cyties and townes.

2 His nobles weare garmentes of sylke, cloth of golde, veluet, satyn, damaske, wyth such other precyouse thynges.

3 The comen people were nothing but cloth.

4 Dyuers kyndes of marchaundyse hath he in his realmes, & those very precyouse.

5 He hath great plenty of mynys [Page] of gold, syluer, and other metall.

6 Money hath he none, but that is brought out of realmes nexte borderynge there about. They take golde & syluer by weyght in stede of coyne.

7 Great plenty of corne haue they, and that of dyuerse colours, bothe blacke, whyte, redde, and gray. But as for theyr meale of all of thē is very whyte. Benys, pesyn, tarys, and all suche other codware, haue they ynough both plente & also of diuers kyndes.

8 There groweth great abundaūs of suger.

9 Oxen, shepe, horse, mulys, camelles, gotes, hogges, wyth suche other housholde cattell besydes byrdes they haue great plentye.

10 Porke eate they none / not for ye that eyther theyr conscyens or relygyon that forbyddeth, but bycause they fynd it not holsome for theyr bodyes.

11 Themperours estate and powre is very great, for he hath vnder his domynyon thre skore chrystened kynges. whych be kinges of great myghty kyngdomes. whose names the legate [Page] there shewed openly.

12 Besydes these thre skore kynges, yet hath he .v. other Machomet kynges vnder hym.

13 Moreouer he hath vnder his dominion meruaylous many gret men, as prynces, dukes, marquyses, erles, barons, lordes of very great landes and reueneus.

14 They obserue & straytely kepe what so euer themperour commaundeth them.

15 The Cronycles and noble actes of theyr prynces they kepe saufe, and what so euer is worthy remembraūce theyr secretary dylygently regesters.

16 The rytes, lawes, statutes, and comen ordinaunces made for the peoples gouernaunce, they saufely kepe in wrytynge.

17 Themperour hath euer .xii. men present wyth hym of his counsayll, whome he may comen wyth of all the maters of his realme.

18 Through al the realmes and domynyons of his empyre, there be iudges appoynted, whych serue (accordynge to the trewth of ye mater) both [Page] to heare causes and iudge them.

19 No iudge maye iudge any man to deth but onely for murder.

20 The emperour hath very great trybutes.

21 The emperour hath as well of ye inhabytours as of other marchaunt straungers, the .x. parte of theyr gaynes / theyr stocke saued hole.

22 There be souldyours of a certayne relygyon, whyche euer go in whyte, wyth crosses on theyr cote armour / alwaye redy for to warre for Crystes fayth, yf nede be.

23 Of the inherytaūce of theyr fathers, one hath as mych as a nother, no respecte hadde to the age, whyther they be older or yonger.

24 In all those realmes & prouynces, there be no Iewes, all though yt is well knowen that ones there were many. But when the people coulde not suffer or bere theyr naughtynes, sodenly they set vppon them and vtterly destroyed them.

25 Many fayres and ryche markettes haue they by reason of ye marchaū tes that resorte thyther.

[Page]26 The realmes, prouynces, and countres of prester Iohn̄, stretcheth to both the partes of Nilus floode.

27 The people knowe none nother but Erithreā, yt is to say the redde see.

Of the order of the same empyre, and maner of the courte.

1 THe emperours proper name is Dauid. His cōmon name prester Iohn̄, kynge of the Ebessyns.

2 His tytles be in this maner. Dauid kynge of kynges, kynge of the Ebessins, prester Iohn̄, kynge of kynges vnto the Ebessyns and of all his prouynces, both nexte and also at the ende of the sees. The kynge of Nilus flood, and iudge of ye gret Sodane, & of the countrey of Cayre, and the see of Alexandrine. By the power of god and our redemer Iesu Chryste, & by the powre of our ladye the vyrgyne saynt Mary.

3 This emperour of an old custome maryeth euer the kynges doughters that be vnder his domynyon.

[Page]4 The eldest sonne euer succedeth his father in his kyngdome.

5 This sonne of his is veryly well nuryshed and brought vppe wythin his fathers courte / as for his other sonnes (at lest ways yf he haue any) be brought vppe lyke noble men, eyther vnder the kynges, or ellys some great prynces of the emperours domynyon.

6 The inherytaunce of his empyre neuere descendeth to the doughters. But yf themperour happe to dye wythout issew male, then cōmeth yt to the nexte of his blood.

7 Themperours wyues be had in great honoure and kepe a gret port.

8 Themperour hath euer redy at hande a meruaylous great number, as well of horsemen as fotemen.

9 The emperoure to thentent he wolde exercyse his souldyours, in actes of warre, is euer for the moste parte in the felde amongest theym. where they applye them selfe to fetys of armes.

10 In the emperours courte the chamberlayn hath the chyefest rome.

[Page]11 Themperour hath for sauegard of the body, euer at hande .xii. of the noblest of his realme. Eche of whome haue vnder hym .xii. thousand fyghtynge men.

12 Those same .xii. noble men occupyes ye gretest romes in the court.

13 They kepe very dylygently in writyng pedygrees, names, & surnames of theyr ansetours, wherby euery one may perfytely knowe his nacyon and stok.

14 Themperours sonnes & doughthers be maryed vnto the sonnes or doughters of other kynges vnder hym wyth great dowers geuen wyth them in maryage. And then all ye people come, and of theyr owne mocyon geue them gyftes.

15 Themperoure what tyme necessyte so requyreth vseth thobedyence and seruyce of his subiectes.

16 The men chylderne of the kynges, that be vnder hym, be (to wynne theyre fathers good wylles) brought vppe in themperours courte.

17 He admytteth and suffereth chalenges amonges his subiectes.

[Page]18 The name of the emperours prester Iohn̄s mother yt nowe is, is Ellen, a very holy woman, and one that sheweth a great example of chastyte, to whome for here especial goodnes, and the nonage of her sonne, is commytted all the hole order and rule of the realme.

19 Of kynges, emperours, or the chrysten prynces of Europe, they neuer had knowledge but onely of the frenchmē whom they cal in theyr vulgare tonge Cristyans. But by ye reason of certayne noble actes that were done few yeres passed by the Portyngales, agaynst the Turkes, Persys, Arabyens, and Indyās, the name of the kynge of Portyngale begonne to be well knowen and had in myche reuerēce & reputacyon amongest them.

§

HEre haue you now ryght reuerēt father ye thynges I promysed your holynes (at my beynge wyth you) of the legacy [Page] of Inde. But yet to thentent you may geue the more credēce to the mater, I shall put somwhat to, that a very noble yonge man, and one of my famylyar acqueyntaūce, named George Lupe Dandrade (what time we were to gether about our prynces besynes in the lowe countreys, and also hosted both twayn in one house at Antwerpe) told me. On this wyse was his tale.

In the tyme of his beyng at Inde for certayne maters he had there of his prynce (where he remayned by the space of certayne yeres) one a very valyant man Lupus Soarez, by the kynges commaūdement was the chyefe capitayne of the Portyngales warres, & chyefe ruler of all the realmes, cyttes, townes, and castelles, that be vnder the kynge of Portyngales domynyon, euen frō Ethiope, thorough out the Chynas. Thys Lupe had prepared hym a meruaylouse gret nauey, to sayle as his aūcetours were wont to do from Cochine (now is Cochyne ye castel & dwellyng place of the Portyngale captayns) & [Page] so intended to come to the see of Araby commenly called the redde see, agaynste the Turke / whyche Turke nowe in stede of the Soldayne occupies the coūtrey. when he was arryued in a certayne Ile, called of the inhabytours Camara, that lyeth in that coste / incontynēt he caused two shippes to be made redy, and toke vn to hym a certayne chosen Portyngales bothe famylyar and faythfull, amonges whome this George was one. This done he commaūded they sholde caste ouer to a nother Ile called Mazua, to the entent that when he were there ones, he wolde send out thre espyes vnto the great emperour of prester Iohn̄, vnder the pretext of marchaūdyse, & that for two causes. One to be certyfyed of the legacye wherof Mathew before shewed vnto our kynge, and to knowe whether those thynges were trew or false. Secondely that they very narrowly sholde serche, what portes and what hauens were vnder the dominyon of Pester Iohn̄. Of these .iii. spyes one was well lerned and very expert in [Page] scrypture whose name was Iusarte Viegas, a Baccaren borne. After they were ones saufe come home agayne bothe man & shyppes to theyr capytayne, and had made an ende of theyr vyage / they shewed hym all, both that they hadde sene there, and also harde of the inhabytours of that countrey / and further declared that they knewe for a suerty that the legacy of Mathew was trewe / and that the same Mathewe they sayde was suche a one as we had sene hym with our owne eyen ones embassatour before our kynge. The cause and maner of the legacye they say was sych.

After that Ellyn the mother of Dauid prester Iohn̄, that then was a very wyse and a dyscrete gouernour of all his hole realme (for he was but a chylde) had lerned of certayne Portyngales whyche were come to her court, & specyally of one called Iohn̄ Clerke, all that euer we hadde done at Inde agaynste the infydeles, she sendeth that Mathew in a secrete legacy vnto the most christyned prynce Emanuell, the fyrste of that name, [Page] kynge of Portyngale / wyth whome she sendeth also a nother yonge man an Ebyssyne borne an noble man, Iames by his name, of whome byfore in the descrypcyon of the legacy, we haue made mencyon. To theym she gaue here letters of commendacyon dyrected to the hed ruler of that prouynce, vnder the domynyon of prester Iohn̄, whose powre stretcheth to Mazua and the see of Araby, to pray hym to helpe them as secretely as he coulde with all such thynges as they shold nede, makyng as though they were marchaūt men which came thether for marchaundyse. This ruler (and who so euer happeneth to be in that offyce) is called in the Ebessyne tonge Baruagays. This Mathewe and his companyon the Ebyssyne; through the letters of commendacy. on they had, were louīgly welcomed, where as they made mery a certayne space, neuer tellynge no man theyre purpose, neyther what he wolde do there, or where when he thens departed he wolde become. But (to the entent [Page] he myght brynge his purpose to passe wyth lesse parell) fayned hym selfe a lether byer, and in the meane season now and then bought certayn presents whych pryuyly he sent vnto quene Ellyn. And vnder this cloke, perused dyuers prouynces, menyng this, that escapynge saufe wythout hurte, through enmyes of the Portingales, at last myght come to Portyngale yt selfe, and so there do the thynges he come for. For other way then this was there not. Alwaye whether so euer he went or where so euer he became, he toke with hym this yonge man his felowe the Ebyssyne, leuynge all his hole housholde at Arquyke, whyche is a cytty nere the see coste, appertaynyng to prester Iohn̄, dystant about a myle from the yle of Mazua. wherin that Baruagais before named then abode. For it is euer the abydynge place of that offycer.

But nowe yf percase any capcyous felowe wolde obiecte why of so many noble men, as there is no dout but there be in so great a court as prester Iohn̄s is, there were not sent in [Page] that embassate, some oldermen, men of more grauyte, of greater experyēce and bysydes this Ebyssyns borne, whyche myght haue borne a greater porte and maieste before our prynce rather then these, of whome the one was farre frome the nobilyte ether of an Ebyssyne or Indyane eyther, bycause beyng an Armenycane / and the other all though he was an Ebyssyne and in ye kynges court brought vppe, yet but a yonge man, an wythoute the company waytyng on hym yt becometh a prynces embassatour to haue / and therby sheweth not the dygnyte of a legate. But hereof may there be two causes alledged.

The fyrste, in all those regyons (as great as they be) from the see of Araby, to the water of Gange, there be but two languages, that is to wit, Persyke and Arabyke. whyche languages who so perfytely knoweth, may easely passe thorough all those prouynces. Nowe in Prester Iohn̄s courte be there very fewe or none nobles, Ebyssyns borne, that can skyll of those tonges. Fyrste bycause they [Page] haue lyttell cōpany or acquayntaūce wyth the out borderars. Secondely for that yt seldome causeth theym to go out of theyr owne countrey, as beynge contente wyth theyre countrey lawes. And for yt cause the same Mathew, skylled in both the tonges and in all the prouynces there about, for he hadde ofte ben in them / and seyng that at that tyme, all though he were an Armenyane, yet he was of the quenys counsayll, and very great about her, he was thoughte the metyst for that message / namely syns he hadde one ioyned wyth hym an Ebyssyne borne, whyche both knewe the tonges and maners of many nacyons / so that yf nede shold requyre, he were mete to be sent on a lyke embassat.

The seconde cause is. The actes of warre of the Portyngales done wyth the Indyans, agaynst the Turkes or Persyes at that tyme was not so well knowen of the Ebyssyns, that they thought it nedefull to vēter any old noble Ebyssyne, & specyally syns they were vnexperte in ye tonges, in so farre and so dyffyculte a vyage, tyll [Page] tyme they were farther certyfyed by some other. And therfore pleased to sende that Mathew, an Armenycane borne, as moste meate for that besynes whyche not greatly accōpanyed, but as a marchaunt sholde go and espye al to gether. And that it so was ment, the mater selfe shewed. For after ones all was exactely tryed by hym, there was then a nother embassatour sent, both an old man, a noble man, an Ebissyne borne, and a preste, connyng both in scrypture and Calday / on whome wayted a very great company of nobles of the Ebyssyns, of themperours p̄ster Iohn̄s courte. And this mā was sent vnto the most myghty prīce one Iohn̄, ye thyrd king of Portyngale. For Emanuel that was his father departed almost .x. yeres ago. This legate wyth all his cō pany at this present day is wyth our kynge, myche made on, and hadde in great reuerence. whome questyonlesse they wold neuer haue sent, hadde they not ben afore surely certyfyed of our maters by Mathew. But now we be a littell degressed therfore [Page] let vs agayn returne to our purpose. This Mathew then vnder the pretexte of fayned marchaundyse, after his beynge at many other cytyes, resorted to Aden / whych is a cytye by ye see of Arabye vnder the Turkes domynyon, byelded euen as our cytyes be, very ryche, and very well fensyd wyth fortresses. where after he hadde fallē in some familiare acqueyntaūce wyth certayne marchaunt men, and hadde serched all thynge to the vtter moste, and fynyshed the maters he came for, makynge hym selfe euer amōgest ye Turkes a Turke, for other wyse coulde he neuer haue escaped & done his besynesse saufe without daū ger, he returned to Arquique where before he had left his houshold wyth his companyon the Ebyssyne, & thus he remoued, toke his houshold again and so retourned to Aden, hopynge that from thens he myght sayle wyth his warys and his housholde to India. For why at the towne of Aden they are wonte to take shippynge towarde India. where when he was landed he sold al his lether & bought [Page] other marchandyse of Alexandrye to cary wyth hym to Indy, by whych he muste nedes passe into Portyngale.

Now was a shyppe redy goynge to Inde, and he redy wyth all his marchandyse to go wyth that shyppe, whyle there spronge a certayne suspycyon amonges the cetezyns of Aden, that he sholde be a spye. wheruppon he was taryed and let that he coulde not take passage at that season. But he as one of a great wyt and experyence, so clerely purged hym selfe of that suspycyon, prouynge in dede he was a marchaūt man, and that there he soughte nothynge but marchaundyse, that they gaue hym wyth hys housholde free pasporte, to departe whether hym pleased. But now then beynge dysmyssed / he founde neuer a vessel goynge toward Inde. Then he was fayn to hyer one, & so he with all his company toke shyppyng, and came towarde Inde, to a certayn noble ryche cytye called Xaer. whych is dystant from Aden about a hundred myle, where lykewyse he founde no shyppes goynge to Inde, bycause yt [Page] nowe yt was wynter, whyche there begynneth in Marche. And whyle yt lasteth no man may saile toward Inde, for the great stormes of wynde (whyche is a meruaylous thynge) yt contynually blows contrary oute of one quarter. But when the sees serued hym, he sayled from the cytye of Xaer vnto a towne called Fartaque, there in euery place faynynge hym selfe a marchaunt of Turkey. From whens he wente to a place called the inhabitours of Dabul / & from thens to departe to the town of Goa. where thē wyntered the gret Alfonsus Dalbubarque a Portyngale, the chyefe capytayne of all India, predecessour vnto Lupus Soarez, whom we haue made mencyon of byfore, whych was he ye subdewed al that same Inde, Araby, Perse, Malach, and the hole see of Ganges, and made all them subiectes to Portyngale. Dabull is dystant from Fartaque, whych is in the cost of Inde .iiii. hundred myle, from Goa .xl. frō Dio .iii. score great myle. Dio is a very ryche cytye, vnder the domynyon of Cambaie very well fensed, [Page] wyth gonnes and suche other ingens of warre, and very well walled.

Furthermore he taried at Dabul from May to Decēber, and there occupied hym selfe about marchaūdyse because in all that tyme he could not take shyppynge. At laste he gate hym a smale vessell, and beganne to gete hym away. And by ye reason he shewed certayn of his frendes & the mayster of the shyppe that he wolde go vnto Portyngale wyth his marchaundyse, by and by yt was shewed to certayne hed offycers of the towne, that there was a straunger one vnknowē, whyche pryuyly wolde conuey hym selfe to Portyngale. wheruppon wottynge neuer what they shuld thynke of the mater, they kept him styll with fayre wordes, and so let hym of hys passage for ye season. After he saw this incontynēt by certayn marchaūt men whych were wonte to be cōuersant in Inde with the Portyngales, whyche he before hadde made hys frendes, he wrote secretely vnto the capytayne Alfonsus Dalbuberque, certifyeng hym as diligētly as he could [Page] how it stode with him. He as soone as he knew it sent thither certain shyppꝭ and galleys some great some smale vnto hym. Siluester Corzo was ye capitayn of them, where whē he was arryued, strayt way he shewed the offycers of the town that he was sent vnto them from ye great duke Alfonsus Dulbuberque to seke a certayn marchaunt man whyche he muste nedes speke wyth all, & that the same Mathew was he whom he sought / which knowen they gaue hym leue to speke wyth hym and so delyuered hym into his handes. For this cause the Dabulenses vsed this liberalyte towarde hī, for fere they shold seme our opē enimyes, for as mych as they take mych profyte by our Portyngales whyche vse Goa & Inde, & yet in place & time whē the may, secretly do vs displease. This Mathew then cōuayde frō the citie of Dabull, cam with this noble yong man ye Ebyssyne his felow, & al his famyly, at ye last to Goa, where as we before recyted, ye noble capytayne Alfonsus then wintered wyth a gret number bothe of people & nobles of [Page] the Portyngales. There is bothe an ile & also a citie of this name of Goa. The citye I say as it is very riche, so is yt also very habūdaūt of all thyng that seruyth for the fyndyng of men. In that dwelleth marchaunt men of all kyndes, Indians, Arabyes, Persyās, wyth diuers of the realmes of Narsynga & Cambaia. In thys yle be .iiii. great & very well fensed fortresys, well māned wyth many hyered souldyers of the Portyngales. There inhabiteth the city, about .xv. hundred Portyngales. These be cytezyns there, wyth theyr wyues, chyldren, and seruauntes, besydes many other, as soudiours, & marchauntes. Both that hole Ile the cytye & the casteles, be vnder the Portyngales. In the cytye be grāmer scoles kept, wher in is taught in comyn scoles both the latyne and the Portyngale tonge. wherby the inhabytours of those partes, be as well skylled in both those lāguages, as in the lāguage of theyr natyue coūtre, where they were brede and brought vp. The fayth of Cryste is euery where receyued amongest [Page] them. Many sumptuous and costely temples & houses of relygyō be there as well of other as of saynt Fraūces order, where dayly is vsed diuine seruyce. Ouer ye hyghest parte of a gate in the cytye, whyche they call saynte Mary da sera, be kept & had in great veneracyon & honour, the bones of that capytayne Alfonsus Dalbuberque. But nowe after yt Mathew had arriued, from the town of Dabull in the hauen of Goa, the Capitayne Alfonsus cōmaunded hym to come vnto him. He denyed & sayd he wold not come out of the shyppes, alledgynge yt he was not the legate of any meane prince but of ye hygh mighty emꝑour of Inde Prester Iohn̄ / & hereūto added that it were not cōuenyēt nor metely that thembassatour of so hygh a myghty chrystened emperour, shold be receyued to so noble a duke as Alfonsus is wythout dewe reuerence & honour. Thē Alfonsus callyng to gether his clerkes, prestes, & all his nobilite yt were nigh at hand, goth forth (namely syns he was ye embassatour of thēperour Prester Iohn̄s) to mete [Page] hym wyth crosses, and such other ornamentes of the chyrche, the prestes and clerkes syngynge this hymne: Te deum laudamus, within a fewe dayes after Alfonsus began to aske hym of his legacy, to whome he answered, yt he was sent from prester Iohn̄ vnto the most Crystened prynce Emanuel kynge of Portīgale, & that he ought onely to open the cause of hys embassate to no creature but vnto hym alone. whych when he hard the duke Alfonsus axed hym no further questyons. wythin a whyle after when he saw his time, this Mathew & this noble yonge mā ye Ebyssyne, with al his company makyng hast toward Portyngale, Alfonsus very gentylly accōpanied him vnto ye hauen, where takyng shyppyng frō Goa they cam toward Portīgale. All this shewed vn me this George Lupe Dandrade, that he knewe of a suerty for trewth, for as myche (as we haue shewed you before) the great rular of Inde Lupꝰ Soarez had sent him from the Ile of Camara, as a spye amonge the Ebyssynes vnder the pretexte of marchaū dyse, [Page] to serche out the trewth of that legacye. when he & that noble yonge man the Ebyssyne, wyth all his famyly came to Portyngale, my selfe (as I haue shewed your holynes byfore) was by, whome I both saw and spoke often wyth all. He was a man of mean stature, very whitly visaged and somwhat sallowe, wyth a syde & hore here, wyth a longe whyte berde. whych a lyttell more at lēgth I haue shewed your holynes, to thentēt you with all other yt be desyrous to know the very trewth shall not thynke yt be a lye or fayned.

Of the people of Pilapes.

I Very well remembre me ryght reuerēt father howe you shewed me at my laste beynge wyth you, that vnder your archbyshopryke, was ye same wyld regyō of Scythyce other wise calleth Pilape where they neyther knowe god or Chryste, nor aw haue they none amonges theym [Page] for theym to lyue by. Surely a very myserable case, & a thynge nothynge chrystenlike consydered of your men. For yt was tolde me bothe of good men & vertuous men also (and that for a suerty to) that your nobles (the more shame for theym) were in faute why those people were no better then brute bestes, nor came to chrystendome. For so they fere they shall lese a great parte of theyre pollynge and pyllynge and theyr accustomed rauenous roberye, thorough the whyche they pytyfully oppresse with insacyable auaryce those sylly pore innocent people. And therfore I desyred you then (& yet agayne in Chrystes name do) and that not I alone, but also as many as thynke as I do, that syns yt is your offyce (as beynge theyre herdman, and they cōmytted to you by god) you wold cause those nobles of yours, to leue theyr couetous crueltye, and so in conclusyon to brynge those symple soules to the knowlege of Cryste, and so payenge theyr dew trybutes to theyr kynges, as other crysten people do to theyre prynces. [Page] Let those nobles of yours take hede therfore what they do, that they compell not so great a folde of shepe in tyme to come, in the presence of that iuste iudge Iesu Cryste, to axe iudgement of that tyranny of theyrs. I desyre your holynes to do that lyeth in you, whyche doyenge, se what glory and what rewarde you shall obtayne of god, what prays and laude bysydes of the worlde. No more to your holynes but thus fare you well. I suppose that I shalbe shortly at Portyngale with the kynges hyghnes or elles at Germany. But where so euer I become I shall be holly yours. I pray you I may be hertly recomēded vnto your brother Olaus the great Goth, a very specyall frende and louer of myne.

At Antwerpe out of the comyn houses of our realme of Portyngale, in the Calendas of December, the yere of our god M.D.xxxi.

§

§

[Page]

¶Prynted by W. Rastell in Fletestrete in saynte Brydys chyrch yarde. 1533 Cum priuilegio.

[Page]

Information about this book

Title statement

The legacye or embassate of the great emperour of Inde prester Iohn, vnto Emanuell kynge of Portyngale, in the yere of our lorde M. v.C.xiii. Of the fayth of the Indyans, ceremonyes, relygyons [&]c. Of the patryarche [and] his offyce. Of the realme, state, power, maiesty, and order of the courte of prester IohnLegatio magni Indorum Imperatoris Presbyteri Ioannis, ad Emanuelem Lusitaniae Regem. English.

Góis, Damião de, 1502-1574.

Edition statement

1533

Publication

Publisher

Text Creation Partnership,

Place of publication

Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) :

Date

2008-09 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1).

ID [DLPS]

A01828

ID [STC]

STC 11966

ID [STC]

ESTC S116675

ID [EEBO-CITATION]

99851891

ID [PROQUEST]

99851891

ID [VID]

17184

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This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal. The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission.

Series

Early English books online.

Notes

(EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A01828)

Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 17184)

Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1475-1640 ; 1687:03)

Source

— The legacye or embassate of the great emperour of Inde prester Iohn, vnto Emanuell kynge of Portyngale, in the yere of our lorde M. v.C.xiii. Of the fayth of the Indyans, ceremonyes, relygyons [&]c. Of the patryarche [and] his offyce. Of the realme, state, power, maiesty, and order of the courte of prester Iohn, Legatio magni Indorum Imperatoris Presbyteri Ioannis, ad Emanuelem Lusitaniae Regem. English., Góis, Damião de, 1502-1574., More, John, fl. 1533..

Extent

26 [i.e. 30] leaves

Printed by w. Rastell in Fletestrete in saynte Brydys chyrch yarde,. [[London] :: 1533]. (A translation by John More of Góis, Damião de. Legatio magni Indorum Imperatoris Presbyteri Ioannis, ad Emanuelem Lusitaniae Regem.) (Place of publication from STC; imprint from colophon.) (Variant: D2 differs; on the verso section 42 begins: "The housbandes" or "Men marye there".) (Some leaves misnumbered.) (Reproduction of the original in the Emmanuel College (University of Cambridge). Library.)

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