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 PERKINS LIBRARY 
 
 UuKe University 
 
 Kare l5ookc 
 
l(^CcA>UiJi r— 
 
 ^'^■^'-'UIj 
 
 
THE 
 
 ADVENTURES 
 
 O F 
 
 Sig.GAUDENTIO DI LUCCA. 
 
 BEING THE 
 
 Substance of his Examination 
 
 Before the 
 
 FATHERS of the Inquisition 
 at Bologna in Italy : 
 
 Giving an Account of 
 
 An Unknown Country in the M'ldil of the De- 
 ferts of Africa, the Or'gin and Antiquity of the 
 People, their Religion, Cuftoms, and Laws. 
 
 Copied from the original Maniifcript in St. Mark's 
 Library at Venice ; with critical Notes of the 
 learned Signer Rhedi. 
 
 To which is prefixed 
 
 A Letter of the Secretary of the Inquifition, fliewing- 
 the Reafons of Signor Gaudbntio'^ being appre- 
 hended, and the Manner of it. 
 
 Tranflated from the ITALIAN. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 Printed for J. Richardson, in Pater-nolter-row, 
 M DCC LXIfL 
 
/2rA0 
 
 J" II V 05^/1 A A 
 
 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 manulcript came to light, 
 confiderinir the dark and deep fecrecy with 
 which all things are tranfaded in the inqui- 
 lition. Secondly, how it came into the 
 tranflator's hands. To fatisfy fuch a com- 
 mendable curiofity, he is to be informed. 
 That the manufcript was fent by the fecre- 
 tary of the inquifition at Bologna to the learn- 
 ed Signor Rhedi, keeper of the libraiy of 
 S Mark at Venice, his intimate friend 
 and corrcfpondent, with the whole account 
 how the author was taken up, and fecured 
 in the inquifition, as the letter of the fe- 
 :retary to the fame Signor Rhedi will 
 Hicw : which letter, as it contains a great 
 niany curious particulars in the cxamina- 
 ^n of the criminal, (for he was taken up 
 uch, tliough nothing very material was 
 '^^ agamft him -, for which reafon, he 
 A 2 received 
 
iv PREFACE. 
 
 received a more favourable treatment than 
 is generally believed to be cuftomary in 
 that dreadful tribunal) j fo it difcovers no 
 indirect pratlices of, the niquifition, but, 
 on the c ntrary, fhews they proceed with 
 a great deal of circumfpedion within their 
 walls, though all things are involved in 
 impenetrable darknefs to thofe without. 
 Befide, the fucceffion of new popes, and, 
 generally i] eakin<:, the change of other 
 officers attending it, might make them be 
 lefs upon their guard, as the fecretary 
 feems to hint in his letter. Neither is 
 there any thing ihat might do him any 
 harm, in cafe he* were difcovered •, efpe- 
 cially writing to a friend ot his own com- 
 munion, and a prieft, as Signor Rhedi 
 was ; v/hich is likcwife feen by the letter. 
 As to the Iccond quxre, the manu- 
 fcript came into the publiflun-'s hands, by 
 the means of the fame Signor Rhedi, who 
 is an honour to his church, profelTion, and 
 country, and one of the mod learned and 
 polite men in the world. He is not fo bi- 
 gotted to his religion or proftiTion, as to 
 fliun the company of the heretical tramon- 
 tani^ a title the Italians generally give us •, 
 but loves and tllcems a learned man, 
 though of a different perfuafion. One rea- 
 fon for this may be, that he breathes a ^ 
 freer air at Venice, than they do in the o- ', 
 ther parts of Italy. The inquifition has 
 
 nothing 
 
PREFACE. V 
 
 nothing to do in the Venetian territories. 
 Though they are Roman Catholics, the 
 flate admits of no tribunal independent of 
 itfelf. Befides, as they are a trading 
 people, their commerce obliges them to 
 be civil to perfons of all perfuaficns, efpe- 
 cially ftrangers. But of all others they 
 feem to have the greatefl: refpedl for the 
 Engliih i whether it be on account of their 
 power at fea, or their franknefs in fpend- 
 ing their money, fo many of the Englifli 
 nobihty and gentry travelling that way ; 
 or from the candour and fmcerity of our 
 nature, fo oppofite to the Italians, and 
 therefore the more valued by them : be 
 that as it will, the publillier, who had fe- 
 veral times made the tour of Italy, was 
 not only intimately acquainted, but had 
 contracted a particular friendfliip with Sig- 
 ner Rhedi, as well on account of their 
 mutual inclinations for learning and anti- 
 quity, as for feveral reciprocal obligations 
 pafiing betv/een them. The lafl time he 
 was at Venice, v/hich was in company of 
 a perfon of the firft rank, who liked the. 
 place as well as he did, he ilaid there up- 
 wards of iifteca months \ during which 
 time he had the opportunity of enjoying 
 the converfation of his learned friend, vv'ith 
 as mui.h liberty, as if he had been of the 
 fame perfuafion. But the prefent of a 
 gold repeating watch, with fome other of 
 
 A 3 our 
 
VI 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 our Englifli curiofitics, fo won his heart, 
 that one day being together in the great 
 libiary, he unlocks a little grate where he 
 kept his rarities, and turning to me with a 
 fmile, Signor Inglele, fays he, holding a 
 manulcript in his hand, here is fuch a cu- 
 riofity, as 1 am lure, you never faw, and 
 perhaps never heard of: it is the life of a 
 perfon who is now in the inquifition at Bo- 
 logna, taken from his own confefTion 
 before the inquifitors •, with the account of 
 a country in the heart of the vaft deferts of 
 Africa, whofe inhabitants have lived un- 
 known to all the world upwards of 3000 
 vears, and inaccefllble 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 promifed him 
 his liberty, if lie will undertake to con- 
 duct fome millionaries the fame way, to 
 preach the gofpel to a numerous peojie, 
 who by his account have the greateft 
 knowledge of natural religion and polity of 
 any Heathen nation yet known, even be- 
 yond the Chinefe. For my own part, I 
 could fcarce have believed it, had not the 
 fecretary of the fame inquifition, who, 
 you may be fure, by his* poft, is not a 
 man to be impofed upon, alTured me of 
 the truth of it : nay, that he himfelf was 
 fjrefent at his feizure and examination, and 
 fcnt mc a copy of his life, which he w^as 
 
 ordered 
 
PREFACE. vii 
 
 ordered to give in by the inquifitors •, with 
 the whole account of the occafion and 
 manner of his feizure. It ieems he had li- 
 ved fome time in Bologna in quality of a 
 phyiician, under the name of Signor Gau- 
 dentto di Lucca^ which he fays is his true 
 name, and confirms it by the place of his 
 birth, the names of his parents, time of 
 his captivity, &c. He had dropped fome 
 words of feveral ftrange feci ets he was ma- 
 fter of, with mutterings of an unknown 
 nation, religion, and cuitoms, quite new 
 to the Italian ears •, for which reafon the 
 inquifition thought fit to feize him, and, 
 by ways and means made ufe of in that tri- 
 bunal, obliged him to give an account of 
 his whole life, which is the moll furprifino- 
 I ever read. . Here is the fecretary's letter, 
 giving a fuccind account of the whole af- 
 fair. I have added, continued he, fome 
 critical remarks in proper places, to fnew 
 that this account is not lb incredible as it 
 may appear at firfV fight, and that it agrees 
 with fome hints left us in the remains of 
 ancient hiilory. Befides, the man Hands 
 to the truth of it with a lledfaftnefs that is 
 furprifing. He is a perfon of a very hand- 
 fome prefence, well read, good fenfe, and, 
 as it appears to the inquifitors, (who are 
 nice judges), of ffemingly good morals. 
 He profelfes himfelf a zealous Roman Ca- 
 tholic, and that he always was fo ♦, for 
 
 which 
 
via 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 which reafon, the inquifitors are more civil 
 to him than ordinary. He gives luch a ra- 
 tional and circumflantial account of his ad- 
 ventures, that I am of the fecretary's opinion, 
 as to the truth of it. But, added he, 1 wont 
 foreflial the fatisfaclion you will find in the 
 perufal : fo delivered the manufcript and the 
 lecretary's letter into the publifher's hands, 
 who running his eyes over it for fome time", 
 was lb (Iruck with the novelty of the thing, 
 that he aflvcd Signor Rhedi, whether he 
 might not take a copy of it. He was an- 
 fwered, he could not permit the manu- 
 fcript to be taken out of the library •, n9r 
 could he, v/ith fafety to himfelf, aliov/ a 
 flranger, and of a different religion too, 
 the hberty of flaying fo long in the library 
 by himfelf, as the tianfcribing would take 
 up. The publiflier faid, he might put what 
 guards upon him he pleafed, provided he 
 might but tranfcribe it. No, lays he, 
 that is inconvenient too ; but I will order 
 one of my under librarians I can confide 
 in, to write you out an exa6l copy, with 
 the fecretary's letter, and my own remarks, 
 if you think them worth your notice ; 
 which he did mofl: faithfully •, generoufly 
 commanding the tranfcriber, at the fame 
 time, not to take any thing of me for his 
 pains. 1 hus this curious manufcript came 
 to hand, to the infinite fatisfa'jlion of the 
 publiiher, and he hopes it v/ill prove no 
 
 lefs 
 
P R F F A C E. 
 
 IX 
 
 lefs to the readers, in the perufal of it. 
 The character of Signor Gaudentio cannot 
 be called in queftion \ nor is the publifber 
 a perfon fo little verfed in the nature and 
 ways of the Italians, as to be impofed up- 
 on. The tranflation from the Italian is as 
 cxadl as pofiible. This is the previous ac- 
 count the publilher thought proper to give 
 of this affair. 
 
 N. B. Great part of the matters treated of 
 in thele memoirs, being tranfacted in a. Ro- 
 man-catholic country, and among Roman 
 Catholics, 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 fome 
 of the relations contained in thefe Memoirs -, 
 but to fufpend his judgm.ent, till he has read 
 Signor Rhedi's remarks ; particularly, when 
 he comes to the origin and antiquity of the 
 people the author fpeaks of. The learned 
 will find in them fuch a vail knowledge in 
 hiftory, and the mod intricate remains of 
 antiquity, as will render them very well 
 worth their notice. The fame Signor Rhe- 
 di told the-publiilier, he had inquired into 
 what happened at Venice •, particularly what 
 the author mentions of Monfieur Godart, 
 one of the moll improbable parts of his ad- 
 ventures, and found the whole to be jufl as 
 he relates it, • . • 
 
 The 
 
X PREFACE 
 
 The publiflier is fatisfied the reader will 
 be extremely lorry, as well as himfelf, for 
 the lofs ot ibme flieets belonging to the mid- 
 dle part of this hiftory. How they came to 
 be loft, he cannot tell •, but he fuppofes, by 
 the incivility of the cuftomhoule-officers at 
 Marleilles •, for they tumbled over his effects 
 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, 
 when he came to mifs them in the courle of 
 the tranflation. 
 
 INTRO- 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 Giving an account of the caufes and 
 manner of the feizure of Signor 
 Gaudentio Di Lucca, and the 
 firft part of his examination. 
 
 In a letter from the fecretary of the Inqui- 
 sition to Signor Rhedi. 
 
 THE prefent turn of -f affairs which 
 fills the heads of other people with 
 intrigues of flate, gives me an opportunity 
 of returning my bed thanks, for the rich 
 prefent you were pleafed to fend to a per- 
 ibn who was yours before by the ilridleft 
 ties of gratitude. . — The cabinet, with the 
 other curiofities, came fafe to hand, and 
 fnews, that whoever is fo happy, as to ob- 
 lige Signor Rhedi, fows a feed which re- 
 turns a hundredfold. — ^^The poverty of our 
 J profeflion hinders me from being capable 
 
 * The Italian titles of Illiijlrljfwio, <bc. are left out, 
 as not ufed in our language. 
 
 f He either means the death of fome pope, or fome 
 extraordinary crifis in the Romilh oeconomy. 
 
 X The fecretary was a Dominican friar j the Domini- 
 cans being mafters of the in'^uifjtion, 
 
 of 
 
xii INTRODUCTION. 
 
 of making a fuitable return for your mag- 
 nificent prefent ; but nothing ought to take 
 from me the dciire of exprelling my ac- 
 knowledgments. In teftimony of it, and 
 to llievv that poverty itfelf may be grateful, 
 I fend you, by the bearer, the account of a 
 man, whofe life has filled our inquifitors 
 "with wonder and aftonifhn^ent. He has 
 been in the inquifition at tlvs place about 
 two years : we have employed all our en- 
 gines to find out the tr4.uh of what he is, and 
 can find nothing. material againil him^ un- 
 lets it be the unheard-of account he gives -of 
 himl'elf. Our firil inquifitor has obliged him 
 to write his own life, v/ith all the particu- 
 lars, as fuccin 'lly as pollible, adding threats 
 withal, that, if we find him in a falle itory, 
 it IhdU be worfe with him. He tells us ilrange 
 flories of one of the moil beautiful countries 
 in the world, in the very heart of the vaft 
 delerts of Afrr a, inacccefilble to all" the 
 world but by one way, which feems as ex- 
 traordinary as the country it leads to. As 
 you are a perlbn of univerfal knowledge in 
 antiquity, and an admirer of curiofities of 
 /this nature, I fend you a copy of the ma- 
 nuf ript to have your oi^inion of it ♦, and to 
 give you as clear a notion of the man as I 
 can, you muitkn-^w, that about three years 
 before h/ was taken up by the inquifition, 
 he took a neat h.)ufe at liologna in quality 
 of a phyfician, palling through fome fiight 
 
 examination 
 
I N T R O D U C T I O iV. 13 
 
 examination for form's fake, and paying his 
 fees as is cuilomary with Grangers. His 
 name, as he fays, is Gaudentio di Lucca ^ 
 originally of Lucca *, but born in Ragu- 
 fa -f- •, he is a tall, handfome, clean- built man, 
 as you fliall fee in a thouiand, of a very po- 
 lite addrefs, and fomething fo very enga- 
 ging in his afpe61:, as befpeaks your favour 
 at firft fight. He i:ems to be near fifty -, 
 he is a ip.an of^^ood fenfe and fine difcourfc, 
 though his accent is not pure Italian, from 
 his livino-, as he fays, fo long in foreign 
 coiuitries. He fpeaks almoil all the oriental 
 languages, and has a very competent fhare 
 of other parts of learning, as well as that of 
 his prcfcffion. We Cent to Ragufa and Lucca 
 to inquire about him, but could not get the 
 leail information of his being known in thofe 
 places. The reafon of which he has given 
 in his life, as you v/ill fee ♦, only at Ragufa, 
 fome people remembered there had been a 
 merchant of that name, about fi\e and 
 twenty or thirty years ago, who was eitiier 
 loft, or taken by pirates, and never heard of 
 more. 
 
 The inquifition, as you know. Sir, has 
 eyes every where, eipecially on ftrangers ; 
 we kept an eye upon him from his firft fet- 
 tling at Bologna: but as v/e proceed witli 
 
 * x^ little republic in Italy. 
 
 i A republic in Dilmatia, and tiibutary to the Turks. 
 
 B iuilice 
 
14 INTRO DUCT I OK. 
 
 jufticc as well as caution, \vc could not dif- 
 covcr any lufBcicnt rcalbn to take him up. 
 Ilis life was as re<.ailar as that of others of 
 his profeflion, v.'hicli he did not follow very 
 tlolely, but only for form's fake, being chief- 
 ly confulted at his own houfe, on account 
 of fome extraordinary fecrets he pretended 
 to be mailer of, without making any vifits 
 but to ladien, with whom he grew in pro- 
 dig'.ous rcqucfb. They faid he had a fvy-eet- 
 iicls and eafe in converfation, that was al- 
 moft bewitching. This unaccountable fond- 
 nefs of the ladies gave us the firft fufpicion, 
 left he llioiild inftill fome ill notions into 
 that fcx, fo credulous where they are fond, 
 and fo incredulous where they dillike. He 
 })rofelTed himfelf a Roman Catholic -, feem- 
 fd to have a competent knowledge, and 
 •even veneration, conQdering he was a phy- 
 fician, for our holy myileries : fo v;e had 
 norhino; ap-ainft him on that account. We 
 Loukl no'c find that he wanted for money, 
 tliougli he lived rather genteely than mag- 
 nificently : we found on fe^^eral occafions, 
 that money, tlie idol of other people, was 
 the k^atl of his care ; and that he ha.l Ibme 
 jecret fju'ings we could not f.ithom. His 
 houfe was but decently, thougli completely, 
 furniihed for one of his rank ; he kept two 
 fervants in livery and a valet de chambre ♦, 
 Vv'ho, being of tlfis town, knew no more of 
 }':•.''. :!\an we did. There was an elderly la- 
 dy 
 
INTRODUCTION. rj 
 
 dy we thought had been his ^vife, but it pro- 
 ved ihe was not-, a foreigner, for whom he 
 leemed to have a great relped, and her maid 
 a foreigner alfo-^ and an elderly maid-fer- 
 vant of the town. We have them all fe- 
 cured in the inquifition, though he docs 
 iiot know it. The lady has the remains of 
 a wonderful line face, and an air of quality-, 
 Ihe fpeaks a broken Iti^lian, fo that we can 
 get very little out of her, but what agrees 
 with his account. I am confident you will 
 rather be plcaftd wid) thefe particulars than 
 thiiik them tedious. There is fomething fo 
 extraordinary in the man, 1 ought not to o- 
 mit tlie leaf!: circumftancc. We had feveral 
 confultations about liim in cur inquiiition, 
 as well as our Leiger intelligences, but could 
 difcovcr nothing of moment. We examined 
 what intercourfe he had in other parts, b'y 
 ordering the poilniafter to fend us all his 
 letters, which we couki eafily open, and feal 
 up again with the greateit nicety. But v.e 
 found he had only two correfpcndents, one 
 pofTefTed of a moderate income of about fcur 
 thoufand crov/ns in the bank of Genoa; the 
 other a lady of your city of Venice, whom 
 v/e difcovered to be a celebrated courtezan, 
 who fubfcribes herfeif FcviUa. We find 
 by her lall letter, that he had given her 
 very good adv^ice, and perfuaded her to be 
 come a penitent: you will oblige us if you 
 will inquire what Ihe is. Aniorous intrigues 
 
 B 2 not 
 
i6 IN TRODUCTICN. 
 
 not fr.llinp; under our cognifance, we let 
 him alone for Tome time, having a perfon 
 under our examination on fufpicion of be- 
 ing a Jew in mafqucrade, and a fpy from 
 the Grand Signor, who kept us employed 
 for fome time. Be fides, the good advice 
 he gave the courtezan, and he being pad his 
 prim.e, made us lefs fufpicious of the ladies ; 
 we fuppofed they had recourfe to him on 
 account of fome female infirmities Though 
 the young ladies were mofl fond of him, his 
 behaviour to therii was more an endearing 
 fweetnefs and courtefy, than love, with very 
 little fie;ns, at lead he had the addrefs to 
 conceal them, of more kindnefs for one than 
 another. In fine, perfons of the beft rank, 
 of both fexes, began to have a prodigious 
 liking for his company •, he ftole upon them 
 infenlibly. As he increaft-d in this good 
 opinion, he opened himfe'f v/ith greater 
 freedom -, he made no fliew at all at liril, 
 more than a line prefence and a polite ad- 
 drefs : bur, after further acquaintance, they 
 difcovered he was mafter of moll lliences, 
 and fliev/ed a fuperior genius in any thing 
 they could difcourfe of. We employed 
 proper perfons to infinuate themfelves in- 
 to his good liking, and confult him as a 
 friend on feveral nice points •, but he had 
 fuch a prefence of mind, yet appeared fo 
 unconilrained in his difcourfe, that they 
 owned themfelves novices in comparifon to 
 
 him. 
 
INTRODUCTION. 17 
 
 him. If they talked of polhics, he faid 
 very judicioufly, it was not for men of his 
 rank, to meddle with affairs of (late, or ex- 
 amine what pcrfons did in the cabinet. If 
 of religion, he feemed to underftand it very 
 well for one of his profelfion ; fo that no- 
 thing came from him but what was confo- 
 nant to the Catholic faith -, exprefTmg on all 
 occafions a great deference for the authority 
 of the church. But ftill the more fagacious 
 were perfuaded, fomething more than ordi- 
 nary lay hid under that fpecious cover. Ac 
 length, talking one day with fome of our 
 fpies about the cufloms of foreign countries, 
 he faid, he had met with a nation in one of 
 the remoteft parts of the world, who, thouo-h 
 they were Heathens, had more knowledge 
 of the law of nature, and common morality, 
 than the mod civilifed Chriftians. This 
 was immediately carried to us, and explained 
 as a reflection on the Chriflian rehgion. 
 Another time, as he had a ^reat knowledge 
 in philofophy, he dropt fome words as if 
 he had fome Ikiil in judiciary aftrology ; 
 which you know, Sir, is a capital crime 
 with us. We were as good as relblved to 
 feize him, when we were determined to it 
 by the following accident. Two of the 
 mod beautiful women in all Bologna had 
 fallen in love with him, either on account 
 of the handfomenefs of his perlbn, or, by 
 a whimficalnels peculiar to fome women, 
 
 B 3 becaufe 
 
j8 introduction. 
 
 becaufc he was a ftraiiger, or thinking he 
 might keep their fccrccs better under the 
 ck)ak of being a phyfician •, or, in fine, drawn 
 in by fome love-potion or oiher, we cannot 
 tell i but the matter grew to luch a height, 
 that on his Ihewino- more diftinsruifiiinor fa- 
 vour to one of them, as it is natural for our 
 w^men to be violent in their jealoufy, as 
 well as love, the other, to be re\ enged, faid 
 he had be\ntclied her-, which flie was fure of, 
 for that, fuice the very firil time fhe faw him, 
 file thought there was fomethinor more in 
 him, than ever ilie faw in any man in her 
 life. Befides, (he laid, fhe had often found 
 him drawing circles and figures on paper, 
 •which to her looked like conjuration. Iler 
 friends immediately informed our fathers 
 of it •, fo we refoUed to feize him, if 
 it wtre but to find out liis Jecrets, and 
 fee v/hat the man v/as. There was ano- 
 ther reafon indiKed us to it, which the 
 wcrkl will hardly believe, though it is mat- 
 ter of fa»5t :- that is, we were afraid, the 
 n:an would be ailarrmated by fome fee ret 
 means or od.er, for being, fo great w th our 
 ladies ; fo, to fave his life, and not lofe 
 the difc'jvcries we expect from him, it was 
 determined he fliou d be feized immediately. 
 Accordingly, 1 was deputed, with three un- 
 der-oHicers, to do the bufmefs, but witli all 
 the caution and fecrecy ufual in fuch cafes. 
 L was done about midnight, when we had 
 
 watched 
 
INTRODUCTION. 19 
 
 watched one of the two ladies he favoured 
 moil, into his houfe. We went in a clofe 
 coach, and myfelf and one of the officers 
 fbopping at the door, as foon as the fervant 
 opened it, ftepped in, telling him what we 
 vrere, and charging him, at his peril, not 
 to make the leaft noife. The fervants be- 
 ing Italians, and knowing the confequence 
 of the leaft refiftance, ftood as mute as fifti- 
 es. We immediately v/ent into the in- 
 ner parlour, and, contrary to our expeda- 
 tion, found our gentlemian, the young lady 
 with her governante, and the elderly lady 
 that belonged to him, fitting very decently 
 at an elegant collation of fruits and fweet- 
 meats, brought, as we fuppofed, by the fair 
 lady as a prelent. At our firft appearance, 
 he feemed more furprifed than terrified ; as 
 we make no ceremonies in thofe cafes, w^e 
 told him our errand, and commanded him 
 to come along with us without the leaft re- 
 fiftance, or eife it ftiould be worfe for him. 
 Then we turned to the young lady, whofe 
 friends and perfjn we knew, and told her 
 Vv'e v/ondered to find Iicr in ftich company 
 at fuch unfeafonable hours ; bii^ on account 
 of her friends, would not meddle with her, 
 but bid her for her own fake, as ftie ten- 
 dered her life and honour, never to take the 
 leaft notice of the afi'air. Siv: treiiibling, 
 and ready to faint away, after fom.e hefua- 
 tion, was able to fay, that ilie w^s come to 
 
 confult 
 
2D 
 
 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 confuk about her health ; that flie brought 
 her rrovernantc alono- with her to take off 
 all fufpicion, and as fhe was millrel's of her- 
 lelf and tbrtune, it was not unulual for per- 
 sons of her rank to be out at that time, 
 confidering tlie heat of the feafon. She h A 
 fcarce pronounced thefe words, when flie 
 fell diredUy into a Iwuon. Her govcrnante 
 having thin^^s proper for fuch occafions, re- 
 vived and comforted her as well as fhe could. 
 But when we were going to take the gen- 
 tleman along with us, the elderly lady, to 
 whom we fuppole he had told his misfor- 
 tune, inilead of falling into fits, flev/ at us 
 like a tyg. efs, 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 moll ra;nng madnefs, We, not ac- 
 cuilomed to refiilance, confidering our cha- 
 rafler and cloth, and flie a woman, were 
 a! moll motionlcfs, when the fervants at the 
 noife came up. We commanded them, in 
 the name of the inquifition, to feize her : 
 the gentleman interpofed in our favour, fay- 
 in or Ibme words to her in an unknown lan- 
 guagc, whi'. li he afllired u?, were to beg her 
 to be pacilied, as flie tendered his life as well 
 as her own •, then the violence of her palTion 
 turned another way, and threw her into 
 the ftrongeil convulfions I Cscr faw. By 
 this tiiT-e the other two officers were come 
 up, wondering at our delay, and to find re- 
 fiilance 
 
INTRODUCTION. 21 
 
 fiflance againft the officers of the inquifition. 
 The gentleman, with a becoming lubmif- 
 fion, rather than fear, yielded himfclf a 
 prifoner, and begged us to pardon the fud- 
 den tranfports of a perfon unacquainted with 
 our cuftoms, whofe life in fome manner 
 depended on his. That flie was a Peifian 
 lady of quality, brought into this country 
 by great misfortunes, who had once iaved 
 his life, as he had been afterwards inftru- 
 mental in faving hers. That fiie vyas dif- 
 pofed to turn Chriftian, with intention af- 
 ter fome time to end her days in a con- 
 vent. That for his own part, relying on 
 his innocence, he readily fubmitted to our 
 authority, and oOtrred himfelf to be carried 
 where-ever we pleafcd •, he uttered all this 
 with an air of conllancy that was furpri- 
 fing. We immediately took him into the 
 coach, leaving two of the officers with the 
 elderly lady, and corTjmandlng them and 
 the gentleman's fervants not to ftir out of 
 the room till further orders. As fbon as 
 we arrived at the inquifition, we lodged 
 him in a hand fome ftrong room •, not io 
 much like a criminal, as like a perfon for 
 whom we had fome lefped:. There we 
 left him to his own thoughts, and return- 
 ed to his houfe to feize the elderly lady and 
 his papers, having dilmified the young lady 
 and her governante before. I forgot to tell 
 you, that Signor Gaudenrio, by our permif- 
 fion, had fpoke to the elderly lady coming 
 
 out 
 
ti INTRODUC'i lOX. 
 
 out of her fits in Italian, (for wc would not 
 let him fpcak to her in the unknown lan- 
 guage, for fear of a combination), and with 
 much pains made lier undcrlland, that he 
 befrired her, bv all that was dear, to fubniit 
 to whatever we fliould injoin her •, afiliring 
 her by tliat means all would be well for 
 her fafety and his own : which lall words 
 fcemed to give fome calm to her tempeilu- 
 ous fpirits. You may beHeve, Sir, we were 
 much furprifed at the novelty of the thing, 
 and the account he gave of her quality. 
 But as we often meet with falfe (lories in 
 our employment, that did not hinder us 
 from doing our duty. So I took her by the 
 hand with a gieat deal of relpecl, and put 
 her into the coach between myfelf and 
 my companion •, not v/ithout apprthen- 
 fions of fome extravagant follies, confider- 
 ing the violence of her temper. But flie 
 continued pretty iedate, only fcemed to be 
 overwhelmed with rrief -, we brought her 
 to the inquifuion, and lodged her in a very 
 handfome apartment feparate from the 
 convent, on account of her fex ; with two 
 waiting women to attenci her with all re- 
 fpecl, till we were better apprifed of the 
 truth of her quality. I'his obliged me to 
 take another journey to Signor Gauden- 
 tio's houfe, to fecure his papers, with 
 whatever elfe might contribute to further 
 our difcove^y. 1 found all things in the 
 
 fame 
 
INTRODUCTION. 23 
 
 fame order 1 left them ; but being ex- 
 tremely fatigued, I fat down to the elegant 
 collation that was left, and, after a fmall 
 repaft, went to bed in his houfe, to have 
 the morning before us for fecuring his ef- 
 fe6ls. I fealed up all the papers I could 
 find, to examine them at more leifure, 
 took an inventory of all the moveables, 
 that they might be reftored to him in cai^ 
 he were found innocent -, and fent for a 
 proper officer to remain in the houfe, who# 
 was to be refponfible tor every thing. 
 There were two little cabinets of curious 
 workmanfhip \ one of them, as it appear- 
 ed, belonged to him, the other to the 
 flrange lady ; but being full of intricate 
 drawers or tills, we took them both along 
 with us. Thele and the papers we deli- 
 vered to the head inquifitors, not being 
 willing to proceed in either of their exami- 
 nations, till we had got all the light we 
 could, to find out the truth, for that was 
 all our aim ; then we could tell what 
 courfe to take with them. We placed two 
 cunning lay brothers, in the nature of fer- 
 vants, for Signor Gaudentio, who were to 
 infinuate themfelves into his favour by 
 their kind offices, compaffionating his mif- 
 fortunes, and advifing him to difcover the 
 whole truth, in the account of his life, 
 quality, profeiTion, opinions, and, in fine, 
 Vvhatevcr ai licks he was to be interrogated 
 
 en, 
 
24 INTK O DUCT ION. 
 
 on, to confcfs ingenuouQy what he knew : 
 that that was the only way to find favour 
 at the hands of the inquilitoi s -, that they 
 pardoned ahiioll all faults on a fincere con- 
 felllon, and an alfunmce of amendment. 
 I vifired him myfelf feveral times before his 
 examination, and gave him the fame ad- 
 vice and aOli ranee •, lie promifed me faith- 
 fully he would, and fcemed fo Iteady and 
 confirmed in his own innocence, with fuch 
 an agreeable, yet fincere way in his dif- 
 courfe, as really furprifed me, and cauled 
 me already to be prejudiced in his favour ; 
 tidding with a fmile, that the hilloiy of his 
 life would adminiller more caufe of wonder 
 than indignation. — Not to be too particu- 
 lar, the chief of the inquifition, with my- 
 felf along with jthem, fet to the llrutiny of 
 his papers. We examined them with all 
 the care imaginable, but could find no- 
 thing to ground any material accufation, 
 except fome impcrfed memoirs of the cu- 
 ftoms of a country and ]^eople unheard of 
 to us, and 1 believe to all the world befide, 
 with fome odd characters, or words, whicli 
 had no affinlcy with any language or cha- 
 ra6l' rs we evv-r faw. We difcovered he 
 had a '^reat knowledge in natural nhilofo- 
 phy. With fome remarks that were very cu- 
 rious. There was a roucrh diausfht of a 
 map of a cjuntry, with towns, rivers, 
 lakes, 'tsc. but 113 climate marked down. 
 
 In 
 
INTRODUCTION. 25 
 
 In fliort, all his papers contained nothing 
 but fome fmall Iketches of philofophy and 
 phyfic, with ibme pieces of poetry of an 
 uncommon taile. Neither could we find 
 any footileps of judiciary ailrology, or cal- 
 culations of nativities, of which we had 
 the greateft fufpicion ; only a pair of 
 globes, a fet of mathematical inflruments, 
 charts of navigation, forms of unknown 
 trees and plants, and fuch like things, as 
 all gentlemen who deliorht in traveliino; are 
 curious to have. There v,^ere indeed fome 
 lines, circles, fegments of circles, which 
 we fuppofed the informing lady meant ; 
 but looked like an attempt to find out the 
 longitude, rather than any magical f:hemes. 
 — 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 
 v/ere feveral common books of devotion, 
 fuch as are approved by our church, and 
 feemed pretty well ufed -, by which we jud- 
 ged him to be really a Catholic, and a per- 
 fon of no bad morals. But as nothing 
 looks fo hke an honeft man as a knave, 
 this did not take away all our fufpicion. 
 
 When v/e came to onen the cabinets, 
 
 in the firft of them, which belonged to 
 him, we found in one of the drawers about 
 four hundred and fifty Roman crowns, 
 with other fmall money, and fome fortign 
 c iii along with it, as Turkifli fequins, 
 
 C and 
 
26 INTROi:)UCTION. 
 
 and fome we knew nothing of. The fuai 
 nut being very extraordinary, we could 
 conchide nothin-r from thence. In ano- 
 ther drawer we found fcveral precious 
 floncs, fome fet, iome unfet, of a very 
 great value, fo far from beinf^; counterfeit, 
 that we never fiiw any fo brilliant. Belides, 
 feveral pieces of native gold, of fuch fine- 
 nefs, as nothing with us can come up to 
 it. In a third, we found a fmall heap of 
 medals, mod of gold, but of an unknown 
 flamp and antiquity. There were outland- 
 ifli ilones of odd figures enough, which to o- 
 thers might look like talifmans, but we took 
 them for fome out-of-the-way curiofities. 
 In a private drawer in the centre of the ca- 
 binet, theic was fomething wrapt up in a 
 piece of green filk of wonderful finenefs, 
 all embroidered with hearts and hands join- 
 ed together, v/rought in gold with prodi- 
 [.^ious art, and intermixed v/ith different 
 fiower?, unknown in our part of the 
 world ; in tlie midil of it was an azure 
 Hone, as large as the palm of one's hand, 
 fet round w'nh rul')ies of very great vahie, 
 on which was nK)il artfully ]\\inted in mi- 
 niature, a woman at length, holding a 
 little boy in her left hand, the nioll beau- 
 tii'ul creatu e that ever eyes beheld ; clad 
 likewiie in green filk fpangled with golden 
 lun . : their complexion was fomething 
 darker than iltat of ovir Italian ladies •, bur 
 
 tlic 
 
1 N 1 R O D U C T I O N. 27 
 
 the features, efpecially the v/oman's, fo 
 uncommonly beautiful as if (he had been of 
 another fpecies. Underneath was ingra- 
 ved with a diamond in a modern hand, 
 ^eMo fclo. You may be fure. Sir, this 
 raifed our ideas of the man ; at firfl, we 
 thought he had the fccret of the philofo- 
 pher's Rone : but in all his inventory we 
 could find no implements of that arr. 
 Then v/e thought he mull have been fome 
 famous pirate ^ or one vv'ho had robbed the 
 cabinet of fome great prince, and was come 
 to live at Bologna in that private manner, 
 under the dlfguife of a phyfician. But ha- 
 ving been three years in the town, if it had 
 been any European prince, the world 
 would have had an account cf it before 
 now : fo we concluded that either v/hat he 
 fajd of that unknown country was true, or 
 that he had robbed fome of the eaPcern 
 princes, and got off clear with his prize. 
 But the pi6lure of the woman made us in- 
 cline to think, he had married fome out- 
 landifh queen, and on her death had reti- 
 red with his elfedls. The reft of the draw- 
 ers Were full of natural cuiiofities of fo- 
 reign plants, roots, bones of animals, 
 birds, infejis, &c. from whence very like- 
 ly he took his ]>hyfical fecrets. The other 
 cabinet, which belonged to the elderly la- 
 dy, was very rich, but nothing equal to 
 the liril ^ there were a great majiy fmall 
 
 C 2 jeweh:. 
 
28 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 jewels, and fome very fine pearls, with 
 bracelets, pendants, and other curious or- 
 naments beloniiing to women -, and a little 
 pidlure of a very handlbme man about thir- 
 ty, nothing like our gentleman, in a war- 
 like drcfs, with a Turkifh fcymitar by his 
 fide, who by his mien feemed to be a man 
 of note. But we could find nothing that 
 could give us any knowledge what they 
 were : fo that v/e were at a lofs with all 
 our fagacity what to think of the matter, 
 or 10 iinCi any juft caufe to keep them in 
 the inquifition : for though we don't dif- 
 cover our motives to other people, we ne- 
 ver proceed againft any one but on very 
 (Irong fuipicions. On which account we 
 v/ere refolvcd to make his confinement as 
 eaiy as poflible, till we could fee further in- 
 to the affair. We had thoughts of exa- 
 mining the woman firft, to get what we 
 could from her for to interrogate him upon ; 
 bur fne not underftanding Jtahan enough, 
 we lent to Venice with our accuftomed pri- 
 vacy, for fome of your people, tliat trade 
 to tlie Levant, to be our interpreters. In 
 the mean time we refolved to try wli^t we 
 could get out of Iiim by his own confef- 
 fion •, fo we fent for him before us. He 
 came inro -tlie room with a modcll 'incon- 
 cernednef;, that rather ar^^ucd wonder than 
 fear : we had the cabinet antl jewels all be- 
 fore us^ fncwed them to him all togetlier^ 
 
 with 
 
INTRODUCTION. 29 
 
 with the inventory of his goods, afTuring 
 him they lliould be forthcomim'-, in calc 
 we were appriied of his innocence ; but 
 withal advifing him, as well as command- 
 ing him to confefs the truth, and then not 
 a hair of his head ihould be touched. But 
 if ever we caught him in a falfe ilory, all 
 fhould be confiicated, and he never fee fun 
 or moon more. He allured us with great 
 refpe^fl, he would own the truth to every 
 thing we fliould interrogate him about, in 
 an accent that would have perfuaded r.ny 
 one of his fincerity, humbly deftring to 
 know what accufations we had againft him. 
 We anfwered, that was not the method of 
 the inquifition ; but that he fhould anhver 
 directly to our interrogatories. As the ho- 
 ly office chiefly concerns itfelf about reli- 
 gion, we afked him firfl, what religion he 
 was of. The reafon of this was, becaufe, 
 though he profelfed himfelf a Catholic, v/e 
 we were to keep up the forms : neither did 
 we know but that he might be fome Jew 
 or Tuikifh fpy in mafquerade : then his 
 name •, i^lace of his birch •, where he v/as 
 educated ; how he came by thole jewels -, 
 what v/as the o'ccafion of his fettling at Bo- 
 logna •, v/ho that elderly lady w^as -, in fine, 
 every thing in general and paiticular we 
 could think of at fiiil., the better to con:- 
 pare his anjwers afterv/ards. Me told us, 
 he v,';.s a Catliclic bred and boin •, always 
 
 C 3 profeflbd 
 
30 INTP.ODUCTION. 
 
 profefled himfclf fuch ; and in that faitli 
 would live and die, let what would happen 
 to him. He explained himrdf on the chief 
 heads, to fliew that he was well inftru^ted 
 in his religion : lie appealed to all the in- 
 quiries we could make, whether he had 
 not behaved as a Catholic on all occafions ; 
 namiing a Capuchin in the town, who was 
 his father confefTor •, to whom, he faid, he 
 gave leave to declare all he knew on that 
 head. As to his nam.e, he faid, his true 
 jiame was Gaiulentio di Lucca^ though born 
 at Ragufa. That his father was a merchant 
 trading to the Levant •, which employment 
 he defigned to follov; himfelf •, but in his 
 firft voyage was taken by an Algerine pi- 
 rate, who carried him a flave to Grand Cai- 
 ro, and fold him to a merchant, of what 
 country nobody knew •, which merchant 
 took him along with him, throuc;h the vaft 
 deferts of Africa, by a way he would de- 
 fcribe to us if we required it, till he came 
 to a country, perhaps the moit civilized 
 and polite in the whole univerfe. In that 
 country he lived near five and twenty 
 ycais, till on the death of his wife, and his 
 only furviving fon, whofe pictures were in 
 that cabinet, the melancholy difaller made 
 him induce his father-in-lav/, who was the 
 merchant that had fuil bought him, to 
 take another jouriu'y to Crand Cairo, from 
 whemc he mip-ht'*be able to return to his 
 
 native 
 
INTRODUCTION. 31 
 
 native country. This the merchant (for 
 he palTed for luch, though he was a great 
 ruler in his own country) complied with : 
 but happening 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 moil of his effects, and 
 part of the jewels we faw before us. That 
 being now entirely at liberty, he returned 
 in a French lliip trading from Marfeilles to 
 the Levant, the mafter's name Francois Xa- 
 vier Godart^ who by agreemient was to land 
 him at Venice •, but touching at Candy, 
 they accidentally laved the life of that el- 
 derly lady, and brought her off along with 
 them, for which they were purfued by two 
 Turkifh velTels, and carried prifoners to 
 Conflantinople, but releafed by the order of 
 the Sultanefs mother. That Monfieur Go- 
 dart was well known at Venice ; particular- 
 ly by Signor Corridani, an eminent mer- 
 chant there, who could affure us of the 
 truth of vvhat he faid. That, in fine, ha- 
 ving ftaid feme time at Venice, to fee the 
 cuiiofities and the carnival, an affair rela- 
 ting to the young lady we faw with him, 
 when he was leized> and the love he had 
 for learning, Bologna being a famous uni- 
 verfity, induced him to fettle there, where 
 he prefumed we had been very well inform- 
 ed of his behaviour ever fmce. This, 
 faid he, is the mofl fuccind acccunt 1 can 
 
 give 
 
32 INTRODUCTION". 
 
 give to your Reverence.*^, on the intciroga- 
 tories you have propofcd to me •, tliough 
 my life has been chequered with fuch a va- 
 riety of incidents, as would take a great 
 deal of time to dcfcend to pariculars. 
 We looked at one another with fome fur- 
 prife at this ftrange account, which he de- 
 livered with fuch an air of fleadinefs, as 
 fcarce left any room to doubt of the truth 
 of it. However, our fuperior turning to 
 him, faid, Signor Gaudentio, we neither 
 believe nor difbelieve what you tell us •, 
 as we condemn no man without a full con- 
 vi6lion of his crime, fo we are not to be 
 impofed upon by the accounts people may 
 give of themfelves. What is here before 
 us, fliews there is lomething extraordinaiy 
 in tlie cafe. If we find you to be an im 
 poftor, you fliall fufTer as fuch •, in the 
 mean time, till we can.be better inform- 
 ed, we injoin you to give in your whole 
 life, with all occurrences, except your pri- 
 vate fins, if you have any, in writin?: ; 
 Wliich you fliall read to us, and be crofs- 
 examined, as we think proper. It vv'ill 
 concern you therefore to be very exaft, for 
 nothing will pafs here but innocence, or a 
 fincere repentance. 
 
 This, Sir, is the manufcript I fend you, 
 given in by himielf as ordered •, with the 
 inquifitors interrogatories as we examined 
 itj article by article. AVhich interrogato- 
 ries 
 
INTRODUCTION. S3 
 
 ries I have inferted as they were propofed, 
 with a further account at the end, for the 
 better clearing of the whole. We beg you 
 to inform yourfelf of the fa6ts, which his 
 niemoirs fay happened to him at Venice, 
 particularly about Monfieur Godart. Be- 
 fides, Sir, you that can trace ;^U the 
 branches of ancient hiflory to the fountain- 
 head, are able to form a better judgment 
 of the probability of his relation. 'He is 
 ftill in the inquifidon, and offers himfelf to 
 condud fome of our miflionaries, to preach 
 the gofpel to thofe unknown people. The 
 length of this only gives me leave to afTure 
 you, that 1 am, with the greateil efleem i- 
 ni agin able, 
 
 S I R, &c. 
 
 Bologna, Y. AlISIO D£ St Ivorio. 
 
 July 2p. 172 1. 
 
 T II E 
 
T li E 
 
 ADVENTURES 
 
 O F 
 
 Sior* Gaudentio di Lucca. 
 
 I Should be infenfible, 'Reverend Father?, 
 if I were not highly concerned to find 
 myfclf under any accufation before 
 this holy tribunal, which I revere with all 
 the powers of my foul : but efpecially if 
 your Reverences fliould harbour any fini. 
 fter opinion of my religion ; for I was 
 born and bred up in «flie bofom of the 
 moil holy catholic church, as well as my 
 parents before me ; in the defence of which 
 my anceilors fpent part of their blood, 
 againlt tiic infidels, and enemies of our 
 laich •, and for which faith I am ready to 
 lay down my life. But I am as yet a ftran- 
 gcr to your Rev^erences, and on feveral ac- 
 counts may be liable to fufpicion. Where- 
 fore 1 blame not the juflice of your proceed- 
 ing, but rather extol your goodnels in allov/- 
 ing me the liberty to clear myfclf, by a true 
 and fincere dechiiatinn of my whole life, 
 wherein, I own, have happened feveral afto- 
 
 niiliing 
 
The Adventures, ^c. 35 
 
 nlflnng and almoft incredible occurrences ; 
 all which I lliall lay before your Reverences, 
 according to the commands impofed on me, 
 with the utmoft candour and fincerity. 
 
 My name is Gandentio di Lticca : I was 
 fo called, becaufe my anceflors were faid to 
 be originally of that place ; though they 
 had been fettled for fome time at Ragufa, 
 where I v>'as born : both which places are 
 not fo far off, but they may be very well 
 known to your Reverences. My father's 
 name was Gafparino di Lucca, heretofore 
 a merchant of fome note in thofe parts ; 
 my mother was a Corfican lady, reported to 
 be defcended from thofe who had been the 
 chief perfonages in that ifland. My grand- 
 father was likewife a merchant : but my 
 great-grandfather, Bernandino di Lucca, 
 was a loldier, and Captain of the great Ve- 
 nerio's own galley*, wlio was general for 
 the Venetians in the famous battle of Lc- 
 panto againil the Turks. We had a tradi- 
 tion in our family, that he was Venerio's 
 ion by a Grecian lady of great quality, 
 fome lay defcended from the Paleologi, who 
 had been emperors of Conflantinople. But 
 llie dying in childbed, and they having been 
 only privately married, Venerio bred him 
 up as the fon of a friend of his who was 
 
 * This pavt of the account Is certainly true; there 
 ras fuch a captain in the liil of the ofHcers in that fa- 
 r.i'jLjs iiattle. 
 
 killed 
 
36 The Adventures of 
 
 killed in the war??. That famous battle, in 
 \vhich the Cliriltians and Venerio got lo 
 great renown agiinft the Turks, inftead 
 of raifing my great-grandfather's fortune, 
 was the occafion of his retiring from the 
 wars, and turning merchant. The reafon 
 was this : Venerio the Venetian admiral had 
 caufed a Spanifli captain to be hung up at 
 the yard-arm for mutiny * -, which fevere 
 
 * It is likewlfe true, that there was Tjch a quarrel be- 
 tween Don John of Aultria, the generahfTimo, and Ve- 
 nerio admiral of the Venetian galleys ; which had Hke 
 to have put the whole Chriflian fleet at variance together, 
 before the battle, and ruined the hopes of all Chrillen- 
 dom. The occafion was as he itlates it : Don John, 
 as generahlfimo, viewing the whole fleet before the light, 
 and finding the Venetian galleys too thinly manned, or- 
 dered four thoufand Spaniards to be put onboard the faid 
 galleys. Bat one Mutio TortoM» a Spanifli captain, pro- 
 ving mutinous, after a great many injuiious words, came 
 to blows witl) the captain of the Venetian galley where he 
 was; upon which the whole fleet fell to it. Venerio, 
 hearing the uproar, fcnt his own captain to fee what w.is 
 the matter; but the proud Spaniards treated him no bet- 
 ter thaa they did the reft; fo that Venerio himfelf was for- 
 ced to come to app^'afe them ; but feeing the Spanifli captain 
 perfifl in his mutinous temper, and the a'front he had put 
 upon his captain, who was reported to be his fon, order- 
 ed fortona and his enHgn to be hung at the yard-arm. 
 At this all the Spaniards in the fleet were up in arms, and 
 threatentd to cut the Venetians to pieces ; but, by the 
 interpufuion of the other generals, the matter was made 
 up till after the figlit ; when Veneiio, who had behaved 
 with incomparable valour, and, according to Don John's 
 own confeflion, was the chief occasion of the vitftory, to 
 appeafc the haughty Spaniard, had his comrnifllon taken 
 from him, and w.is recalled by the fcnate. 
 
 diiciplinc 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. 37 
 
 ^flifcipline fo dlfpleafed Don John of Au- 
 ilria, generaliflimo of the whole fleet, tha.t, 
 after the battle, the Venetians, to appeaie 
 Don John, and not to be deprived of the 
 fuccours of the Spaniards againft the Turks, 
 were forced to facrifice Venerio's honour 
 to the refentment of the Spaniards, and 
 put him out of commiilion *. After this 
 difgrace, Venerio retired -, and my great- 
 grandfather, whofe fortune depended on 
 his having been bred up to the fea, turned 
 merchant, or rather privateer againft the 
 Moors ', and, with the knights of Malta, 
 not only did great fervice againft them, 
 
 * It was Fufcarini, who was made general of the Ve- 
 netians in Vjenerio's (lead. 
 
 Every one who is the lead acquainted with hiflory, 
 knows that the battle of Lepanto was the greateft fea- 
 fight that ever was fought between the Chriflians and 
 Turks ; and the viiftory on the ChrilHans fide the mod 
 CiguA. The Spanilli galleys were commanded by Don 
 John of Aullria, geaeralilTimo : the Pope's galleys, by 
 the famous Colonna : the Genocfe by old Doric, who 
 had gained fo much renown againft the Turks and French, 
 under Charles V. the Venetians by the great Venerio, 
 one of the braveft foldiers of his time. Haiy the Turk, 
 great bafTa of the fea, wss fiain, andalmoflall the Turk- 
 iih commanding officers kih'ed or taken. Among the 
 prifoners, were Haly's two fons, nephews to the Grand 
 Signor. Of the common foldiers of tiie Turks, were flain 
 two and thirty thoufand : a Ivjndrcd and foity-one of the 
 enemy's galleys were taken, forty funk or burnt ; of gal- 
 liots and other fmall vefTels were taken about l^xty. Vidi^ 
 the Turkifli hiflory, and. other accounts of this famous 
 battle, and the whole sifair as is there related. The bat- 
 tle \^ils fought on the 7th of Ot^ober, 15 7 1. 
 
 D but 
 
6 
 
 S The Adventures of 
 
 but made a conridcrabk fortune in the 
 world. 
 
 Bill to return to myfclf : My father, 
 Iiaving a }">lentiful fortune, took particular 
 care of the education of his children : he 
 had only two fons, of whom I was the 
 youngeli, and a daughter, who died young. 
 Finding; 1 had a jrreat inclination to learnincr, 
 he promoted it, by providing nie with the 
 befb mailers, till I was fit to go to the uni- 
 verfity. The knowledge of languages be- 
 ing of great ufe as well as ornament to 
 young gentlemen, he himfelf, by way of 
 recreation, taught me that mixed language 
 called Lingua Franca^ fo necefiary in east- 
 ern countries. It is made up of Italian, 
 Turkiili, Perfian, and Arabian, or rather a 
 jargon of all languages together. He fcarce 
 ever fpoke to us but in that language, faying, 
 we might learn Latin from our mailers, 
 and our mother-ton,L',ue fiom our playfel- 
 lows. The lame reafon induced him to 
 fend me to the famous univerfity of Paris, 
 to learn French at the fame time with my 
 other (ludies. 1 lived in the college des 
 (hiatre Nations, and maintained my theies 
 of univerial philofophy under the celebrated 
 Monfieur Du Ilamel, who was one of the 
 iirft in the univerfity, who decried Arifto- 
 tlc's philofophy, and leaned towards the o- 
 pinions of Defcartes. 
 
 \1^ccretcry. Here the inquifitors muttered 
 
 a 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. 39 
 
 a little, fearing he was inclined to the 
 Copernican fyilem, which has been con- 
 demned at Rome. But, fince it regard- 
 ed philolbphical matteis only, they paiT- 
 edit over.] • 
 1 was enteiing into my nineteen tii year,' 
 and had Ibme thoughts of taking to the 
 church, when my brother wrote me the 
 melancholy account of my father and mo- 
 ther's death, and the unfortunate occafion of 
 it ; which in lliort \7as, that having loft 
 his richeft iliip, with all his effedls, by pr- 
 fates, and his chief fa6lor at Siliyrna being 
 gone off, his other correlpondents came 
 upon him thick •, and not being in a con- 
 dition to anfwer their calls, it threw him 
 and my mother into a deep melancholy, 
 which Ihortened 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 y but acquainted 
 me, he had made a fhift to fit out a fmall 
 veffel, wherein he had put hrs all -, and in- 
 vited me to join the fmall pordon that fell 
 to my fharc along with him, with which, 
 he faid, we could make a pretty good bot- 
 tom •, and fo retrieve the Ihattered fol'tune 
 of our fimily. 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 left, together with my little 
 ftock, into that unfortunate bottom. We 
 
 D 2 fee 
 
40 The Adventures of 
 
 fet fail fioni Ragufa the 3d of March^ 
 anro Dom. 1688, very inaufpicioufly for 
 my ^icar brother, as will appear by the fe- 
 quel. We touclied at Smyrna, to fee if we 
 could hear any thing of my father's fa6lor : 
 and were told, that he was turned Turk,, 
 and gone off, very magnificently drefled up 
 in borrowed feathers, to fettle at Conftanti- 
 nople ; however v/e picked up fomething 
 of fome honed Chriilian merchants, with 
 "whom he had lodged a part of his effedls.. 
 This encouraged us to proceed to Cyprus and 
 Alexandria ; but, as w^e were purluing our 
 voyage one morning, in a prodigious fog, 
 as if the fea was nital to our family, we 
 fpied on a fudden two Algerine rovers bear- 
 ing down upon us, one on each fide. We 
 had fcaice time to clear our little vclTel, 
 when they fired upon us, and called to us to 
 ftrike, or we were dead men. My brother 
 and 1, confidering that our all was at fiake, 
 and that wx had better die honourably than 
 be made flaveS by thofe unbelieving mifcre- 
 ants, called up our men, who were but 
 twenty-three in all, of whom live were young 
 gentlemen who had engaged to try their 
 fortune along v/ith us, Wc were armed on- 
 ly with fwords, and piftols under our girdles. 
 After a fhort conRiltation, it was agreed to 
 fjc;ht it out to the lafl man : and we turned 
 back to back to make head againft both fides, 
 my brother in the middle of one rank, and 
 
 myfelf 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. 4$' 
 
 rhyfelf in the other. The enemy boarded us' 
 in great numbers, looking on us as mad- 
 men to pretend to make any refiflance •, but 
 they were foon made to leap back, at leail 
 all that were able •, for being clofe up with 
 them, and they crouded tcgethe;*, we fired 
 our pillols fo luckily, that fcarce one miffed 
 doing execution. Seeing them in this confu- 
 fion we miade a pufh at them on each fide,. 
 i\\\\ keeping our ranks, and drove the re- 
 mainder headlong off tlie deck. This we did 
 twice before any of our men dropt. We were 
 grappled fo clofe, they had no ufe of their 
 cannon or mulkets, and fcarce thought of 
 firing their piflols at us, expecting we Ihould 
 yield immediately, or to have borne us down 
 with their weight. I am m.ore particular in 
 defcribing this pettv fight, fince there are- 
 but ft\Y examples, where a handful of men 
 made fuch a long 'refifiancc. The arch-pi- 
 rate, who was a flour, well-built young 
 man, raged Hke a lion, calling his n:en a 
 thpufand covvards, fo loud that his voice 
 was heard above all rhe cries of the foldiers. 
 The edge ot their fury was a little abated 
 after the dropping of fo many men •, and they 
 beg;an to fire at fome diftance : which did us 
 more harm than their moft furious attacks. 
 My brother, feeing his men begin to drop 
 in their turn, ordered me to face the one fhip, 
 while he wirh his rank leaped in amongil 
 the enem-ies in the other. lie did it with 
 
 D 3 fucb 
 
42 TliC Adventures ot 
 
 fuch a noble intrepidity, that he made a gap 
 among the thickeft of them immediately. 
 But their numbers clofing together, their 
 very ^^'eight drove him back in Ipite of ail 
 he could do, and he loft feVeral of his men 
 before he could recover his pod. The ene- 
 my would neither board us, nor leave us -, 
 but firing at us continually, ftill killed fome 
 of our men. There were now only eleven 
 of Its left •, and no hopes of vicSlory, or of 
 quarter after fuch obftinate refiftance. They 
 duril nut come to a clofe- engagement with 
 us for all this •, wlien my brother, to die as 
 honourably as he could, once more leaped 
 into the pirate's fhip, and feeing their cap- 
 tain in the midil of them, made at him with 
 all his nnight, calling on the few he had left- 
 to fcconfl him. He foon cut his way through j. 
 but juft as he was coming up to him, a cow- 
 ardly Turk clapt a piftol juft below liis two- 
 fiioulder-blades, and, I believe, fhot him 
 quite through the heart, for he dropped down 
 dead on the fpot. The Turk that fhot him 
 was run through the body by one of our 
 men, and he himfelf with the others that 
 were left, being quite overpowered, were 
 all cut in pieces. 1 had yet four men left 
 on my lide againft the lelfer fhip, and had 
 till then kept off the enemy from boarding ; 
 but the pirates giving a great fliout at my 
 brother's fall, the captain of the fhip I was 
 engaged with, who was the arch-pirate's bro- 
 ther, 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. 43 
 
 ther, cried out to his crew, that it was a 
 fliame to (land all day firing at five men •, 
 and leaping on my deck, made at me like a 
 man of honour, with his piftol flcadily poi- 
 fed in his hand : I met him with equal refo- 
 lution. He came boldly up within fword's 
 length, and fired his piftol diredly at my 
 face •, he aimed his fhot fo well, that one 
 of the balls went through my hair, and 
 the other grazed the fide of my neck. 
 But before he could fecond his fhot, 1 gave 
 him fuch a ftroke with my broad fword, be- 
 tween the temple and the left ear, that it 
 cut through part of his fcull, his cheek-bone, 
 and going crofs his mouth, almoft fevered 
 the lower part of his face from the upper. 
 I had juft the fatisfadion to fee him fall, 
 when a mufket-ball went through the braw- 
 ny part of my right arm, and,, at the fame 
 time, a Turk hit me juft in the nape of the 
 neck with the butt end of his mufket, 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 after, 
 fell honourably by my fide. The Turks 
 poured in from both ilrlps like wolves upon 
 their prey. After their barbarous fhours and 
 yelling for the vidlory, they fell to ftripping 
 the dead bodies, and threw them into the 
 fea without any further ceremony. All our 
 erev/, befide myfelf, were flain, or gafping, 
 with threefcore and fifteen of the enemy. 
 
 The 
 
44- The Adven^ti'res of 
 
 The reafon why we fought fo defpcrately 
 was, that we knew very well, having killed 
 fo many at the firfl attacks, we were to cxpecl 
 no quarter ; fo we were refolved to fell our 
 lives as dear as we could. When they came 
 to (li ip me like the refb, I was jufl come to 
 myfelf, being only llunncd by the ftroke of 
 the mufket. They found by my cloaths, 
 that I was one of the moft conliderable per- 
 fons of the crew. I was got upon my 
 knees, endeavourinnr to rife, and reaching 
 for my fword to. defend myfelf to the lalt 
 gafp •, I found I could not hold it in my hand, 
 by reafon of the wound in my arm, iliougll 
 if I could, it had been needlefs ; for three 
 of them fell down upon nie-, and prelfed mc 
 to the deck, while others brought cords 
 and tied niy hands, to carry me to the cap- 
 tain. He was dreffing a fliglit wound he 
 had in his leg with a j'iftol-lhot •, and four 
 women in Perlian habits were llandinn; by ; 
 three of whom fecmed to be attendants to the 
 fourth, who was a j^erfon of the largeft lizc, 
 about five or fix and twenty, a moft exquifite 
 beauty, except that fhe had an Amazonian 
 kind of fiercenefs in her looks. When I was 
 brought thus bound to the captain, -they af- 
 fured him I was the man that had flain his 
 brother, and done tlie moft harm of any. 
 Upon which, ftarting up in the greateftfuiy 
 a barbarian was capable of, and calling for a 
 new fcymitar he had in his cabin, he faid-, 
 
 '' Let 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. 45 
 
 ^* Let me cleave, if I can, the head of this 
 " Chriftiandog, as he did my poor brother's ^ 
 *^' and then do you chop him into a thou- 
 " fand pieces." With that he drew the 
 fcymitar, and was going to ftrike, when, to 
 the aftonifhment of the very barbarians^ 
 the ftrange lady cried out, " O fave the 
 *-' brave young man ! " and immediately 
 falling down on her knees by me, catched 
 me in her arms, and clafping me clofe to 
 her bofom, covered my body with hers^. 
 and cried out, " Strike, cruel man, but 
 " flrike through me, for otherwife a hair 
 " of his head fliall not be Iiurt." The 
 barbarians that ftood round us were ilruck 
 dumb with amazement ; and the pirate 
 himfelf lifting up his eyes towards heaven, 
 faid, with a groan enough to break his 
 heart, " How, cruel woman ! fhall this 
 " ftranger in a moment obtain more than 
 " 1 can with all my fighs and tears ! Is this 
 " your paramour that robs me of what I 
 " have fought for with the danger of life ? 
 " No, this Chriftian dog fhall be no longer 
 " my curfed rival y' and lifting up his 
 hand, was again going to ftrike, when, 
 covering me more clofely with her delicate 
 body, fhe cried out again, " Hold, Plamet ! 
 *' this is no rival ; I never faw his face be- 
 " fore, nor ever will again, if you will but 
 " fpare his life : grant me this, and you 
 ^' fliall obtain more from me, than all your 
 
 " lervices 
 
4^ The Adventures of 
 
 ' ferviccs could ever do." Here he beo-an' 
 paufc a little. For my part, I was as much 
 n amaze as he was. After a little paufe. 
 Cruel woman," faid he, *' whit is the 
 meaning of ihis .?" Says fne, " There ^s 
 fomething in thjs young man (for I was bat 
 turned of nineteen) that he mud not die. 
 But, if you will engage and fwear by the 
 mod holy Alcoran, that you will do him 
 no harm, I not only promife to be your 
 wife, but, to take off all umbrage of 
 jcaloufy, 1 give you leave to fell him to 
 Ibme honouiable peribn for a Have •, and 
 will never fee him more." Nor would 
 fhc part from me, till he had fworn in that 
 Iblemn manner, never to do me any hurt 
 diredly or indiredly •, and, for greater fecu- 
 rity, Jhe ordered one of her own fervants to 
 attend me conftantly. So I was unbound •, 
 and the lady, without fo much as looking 
 at me, or flaying to receive my thanks, re- 
 tired with her v/omen into the cabin. The 
 pirate, who had fomething very noble in his 
 looks for a Turk, confirmed again to me 
 in the hearing of her olficer, that I fhould 
 receive no harm •, and then ordered me to 
 be carried under deck to the other end of 
 the fliip •, commanding his men to fleer 
 back for Alexandria, in order, as I fuppo- 
 ycd, to difpofc of me the firfl opportunity, 
 
 that 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. 47 
 
 tkat he might be rid, as he thought, of fo 
 
 formidable a rival *. 
 [Secretary, Here tlie fuperior of the in- 
 jquifuion receiving a rneiTage on fome 
 other bufmefs, we told him we would 
 jconfider further of the account he had 
 given us, which, we faid, might be 
 true, though the adventure was extra- 
 ordinary •, and that we would hear the 
 remainino; narrative of his life another 
 time. He afTured us with the moil na- 
 tural air, that the whole, let it feem 
 never fo extraordinary, was real facl. 
 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 flory : however, fome of the inqui- 
 fitors afked him the following queftions. 
 jfi Inquijitor. Why did you not yield at 
 firft, confidering the prodigious inequa- 
 lity of your ftrength and numbers, 
 when you might have been ranfomed 
 afterwards j and not, like madmen, 
 expofe yourfelves to be cut in pieces, 
 ^s they all really were; except yourfelf ? 
 
 * This Is an o>M adventure enough ; but the clr- 
 cumftances are pretty well connected together. There 
 happen very ftrange accidents among thofe lawlefs eafl- 
 ern people, and the wild Arabs, who obfcive no rules 
 but what the lions and tigers, could they fpeak, would 
 ipake tor their own prefervatlon. I fear there are fome 
 y»l\o profcfs themfelves Chrillians would do the fame. 
 
 Gaudentio. 
 
•^S The Adventures of 
 
 Gaudentio. I tokl 5'our Reverences, wc • 
 had put our all in that bottom •, which ., 
 once loil, wc had nothing to ranlbm 
 ourlelves with, but in all likelihood 
 muft have remained in miierablc flave- 
 ry all our life. We were mod of us 
 rafh young men, of moie courage than 
 prudence •, we did not doubt but we 
 could keep them off from boarding us, 
 as we did ^ and thought, by their warm 
 reception, they would iiaVe been forced 
 to Iheer off ; befides, fighting againft 
 Turks and infidels, though for our lives 
 and fortunes, we judged meritorious at 
 the lame time, and that it might be 
 looked upon as laying down our lives 
 for our holy religion. 
 id Inquifitor. You faid that the (Irange 
 lady cried out^ " There is Ibmething 
 " in that young man, that tells me be 
 " mufi not die :'* I liope you do not 
 pretend to the Icience of phyfiognomy -, 
 which is one of the branches of divina- 
 tion •, or that an infidel or Heathen wo- 
 man could have the fpiiit of prophecy I 
 Gaudentio, I cannot tell what was her 
 motive for faying lb *, I only relate 
 matter of fadl. As for phyfiognomy, 
 1 do not think there can be any certain- 
 ty in it. Not but that a peribn of pe- 
 netration, who has obferved the hu- 
 iiijurs and paffions of men, and confi- 
 
 derinGC 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. 49 
 
 derino; the little care the G;eneralitv of 
 the world take to conceal them ; I fay, 
 fuch a perfon may give a great guels, 
 a pojiermij how they are inclined ; 
 though reaibn and virtue may indeed 
 overcome the moll violent. But I en- 
 tirely fubmit my opinion to your better 
 judgments. 
 
 Secretary. I cannot fay, we were diifatif- 
 fied with thefe anfwers : we faw he has 
 a very noble prefencc ; and mufl have 
 been extremely handfomc in his youth : 
 therefore no wonder a Barbarian woman 
 fliould fall in love with him, and niake 
 ufe of that turn to five his life. H w- 
 ever, for the prefent, wc remanded him 
 back to his apartment. Some days 
 after he was called again to profecute 
 his ilory.] 
 While iwas under deck in confinement 
 with the pirates, feveral of them were tole- 
 rably civil to me ; knowing the afcendant 
 the lady had over their captain, and being 
 witneiles, how (lie had fived my life. But 
 yet Ihe would not confent to marry him, 
 till file was afllircd 1 was fafe out of his 
 hands. The arch-pirate never came to fee 
 me himfelf, not being v/illing to trud his 
 paflion •, or elfe to v/atch all favourable op- 
 portunities of waiting on his miilrefs. One 
 day, being indifpofed for want of air, I beg- 
 ged to be carried upon deck to breathe a 
 
 E little; 
 
50 The Adventures of 
 
 little •, when I came up, I faw tlie hid)% 
 with her women, {landing at the other end 
 of the fliip on the fame account. I made 
 her a very rcfpecflful bow at a diftance •, 
 but as fjon as ever fhe caft her eye on me, 
 fhe went down into the cabin, 1 fuppofe, 
 to keep her promj^ witli the captain, and 
 not to adminiiler any caufe of jealoufy. I 
 defired to be carried down again, not to 
 hinder my bencfadrefs from taking her di- 
 verfion. I cannot fay I found in myfclf the 
 lead inclination or emotion of love, only a 
 fenfe of gratitude for fo great a benefit •, 
 not without fome admiration of the oddnefs 
 of the adventure. When I was below, I 
 afked the moll lenfible and civilized of the 
 pirates, who their captain was.j and who 
 was my fair deliverer. How lon[^, and by 
 what means fhe came to be among them ; 
 becaufe fhe feemed to be a perfon of much 
 higher rank. He told me his captain's 
 name was IJamet^ fon to the Dey of Al- 
 giers \ who had forfaken his father's houfe 
 on account of his young mother-in law's 
 falling in love with bim. For which rcafon 
 liis father had contrived to have him aflafTi- 
 nated, believing him to be In the fault. 
 But his younger brother by the fame mo- 
 ther, difcovered the dcfign. So gathering 
 together a band of (lout young men like 
 themfelves, they feized two of their fatl.^r's 
 Ipcil fliipSj and ri;fulved to follow the pro- 
 
 liilior: 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. 5'i 
 
 fefiion they were now of, till they heard of 
 their father's death. That as for the lady 
 who had faved his life, fhe was the late wife 
 of a petty prince of the Curdi *, tributary 
 to the king of Perfia, whofe hufband had 
 been lately killed by treachery, or in an 
 ambufcade of the wild Arabs. That, as 
 far as he had been infoifl^ed, the prince her 
 hulband had been fent by the king-^his 
 mafter to Alexandria -f ; who, apprehend- 
 ing an infuredion' among his fubjecls J, 
 had ordered him to treat for fome troops of 
 Arabian horfe i|. That he went there with 
 
 a 
 
 *' The Curdi, or people of Curdiflan, are a warlike 
 nation, paying a fmall tribute to the Perfians, and fome- 
 timcs to the Turks ; their very women are mania!, and 
 handle the Tword and pike. The country runs from the 
 Aliduli, a mountainous people, made tributary to the 
 Turks by Selim I. father of Sohman the ^lagnificent, 
 and reaches as far as Armenia. 
 
 f Alexandria is a Tea-port, at the further end of the 
 Mediterranean, belonging to ihe Turks, but much frc 
 quenttd by Arabian merchants, both by- land and fea. 
 One point of Curdiftan is not far from this port. 
 
 :}: This infurredion he fpeaks of, might be tlie feeds, 
 or the firlt plotting of the grand rebellion of Merowits, 
 which began about the date of this account, and caufed 
 fuch a terrible revolution In the Perfian empire ; whicli 
 DO one who underfbnds any thing can be ignorant of. 
 
 11 The Arabian hoifes are the bed in the v/orld, 
 though not very large. Thehorfemen are very dexterous 
 in the eaflern way of fighting. On which account, 
 one cannot wonder, if the king of Perfia, and his rebel- 
 lious fubjeds, made it their intercft to piocure as many 
 auxiliaries, as they could. It Is very likely the Jittic 
 
 E 2 pariio. 
 
52 The Adventures of 
 
 a very harAlfonic equipage, and took his 
 bt*autiful wife ;\long with him. Our cap- 
 tain, coniinucd he, hapj^cncd to be there 
 at the lame time to kll his prizes, and had 
 not only fold feveral things of great value 
 to the Curdilh lord and lady, but had con- 
 traded a paticular fiiendlliip with iiim, 
 tliough, as we fou#d fmce, it was more on 
 account of his fair wife than any thing clle. 
 Nothing; in the world could be mo!e oble- 
 4uious than our cajUain. lie attended 
 them, and oifered his fervicq on all occa- 
 iions : vou fee, he is a very handfome man, 
 and daring by his profclTion. We could 
 not imagine of a long wliile, why he made 
 fuch a ihiy at that town, contrary to his cu- 
 llom ; living at a very high rate, as men of 
 our calling generally do. At length the 
 CurdiAi lord havino; executed his commif- 
 lion, was upon the return, when wc percei- 
 ved our captain to grow extrei^JK penfive 
 and melancholv, but could n^Prcll what 
 was the caufe of it. lie called his bro- 
 ther, who loll: his life by your hand, and 
 me to him, and told us in private, he 
 had obferved ionic of the Arabian Gran- 
 gers muttering togcthtcr, as if they were 
 hatching fome plot or other, whether a- 
 gainit himfelf, or tlie Curd, he could not 
 
 parties wouki always he on watcb, to finpilfe one ano 
 ther vhen they could find an opportunity. And tl- 
 petty Curdian prince being zealous for the fervicc of his 
 king, might be lukcn ofl' hy ihe rebels that way. 
 
 ■ tell i 
 
Sigi Gaudentio di Lucca. ^^ 
 
 tell ; but bid us be fure to attend him well 
 armed where-ever he went. The event pro- 
 ved he had reafon for his fufpicions •, for 
 one evening, as the Curd and his wife were 
 taking the air, with our captain, who was 
 always of the party, pafling through a little 
 grove about a league out of town, fix Ara- 
 bian horfemen, exceeding well mounted, 
 came full gallop up to us ; and without 
 faying a word, tvv^o of them fired their pi- 
 ftols dire6tly at the Curdifh lord, who was 
 the foremoft, but by good fortune milTed 
 us all. The Curd, as all that nation are na- 
 turally brave, drew his fcymitar, and rujfh- 
 ing in among them, cut off the foremoft 
 man's head, as clean as if it had been a 
 poppy •, but advancing too far unarmed 
 as he was, one of them turned fhort, and 
 lliot him in the flank, that he dropped 
 down dead immediately. Our captain fee- 
 ing him 'All, rufhed in like lightning, his 
 brother and myfelf falling on them at- the 
 fame time : but the afTaflins, as if they 
 wanted nothing but the death of the Curd, 
 or faw by our countenance their flaying 
 would coft them dear, immediately turned 
 their horfes, and fled fo fwiftly on their 
 jennets, that they were out of light in an 
 infl:ant. We conducted the poor difconfo- 
 late lady and her dead hufband back to the 
 town, where thofe people made no more of 
 it (being accuftomed to fuch things) than if 
 
 E 3 k 
 
5-^ The Adventures of 
 
 it had been a common accident. When her 
 grief was a little abated, cur captain told 
 the lady, that it was not fafe for her to re- 
 turn home the fime way Ihe came j that, 
 in all probability, thofe who killed her luii- 
 band were in confederacy with the dilaf- 
 fecled party, and would waylay her, either 
 for Jiis papers, or her goods. Hiat he had 
 two lliips well- manned at her fcrvice, and 
 would conduct her fafe by lea to Ibme part 
 of the Perfian empire, from whence fhe 
 might get into hei own country. She con- 
 fented at laft, having ieen how gallantly my 
 mailer had behaved in her defence. So fhe 
 came aboard with her attendants and effedts, 
 in order to be tranfported into her own 
 country. Our captain, you may be fure, 
 was in no haile to carry her home, being 
 fallen mod defperately in love with her : fo 
 that inflead of carrying her to any of the 
 Perfian dominions, he direcledfJHs courfe 
 for Algiers, hearing his father was dead ; 
 but meetincr with you, it has made him al- 
 ter his meafures for the prefent. He has 
 tried all ways to gain her love, but ilie 
 would not j;ive liim the lead encourage- 
 ment, till this late accident, by which flie 
 
 faved your life. When he had ended 
 
 his relation, I refledled on it a good while, 
 and confidering the nature of thofe pirates, 
 I thought 1 faw a ])iece of treachery in the 
 afliur, nuicli more black than what he dc- 
 
 fcribcdj 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. ^^ 
 
 fcribed, and could not forbear compafTion- 
 ating the poor lady, both for her difafler, 
 and the company ilie was fallen into. How- 
 ever, I kept my thoughts to myfelf. Not 
 long after we arrived at Alexandria, where 
 the pirate fold all our effeds, that is, the 
 merchandlfe he had taken aboard our fhip, 
 except fome particular things that belonged 
 to my brother and myfelf, as books, pa- 
 pers, maps and fea- charts, pidlures, and 
 the like. He determined to carry me to 
 Grand Cairo *, the firft opportunity, to 
 fell me, or even give me away to a fbrange 
 merchant he had an acquaintance with, 
 where I fhould never be heard of more. 
 Nothing remarkable happened during 
 our flay at Alexandria ; they told me the 
 captain had been m an extraordinary good 
 Juimour, ever fmce the lady's promife to 
 marry him. But fhe, to be fure he fhould 
 not deceive her by doing me any injury 
 w^hen I v/as out of the fliip, ordered her of- 
 ficer to attend me where-ever I was cairied, 
 till I was put in fafe hands, and entirely out 
 of the pirate's power. When we were ar- 
 rived at Grand Cairo, I was carried to the 
 place where the merchants meet to ex- 
 change their commodities ; there were per- 
 fons of almofl all the Eaflern and Indian 
 
 * Grand Cairo is the -place of rcfidence of the great 
 Ba/Ta of Egypt, higher up the country, on the river Nile. 
 
 nationSf 
 
^6 The Adventures of 
 
 nations. The lady's officer, according to 
 his milirefs's order, never ftirred an inch 
 from me to witnefs the performance of the 
 articles. At length, the pirate and a ftrange 
 merchant fpied one another almoll at the in- 
 ftant, and advancing the fame way, fainted 
 eacli other in the Turkifli language, which I 
 underftood tolerably well. After Jome mutu- 
 al compliments, the pirate told him he had 
 met with fuch a peribn he had promifed to 
 procure for him two years before, meaning 
 myfelf •, only I was not an eunuch, but that 
 it was in his pOwer to make me fo, if he 
 pleafed. Your Reverences cannot doubt 
 but 1 was a little ftartled at fuch a fpeech, 
 and was going to reply-, ^hat 1 would lofe 
 my life a thoufand times, before 1 would 
 fuller liich an injury. But the lady's officer 
 turned to the pirate, and faid, he had en- 
 gaged to his lady I fhould receive no harm •, 
 and that he mult never expert to obtain her 
 for his wife, if Ihe had the lead fufpidon of 
 fuch a thing. But the merchant foon put 
 us out of doubt, by alluring us, that it was 
 againll their laws to do fuch an injury to 
 any one of their own fpecies •, but if it were 
 done before, they could not help it. Then 
 turning to mc, he laid in very ^ood Lingua 
 Franca^ '' Young man, if 1 buy you, I 
 fhall loon convince you, you need not ap- 
 prehend any fuch uiage from me." He 
 eyed me from top to toe, with the moft pe- 
 netrating 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. ^J 
 
 netrating look I ever faw in my life ; yet 
 I'eemed pleafed at the fame time. He was ve- 
 ry richly clad, attended v/ith two young men 
 in the fame kind of drefs, though not rich, 
 who feemed rather fons than fervants. His 
 age did not appear to me to be above for- 
 ty, yet he had the molt ferene and almoft ve- 
 nerable look imaginable. His complexion 
 was rather browner than that of the Egypti- 
 ans, but it feemed to be more the effect of 
 travelling, than natural. In fhoit, he had 
 an air fo uncommon, that I was amazed, 
 and began to have as great an opinion of 
 him, as he feemed to have of me. He afk- 
 ed the pirate, w^hat he muil give for me \ 
 he told him, I had coft him very dear, 
 and with that recounted to him all the cir- 
 cumflances of the fight wherein I was ta- 
 Jcen •, and, to give him his due, reprefent- 
 ed it nowife to my difadvantage. How- 
 ever, thefe were not the qualifications the 
 merchant defired ; what he wanted was a 
 perfon who was a fcholar, and could give 
 him an account of the arts and fciences, 
 laws, cuftoms, Ifc. of the Chriilians. 
 This the pirate affured him I could do •, 
 that I was an European Chriflian, and a 
 fcholar, as he guefled by my books and 
 writings •, that I underftood navigation, 
 geoc.raphy, aflronomy, and feveral other 
 fciences. I was out of countenance to hear 
 him talk fo ; for thourzh I had as much 
 
 knov/ledge 
 
58 The Adventures of 
 
 knowledge of thofe fciences, as could be ex- 
 ptcled from one of my years, yet my age 
 "would not permit me to be mafter of them, 
 but only to liave the firfb principles, by 
 wliich I might impiove myfelf afterv/ards. 
 [^Sdcreiajy, The inquifitors demurred a 
 little at this, fearing he might be addict- 
 ed to judicial aftrology -, but confidering 
 he had gone through a courfc of philo- 
 fopliy, and was defigned for the fea, they 
 knew he was obliged to have Tome know- 
 ledge in thofe fciences.] 
 The pirate tuld him, I had fome fkill in 
 mufic and painting, having feen fome in- 
 ft'.uments and books of thofe arts among 
 my effects, and alked me if it were not ib. 
 I tokl him, all young gentlemen of li- 
 beral education in my country learned thefe 
 arts, and that I had a competent knowledge 
 and genius that way. This determnud the 
 merchant to purchafe me. \Vhen they 
 came to the j^rice, the pirate demanded forty 
 ounces of native gold, and three of thofe 
 filk carpets he faw there with him, to make 
 a prefcnt to the Grand Signior. The mer- 
 chant agreed with him at the firft word ; 
 only demanded all the books, globes, ma- 
 thematical inftiument.^, and, in fine, what- 
 ever remained of my effects, into the bargain. 
 The pirate agreed to this, as eafily as the 
 other did to the price •, fo, upon performance 
 of articles on both fides, 1 was delivered to 
 
 him. 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. 59 
 
 him. As foon as I was put into his power, 
 he embraced me with a great deal of tender- 
 nefs, faying, 1 fhould not repent my change 
 of life. His attendants came up to me, and 
 embraced me in the fame manner, calling 
 me brother, and exprefling a great deal of 
 joy for having me of their company. The 
 merchant bid them take me down to the 
 caravanfera or inn, that I might refrefh 
 myfelf, and change my habit to the fame as 
 they wore. I was very much furprifed at 
 fuch unexpefted civilities from flrangers. 
 But, before I went, I turned to the pirate, 
 and faid to him with an air that made the 
 merchant put on a very thoughtful 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 fome time or other to render the 
 like kindnefs. Then turning to the lady's 
 officer, who had been my guardian fo faith- 
 fully, and embracing him with all imagina- 
 ble tendernefs, 1 begged him to pay my befl: 
 refpecls to my fliir deliverer •, and aflure her, 
 that I fliould efleem it the greacefl happinefs 
 to be one day able to make a return for fo 
 unparallelled a favour, though it were at ihe 
 expenfe of that life flie had fo generoully 
 favcd. So we parted, the pirate grumbling 
 a little within himfelf ; and I in an amazing 
 jOjfpenfe, to know what was likely to be- 
 
 con.e 
 
6o The Adventures of 
 
 come of me. As they were condiivfting me 
 to the caraviinfcra where they loilrrcd, I 
 was full of the forrowful refledlion, that I 
 was iVill a Qave, though I had chan;j;ed my 
 mafter : but my companions, who were 
 fome of the handfomell young men I ever 
 faw in life, comforted me with the moll 
 endearino; words, tellino-me that I need fear 
 
 CJ 'CD 
 
 nothing; that I fliould eftecm myfelfone 
 of the happieft men in the world, when 
 they were arrived fafe in their ov;n countrv, 
 v/hich they hoped would be before long •, 
 that I fliould tlien be as free as tliey were, 
 and follow what employment of life my in- 
 clinations led me to, without any reitraint 
 v/hatlbever. In fine, their difcourfe filled 
 me with frefli amazement, and gave me at 
 the lame time an ca<.;er longing to fee the 
 event. 1 perceived they did not keep any 
 flridt guard on me •, that I verily believed I 
 could er.niy have given them the flip •, and 
 might have gotten fome Armenian Chrillian 
 to conceal me, till I fhould tind an opportu • 
 nity of returning into my own country. 
 Bur, having loft all my effeL^s, 1 thought 
 I could fcarce be in a worfe c«)ndition, 
 and was relolved to run all hazards. 
 Wh'en I came to the houfe, I was ftruck 
 with wonder at the magnificence of it, 
 cfpecially at the richnefs of the furniture. 
 It was one of the beft in all Grand Cairo, 
 though built low according to the cuftom of 
 
 th 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. 6i 
 
 the country. It feems they always (laid a 
 year before they returned into their own 
 country, and fpared no coft to make their 
 banilliment, as they called it, as eafy as they 
 could. I was entertained with all the rari- 
 ties of Egypt •, the moll delicious fruits, and 
 the richeft Greek and Afiatic wines that 
 could be tafted •, by which I faw they were 
 not Mahometans. Not knowing what to 
 make of them, I allied them who they 
 were -, of what country, what fec^l and pro- 
 felTion, and the like. They fmiled at my 
 queftions, and told me they v/ere children 
 of the Sun, and were called Mezcranians ; 
 which was as unintelligible to me as all the 
 reft. But their country, they told me, I 
 fliould fee in a few months, and bid me ail: 
 no further queftions. Prefently my mafter 
 came in, and em.bracinor me, once more bid 
 me welcome, with fuch an engaging affiibi- 
 lity, as removed almoft all my fears. But 
 what followed, filled me with the utmoft fur- 
 prife. ''Young man," faid he, " by the laws 
 of this country you are mine ; I have bought 
 you at a very high price, and v/ould give 
 twice as mucli for you, if it were to be done 
 acain : but (continued he, with a more fe- 
 rious air) I knov/ no juft laws in the uni- 
 verfe, that can make a free-born man be- 
 come a (lave to one of his own ipecies. If 
 you will voluntarily go along with us, you 
 (hall enjoy as much freedom as 1 do my- 
 
 F fclf: 
 
f)2 The ADVLNfUllLS 01 
 
 Mi: you fliall be exempt from all the bap-* 
 barous laws of t!,cfe inhuman countries, 
 ^vh()^c brutal cufloms are a reproach to the 
 dignity of a rational creature, an.l wiih 
 \vhom we have no commerce, but to inquire 
 after arts and fcienccs, which may contribute 
 to the comnion benefit of our people. Wc 
 are bledcd with the moft opulent country in 
 the world j v/e leave it to your clioice to go 
 along with us, or not •, if the latter, I here 
 o;ive you your liberty, and rcftore to you all 
 that remains of vour elfet^s, with what af- 
 fjilaRCc you" v/ant to carry you back again 
 into your own country. Only, this I mull 
 tell you, if you go with, us, it is likely you 
 v/ill never corne back again, or peihaps de- 
 iije it." Here he (lopped, and obrer\cd my 
 countenance v/uh a great deal of attention. 
 1 was Ilruck with fuch admiration of his ge- 
 nerofiry, together vv^ith the fentiments of 
 joy for my unexpcJ^.ed liberty, and gradtuc'e 
 to my benefactor, confing iiuo my inind all 
 at once, that 1 had as much difficulty to be- 
 lieve Vvluit 1 heard, as your Reverences may 
 now have at the relation of it, till the fequel 
 informs you cf the rcafonsfor fuch unlieard 
 of proceedings. On the one hand, the natu- 
 ral defire of liberty prompted mc to accept 
 rny f eedom •, on the other, rccnfidered w^j 
 •fliattered fortune; rliat I was left in a (li ang: 
 country fo f r from home, among Turks an - 
 infdcU ; tlv: ardour of vouth excited m.e to 
 
 puHi 
 
Slg. GauDENTIO Dl i.UCCA. Oj 
 
 pull my fortune. The account of fo glc~ 
 rious, tiiough unknown count} y, fbirred up 
 my curiofity •, ] fav^ gold was the Icafl part 
 of the liches of thefc people, who appeared 
 to me the mod civilized I ever faw in my 
 life ; but, above all, the ftnfe of what I 
 owed to fb noble a benefactor, vv!io I favv 
 de fired it, and had mt as much in his 
 pover now% as he coulH have afterwards. 
 /rhefe confederations alniofi determined me 
 to <n) alono; with him. i had continued Ions;- 
 er thus irrefolure, and fiuchiating betvvecn 
 fo many ditferent thoughts, if he had noi 
 brought me to myfelr, by faying, Vvhiat fay 
 you, younfy man, to my propofal ? I Parted 
 our of my reveries, as if 1 liad awaked from 
 a real dream •, and making a m.oil profound 
 reverence, My Lord, faid I, or rather my 
 • father and deliverer, 1 am yours by all the 
 ties of gratitude a hum.an heart is capa- 
 ble of ; I rc-f gn myfelf to ycur ccnducl:-, 
 and "will follow you to tlie er.d of the 
 world. This I faid wiih iuch emotion of 
 fpirir, that 1 believe h.e law ir:to mv verv 
 foul; lor embracing n:e once moie with a 
 mod inexpreffible tendernefs, I adopt yon, 
 faid he, for my fon ; and thefe are your bro- 
 thers, pointing to his two young ccm.pani- 
 ons ', all I require of you is, that you live 
 
 asfuch. Here, Reverend Fathers, I mufc 
 
 confefs one of the greateft faults I ever did 
 1 my life : I never confidered whether 
 
 F 2 thcfc 
 
64. Tl^e Adventures of 
 
 thefc men were ChriRians or Heathens : I 
 engaged myfelf with a people, where 1 could 
 never have the cxercife of my religion, al- 
 though 1 always prelcrvcd it in my heart. 
 But what could be expcded from a daring 
 young man, juft in the heat of his youth, 
 who hati loll all his fortune, and had fuch a 
 glorious profpcCt oficrcd him for retrieving 
 
 it? Scon after this, he gave orders to 
 
 his attendants to withdraw, as if lie intend- 
 ed to fay Ibmcthing to me in private •, they 
 obeyed immediately with a filfal rclpec't, 
 as if they had indeed been his fons, but 
 ihty were not^ I only mention it to fiicw 
 the nature of the people I was engaged with : 
 then taking me by the hand lie made me fit 
 down by him, and af^ed mc if it were really 
 true, as the pirate informed him, that I was 
 an European Chriilian ? thounji, added he, 
 be what you will, I do not repent my buy- 
 ing of you. I told liim 1 was, and in that 
 belief would live and die. So you may, faid 
 he, (feeming pleafed at my anfvver). But 1 
 have not yet met with any of that part of 
 the world, who kemed to have the difpofi- 
 tions of mind I think I fee in you, look- 
 ing at the lit^eaments of my face with a great 
 deal of eamednefs. 1 have been informed, 
 continued he, that your laws are not like 
 barbarous I'urks, whole <j;overnment is made 
 up of tyranny and brutality, governing all 
 ly fear and force, and making iLives of all 
 
 who 
 
Sicr. Gaudentio di Lucca. 6 
 
 o 
 
 who fall under their power. Whereas the 
 European Chriftians, as I am told, are go- 
 verned by a divine law, that teaches them to 
 do good to al), injury to none •, particularly 
 not to kill and deilroy their own fpecies •, 
 nor to ilea), cheat, over-reach, or defraud 
 any one of their juil due ; but to do in all 
 things juil as they would be done by •, look- 
 ing on all men as common brothers of the 
 fame ftock, and behaving with judice and 
 equity in all their actions public and private, 
 as if they v/ere to give an account to the uni- 
 verfal Lord and Father of all. I told him 
 our law did really teach and command us to 
 do fo •, but that very few lived up to this 
 law: that we were obli!2;ed to have recourfc 
 to coercive laws and penalties, to enforce 
 vv^hat we acknowledged othcrwife to be a 
 duty : that if it were not for the fear of 
 fuch puniilim.ents, the greatefl pait of them 
 would be worlc than tlie very Turks he men- 
 tioned. He feemed flrangely furprifed at 
 this. What, fays lie, can any one do in 
 private, what his ov/n reafon and fgltmii 
 profeiTion condemns ? Thjn addrefiing h':m- 
 felf to me in a more pariiculir mannner : 
 Do you profcfs this jufr and holy law you 
 mentioned ? I told him, 1 did : then, fays 
 JiC, do but live up to your own law, and wc 
 require no more of you *. Here he made a 
 
 little 
 * If it appear Incredible to my one, that Heathens, as 
 cfe people were, fliould have f ich (liitft ideas of :nora- 
 y and judice, wljen ihey lee fuch horrid injulUce, fraud?, 
 
 1 3 and 
 
('6 TIic Adventures of 
 
 little noiie with his (lafF, at which two of 
 his attendants came in : he afked them if 
 
 my 
 
 and oppreflions among Chrirtians, let ihcmcoLfxdcT, /rJJ, 
 tliat the law and light of nature will never be cniiicly cx- 
 tinguifhcd in any who do not fliut their eyes againft it; but 
 that they would eflccni the injuries tlicy do toothers, 
 without any fcruple, to be very great hard/hips if done to 
 rhcmfclvcs : they have therefore the ideas of jufllce and 
 equity imprinted in ihtir minds, however obfcured by their 
 
 wicked lives. 2<//v, Let them read the celebrated 
 
 Bifliop of Mcaux's unlveifal hiilory, pt. iii. of the morals 
 and equity of the aneicnt Egyptians under their groat 
 
 king Sefofhis, or about that time. 3^(^f Not 
 
 only the lives and maxims of the firft Heathen phi- 
 lofopheis, afford us very juft: rules of morality, but 
 there are alfo fragments of ancient hiflory, from 
 ihe earliefl times, of whole Heathen nations, whofe lives 
 would make Chriflians bluOi at their own immora- 
 lities, if they were not hardened in them. The peo- 
 ple of Colchos, whom the great Hochart, in his Phaleg. 
 proves to have been a colony of ancient Egyptians, as will 
 be feen in the fequel of thefe memoirs, or the ancient in- 
 habitants of Ponius, v.lio come from them, were accor- 
 ding to Homer the moll juft of men. 
 
 JNIilk-caters the mofl juft of men. Horn. I!. K. 
 
 Cha^rilus in Xerxis Inabafi apud Bochart, fpeaking of 
 the Scythians on the Euxine lea, fays, Ne^«5<vj' itcaf 
 UTTciKot uii^u'wxv »fl^.><v», they were a colony of the No- 
 niades, a juft people. 
 
 Suabo fays, that Anacharfis and Abaris, both Scythi- 
 ans, efteemcd by the ancient Greeks, for their peculiar 
 and national affability, ptobiiy, and juftice : on I^v^kIv n- 
 »u ;t«;r««T}t'i< Sir.f«C(»'fl* iuxaXiXi, ^^ TiAi«oT/)T^', »^ Omcctc- 
 
 6vyYi<:. 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. 67 
 
 my efFedts were come from the pirate. Be- 
 ing anfwered, they were ; he ordered them 
 to be brought in, and examined them very 
 nicely. There were among them fome pic- 
 tures of my own drawing, a repeating watch, 
 two compafs boxes, one of them very cu- 
 rioufly wrought in ivory and gold, which 
 had been my great-grandfather's, given him 
 by Venerio ; a fet of mathematical inftru- 
 ments, draughts of ilatuary and architecture 
 by the befl mailers; with all which he feem- 
 ed extremely pleafed. After he had exa- 
 mined them with a great deal of admiration, 
 he ordered one of his attendants to reach 
 him a cabinet full of gold ; he opened it to 
 me, and faid. Young man, I not only reftore 
 all your cffedls here prefent, having no right 
 to any thing that belongs to another man, 
 but once more offer you your liberty, and as 
 much of this gold, as you think I'ufficient 
 to carry you home, and make you live eafy 
 all your life. I was a little out of counte- 
 nance, imagining what I faid of the ill morals 
 of the Chriftians, had made him afraid to 
 take me along with him. I told him, I 
 valued nothing now fo much as his compa- 
 ny, and begged him not only to let me go 
 along with him, but that he would be 
 
 rvv)j^. And Nicholaus Damafccnus, of the Galadophagl, 
 fla-i 5i >^ hKcci'oltUci, they aie the moft juft of men. Vide 
 Bochart. lib. iii. c. 9. 
 
 pleafed 
 
6S The Adventures of 
 
 pleafcJ to accept wliatcver he faw of mine 
 there before him : adding, that I efteemed it 
 the greatefb happnefs, to be able to make 
 fome fmall icconipenfe for the obli;:ations I 
 owed him. 1 do accept of it, fays he, and 
 take you folemnly into my care : go along 
 \vith thefe young men, and enjoy your H- 
 berty in effecl, which 1 have hitherto only 
 given you in words. Here fome of his elder 
 companions coming in, as if they were to 
 coniuk about bufinefs •, the young men and 
 myfelf went to w^alk the town for our diver- 
 fion. Your Reverences mav be fuie, I 
 obfcrved all the adions of thefe new peo- 
 ple, with the grcateft attention my age v;as 
 capable of. They Teemed not only to have 
 a horror of the barbarous manners and vices 
 of the Turks, but even a contempt of all the 
 pleafures and diverfions of the country. 
 Their whole bufinefs was to inform them- 
 fclves of vv'hat thev thoucrht mijiht be an 
 improvement in their own country, parti- 
 cularly in arts and trades, and whatever cu- 
 riofiiies were brought from foreign parts ; 
 fetting down their obfervaiions of every 
 thing of moment. They had mailers of the 
 country at fct hours to teach them the 'l\irk- 
 ifli and Tcrfian languages, in wliich I en- 
 deavoured to perfttfi: mylelf along with them. 
 Tliough they feemed to be the mod moral 
 men in the world, I could obferve no figns 
 of religion in them, till a certain occalion 
 
 tiK-lf- 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. 6g 
 
 that happened to us in our voyage, of which 
 I fhall Ipeak to your Reverences in its proper 
 place. This was the only point they were 
 ihy in •, they gave me the reafons for it af- 
 terwards ', but their behaviour was the moil 
 candid and fmcere in ether nnatters that can 
 be imagined. We lived thus in the moil 
 perfect union all the time we flaid at Grand 
 Cairo ; and I enjoyed the fame liberty that 
 I could have had in Italy. All I remarked 
 in them was an uneafmefs they expreffed to 
 be fo long out of their own country •, but 
 they comforted themfelves with the thought 
 it would not be long. I cannot omit one 
 obfervation I made of thefe young mens 
 conduL^ while we ftaid in Egypt. They 
 were all about my own age, flrong and vi- 
 gorous, and the handfomeft race of people, 
 perhaps, the world ever produced : we 
 were in the moft voluptuous and lewd town 
 in the whole eaftern empire ; the young 
 wom.en feemed ready. to devour us as we 
 went along the flreets. Yet I never could 
 perceive in the young men the leaft pro- 
 penfity to lewdncfs. I imputed it at firil 
 to the apprehenGon of my being in their 
 company, and a fbranger -, but I foon found 
 they a^ted by principle. As young men 
 are apt to encourage, or rather corrupt one 
 another, I own I could not forbear exprcff- 
 ing my wonder at it. They feemed fur- 
 prifed at the thought •, but the reafons 
 
 they 
 
70 The Adventures of 
 
 ihcy crave were as much out of our com- 
 mon way of thinking, as their behaviour. 
 They told mc, for the firft reafon, that all 
 the women they faw were either married ; 
 or particular mens daughters •, or common. 
 As to mairied women, they faid, it was 
 luch a hainous piece of injufticc to violate 
 the marriage- bed, that every man living 
 v/ould look upon it as the great eft injuiy 
 done to himfclr : how could they therefore 
 in realbn do it to another ^ If they were 
 daughters of particular mon, bred up with 
 fo much care and folicirude of their parents, 
 what a terrible afRiction mnfl: it be to them, 
 or to ourildves, to fee our daughters or 
 fillers violated and corrupted, after all our 
 ca'"e to the contrary •, and this too, jxrhaps, 
 by thofe we had cherifhed in our own bo- 
 foms ? If common ftrumpcts, what ra- 
 tional man could look on them othcrwife 
 than brute beads, to proRitute thcmfclves 
 to every ftranger for hire ? Befides, their 
 abandoned lewdnefs generally defeats the 
 great dcfign of nature to propagate the fpe- 
 cies •, or, by their impure embraces, fuch 
 diforders may be contrafled, as to make us 
 hereafter, at beft, but fathers of a weak 
 and fickly olfspring. And if we fliould 
 have children by them, what would become 
 of our fathers gnindchildrcn ? But what 
 man who had the lenft fenfe of the dignity 
 of his own bircli, would ilain iiis race, ar ? 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. 71 
 
 give birth to fuch a wretched breed, and 
 then leave them expofed to want and infa- 
 my ? This they laid chiefly v/ith reference 
 to the vaO: ideas they had of their own na- 
 tion, valuing themfelves above all other 
 people ; though the confideration holds 
 good with all men. I own, I was mute at 
 thele reaibns, and could not fay but they 
 were very juil, though the warmth of my 
 youth had hindered me from receding on 
 them before. Thefe reflections appeared 
 fo extraordinary in young men, and even 
 Heathens, that I fhall never forget them. 
 ■ — Sometime after, I found by their dili- 
 gence in fettling their afniirs, and the chear- 
 fulnefs of their countenances, that they ex- 
 pecfled to leave Egypt very foon ; they 
 fcemed to v/ait for nothing but orders from 
 their governor. In the mean time there 
 happened an accident to me, fcarce fit in- 
 deed for your Reverences to hear j nor 
 Hiould 1 ever have thouo-ht of relatinp- ir, 
 had you not laid your commands on me to 
 give an cxa6t account of my whole life. PJe- 
 fides, that it is interwoven with fomc of 
 the chief occunences of m.y life in the lat- 
 ter part of it. Our govei nor whom they call- 
 ed Popbar^ which in their language fignilies 
 Father of his people, and by wiilch name 
 I fliall alw.iys call him hereafter, looking at 
 his epliemeiis, which he did very frequent- 
 ly, found by computation, that he had Hill 
 
 fome 
 
72 The Adventures of 
 
 fome time left to fl.iy in the country, and 
 refolved to po down once more to Alexan- 
 dria, to fee if he could meet with any more 
 I'Luropean curiofities, brought by the mer- 
 chanc-fliips that arc perpetually coming at 
 tliat feafon into the port. He took only 
 two of the young men and me along with 
 him, to fhew me, as he faid, that I was 
 entirely at my liberty, fince I might eafily 
 find fome fhip or other to carry me into my 
 own country i and I, on the other hand, to 
 convince him of the fincerity of my inten- 
 tions, generally kept in his company. The 
 aliair 1 am going to fpcak of, foon gave 
 him full proof of my fincerity. 
 
 While we were walking in the public 
 places to view the fcvcral goods and curiofi- 
 ties, that were brought from different parts 
 of the world, it happened that the Baffa of 
 Grand Cairo, with albhis fimily, was come 
 to Alexandria on the fame account, as well 
 as to buy fome younj^ female flaves. His 
 wife and daughter were then both with 
 him : the wife was one of the Grand Signi- 
 or's fifters, feemingly about thirty, and a 
 wonderful line woman. The daughter was 
 about fixecen, oFfuch exquifite beauty, and 
 lovely features, as were fufficient to charm 
 the greatefl prince m the world *. When 
 
 he 
 
 * N. B. The B-ifTt of Grand Cairo is one of the 
 greateft ufTicers in tl.'t: l\irkilh empire, and the mod in- 
 dependent of any fubje»5l in Tarky j it i^ cufloniary for 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. ']'^ 
 
 he perceived them, the Pophar, who natu- 
 rally abhorred the Turks, kept off, as if 
 he were treating privately with fomc mer- 
 chants. But I, being young and inconfidc- 
 rate, ftood gazing, though at a refpedful 
 diftance, at the Baffa's beautiful daughter, 
 from no other motive but mere curiofity. 
 She had her eyes fixed on my companions 
 and me at the fame time, and, as I fuppo- 
 fed, on the fime account. Her drefs was 
 fo magnificent, and herperfon fo charminnr, 
 that I thought her the moil beautiful crea- 
 ture I had ever i^^w in my life. If I could 
 have forefeen the troubles which that lliorc 
 interview v/as to cod both the Pophar and 
 myfelf, I fhould have chofen rather to have 
 looked on the moil hideous monfter. I ob- 
 fcrved, that the young lady, with ajjarticu- 
 l:ir ibrt of emotion, v^hifpered fomething to 
 an elderly woman that attended her, and 
 that this laft did the fame to a page, v/ho 
 immediately went to two natives of the 
 place, v;hom the Pophar ufird to hire to 
 carry his things : this was to inquire of 
 them who we were. They, as appeared by 
 the event, told them, that I v^as a younor 
 Have lately bought by the Pophar. After 
 a while, the Baila v/ith his train went away, 
 and 1, for my part, thought no more of 
 
 the fiiltans to give their daughters in marriage to fiich 
 perfons ; but they arc often clifliked by thcii huibands, 
 on iijcoufit of th'.ir imperious bchavi'-ur, 
 
 G the 
 
^4 'i^^'-' Adven^ukis of 
 
 the matter. The next diiy, as the Pophar 
 and we were walking in one of the public 
 gardens -, a little elderly man, like an eu- 
 nuch, with a moil beautiful youth along 
 with him, having dogged U3 to a private 
 part of the walks, came up to us, and ad- 
 drelllng themfclves to the Pophar, aficed 
 jiim wiiat he would take for his young 
 (lave, pointing at me, bccaufe the BaiVa de- 
 Jircd to buy him. The Popliar feemed to 
 he more fu/prifed at thh unexpecled que- 
 flion, than I ever obferved him at any thing 
 before, wliich confirmed me more and more 
 in the opinion of the kindnefs 'he had for 
 me. But foon comino; to himfelf, as he was 
 a man of i^reat prefence of mind, he faid ve- 
 ry calmly, that I v/as no Have •, nor a per- 
 lon to be fold for any price, fince I was as 
 free as he war.. Taking this for a pretext 
 to enhance the price, they produced fome 
 oriental pearls with other jewels of imn^icnfe 
 value ; aiid bid him name what he would 
 have, aivJ it lliould be paid immediately : 
 a^'dinf^, that 1 was to be th..^ companion of 
 the Bafiii's fon, where I might make my 
 fortune for ever, if 1 would go along with 
 ihem. The Pc>pliar perfifled in his ivAl an- 
 I'wer, and laid lie had no power over me : 
 tlK7 ailcd;:ed, 1 had been bought as a Have, 
 but a litile before, in the Grand Signiors 
 dominions, and they would have me. Here 
 1 interpofed, and anfwcred briUdy, tlr- 
 
' Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. "J^ 
 
 though I had been taken prifoner by the 
 chance of war, I was no Have, nor would I 
 part with my liberty but at the price of o^y 
 life. The Balla's fon, for lb he now decla- 
 red himfclf to be, inilead of bcin?^ angry at 
 my rcfolute anfwer, replied with a rnoft 
 agreeable fmile, that I fliould be as free as 
 he was ; makincr at the fame tim.e the rnoft 
 folemn proteflations by his holy Alcorar, 
 thatourlives and deaths fnculd be infeparable. 
 Though theie was Pjmeihing in his words 
 the n-iofl periuafivc I ever felt •, yet confi- 
 dering the obligations I had to the Pophar, 
 I \v:is refolved not to go •, but anfwered 
 with a. moil refpedful bow, that though I 
 was free by nature, I had indifpen fable ob- 
 ligations not to go Avidi him, and hoped 
 he v/culd take it for a determinate anfvver. 
 1 pronounced this with fuch a refolute air, 
 as made him fee there was no hopes. "Whe- 
 ther his deHre was more inflamed by my 
 denial, or v/hether they took us for perfons 
 of greater note than we appeared to be, 
 1 cannot tell ; but I obft:rved he put on a 
 very languiHiing air, v/ith tears ilealin^^ 
 down his cheeks, which moved me to a 
 degree I cannot exprefs. 1 was fcarce ca- 
 pable of Ipeaking, bur cafe down my eyes, 
 and Hood a:; immoveable as a fL:atue. This 
 feemed to revive his hopes-, and recovering 
 himfclf a little, v/ith a :remblin}r voice he 
 replied 3 Suppofe it be the Baflli^s daughter, 
 
 G 1 you 
 
*]() The Adventures of 
 
 you faw ycflerday, th.at dcTires to have you 
 for her attendant, what will you lay then ? 
 \ darted at this, and calling my eyes on 
 him more attentively, I faw him Iwimming 
 in tears, with a tendcrnefs enough to pierce 
 the hardell heart. 1 looked at the Pophar, 
 V. !k) I faw was trembling for me •, and fear- 
 ed it was the daughter herlelf that afked mc 
 the queftion. I was foon put out of doubt •, 
 for file, finding flie had gone too far to go 
 back, dilcovcred herfclf, and laid, I mufl 
 go along wiih lier, or one of us muft die 
 
 — i 
 
 * Lore-ad\cnturcs are not the dcfij^n of thcfc mc- 
 moiVs, as will appear by the reft of his life : othcnvifc, 
 ihis account of the Baffu's cir.ughter had like tc have 
 made me lay down niy pen, uiihout troubHng myfclf to 
 vrite any further remark. But, \^^t:x\ I confuiercd, 
 tljc man is no foi-l, let him be \vl>at he will, nor could 
 deHgn to ernbeliifl) his hiftory by tliis extraordinary ad- 
 Tcnrure, {a like the former, and jufl upon the b.*ck of it, 
 1 am incHned to believe he wrote the matter v\ faft 
 juft as i: happened. More unaccountable accidents than 
 this have happened to feme men. 
 
 The amorous temper of the Tuikifli ladles, cffrcially 
 at Grand Cairo, where the women arc ihc moft voluptu- 
 ous in the wotid, and the linpiiling beauty of this 
 young man, who^ the fccretaiy fays, has the noblelt 
 prcfcncc iic ever faw, even at that a;;c, mi^jlu cafdy 
 charm a wanton piddy glil at the (irll H^ht- Bt fides, 
 fhe was informed he v/ar. a flave, and mi^ht think P" 
 could have puichaftd him fur her priv;;ie fallant ; 
 mi^.;ht be cnccuragcd in it by the lufiful eldeily woman 
 that atienctd her. Such things liave been done befo"* 
 now ; but when fiic came nearer to the tuppting nbj; 
 and found him to, be feme thing more ncl)lc ih.an 1 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. 77 
 
 — I hope your Reverences will excufe this 
 account I give of myfclf, which nothing 
 lliould have drawn from me, thoug-h it is 
 
 literally 
 
 pc(5lcd, her paflion might thereby grow to the highefl pitch. 
 
 Extraordinary beauty, in either fcx, is oftentimes 
 a great m'sfortune ; fince it frec|uently \cAds them into 
 very great follies, and even difalters. What will not 
 hcedlefs youth do, when fired wirh flattery or charms ? 
 It is no new thing for women to fiill in love at fiifl: fight, 
 as well as men, and on as unequal terms ; in fpite of 
 all reafons and confiderations to the contrary. 1 believe 
 there may be men in the world, as charming in the eyes 
 of women, as ever the fair Helen appeared to the men, 
 l>ie almofl: incredible catadroplies caufed by her beau'.y, 
 are fo far from being fabulous, that, bcfidcs the account 
 Homer gives of her, there is extant an oration of tlx 
 famous Ifocrates D^' Lmdibus Helcux, before Alexand- 
 er the Great's time, which gives a more amazing account 
 cf the efFl(fls of her beauty, than Plomer diies. He 
 fays, ftie was ra\ifhed for h-.r beauty by tlie great and 
 wife Thefeus, when (lie uas but a giil. She w?>s aftv';- 
 words courted by all the Grecian princes ; and, after 
 lier marriage,' was ctrvied from Europe into AHa by the 
 beautiful Paris ; wh.ich kindled the iirfl war tliat is re- 
 corded in hiflory to have been made in thofe parrs of the 
 woild. Yet, notuithflanding that falfe and fatalllcp, her 
 beauty reconciled her to her hufband. The figlu of 
 feme men may have as violent eifecfts on women. 
 
 It is poJiblc the young lady would hjvc been very an- 
 gry With any one who fliould have perfuaded Signor. 
 Caudentio to do as he did j yet in effcd it was the 
 greattft kindncfs : for this very lady, foms time after, 
 becsmc midrcfs of fhe whole Ottoman empire. Where- 
 as if (he had run away with him, a? the violence of her j 
 paHion fug;;cfled, ihcy had both of them been iiicviia- ' * 
 bly m-iferablc. Notwiihflanding all thcfe rt^f.nS; I!]:fluld 
 
 G 3 ' no: 
 
73 The Adventures of 
 
 litcially true,- but your exprtfi command-, 
 to tell ihe whole hillory of my life. — The 
 perplexity I was in caniiot be imagined. 
 I confidered (lie was a Turk, and I a Chri- 
 flian j that my deatli mult certainly be the 
 confequence of fuch a rafh affair, were I 
 to enga^^e in ir ; that whether Ihe concealed 
 me in her father's court, or attempted to go 
 off will. miC, it was ten thouland to one, wc 
 fliould both be facrificed : neither could the 
 violence of fuch a fudden pallion ever be 
 concealed from the Bafla's fpies. In a word, 
 I was refolved not to go •, but how to get 
 off, was the difHculty. I faw the moil beau- 
 tiful creature in the wo; Id all in tears be- 
 fore me, after a declaration of love, that 
 exceeded the mofl: romantic tales ; youth, 
 love, and beauty, and even an inclination 
 on my fide, pleaded her caulc. But at 
 Icn^ith the confideration of the encilefs mi- 
 feries I was likely to draw on the young la- 
 dy, ihould 1 comply with what ihe defired, 
 prevailed ibove all other. I was refolved 
 to refufe, for her fake more than my ov/n, 
 and v/as iuff croino: to tell her lb on my 
 knees, with all the arguments my realon 
 could fuggefl: to appcafe her , when an at- 
 tendant came running in hade to the otiier 
 
 ir.t have believed tiiis fiuiy, if I luid not cXAnuiKJ fonic 
 
 o:!icr facls, which, he fuid, happened lo hiq) at Venice, 
 
 as iiifredible as this, and fvund ihc* lo be really true. 
 
 f pcrfon. 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. 79 
 
 perfon, who was alfo a woman, and told 
 her the Bafia was coming tliat way. She 
 was roufed out of her lethargy at this. 
 The other v/oman immediately fnatched 
 her away, as the To} har did me •, and llie 
 had only tim.e to call out with a threat. 
 Think better on it, or die. I wa3 no foon- 
 er out of her fight, but I found a thou- 
 fand reafons for what I did, more than I 
 could think of before, while the in- 
 chanting object was before m.y eyes. I faw 
 the madnefs of that pafTion which forced 
 the moil charming perfon of the Ottoman 
 empire, capable by her beauty to conquer 
 the Grand Signior himfelf, to make a de- 
 claration of loTc, fo contrary to the nature 
 and modefty of her fex, as well zs her quality 
 and dignity, and ready to facrifice her repu-- 
 tation, the dyty fhe ov\^ed her parents, her 
 liberty, perhaps her life, for an unknown 
 perfon, who had been a (lave but fome time 
 before. I faw on the otjier hand, that 
 had I complied with the hiv charmer's pro- 
 pofal, I mufl have run the rifl<: of lofmg 
 my religion or life, or rather both, with 
 a dreadful chain of hidden m;i:.foi tunes, like- 
 ly to accompany fuch a rafn adventure. While 
 1 was taken up with thefe thoughts,, the wife 
 Po]';har, after reP.eifling a little upon what 
 iiad happened, told me, this unfortunate 
 affair vv'ou'd not end io, but that it mi^':ht 
 coil us both our lives, and fomething elfe 
 
 that 
 
8o The Adventures of 
 
 that was more dear to hini. He kared i'o 
 violent a paflion would draw on other ex- 
 tremes ', efpecially confidering the wicked- 
 nels of the peo}^le, and the bi lual tyranny 
 of their government : however, he was re- 
 folved nor to give me up but with his life, 
 if I would but ftand to it myfelf : adding, 
 that wc muft make olt' as fad as we could ; 
 and, having \o many ipies upon us, ufe po- 
 licy as well as expedition. Accordingly he 
 went down dire^lly to the port, and hired a 
 fhip in the mod public manner to go for 
 Cyprus, paid the whole freight on the fpot, 
 and told them thev mud neceifarilv fail that 
 evening. We Ihould actually have done lb, 
 had not our companions and effefls obliged 
 us to return to Grand Cairo*, but indead of 
 imbarking for Cyprus, he called afide the 
 madcr of the vcflel, who was of his ac- 
 quaintance, and, for a good round fum, 
 privately agreed with him to fail out of the 
 port, as if we were leally on board, while the 
 Popha.- hired a boat for us at the other end of 
 the town, in which we went that night di- 
 redly for Grand Cairo. As foon as we 
 were arrived there, we inquired how long 
 it would be before the Bafia returned to that 
 city. They told us it would be about a 
 fortnight at fooned •, this gave the Popliar 
 time to pay off his h uife, pack up his ef- 
 fe£ls, and get all thiings ready for his great 
 voyage 5 but he, dill had greater apprehen- 
 
 fions 
 
Sisf. Gaudentio di Lucca. 8i 
 
 o 
 
 fions in his looks than ever I remarked in him* 
 However, he told us, he hoped the affair 
 would end well. In five days time all things 
 were in readinefs for our departure. We 
 fet out a little before funfet, as is cuflo- 
 mary in thofe countries, and marched but a 
 flow pace whilft we were near the town, to 
 avoid any fufpicion of flight. After we had 
 travelled thus about a league up by the fide 
 of the river Nile, the Pophar leading the 
 van, and the red following in a pretty long 
 firing after him, we met five or fix men 
 coming dov/n the river-Iide on horfeback, 
 whofe fine turbans and habits fhewcd 
 they were pages, or attendants of feme 
 great perfon. The Pophar turned off from 
 the river, as if it Vv^ere to give them v/ay : 
 and they paffed on very civilly without feem.- 
 ing to take any further notice of us. I was the 
 hindmofl; but one of our train, having ftaid to 
 give our dromedaries fome v^ater. Soon after 
 tliefe, came two ladies ridin^T on little Ara- 
 bian jennets, v/ith prodigious rich furniture, 
 by wliich 1 giieffed them to be perfons of 
 quality, and the others gone before to be 
 their attendants. They were not quite over- 
 againfl where I was, when the jennet of 
 tlie younger of the two ladies beo;an to fnort 
 and flart at our dromedaries, and became fo 
 inruly, that 1 aj^prehended fhe could fcarce 
 lit him. At tint inllant, one of the led 
 dromedaries coming pretty near, tliatand the 
 
 lufllii'i:.': 
 
S2 The Adven'tures of 
 
 rufllin^^of its loading fo frijihted tlie jennet, 
 that he gave a bound all on a fudden, and 
 being on the infide of us towards the river, 
 he ran full fpccd towards tlie edge of 
 the bank, where not being able to fcop his 
 career, he flew directly off the precipi^e in- 
 to the river, with the lady Hill fitting him; 
 but the violence of the leap threw her off 
 two or three yards into the water. It hap- 
 pened vevy luckily that there was a little 
 iiland jufl by where (he fell, and her cloaths 
 keeping her up for Ibme minuses, the ftreani 
 carried her againft fome ftakes that Rood 
 jud above the water, which carched hold 
 of her cloaihs, and held her there. The 
 flirieks of the other lady brcu^^ht the nighefi: 
 attendants up to us •, but thofe fearful 
 wretches durll not venture into the river to 
 her afli fiance. I jumped off my diome- 
 dary v/iih indignation, and throwing ofTmy 
 loofe crarment and findals, fwam to her, 
 and with mucli difficulty getting hold of 
 her hand, and loofmg her garments from the 
 fcalies, I made a fiiift to draw her acrofi 
 the (bvam, till I brought her to land. She 
 wa'^, quite fenklers for fome time •, I held 
 down her head, which I had not yet look- 
 ed at, to make her ditoror^e the water flie 
 had fwallowed •, but I was loon (liuck with 
 a double furprife, when [ looked at her 
 face, to find it was the Bafia's daughter, 
 and to fee her in that place, whom I thought 
 
 ^ I 
 
Si'^. Gaudentio di Lucca. S^ 
 
 I had left at Alexandria. After fome time. 
 Hie came to herfelf, and looking fixed on me 
 a good while, her lenfes not being entirely 
 recovered, at laft flie cried out, " O Maho- 
 met, mud I owe my life to this man !" and 
 fainted away. The other lady, who was 
 her confident, with a great deal of pains 
 brought her to herfelf again -, we railed her 
 up, and endeavoured to comfort her as well 
 as we could : No, fays flie, throw me into 
 the river once more ; let me not be obliged 
 to a barbarian for whom I have done too 
 much already. I told her in the mod re- 
 fpeclful terms I could think of, that provi- 
 dence had ordered it fo, that 1 might make 
 fome recompenfe for the undefervcd obli- 
 gations fhe had laid on me ^ that I had too 
 great value for her merit, ever to make her 
 miferablc, by loving a (lave, fuch as I was, 
 a Rranger, a Chrifuian, and one who had 
 indifpenfable obligations to a6c as 1 did. She 
 itartled a little at vv^hat I faid -, but after a 
 fhort recolle6lion anfwered. Whether you 
 are a flavc, an infidel, or whatever you pleafc, 
 you are one of the mofl generous men in 
 the woild. I fuppofe your obligations are 
 on account of fome more happy woman 
 than myfelf -, but fmce I owe my life to 
 you, 1 am refolved not to make you un- 
 happy, any more than you do me. I not 
 only pardon you, but am convinced my 
 pretcnfions are both unjuft, and againil my 
 
 own 
 
S4 The Adventures of 
 
 own honour. She fiiid this with an air be- 
 coming her quality : (lie was much more at 
 eafe, when I aiTiired her 1 was en^afred to 
 no woman in the woiid •, but that her me- 
 mory flioulJ be ever dear to me, and im- 
 printed in my heart till n^.y lall breath. 
 Here ten or a dozen armed 'i\irks came up- 
 on us full fpeed from the town, and feeing 
 the Pophar and his companions, they cried 
 out. Stop villains, we arreft you in the 
 name of the Bafla. At this we llarted up to 
 fee what was the matter, when the lady who 
 knew them, bid me not be afraid ; tliat 
 fhe had ordered thefe men to puifue me, 
 when fhe left Alexandria. That hearing 
 we were fled ofi.by fea, fhe pretended fick- 
 nefs, and afked leave of her father to return ro 
 Cairo, there to bemoan her misfortune with 
 her confident •, and was in thofe melan- 
 choly fenriments, when the late accident 
 happened to her. That Pne fuppofed thefc 
 men had difcovered the trick we had played 
 them in not going by fea, and on better in- 
 formation had purfued us this v;ay. So Hie 
 difmified them immediately. I v;as all this 
 while in one of the grcatell agonies that can 
 be exprcifed, both for fear of my own refo- 
 lutions and hers : fo I begged her to retire, 
 lell her vv'et cloaths fliould endanG;er her 
 health. I llioulJ not have been able to pro- 
 nounce thefe word.;, if the Pophar had not 
 call a look at me, v;hici^ pierced me through, 
 
 and 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. 85 
 
 and made me fee the danger I was in by my 
 delay. Her relblutions now Teemed to be 
 ftronger than mine. She pulled off this 
 jewel your Reverences lee on my finger, 
 and juil laid, with tears trickling down her 
 beautify] checks, Take this, and adieu ! She 
 then pulled her companion away, and never 
 looked at me moie. I flood amazed, al- 
 moft without life or motion in me^ and can- 
 not tell how long I might have continued io, 
 if the Pophar had not come and congratu- 
 lated me for my deliverance. I told him, I 
 did not know what he meant by deliverance, 
 for I did not know Vv'herher I was alive or 
 dead, and that 1 was afraid he would repent 
 his buying of me, if I procured him any 
 more of thefe adventures. If we meet vnih 
 no worfe than thefe, fiiys he, we are weil 
 enough •, no victory can be gained without; 
 fome lois. So he awakened mc out of my 
 lethargy, and commanded us to make tlie 
 be ft of our v/ay. 
 
 Though the Pophar v/as uncafy to be out 
 of the reach of the fair lady and her faiJi- 
 lefs Turks, yet he was not in any great haile 
 in the main, the proper time for his great 
 voyage not being yet come. There appear- 
 ed a gaiety in his countenance, that fcemed 
 to promife us a profperous journey, l^br 
 my own part, though I was glad 1 had e- 
 fcaped"my dangerous inchancrefs, there was 
 a heavinefs lay on my fpirits, which I could 
 
 II give 
 
86 The Adventures of 
 
 j^ive no accouQt of •, but the thoughts of 
 fuch an unknown voyage, and variety of 
 phires, dinipatcd it by degrees. We were 
 eleven in number, five elderly n^en, and five 
 young ones, myfelf being a fupcrnume- 
 rary perfon. We were all mounted upon 
 dromedaries, which were very fine for that 
 fort of creature : they are fomiething like 
 camels, but lefs, and much fvvifter j they 
 live a great wlfile without water, as the camels 
 do, v/hich was the lealbn they made ufe of 
 tlicm, for the barren fands they were to pafs 
 over j though they have tlie fine ft horles 
 that can be fcen in their own country. 
 They had five fpare ones to carry provi- 
 jions, or to change, in cafe any one of their 
 own Ihould tire by the way. It v/as upon 
 one of tl:efe five that I rode. We went up 
 the Nile, leaving it on our left hand all il^e 
 "wav, fi:eerin>i; our couife dirc6tW for the 
 Tjpper l^gypt. I prefume your Reverences 
 know, that the river Nile divides Egypt in- 
 to two parts lengthvv'ife, defcending trom 
 Abylfir.ia with fuch an immenfe couile, 
 that the'Kchiopiani fiid it hatl no head, and 
 runninii throu<rh \}:\v. hither Ethiopia, rours 
 down upon Egypt, as theRlfme doesthrou^di 
 the Spanirii Netherlands, making it one ot 
 the rich:'!!, countries in the uiiivtrfe. We 
 vifited all tlie towns on that famous river 
 upwards, under pretence of merchandifing 
 bur the t: ue realbn uf our delay was, be^ 
 
 caufe 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucc.4. ^y 
 
 caufe the Pophar's critical time for his rrcat 
 voyao-e was not vet come. He looked at his 
 ephemiCris and notes almolt every hour, the 
 reft of them attending his nod in tlie moft 
 minute circumllances. As we approached 
 the upper parts of Egypt, as nigh as I could 
 guefs, overagaiiift the deferts of Baica, 
 they began to buy provifions |)iopcr for 
 their purpofe ; but particuhuly lice, dried 
 fruits, and a fort of dried paite that fervcd 
 us for bread. They bouoJu their provifions 
 at different places, to avoid fufpicion •, and 
 1 obferved they laid up a confiderable quan- 
 tity, both for their drcmcdaiies and tnem- 
 felves : by which I found we had a loner 
 
 journey to m.ake. • When Vv^e came over- 
 
 againft the middle coail of the vail defer t of 
 Barca, we met with a delicate clear rivulet, 
 breaking out of a rifmg part of the fands, 
 and making towards the Nile. lltvQ we 
 alighted, drank ourfelves, and gave cur dro- 
 medaries to drink as much as they would ; 
 then we filled all our vcffels, made en pur- 
 pofe for carriage, and took in a much greater 
 proportion of water than we had done pro- 
 vifions. 1 forgot to tell your Reverences, 
 
 that, at feveral places as we pafied, they dif- 
 mounted, and kiffed the ground with a very 
 fu^'erilitious devotion, an.l fcraped fome of 
 the duft, vv^hich they put into golden urns,- 
 which they had brought with them on pur- ' 
 pole, letting me do v;hat 1 pleafed all the 
 
 H z while. 
 
SS The Adventures of 
 
 while. This fort of dcvouon 1 then only 
 ^u?ircd, but found to be true afterwards, was 
 the chief occafion of tlieir coming into thofe 
 parts, though carried on under the pietence 
 of mcrchandifing. They did the fame in 
 this place -, and when all were ready, the 
 Pophar lookiniT en his papers and needle, 
 ciied G^n/o be'tiiw^ which, I was informed, 
 was as much as to fay. Now children for cur 
 Jives ; and immediately as he had (leered 
 fourh all a'ong before, he turned fhort on 
 his right hand due welV, crofs the vaft de- 
 fcvt of Bavca, as fafc as his diomedary could 
 well go. We had nothing but fands and 
 fky before us, and in a few hours were al- 
 moil out of danger of any one's attemptii^ 
 to follow us. 
 
 Being thus inibarke<l, if I may fay fo, 
 on this vail ocean of fand, a thoufand per- 
 }"Icxiiig thoughts came into my mind, which 
 1 did not refle(5l on before. Beh.old me in 
 the midft of the inhofpitable deferts of Afri- 
 ca, where whole armies *" }iad often pe- 
 
 riflied. 
 
 • Ancient hiflorics give ns fcven! inflances of a great 
 number of pciTons. and even \v1k)Ic aimics, who have 
 l)*en lort in the fancis cf Africa, licrodotus in Thalia, 
 fays ihat Cambyfcs the fnn of Cyrus the Great, in his ex- 
 'p?dltion ri;^;iii)(l the Kihic.})iai>s, was brought to futh 
 Ihairs in ihofe vaft dcferis, ihat thty wtic foiced to 
 <:.it every tenth man iicfotc they -cculii i^ct back again. 
 The other army, which he fcnt to iVAhoy ilie temple 
 of jupi!f:jr Il.irjtnon, was cnuitly ovtrwlichucd iind lolt 
 
 in 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. 8^ 
 
 liP.ied. The further we advanced, the more 
 our danger increafed. 1 was v/ith men, 
 who were not only ilrangers to myfelf, but 
 to all the world befide : ten againilonc i but 
 this was not all •, 1 was [^crfuaded now they 
 were Heathens and idolarcrs : for, befide 
 their fuperftitious kifiing tlie earth in feve- 
 ral places, I obferved they looked up to- 
 w^ards the fun, and feemcd to addrefs their 
 oraifons to that planet, glorious indeed, but 
 a planet and a creature neverthelefs : then 
 I reiiedted on what the Pophar faid when 
 he bought me, that I was not likely to le- 
 turn, it is poflible, thought I, 1 am de- 
 ftined for a human facrifice to fome Hea- 
 then god in the midft of this vaft delert. 
 But not feeing any arms they had, either 
 offenfive or defcnfive, except their Ihorn 
 goads to prick on their dromedaries, I 
 was a little eafy : I had privately provided 
 myfelf with two pocket- pifbols, and was 
 refolved to defend myfelf till the laft gafp. 
 But when I confidered that unparallelled 
 juflice and humanity I had experienced iix 
 their treatm^ent of me, I was a little com.- 
 
 in the fands. Hcrodof. Thalia. The idolarcrs Imputed 
 it as a punifhment for liis impiety ag;unlt Jupiter, but: it 
 
 was for want of knowing the danger. ■ . I fappofe 
 
 very few are iqnorant of the contrivance of Marius the 
 PvOman general, to get over the lands to Capfa, to^f^ize 
 jTignrtha's treafure, which he thought fccure. S^iluji. de 
 tcllo Juourtl.in. 
 
 H 3 forted. 
 
90 The Adventures of 
 
 jortcd. As for the clirTicuky of paflirg 
 ihe dclcits, I rePicded that their own lives 
 v.e e as much ia danger as mine ; that 
 they muft have fome unknown ways of 
 paHlng them over, othciwife they would 
 never expofc themlelves to fuch evident 
 danger. 
 
 1 fhould have told your Reverences, that 
 we Tet out a little before fun-fet to avoid 
 the heats, June the 9th, i6S8-, the moon 
 Avas about the firlt quarter, and carried on 
 the light till nigh dawn of day \ the glitter- 
 ing of the fands, or rather pebbly .travel, 
 in which there were abundance of lliining 
 ftones like jewels or cryftul, increai'ed thiC 
 lif?ht, tljat v/e could fee to fleer our courfe 
 by the needle very well. We went on at 
 a va(t rate, the dromedaries being very 
 iWift creatures •, their pace is more running 
 t.ian gal lopping, much Hke that of a mule •, 
 tliat I verily believe, from fix o' clock in 
 the evening till about ten the next day, we 
 ran almofc a hundred and twenty Italian 
 miles : we had neither Hop nor let, but fleer- 
 ed our courfe in a diredt line, like a fhip 
 under fail. The heats were not nigh fo 
 infuiferable as I expe(!llcd-, for though v/e 
 faw nothing we could call a mountain in 
 thofe immenfe Bares, yet the fands, or at 
 lead the way we fleered, was very high 
 ground : that as Toon as we wxre out of 
 the breath of the habitable countries, we 
 
 had 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. gi 
 
 haJl a perpetual breeze blowing full in our 
 faces ; yet lb uniform, that it icarce raifed 
 any dull; partly becaufe, where we palTed, 
 the fands were not of that fmall dufly 
 kind, as in fome parts of Africa, which 
 fly in clouds with the wind overwhehning 
 all before it, but of a more gravelly kind ; 
 and partly from an imperceptible dew, 
 which, though not fo thick as a fog, moi- 
 ilened the furface of the ground pretty 
 much. A little after nine next morning 
 we came to fome clumps of fhrubby trees, 
 with a little mofs on the ground inftead of 
 grafs : here the wind fell, and the heats 
 became very violent. The Pophar or- 
 dered us to alight, and pitch our tents, to 
 flielter both ourfelves and dromedaries from 
 the heats. Their tents were made of the 
 fineft fort of oiled cloth 1 ever faw, prodi- 
 gious light and portable, yet capable of 
 keeping out both rain and I'un. Here we 
 refrefiied ourfelves and beafts till a little af- 
 ter fix •, when we (ct out again, fleering 
 dill diredly weft as nigh as I could guefs. 
 We went on thus for three days and nights 
 witliout any confiderable accident -, only I 
 obferved the ground feemed to rife inien- 
 fibiy higher^ and the breezes not only 
 ftronger, but the air itfelf much cooler. 
 About ten, the third day, we faw fome more 
 clumps of trees on our right hand, which 
 looked greener and thi kcr than the for- 
 mer. 
 
92 The Adventures cf 
 
 mer, as if they were the beginning of fome 
 habitable vale, as in effcifl tliey were. The 
 Pophar ordered lis to turn that ^vay, which 
 was the only turning out of our way we 
 bad yet made. By the chearfulnefs of their 
 countenances, I thought this might be the 
 beginning of their country ; but 1 was 
 very much miflaken ; we had a far longer 
 and more dangerous way to go, than what 
 we had pafled hitherto. However, this 
 was a very remarkable ftation of our voy- 
 age, as your Reverences will find by the 
 fequel. As we advanced, we found it to 
 open and defcend gradually •, till at length 
 we faw a moft beautiful vale, full of palms, 
 dates, oranges, and other fruit-trees, en- 
 tirely unknown in thefe parts, with fuch a 
 refrefliing fmell from the odoriferous fhrub?;, 
 as ff led the v/hole air with perfumes *. We 
 rode into tlie thickeil of it as faft as we could 
 to enjoy the inviting fhade. We cafed our 
 dromedaries, and took the fnfl care of 
 them •, for on them all our fafeties depend- 
 ed. After we had refreihed ourfelves, the 
 Pophar ordered eve y one to go to fleep as 
 foon as he could, fince we were like to 
 
 * Tlic prodigious fertility of Africa, in the vales be- 
 tween the dcftrts and the fkirts of it, for a preat brt'acJih 
 towards the two feas, is recorded by the hcii hiftorians ; 
 thou^ih the rlu;>e of it, over whicli ci:r i.ulhor \\;i3 con- 
 d»i<51«-J, -iind oiher particular ira*51s, are ul! covered with 
 fandd. 
 >•• - have 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. ^^ 
 
 have but little the three following days. 1 
 fhould have told your Reverences, that as 
 loon as they alighted, they fell down flat on 
 their faces, and kifled the earth, with a 
 great deal of feen-iing joy and ardour, which 
 1 took to be a congratulation for their happy 
 arrival at fo hofpitable a place, but it was on 
 a quite difi'erent account. I was the firfl who 
 awoke after our refrefhment ; my thoughts 
 and fears, though much calmer than they 
 had been, would not fufler me to be fo fe- 
 date as the reft. Finding the hour for de- 
 parting was not yet come, I got up, and 
 walked in that delicious grove, which was 
 fo much the more delightful, as the deferts 
 v/e had pafled were dreadful and horrid. 
 J pafled on, defcending towards the centre 
 of the vale, not doubting but, by the 
 •greennels and fragrancy of the place, I 
 fliould find a fpring of water. I had not 
 .gone far, before 1 faw a moft delicate rill, 
 bubbling out from under a rock, forming 
 a little natural bafon, from whence it lan 
 gliding down the centie of the vale, in- 
 creaflng as it went, till in all appearance 
 it might form a conflderable rivulet, unlefs 
 it v^cre fwallov/ed 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 flirubs below me, almoft as far as 
 my eyes could reach •, increaflng or de- 
 cjcafing in breadth as the hills of fands, 
 
 for 
 
04 The Adventures of 
 
 for now they appeareJ to be hills, would 
 give it leave. Mere I had the mod de- 
 lightful profpeift that the moft lively ima- 
 gination can form to itfelf •, the fun-burnt 
 hills of fand on each fide, made the greens 
 look flill more charming •, but the finging 
 of innumerable unknown birds, with the 
 different fruits and perfumes exhaling from 
 the aromatic fnrubs, rendered the place de- 
 licious beyond exprefllon. After I had 
 dank my fill) and delighted myfelf with 
 thofe native rarities, I fiuv a large lion come 
 out of the grove, about two hundred paces 
 below me, going very quietly to the fpring 
 to lap. When he had drank, he whiflied 
 his tail two or three times, and began to 
 tumble on the green grafs. I took the op- 
 portunity to flip away back to my compa- 
 nions, very glad 1 had efcaped fo : they 
 were all awake when I came up, and had 
 been in great concern for my abfence. 
 The Pophar feemed more dilpleafed that I 
 had left them, than ever 1 law him -, he 
 mildly chid me for expofmg myfelf to be 
 devoured by wild beads : but when I told 
 them of the water and the lion, they were 
 in a greater Imprife, lo(^king at one ano- , 
 ther with a foit of fear in their looks,* 
 whicli 1 interpreted to be for the danger I 
 had efcaped •, but it was on another account. 
 After forne words in their own lano;uat" 
 the l\)|^'har ipoke aloud in lingua Fra'/im^ 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. 95 
 
 I think, fays he, we may let this young 
 man fee all our ceremonies, efpecially 
 fince he will loon be out of danger of difco- 
 vering them, if he fhould have a mind to 
 do it. At this they pulled out of their 
 ftores, fomc of their choiceil fruits, a cruife 
 of rich wine, fome bread, a burning-glafs, 
 a thurible *, perfumes, and other inftru- 
 ments commonly ufed in the Fleathen fa- 
 crifices. I looked aghaft at this fbiange 
 fight •, which was fuch as I had never ob- 
 ferved in them before, and began to ap- 
 prehend that I was now really defigned for a 
 human facriiice f to fome infernal god or 
 other •, but when I compared the Pophar's 
 late words with v;hat I faw, 1 fcarce doubt- 
 ed of ir, and was contriving with myfelf 
 to fell my life as dear as I could. The Po- 
 .phar ordered us to bring the dromedaries, 
 and every thing along with us, for fear, as 
 he faid, they fhould be devoured by wild 
 
 * An inflrument to hold incenfe. 
 
 f Our author's fears were not vain, confidering the 
 preparatives he faw, and other clrcumftances. Befidcs, 
 it is well known, the ancient Africans, particularly the 
 Getulians and Libyans, and even the (^irthaginian?, 
 made ufe of human fAcriJiccs to appcafe their deities. 
 Bocharv, in the fecond part of his Geopraphia Sacra,, 
 proves beyond queiHon, that the C^arthaginians were 
 part of the people of Canann driven out by Jofhua, who 
 ufed to ficrifice their childien to INIoloch, <bc. Even 
 in Hannibal's time, when they were grown more pcdite, 
 they fent privately children to Tyre for a faciifice to 
 Jicrculcs. 
 
 beads. 
 
9i6 The Adventures of 
 
 beads. We dcfccnded towards the centre 
 of the vale, where 1 faw the fountain. They 
 went on a great way lower into the vale, 
 till it began to be very, deep ; but we found 
 a narrow way made by art, and not feem- 
 ing to have been very long unfrequented, 
 which was more furprifing, becaufe I took 
 the plare to be uninhabited, and even in- 
 acceilible to all but thefe people. We were 
 forced to defcend one by one, leaciing our 
 dromedaries in our hands : I took particu- 
 lar care to be the hindniofl, keeping at a 
 little didance from the reft, for fear of a 
 furprife. They marched down in a mourn- 
 ful kind of procclfion, obfei^ving a mod 
 profound filence all the while. At length 
 we came into the fined natural amphitheatre 
 that is pollible to dcfcribe. There was no- 
 thinor but odoriferous crreens and dvy to be 
 fcen ; except downwards right before us, 
 where we had a mod delicious prolpe(5l over 
 that glorious vale, winding a little to the 
 right, till it was intercepted by the collate- 
 ral hills. At the upper part of the amphi- 
 theatre, where the break of the hill made 
 that agieeable efplanade, there ftood an an- 
 cient pyramid, jud after the manner of 
 thoie in Egypt, but nothing near lo big as 
 the lead of them. In the front of it that 
 faced the vale, the deps were cut out in the 
 form of an altar, on v^^hich was ere6led a 
 datuc of a venerable old man, done to the 
 
 life, 
 
Slg. Gaudentio di 'Lucca. 97 
 
 life, of the fineil polifhed marble, or rather 
 fome unknown Hone of infinite more value. 
 Here, I had not the leafh doubt, but that 
 1 was to be facrificed to tliis idol. The Po- 
 phar feeing me at a diflance called to me, 
 to come and fee their ceremonies. Then I 
 thought It was time to fpeak or never: 
 Father,- faid I, fince you give me leave to 
 call you fo, I am willing to perform all your 
 com.mands, where the honour of the fu- 
 preiiie God is not called in queftion -, but 
 1 am ready to die a thoufand deaths, rather 
 than give his honour to anotlicr. I am a 
 Chriiiian, and believe one only God, the 
 fupreme being of all beings, and Lord of 
 the univerfe •, for which reafon I cannot 
 join with you in your idolatrous worfnip. 
 ' If you are refolved to put me to death 
 on that account, I here offer my life freely 1 
 if I am to be made a part -of your infernal 
 facrifice, I v/ill defend myfelf to the lad drop 
 of m.y blood, before I will fubmit to it. 
 He anfweied me with a fmile, rather than 
 v/ith any indignation, and told me, when I 
 came to be better acquainted with them., I 
 fhould find they were not fo inhuman as to 
 put people to death, becaufe ihey were of 
 a different opinion from their own. ThcXt 
 tins v/as only a religions ceremony tlicy 
 pc .'^jrmcd to their deceafed anceftors *', 
 
 and 
 
 * T'.ie earlicfl: accounts of Egypt, from whence ihefe 
 .'jpic come, tell us that they had a great vencratioa 
 
 I i'ur 
 
98 The Adventures of 
 
 and if I had not a mind to afliil ;it it, I 
 might fit down at what diilance I pleafcd. 
 
 [Sccrei^ry. The inquifitors were extieme- 
 ly plcafed with the firft part of his dif- 
 courfe, wherein he fhewed fuch cou- 
 rage in defence of his religion, and re- 
 foKnion to die rather than join in their 
 idolatrous worfliip •, but all had liked to 
 have been dallied again by the fecond 
 part, which made one of the inquificors 
 interrupt his narration, and aHc him the 
 foilowiag q\U'jlion. 
 
 Inquiftcr. 1 hope you" do not think it 
 unlawful to perfecute, or even to put to 
 death, obllinate heretics, who would 
 deilroy the religion of our forefathers, 
 and lead others into the fame damna- 
 tion with themfclves. If,ticafon againil" 
 one's prince may be puniihed with 
 death, why may not trealbn againil: the 
 king of heaven be puniOied with the 
 like penalty ? Have a care you do not 
 cad reilcclions on the holy inquifition. 
 
 Gatidcfjtio. lie vc: end Fathers ! I only re- 
 late bare matter of ra6l, as it was 
 
 ^or their (ipi-oafeti anccflors. See flic tlii-l part of the 
 
 I'lihopof M'.muk's Uolvcrfiilhlftoiy, quoted above. 
 
 Diodorus :!)icLi!us, who Ilvcti in th^ beginning of Augu- 
 ifus's reign, fiys of the Rgyprians, to Trtit ru^ ra^^q 
 ftel^i^x (r-T-f^i^iiy, they were p.jrticiil.irly nilij;ent about 
 their fepulchVe?, or in the worfliip of th.cir dead. • 1 he 
 fame fiiperltirion reigns ({ill ;imong the (^hincTe, whom I 
 ih:ill fh's.\v affcrwards to have been -a colony o| ' 
 tians. noTwiihfLmding that Cliina and f^'^gypt are 
 ciiiiiaiit from each other. 
 
^Acr. Gaudentio di Lucca. 
 
 o 
 
 99 
 
 fpoke by the mouth of a Heathen, ig- 
 norant of our holy nnyderies. I have all 
 the reafon in the world, to extol the 
 juilice of the holy inquifition : nor do I 
 think, bur, in fuch cafes mentioned by 
 your Reverences, it may be lavv'ful to 
 ufe the utmoft feverities to prevent 
 greater evils. But it argued a wonderful 
 moderation in. the Pophar, which I 
 found to be his real fentimenrs, not un- 
 becoming a Chriflian in fuch circum- 
 ftances, where it did not tend to the 
 deftruction of the whole. — Bur in this, 
 as in all other matters, I lubmit to your 
 decifions. 
 Secretary, I interpofed in his favour, and 
 put the inquifitors in mind, that there 
 was nothinor but v/hat was iuft in his 
 anfwers : and we ourfeives only ufed 
 thcfe rigours in the lad extremity, to 
 prevent greater milchiefs. So they bid 
 him read on.] 
 When the Pophar had faid this, lie and 
 the reft of them fell down on thtir fiices, 
 and kiffed the earth : then with the burn- 
 inor.orlafs thev kindled fom.e odoriferous 
 woods •, put the coals in the thurible with 
 tiie inccnle, and incenfed the idol or llatue: 
 that dont', they poured the wine on the al- 
 tar ; let bread on the one fide, and fruits 
 on the other : and having li^^hted two little 
 yialrdds of mcll delicious perfumes at 
 
 I 2 each 
 
J po The Adventures of 
 
 each end of the great pyramid, they fat 
 them down round the fountain, which I 
 luppofe was conveyed by art under the py- 
 ramid ■*, and illued out in the middle of 
 the amphitheatre. I'hcre they refreflied 
 themfelves, and gathered the fruits which 
 hung round us in the grove, eating of them 
 very heartily, and inviting me to do the 
 like. I made fome diflicuky at firfl", fearing 
 it might be part of the lacrifice •, but they 
 afTuring me all was but a civil ceremony, 
 1 joined them, and did as they did. "J'he 
 Pophar turned to me, and faid, My Ion, 
 we woriliip one mod high God, as you do : 
 what we did juft now, was not that we 
 believe any deity in that flatue, or adored 
 it as a god •, but only refpe,!! it as a me- 
 morial, and in remembrance of our great 
 ancellor, who heretofore concluded our 
 forefathers to this place, and was buried in 
 this pyramid f. The reft of our forefa- 
 
 * The ancient Egyptians had a firange fondncfs for 
 building pyramids ; wliethcr they were for the fame end 
 ;»s t!ie tower of Babel, that is, to make themfelves a name, 
 
 or for oiher ends, we cannot tell. The great 
 
 pyramid is more ancient than all the icl\, liifomueh that 
 the befl authors do not know when to fix its date, fan>e 
 iaylng It was built by Moerls their firft king, others by 
 Cecrops Lc(51or. But if the account the Pophar gives of 
 their origin, at the next flation, be true, it was built be- 
 fore there was any king in Egypt. The ilver Nil" was 
 conveyed by an under the great pyramid., 
 
 f One of the ends of halUlmg the pyramids, was cer- 
 tainly for burylng-pluces for fome greut men. 
 
 then: 
 
Sig. GaudentIo di Lucca. ioi 
 
 thers, \vho died before they were forced to 
 leave this valley, are buried all aioiind us. 
 I'hat is the realbn v/e kiHed the ground, 
 not thinkino; it lawful to ilir the bones of 
 the dead. We did the fame in Egypt, be- 
 eaufe v/e were origmally of that land : our 
 particular anceftors lived in that part, which 
 was afterwards called Thebes *. The time 
 will not permit me to acquaint you at pre- 
 fent, how we were driven out of our native 
 country to this place, and afterwards from 
 this place to the land we are now g-oino- to, 
 but you llmll know all hereafter. The 
 bread, fruits, and wine v/e laid on the al- 
 tar -j-, as they are the chief iupport of our 
 being-, fo we leave them there as a tefti- 
 mony, that the venerable eld rnan^ v/hofe 
 ftatue you fee, was, under God, the author 
 and fatK^r of our nation. This faid, he 
 
 * Thebes once the mod frimcus city o£ Egypt, h.a- 
 .1 vlng a hundred gates, e"<r. was the No-Amcn, or Dia- 
 fpufls of the ancients, Bochart. Fhalcg. lih, '^. Tacitus 
 fay?, that, in the time of Ciermanicr.s, there was remain- 
 ing an infcription in the F.gyptian language, fignifyirg. 
 Habit affe quondavi (^Thcbis) fcpt'aigehta ■.iiillia hov'i- 
 niufi ataie mUitaii : That tlune were cnce_,fevcn hun- 
 dred thoufand inhabitants in l^hcbes fit to bear cirms. 
 Tacit. Antial. lib. 2. 
 
 i' Tliis is certainly rank idclatry, r.otwithflcinding the 
 P')phar calls it but a civil ccrcn-jor.y. Thus the worfnjp 
 i!ic Chinde pay to iheir dead, ar.d allowed by the Jtfu- 
 its, was laid by tlieni to be but a pious civil ccn^n'^ony, 
 though it was like this, or rather ni'.re fuperftiiious. 
 See ilie condemnation t;f it by Popt Ucnicrt XI. 
 
 1 3 told 
 
I02 I'he Advi:nture3 of 
 
 told us it was time to make the bqll of our 
 way; fo they all got up, and having killed 
 the ground once more, the five elderly men 
 fcraped a little of the earth, and put it in iine 
 golden \efiels, with a great deal of care 
 and refpecl. After refreihing ouifelvesa- 
 gain, we made cur provifion offi"uits and 
 water, anil leading our dromedaries up the 
 way we came down, mounted, and let out 
 for the remainder of our journey. 
 
 We were now pad the tropic of Can- 
 cer *, as I found by our ibadows going 
 fcuthward •, and went on thus a little, bend- 
 mcr towards the weft an;ain, almofl parallel 
 to the tropic, the breezes increafing rather 
 ftronger {han before, fo that about midnight 
 i: was really cold. We gave our dromeda- 
 ries water about fun-rifm<;r, and refreilied 
 purfelves a little : then fet out -lith new 
 vigour at a prodigious rate : • ftill the bree- 
 zes fell betv/een nine and ten •, however 
 we made fhift to o-o on, becaufe they came 
 again about noon : between three and four 
 was the hottefl: time of all. Bcfidcs, going 
 now parallel to the tropic, we travelled on 
 the hot fands, a very little dcfcendiiig ; 
 
 *■ When perfcps are beyond that tropic, at mid-dny 
 tlic Hiadows of thinos arc towards the fouth, becaufe the 
 • Ion is then north of us ; 
 
 Miranturque umbras tranftre fitiijlras. 
 
 They might have parted the tropic before, finre it runs 
 over part of the defert of Barca, not much fouth ward uf 
 Egypt ;ba:it fcems they ilgcrcdweflwaid for (ohk- time. 
 
 whereas. 
 
Sig.. Gaudentio di Lucca. 103 
 
 ^whereas, when we pointed fouthwards to- 
 wards the line, we found the ground to be 
 infenlibly rifing upon us ^' ; but as we went 
 on thefe almoil flats, if it had not been that 
 we were almod on the ridge of Africa, which 
 made it cooler than one can well believe, it 
 had been impollible to bear the heats. 
 When we refted, we not only pitched our 
 tents for ourfelves and dromedaries, but 
 the fands were fo hot, th<it we were forced 
 to lay things under our feet to preferve 
 them from burning. TIuis we travelled 
 through thofe difmal deferts for four days, 
 without - fight of any living creature but 
 ourfelves. Sands and fky were all that pre- 
 fented itfelf to our view. The fatigue was 
 the greateft I ever underwent rn my life. 
 The fourth day about eight in the morn- 
 ing, by good fojtune for us, or elfe by the 
 prudent forecaft of the Pophar, who knev/ 
 ail his ftations, we faw another vale to- 
 wards the right hand, with fome ftiaggling 
 
 * His obrervaticns are juft, fincc all the new philofo- 
 phcrs allow ihe earth to be fpheroidal and gibbcus to- 
 wards the equator. Whoever therefore goes by land, 
 either from the north or fouth towards the equator, nuift 
 afcend. This fcems to be a very natural rcafon, why 
 thofe immenfe Bares are notfo excefl'ive hot. Hiehighcil 
 mountains are confiderably nigher the fun than the low 
 lands, yet exceflive cold in the hotteft climates ; in the 
 vales the rays of the fun arc coopeil in, and doubled and 
 ■trebled by rcfracftion and rcil^jdlion, <&c. The fame air 
 put in a lurbuk-nt motion will be hot, and iv, a direct one 
 cold. 
 
 trees 
 
104 "^^^^ Adventures of 
 
 trces here and there, but not feemins: nia:U 
 lb pleaCint us the fiiil : we made to it with 
 all our ipeed, and had much ado to bear 
 the hea's till we came to it. We alif>^i:ted 
 immediately, and led our dromedaries 
 down the gentle decent, till we could 
 find a thicker part of it. The firfl trees 
 were thin and old, as if they had jull moi- 
 Iture enough to keep them alive : the inound 
 was but jull coveied over with a little fun- 
 burnt mofs, without any fign of water, but 
 our (lo.'.k was riot yet gone. At length, as 
 we defcended, the grove increafed every 
 wav, the trees were laro-e, with fome dates 
 here and there, but not fo good as in thtr 
 other. We lefted a little, and then conti- 
 nued to defcend for fome tinie,*tilLvN-e came 
 into a very cool and thick fhade. i lere, 
 the Pophar told us, we muH: fcay two or 
 three days, perhaps longer, till he law his 
 ufiial flgns for proceeding on his journey ; 
 and bid us be fparing of our water, for fear 
 of accidents. We lettled our dromedaries 
 as before: for ourfelvcs, we could fcarce 
 take anv thin<? we were ^o faeicrued, want- 
 ing reft more than meat and drink. The 
 Pophar, ordering us fome cordial wines 
 they had along with them for tiuit purpofe, 
 told us, we might fleep as h^ig as we 
 woukl ; only bid us be lure to cover ou 
 felves well •, for the n!3:hts vv'ere long, anu 
 even cold about midnight. We were all 
 
 fjon 
 
Sig. G-AUD'ENTIO DI LuCCA. IO5 
 
 foon adeep, and did not wake till four the 
 next morning. The Pophar, folicitoiis for 
 all our fafeties as well as his own, (for this 
 was the critical time of our journey), was 
 awake the firil of us. When we were upj 
 and had refrellied ourftlves, which we did 
 with a very good appetite, he told us v/e 
 mud go up on the fands again to obferve the 
 figns. We took our dromedaries along 
 with us, for fear of wild bealls, though wc 
 faw none, walking gently up the fands, 
 till we came to a very high ground. We 
 had but a dreary profpedl, as far as our eyes 
 could carry us, of fun burnt plains, with- 
 out grafs, ftick, or fhrub, except when we 
 turned our backs to look at the vale v/here 
 w-e had lain all nioht, which we faw fpiead 
 and extended itfelf a vaft way. He affured 
 us, the notes left for rules by his anceftors, 
 mentioned a fpring in that vale below us, 
 which running lower became a rivulet •, but 
 that, either by an eartliquake, or fome flood 
 of fand, it was quite choked up, running 
 under ground, without any one's knowing 
 whether it broke out again, or was entirely 
 fwal lowed up *. He faid alfo, that, by the 
 moil ancient accounts of liis forefathers, 
 tliG lands were not in their times fo danger- 
 
 * Geoj:;rnphcrs sgrec, that rivers, and even great 
 Lkcs in Afiica fink underground, Jind arequite loft with- 
 out any vifible outlets. The vafl depth of the fbata of 
 fand feems more proper m fwallow them up there, than 
 in etlitr pans of the world. 
 
 ous 
 
io6 The Adventures of 
 
 oils to pafs as they are now, or of fuch 
 vaft extent *, but had fruitful vales much 
 nearer one another than at prefeiu. He ad- 
 ded, that he wifhed earneflly to i'ee the figns 
 he wanted for proceeding on our way, lince 
 there was no ftirring till they appeared : 
 and that, according to his ephemeris and 
 notes, they fhould appear about this time, 
 unlefs fomething very extraordinary happen- 
 ed. This was about eight in the morning, 
 the 9th day after we fet out for the deferts. 
 He was every now and then looking fouth- 
 ward, or fouth-wed, with great folicirude 
 in his looks, as if he wondered he faw no- 
 thing. At length he cried otit with great 
 emotions of joy. It is coming ! Look yonder, 
 fays he, towards the fouth-wefl, as far as 
 your eyes c:\n carry you, and fee wliat you 
 can difcover. We told him, we faw no- 
 thing but fome Tlouds of fand, carried 
 round liere and there like whirlwinds. That 
 is the fign I want, continued he -, but mark 
 well whicli way it drives. We faid it drove 
 direct ly eallward, as nigh as we could guefs. 
 
 * There feems to be .1 niuural leiifon for wliat he fiys; 
 for thofe va(l finds, or hills of gravel, were undoubtcd- 
 iv left by the grnorul dc!u;;c, .is probably all the Itffcr 
 ftrara or J)eds of gravel were. Yet [Mtat part of ihtm 
 nil (} Jiavc bs.cn covered with flime or imid fcr feveral 
 years after iht cl.Jvigc, fosue tliinr.er, {(ime thicker, ar 
 coufequently more incnlland piodoc'iivc anoidingly. N 
 verchtlefs, the violent ra\s of the fun dill render ihc 
 more dry and barren, and, in all piob.ibilitv, tiicfc de- 
 fert"^ will increafc iiioie and moie, v.heit the cuunisy is 
 bot cui:ivulcd, r^ 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. 107 
 
 It does, fays he -, then turning his face 
 weftwards, with a little point of the fouth. 
 All thofe vail deferts, fays he, are now iti 
 fuch a commotion of itorms and whirl- 
 winds, that man and bead will foon be 
 overwhelmed in the rolling waves of fands. 
 He had fcarce faid this, but we faw, at a 
 vaft diftance, ten thoufand little whirlfpouts 
 of fand, rifing and falling with a prodigi- 
 ous tumult and velocity * eaftward, with vafb 
 thick clouds of fand and duft following them. 
 Come, fays he, let us return to our reft- 
 ing-place •, for there we muft Hay, till we 
 fee further how matters go. As this ap- 
 peared newer to me than any of the reft, 
 and being poiTeiTed with a great idea of the 
 knowledge of the. man, I made bold to afl^ 
 him, what was the caufe of this fudden 
 phasnomenon : he told me. That, about that 
 full moon, there always fell prodigious 
 
 * Though in the vad ocean between the tropics, where 
 promontories do not intervene, the winds are generally 
 ealtcrly, yet there is a perpetual well wind blows into 
 Guinea. There are vaft rains at the folftices be- 
 tween the tropics, as the accounts of tliofe parts declare; 
 though at thrit time of the year, more beyond the hne 
 th:m on this fide of it. It is not to be queftioned, but 
 in fuch violent changes, particulaily before thofe rains, 
 there niuil be furious hur'icanes of wind and fand, enough 
 
 to overwhelm whole armies and countries. The 
 
 niofl incredioie parr of this nanation, ir, how they could 
 tiavel atall under the tropic, in the lumnicr folfticc, on- 
 
 , as he jHvs, the grcund being very high and open, 
 u mud' daw air. 
 
 rains. 
 
io3 The Adventures of 
 
 rains *, coming from the weflcrn part of 
 Africa, on this lidc tJie equator, and driving 
 a little ibuth-wcll for fome time at firll, 
 but afterwards turning almollfouth, and crof- 
 fing the line till they came to the fource of 
 the Nile-, in vvhiJi parts they fell for three 
 weeks or a month together -, which was the 
 occafion of the overflowing of that river f- : 
 but that, on this fide the equator, it only 
 rained about fifteen days, preceded by thofe 
 whirlwinds and clouds of fand, whicli ren- 
 dered all that trad: impaifible, till the rains 
 
 had laid them again. By this time we 
 
 were come down to our rcfting-place, and 
 tiiough we did not want flccp or refrefn- 
 ment, yet we took both •, to have the cool of 
 the evening to recreate ourftlves after fo 
 much fatig-ue, not being bkely to move till 
 the next evening at Iboneft. 
 
 At five in the evening, the Pophar called 
 us up to go with him once more to the 
 highcil: part of the dcicrt, laying he v^anted 
 one fign yet, v/hich he hoped to have that 
 evening, or clfe it would go hard with us 
 
 for 
 
 * Natnralifls agree, that bcyonii the line there are 
 great rains at that feartm. It is poilible, they may be- 
 gin on this fide, being driven by the pcipctual well: winds 
 into Gyinea, and then, by natural caufes, turn towards 
 the line and roiithern tropic. 
 
 f Tiie caufes of the oveiflov/rna of the river Nile, 
 unknown to m;(^of die ancients, aie now allowed to h- 
 the great rains falhng in June and July about the line, 
 and the foudiern tropic, and the mcl:;ng of the fnow on 
 
 the 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. 109 
 
 for want of water, our provifion of it being 
 almoft fpent •, and there were no fprings in 
 the deferts that we were to pafs over, till 
 we came within a long day's journey of the 
 end of our voyage. However, he fcarce 
 doubted but we (hould fee the certain fign 
 he wanted this eveninsj; 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 re • 
 fpeclful deference paid to him -, yet he go- 
 verned us in all rerpe6ls, as if we were 
 his children, with all the tendernefs of a 
 father, as his name imported •, though none 
 of the company were his real children. If 
 there v/ere any figns of partiality, it was in 
 my favour, alw..ys exprefllng the mod en- 
 dearing tendernefs for me, which the other 
 young men, inilead of taking any diflikc 
 at, were really pleafed with. No brothers 
 in the world could be more lovino; to one 
 another than v/e v/ere. The elderly men 
 took delight in feeing our youthful gambols 
 with one another : it is true their natu e is, 
 
 the mountains of the nr^on lying in that tr; fl:. None 
 can wonder there fliauld be Tnow in tbofe hot climates, 
 who have heard of the Andes or Cord lleras bordering 
 on Peru. Our Italy is very hot, yet the Alps and A- 
 pennines are three parts of the year covered w'th fnow. 
 
 • The Nile overflows in Augiill, which fecms to 
 
 be a propc-r diil: mce of time for the waters to come do.'vxii 
 to Egvpr, fuch a vafl way "If from th.* caufe of ^t. There 
 :b a river in Cocliinvjhiiia, and elfewherc, that overflows 
 in the fame manner. 
 
no The Adventures of 
 
 of the two, a little more inclined to gravi- 
 ty than that of the Italians, who are no 
 light nation •, yet their gravity is accompa- 
 nied with all the lerenity and chearfulnefs 
 imaginable, and I then thought at our firft 
 acquaintance, that I had never feen fuch an 
 air of a free-born people in my life •, as if 
 they knew no other fubjeclion but what 
 was merely filial. When we came to the 
 high ground, we could fee the hurricanes 
 play ftill •, but, what was more wonderful, 
 very few etfeds of that aerial tumult came 
 our way, but drove on almoft parallel to 
 the equator : tl\e air looked like a brown 
 dirty fog, towards the eail and fouth-eall: ; 
 all the whirlwinds tending towards thole 
 parts : it began after fome time to look a 
 little more lightfome towards the weft •, but 
 fo, as if it were occaiioned by a more ftrong 
 and fettled wind. At length we perceived, 
 at the fartheft horizon, the edge of a pro- 
 digious black cloud, extending itlelf to the 
 fouth-weft and weftern points, rifing with a 
 difcernible motion, though not very faft. 
 We faw plain enough, by the blacknefs and 
 thicknefs of it, that it prognofticated a great 
 
 deal of rain. Here tiiey all fell pro- 
 
 ftrate on the earth : then raifing up their 
 hands and eyes towards the fun, they feem- 
 ed to pay their adorations to that great lu- 
 ,minary. The Pophar, with an audible 
 yoice, pronounced fome unknown words, 
 
 as 
 
 II 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. lit 
 
 as if he were returning thanks to that pla- 
 net for what he faw. At this I flepped 
 back, and kept myfelf at a diftance ^ not 
 fo much for fear of my life, as before, as 
 not to join with them in their idolatious 
 worfhip. For I could not be ignorant now, 
 that they had a wrong notion of God, and 
 if they acknowledged any, it was the fun : 
 which in effedl is' the lead irrational idola- 
 try people can be guilty of *. When they 
 had done their oraifons, the Pophar turned 
 
 * All idolatry being a worfliip of creatures inflead of 
 the one fupreme God, mufl be ii rational. But it is cer- 
 tain, and well attefted by ancient hiftory, that the eafi:- 
 ern nations worfhipped the fun : probably it was the firit 
 idolatrous worPiiip that was in the world. The great 
 benefits all nature receives from his influence ; the glo- 
 rious brightnefs of his rays; the variety, yet conflani te- 
 nor of his motions, might induce ignorant people to be- 
 lieve him to be of a fuperior nature to other creatures, 
 though it is evidently certain, he is limited in his perfec- 
 tions, and confcqucntly no God. It is true, the ancient 
 Egyptians, from whom thefe people fprung, as will be 
 feen afterv/ards, worfliipped th^ fun in the moli early 
 times. There was a prieit of the fun in the patriarch Jo- 
 feph's time. And the Egyptians were fjnie of the fir{t 
 aflronomers in the world, contending for antiquity with 
 the Chaldeans. Though both the Chaldeans and Egyp- 
 tians had their knowledge from the defcendents of Seni, 
 or his father Noah, who, by the admirable (Iruclure of the 
 aik, appears to have been mader of very great fciences. 
 I fay, the Egyptians being fo much addided to aftronomy, 
 it is probable that glorious luminary was the chief obje(5t 
 of their worfliip. They did not worfliip idols and beads 
 tilllong afterwards. Sec thelearned Bocharc's Phaleg. 
 in Mifraim. 
 
 K 2 to 
 
112 The Adventures cf 
 
 to me, ami faid, I fee you won't join with 
 us in any of our religious cerenaonies •, but 
 I muft tell you, continued he, that cloud 
 ii the faving of all our lives : and as that 
 great fun, pointing to the luminary, is the 
 jnftrument that draws it up, as indeed he 
 is the preferver cf all our beings, we think 
 ouifclves obliged to leturn our thanks to 
 him. Here he flopped, as if he had a mind 
 to hear what I .could fay for myfelf. 1 was 
 net willing to. enter into difpures, well 
 knowing that religious quarrels are the 
 moil provoking cf any : yet I thought my- 
 felf obliged to make profelfion of my belief 
 in the fup;eme God, now 1 was called upon 
 to the prot'efied worfhip of a fallc deity. 1 
 anfwered with the moll moded refpeiTt 1 was 
 capable of, that that glorious planet was one 
 of the phyfical caufes of the prefervation of 
 our beings, and of the produdion of all 
 things ; but that he was produced himfelf 
 by the n^.ofl: high God, the firfl caufe and 
 a\]thor of all things in heaven and earth •, 
 the fun only moving by his order, as an in- 
 animate being, incapable of hearing our 
 prayers, and only operating by his direc- 
 tion. However, I offered to join with lum, 
 in returning my bed thanks to the m.oll high 
 God, for creating the fun, capable by his 
 heat to raife that cloud for the faving our 
 lives. 7'hus I adapted my anfwer as nigh 
 to his difcGurfe as 1 could, yet not fo as to 
 
 deny 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. ii 
 
 deny my faith. For I could not entirely 
 tell what to make of them as yet •, fmce I 
 obferved, they were more myfterious in 
 their religious ceremonies, than in any thing 
 elie * ; or rather, this was. the only thing 
 they were referved in. He pondered a good 
 while on what I faid, but at length he ad- 
 ded. You are not much out of the way : 
 you and I will talk this matter over another 
 time j fo turned off the difcourfe y I fuppo- 
 fed it to be becaufe of the young men ftand^ 
 ing by us, who he had not a mind fliould 
 receive any other notions of religion, but 
 what they had been taught. It was funfct 
 by the time we came down to the grove. 
 We had fome fmall flights of fand, caufed 
 by an odd commotion in the air, attended 
 with little whirlwinds, which put us in fome 
 apprehenfions of a fand-fliower •, but he bid 
 us take courage, fince he could not find in 
 all his accounts, that the hurricanes or rains 
 ever came, in any great quantity, as far as 
 we were, the nature of them being to drive 
 
 * This agrees with all ancient accounts of the firft 
 people of F.gypt ; witnefs theit emblems, hieroi'lyphics, 
 ^c. Mod of the ancient fables, under which fo many my- 
 fleries were couched, did not firft fpring from the Greeks., 
 though improved by them ; but from the Egypti;ins and 
 Chaldeans, who at iirlt lield a communication of fciences 
 with one another, but grew to emulofity afterwards. 
 The wonderful things the Egyptian Magi did, in imita- 
 tion of the miracles wrought by Akfes^ ihew they were 
 great ariifls. 
 
 K 3 more 
 
114 The Adventures of 
 
 more pa.allcl to the equator : but he was 
 fure we ilioiikl have fomL j and ordered us 
 to pitch ' ur tents as firm as we could, and 
 draw out all our warer-veffels, to catch the. 
 rain againfb all accidents. When this was 
 done, and we had eat our luppers, we re- 
 created ourfelves in the grove, wandering 
 about here and there, and diicourfing of 
 the nature of thefe phenomena. We did 
 not care to go to reft lb foon, having rcpo- 
 fed ourfelves fo well that day, and havinii; all 
 the following night and the next day to ftay 
 in that place. The grove grew much plea- 
 fanter as we advanced into it •, there were a 
 great many dates and other fruits, the natu- 
 ral produce of Africa •, but not quite fo rich 
 as in the firft grove. 1 made bold to afk 
 the Pophar, how far that grove extended, 
 or whether there v/ere any inhabitants. He 
 told me, he could not tell any thing of ei- 
 ther. That it v/as pofllble the grove might 
 enlarge itfelf different ways, among the 
 winding hills : fince his accounts told him, 
 there had been a rivulet of water, though 
 now fwallowed up •, but he believed there 
 were no inhabitants, fince there was no 
 mention made of them in his papers. Nor 
 did he believe any other people in the 
 world, befide themfelves, knew the way, 
 or would venture fo far into thofe hor- 
 rid inhofpitable deferts. Having a mind to 
 learn whether he had any certain knowledge 
 
 of 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. 115 
 
 of the longiiuae, which creates fiich diffi- 
 cukies to the Europeans, I afked how he 
 was fuie that was the jlace i or by what rule 
 he could know how far he was come, or 
 where he was to turn to right or left. He 
 flopped a little at my quellions ; then, with- 
 out any apparent hefitation, Why, faid 
 he, we know by the needle, how far we 
 vary from the north or fouth point, at lead 
 till we come to the tropic * •, if not, we can 
 take the meridian and height of the fun, 
 and knowing the time of the year, we can 
 tell how near we approach to, or are off 
 the equator. Yes, faid I ; but as there are 
 different meridians every ilep you take, how 
 can you tell how far you go eafl or weft, 
 when you run either way in parallel lines f 
 
 * Experimental philofophy tells us, that the needle is 
 of little ufe in navigation, when under the line ; but lies 
 fluftuating without turning to any point of itfcif ; be- 
 caufe, as feme fuppofe, the current of the magnetic efflu- 
 via, flying from pole to pole, has there its longeft axis, 
 as the diameter of the equator is longer than the axis of 
 the world. But whether this has the fame effefl: on the 
 needle by land, which is the cafe, as it has by fea, we 
 mud have more certain experiments to know, though 
 it is probable it may. 
 
 •f- Where-ever we Ihnd, we are on the fummit of the 
 globe with refped to us. Whoever therefore thinks to 
 go due weft, parallel to the equator or caft, will not do 
 fo, but will cut the line at longrun, becaufe he makes a 
 greater circle. Thefe men theiefore, when they thought 
 they went due weft, were approaching to the line, more 
 than they were aware of, and fuppofing the ftrudure of 
 the earth to be fpheroidical, went op hill all the way, 
 bating fome fmall inequalities, 
 
 to 
 
1 
 
 ii6 The Ai>vEXTURES of 
 
 to the tropics, or the equator ? Here he 
 flopped again, and cither could not make 
 any certain difcov^ery, or had not a mind to 
 let me into the fecrec. The firll was mod 
 likely; however, he anfwered readily enough, 
 and laid, You pleafe me with your curious 
 qucdions, fince I find you are Icniible of 
 the difficulty. Why, continued he, all the 
 method we have, is, to obferve exadly how 
 far our dromedaries go in an hour, or any 
 other fpace of time : you fee we go much 
 about the fame pace : we have no iloj^s in 
 our way, but what we know of, to re- 
 frefh ourfelvcs oi fo, for which we generally 
 allow fo much time *. When we fet out 
 from Egypt, we went due well -, our beafls 
 gain 1" many miles an hour-, we know by 
 that, how far we are more weft than we 
 were -f-. If we dedine to the north or the 
 fouth, we know likewifc, how many miles 
 we have advanced in fo many hours, and 
 
 * This muft be utidcrllood according to the foregoing 
 remark. 
 
 ■[ At flirt fight, it fcenis to be eafier to find out the 
 longitude by land than by fca, bccaufe \vc may be more 
 cei tain how far we advance. At fea there are currents, 
 and tides, and fettings in of the fea, which make the fhip 
 to go aflant more or Icfs infcnfibiy. As yet there has been 
 DO certain rule found to tell us, how far we advance dtje 
 tjdi or due welt. The elevation of the pole, or the 
 height of the fun, fliews us, how far we decline to the 
 noiih or foutii 3 but we have no certain rule for the ead 
 or welt. 
 
 compute 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. 117 
 
 coinpute how much the declination takes off 
 from our going due weil. And though we 
 cannot tell to a demonftrative exadnefs, 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 aflved him, 
 how they came to find out this way, or to 
 venture to feek out a habitation unknown to 
 all the world befide. He anfwered, " For li- 
 berty, and the prefervation of our laws." 
 I was afraid of afking any further, feeing 
 he gave fuch general anfwers. By this time 
 it was prodigious dark, though full moon *. 
 We had fome fudden gulls of wind that 
 flartled us a little , and it lightened at fuch 
 a rate, as I never faw in my life. And 
 although it was towards the horizon, and 
 drove fide wife of us, yet it was really ter- 
 rible to fee ; the fiaflies were fo thick, that 
 the flcy was almoft in a light fire. We made 
 up to our tents as fail as we could ; and 
 though we had only the fkirts of the clouds 
 over us, it rained lb very hard, that we 
 had our veflels foon fuppiied with water, 
 and got fafe into our fhelter. The thunder 
 v/as at a vafl dillance, but jull audible, and, 
 for our comfort, drove llill to the eall- 
 ward. I do not know in what dilpofi- 
 
 * The full moon about the fummer-roldlce generally 
 brings rain, and the overflowing of the Nile is now known 
 to be caufed by the vafl rains in the regions near the e- 
 (juator, 
 
 tions 
 
ii8 The Adventures of 
 
 tions the elderly men might be, bcin<^ 
 accuflomed to the nature ot it -, but I am 
 furc I was in fome apprehcnfion, fully per- 
 fup.det], if it had come tliredly over u-S no- 
 thing could withfland its impetuofity. I 
 had very little inclination to rell, whatever 
 my companions had •, but pondering with 
 myfclf, both the nature of the thing, and 
 the prodigious r!<ill ihcfe men mull have in 
 the lav/s of the univerfe, I (laid with impa- 
 tience waiting the event. ' 
 I was mufmg with myfelf on what I had 
 heard and feen, not being able yet to rrucfs 
 with any fatisfadion what tlule people 
 were, when an unexpe6led accident was the 
 caule of a difcovery, v.hich made me fee^ 
 they were not greater Grangers to me, than 
 I ^as to myfelf. The weather was lliflino- 
 hot, fo that we had thrown off our varments 
 to our iliirts, and bared our breafts for cool- 
 nefs fake •, when there came a prodigious 
 fialh, or rather blaze of ligluning, which 
 ftruck full againll the breaft of one of the 
 young men oppofite to me, and difco- 
 vered a bright gold medal hanging down 
 from liis neck, with the figure of die fun 
 engraved on it, furrounded wMtli unknown 
 characters-, the very fame in all appearance I 
 had feen my deceafed mother alv/ays wear 
 about her neck, and fince her death I car- 
 ried with me for her fake. 1 afked the 
 meaning of that medal, fince I had one 
 
 about 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. 119 ' 
 
 about me, as it appeared, of the very fame 
 make. If the Pophar had been ftruck with 
 lisrhtninor he could not have been in a 
 greater furprife than he was at thefe words: 
 You one of thele medals ! faid he -, how, in 
 the name of wonder, did you come by it ? 
 I told him my mother wore it about her 
 neck, from a little child j and with that 
 pulled it out of my pocket. He fnatched it 
 out of my .hands with a prodigious eager- 
 nefs, and held it againft the lightning perpe- 
 tually flaihing in upon us. As foon as he faw 
 it was the fame with the other, he cried out, 
 Great fun, what can this mean? Then afl^ed 
 me again, where 1 had it ? how my mother 
 came by it ? who my mother was ? what 
 ^ge fhe was of when Ihe died ? As foon as 
 the violence of his ecftafy would give me 
 leave, I told him my mother had it ever 
 fince Ihe was a little child : that fhe was the 
 Adopted daughter of a noble merchant in 
 Corfica, who had given her all his effeds 
 when my father married her : that (he was 
 married at thirteen ; and I being nine- 
 teen, and the fecond fon, I gueifed fhe 
 was towards forty when flie died. It mull 
 be liiphena, cried he, with the utmoft ec- 
 ftafy, it muft be Ihe. Then he caught me 
 in his arms, and faid, You are now really 
 one of us, being the fon of my father's 
 daughter, my dear filler Ifiphena. The 
 remembrance of whom made the tears run 
 
 down 
 
I20 The Adv^extures of j 
 
 dowr. cheold man's checks vciy plentifully. 
 
 She was loft at Grand Cairo about the time 
 you mention, together with a twin-fnter 
 who I fear is never to be heard of. Tiien [ 
 reflected 1 haJ heard my mother fay, fhe liad 
 been informed, the gentleman who adopted 
 her for his daugliter, had bought her when 
 file was a little girl of a Turkifh woman of 
 that place ; that being charmed with the 
 early figns of beauty in her, and having 
 no children, he adopted her for his own^ 
 Yes, laid the Fophar, it muft be fhe •, but 
 what is become of the other fifter ? For, faid 
 he, my dear fifter brought two at one un- 
 fortunate birth, which coft her her life. I 
 told him I never heard any thing of the o- 
 ther. Then he a-quainted me that his fifter's 
 hu'band was tlie peribn who conducted 
 the reft to vifit the tombs of their ance- 
 ftors, as he did now : that the laft voyage, 
 he took Jiis wife with him, who out^of 
 her great fondnefs had teafcd liim and 
 importuned him fo much to go alono- 
 with him, that, though it was contrary to 
 their laws, he contrived to carry her dif- 
 guifcd in man's cloaths, like one of the 
 young men he chofe to accompany him in 
 the expedition : that ftaying at Grand Cairo 
 till the next feafon for his return, ftie pro- 
 ved with chil.l of twins -, and, to his un- 
 fpeakable grief, died in childbed. That 
 wlicn they carried her up to Thebes to be 
 
 interred 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. 121 
 
 ' interred v/ith her anccflors, of wiiich I 
 fhould have a more exa6l information by 
 and by, they were obliged to leave the chil- 
 dren v/ith a nurfe of the country, with fome 
 Egyptian fervants to take care of the houfe 
 and effe(5ls-, but before they came back, the 
 nurfe v/ith her accomplices ran away with 
 the children, and, as w;as fuppofed, murdered 
 them, riiicd the houfe or all the jev;ds and 
 other valuable thinrrs, and v/cre never heard 
 of afterwards. But it feems they thought it 
 more for their advantage to fell the children, 
 as v/e find they did, by your mother-, but 
 what part of the v/orld the other fifiier is in, 
 or whether fhe be at all, is known only^to 
 the great author of our being. However, , 
 continued he, we rejoice in finding thel% 
 hopeful remains of your dear mother, whofe 
 refemblance you carry along with you. -Ic 
 was that gave me fuch a kindnefs fpr your 
 perfon the firfb time I law you, mcthought, 
 perceivino; fomethino; I, had never oblerved 
 in any other race of people. But, faid 
 he, I deprive my companions and children 
 here of the happinefs of embracing their 
 own flefh and blood, fince v/c all fprung 
 from one common father, the author of our 
 nation, with whom you are goin<r to be in- 
 corporated once more. Here we embraced 
 one another with a joy that is inexprelfible. 
 Now all my former fears were entirely va- 
 nifhed: though 1 had lofc the country where 
 I v/as born, I had found another, of winch 
 
 L I 
 
122 The Adventures of 
 
 I could novviic be afliamed, where the 
 people were the mofl humane and civilized* 
 1 ever faw, and the foil the finefl, as I had rea- 
 fon to hope, in the world. The only check to 
 my happinefs was, that they were infidels. 
 However, I was relblved not to let any con- 
 fideration blot out of my mind that I was a 
 Chriilian. On which account, when the 
 PopKiir vv^ould have tied the medal about 
 my neck, as a badge of my race, I had fome 
 tiifficulty in that point, for fear it fhould be 
 an emblem of idolatry, feeing them to be 
 extremely fupeillitious. So I afl^ed him, 
 what was tlie meanino" of the fmure of the 
 iun, v/ith thofe unknown chara6lers round 
 cibout it ? He toki me the charaders were 
 to be pronounced Omahi}yi^ i. e. 'J he fun is 
 the author of our being, or more literally, 
 ^'he fun is cvs father, Om or On fignifics 
 the iun [This will be explained in another 
 place]. Ah fignifies Father, Ln or Miw, 
 Us. This made me remember, they had 
 told me in Egypt that they were chil- 
 dren of the fun •, and gave me fome uneafi- 
 ncfs at their idolatrous notions. 1 therefore 
 t(-»ld him, I would keep it as a cognifance 
 (jf my country •, but could iiot acknowledge 
 any but God to be the fupreme author of 
 my being. As to the fiipreme author, faid 
 he, your opinion is l.tilediOerent from ours*. 
 
 * Thi.fc pecplo are foincthlng like tlie Clilncfe, who 
 woriliij) the ni.uciiHl heaver, or iky, which lunie millio- 
 Diiiics could thir.I; compatible with Chriltiiinitv. 
 
 But 
 
Sis. G-4UDENTI0 DI LuCCA. 122 
 
 But let us leave thefe religions matters 
 till another time: we'll clofe this happy day 
 with thankfgiving to the fupreme being for 
 this difcovery : to-monow morning, fince 
 you are now really one of us, 1 will ac- 
 quaint you with your origin, and how we 
 came to hide ourfelves in thefe inhofpitable 
 deicrts. 
 
 [J'he reader is defred net to ceyifiire or difl.e- 
 lieve the fcUciving account of the origin arul 
 trcnfmigration of thtfe people^ till be has 
 perufed the learned remarks of Signor Rhe- 
 di.] 
 
 The next morning the Pophar calling mc 
 to him. Son, laid he. to fulfil my promife 
 which I made you laft night, and that you 
 may not be like the reit of the ignoranc 
 world, who know not who their forefa- 
 thers and anceilors were '^ ; v/hether they 
 
 ^- fprung 
 
 * It would certainly be a great fiitlsfiii^ilon to moft 
 rations to know from what lacc of people, counii y, or 
 family, they fprung originally. Tins ignorance is ow- 
 ing chiefly to tlie Barbari Tramontanl f , and other nor- 
 thern natio;is, who have from time to rime over-run the 
 face of Fu rope, leavir.^T a mixtaic of iheir fpawn iQ-^ali 
 parts of it ; fo tli.it no on;: k.nov,'.=;, whether he came ori- 
 ginally from Sc}t!iia or Afia, from a civilized naiion, Hk 
 
 •f Signet Rlie"'. hf'Jnj; an It?IIafli, o-i; c\:no wnni.T he fpeaks 
 fo contemptibly oi thi nortlicin pc\ nlj j ilu Itaiuj-.a .j!! th.m all 
 Bar ban, 
 
 kt L 2 from 
 
124 1^*^ Advexturis of 
 
 fprung from brutes or barbarians, is all 
 alike to them, provided they can but grovel 
 on the earth, as they do : you nuill know 
 therefo<i5%^s ^ fuppofe you remember what 
 1 told you at our firft ilation, that we came 
 originally from Egypt. When you afked 
 mc, how we came to venture through thefe 
 inhofpirable defeits, I told you, it was for 
 liberty, and the prefervation of our laws ; 
 but as you are nov/ found to be one of us, 
 1 defign to give you a more particular ac- 
 count of your origin. Our anceftors did 
 originally come from Egypt, once the hap- 
 pieit place in the world ; though the name 
 of Egypt^ and F/j^yft'tciiis^ has been given 
 to that country, loiig fince we came out of 
 it : the original name of it v/as Mexzo- 
 raim *, from the firil man tliat pcoplc4t.it, 
 
 flie 
 
 from the greatefl brutes ; and t]iou;;h wars ami Invnfions 
 have dcftroyecL or interchangt-ii the inhabitants of moft 
 countries; yetPhis man's obfcrvAtion is a juft^ccnfiire of 
 tlie neglc5t of moft people, with refpw'tn to tlieir ^genea- 
 logy and knowledge of thtir anceltors, where tlicy have 
 been fetiled in .i country for foveral ages, l^nt tlicrc are 
 HKirters of greater moment in this man's relation, true or 
 falfe, which lead us into fume CJiious rem.iins of ancient 
 hii^jry. 
 
 * Tlie original nam? of Kgypt was Mlfraim ; from 
 Mifraim, Meforaim, or Mctforaim, as tlio learned Bo- 
 ch.ivt cxplaiiis it, lib. 4. of Geg^aph. Hacra in AU'rj- 
 im, M. Da Pin's hiflory ofjtfie Old TelK c. 6. and o- 
 thfs. All ancient authoi#agree, that it was once i!ie 
 licii^rtl arid happiefl country in the wo:ld; iljuriihing 
 '^ with 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. 125 
 
 th<^ father of our nation ; and we call our- 
 feU^es Mezzoranicns iron) him. We have 
 a tradition delivered down to us fiom our 
 lirft anceilors, that when the earth firll rofe 
 out of the water '*, fix perfons, three men 
 and three women, rofe alojig with it : ei- 
 ther fent by the fupreme deity to inhabit ir, 
 or produced by the fun -f. That Mezzo- 
 
 raim 
 
 with plenty, and even learmng, before the patriarch Ab- 
 raham's time. There is a very remarkable fragment cf 
 Eupolcmus an ancient Heathen writer, taken from ilx 
 Babylonian monuments, preferved by Eufebius, lib. 9. 
 Prceparat. Evan. The words are, B«i^vAa'v/5<j yXyut 
 srpe^rov ysrscS"*,; BjiA^v, mv uvea K^^avov ud'iXCPov rS Mitr^ccif^ 
 'TTocrph', Aiyvrflioov. The whole fragment, in our mother 
 tongue, fignifies, that, according to the Babylonians, the 
 fird was Bel us, the fame with Kvonos or Saturn ; from 
 him came Ham or Cham, the father of Canaan, brother 
 to Mefraim, father of the Egyptians. 
 
 * This is an obfcure notion of Noali's flood, known 
 to all nations, at lead the eadern, as appears by the 
 olded remains ; of which fee Bochart on that article, 
 lib. I. ** The earth rofe ojt of the wal|r," or the wa- 
 ters funk from the earth. 1 hefe people might midake 
 fomething of that undoubted and ancient tradition. But 
 Mifraim could not be i"no:ant of the ticod, his father 
 Ham having been in the ark, whether ignorance or other 
 motives made his poderity vary in the account ; but it is 
 evident the ancients had a notion of the general deluge, 
 as may ealily be proved by the remains of Heathen au- 
 thors bearing tedimony to the fcripture-account of it. 
 
 \ The ancient Egyptians thought men, as well as in- 
 rt:(51s, were produced out of the fiime of the Nile, by 
 the heat of the fun, and caljed themfelves Ahorigints^ 
 as fevcral other nations did. Though this wife man is 
 
 L 3 iotlined 
 
126 The Advintures of 
 
 I 
 laim our firfl: founder was one of thofe fix; | 
 
 who i^crcafing in number, made choice of 
 tlie country new called Egypt *, for the j 
 place of his habitation, where he fettled " 
 with fixty of his children and grandchil- 
 dren, all of whom he brouj2;ht alonnr with 
 him, governing them as a real father, and 
 inilruding them to live with one another, 
 as brothers of one and the fame family ■]•, 
 He v/as a peaceable man, abhorring the 
 fhedding of blood J, which he faid would 
 
 Ue 
 
 inclined to think ihey were created by God ; J5? it i? e- 
 vidcnt and certain they were ; for fince wc fee one finpje 
 infecl cannot be produced without a caufe, it is nonfcnfe, 
 ar< well as impoiTible, to imagine an infinite ferics of men 
 and animals coald be produced without a fcparate caufe : 
 on wijich account Atheifm is one of the molt foolilh and 
 ;ibfard notions in the world. 
 
 * Herodotus tells us, the Egyptians pretended to be 
 the full: mhabitrnts of the earth ; though the Ethiopians 
 contended with them for antiquity. I muft quote the 
 words in Latin, out of Laurenzo Valla's tranflation, be- 
 caufe I have hiUh not in Greek, Ovniium homliium prio' 
 res fe extitife orhiirahantur. They cfteemcd them- 
 selves, fays he, to have been the firft of all men. He- 
 rodoi. lib. 2. Euterfyc, 
 
 -j It is certain irom Bochart, and other learned au- 
 thors, that the Egyptian government, as well as that of 
 moll nations, was at firll patriarchal : till Nimrod found- 
 ed tiic iul\ kingdom or empire in the world ; whofe ex- 
 ample others "followed, according to their power. How- 
 ever, the patriarchal government was foon broke in upon 
 in i-^gypt, fmce they had kings in Abiaham and.Uaac's 
 time, as v/e lea in from the Old Tefiament. See Bochart's 
 Ceographia Sacra. 
 
 :|. T\.c celebrated Elfliop of Meaux, in rart ^. of his 
 
Slg. Gaudentio di Lucca. 127 
 
 be puniflied by the fupreme ruler of the 
 world ; extremely given to the fearch of 
 fciences, and contemplation of the hea- 
 vens *". It was he who was the lirft inven- 
 tor 
 
 Univ. Hid. gives ns a wonderful dcfcrlption oftheju- 
 ftice and piety of the firft Egyptians, who had fuch a 
 horror of fliedding man's blood, that they puni(hed their 
 criminals after they were dead ; which was as much in 
 terrorsm^ confidering their fuperfHtious reverence for 
 their deceafed friends and parents, as if they had been 
 punifhed when alive. The reafon why the ancient mo- 
 ral Heathens abhorred the fhedding of blood, might be, 
 that Noah's fons having lived before the deluge, knew 
 that the wickednefs of the world was the caufe of that 
 dreadful judment ; and (bedding of blood being the firft 
 crime puniflied by God, they might take warning by 
 fuch terrible examples, though the impiety of feme na- 
 tions foon obfcured this innate light of nature, particu- 
 larly the defcendents of Ham ; all but this Mifraim ; 
 who With his family, by all accounts, iirft peopled E- 
 gypt ; and they were noted for judice and knowledge. 
 It v/ill be made evident in the fubfequent remarks, that 
 thefe Hickfoes were the defcendents of wicked Canaan, 
 or Cufli, who deflroyed the peaceable flate of the firft 
 Egyptians, and introduced idolatry among them ; which 
 imade great numbers of them fly into other parts of the 
 world to fave themfelves. ^ 
 
 * The ilmie learned Bilhop of Meaux, and other hi- 
 florians, ailure us, as it is a thing well known to all the 
 learned, th^t arts and fciences were brought to very 
 great perfection in the earlleil: times in Egypt. Mo- 
 les vvas infliuded in the fciences of the Egyptians. Tiip- 
 tolenius, the founder of agriculrr.re, came out of E- 
 gypt. Facchus, the inventor of wine, according to the; 
 ancients, came out of Egypt, or Libya, which borders 
 upon it J iiiough it was fjrft learned horn Noah. Py- 
 
 ihagorus, 
 
128 The Adventures of 
 
 tor of all onr. arts, and whatever is nfeful 
 for the government of life, fprung from 
 him. Though Wis grandfon Thaoth* rather 
 excelled him, particularly in the more fub- 
 lime fciences. Thus our anceftors lived 
 four hundred years, increafmg and fpread- 
 ing over all the land of Egypt, and abound- 
 ing with the bleffings of peace and know- 
 ledge ; without guile or deceit, neither do- 
 ing or fearing harm from any j till the 
 wicked defcendents of the other men, cal- 
 led Hickfoes f, envying their happinefs, and 
 
 the 
 
 thagoras, and other learned men, went into Egypt to be 
 intruded by the prieds, <tc. Herodotus fays the fame 
 of himfelf. 
 
 * This Tha-oth, the famous philofophcr of the E- 
 gyptian«, was before Mercury or Trifme^iflus ; though 
 Tome take him to be the fame. All allow him to be ex- 
 tremely ancient, but cannot fix the time when he lived. 
 }Iiflorians mutder his name at a ftrange rate. Bochart 
 calls him Ta-utusy lib. 2. cap. 12. Clemens Alex. lib. 6. 
 Strom, fays, he wrote forty-two books of aftrology, 
 geography, phyfic, policy, theology, religion, and go- 
 vernment. Jofeph Ben-Gorion, dc dhifione Gentiuvi^ 
 calls him Tut is ; feme cull him Thciit, othets, 7>.v/, 
 Taut, Thoth, &:c. But, according to this man, h's 
 name was Tka-cth. It is certain, however, that he w; s 
 the g:'CJt maftcr of the Egyptians ; but derived his learn- 
 ing from Noah, who might have the knowledge of arts 
 and faiences fom the antediluvian world, or from the 
 columns of Seth, which, Jofephus fays, contain the prin- 
 ciples of afhology, and were erei^ed before the f.ood 
 by the nephews of Seth : one of which columns, as he 
 fays, remained in Syria in his time. Jofeph. Ant, lib, 2, 
 
 €, 2. 
 
 -[ 'I h: fame Jofepbus^ lib. 2. Qonira Jl>pion, fays, 
 
 ihut 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. 129 
 
 the 1 ichneis of their country, broke in up- 
 on them like a torrent, deftroying all be- 
 fore them, and taking poffefiion of that 
 
 that Hyckfoes or Hyckloesy an old Egj'ptian word, figni- 
 fies BuTiXng Tdiu.ivd';., khig jhepherds, or kings of beatts, 
 given them by the native Egyptians, as a name of dif- 
 grace and contempt. It is out of all controverfy tliat 
 there was a great revolution in Kgypt, about four hun- 
 dred years after the flood, or a little before Abraiiam's 
 time. Monfieur Du Pin makes the time from the flood 
 to Abraham's birth three hundred and fifty years ; and 
 about four hundred to his being called by God. It is 
 certain alfo, there were kings in Egypt in Abraham's 
 time. It is probable ihefe kings were the Hyckfbe?, or 
 king-fiiepherds, who altered the government of the an- 
 cient Egyptians, and continued about five kings reigns. 
 For when the patriarch Joft^ph called his father and bre- 
 thren into Egypt, he bid them aflc the land of Gofhen to 
 inhabit, becaufe, faid he, all Ihepherds are an abomina- 
 tion to the Egyptians. By which it appears the fhep- 
 herds were lately driven out. In all likeiihood tliefe 
 were the kings who introduced idolatry and the adoration 
 of brute-beafls among the Egyptians, for which reafon 
 they called them in deriHon king-Hiepherds, or king- 
 beads. • The great BDchart, in his Phaleg. looks 
 
 upon this revolution in Egypt to have been before Abra- 
 ham's time, and fo far fiom being a fi6lion, that he fa^'S 
 in exprefs words, Caf.ucos et Caphtkoraos (whom he 
 proves to be the people of Cjlcjio*:, for all it is fo far from 
 Egypt) ex JF.gypio migrajfe ccrtum ejl ante Ahrahami 
 ternpora. " It is certain," fays he, *' that the Gafluci and 
 the Gapiithoraei went out of Egypt before Abraham's 
 time." Bochart Pkaleg. lib. a. c. 31. Herodotus in 
 Euterpe fays, that the people of Golchos were original- 
 ly Egyptians ; though fome fay they went back fome a- 
 ^es after, and fettled in Palelline, and were called after 
 that Piiiliflin':s. 
 
 ha:py 
 
^S^ The Adventures of _. 
 
 u : ' 
 
 ha-ppy place our anceflors had rendered fo 
 
 fiounlhing. The poor innocent Mezzora- 
 nians abhorring, as I faid, the iliedding of 
 blood, and ignorant of all violence, were 
 flauphtercd like fhecp all over the country ; 
 and their wives and daughters violated be- 
 fore their eyes. Thofe whom their mer- 
 cilefs enemy fpared, were made Haves to 
 work and till the earth for their new lords. 
 Secretary. Here the inquifitors interrupted 
 him, and afked him, whether he thought 
 it unlawful in all cafes to refill force^by 
 force, or whether the law of nature did 
 not allow the Mezzoranians to refift 
 thofe cruel invaders even to the fhed- 
 ding of blood •, as alfo to punidi public 
 malefadlors with death for the prefei-va- 
 tion of the whole. Their intent was, as 
 they are cautious of any new opinions, i 
 to know whether he might not be a 
 dogmarizer, and advance^lbme errone- 
 ous notions, either by holding that to 
 be lawful, which was not lb ; or denying 
 things to be lawful, which really may be 
 allowable by the light of nature. 
 Caudentio. Doubtlels they might lawful- 
 ly have refilled even to 'the l^edding of 
 blood in thn cafe, as public criminals 
 may be put to dcach. 1 only acquaint 
 your Reverences with the notions pecu- 
 liar to thefe people ; as for the punifli- 
 ment ot their criminals, your Reveren- 
 ces will fee, when I con^c to their laws 
 
 and 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. 131 
 
 and cufloms, that they have other ways 
 and means of puniihing cringes as ef- 
 fectual as putting to death •, though 
 living entirely within themfelves, free 
 from all mixture and commerce with o- 
 ther people, they have preferved their 
 primitive innocence in that refped to a 
 very great degree. Inqidfitor. Go on. 
 The Pophar continuing his relation, ad- 
 ded : But what was moil intolerable was, 
 that thefe impious Hickfoes forced them 
 to adore men and beafls, and even infedts, 
 for gods •, nay, and fome to fee their chil- 
 dren offered in facrifice to thofe inhuman 
 deities *. This dreadful inundation fell at 
 firil only on the lower parts of Egypt, 
 which was then the moil flourilhing. As 
 many of the diflreffed inhabitants as could 
 efcape their cruel hands, fied to the upper 
 parts of the country, in hopes to find there 
 fame little refpite from their misfortunes. 
 But alas ! what could they do ? they knew 
 no ufe of arms : neither would their laws 
 fuffer them to dcflroy their own fpecies •, fo 
 that they expelled every hour to be devour- 
 ed by their cruel enemies. The heads of 
 the families in fuch diflrefs were divided in 
 
 * Thefe Hickfoes being In all appearance the dcfcen- 
 dents of wicked Canaan or Cufli, were fo abominably 
 impiou*-, as to facrifice human vidlims and children to 
 ilicir falfe gods ; and even were the fiifl authors of all 
 inipieiy and idolatry. 
 
 their 
 
13^ The Adventures of 
 
 their counfcls, or raihcr they had no coim- 
 fel to follow : fome of thern fled into the 
 neighbouring deferts, which you have i'{^(;n 
 are very difnial, on both fides the upper 
 part of that kingdom •, they were difperfed 
 like a flock of flieep fcattered by the rave- 
 nous v/olves. The confl:ernation was fo 
 great, they were rclblvcd to f!y to the far- 
 thell parts of the earth, ra:her tlian fall i-^ 
 to the hands of thofe inhuman monllc! . 
 'J1ie greateft part of them agreed to build 
 fliips, and try their fortune by fea. Our { 
 great father Mczzoraim had taught them 
 the art ot makinrr boats *, to crofs the 
 branches of the great "iver [Nile] •, whicli 
 fonne, fiid he, had learned by being preferved 
 in fuch a tiung from a terrible flood that o- 
 verflowed all the land f. Which indrument 
 of their prcfervation they io improved af- •. 
 terwards, that they could crofs the lefler 
 
 * It is highly probable the Egyptians had the know- 
 ledge of fliipping long before the Greeks, whofe iincll 
 fliip was Argo, bulk by Jafon to fetch the golJcn fleece 
 from Colclios. The fjrfl notion of Ihipping was undoubt- 
 edly taken from the ark ; the Fgyprians were necefTitatcd 
 to make uCz of b'jats, by reafon of tlie annual overflowing 
 of the ri^er N'le, and to pafs the different branches into 
 which that famous river divides itfelf in th.e Lower Egypt. ; 
 Tiic SiJoaJans, whom Bochart proves to be the dcfcend- 
 ents oi" C.i.i.'an, had the ufe of (Inpping, as he alfo 
 proves, before the childicn of Ifrael dcpaiied out of E- 
 
 f In all appearance this mufl have been Noah's flood, 
 whicJi it is much Signor Rhedi pafTjs over in his remark*?. 
 
 f 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. 133 
 
 fca * without any difficulty. This being refol- 
 ved on, they could not agree where to go : 
 fome being refolved to go by one lea, fome 
 by the other. However they fct all hands 
 to work ; fo that in a year's time they had 
 built a vafl number of veiTels ; trying them 
 backwards and forwards along the coaits, 
 mending what was deficient, and improving 
 what they imagined might be for their 
 greater fecurity. They thought now, or 
 at lead their eagernefs to avoid their ene- 
 mies m.ade them think, they could go with 
 fafety all over the main fea. As our ance- 
 fliors had chiefly given themfelves to the ftu- 
 dy of arts and ftiences, and the knowledge 
 of nature, they were the moft capable of 
 fuch enterprifes of any people in the v/orld. 
 But the apprehenfion of all that v/as mifer- 
 able being juft frcfh before their eyes, 
 quickned their indufliry to fuch a degree, 
 as none but men in the like circumftances 
 can have a juft idea of. Moft of thcle men 
 were thofe v/ho had fled in crouds from Lov»'- 
 er Egypt. The natural inhabitants of the 
 upper parts, though they v/ere in very great 
 confternation, and built ftiips as faft as they 
 could, yet their fears were not fo immedi- 
 ate, efpecially feeing the Tlickfoes remained 
 
 * Egypt is bounded on the one fide by rl\c end of tb.e 
 Mediterranean ; on the other lide by the Red fea, di- 
 viding it from Arabin : tJiis he calls die kiYcr fca, as 
 being much narrower than the MeJitcrrar-can. 
 
 M vet 
 
1 
 
 13+ The Adventures of 
 
 yet quiet in their new pofleiHons. But news- 
 being brought them, that the Mickfoes be- 
 gan to ftir again, more I'warms of their 
 cruel brood ilill flocking into that rich coun- 
 try, they rcfolved now to delay the time no 
 longer, but to commit themlelves, wives, 
 and children, with all that was mod dear 
 and precious, to the mercy of that incon- 
 flant element, rather than trull to the bar- 
 barity of their own fpecies. They who came 
 out of the Lower Egypt, were relblvcd to 
 crofs the great fea *, and with immenfe la- 
 bour 
 
 ■■' This great Tea, as dirtingiiinicJ from the lefs, 
 muft be the Mediterranean. Thofc who fled by that fcj, 
 muft be thofe who went to Colchos : they could not 
 go by land over the iflhmus, bejaufc the Hickfocs pour- 
 ed in upon them that way : we mull not fuppofe tlicy 
 went all the way by fea to Colchos, quite round by 
 the freights of the Hellcfpont. Tl:cy mull crofs the end 
 of the Mediterranean, and go by land the flioricll way 
 they coiild till they came to ^he borders of the Euxine 
 fe.i. It is alnioft incredible men fhould go fo far to feck 
 an habitation. But Bochart fays, it is certain the people 
 of Colchos came out of Fgypt ; they nuift therefore 
 have been diiven out by fome terrible enemies. Yc u 
 will fty, Why may not this firft revolution in Kgypt, 
 which Bochart fpeaks of, have been made by the great 1 
 Scmiramis, wife to Ninus, the fon of Nimrod ? It is an- 
 fwcrcd in the fiifl place, becaufc Jolcphus calls the fufl 
 invaders of Kgypt, ftdc-iXu^ rroiu'-yeci;, king-lhephcrds, 
 which cannot agree witii the great heroine Seniiramis. 
 7iJ/v, Bec.mfe it is not credible, notwithflanding the 
 contiary opiiiion of moll: hillorians, that Ninus, the huf- 
 band of Semiramis, could be fo early as they make him 
 to be, /. e. tlie fon of Nimred, but lome other Ninus 
 
 long 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. 135 
 
 bour were forced to carry their materials part- 
 ly by laud, till they came to the outermoft 
 branch of the Nile, fince their enemies co- 
 ming over the ifthmus, though they hinder* 
 ed them from going out of their country by 
 land, unlefs by the deferts, yet had not 
 taken pofTefTion of that part of the country. 
 It is needlefs to recount their cries and la- 
 mentations at their leaving their dear 
 country. I fhall only tell you, that they 
 ventured into the great fea, which they 
 crofTed, and never (lopped till they came to 
 another fea *, on the fides of which they 
 fixed their habitation, that they might go 
 off again in cafe they were purfued. This 
 we learned from the account of our anceftors 
 who met widi fome of them that came to 
 vifit the tombs of their deceafed parents, 
 as we do •, but it is an immenfe time fmce, 
 and we never heard any more of them. — 
 The other part, v/ho v/ere much the great- 
 long after him : for though Semiramis conquered Egypt, 
 and afterwards loft her army agalnft the Ethiopians, this 
 could not be fo foon after the flood ; becaufe hiftorians 
 defcribe that army to confift of three hundred ihoufand 
 men inftru6ted in difcipline after a mihtary manner, arm- 
 ed with warHke chariots, 6'tr. as were the Ethiopians 
 againft her, and even fuperior to her. I fay, it is not 
 credible fuch great armies could be raifed fo foon after 
 the flood, if flie was daugJucr-in-law to Nimrod the great 
 hunter, who was the fon of Cufli, and otcat-prandfon to 
 Noah. 
 
 * /'. f. the Euxine fea. 
 
 M 2 er 
 
J 36 The Adventures of 
 
 er number, went down the leficr Tea *, 
 having built their Ihips on that Tea •, they 
 never froppjd or touched on either fide, till 
 they came to a narrow part of it ■]-, which 
 led tiicm into the vaft ocean ; there they 
 turned off to the left into the eaftern lea 'I- 
 But whether they were fwallowed up in the 
 niercilels abyfs, or carried into fome un- 
 knov/n regions, we cannot tell, for they 
 were never heard of more. Only of late 
 years ^^e have heard talk at Grand Cairo, 
 of a very numerous and civilized nation in 
 
 the 
 
 * /. i\ tlic Red fc^i. There were fcvcral other re- 
 volutions in F.ijypr, as by the Etliiopians, after Semira- 
 mis was conquered ; who were expelled again, either by 
 the great Sefoitris, of whom Herodotus relates fuch fa- 
 mous exploits ; or a little before by his prcdcccflor. 
 The C maanites alfo, who were driven out of Paloftine 
 by Jodiua, conquered part of it, as we fliall fee after- 
 wards. Long after that, it was fubJued by Nabuchodo- 
 nofor, who dedroyed the renowned city of Thebes, 
 with her hundred gates. Bochart in Nineve. Then the 
 Perfians under Cambyfes the fon of Cyrus the Great. In 
 fine, the Romans made a province of it in Aiigullus's 
 time. Strabo fays of that famous city of Thebes, wvi }l 
 xfoiLUiloy <rv>oiKi'iTui. At picfcnt, fays he, it is but a poor 
 village. 
 
 yllqiie vet us Ti.dc autiivi jacct ohnita pcrt!T. 
 
 Juvcn. fat. I. 
 
 '\ This muft be the ftreights of Babclmandcl, which 
 let ihcm into the vaft cailcrn ocean. 
 
 :j: It is likely that colony was carried to Cluna ; for, 
 let what will come of this man's relations, there are ve- 
 ry (hong reaf ms to believe, that the Chincfc, notwith- 
 Itauding the vuft diitancc from Kgvpt, came originally 
 
 from 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. 137 
 the eaftern parts of the world, whofe laws 
 
 from that country, about the time of the Invafion of the 
 king-fhepherds, which was before Jacob and his fona 
 went into the land of Egypt. For whoever compares the 
 account given by the learned Bifhop of Meaux, in the 
 third part of his Univerfal Hlflory, of the Hvcs and man- 
 ners of the lirft Egyptians, with thofe of the Chinefe, 
 will find them to agree in a great many points. As, i^?, 
 their boafted antiquity j 2dlyr their fo early knowledge 
 of arts and fciences : 3<3'/v, their veneration for learned 
 men, who have the preference before others : ^thlyt 
 their policy : ^thlyt their unaccountable fuperftition for 
 their deceafed parents : 6ihlyi their anntial vifiting the 
 family of their ancellors : ']thly, their peaceable difpofi- 
 tions : ^thly^ their religious worfliip. As fcr this lafl, 
 it is well known the firil Egyptians worfliipped the fun, 
 long before the gods Apis, and Ids, and Anubis, were 
 introduced among them by their idolatrous invaders. 
 And the Chinefe to this day worftiip the material hea- 
 ven, as is feen in the condemnation of the Jefuits by 
 Clem. XI. Laftly, the ufe of pyramids in Egypt, which 
 were like ancient idols among the Chinefe. See the ac- 
 count of them in Moreri. The only difficulty is to 
 know how they got from Egypt to China, which is not 
 fo infupportable as people may imagine. It is certain, 
 the Egyptians, as has been remarked,, had a very early 
 knowledge cf navigation. It is certain alfo, that, in thofe 
 barbarous invafions, the invaders of kingdoms almoftde- 
 ftroyed all before them. Since we find therefore in the 
 mo(t ancient hiftories, that there was a mod terribie re- 
 voluiion in Egypt about that time made by the people, 
 whofe cufbms the Egyptians had in abomination, the 
 Chinefe might feek their fortune by fba, and might be 
 carried beyond the Perfian gulf, till they came to Co- 
 chin China, from whence they might get into the main 
 continent, and fo people that vail empire ; pteferving 
 their ancient laws and 'cufloms inviolable. So that, 
 whatever becomes of this man's relation, it is extremely 
 |)robable, the Chinefe came firil from Egypt. 
 
 M 3 ' and 
 
I3S The Adventures of 
 
 and cuftoms have fome refemblance to ours •, 
 but who, and v/hat they are, we cannot 
 tell, fince we have never met with any of 
 them. 
 
 The father of our nation, Hnce we fepa- 
 ratcd ourfelves from the reft of the worhl, 
 who v/as prieft of the fun at No-om *, (call- 
 led afterwards by thofe mifcreanrs No-Am- 
 mon -f, becaufe of the temple of Mammon), 
 
 was 
 
 * No'Oiyj^ or No-ov, fignifics, in the old Mczzornni- 
 an, or old Egyptian language, the hoiife of the fun. 
 Their words are made up of monofyllablts put together 
 like the Cliinefe, wiilch is'^l'nothcr rtafon why the Chincfe 
 o.ight to be looked upon as a colony of the Egyptians. Vi- 
 d: the remarks of the foregoing part of this relation. Tlie 
 patriarch Jcfeph married the dai:ghter of the prieft of 
 On\ which, feveral katned men fay, is the fame with 
 Ileliopolis, or city of the fun. Ercm No comes the E- 
 gyptian nomes, or divifions of the countiy, which the 
 great Bochart in his Phalcg fays is an Egyptian, not a 
 Greek word, though dynafty is Gieek. Bochatt, lib. 4. 
 c. 24. Hence very likely came tiic Nomadcs, and Nu- 
 midie, fiom tiieir wandering and frequently changing their 
 liabitation, or names; the fir ft and mod ancient of all 
 nations lived thus. 
 
 * That is, the houfe or temple of Ham, or Hammon • 
 or Charnoon, or Chum, as Bochart varies it. This Ham 
 ^vas the Tyrlan Jupiter, and in this place was afierwaids 
 fi. dated the great city of Thebes, as has been obferved be- 
 fore, called by the Greeks Diofpolis^ or the city of Jupiter. 
 Cadmus, who was of Thebes in Palcftinc, being driven 
 cut from thct^cc by jofljua, built it; but was diiven out 
 from it, and forced to retire to Tyre, from whence 
 he condu5\ed a« colony of Tyrians, or b.tnlflied Canaan- 
 ire-;, I ,10 ])trt)iia, where he built Thcbej alfo, or rat' er 
 the citadel of Thebes, called Cadmcia. Vide BQchart, 
 
 in 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. 139 
 
 was not afleep in this general confternation; 
 but did not as yet think they would come 
 up fo high into the land. Hov/ever, he 
 thougUt pioper to look out for a place to 
 iecurenimfelf and family in cafe of need. 
 He was the defcendent, in a diredl Hne, 
 from the great 'i'ha-oth •, and was perfe6lly 
 verfcd in all the learned fciences of his an- 
 ceftors. He gueifed there muft certainly be 
 fome habitable country, beyond thofe dread- 
 ful fands that furrounded him, if he could 
 but find a way to it, where he might fecure 
 himfelf and family ; at lead, till thofe 
 troubles were over : f©r he did not at that 
 time think of 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, ra- 
 ther than expofe his v^hole family to be left 
 in thofe difmal deferts. He had five fons, 
 and five daughters married to as many fons 
 and daughters of his deceafed brother *. Flis 
 
 two 
 
 //; Cadmus and Hermione. Which lafl the fame au- 
 ilior fays, came. originally from mount Hermon in Pale- 
 lline ; and as that word in the Canaanean languages (ig- 
 nifies a ferpent, from hence arofe the fable of the fer- 
 pent's teeth turning into men. The ttmple of Jupiter 
 Ammon, or Harnmon, in Africa, was built by the Chi- 
 nani, who fpread themfelves from Egypt into Libya. 
 
 * It is certain that the ancients, particularly the eaft- 
 cm nations, married their nigh rclauons, as well as the 
 Jews, to keep up thtir n^.^ies or liibesj but v/e do not 
 
 find 
 
140 The Adventures of 
 
 1 
 
 two ekleft: fens had even grandc hildren, but 
 his two youngcll Ions as then liad no tliil- 
 dren. He left the government and care of 
 all to his elded fon, in cafe he hinilcllifliould 
 mifcarry •, and took his two youngefl Tons, 
 who might bell be fpared along with him. 
 Having provided themfelvcs with water for 
 ten days, with bread and dried fruits, juil 
 enough to fubfill on, he was refolved to try 
 five days journey endwife through tiiefe 
 lands i and if he faw no hopes of making a dif- 
 covery that time, to return again before liis 
 provifions were fpenr, and then try the fame 
 method towards another quarter. In fliort, 
 he fet out with all fecrecy, and pointing: his 
 courfediieflly weftward, the better to [^uiJc 
 himfelf, he came to the firfl: grove that we 
 arrived at, in a little more time than we 
 took up in coming thither. Having now 
 time enoup-h before him, and feeing there 
 was water and fruits in abundance, he exa- 
 mined the extent of that delicious vale : 
 he found it was large enough to fubfiil a 
 great many thoufands, in cafe they fliould 
 increafe, and be forced to ilay there fome 
 
 find In hlftory that tbcy married their own fiftcrs, till the 
 Pcrfian kin^s, who were condemned for it by the Ci'reeks. 
 Tlic Egyptians under the Ptolemies followed that barba- 
 rous cultom, though they begun with Ptolemy Lagus, 
 one of the captains of Alexander; the Incas in America 
 did the fame, not to profane their blood, as they faid, 
 with ether riiixtures. 
 
 generations, 
 
Sig, GaudentiO'Di Lucca. 141 
 
 generations, as in efTedl they did. After 
 this they laid in provlfions as before, with 
 dates and fruits of the natural produce of 
 the earth, finer than ever were feen in 
 Egypt, to encourage them in their tranfmi^ 
 gration, and fo fet out again for his native 
 country. The time prefixed for his return 
 was elapfed by his flay in viewing the coun- 
 try •, fo that his people had entirely given 
 him up for lofl. But the joy for his unexpedl- 
 ed return, with the promifing hopes of fuch 
 a fafe and happy^ retreat, made them unani- 
 mouily reiolve to follow him. Wherefore, 
 on the fi.rft news of the Hickfoes being in 
 motion again, they packed up all their ef- 
 ftSis a;nd provifions as privately as they 
 could ; but particularly all the monuments 
 of arts and fciences left by their anceftors, 
 with notes and obfervations of every part of 
 their dear country, which they were going 
 to leave, but hoped to fee again when the 
 ftoim was over. They ar risked without any 
 confiderable difafter, and relolved only to 
 live in tents till they could return to their 
 native homes. As they increafed in num.- 
 i)er, they defcended fvTther into the vale, 
 which there began to fpread itfelf different' 
 ways, and fupplied them with all the necef- 
 fa ies and conveniencies of life-, fo that they 
 lived in the happieft banifliment they could 
 willi •, never flirring our of the vale for fe- 
 veral years, for fear of being difcovered. The 
 
 Pophar 
 
142 The Adventures of 
 
 Pophar finding himfelf grow old, (havlnff 
 attained almoft two hundied years of age *), 
 though he was hale and llrong for his 
 years, refolvcd to viHt his native countiy 
 once more before he died, and get what in- 
 telligence he could for the common intereft 
 Accordingly, he and two more difguifed 
 th.^.nkdves, and repafTed the delerts arrain. 
 Thcyjuit ventured at firft into the borders 
 of the country: but, alas! when he came 
 there, he found it all over run by tlie bar- 
 barous liickroes. AH the poor remains of the 
 Mezzoranians were m.ade Oaves •, and thofe 
 barbaiians had begun to build habitations, 
 and eftabiifh themfelves, as if they deficrn- 
 ed never more to depart the country. They 
 had made No-om one of their chief towns *, 
 
 * The regular lives of the firft Egyptians, and of thefe 
 people dcfcendcd from ihem, together with the climate, 
 their diet of fruits and liquors, their exemption from vi- 
 olent paHions, without being corrupted by the fpurious 
 Ipawn of other nations, and the like, might contribute 
 very much to the lengtli of their lives, and (hcngth pro- 
 pomonably. The Macrobii, or long-livers, a people of 
 Ethiopia, and a colony of the ancient Egyptians, lived to 
 a va(t age. and were called Macrcbu from their long lives 
 See Herodotus of the Ethiopians; and what he fays of 
 their ftrength in the bow, whicii they feot to Cambyfes, 
 when he had denounced war again/l them; faying, that 
 when he could bend that bow, he might make war a- 
 gainlt them ; which bow only Smerdis, Cambyfcs's bro- 
 ther, could bend, and for that reafon was afterwards put 
 to death by his brother out of envy. 
 
 ^ * It feems Thebes, though afterwards fuch a prodi- 
 gious city, was then but the head of the name of that 
 man s family, 
 
 where 
 
Sig» Gaudentio di Lucca. 143 
 
 where they erected a temple to their ram- 
 god *, calling it No- Hammon -f, with fuch 
 inhuman laws and cruelties, as drew a 
 flood of tears from his aged eyes J. How- 
 ever, being a man of great prudence and 
 forefight, he eafily imagined, by their tyran- 
 nical way of living, they could not conti- 
 nue long in that flate without fome new 
 revolution. After making what obferva- 
 tions he could, and vifiting the tombs of his 
 forefathers, he returned to the vale, and 
 died in that place where you faw the pyra- 
 mid built to his memory. Not many gene- 
 rations after, according as he had forefeen, 
 the natives, made defperate by the tyranni- 
 cal opprefTions of the Hickfoes, were forced 
 to break in upon their primitive laws, which 
 forbade them to flied blood j made a general 
 infurreftion, and, calling in their neigh- 
 bours around them, fell upon the Hickfoes 
 when they lead expefted it, and drove them 
 out of the country. They were headed by 
 a brave man of a mixed race, his mother 
 being a beautiful Mezzoranian, and his 
 
 father 
 
 * Jupiter Hammon, whom B9chart proves to have 
 been Ham or Cham, the fon of Noah, was reprefented 
 with a ram's head, which was held in fuch abomination 
 by th(i lirfl Egyptians, from whence they called tho-fe firib 
 invaders Hickfoes. 
 
 t No-Hammon, the houfe of the ram god. 
 
 X It is likely he means Bujiridis aras, fo infamous in 
 «antiaulty J or the cruel Bufiris, who facrificedhis guefts. 
 
 Though 
 
144 The Adventures of 
 
 father a Sab:ran *. After this young con- 
 queror had driven out the Hickfoes, he efta- 
 blifhcd a new form of government, making 
 himfclf king over his brethren, (but not af- 
 ter tlie tyrannical manner of the Hickfoes), 
 and grew very powerful. Our ancefbors 
 fent perfons from time to time to inform 
 themlelves how matters went. They found 
 the kingdom in a flourifliing condition, in- 
 deed, under the conquering Sofs -f, for fo he 
 
 Though hidorians do not agree about the time when 
 Bufiris lived, which (hews he w;is very ancient ; yet all 
 agree, he was a monfler of cruelty, and became a pro- 
 verb on that account. This was a very natural reafon 
 for tiie K^yptians to dlfperfc thenifelves into fo many co- 
 lonies as they did, to avoid fuch cruehies. 
 
 * Thcfo Siiba:ans were the defcendents of fome of the 
 fons of Chufli, or Chufs, a very tall race of men, great 
 negotiators, and more polite than the other Arabians. 
 Bochart. hi Seba tilio Chits, where he quotes a paflagc 
 out of Agatharcidcs of the handfomenels of the Sabac- 
 ans, 
 
 Tot cauxroi iTi Tu* KctfoiKisvrikif «|<oA«ya'Tfg«. 
 The bodies of the inhabitants [theSabxansj arc more ma- 
 jclHc than other men. * 
 
 t This "mud be the great Sefoftrls or Sefofis, of whom 
 the learned Bifliop of Mcaux, as alfo Herodotus, (.lys 
 inch glorious things, l^hough authors do not f.<y pre- 
 cifely when he lived, all acknowledge him to have flou- 
 lilhcd in the carlicfl times. He extended his conquclls 
 over the greatell part of the call, and alniofl over the 
 known world, as lome lay, Where his enemies were 
 cowards, and made no renilancc, he fet up Hatues of 
 th'.'m rcfcmbling women. Herodot. lib. 2. Euterpe. Alonf. 
 df iMciiux, (Kir. 3, JHiJi. U;:/v. This great conqueror's 
 name is very mucli varied by authors. 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. 145 
 
 was called. He and" his fuccelTors made it 
 one of the moil powerful kingdoms of the 
 earth •, but the laws were different from 
 what they had been in the time of our an- 
 ceftors, or even from thofe the great Sofs 
 had eilabliflied. Some of his fucceflbrs be- 
 gan to be very tyrannical -, they made fiaves 
 of their brothers, and invented a new reli- 
 gion •, fome adoring the fun, fome the gods 
 of the Kickfoes ; fo that our anceftors, as 
 they could not think of altering their laws, 
 though they might have returned again, 
 chofe rather to continue ftill unknown in 
 that vale, under their patriarchal govern- 
 ment. Neverthclefs, in procefs of time, 
 they increafed lb much, that the country 
 was not capable of maintaining them •, fo 
 that they had been obliged to return, had 
 not another revolution in Egypt forced them 
 to feek out a new habitation. This change 
 was made by a race of people called Cna- 
 nim *, as wicked and barbarous in efFe6L, 
 
 but 
 
 * Thefe in dl appearance were the wicked Canaaneans, 
 who beincT to be defti'oyed, and being diivcn out of Ca- 
 naan by JoHiua, difperfed themfclves, and invaded the 
 greatefl: part of the countries round about them. Rochart 
 in Canaan proves almoft demonftrably, that they di- 
 fperfed themfclves over all the iflands and fea-ports of 
 Europe, Afia, and Africa. In his pref\\cc he quotes a 
 moll curious paflage out of Procopius de hsllo Vandelico, 
 of a pillar that was found in Africa, with a Phoenician or 
 Canaanean infcription, which fignifics in Greek, 
 
 N HMEIS 
 
i 
 
 146 The Adventures of 
 
 but more polinc, tlmn the Hickfoes ; 
 though \on\c lliid they were originally the 
 lame people, who being diiven out of their 
 own country by others more powerful than 
 themfelves, came pouring in, not only over 
 all the land of Mc/.oraim, but all along the 
 coaih of both feas, dellroying all before 
 them, v/ith greater abominations than the 
 Hickibes had ever been guilty of: in fliort, 
 a faithlefs and moll perfidious race ot men, 
 that corrupted the innocent manners * of 
 the whole earth. Our forefathers were 
 in the mod dreadful confternation ima- 
 
 IfMElZ EZMEM OI cj.EYrOXTEr Ano HPr^Z- 
 
 onoY iHzor toy aii5:tcy yioy nayh. 
 
 Jl'e an' t/uyj& ni'h ft'd /rofj: the face of Jefusy or Jojtjua 
 tic robber ^ the friK of Naie. Eufebiusy in Chronic 
 lias much the finie ; and St Auflin, in his City ofd.., 
 r.iys, that the ancient covjntry-pcople i^bout Hippo in A- 
 frica, who weie i!ic remains of ihe ar.cicnt Cariliagini- 
 anr, if you aflvcd them who they were, would anlwcr, 
 \Vc .ire oilf.inally Canaani, or Canaancar.s. 
 
 * 'i'he celebrated Bochatt, (o often cjuotcd, prov 5 
 iliatthe Phoenicians or Cjitha;vni,ins, whom he alfo prov- » 
 tohiuc been ('anaancans, weie ihc pi iTjijS who fpiead ii.1 
 latry, with all th'.- tribe of the Heathen goiis, and th' 
 ;iboi5jin:ible lires, over the whole worhi. Boclart .-. 
 Cjnit.rn. 'Ihe fmie author iry:, the rha?riicians or Ca- 
 .na.ini, invaded i'.gypt abo;>t liiat veiy lime. This he 
 proves diiCiTdy : arul that ihty hud their c.tAra about 
 AT'.T.ifhis; a? alfo that C^iJmus anJ l^hcrnix, whom he 
 makes conlcn)porancs wiih Jolliua, having fled before 
 him. came out of Fj»ypt afterwards, and built Tliebes Tt 
 ik'.\''i.i. See «l;U IicrcJ',l\i in Futc-r^i:, 
 
 .U ginabi. 
 
Sig. Gaud E NT 10 di Lucca. 147 
 
 gin able. There was now no profpetfl of 
 ever returnino- into their ancient country. 
 They were furrouncled with defcrtr. on all 
 fides. The place they were in began to be 
 too narrow for fo many thouiands as thty 
 were increafed to: nay, they did not know 
 but the wicked Cnani rn, v>dio were at the 
 fanne time the boldeft and mod enterpri- 
 fing nation under the fun *, might find 
 them out fome time or other. Being in 
 this dillrels, they rej'olvcd to leek out a 
 new habitation ; and, to that end, com- 
 pared all the notes and cblervations on 
 the heavens, the couiie of the fun, tlie fea- 
 fons, and nature of tlie chmate, and v.'har- 
 ever elfe might diretl them what courle 
 to fbcer. Tliey did not doubt but that 
 there might be iome habitable countries 
 in the midft of thofc vaft deferis, peih.aps 
 as delicious as the vale they lived in, if they 
 could but come at them. Several per{bn:> 
 were fent out to make dilcoverier,, but with- 
 out fucce fs. l"he fands were too vail 10 tra- 
 
 * Herodotus fays, ihat they failed (ev^n in thou- cir- 
 ly days) from the Redfc;i, round Africa, cmd cinic back 
 to Egypt through the flrcightc, and un tlic Mediterra- 
 nean. Hcrodct. Mehoviene, and Brd.art. That Tlan- 
 no the elder, by oidsr of the fenate of Carth^tgc, fnii-d 
 round the grcateft part of ihe world, and : ft-r iiis ictmii 
 delivered to rhein an account of his voyage, \vbi\-h's ^■A\- 
 ed tlie Peripjus of Hanno. He .if^'e^^tiail to be honoured 
 as a god for it. and lived before Solomon's lime. Bvchi^ft 
 in Canaan i lib. i. c, 37. 
 
 N 2 vel 
 
14S The Adventures ot 
 
 vel over wiLhout water, and they could find 
 no iprings nor rivers. At length the mc(t 
 fagacious of them began to relied:, that 
 the annual overflowing of the great river 
 Nile, whofe head could never be found our, 
 muft proceed from fome prodigious rains 
 "which fell fome where fouthwaid of them 
 about that time of the year-, v/hich lains, if 
 they could "bur luckily time and meet with, 
 might not only fupply them with w^ater, but 
 alfo render the country fertile wheie they 
 fell. Accordingly the chief Pophar, affiflcd 
 by fom.e of the v/ifefb nien, generoufly re- 
 folved to run all rilks to fave his people. 
 They computed the precife time when the 
 Nile overflowed, and allowed for tlie time 
 the waters muft take in defcending fo far as 
 Egypt. They thought therefore, if they 
 could but carry Vv-ater enough to fupply them 
 till they met with thcfe rains, they would 
 help them to go on further. At length, 
 five of them fet out, with ten dromedaries, 
 carrying as much water and proviHons as 
 might ferve tliem for fifteen days, to bring 
 thc-m back attain in cafe there wns no hores. 
 They ileered their couife as we did, though 
 not quite fo exa.t the firfl time, till they 
 came to the place, where we are now. 
 Findincr here, as their notes tell us *, a lit- 
 
 D 
 
 Thofe wife ancients kept records of every tiling 
 th.ir was memorable and v\(ci\\\ for their people. If this 
 ha4*ccn ihe priidHcc of the Europeans, we fliould not 
 h#e iolt lo man/ feciets of nature as we hae. 
 
 .3r tic 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. 149 
 
 tie rivulet, which is fince fwallowed up by 
 the lands, they filled theii veflels, and went 
 vip to take an obiervacion ; as v/e did : but 
 feeing the figns of the great hurricanes, 
 v/hich was our greatell encouragement, it 
 had like to have driven them into defpair ; 
 for the Pophar knowing the danger of be- 
 ing overwhelmed in the fands, thought of 
 nothing but flying back as fail as he couki, 
 fearing to be fwallowcJ up in thofe ilifling 
 whirlpools. This appiehenfion made him 
 lay afide all thoughts of fucceeding towards 
 that climate •, and now his chief care was 
 how to get back again with fafety for him- 
 felf and his people. But finding all conti- 
 nue tolerably ferene where they were, they 
 made a halt in order to make fonie farther 
 obfervations. In the mean time, they re- 
 fle6ted that thoi'e hurricanes mull be fore- 
 runners of tempefts and rain. Then they 
 recollected, that no rain, or what was very 
 inconfiderable, ever fell in Egypt '^j or for a 
 
 * This is well know- by ai) the defc! iptions of that 
 country^ the inundation of ihe Nile fupplying ihe want of 
 it, and nuking it one of the moft fertile kingdoms in the 
 world ; every one knows it was once tlie granary of the 
 Roman empire. Hov/ever, feme fmall rain falls Comt- 
 .(iines : nor is there any more higher up in the country. 
 The overflowing of the Nile is known to be canfe^i by 
 va'l rains falling under the line, or about that climate ; 
 and fince iliofe don't take Egypt and the adjoining' pait 
 of Africa in their way, they mull by confequencc run pa- 
 rallel with the line ; which was a very oaluial and philo- 
 lophical ebkrvation of thefc wife men, 
 
 N 3 great 
 
15<^ 'l^ic Adventures of 
 
 gicat way foutli of ir, till they came wuhiii 
 the tropics ; and thence concluded, that 
 the rains mull run parallel with the equator, 
 both under it, and for fome breadth on both 
 fides, till they met the rife of the liver ISile, 
 and there caufed thofe vail inundations f ) 
 hard to be accounted for by other people. 
 That, in fine, thofe rains mull latl a confi- 
 derable while, and probably, though be- 
 ginning with tempefts", might continue in 
 fettled rain, capable of being pafled through. 
 Then he at firft refolved to venture back 
 a2;ain to the firil vale : but beino- a man 
 of great prudence, he prefently 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 at one feafon, muft take up a whole 
 year before he could return. However, he 
 was refolved to venture on, not doubting but 
 if he could find a habitable country, he 
 fliould alfo find fruits enough to fubhfl on, 
 ■ till the next feafon. Therefore he ordered 
 two of his companions to return the fame 
 way they came, to tell his people not to cx- 
 pcdt him till the next year, if Providence 
 iliould bring him back at all •, but if he did 
 not return by the time of the overflowing 
 of the Nile, or thereabouts, they might give 
 him over for loft, and mufb never attempt 
 that way any more. They took their leaves 
 of one another as if it were the lait adieu, 
 
 and 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. 151 
 
 and fet out at the fame time *, two of them, 
 for their homes in the firft vale, and the other 
 three for thofe unknown regions; being de- 
 ftitute of all other helps but thofe of a cou- 
 rageous mind. The three came back to 
 this place, where it thundered and lightened 
 as it does now ; but the Pophar obferved it 
 flill tended fidewife, and guefied, when 
 the firft violence was over, the rains might 
 be more fettled. The next day it fell out 
 as he forefaw ; whereupon, recommending 
 himfelf to the great author of our being, 
 he lanched boldly out into that vafl ocean 
 of lands and rain, fleering his courfe fouth- 
 w^ft, rather inclining towards the fouth. 
 They went as far as the heavy lands and 
 rains would let them, till their dromedaries 
 could hardly go any further. Then they 
 pitched their tents and refrefhed themfelves 
 juft enough to undergo new labour, well 
 knowing all their lives depended on their 
 expedition. They obferved the fands to be 
 of a different kind from what they had feen 
 hitherto, fo fine, that any gufl of wind mufl 
 overwhelm man and beaft, only the rains 
 had clogged and laid them. 
 
 Not to prolong your expedtation too much : 
 they went on thus for ten days, till the 
 rains began to abate ; then they faw their 
 lives or deaths would loon be determined. 
 The nth day the ground began to grow 
 
 harder 
 
152 The Adventures of 
 
 harder in patches, with here and there a 
 little mofs on the lurface, and now and then 
 a fmall withered fhrub. 1 his revived their 
 hopes, that they fliould find good land in a 
 Ihort time, and in effect, tb.e foil changed for 
 the better every (lep they took •, and now 
 tliey began to lee little hills covered with 
 grais, 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 profped further on of 
 hills and dales, all habitable and flourifh- 
 ing. Here they fell prodrate on tliC earth, 
 a.ioring the creator of all things, who had 
 condudled tliem fafe -through fo many dan- 
 gers, and kifiing the ground, which was to 
 be the common nurfe for them, and, as they 
 hoped, for all their polieriiy : v.'hen they 
 had repofed themfelves for fome days, they 
 proceeded further into the country, which 
 they found to mend upon them tlie more 
 they advanced into it. Not intending to re- 
 turn till next year, they fought the proper- 
 cil place for their habitation •, and fetting up 
 marks at every moderate diilance not to lofe 
 their way back a;;ain, they made for tl 
 highoft hills they could fee, from whcr.- 
 they perceived an immenfc and delicio 
 country evcrv v.-.iy ♦, but, to their greater J 
 tisfa's.ti'jn, no iiih.ibitants. Ihey v/andcf 
 
 thus 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lugca. 153 
 
 thus at pleaibre through thoft natural gar- 
 dens, where there was a perpetual fpring in 
 fome kinds of the produce of the earth, 
 and the ripenefs of autumn with the moft 
 exquifite fruits in others. They kept the 
 moft exa6t obfervations poflible. Which- 
 ever way they went, there were not only 
 fprings and fountains in abundance, but, as 
 they^'guefTed, (for they kept the higher 
 ground), the heads of great rivers and lakes, 
 Ibme of which they could perceive -, fo that 
 they were fatisfied there was room enough 
 for whole nations, without any danger, as 
 they could find, of being difturbed. By 
 their obfervation of the fun, they were 
 nigher the equator than they had imagi- 
 ned *, fo that they there pafTed the middle 
 fpace between the tropic and the line. Be- 
 ing come back to their firft ftation, they there 
 waited the proper feafon for their return, 
 l^he rains came fomething fooner than the 
 year before, becaufe they were further weft- 
 
 * Though we may imagine a IcfTer circle parallel to 
 the tropics and the equator, which is called maxhj.'us 
 paraf/e/orum ; yet whoever travels either by land or fca, 
 parallel, as he thinks, to the equator, does not fo, but 
 will approach to it ; nay and crofs it at lali, (unlefs he 
 goes fpirally), and make indentures as he goes along : the 
 reafon is, becaufe vvhere-ever we are, we are on the fum- 
 mit of the globe with refpcdt to us, and our feet make a 
 perpendicular to the centre ; fo that if we go round the 
 globe, we (hall make a great circle, and by confequence 
 cut the equator. 
 
 wad* 
 
154 ^^^ Adventures of 
 
 ward. The hurricanes were nothino: like 
 
 o 
 
 what they were in the vafl: faiuis. As foon 
 as they began to fix in fettled rains, they 
 fet out again as before, and in twenty days 
 time from their lail fetting out, happily ar- 
 rived at the place where they le t their dear 
 friends and relations, whole joy for their 
 fafe and happy arrival was greater than 
 I can pretend to defcribe. Thus this im- 
 mortal hero accom)">liiiied his great unticr- 
 taking, lo much more glorious thdn all the 
 vi(5tories of the greatell conquerors, as it 
 was proje^led, formed, and executed by his 
 own wiidom and courage -, not by ex poling 
 and ficrificing the lives of thouiands of his 
 fabjecls, perhaps greater men than himlelf, 
 but by expofing his own life for the fafery 
 of thofe that depended on him. 
 
 It were too tedi<3us to recount to you all 
 the diilicul'-ics and troubles they had, both 
 in reioWing to uad^Ttake fuch a hazardous 
 tranlmigr^tion, as well as thole of tranl- 
 porting}, iuch a multitude, v.ith tiicir wives 
 and children, and all their moil precious 
 cfteifls, over thofe mcrcilefs lands, which 
 they could only pafs at one fcalbn of the 
 year. But the voyage being at length re- 
 iolved on, and the good Fophar wifely con- 
 fidering the diin. unties, and necellity, the 
 mother of invention, urghig him, at the 
 fjme time, to gain as much 'time as he 
 coulJ, lincc the vale where they were at 
 
 prefent 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. 155 
 
 prefent was fuHicient to maintain them tilt 
 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 
 mothers, and people to take care of them, 
 till they were able to bear the fatigue. Thus, 
 in feven years time, going backwards and 
 forwards every feafon, they all arrived fafe, 
 where we ouifelves hope to be in ten or 
 twelve days time. This great hero we de- 
 fervedly honour, as another Mefraim, the 
 fecond founder of our nation, from whofe 
 loins you yourfelf fprung by the furer fide, 
 and are going to be incorporated again with 
 the offspring of your firfl anceilors. 
 
 Here he ended his relation, and your Re- 
 verences may eafily believe, I was in the 
 greateft admiration at this unheard-of ac- 
 count. As it raifed the ideas I had of the 
 people, fo I could not be forry to find my- 
 lelf, young and forlorn a? I was before, in- 
 corporated with, and allied to fuch a flou- 
 rifliing and civilized nation. My expccia- 
 tion was not difproportionable to my ideas: 
 I was perfuaded I was going into a very 
 fine country ; but tlie thoughts of their be- 
 ing Pagans left fome little damp on my fpi- 
 rits, and was a drawback to my expected 
 happinefs. However, I was relblved to 
 preferve my religion, at the expenfe of all 
 that was dear to me, and even of life it- 
 felf. 
 
 By 
 
1^6 The Adventures of 
 
 By this time, the Pophar ordered us to 
 refrefli ourfelves, and prepare all things 
 for our departure, though the llorm of 
 thunder and lig-htnins; did not ceafe till to- 
 wards morning. At length, all things being 
 ready for our moving, we marched on flowly 
 till we came into the courfe of the rainsir It 
 was the moft fettled and downright rain (as 
 the faying is) that ever I faw, ever)^ tiung 
 feemed to be as calm, as the tempeft was 
 violent before. Being accuftomed to it, 
 they had provided open vclTels on each fide 
 of the dromedaries, to catch enouo-h for 
 their ufe as it fell, and they covered them- 
 felves and their beads with that fine oiled 
 cloth I mentioned before. All the finds 
 were laid, and even beaten hard by the 
 rains, though heavy and cloggy at the 
 fime time. We made as much way as 
 poilible, for five days, jull reftlng and re- 
 frefliing ourfelves when abfolutely necef- 
 fary. I mud own, nothing could be 
 more difmal than thole dreary iblitary de- 
 ferts, where we could neither fee fun nor 
 moon, but had only a gloomy, malignant 
 light, jud fufficient to lock at the needle, 
 and take our obfervations. On the fixth 
 day we thought we f\w fomething move 
 fidewife of u^^, on our right hand, but 
 feemingly palling by us •, when one of the 
 young men cried, T/pcre they are^ and im- 
 -incdiately eroded down to them. I'hen we 
 
 perceived 
 
Sig. Gaudentio im Lucca. 157 
 
 perceived them to be perfons travelling like 
 OLirlelvcs, crofTing in thx fame manner up 
 towards us. I v/as extremely furprifed to 
 find, that thofe deferts were known to any 
 but ourlelvcs. But the Poj^har loon put 
 me out of pa-in, by telling me, they were 
 fome of their own people, taking the fame 
 feafon to go for Egypt, and on the fame 
 account. By this time we vv^ere come up 
 to one another. The leader of the other 
 caravan, with all his company, immediate- 
 ly got off their dromedaries, and fell pro- 
 flrate on the earth before our Pophar ; at 
 which he flept back-, and cried, jllas I is 
 cur father dead? They told him, Yes ; 
 and that he beino; the fird of tlie fecond 
 line, was to be regent of the kingdom, till 
 the young Pophar, who was born wlien his 
 father was an old man, llTiould come to the 
 -age of fifty. Then cur people got ofl', and 
 profirated themfeh/es before him *, ail but 
 rTiyfeif. They took no notice of my neg- 
 le6t, feeing mie a fupernumerary perfon, and 
 by confequence a liranger ; but as foon ar; 
 the ceremonies were over, came and em- 
 braced me:, and welcomed me into their 
 brotherhood with the moft fincere cordia- 
 lity, as if I had been one of their nation. 
 Tlie Pophar foon told them what I was, 
 which made them repeat their cireffcs with 
 
 * The eadcrn manner of niev.'i.T'T icf^iecfl-. 
 
15S The Advextl'res of 
 
 }:e\v ccftafies of joy peculiar to thefe people.! 
 After reiterated inquiries concerning their 
 fiiends, and affurances that all was well, 
 except what they had jull told him, the 
 Pophar afked them, how they came to di- 
 redi their courfe fo much on the left hand, 
 expeding to have met them the day 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 fafb as they could : 
 but that the day before, they had like to 
 have loft themfelves by the darknefs of the 
 weather, and their too great fecurity •, for, 
 bearing too much on the left hand, one of 
 their dromedaries floundered, as if he were 
 got into a quickfand *. The rider thinking 
 it had been nothing but fome looferpart of 
 
 * Perfons ni;iy wonder to hear of qulckfands in the 
 niidft of tlic fun-burnt deferts of Africa, But the thing 
 will not fccm io improbable, wlicn we come to examine 
 tlie rcafons of it. Without doubt, our author docs not 
 mean fuch quickfands as are caufcd by the coming in of 
 the tide under the fands ; a man of fcnfe would be in:a* 
 pable of fuch a blunder. But that there (liould be fon^c 
 ilagnaung waters in the low fvvamps of the fands, is fo 
 far from being incredible, that it can be hardly thought 
 to be otherwifc. It is very w.il known, there are v.ifl 
 lakes in fome parts of Africa, which have no vifiblc out- J 
 lets. There are rivers alfo that lofe thtmfclvcs in the 
 fands, where Hnking under for fome time, they may 
 form fdudy marflics, or quickfand?, as the raithor calls 
 them. 
 
 tlic 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. 139 
 
 the fand, thought to go on, but fell deeper 
 the further he went, till the commander or- 
 dered him to get off immediately, which 
 he did with lb much hade, that not mind- 
 ing his dromedary, tlie poor beail going on 
 further into the quickfands, was loll. Then 
 the Pophar told them, there was fuch a 
 place marked down in their ancient charts, 
 which, being lb well acquainted with the 
 roads, they had never minded of hue years: 
 that he iuppofed thofe quickfands to be ei- 
 ther the rains, which had funk thiough the 
 fands^ and meeting with fome ftrata of 
 clay, ftagnated, and were forming a lake •, 
 or more probably, it was the courle of fome 
 diilant river, rifing perhaps out of a habi- 
 table country, at an unknov/n diRance, btH 
 had loit itfeif in thole im.menfe fands. 
 Hov/ever, he congratulated them on their 
 efcape, and, like a tender father, gently 
 chid them for their too great fecurity in 
 that boundlefs ocean. Our time not per- 
 mitting us to ftay long, each caravan fet out 
 again for their deflined courfe, having but 
 five or fix days journey to make, that is, as 
 far as we could travel in lb many days and 
 fo many nights ; for w'e never flopped but 
 to refreili ourfelves. The rains had fo 
 tempered the air, that it was rather cold 
 than hot, efpecially the nights, which grew 
 longer, as we approached the line. Here 
 wc fleered our courfe more to the well 
 
 O 2 again', 
 
iCo The Adventures of 
 
 acTciin, but not lb as to leave the rid^e of the 
 world. I obferved, the more wc kept to 
 the wcIl, the more moderate the rains were, 
 as indeed lliey flackened in proportion as we 
 came nigher our journey's end -, becaule 
 cominp: from the weft, or at leaft with a 
 little point of the fouth, they began fooner 
 than where we fet out. rhe tenth day of our 
 ioui ney, 1 mean from the lad grove or reft- 
 ing-place, one of our dromedaries failed. 
 We had changed them 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 enouo-h, and knowinrj; v/here they 
 were, (laid behind, to bring it along with 
 them. We now found the nature of the 
 fands and foil to begin to change, as the 
 Pophar had infotmed n:e : the ground be- 
 gan to be covered with a little mofs, tend- 
 ing towards a green fward, more like bar- 
 ren downs than fands ; and I unexpedledly 
 ]ierceived in feme places, inilead of thofe 
 barren gravelly fands, large fpaces of to- 
 lerable goo-1 foil *, At length, to our in- 
 
 expreflible 
 
 * It v/.ii obfcrvcd in fome of the former remarks, that 
 tiol only the dc-rcris of Afiica, but all the ftr;ita. or 
 j»rcat beds of f'.r.ivtl, which are found in all parts of the 
 worl^L probably were cauftd by the univcifal dclur; 
 Nor Can they be well accounted for otl)cr\vilc. The 
 deeper the beds of gravel arc, the more they flicw, by 
 the heterogeneous Ituff lodged with ihcm, that they 
 
 v/erc 
 
Sig;. Gaudentio i)i Lucca. i6t 
 
 'to 
 
 exprefllble joy and comfort, at leaft for 
 myfelf, who could not but be in fome fuf- 
 penfc in fuch an unknown world, we came to 
 patches of trees, and grafs, with Hanting falls 
 and heads of vales, which fecmed to enlaro;e 
 
 were brought thither, not produced there al) crigh/e. 
 The vaft falls and gullets which are feen on the iklns 
 of all the mountains in the world, evidently fliew they 
 were caufcd by feme violent agitation, which carried th.e 
 Icofcr earth and fmali (tones along with it : for which 
 nothing can be more natural, than the fuppolition of a 
 flood, or agitated fluid, which, by its violence and flia- 
 kings, carried all that was moveable before it for fome 
 time. This gravel was incorporated with the loofe cavth 
 before the flood, and ms carried to and fro, while the 
 waters were in their greated agitation, wafliing and melt- 
 ing the loofe earth from the gravel and ftones. But 
 when the waters came to their highefl pitch, and began; 
 to fubfide, the ftones and gravel would link fooner than 
 lighter things, and fo be left almoll in a body in thofe 
 flrata they appear in. This miglu be illulbated much 
 further, if there were occafion. The vaft numbers of 
 petrified (hells and fcallops, winch are found in all pans, 
 of the world, on the liigher grounds, could never be a 
 mere Injus ?iai:ir^t'y as fome too curious ph.ilofophers 
 irnigine, but mud: be accounted for by (uch a flood ; and.- 
 thefe appearing in all parts of the univerfc, the flood 
 mult have bsen univerfal. Ti^e Hidden change of foils 
 in every region, with the exceeding richnefs of fome 
 more than others, and that too fometimcs all at once, 
 is to be accounted for from the fame c;iufe : for the fame 
 \ioIence of waters wa(hing the earrh from the (lones, 
 
 ■.all: naturally make an unequal accumulation of both. 
 
 1^ for Airica, all the ancients fpcak of the incredible 
 
 fertility of it in {ovpit placer, and the extreme barrennef^ 
 
 <j^" the defer IS in others. 
 
 O 3 theiiifelves 
 
ivz The Adventures of 
 
 themrdves beyond our view *. The rains 
 were come to their period •, only it looked 
 a little foggy at a great diilance before us, 
 v;liicii was partly from the exhalations of 
 the country after the rains -^ -, partly from 
 the trees and hills (lopping the clouds, by 
 which we found that the weather did not 
 clear up in the habitable countries fo foon 
 as in the barren deferts. The Pophar told 
 me, that, if it were not for the hazincfs of 
 the air, he would Ihcw me the mod beau- 
 tiful profped: that ever my eyes beheld. 1 
 was fenfibly convinced of it by the per- 
 fumes of the fpicy fhrubs and fiov/ers, 
 which flruck our lenfes'^ith fuch a revi- 
 vinpr fraorancv, as made us almoft forget 
 our pad fatigue, efpecially me, who had 
 not felt the like even in the firft vale : nei- 
 ther do I believe all the odours of the Hap- 
 py Arabia could ever come up to it. 1 was 
 iull as if I had rifen out of the moil deli- 
 cious re{)ofe. Here the Pophar ordered us to 
 ilop for refreibmint, and added, that we mud 
 flay there till next day. We pitched our 
 tents on the lad defcent of thofe immenfe 
 
 * The prodigious height of the funds in Africa, in 
 tliofe pans whicTi lie between the tropics, may not only 
 be the caufe of the funds or gravel linking in greater 
 quantities at the dccrcaie of the tlood ; but the inoft ex- t 
 ttnfive vales may have their lifc from very fmall gullets 
 at i\r{\. 
 
 ■f It is very natural to think, that thofe barren fun- 
 burnt deferts fend up but few exhalations, 
 
 Bares, 
 
Si9l. Gaudentio di Lucca. i6q. 
 
 Bares, by the fide of a little rill that ilTued 
 out of the fmall break of the downs, ex- 
 peLT:ing further orders. 
 
 The caufe of our flay 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 Reveren- 
 ces will fee by and by : they were alfo to 
 change their habits, that they might appear 
 in the colours of their reipedive tribe or 
 name, which were five, according to the 
 number of the fons of the firft Pophar, 
 who brought them out of Egypt, whofe 
 ilatue we fav/ at the pyramid. By their 
 laws all the tribes are to be diftinguifhed 
 by their colours •, that where-ever they go, 
 they may be known what name they belong 
 to ', with particular marks of their pofls 
 and dignities ; as I ihall defcribe to your 
 Reverences afterwards. The grand Po- 
 phar's colour, v/ho was defcended from the 
 eldeft fon of the ancient Pophar, was a 
 flame colour, or approacliing nigh the 
 rays of the fun, becaufe he was chief 
 priefr of the fun. Our nev/ regent's co» 
 lour was green, fpangled with funs of gold, 
 as your Reverences faw in the pitlure •, the 
 green reprefenting the fpring, which is the 
 chief fealbn with them. The third colour 
 is a fiery red, for the furnmer. The fourth 
 s yellow, for autumn; and the fifth 
 purple, reprefenting the gloominefs of win- 
 ter i 
 
it J. The Adventures of 
 
 ter ; for tliefe people, acknowledging the 
 fun for the immediate governor of the uni- 
 verfe, mimic the nature of his inftuence as 
 nigh as they can. The women obferve the 
 colours of their refpcclive tribes, but have 
 moons of filver intermixed with tlie funs, to 
 fhew that they are influenced in a great 
 meafure by that variable planet. The 
 young virgins have the new moon •, in th^ 
 flrength of their age the full moon ; as 
 they grow old, tlie moon is in the decreaf^ 
 proportionably. l^he widows have the 
 moon exprefied juil as it is in the change •, 
 the defcendents of the dauo;hteis of tlie firit 
 Fophar were incorporated with* the reil. 
 Thofe of the eldeit daughter took the el 
 dell fon's colour, witli a mark of dillinc 
 tion, to fhcw they were ne\'er to fucceed to 
 the pophaifliip, or regency, till there fnould 
 be no male ilRie of the others at a^e to ^j;o- 
 vern. This right of elderlliip, as their 
 people underdand it, is a little intricate ^ 
 but I lliall cxpl.iin it to your Reverences 
 more at large, when I come to fpcak mor-.* 
 particularly of the^ government. When 
 they are lent out into foreign countries, 
 they take what habit or colour they pleafe, 
 and generally go all alike, to be known to 
 each other •, but they mud not appear in 
 their own country but in their proper co- 
 lours, it being criminal to do orherwid- 
 They carry mark^ alio of their families, tha>, 
 
 in 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. i6^ 
 
 in cafe any mifdemeanor Ihould be commit- 
 ted, they may know where to trace it out ; 
 for which realon, now they drew near their 
 own country, they were to appear in the 
 colours of their reipe6live nomes ; all but 
 myfelf, who had the fame garment I wore 
 at Grand Cairo, to fliew I was a ftranger, 
 though 1 wore the Pophar's colour after- 
 wards, as, being his relation, and incorpora- 
 ted in his family. When they were all ar- 
 rayed m their filken colours, fpangled with 
 funs of gold, with white fillets round their 
 temples, lludded with precious Hones, they 
 made a very delightful fhew, being the 
 handfomeft race of people this day in the 
 unive.fe, and all refembling each other, as 
 having no mixture of other nations in their 
 blood. 
 
 The fun had now broke throuah the 
 clouds, and difcovered to us the profpedl of 
 the country, but fuch a one as I am not 
 able to defcribe , it looked rather like an 
 jmmenfe garden than a country : at that 
 diflance I could fee nothing but trees and 
 groves ; whether I 1: oked towards the hills 
 or vales, all feemed to be one continued 
 wood, though with fome feemingly regular 
 intervals of fquares and plains, with the 
 glittering of golden globes or funs through 
 the tops of the trees, that it looked like a 
 green mantle fpangled with gold. I aflced 
 the Pophar, if they lived all in woods, or 
 
 whether 
 
lC6 I'he Advzntures of 
 
 whether the countiy was only one continu- 
 ed iinmenfc forcfl. He imiled and laid, 
 Wlien we come thither, you Hiall iee Ibmc- 
 thing elfe bcfiJes woods \ and then bid mc 
 look back, and compare the dreary fands 
 wc had lately palled with that glorious pra- 
 fpcd wc law before us : I did To, and found 
 the difmal banennels of the one enhanced 
 the beautiful delight of the other. Tlic 
 reafon, fays he, why it looks like a v/ood, 
 is, tliat, betides innumerable kinds of fruits, 
 all our towns, fquaies, and llreets, a^ well 
 as fields and gardens, are planted with 
 trees, both for delight and conveniency, 
 though you will find fpare ground enough 
 for the produce of all things fuHicient to 
 make tlie life of man eafy and happy, The 
 glittering of gold through the tops of the 
 trees, are golden funs on the tops of the 
 temples and buildings : we build our hou- 
 fes iiat and low on account of hurricanes, 
 with gardens of perfumed ever-greens on 
 the top of them •, which is the reafon yoa 
 fee nothing but groves. 
 
 We def- ended gradually from off the de- 
 fert thiougli the fcattcred ihrubs, and were 
 faluted every now and then with a gale of 
 pci fumes quite difiercnt from wliat ate 
 brouoht to the Europeans from foreign 
 })arv». The frefh air of the morning, toge- 
 ther wiili their being exhaled from the li- 
 ving ilock.% gave them fuch a frngrancy a-s 
 
 cannot 
 
Sig". Gaudentio di Lucca. 167 
 
 ran not be exprefled. At length we came 
 to a fpacious plain a little flielving, and co- 
 vered with a greenifli coat, between mofs 
 and grafs, which was the utmoil border of 
 the delert •, and beyond it a fmall river, 
 collec^ied from the hills, as it were weeping 
 out of the fands in different places ; which 
 river was the boundary of the kingdom that 
 way. Halting here, we difcovered a fmall 
 company of ten perfons, the fame number, 
 excluding me, with ours, advancing grave- 
 ly towards us : they were in the proper co- 
 lours of the Nomes, with fpangled funs of 
 gold, as my companions wore, only the 
 tops of their heads were fprinkled with 
 dud, in token of mourning. As foon as 
 they came at a due diftance, they fell flat 
 on their faces before the Pophar, without 
 faying a word, and received the goideh urns 
 with the earth v/hlch we brought along 
 with us. Then they turned, and marched 
 dire6lly before us, holding the urns in 
 their hands as high as they could, but all 
 in a deep and mournful filcnce. Thefe 
 were deputies of the five Nomes fent to 
 meet the urns. We advanced in this filent 
 manner without faying one word, till we 
 came to the river, over which was a (lately 
 bridge v^ith a triumphal arch on the top of 
 it, beautified with funs of gold, moft mag- 
 nihccnt to behold. Beyond the bridge, 
 we immediately pafied through a kind of 
 
 circular 
 
i'68 The Adventures of 
 
 circular grove, which led us into a moft 
 delightful plain, like an amphitheatre, ^vith 
 five avenues or ilreets leading: to it : at 
 the entrance of each avenue Itood an in- 
 numerable multitude of people reprefenting 
 the Plvc Nomes, or governments of thole 
 immenfe kingdoms, all in their different 
 colours, fpangled with funs of gold, which 
 made the moft glorious lliow in tlie world. 
 As foon as we entered the amphitheatre, 
 OLir filence was broke with fhouts of joy- 
 that rended the vei y Ikies \ then the whole 
 multitude falling flat on their faces, adoring 
 the urns, and thrice repeating their fliouts 
 and adorations, there advanced ten trium- 
 phant chariots, according to the colours of 
 the Nomes with funs as before •, nine of 
 the chariots were drawn with fix horfes 
 each, and the tenth with eight for the Po- 
 phar reo;ent. The five deputies, who were 
 the chief of each Nome, with the urns and 
 com.panions, mounted iwe of the chariots, 
 the other five were for us, two in a chariot ; 
 only being a fupernumeraiy, I was placed 
 backwards in tl^e Pophar's chaiiot, which 
 he told me v/as the only mark of humilia- 
 tion and inequality I would receive. We 
 were conduded with five iquadrons of horfe, 
 of fifty men each, in their proper colours, 
 v.'ith ibeamers of the fame, having the fun 
 in the centre, through the oppofite ave- 
 nue, till we came into another amphitheatre 
 
 of 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. i6g 
 
 of a vafl extent, where we faw an infinite 
 number of tents of filk of the colour of the 
 Nomes, all of them fpangled with golden 
 funs : here we were to reft and refrefii 
 ourfelves. The Pophar's tent was in the 
 centre of his own colour, which v/as green, 
 the fecond Nome in dignity, in whofe do- 
 minions and government we now were. 
 
 I have been longer in this deicription, 
 becaufe it was more a religious ceremony 
 than any thing elle, thefe people being; ex- 
 tremely myfterious in all they do *. 1 Ihall 
 explain the meaning to your Reverences 
 as briefly as I can. The ftopping before 
 we came to the bridge on the borders of 
 thofe inhofpitable deferts, and walking in 
 that mournful filent manner, not only ex- 
 prefTed their mourning for their decealed 
 
 * The ancient Egyptian? were fo myrrerlous, particu- 
 larly in their religious ceremonies, and arcana of go- 
 vernment, that, in all probability, the ancient fable?, 
 which very few yet underftand rightly, had their rife 
 from them ; i hough the learned Bochart, in his Phaleg. 
 derives thcni chiefly from the Canaanires, who difper- 
 fing themfclves all over the world, wiien they fled from 
 Joihua, impofed upon the credulous Greeks by the diffe- 
 rent fignifications of the fame words in their language.' 
 It is obfervable by the by, that the mofl ancient lan- 
 guages, as the Hebrew, with its different dialec^h, of 
 which the Canaanean or Phoenician language was one, 
 the Chinefe language, i^c. had a great many figniiica- 
 tions for the fame word, either from the plain fiinplicity 
 or poverty of the ancient languages, or more probai?ly 
 froiir an affcdcd mylK-rioufncfs in all thoy did. 
 
 P anccftors. 
 
1/0 The Adventures of 
 
 anccftors, but alio fignifiecl the various ca- 
 lamities and labours incident to man in 
 xhh life, where he is not only looked upoa 
 to be, but really is, in a ftate of banilh- 1 
 ment and mourning ; wandering in fun- ! 
 burnt delerts, and toffcd with ftorms of innu- ' 
 nierable lav.'lel's defires, Hill fighing after 
 a better country. 7' he paflage over the 
 bridge, they would have to betoken man's 
 entrance into red by death. Iheir iliouts 
 of joy, when the facred urns arrived in that 
 glorious country, not only fignilied the 
 happinefs of the next life, (for thefe people 
 univerfally believe the immortality of the 
 foul, and think none but brutes can be ig- 
 norant of it}, but alfo that their anceftors, 
 whole burial-duil: they brought along with 
 them, were nov/ in a place of eveilaUing 
 rell. 
 \lhiqwfiio>\ I hope you don't believe ^o of 
 Heathens, let tluni be ever fo moral 
 men, fince we ha\ e no afiurance of hap- 
 pinefs in llie next life mentioned in tlic 
 holy fciiprure, without taith in Chiiif. 
 Cdudciilio. No, Reverend Fathers ; 1 only 
 mention the fcrnfe in which thefe mea 
 underiland the mylieries of their reli- 
 P^ion. As I believe in Chriil, 1 know 
 there is no otlier name under hwacn by 
 which men can be faved. '^r 
 
 Jnquifitcr. Go on. "J 
 Every ceremony of thefe people ha^feme 
 
 myller]^ 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. lyj 
 
 myftery or other included in it •, but there 
 appeared no harm ia any ot them, except 
 their falling prolbate before the diTii, 
 which looked like rank idolatry : but they 
 faid Hill, they meant no more than what 
 was merely civil, to fignify their relpect 
 for their dcceaitd parents *. 
 
 I {liall not as yet (k'tain your Reverences 
 with the defcription of the beauties of the 
 countjy through which wo paHed, having; 
 (o much to fay of the more fubllantial part ; 
 that is, of their form of government, lav/s, 
 and cuiloms, both religious and civil y nor 
 deicribe their prodicrious maorniiicence, 
 thougli joined with a great deal of natural 
 limpliciry, in their towns, temples, fchool^;, 
 colleges, 6r. Becaui>, being built moilly 
 alike, except for particular ufcrs, manu- 
 f idu' es, and the like ; I Ihall defcribe them 
 all in one, when I come to i!ie great citv 
 of Phor, otherv/ife cdled, in iJieir facred 
 language, No-om -j- : for if I Ihould Hay to 
 
 * Sec xht remarks befiirc co that head, and the sc- 
 rour.ts of the wovfiup of iht; C.'hinerii, \\\vi were oriuinui- 
 ly i'l^yptians, in the difputes betv/een the Domini:;its 
 and Jefuit?, where the iatrer maintain'.^d i.!)e idoi.itroue; 
 ceremonies an-i offerings nj.ide to thur d:.ce;».ffd p.nc- 
 fiois. vo inply noticing biu ;i natural at.d civil rtfpe^r. 
 The Di/iTiinirans, on the contrary, \ciy jjfl'.y held 
 thcni to be idoLitry, ;j3 tlicy 'Vi.re jadged to be, and con- 
 d-jnined as fuch by Clement 'XI. 
 
 t jofephus a^^iiin^ /^ppioi) diflingniilic^ two languages 
 of the ancient Egyptians, tirj one fiicred, the other com- 
 mon. 1 heir facred lrtnou:i^M.« w'js ful! of niyfteries, per- 
 haps like the C^baLi of the Jews 
 
 ^ r 2 defcribe 
 
lyi The Adventures of 
 
 dcicribe the immenfe riches, fertility, and 
 beauties of the country, this relation, which 
 is defigned as a real account of a place 
 -vvheicin 1 lived fo many years, would ra- 
 ther look like a romance than a true rela- 
 tion. I (hall only tell your Kevercnces at 
 prefent, that after having taken a moft mag- 
 nificent repaft, confiuing of all the heart of 
 man can conceive delicious, both of fruits 
 and wines, while we ftaid in thofe refrc fil- 
 ing tabernacles, we pafTed on by an eafy. 
 evening's journey to one oi ihcir towns, 
 always condu6lcci and lodged in the lame 
 triumphant manner, till we came to the 
 head of that Nome, which I told your Re- 
 verences was the green Nome, belonging 
 to the Pophar regent, fecond in dignity 
 of the whole empire. Here the urn of 
 dud belonging to that Nome was rcpofited 
 in a kind of golden tabeir.acle fet with pre- 
 cious ilones of immenie value, in the centre 
 cf a fpacious temple, Vv^hich I fliall defcribe 
 afterwards. After a week's feafting and 
 rejoicing, both for the reception of the 
 dull, and iht fafe return of tlie Pophar and 
 his companions, toj^ether with his exalta- 
 tion to the regency, we let out in the lam€ 
 manner for the other Nomes, to repofit all 
 the urns in their relpedive temples. Thefe. 
 are live, as 1 informed your Rev^erences be- 
 fore. 'I'he country is fomtthinjz mountain- 
 ous, particularly under the line, and not 
 
 very 
 
Sio-. Gaudentio di Lucca. i7^ 
 
 very uniform, though every thing clfe is \ 
 containing valleys, or rather whole regions 
 running out betv/een the delerts \ befides 
 vail ridges of mountiiins in the heart of the 
 country, wh:ch inclofc immenfe riches in 
 their bowels. 1'he chief town is fituated 
 as nigh as poifible in the middle of th.e 
 Nomes, and about the centre of the 
 country, bating thole irreguiaiities 1 men- 
 tioned. The four inferior Nomes were 
 like the four corners, v/ith the flame-co- 
 loured Nome, where the grand Pophar, or 
 regent />r^ tempcre refided, in the centre of 
 the fquare. Their method was to go to 
 the four inferior Nomes firft, and repoflc 
 the urns, and then to complete all at the 
 chief town of the firft Nome. Thefe Nomes 
 were each about eight days veiy eafy jour- 
 ney over. Thus v;e v/cnt the round of all, 
 which I think, as I then remarked, was a 
 kind of political vifitatioii at the fame time. 
 At length we canie to the great city rjf 
 Phor, or No-om, there to repofit the lad 
 liin, and for all the people to pay their re- 
 fpeds to the fj;rand i'opliar, if in being, or 
 clfe to the regent. By that time, what 
 with thofe who accompanied the proceflloii 
 of the urns, and the inl^abitants of tliat im- 
 menfe town, more people were gath.ejed tc- 
 Qether, than one would have almoil thour'ht 
 hiid been in the whole woiid •, but in luch 
 order . nJ decency, diilinguiHied l\^ th^ir 
 r 3 ranks. 
 
174 ^^^^ Adventures of 
 
 ranks, tribes, and colours, as is not cafy 
 to be comprehended. The glittering tents 
 iprcad themfelves over the face of the 
 earth. 
 
 I fhall here jzive your Reverences a de- 
 icription of the town, becaufe all other great 
 towns or heads of the Nomes are built af- 
 ter that model, as indeed the lelTer towns 
 come as nigh it as they can, except, as i 
 faid, places for arts or trades, which are 
 generally built on riv^ers or brooks, for 
 ccnveniency •, fuch is the nature of the 
 people, that they affedl an exadl uniformi- 
 ty and equaliry in all they do, as being 
 brothers of the fame ftock. 
 
 The town ofPhor, that is, the Glory or 
 No-om, which fignifies the houie of the 
 I'un, is built circular, in imitation of the 
 fun and its rays. It is fituated in the lar- 
 gely plain of all the kingdom, and upon the 
 iarcrcil river, which is about as big as our 
 Po, rifing from a ridge oi mountains under 
 the line, and running towards the north, 
 where it forms a great lake, almofl like a 
 fea, vi^hofe waters are exhaled by the heat 
 of the fan, having no outkt, or fink un- 
 der ground in the fands of the vail deferts 
 cncompafTing it. I'his river is cut into a 
 moft magnincent canal, running dire(!;l:ly 
 through the middle of the town. Before 
 it enters the town, to prevent inundations, 
 and for other coaveniencies, there are pro- 
 digious 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. 175 
 
 digious bafons^ and locks, and fluices, with 
 collateral canals, to divert and let out the 
 water, if need be. The middle ftream 
 forms the grand canal, v/hich runs through 
 the town, till it comes to the grand place v 
 then there is another lock and fluice which 
 dividing it into two femicircles or wings, and 
 carrying it round the grand place, forms 
 an ifland with the temple of the fun in the 
 centre, and meeting again oppofite to where- 
 it divided, fo goes on in a canal again. 
 There are twelve bridges with one great 
 arch over each, ten over the circular canals, 
 and two where they divide and meet again. 
 There are alfo bridges over the ftrait canals, 
 
 , at proper diflances. Before the river enters 
 the town, it is divided by the firfl great lock 
 into two prodigious femicircles encompaf- 
 fing the whole town. All the canals are 
 planted with double rov/s of cedars, and 
 walks the moft delightful that can be ima- 
 
 HH^ined. The grand place is in the centre of 
 the town, a prodigious round, or immenfe 
 theatre, encompaffed with the branches of 
 the canal, and, in the centre cf that, the 
 teniple of the fun. This temple confifts of 
 three hundred and fixty-five double marble 
 pillars, according to the number of the days 
 of the year *, repeated v;ith three ftories one 
 
 above 
 
 * Oor author feems to be a little out in this place ; 
 for it is certain, the ancient Egyptians did noi make their 
 
 year 
 
176 The Adventures of 
 
 above another, and on the top a cupola 
 open to the fky for the fun to be {evn 
 through. The pillars are all of the Corinthian 
 order V of a marble as white as fnow, 
 and fluted. The edges of the flutes with 
 the capitals cornifhed, are all gilt. The 
 inner roofs of the vafl: galleries on thcfe pil- 
 lars, are painted with the fun, moon, and 
 ilars, cxprefling their diff'erent motions ; 
 with hieroglyphics known only to fome few 
 .of the chief elders or rulers. The outfides 
 of all are doubly gilt, as is the dome or 
 grand concave on the top, open in the 
 middle to the {k)\ In the middle of this 
 concave is a golden, fun, hanging in the 
 void, and fupported by golden lines or 
 rods from the edges of tlie dome. The 
 
 year to confifl of fo many days^ unlcfs you will fay, tliat 
 ihefe people, being very great aflronomcrs, were more 
 exacft in their obfei vations. 
 
 * It is generally fiippofed, that the different orders of 
 plllais, as the Doric, the Ionic, Corinthian, Sec. came 
 full from the Greeks, as their appellations, being Creek, 
 would make us believe ; but the famous and ancient pa- 
 lace of Perfepolis, notwithihmding its Greek name, where 
 there were hieroglyphics and infcriptions in charaflcis 
 none could undeifiand, beddes oilier reafons, ftievv that 
 the invention came from Egypt, or from the ancient Chal- 
 deans, or rather from Sciii, T.'cah, and tlie ancient He- 
 brews. It is likcwife very c bfcrvable, that the invention of 
 arts and fciences came fiom the eaft, and can be traced 
 no higher than Noah's flood; unlcfs you will allow the 
 fables of Scth, alledgcd by the learned jofephus in his 
 antiquities, quoted above. All which is a very natuial 
 ccnfirmition of the iiccount g'ven by ?rlnfcsj againft oar 
 modern fceptics, 
 
 artiiici.il 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di LjVcca, rjy- 
 
 artificial fun looks down, as if it v;ere fhi- 
 ning on a globe of earth, eredled on a pe- 
 deflal altar-wife, oppofite to the fun, ac- 
 cording to the fituation of their climate to 
 that gloiious planet -, in which globe or 
 earth are inclofed the urns of their deeeafed 
 anceftors. On the infide of the pillars, are 
 the feats of the grandees or elders, to hold 
 their councils, which are all public. Op- 
 pofite to the twelve great flreets, are fo 
 many entrances into the temple, with as 
 many magnificent flair-cafes between the 
 entrances, to go into the galleries or places 
 where they keep the regifters of their laws, 
 ^c. with gilt baluftrades looking down in- 
 to the temple. On the pededals of all the 
 pillars were ingraven hieroglyphics and 
 chara-flers known to none but the five chief 
 Pophars, and communicated under the 
 greatefl fecrecy to the fucceffdr of any one 
 of them, in cafe of death, lofs of fenfes, 
 and the like. 1 prefume, the grand fecrets, 
 and arcana of ftate, and, it may be, of their 
 religion, arts, and fciences, are contained 
 therein. The mofl improper decorations 
 of the temple, in my opinion, are the 
 flutings of the pillars, which rather look 
 too finicial for the augufl and majeftic fimi- 
 plicity afFei5led by thefe people in other re- 
 fpeds. 
 
 The fronts of the houfes round the grand 
 place are all concave, or fegments of circles, 
 except where the greai tlicets meet, which 
 
 are 
 
r^S The Adventures of 
 
 are twelve in number, according to the 
 twelve iigns of the zoJiac, pointing to 
 the temple in ftrait lines like rays to the 
 centre. This vaft round is fet with double 
 rows and circles of {lately cedars before the 
 houfes, at an exa6l diibmce -, as are all the 
 ftreets on each fide, like fo many beautiful 
 avenues, which produce a moil: delightful 
 effect to the eye, as well as conveniency of 
 ihade. The crofs ftreets are fo many pa- 
 rallel circles round the grand place and tem- 
 ple, as the centre, making greater circles as 
 the town enlarges itfelf. They build always 
 circular-wife till the circle is complete •, 
 then another, and fo on. All the ftreets, as 
 I faid, both (Iraight and circular, are planted 
 v/ith double rows of cedars. The middle 
 of the areas between the cuttings of the 
 ftreets are left for gardens and other conve- 
 niencies, enlarging themfelves as they pro- 
 ceed from the centre or grand place. Ac 
 every cutting of the ftreets, is a lefTer circu- 
 lar fpace let round with trees, adorned with 
 fountains, or ftatues of famous men-, that, 
 in effetSl, the whole town is like a prodi- 
 gious garden, diftinguiftied with temples, pa- 
 vilions, avenues, and circles of greens •, fo 
 that it is difficult to give your PvC*verences a 
 juft idea of the beauty of it. I forgot to tell 
 your Reverences, that tiie twelve great ftreets 
 open themfelves as they lengthen, like t!ie 
 radii of a wheel, fo that at the firft 
 
 comin;.? 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. 179 
 
 coming into the town, you have the pro- 
 fpe6t of the temple and grand place di- 
 re6lly before you -, and from the tem- 
 ple*a dire6b view of one of the fined ave- 
 nues and countries in the world. Their 
 principal towns are all built after this form. 
 After they have taken a plan of the place, 
 they firil build a temple ♦, then leave the 
 great area, or circular market-place, round 
 which they build a circle of houfes, and add 
 others as they increafe, according to the 
 foregoing defci iption ; ridiculing and con- 
 temning other countries, whofe towns are 
 generally built in a confufed number of 
 houfes and llrcets, without any regular fi- 
 gure. In all the fpaces or cuttings of the 
 ilreets, there are either public fountains 
 brought by pipes from a mountain at a confi- 
 derable diltance from the town •, or, as I 
 faid before, ftatues of great men holding 
 fomething in their hands to declare their 
 merit ; which, having no wars, is taken, 
 either from the invention of aits and fci- 
 ences, or fome memorable a^^ion done by 
 them for the improvement and good of 
 their country. Thefe they look upon as 
 more laudable motives, and greater fpurs to 
 glory, than all the. trophies ere6led by other 
 nations, to the deftroyers of their own 
 fpecies. Their houfes are built all alike, 
 and low, as I obfcrved before, on account 
 of ftorms and hurricanes, to which the 
 
 country 
 
I So The Adventtitres of 
 
 country is fubjecSi: -, they are all cxadtly of a 
 height, flat-roofed, with artificial gardens 
 on the top of each *, full of flowers and 
 aromatic (limbs •, fo that when you look 
 from any eminence down, into the flreet.«;, 
 you fee all the circles and avenues like ano- 
 ther world under you-, and if on the level, 
 along the tops of the houles, you are charm- 
 ed with the profpcul of ten thoufand diffe- 
 rent gardens meeting your fight where-ever 
 you turn -, inibmuch, that I believe the 
 whole world befiJes cannot afford fuch a 
 prolpe^t. Ihere are a great many other 
 beauties and conveniencies according to the 
 p^enius of the people •, which, were I to 
 mention, would make up a whole vo- 
 lume. I only fay, that the riches of tho 
 country are immenre, which in fome mea- 
 fure are all in comnion, as I lliall fliew 
 wlien I come to the nature of their govern- 
 ment-, the people are the moil ingenious 
 and induilrious in the world ♦, the gover- 
 nors aimino- at nothino- but the o-randeur 
 
 O' O CJ 
 
 and good of the public, having all the af- 
 fluence the heart of man can defire, in a 
 
 * The ancient Babylonians had artificial gardens, or 
 horti pcnfrlcs, on the tops of ttteir houfes, as early as the 
 ^reat Semiraniis ; though Herodotus derives their inven- 
 tion from a later Babylonian queen, who being a Mede 
 by nation, and loving woods, and not being permitted to 
 go out of the p.ilace, had ihofe artificial gardens made to 
 d.ven: her. 
 
 place 
 
Sicr, Gaudentio di Lucca. i8i 
 
 iD 
 
 place where there has been no war for near 
 three thouland years •, there being indeed 
 no enemies but the inholpitable fands a- 
 round them, and they all confider them- 
 felves as brothers of the fame fLOck, li- 
 ving under one common father; lb 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 reception of 
 the uins v/ere over, religious ceremonies 
 with thefe people always taking place of the 
 civil*, they proceeded to the inauguration 
 of the Pophar regent •, vyhich was perform- 
 ed v/ith no other ceremony, for reafons I 
 fhall tell your Reverences after v/ards, %ur. 
 placing him in a chair of ilate with his face 
 towards the eaft, on the top of the high- 
 eft hill in the Nome, to ibew that he was to 
 
 * The mod polite nations cf antiquity, even riinong 
 the Heathens, gave the preference to religion, before all 
 other confid'zrstior.s. As for the Chridian leligion, though 
 of late perfons i»flVmc wit, little judgment, and no mo^ 
 rals, call it in queflion, it is wtli known, men become 
 more men as they become ChrifUans. The light of faiih 
 brought in learning, politeneis, humanity, juflice, and 
 equity, indcad of that ignorance, and a brutal barbarity, 
 that overfpread the hoc o£ the earth ; and the want of 
 it will lead »-is in time into the fame enormities which re- 
 ligion has taught iir, to fovf.«ke ; on Vv'hich account it is 
 the part of all wife governments to ccuntcnancc and p'. c- 
 ferve rdigion- 
 
 Q^ infpecl. 
 
iSi The Adventures of 
 
 infpcfV, or overlook all, looking towards 
 the temple of the fun, which flood direvflly 
 eaftward of him, to put him in mind that 
 he was to take care of the religion of his 
 anceftors in the firft place. When he was 
 thus placed, three hundred fixty-live of the 
 chief of the Nome, as reprefentatives of ail 
 the rell, came up to him, and making a 
 rcfpedlful bow, laid, EH P.phci7\ which is 
 as much as to fay, Hail father of our na- 
 tion ; and he embracing them as a father 
 does his children, anfwered them with Call 
 Benm^ that is. My dear childre7i. As many 
 of the women did the fame. This was all 
 the homage they paid him, which was 
 efleemed fo facred as never to be violated. 
 AH the dillin(ftion of his habit was one great 
 fun on his bread, much biofo-cr than that 
 of any of the reft. The precious Hones alfo, 
 which were fet in the white fillet binding 
 his forcheaJ, were larger than ordinary, as 
 Vv^re thofe of the crofs circles over his head, 
 terminated on the fummit with a larp;e tuft 
 of gold, and a thin plate of.-gold in the 
 Ihape of the fun, failcned to the top of it 
 horizontally j all of tliem, both men and 
 women, wore thofe fillet-crowns with a tuft 
 of gold, but no fun on the top, except the 
 Pophar. 
 
 As foon as the ceremonies and rejoicings 
 were over, which were performed in tents 
 at the public cxpenfe, lie was conducted, 
 
 wiih 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. iS;^', 
 
 j^ith the cheaiful acclamations of the people, 
 and the found of miiGcal infbruments, to a 
 magniticent tent in the front of the whole 
 camp, facing the eail, which is looked ^pon 
 as the moft honourable, as firft feeing the 
 rifing 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 the different Ncmes, v/as to fhew 
 .that they all depended on him, and bccaufe tl e 
 .empire was fo very populous, it was impofliblc 
 .they could meet at one place. I cannot exprcfs 
 the carefies I received from them,- efpeciiilly 
 w^hen they found I was delcended from the 
 ftnic I'ace by the mother's fide, and fo nearly 
 related to the Pophar. When I came full 
 into their company, they all einbraced jaie, 
 men and ^7omen, with the moil cndearinrr 
 ■ tendernefs; the young beautiful womej>did 
 the fame, callino; me brother, and catchino- 
 me in their anr with fuch an innocent af- 
 furance, as if I had been their real brother 
 loll and found again. I cannot fay but fome 
 of them exprefled a fondnefs for me that 
 Teemed to be of another fort, and which 
 afterwards gave me a great deal of trouble-, 
 but I imputed it to the nature of the fexu 
 who are unaccountably more fond of ftran, 
 gers, whom they know nothing of, than of 
 perfons of much greater merit, who converf- 
 with them every day. Whether it proceede 
 from the v/ant of a fufficient folidity in theis 
 
 0^2 judgmentr 
 
1S4 The Adventuri-s or 
 
 I 
 
 judcrmenr, or from a levity and ficklcnels i 
 their nature, or from the fpirit of contra- 
 dlclion, which makes rhcm fond of what 
 thm moftly fliould avoid-, or thinking that 
 iTrangcrs are not acqualnicd with their de- 
 fers, or, in fine, are Vnore likely to keep 
 their counfel ; be that as it will, their mu- 
 tual jealoufies gave me much uneafinefs af- 
 tervvards. But to fay a word or two more 
 of the nature of the people, before I pro- 
 ceed in my relation ; as I told your Reve- 
 rences, they are the handfomell race of peo- 
 ple I believe nature ever produced, with this 
 only difference, wliich ibme may think a 
 defecl, that they are all too much like one 
 another: but if it be a defcv^l, it proceeds 
 fr^-i a very laudable caule ; that is, from 
 their fpringing from one family, without 
 any mixture ot* different nations in their 
 blood ■■'■■ ; they have neither wars, nor traf- 
 fic 
 
 * TaciniR fays much tlie fame of the Germans, //>/it 
 eorujn opinlon'tbus accedo^ qui Gervuuius pcpulos null: 
 aliarum nAtiotiutncoiuiublis inferos ^ pr-jprLnn ct fiiu 
 ravi et tanquain fu't fiDiilevi gentem exjiiti/je arhitrar- 
 tiir f . I aj^ree, fays lie, with their opinion, who think. 
 tlie people of Germany To peculiarly lik.2 one anotiicr, 
 hecaufe they have not been corrupted by marriages with 
 other nations. They were noted in Augudus's tinii to 
 have blue eyes, as mod of the native Germans have to 
 this day. I remember I faw a review of a German re- 
 giment in the city of x'Milan, where almofl every one of 
 
 '} Tautm dc morilui Gertrancrnm^ 
 
Siff. Gaudentio di Lucca. i8; 
 
 fic with other people, to adulterate thefr 
 race, for which reafon they know nothing 
 of the vices fuch a commerce often brings 
 along with it. Their eyes are fomethinr^ too 
 fmall, but not fo little as thofe of the Chi- 
 ncle ; their hair is Q-enerallv black, and in- 
 clined to be a little ciopped oi frizzled *5 
 and their complexion brown, but their fea- 
 tures are the moil exa6t and reo-ular imao-i- 
 nable •, and in the mountainous parts to- 
 wards the line, where the air is cooler, they 
 are rather fairer than our Italians -]- ; the 
 men are univerfally well fhaped, tall and 
 (lender, except through fome accidental de- 
 formity, which is very rare ; bu the wo- 
 men, who keep themfelves much withifi 
 doors, are the mod beautiful creatures, -and 
 the fineft fliaped in the VN^orld^ except, as 
 I faid, being too much alike. There is 
 fuch an innocent fweetnefs in their beauty, 
 and fuch a native modefty in their counte- 
 nance, as cannot be defcribed. A bold for- 
 wardnefs in a woman is what they diiliiif: ., 
 
 the common fiKiiers had blue eyes. No Ww'.^it.; tiicic- 
 fore, if thcfe Africans, oar author fpeaks of, (houlJ be 
 {q like one another. 
 
 * The ancient Egyptians, according to He-radutus and 
 Bo hart, were fo. ' 
 
 f Though our Italians arc fomething more, fwarthy 
 than the northern Tramontani ; yet our l* ' 
 much in the honfe from their chiluhboc'., ! 
 fliins, and excel all others for dclici:'. y of ■ 
 
 * I fancy Signer Rhcdi never faw oiVr Engliili beauticr. 
 
 0.3 -^^l 
 
lS6 The Adventures of 
 
 S 
 
 and to give them their due, even the w 
 
 men are the mofl chafte I ever knew, whic 
 
 is partly owing to the early and provident 
 
 care ot their o;overnors. But as I defio-u 
 
 •I - . o 
 
 to make a Icparate article or the educarloa 
 
 of their young people, I lliall fay no more 
 at prefent on that head. 
 
 The vifitations which we made to carry 
 the urns, gave me an opportunity of feeing 
 the greated part of their country as foon as 
 1 came there •, though the Pophar, with a 
 lefs retinue, and with wiiom 1 always v/as, 
 vifited them more particulaily afterwards. 
 The country is generally more hilly than 
 plain, and in fome parts even mountainous •, 
 there are, as I fa-d, vaft ridges of moun- 
 tains, which run feveral hundred miles, ei- 
 ther under, or parallel to the equator. 
 Thefe are very cold, and contribute veiy 
 much to render the climate more tempe- 
 rate tiian might othervv'ile be expelled, both 
 by refrigerating the air with cooling bree- 
 zes, which are wafted from thence over the 
 reft of the country, and by iupplying the 
 plains with innumerable rivers running 
 both north and fouth, but chiefly tov/ards 
 the north *. Thefe hills, and the great 
 
 woods 
 
 * It Is reniaikable that mgft fprings rife from the 
 north fide of the hills, and more rivers run northward 
 than foutl}\vaid, at leaft on this fide of the line, thou;;h 
 the obfervation does not always hold ; the reafon may 
 be, for ihat there are more mifts and dews hanging oi 
 the north fide, bccaufe the fun dries up the moifture oa 
 
 the 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. 187 
 
 woods they are generally covered with, are 
 the occaiion of the country's being fubjecfi' 
 to raiiis * •, there are vaft forefts and pla- 
 ces, which they cut down and deflroy as 
 they want room, leaving leflfer groves for 
 bciuty and variety, as well as ufe and con- 
 veniency. The rains and hillinefs of the 
 country make travelling a little incommo- 
 dious, but then they afford numberlefs 
 fprings and rivulets, Vv^ith fuch delicious 
 vales, that, adding this to the honefiy and 
 innocence of the inhabitants, one v^ouid 
 think it a perpetual paradife. The foil 
 is fo prodigious fertile, not only in diffe- 
 rent forts of grain and rice, v;ith a fort of 
 wheat much larger and richer in flower than 
 any Indian wheat I ever faw ; but particu- 
 larly in an inexhauftible variety of fruits, 
 leo-umes, and eatable herbs of fuch nou- 
 rifhing juice, and delicious tafte, that to 
 provide fruit for fuch numbers of people is 
 the lead of their care. One would think 
 the curie of Adam had fcarce reached that 
 part of the v/orld -, or that Providence had 
 proportioned the fertility of the country to 
 the innocence of the inhabitants •, not but 
 the induffry and ingenuity of the people^ 
 
 the fouth fide of the mountains, more than on the north ; 
 though perhaps all fprings don't rife from rain and mifts, 
 ^c. yet mofl: do. 
 
 * It is well known to the naturalifls, that great woods 
 and hills collect clouds and vapours, and confequently 
 CJiufe it to rain more there than in other places. 
 
 joined 
 
i88 The Adventures of 
 
 joined with their perpetual peace and reft 
 from external and almofl internal bioib^ 
 contribute very much to their riches and 
 fertility. Their villages being moll of 
 ihem built on the rivulets for manufactures 
 and trades, are not to be numbered. Their 
 hills are full of metallic mines of all forts,; 
 with materials fuificient to work tliem •, fiK 
 ver is the icarcefl, and none more plentiful 
 than gold ; it comes out oftentimes in 
 great lumps from the mineral rocks, as if 
 it wept out from between the joints, and 
 was thrown off by the natural heat of the 
 earth, or other unknown caufes : this gold 
 is more dudlile, caficr to work, and better 
 for a'l ufes, than that which is drawn from 
 the o:e. Their inventions not only for 
 common convcniencies, but even the mag- 
 iiihcence of life, are ailonilliing. When I 
 fpoke of their fruits, I fliould have men- 
 tioned a fmall fort of grape that grows there 
 naturally, of which they make a wine, fliarp 
 at fiift, but which will keep a great many 
 years, mellowing and improving as it is 
 kept ; but the choiceft grapes, which are 
 chiefly for di7ing, arc cultivated amon.T 
 them, and a very little pains does it. Their 
 •wines are more cordial than inebriating •, 
 but a fmaller fort, diluted with water, 
 makes their conftant drink. I don't re- 
 member I ever faw any horned beads in the 
 country, except goats of a very large fize, 
 
 which. 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. 189 
 
 which ferve them for milk, thovigh it is ra- 
 ther too rich : deer there are innumerable, 
 of more different kinds than are in Europe. 
 There is a little bead feemingly of a fpecies 
 between a roe and a fliecp, whofe flefli is 
 the mod nourifhing and delicious that can 
 be tailed ; thefe make a diili in all their 
 fcails, and are chiefly referved for that end. 
 Their fov/1, wild and tame, make the great- 
 efl part of their food, as to flefh-meat, of 
 which they don't eat much, it being, as 
 they think, too grofs a food. The rivers 
 and lakes are flored with vafl: quantities 
 of mofl exquiflte fifh, particularly a golden 
 trout, whofe belly is of a bright fcarlet co- 
 lour, as dele6lable to the palate as to the 
 eye. They fuppofe fifli to be more nourifii- 
 ing and eafier of digeftion than flelli, for 
 which reafon they eat much mor^ of it ; 
 but having no rivers that run into the fea, 
 they want all of that kind. 
 
 Their horfes, as I obferved before, are 
 but fmall, but full of mettle and life, and 
 extremely fwift -, they have a wild afs long- 
 er than the horfe, of all the colours of the 
 rainbow, very ftrong and profitable for bur- 
 den and drudgery ; but their great carria- 
 ges are drawn by elks ; the dromedaries are 
 for travelHng over the fands. The rivers, 
 at leafl in the plain and low countries, ^re 
 cut into canals, by which they carry moft 
 of their provifion and effedls all over the 
 
 country. 
 
190 The Adventures of 
 
 country. This is only a fmall fkctch of the 
 nature of the country, becaufe 1 know thefe 
 matters don't fall under the cognilance of 
 your l^evcrcnces, (o much as the account 
 of their religion, morals, cuiloms, laws, and 
 government. Yet I mull lay that for 
 riches, plenty of all delicacies of life, ma- 
 nufadorics, invciitions of arts, and eveiy 
 rhino; that con;luces to make tliis mortal 
 fiate as happy as is poffible, no country in 
 the known world can parallel it •, though 
 there are feme inconveniencies, as your Re- 
 verences 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 1 came 
 away, unlefs 1 reckon the ^extraordinary 
 happincfs I was placed in, as to all things 
 of this life, in one of the moll delicious re- 
 gions of the univerfe, married to the re- 
 gent's daughter, whofe picture is there be- 
 fore you, and the deplorable lofs of her, 
 with my only remaining fon, [Mere he 
 could not refrain from weeping for fome 
 time], as well as the prefent ilate to which 
 I am reduced •, though I muil own I have 
 received more favourable treatment than 
 could well be cxpe<f\cd : I ihall give your 
 Reverences a fuccindl account of their reli- 
 gion, laws, and cuiloms, v/hich are almoll 
 as far out of the common way of thinking 
 
 of 
 
Sig. Gaudentio d! Lucca. 191 
 of the reil of the world, as their country. 
 
 Of their religiort. 
 
 The religion of thefe people is really i- 
 dolatry in the main ; though as fimple and 
 natural as pofiible for Heathens. They in- 
 deed will not acknowledge themfelves to be 
 Heathens, in the fenfe v/e take the word -, 
 that is, worfliippers of falfe gods *, for they 
 have an abhorience of idolatry in words as 
 well as the Chinefe, but are idolaters in ef- 
 fect, worfhipping the material fun, and 
 paying thofe fuperftitious rites to their de- 
 ceafed anceilors •, of which part of their re- 
 ligion your Reverences have had a full ac- 
 count already. Thefe people however ac- 
 knowledge one fupreme God, maker of all 
 things, whom they call El f , or the moil 
 high of all. This they fay natural reafon 
 
 * This opinion v/as very ancient, and came originally 
 from Egypt, where Pythagoras learned it : though per- 
 haps not liking this way of employing it, he altered it 
 quite from what thefe men held, which is the lefs irra- 
 tional of the two. Though, with Signor Gaudentio's 
 leave, I can never believe, thefe wife men really held 
 that opinion, but only underftood it allegorical ly ; 1 muit 
 own, at the fame time, fome of the ancients did hold 
 the other metempfychofis. 
 
 fHie old Arabians by y^l, or perhaps £"/, mean 
 fomething very grand or high, as yU-Cai}\ for Grand 
 Cair, Alchymy for the highed chymiflry, cr. I won- 
 der Signor llhedi took no notice cf this in his remarks. 
 
 teaches 
 
192 The Adventures of 
 
 teaches them iVom an argument, thougii 
 good in itfclt, yet formed after a difiercni 
 way of a^'giiing from other people : they 
 fay all their own wifdom, or that of all the 
 wifelt men in the world put together, could 
 never form this glorious world in all its 
 caufes and eftedls, fojullly adapted to its 
 refpe(5live ends, as it is with rerpe(5l to eve- 
 ry individual fpecics. Therefore the autlior 
 of it mui\ be a being infinitely wifer than 
 all intelledtual beings. As for the notion 
 of any thing producing itlelf witliout a 
 prior caufe, they laugh at it, and afk wjiy 
 wc don't fee fuch efi'eds produced witli'j'jc 
 a caufe ? hence they hold 6ne only indepen- 
 dent caufe, and that there mull be one, or 
 nothing could ever be produced. Though 
 they make a god of the fun, they don't 
 fay he is independent as to Iiis own being : 
 but that he received it from this El. Sony 
 of the wifer fort, when 1 annied with them, 
 feemed to acknowledtie the \\]i\ to be a 
 material being created by God -, but others 
 think him to be a fort of vicegerent, by 
 whom the El performs every t.hing, as tlie 
 chief inftrumental caufe of all }^^odu6llOns. 
 This is the reafon tiiat they addrefs all their 
 prayers to the fun, though th.ey alloV/ all 
 power is to be referred originally to the El. 
 The men look upon tiie moon to be a ma- 
 terial being, dependent on the lun •, but 
 the women feem to make a goddefs of her, 
 
 by.. 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. 193 
 
 by rcafon of the influence Hie has over that 
 fex ; and foolilhly think flie brings forth e- 
 very month when (lie is at the full, and 
 that the flars are hers and the fun's chil- 
 dren. They all of them, both men and 
 women, reft fatisfiied in their belief," without 
 any difputes or ftudied notions about a be- 
 ing fo infinitely .above them, thinking it 
 much better to adore him in the infcrutabi- 
 lity of his efTeiice, in an humble filencc, 
 than to be difputing about what they can- 
 not comprehend •, all their fearch is em- 
 ployed in fecond caufes, and the knowledge 
 of nature as far as it may be ufeful to men. 
 [Liquifiior, 1 hope you don't deny but 
 that fome men may have wrong notions 
 of the Deity, in which they ought to 
 be fct right by wifer and more learned 
 men than themielves -, by confequence 
 all fearches and difputes about the be- 
 ing and nature of God are not to be 
 condemned. 
 Gaudentio. No, may it pleafe your Reve- 
 rences, for I prefume you only under- 
 fland me now as reprefenting other 
 people's opinions, not my own, which 
 is entirely conformable to what the Ca- 
 tholic church teaches. I often told the 
 Pophar, to whom I could fpeak my 
 mind with all tlie freedom in the world, 
 that as no mortal man could pretend to 
 tell what belonged to the incomprehen- 
 R fibility 
 
104 i ^^^ Al^ V t n ru i< i s of 
 
 fibillty of God's eflcnce, yet our rcafon 
 obliging us to believe his being •, it 
 was neceffiry, by the fame realcn, that 
 wc IhoulJ be inlbuclcd by himlclf, or 
 Ibme lawgiver immediately commifllon- 
 ed by him, left we fhould err in lb mau 
 rial a point. This l.iwgiver we Chri- 
 ftians believe he did fend, by giving 
 us his only Son, who was ca}\able of in- 
 flru<5ling us in what belonged to the e- 
 ternai Godhead ; that he did nor only 
 pive us the iufteft notions we could 
 poflTibly have, but confirmed the truth 
 of what he fiid, by fuch figns and 
 wonders as none but one font from 
 God could perform. 
 Liqiiifitor. Go on.] 
 When I fiid, they addrefs all th(.'ir pray- 
 ers, and moll oi the external adions of 
 their worlliip to the fun, it is on account 
 of their believing him to be the phyfi( :'l 
 cauic of t!\e produLtion of all things 1 
 his n.itural influence ; which, though the 
 wifcr fort of them, v;lien you came to rea- 
 fon more clofely, will <irant to be derived 
 from the L'l, and fome of them will own 
 him to be a mere material being, m^nsed 
 by a prior caufe, yi^x. the generality of them 
 don't retletSt on this -, but are really guilty 
 of idolatr)' in worniip[)ing a mere creature. 
 Neverrhelcfs, as to the moral eflecls of 
 the univerfe, or fiie free actions of men 
 
 with 
 
.Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. 195 
 
 with rcfpedt to equity, jufticc, Goodnefi;, 
 uprightneis, and the like, which they al- 
 low to be properly the duty of rational 
 cieatures, and of much ^rearer confe- 
 quence than the phyllcal part of the v/o; Id : 
 this, I fay, they ^lU refer to the fuprcmc be- 
 ing, whofe will it is they ihould be merci- 
 ful, good, juft, and equitable to all, a- 
 greeable to the juft notions of the all-wife 
 author of their exiftence, v/hofe fuprcme 
 reafon being incapable of any irregular 
 bias, ought to be the rule of his creatures 
 that depend on him, and a''e in forne me>> 
 fure partakers of his perfediona. Tiiey 
 confirm this notion by a very proper corn- 
 })a'"ifon •, as for example, to a-ft contrary to 
 the laws of nature in phylical produftions, 
 is to produce monllrous births, C5V. fo to 
 a6l contrary to the ideas of the fupreme rea- 
 fon in moral cafes, muil: be a great defor- 
 mity in his fight. 
 
 I own I was charmed with this natural 
 v/ay of reafoning, and adced them further, 
 whether they believed the fupreme being 
 troubled him felt about th»e moral part of 
 the world, or the free adions of men ? 
 They fcemed furprifed at the queftion, and 
 afked me, v/hcther I thought it was poffible 
 he Ihould leave the noblelt part out of his 
 care, when he took the i)ains (that v/as 
 their cxprellion) to create tl;e leail infect: 
 according to tlie moil exac^t r-uks of art 
 
 R 2 and 
 
19^ The Adventures cf 
 
 and knov/ledge, beyond all that the art of 
 mail can come up to ? I afked them again, 
 v/ha: wore the rules, which it was his^wiil 
 that free a.ients, fuch as man for inRance, 
 ihould follow in the direction of their lives ? 
 They told me, reafon, juilice, and equity, 
 m imitation of the fupremc reafon in him; 
 tor, faid they, can you think the fuprcme 
 being can approve of the enormous adions 
 committed by men ;. or that any vile prac- 
 tices can be according to the juft ideas of 
 Ills reafon •, if not, they mufb be contrary 
 to the bed light of reafon, not only in God, 
 but man, and therefore liable to be punifli- 
 ed by the jufl: governor of all. 
 
 I iubmit thefe notions to your Reveren- 
 ces better judgment, but I 'thought them 
 very extraordinary for perfons who had no- 
 thing but the light of nature to direct 
 them ; it is pity bur they had been as right 
 m their more remote inferences as they 
 were in thefe principles. The fum there^ 
 fore of the theoretical part of their lelicrion, 
 is, "" 
 
 Firil, that the El is the fuprcme intel- 
 ledual, rational, and moil noble of all be- 
 ings^ ^ that it is the duty of all intelledual 
 •beings to imitate the juft laws of reafon in 
 him, otherwife they ilepart from the fu- 
 preme rule of all their anions, fince what 
 is contra! y to the mod perfed: reafjn in 
 'G od, nuift be contrary to our own, and by 
 
 confcquence 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. 197 
 
 confequence of a deformity highly blameable 
 in his fight *, all their prayers^ and whate- 
 ver they afk of this fupreme being, is, that 
 they may be juft and good as he is. 
 
 Secondly, that the fun is the chief, at 
 lead inftrumental caufe of then* bodies, and 
 all other phyfical effccfls. Your Reveren- 
 ces know better than I can inform yon, 
 that this is wrong : to him they addreis 
 their prayers for the prefervation of their 
 lives, the fruits of the earth, i£c. 
 
 Thirdly, that their parents are the more 
 immediate inftrumental caufe of their natu- 
 ral being, which they derive partly from the 
 El, and partly from the fun, and they re- 
 verence them the more on this account, as 
 being the vicegerents of both, and believe 
 them to be immortal, as to the fpiritual or 
 intelle*ilual part, and confequently able and 
 ready to affift them according to the refpetS: 
 they ihew them by reverencing their tombs, 
 and honouring their memories. Thoug] 
 
 upon a nicer examination, I found that the 
 fuperftitious worfhip they pay to their de- 
 ceafed ancefliors, was as much a politic as a 
 religious inilitution, becaufe their govern- 
 ment being patriarchal, this inviolable re- 
 fpe6l they iliev/ to their parents makes 
 them obey their elders or governors, not 
 only vv'ith the rnod dutiful obfeivance, but 
 even with a filial love and alacritv. 
 
 There are Ibme otlier points of lefs con- 
 ic 3 fe que nee. 
 
19S The Adventures of 
 
 fcqiicnce, and reducible to thcfe three 
 heads, which your Reverences will obferve 
 in the couile of my relation. As for the 
 immortaiiry of the foul, rewards and pu- 
 nifhments in another life, they believe 
 both, though they have an odd way of ex- 
 plaining them. They fuppofe, without any 
 hefitation, that the ibul is a being inde- 
 pendent of matter, as to its efrcnce,^having 
 faculties of thinking, willing, and chufino^ 
 ^vhlch mere matter, let it be fpun ever lo 
 line, and aduated by the quickcft and the 
 moil fubtile motion, can ever be capable of i 
 but their notion of their pre-exiilence with 
 theEl, before they were Lnt into bodies, is ve- 
 ry confufed. The rewards and punifhments 
 in the next life they believe will chiefly 
 confift in this ♦, that in proportion as their 
 jiv:l:ions have been conformable to thejuft i- 
 deas of the fupreme being in this life, par- 
 taking flill more and more of his infinite 
 wiidom, fo their fouls will approach ftill 
 nearer to the beautiful intelligence of their 
 divine model in the next. But if their ac- 
 tions in this life have been inconfitlient v/ith 
 the fupreme realbn in God, they fliall be 
 permitted to go on for ever in that inconfi- 
 itency and diiagreement, till they become 
 fo monflroully wicked and enormous, as to 
 becon^c abominable even to themfelvcs. 
 
 Of 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. 199 
 
 Of their opinion concerning the tranfmigration 
 of fouls ^ and the fcience ofphyfiognomy, 
 
 I found the wifeft of them held the me- 
 tempfychofis, or the tranfmigration of fouls *, 
 not as a punifnment in the next life, as fonie 
 of the ancient Heathen philofophers did, 
 but as a^punilliment in this •, the chief pu- 
 nifhment in the next was explained above. 
 This tranfmigration of fouls is quite diffe- 
 rent from the received notion of the word. 
 Inftead of believing, as the alicients did, that 
 the fouls of wicked and voluptuous men, 
 after their deaths, tranfmigrated into beafts 
 according to the fimilitude of their vitious 
 inclinations, till, pafTmg through one ani- 
 mal into another, they were permitted to 
 commence men again ; I fay, thefe people, 
 'inftead of believing this, hold a metempfy- 
 chofis of quite a different nature ; not that 
 the fouls of men enter into brutes, but that 
 the fouls of brutes enter into the bodies of 
 men, even in this life. They fay, for exam- 
 ple, that the bodies of men and women are 
 fuch delicate habitations, that the fouls of 
 brutes are perpetually envying them, and 
 
 * This notion of the trarirmigratlon of the fouls of 
 brutes into men and women in this life, particuhirly into 
 the latter, was not unknown to the ancients, though ex- 
 plained fomething after a different way : "wiinefs a re- 
 maining fragment of Simonides, a very ancient Creek 
 poet, to ihatefTed. 
 
 contriving 
 
200 Tlie Adventures of 
 
 contriving to get into them; tliat, unlefs 
 the divine light of reafon be perpetually at- 
 tended to, thefc brutal fouls ileal in upon 
 them, and chain up the rational I'oul, fo 
 that it Ihali not be able to govern the body, 
 iinlefs it be to carry on the defigns of the 
 bruLal foul, or at bell only make fome faint 
 efforts to get out of its flavery. I took it at 
 firll, that this fyilem was merely allegori- 
 cal, to fliew the fimilitude between the paf- 
 fions of men when not directed by reafon, 
 and thofe of brutes. But, upon examina- 
 tion, I found it was their opinion, that this 
 tranfmigration did really happen •, inlbmuch 
 that m my lail journey with the ^'ophar into 
 Egypt, when he faw the Turks, or other 
 ftrange nations, • nay feveial Armenian and 
 European Chriilians, he would fay to me in 
 his own language, I'liere goe< a hog, there 
 goes a lion, a wolf, a fox, a dog, and the 
 like •, that is, they believe the body of a vo- 
 luptuous man is pofieffed by the fjul of a 
 hog, of a lullful man by ihat of a goat, a 
 treacherous man by thcU of a fox, a tyran- 
 nical man by that of a wolf, and fo of the 
 reft. This belief is inllilled into them fo 
 early, and with fo much care, that it is of 
 very great benefit to keep them within the 
 bounds of reafon. If a young man finds 
 himfelf inclined to any of the fe pafTions, he 
 addreffes himfelf immediately to fome per- 
 ion whom he thinks of fuperior v/ifdom, 
 
 who 
 
SIg. Gaudentio di Lucca. 201 
 
 who afTures him that the foul of fome cer- 
 tain brute is endeavouring to furprife and 
 captivate his rational Ibul, and take pol- 
 fellion of its place. This makes them 
 always watchful, and upon their guard a- 
 gainfb their own palTions, not to be furpri* 
 fed by fuch a meicilefs enemy. Their im- 
 mediate remedy is, to look ftedfailly at the 
 divine light that fhines within them, and 
 compare it with its original, till by the force 
 of its rays they drive away thofe brutal fouls, 
 which, as loon as fullv difcovered in their 
 treacherous attacks, (for they come on, fay 
 they, by ftealth, not daring to attack that 
 divine light dire6tly), arc eafily lepulfed, be- 
 fore they have obtained pofTeffion, though 
 it colls a great deal of pains to diilodge 
 them, when once they ate got in. The feac 
 of being abandoned to the ilavery of thefe 
 brutal fouh is fo deeply imprinted in them 
 from their infancy, that they look upon the 
 temperance and rcgulai ity of their lives to 
 be in a great meafure owing to this doctrine, 
 llie fame notions hold with their v^/omen ; 
 into whom their mothers and governeffes in- 
 llil them, as the wile men do to the 
 men ; only they believe the brutal fouls 
 that enter into women, are of a different 
 fpecies from thofe that enter into men. 
 They fay, for inftance, that of a cameleon 
 makes them falfe and inconftant *, that of a 
 peacock, coquettilh and vain •, that of a ty- 
 
 grefs, 
 
202 The Adventures of 
 
 grefs, crutl and ill-natured •, and fo of the 
 relt. They add another diflcrcnce between 
 men and women, that when thefe brutal 
 fouls arc entered into them, they are much 
 harder to be driven out from them, than 
 from the men •, befidts that thefe brutal 
 fouls will lurk undifcovered in women a 
 great while, and are often fcarce difcernible, 
 till the age of five and twenty or thirty i 
 whereas in moll men they dilcover them- 
 felves prefently after their entrance. 
 
 It was on account of this dofliine, as I 
 found by repeated obfervations, that they 
 v/erc fo addi;I:led to the (ludy of phyfiogno- 
 my, laying down rules to know by the 
 counrenan(e, the lines ot the face, and un- 
 guarded looks of men, whether the brutal 
 fjul has got polfcirion or not, in order to 
 apply proper remedies. This kience, how- 
 ever uncertain and doubtful among Chri- 
 (l:ians,(who have o^r. atcralilflanceof jTaceand 
 virtue to refiit their ^^alfions, thofe treache- 
 rous invaders), is brought to greater per- 
 fcdion and certitude than one would ima- 
 gine, among fuch of thefe people, who, 
 iia/ing no fuch helps ^'^'^^^ little care to cul- 
 tivate and moderate their vitious inclina- 
 tions, unlefs they are apprifed and fore- 
 warned of tlie danger. Therefore their wile 
 men, whenever they come in company of 
 the vounger Ibrt, confider attentively with 
 themfelveb all the lincimenis of the coun- 
 tenance, 
 
SIg. Gaudentio di Lucca. 203 
 
 tenance, complexions, motions, habit of 
 body, conftitution, tone of the voice, make 
 and turn of the face, nofe, ears, ^c. but 
 particularly they obfer^^e the ftru6lure and 
 glances of jihe eye, with innumerable figns 
 proceeding from it, by which they pretend 
 to difcover thofe paflions. I fay, they pre- 
 tend to know by thefe what brutal foul lays 
 fiege to the rational foul, or whether it has 
 already taken poifeflion of its pofl. If they 
 are Grangers, they prudently take care to 
 avoid their company, or at leaft are on their 
 guard not to have any dealings with them in 
 matters obnoxious to the brutal foul they 
 think them poffefled by. But if the perfon 
 attacked by thefe brutal fouls be of their 
 own nation, they immediately forewarn 
 fuch to be on his guaid, by which, and the 
 dread they have entertained from their 
 youth of thefe brutal enemies, they are kept 
 in fuch order, that, as I faid, I never faw 
 fuch moral people in my life. The word 
 is, they are extremely inclined to be proud, 
 and have too great a value for theinfelves, de- 
 fpifinp- in their hearts all other nations as if 
 they were nothing but brutes in human fliape*. 
 
 * The Chinefe, whom I have proved to be defcended 
 from the (irfl Egyptians, are fubjed to the like pride and 
 contempt of other people ; f^iying that a!! other nations 
 have but one eye, whereas nature lias given them two : 
 fignifying thereby, how much wifcr they think themfclves 
 ':iaa other men. 
 
 However, 
 
204 The Advektures of 
 
 However, their wife men take as much care 
 as polTible to correal this fault, as far as the 
 ignorance of the law of grace will allow -, 
 by putting them often in mind of the niilc- 
 ries and infirmities of human life, which 
 being real evils, mull be in punifhmcnt of 
 fomc fault •, that the mod perfeCl are liable 
 to death, which makes no tliilindion be- 
 tween them and the rell of the world. Be- 
 fldcs, humility, and a- commiferation for 
 the dcfcfls of others, is one of the rays of 
 the divine lioht that is to oruide them. From 
 fuch documents and inllru(5lions of the wifer 
 fort, though they do not care to have any 
 correfpondence with other people, feeing 
 them fo ponelVt'd with thul'e brutal fouls, yet 
 they arc a moll courteous and compaiTionate 
 peo])lc in all their behaviour. 
 
 Of their laws and cujicms. 
 
 Over and above wliat has been faid al- 
 ready of the nature and culloms of tliefe 
 people, I riiall here obferve that their laws 
 are very few in number •, but then they are 
 prodigious exadl in the obfervance of them. 
 1 have often heard the Pophar, contrary to 
 his cuilom, nnke very feverereHcJlionson die 
 lawyers of other countries, who make laws 
 upon laws, and add precepts upon precepts, 
 till tlie endlefs number of them makes the 
 fundamental part to be forgotten ; leaving 
 
 nothing 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. 205 
 
 nothing but a confaieJ heap of explana- 
 tioas •, which may caafe ignorant people to 
 doubt, whether there is really any 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 reckonino: ud all the 
 particulars by which a perion may be wrong- 
 ed ? Shew but the fafl on both fides, any man 
 o^ i'cnic and equity can tell, if there be any- 
 wrong done. For if you multiply an infi- 
 nity of circumftinces, it will be much more 
 diiH:ult to decide what is right, or what is 
 wrong, than if you precifely and abfolutely 
 forbid all injury wliatfoever. It is almoft 
 incredible, with what nicety and equity, 
 and how loon, their judges determine the 
 few difputes they have among them. To 
 weigh the merits of the caufe by the weight 
 of the purfe, would be counted by them 
 one of the greatefl enormities. There are 
 no courts for difputes of this nature -, all is 
 done by hying the cafe before their public 
 aifemblics, or before any one or two pru- 
 dent and juR- men; and the affair is finally 
 decided at once. All the law for meum 
 and tuum among them is, Tbou Jhalt do no 
 isjTong to any one^ without entering into any 
 further niceties. Such explanatory fuppo- 
 fuions, fay they, oftener lliew people hov/ 
 they may in^fenioufly contrive to do an in- 
 jury, than how to avoid it. 
 
 Theif lav;s therefore are nothing but 
 S the 
 
2C'6 The AOV ENTIRES of 
 
 the firfl principles of natural juflice^ ex- 
 plained and applied by the elders, in the 
 public hearing of all who have a mind to 
 come in when the fads are brought into dif- 
 pute. 
 
 The w^orfliip of the Deity, and that ex- 
 cciTive and even fuperilitious reverence they 
 pay to their parents, both alive and dead, is 
 lb carefully inculcated to them from their in- 
 fancy, that there is no need of any written 
 law to inforce it. They look on a man to be 
 pofiefTed with fome brutal foul, who fliould 
 ]iretend to call in queftion or negled this 
 iluty. 
 
 There is a pofitive law among them, not 
 TO ihcd human blood voluntaiily *. They 
 carry this fundamental law of nature to 
 
 ■^ Thefe people ilcfcendlnf, fiom MlfiMlin, who might 
 l.r.O'.v th? patriarch Noah, and m!g!u h.uc kerned by tra- 
 diiion the punilliment of Cain for the murder of his bro- 
 tlicr AhA, c.nricd that opinion to ,\n exccfs. Be ihefc 
 people uho they will, or not be ai all, 1 cannot but ob- 
 icrve, how inexcufuble the vitkcdnefs of men was from 
 the beginning, without blaming God, as fome libertines 
 do, for leaving them in ignorance. 
 
 The wicked Ham, or Cham, was in tlic ark u'lih No- 
 ;ih, and li-.cd nuny yc;irs before the deiu.c, (t!ie truth 
 of which is attefL'ii by ancient hiilory as well as by facred 
 feripturc^ and faw tlie dreadful punifhmont inflicted on 
 l!ie world for fm ; con! J not lie have learned godlinef?, and 
 the lewird for ir, cf his fatlier Noah ? Ccuhi not Ham 
 )iave t.uight his own children, tiicy ikeii s ; and fo on ? 
 Hut tliL-y corrupted their ow,i ways, znS thercSy Ih.nvcd 
 th'- i.eCv.-iiity of a revelation. 
 
 fuch 
 
Sig. Q|AUDE>mo Di LucL'.A. 207 
 
 llich a height, that the}^ never put any one 
 to death, even tor murder, vdiich very rare- 
 iy happens ; that ifi, once in feyeral r^es. 
 If it appears tliat a pcrlbn has rcaliy rnur 
 dei-ed another, a thing they think ahnofl itn- 
 pollible, the perlbn convicted is iliut up 
 from all commerce of men, with provi- 
 fions to keep him alive as long as nature ai- 
 lov.'o. After iiis death the fact is proclaim- 
 ed, as it was when they ihut him up^ over 
 all the Ncmes. His name is blotted out of 
 thrir fTenealoj2;ies j iheii his dead body i'i 
 mangled juil: in the lime manlier as he 
 killed the innocent, and afterwards burnt: 
 to aiher^, which are carried up to tiie high- 
 eft part of tihe deierts, and then toiled up 
 inro the air, to be carried avrav bv the 
 winds blovv'ing from tlicir ov;n country : nor 
 is he ever more to be reckoned as one of 
 their race, and there is a general mounting 
 obferved throufTiiout the kingdom for nine 
 days. 
 
 There is aifo an cxprefs law againfl adul- 
 tery and whoredom, which are hkey/ifc pu- 
 nifhed after death. If perfons are caught 
 in adultery, they are iliut up apart till 
 death •, then they are expofed naked as they 
 were furpriled, and the body of the wo- 
 man treated after tlu mofc i^nominiour. 
 manner for three days. After \^ iiich, they 
 are burnt, and their allies difperfed as be- 
 
 S -i fore 
 
2o8 The Adventures q£ M 
 
 fore *. Whoredom is only puniihed, in the 
 man, by chaining him to a he-goat, and 
 the woman to a fait bitch, and leading 
 them thus round the Nome. All in the 
 relpcctive Nome, m>cn and women, are to 
 be prefent at the more fignal punifhmentsi 
 and parents arc obliged to exj:)lain to their 
 children the wi.kednefs and horror of the 
 crime, for a warning for the future. 1 for- 
 got to tell your Reverences, that if the wo- 
 man brings forth by adultery, the cluld is 
 preferved, till able to be carried with them 
 when they go into Egypt, and there given 
 to fome (iranger, with ample provifion for 
 1:3 maintenance, but never to be heard of 
 more f. 
 
 There is alfo one particular I fhculd have 
 mentioned, relating to injuflice. If, for ex- 
 ample, the elders find there has been any 
 confiderable iniuilice done, the criminal i.s 
 obliged to reflore nine times the value. If 
 any one be convicted to have impoi'ed upon 
 the judges, he is to be lent out to the fkirts of 
 the couniiy, to live by himfelf for a time 
 
 * Sec tilt; liiirned Blfliop of Mcaux's iiniveifal hlflory, 
 ccnccining the K^yptians, par. 3. and of thtlr punilh- 
 mriiTS.ontr deaih. 
 
 ■\ \\ iili our author's leave, this Is not fuch a juft and 
 f(nnpa{|^or);uc part, to turn iiinoccnt chikhcn out among 
 j-coplc whofe cnftonis they I ad fiuli a horroi of, only for 
 ll eir pau'ots faults." For thci'gh the nuixm) be good, 
 Jieniare a breed ; yet the care ihcy look of ihtir yomb, 
 ar.d the mor.^l infiru<.'lion thvy p.ave thcni, ml^^ht make 
 them abhor the csiiriCS of their parents. 
 
 proportionable 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. 209 
 
 proportionable to his guilt, with a mark 
 on his forehead, for all perfons to avoid 
 him, left he fhould inftil his principles into 
 others. All other matters are regulated 
 rather by cuftom, than by laws, which will 
 be feen, when I come to the form of their 
 government, and other particular inftitu- 
 tions. 
 
 Of their form of govermnent. 
 
 Their form of government, as I_ had the 
 honour to acquaint your Reverences before, 
 is patriarchal, which they preferve inviola- 
 bly, bein-c; the moft tenac ious people in the 
 world of their ptimitive inftitutions. But 
 the order of the fucceilion is extremely par- 
 ticular, in Older to keep up the equality of 
 brotherhood and dignity as exacl as they 
 can. Your Reverences, I prefume, remem- 
 ber that tiu'y all fprung from one family, 
 (and lived as fuch when they were driven 
 out of Egypt), the head of which was 
 prieil of the fun. This government they 
 had obferved ever fmce Mifraim took pof- 
 feirion of that land for his habitation. But 
 when they were fecured from all the Vvorld 
 in the firft vale, as was mentioned before, 
 they eftablifned that form of governn^ient afr 
 ter a particular manner. Ihe firft Pophar 
 fettling in that vale v/ith his five fon^, and 
 ;i.s m;M^.y slaughters with their hulbands, go- 
 
 S 3 viriied 
 
2IO The Adv£ntures of 
 
 verned them during life, as father or patri- 
 arch ot them aH. Their prodigious vene- 
 ration for their parents, and fep.{ration from 
 all other people, render this form infinitely 
 more pracncable than can well be imagined. 
 As they were children of one man, thelnter- 
 eft of the v/liole was the intereil of every 
 particular. All the nation of the firft tranf- 
 migration were children, grandchildren, 
 or great-grandchildren ^of the good old 
 man who conducted them thither. Having 
 no wars, or voyages at fea, nor commerce 
 v/ith the diftempers as well as vices of other 
 natbns, who generally differ in their way 
 ot living as well as their climate ; having 
 nothing of this, I fay, to deftroy their peo"^ 
 ])le, they not only increafed prodigioully, 
 without plurality of wives, but by tliat and 
 their almoft primitive way of living, they 
 preferved their lives to a great old age, molt 
 of tliem living above a hundred years, and 
 iomc above a hundred and fifty. The full 
 Pophar (fay their memoirs) lived till an hun- 
 dred and fifty-five, and his eldcfl Ion his 
 iuccefior, moie robult ftill, to a hundred 
 and fixty. Prefently after his eftabliflHnent 
 m the nril vale, he divided his fmall domi- 
 nions into five Nomes, or governments, un- 
 der his five fons, as was obferved before. 
 All were to be fuboidinate to the eldell; but 
 it was only a patriarchal fubordination, re- 
 luting to the wh^lc. The other governorjs, 
 
 and 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. 211 
 
 and indeed all fathers of families, were en- 
 tire miniflers of the laws in their refpedive 
 families ^ but thefe lad were liable to the 
 infpedlion of the more immediate fuperiors, 
 and all to that of the Grand Pophar, afiifteci 
 with llich a number of counfellors as were 
 eftablifhed afterwards. To give your Re- 
 verences a more diftind idea of this wonder- 
 ful ^governments it will come much to the 
 fame, whether we defcend from the chief 
 Pophar to every refpe^live family, or from 
 thefe upwards. The particularities of the 
 fucceflion I fliall confider afterwards. How- 
 ever, it will be eafier feen if we take 
 them when their numbers wer€ not fo great, 
 at the iiril; beo-innino; of their eftablifh- 
 ment. 
 
 The Pophar, then, having diflin.guifhed 
 the bounds of every Nome, 1 mean in their 
 firil tranfmigration, each fon took pofief- 
 fion of it for himfelf and pofierity. While 
 each fon's children were unmarried, they 
 continued under the government of their 
 father, who made ufe of as much land as 
 R was fufticient for the conveniencies and plea- 
 fures, as well as the neceflaries of life. But 
 as foon as any fon was married, or at lead 
 when he could be called a father of a fami- 
 ly, the father, with confcnt of the Pophar, 
 allotted him likewife a fuiTicient quantity 
 for the fame end : fo they fpread and en- 
 larged themfelves as it were froiivthe centre 
 
 to 
 
2 12 The Adventures of 
 
 to a farther extent, much in the fiime man- 
 ner as they build their towns, till ihey had 
 occupied the whole Nome. Here you will 
 fay, thefe people muft in piocefs of time 
 increafe ad infinitum^ without lands fuf- 
 ficient to maintain them. This was real- 
 ly the cafe in the tiift plantation, which 
 v/as fo entirely occupied by them, that if 
 the famous Pophar, who brought them into 
 the vaft continent they now enjoy, had not 
 made that glorious dikovery witli the dan- 
 ger of his life, they mud have returned in- 
 to Egypt, or ate up one another; but 
 where they are at prelent, they have room 
 enough, notwithtlanding their numbers, for 
 feveral ages. However, 1 often reprefentcd 
 to the Pophar, that it mull come to that at 
 lafb : the thought made him uneafy at 
 Hrll, and at length put him on a further 
 difcovery, as your Reverences will fee in 
 the fequel. But fuch vafl: numbers of them 
 betaking themfelves to arts and manufac- 
 tures, and the country being ib prodigioul- 
 ly fertile, there does not appear any great 
 difficulty in that refpedt. Of all arts they 
 look upon agriculture as the hrft in dignity 
 next to the liberal fciences, lince thiit nou- 
 riflies all the red-, but it comes fo cafiiy, 
 and the fruits and legumes are lo rich ?a\A 
 delicious, that they have little more trouble 
 than to gather theni : befides, having two 
 fummers, and two fpiing^^, each different 
 
 feafon 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. 213 
 
 feafon produces Its peculiar fruits. But to 
 return to the idea of their government, each 
 father of a family governs all his defcend- 
 ents, married or unmarried, as long as he 
 lives. If his fons are fathers, they have a 
 fubordinate power under him ; if he dies 
 before he comes to fuch an age, the eldeft 
 fon, or the eldeft uncle, takes care of them, 
 till they are fufficient to fet up a family of 
 themfelves. The father, on extraordinary 
 occafions, is liable to be infpefted by five 
 of the moft prudent heads of that diftridl ; 
 thefe by five of the five adjacent diftrids 
 chofen by common confent -, thefe laft, by 
 the heads of the five Nomes, and all the 
 Nomes by the Grand Pophar, aiTifted with 
 three hundred fixty-five elders, or fenators, 
 chofen out of every Nome. What is mofl 
 particular in this government is, that they are 
 ail abfolute in fome manner, and independ- 
 ent, as looking on themfelves as all equal 
 in birth-, yet in an entire dependency of na- 
 tural fubordination or elderfliip, which runs 
 through the whole occonomy, as your Re- 
 verences v/ill fee when I come to the fuc- 
 ccffjon. 7'hey are in the fame manner lords 
 and proprietors of their own pofleffions, yet 
 the Pophar and governors can allot and dif- 
 pofe of all for the public emolument, btcaufe 
 tliey look on him to be as much the father 
 of all, as the immediate natural father is oi 
 liis proper children, and even in fomp 
 
 fenfe 
 
2 14 l^c Adventures of _ 
 
 ftfnfe their natural father bv ricrht of elder- 1 
 fliip, becaufe they fprung originally from 
 one man, whom the Grand Pophar repre- 
 fents. To this, that natural, or politic, or 
 even fuperflitious refpe(5l they fhew to their 
 parents, contributes fo much, that they ne- 
 ver difpute, but, on the contrary, revere, 
 the regulations made by their fupcriors •, 
 being fatisfied that they are not only jud 
 and good, but that it is their own a^^l, fince 
 it is done by virtue of a lubordination to 
 which they all belong. 
 
 The fuccefTion of elderfliip has fomething 
 very particular, and even intricate in it. 
 To exprefs at the fanie time the fuperiority 
 of the elder fon, and the equality of inde- 
 pendence, I fhall endeavour to explain to 
 your Reverences, as well as I can, the right 
 thereof. The eldeft fon of the Hrfl Pophar 
 is always Grand Pophar, when he is of age 
 to govern, wliich, as I faid, is at fifty at 
 fooneft •, but if the diredl line fails, not the 
 uncle's fon, nor any one in that Nome, but 
 the right heir of the next Nome •, and fo 
 of all the five Nomes. If they fhould fail 
 in all the Nomcs, the rio-ht heir of the fe- 
 cond f(;n of the firfl Nome, aFid fo of all 
 the refl. This, they fay, has happened fc- 
 veral times iince their ftril eflabliihment, 
 which is not much to be wondered at, if 
 they are fo ancient as they pretend. Thus, 
 though the grand po[)harfliip be confined 
 
 to 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. 215 
 
 to the eldeft in fome fenfe, in effe^ 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 
 age of the fecond fon of the next Nome, 
 is regent till the heir be out of his minori- 
 ty, and fo on : infomuch that, in order to 
 divide the fuperiority among them as e- 
 qually as pollible, he who has the next 
 right to be Grand Pophar, is never to be 
 regent. All other public officers, teachers 
 of arts and fciences, overfeers of all the pu- 
 blic employments, ^c. are conftituted by 
 the Grand Pophar, and fanhedrim, with 
 aflbciates of every Nome. 
 
 Alore particulars of their public (economy. 
 
 Though, as I faid, the Pophar is in 
 fome fenfe the proprietor of the whole 
 country, as head of the government and 
 chief patriarch \ yet the paradox of this 
 government confifts in this, that they are 
 joint lords, acknowledging no inequality, 
 but merely clderfhip, and the refped; due 
 to dignitaries, which they efteem as their 
 own, or redounding to themjelves, becaufe 
 they all give their confent to their eledion 
 for the public good. In a word, the 
 whole country is only one great family go- 
 verned by tlie laws of nature, with proper 
 oflicers, conflitured by the whole, for or- 
 der 
 
2 10 Th'j Adventures of 
 
 chr and common p:crervation. Every Indi- 
 vidual lo)lcs on himfcdf as a part of that 
 great family. The Grand Pophar is the 
 common father, clleeming all the reft as 
 children and brothers, calling them univer- 
 fally by that name, as they all call one an- 
 other brothers, bartering and exchanging 
 their commodities as one brother would 
 do with another •, and not only io, but they 
 all join in building their towns, public pla- 
 ces, fchools, is^L. laying up all the llores 
 and provifions, over and above the prefent 
 confumption, in public places, for the ufe 
 of the whole, with overfeer- and infpeclors, 
 conllituted by common rohfent, who are ro 
 take care chiefly, that no dilbider be com- 
 mitted. Thus every one contributes to 
 all public expenfes, feails, and the like, 
 ■which on i'ome occafions are extremely 
 magnificent-, aiiV^ling external grandeur 
 ill all refjK'fls. Thus alfo every man, 
 where-ever he goes, enters into what houfe 
 he pleafes, as if it wei^his o\vn iiome •, this 
 they are doing perpetually throughout the 
 whole country, rather \ifitiiig than mer- 
 chandifing •, exchanging the rarities of each 
 refpcclive -place witil thofe of other parts, 
 jull: like friends making prefents to one an- 
 olher ; fo that all the roads are like llreets 
 of great towns, with people going back- 
 ward and forward perpetually. They do 
 this the more frequently to keep up a cor-» 
 
 reiporidencc 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. 217 
 
 rcfpondence between the Nomes, left di- 
 ftance of place Hiouid cauic any forgetful- 
 nefs of their being of one family. The 
 plenty of the country affords them every 
 thins; that nature can call dcli.o-htfuL and 
 that with fuch eafe, that infinite numbers 
 are employed in trades and arts, according 
 to their genius, or inclinations •, which, by 
 their contiiuial peace and plenty, their long 
 eftablidiment in one country, and under 
 one form of government, the natural ino-e- 
 nuity of the people, the lb early knowledge 
 of arts, which they brought with them out 
 of Egypt ; by the improvements their wife 
 men make in them from time to time •, and 
 from what they learn when they pay their 
 vifits to their deceafed anceftors, thev have 
 brought to prodigious perfed:ion. One 
 may fay of them, that they are all mafters, 
 and all fervants j every one has his employ- 
 ment ; generally fpeaki ng, the yor.ngcr fort 
 wait on the elders, changing; their offices as 
 is thought proper by their fuperiors, as in 
 a well-regulated community. All their 
 children univerfallv arc taught at the pu- 
 blic expenfe, as children of 'the govern- 
 ment, without anv diftinfaon but that of 
 perfjnal merit. As the perfons deputed 
 for that end, judge of their genius, or any 
 particular inclination, they are difpofed af- 
 terwards to thofe arts and callini^s for which 
 they feem moft proper •, the moR* fublime 
 
 T fcienccs 
 
21 8 llie Adventures of 
 
 fciences are the mofb in refped with them, 
 and are chicfiy the employment of their 
 great men and governors, contrary to the 
 cullom of other countries ; the realbn of 
 which is, becaufe thefe being never chofen 
 till they are fifty years of age, they have 
 had more time t6 improve themlclves, and 
 generally a:e perfons of more extenfivc ca- 
 pacities. They rightly fuppoie, that per- 
 fons who excel others in the mod rational 
 fciences, arc not only fitted to govern a ra- 
 tional people, but alio mod capable of 
 making themlclves maders of what they 
 undertake ; not, but fuch men, knowin^r 
 the governors are chofen out of that rank^ 
 have an eye in their dudies to the rules and 
 arts of governing, which are communica- 
 ted at adidance by them, according to the 
 talents they remark in the fubjeds. They 
 do not do this out of any fpirit of ambition, 
 employments being rather an honorary 
 trouble than ar) advantage, but for the 
 real good of the whole. Agriculture, as 1 
 faid, has the next place in honour after li- 
 beral arts i and next to that, thofe atti are 
 mod edeemed which jire mod neccHary ; 
 the lad of all are thofe which are of lead 
 u^c, tliough perhaps the mod delightful. 
 Since every one is employed for the com- 
 mon gDod more than for rhemlelves, })er-- 
 haps perfons may apprehend that this gives 
 a check to indudry, not having that Ipur 
 
 'of 
 
SIg. Gaudentio di Lucca. Hi) 
 
 of private intereft, hoirding up riches, or 
 aggrandizing their faniilies, as is to be 
 found in other nations. I was apprehenfive 
 of this myfelf, v/hen I came to underfcand 
 their government •, but fo far from it, that 
 poiTibly there is not fuQh, aii indnftrious 
 race of people in the univerfe. They place 
 their great ambition in the grandeur of the 
 country, looking on thofc as narrow and 
 mercenary fpirits, who can prefer a pavt td 
 the whole : they pride themfelves over o- 
 ther nations on that account; each man ha- 
 ving a proportionable Iliare in the public*, 
 grandeur, the love of glory and praife fecms 
 to be their greaLefc paffion. Bcfides, their 
 wife governors have fuch ways of fldrrinr' 
 up their emulation by public honours, ha- 
 rangues, and panegyrics in their aflemblies, 
 with a thoufand other v/ays of iliew and pa- 
 geantry, and this for the moil minute art;:, 
 that were it not for time fraternal love iii- 
 grafted in them from their infancy, they 
 would be in danger of raifmg their emula- 
 tion to too great a height. Thofc vA\o 
 give indications of greater wifdom and pru- 
 dence in their condudl than others, arc 
 marked out for governors, and gradually 
 raifed accordino; to their merit. Whoever 
 invents a new art has a flatue ere61:ed accoi - 
 ding to the ufefulnefs of it, v/ith his name 
 and family inferted in public records. Who- 
 ever diftinguiihes himfelf by any particular 
 T 2 excellency. 
 
•2 20 The Adventures of 
 
 excellency, has fuitable marks of dilllnction 
 paid him on public cccafions, as garlands, 
 crowns, acclamations, fongs, or hymns in 
 liis praife, ^ c. It is incredible how luch 
 rewards as thcfc encourage induilry and arts 
 in minds ib aPrcded with glory as thefe 
 people are : on tiiC other hand, their great- 
 efl punidiments, except for capital ciimcs, 
 which arc puniflicd as above, are by public 
 difgraces. 
 
 But now I am fpeaking of their youth; 
 as they look upon tlicm as feeds of the 
 commonwealth, which if corrupted in tlie 
 bud will never bring forth fruit, fo their 
 particular care is laid out in their educa- 
 tion, in which I believe they excel all na- 
 tions. One cannot fay there is one in the 
 whole nation who may be called an idle per- 
 fon, though they indulge their youth very 
 much in p'"oper reci cations, endeavouring to 
 keep the mas gay as they can, becaufethey are 
 naturally inclined to gravity. Befides daily re- 
 creations, they have fet times and feafons 
 for public exercifes, as riding, vaulting, 
 lunning, but particularly hunting wild 
 beads, and fifliincr for crocodiles and alhf2:a- 
 tors, in their great lakes, which 1 fliall de- 
 fcribe to your Reverences on another occa- 
 fion ; yet they are never fufiered to go a- 
 lone, that is, a compai^y of young men to- 
 gether without giave men and perfons in 
 authority along witji tliem, who are a guard 
 to them in all theil* actions : nay, they are 
 
 nevei 
 
Sis:. Gaudentio di Lucca. 221 
 
 'to 
 
 never fuffered to fieep together, each ly- 
 ing in a Tingle bed, though in a public room, 
 with fome grave perlbn in the lame room 
 v;ith them. Their women are kept much 
 in the fame manner, to prevent inconveni- 
 encies which I fhall touch upon when I 
 come to the education of their women : and 
 this fo univerfall}^ that as there aie.no idle 
 companions to lead them into extravagan- 
 cies, fo there are no idle and loofe v/omen 
 to be found to corrupt their minds. Their 
 whole time, both for men and women, is 
 taken up in employments, or public recre- 
 ations, which, with the early care to in- 
 llrud them in the fundamental principles of 
 the morality of the country, prevents all 
 thofe diforders of youth we fee elfewhere. 
 Hence too comes that ftrength of body and 
 mind in their men, and modell bloominc^ 
 beauty in their v/omen ; fo that among this 
 people nature feenjs to have kept up to its pri- 
 mitive and original perfeclion. Befides, that 
 univerfal likenefs in them, proceeding from 
 their conjugal fidelity and cxclufion of all 
 foreign mixture in their breed, (v/here all 
 the lineaments of their anceflors, dircc^l: and 
 collateral, meet at laft in their offspring), 
 gives the parents the comfort of feeing their 
 own bloom and youth renewed in their chil- 
 dren •, though in my opinion this univerfal 
 likenefs is rather a defecSf •, not but the 
 ■treafures of nature are fo incxhaullible, that 
 
 T 3 there 
 
222 The Adventukes of 
 
 there are fome dillingui-liing beauties in e- 
 very face. Their young men and women 
 meet frequently, but then it is in their pu- 
 blic adcmblies, with grave people mixed 
 along wdth them. At all public 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 permitted to be decently familiar on 
 thofe public occafions, and can chufe their 
 lovers refpejflivcly, according to their li- 
 king, there being no fuch thing as doweries, 
 or intereft, but mere perfonal merit in the 
 cafe •, but more of this afterwards w'hen I 
 fhall fpeak more particularly of the educa- 
 tion of their women and marriages. This 
 is a fhort flvetch of the government and oe- 
 conomy of a people, who are as much dif- 
 tinguiilied from the cuftoms of others, as 
 they are feparated by their habitation and 
 country. 
 Inqiiifitor. You feem, Sir, to have a very 
 high idea of this patriarchal govern- 
 ment, and look upon it according to 
 the law of nature •, 1 hope you don't de- 
 ny but perfons jnay be obliged by the 
 law of nature to obey their forms of go- 
 vernment, as well as a patriarchal one ? 
 Gaudentio. No, Reverend Fathers, by no 
 means, 1 don't enter into comparifons, 
 but relate matter of fa6t. It is not to 
 be doubted, but different forms* of go- 
 vernment may be proper for different 
 
 nations^ 
 
Sio; Gaudentio di Lucca. 22 
 
 o 
 
 nations •, and where once a form of go- 
 vernment is lawfully eflabliflied, perlons 
 are obliged to obey, to avoid anarchy 
 and confufion -, as for example, whoever 
 jQiould endeavour tofubvert a monarchi- 
 cal governm.ent once lawfully eftablifh- 
 ed, muft break in upon the laws of 
 right and juftice, which are obligations 
 of the law of nature. 
 
 Inquifitor. Read on. 
 
 Second Inquifitor. Under favour, I mufl 
 afk him a qucftion or two firft. I think, 
 Signor Gaudentio, you make the Grand 
 Pophar to be both prince and prieft ; 
 that is, to be veiled both v/ith temporal 
 and fpiritual power. Is it your opinion 
 that the fpiritual power is fubjedt to the 
 temporal ? 
 
 Gaudentio. I fpeak of Heathens, Reve- 
 rend Fathers, and a Heathenilh wor- 
 fliip, where the Grand Pophar was both 
 prince of the people, and chief prieft of 
 the fun by his place. I acknowledge 
 no head of the church but his Holinefs, 
 as mofh agreeable to the primitive inflitu- 
 tion of our religion. 
 Here he went on in his exalted notions of 
 the fcvereign Pontiffs partly being a Ro- 
 man Catholic.^ but chiefly., in all appear ance^ 
 becaiife he was before the Inquifition ; for 
 which reafon the publijher thought fit to 
 
 ^ have it out, 
 
 Gaudentio, 
 
2 24 Tlic Adventures of 
 
 GrMdcntio. h it your Reverences plcafui 
 
 that I go on with my hillory ? 
 Iijjiiifttor, Ay, ay, rcLid on.] 
 
 The ediicaticn oj their i-:omtn^ and marriages. 
 
 As for their women, the Pophar told me it 
 was Vrhat gave them the moil trouble of any 
 thing in their whole government i that by 
 their records their ancellorshad hel 1 frequent 
 confultations after what manner they were to 
 be managed, there being great difficulties to 
 be feared either from allowing; them liber- 
 ty, or keeping them under reftraint. It 
 you allow them liberty, you niufl depend 
 on their honour, or rather caprice, for your 
 own i if you keep them under confinement, 
 they will be fure to revenge themfelvcs the 
 firfl opportunity \ which they will find in 
 fpite of all you can do. The rules, faid 
 he, by which men are governed, will not 
 hold with v/omen ^ Iblid reafon, if you 
 can make them fenfible of it, will lome 
 time or other have an intlucncc on moil 
 men \ \\ licreas humour is what predomi- 
 nates in women. Hit that, you have them \ 
 mifs it, you do nothing: and yet they arc fo 
 far from beinjji; an indiiferent thino; in the 
 commonweal ih, that much more depends 
 on the right managtment of them than 
 jK-ople imagine. I.iccntioufnefs of youth 
 draws innumerable misfortunes on any go- 
 vernment, and what greater incentives for 
 
 licentioulnefs 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. 225 
 
 licentioufneis than lewd women, whether 
 common proditutcs, wanton ladies, or adul- 
 terefTes ? r'or all loofe women belong to 
 one of thcfe claflcs. Our women, continued 
 ,he, are extremely beautiful, as you fee ; our 
 men flrong and vigorous ; conjugal fidelity 
 therefore and chaflity muft be the ftrongeit 
 bonds to keep them in their duty. As for 
 our young men, we keep them in perpetual 
 employment, and animate them to glory 
 by every thing that can move generous 
 minds ; with our women, we endeavour 
 the fame by ways adapted to their genius. 
 But our greateft care of all is, to make mar- 
 riage efteemed by both parties the happieft 
 ftate that can be wifhed 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 inclination, diflike, or revenge, or 
 perhaps a more fhameful pafTion, will make 
 her feek for relief elfewhere -, and where 
 women are not virtuous, men will be lewd. 
 We therefore permit the woman to chufe 
 entirely for herfelf, and the men to make 
 their addrelTes where they pleafe : but the 
 v/oman is to diftinguifli her choice by fome 
 fignal occafion or other, and that too not 
 without great difliculties on both fides, 
 which being furmountcd, they efteem them- 
 felves arrived at the happy part of all their 
 
 wifhes. 
 
2 26 Tlie Adventures of 
 
 wiflies. The moll: ardent and tried love 
 determines the choice: this endears the man 
 to her on the one hand, and the difficuhv 
 ot lind"ng any woman who has not the [\\iv.' 
 inducements to love her hufband, leave 
 Iiini no encouragement for his lawlcfs de- 
 fircs amon": married women -, and the fmrrle 
 women are cither fo early engaged with 
 their lovers, or fo pollened with the notion 
 that a married man cannot belong to lier, 
 that his iuit would be entirely vain. In a 
 word, we do not allow the leafc temporal 
 intereil to interfere in the choice, but ra- 
 ther wifh our. young people fhould be 
 mutually attradled by eJlecm and affeclion. 
 The whole bu(inefs of courtlbip is to prove 
 their contlancv, and to make tliem fo : 
 when wo are well affured of this, all oblla- 
 cles are removed. We found this method 
 to have the leall: inconveniencies of ar-y, and 
 the belt means to prelerve conjugal 'kielity, 
 on which the good of families fo much de- 
 pends. 
 
 When our nation, continued he, began 
 to grov/ very populous and the country full 
 of riches and plenty •, the promifcuous 
 converlation of our young men and wo- 
 men, with fome neglect on the parr of the 
 governors, was the occafion that the bounds 
 of our innocent anceflors were not iuiTicicnt 
 to keep them in tiicir duty •, ftrangc difor- 
 ders were crept in amoirg our youth of both 
 
 fexes ; 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. 227 
 
 fcxes; our men grew enervated and effemi- 
 nate, our women wanton and inflamed -, 
 unnatural abufes waited their conilitution ; 
 fo that we loft thoufands of our young men 
 and women, without knowing what was 
 the caufe ; even in .the married flate, the 
 women began not to be contented with one 
 man : on which account our anccftors had 
 almoft refolved to keep all our women from 
 the fight of men till they were married, and 
 then to deliver them up to their hulbands, 
 who fliould have a defpotic right over 
 them, as I am informed they have in other 
 nations. They imagined this to be a cer- 
 tain means to afcertain the legitimacy of 
 
 , their children, and to prevent jealoufy, the 
 firft caufe, however diflembled, of the man's 
 diilike to his wife. Others objeded againft 
 this fevere difcipline, and faid it was ma- 
 king the moft beautiful part of the creation 
 mere Haves, or at leaft mere properties ; 
 that it was to give a fatal check to the 
 glory of a free people, to deprive the huf- 
 band of the voluntary love of his moiety, 
 and take away the moft- endearing part of 
 conjugal happinefs. To this the feverer fide 
 
 , aniwered, That the women were come to 
 fuch a ^pafs, that their abufes of liberie 
 lliewed they were fcarce capable of making 
 a proj^er ui'e of it. However, a medium 
 betv/ixt both carried it for that time. I'hc 
 i.njCiries of the manied ftate, and the cor- 
 ruption 
 
22S The Adventures of 
 
 ruption of youth, which was the occafioii 
 of it, were judged to be of fuch confc- 
 quence to the conimonweakh, that, rcibived 
 to put a (lop CO it at any rate, all the wife 
 men and governors confuited together, and 
 refolved unanimouQy to put the laws 1 men- 
 tioned againll adultery and whoredom in 
 execution, cauling proclamations to be made 
 for that intent throuL^hout the whole cm- 
 pire. All corrupters of youth of both fcxes 
 were flint up immediately, with tlie regula- 
 tions I related above, of having grave per- 
 fons always in the company of young 
 people, whether men or women. They 
 married off ail that were of ape for it, 
 as f.\i\ as tliey could ; but quickly found 
 the number of inhabitants did not in- 
 creafe as ulual, their native viiijour beincr 
 exhaulled or debilitated by their unnatural 
 
 abufes 
 
 \_Some pa?'ap'aphs fiem iv anting in this part 
 
 ofGaudentio's narrative -which doubt lefs ivere 
 
 ven curious.^ = 
 
 There is one peculiar method allowed by 
 them, in which they difter from all other 
 nations •, for whereas thcl'e lafb endeavour to 
 prelerve their youne^ people from love, Iclh 
 they fliould throw themfdves away, or 
 make difidvantageous matches •, the former, 
 having no interelled views in that refpecl, 
 encourage a generous and honourable love, 
 and make it l\v:\v care to fix th^m in the 
 
 flrirtea 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. 229 
 
 ftricleft .bonds they can, as foon as they 
 juJge, by their age and conftitution, of their 
 inclinations : this they do fonietiines by ap- 
 plauding their choice, but moilly by raifing 
 vail dirliculties, contrived on purpofe, both 
 to try aiid enhance their conilancy. They 
 have hiftories and ftories of heroic exam- 
 ples of Hdelity and confliancy in bothfexes; 
 but particularly for the young v/omen, by 
 which they are taught rather to fuffer tea 
 thoufand deaths, than violate their plighted 
 faith. One may fay they are a nation of 
 faithful lovers -, the longer they live toge- 
 ther, the more their friendihip increafes, and 
 inlielity in either fex is looked upon as a 
 capital crime. Add to this, that being all 
 of the fame rank and quality, except the 
 regard paid to clderlliip, and public em- 
 ployments-, nothing but perfonal merit, and 
 a liking of each other, determines the choice; 
 there mull be fignal proofs produced, that 
 the woman prefers the man before all others, 
 as his fervice muit be diftinguifned in tlie 
 lame manner. Whi^ this is approved of 
 by the governors or elders, if the woman 
 infifts on her demands, it is an inviolable 
 lav/ that that man muft be her huiband. 
 Their nands are firil joined together in pu- 
 blic, then they clafp each other in the clc- 
 fell embrace, in which podure tlie elder of 
 the place, to fhev/ that this union h never 
 tobe diffolved, takes a circle of thefineil tem- 
 
 U pci'ed 
 
^jo I'he Adventures of 
 
 pcred flcel, woven with flowers, and fit II lay 
 it over theirnccks, as they are thusclafping 
 each other, then round their waills, and lall 
 of all round their breafl-s, or hearts, to fig- 
 nify that the ardency of their love muft ter- 
 minate in an indifiolublc friendfliip •, which 
 is followed by infinite acclamations and 
 congratulations of the whole allembly. I 
 believe the world cannot furnifli fuch exam- 
 ples of conjugal chaftity as are preferved be- 
 tween them by thefc means. Widowers and 
 widows never marry fmgle perfons, and but 
 rarely at all, 'jxcept left youngs when they 
 are to gain each other as before. By fuclx 
 prudent precautions infinite diforders and 
 misfortunes to the commonwealth arc pre- 
 vented, proceeding not only from difpropor- 
 tionate and forced marriao;es, but from the 
 iicentioufnefs of idle perfons, who either 
 marry for money, or live on the fpoit of 
 other people, till they can get an aeivanta- 
 geous match. This is a fliort fketch of 
 their oovernment and cuftoms, which I 
 thought would not be unacc^rptable to your 
 Reverences, thou^ih a great many other 
 culloms of lefs moinent will occur in 
 the fequel of rny lite, to which I now re- 
 turn. 
 
 The Pophnr regent made choice of me 
 for one of his attending companions, with 
 the otiier young men who came home wir'^ 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. 231 
 
 i!s •, he had a great many other attendants 
 and officers, deputed by common confent to 
 wait his orders as reo;ent 1 thefe were 
 changed every five years, as were thofe at- 
 tending the governors of the other Nomcsj 
 on account of improvement ; for, being all 
 of equal quality, they endeavour to give 
 them as equal an education as is poilible, 
 changing their employments, and v/aiting 
 on one another in their turns, by the ap- 
 pointment of tlicir refpecrfive governors, 
 except thofe whofe genius or choice deter- 
 mines them to arts and fcienccs, according 
 to their oeconomy defcribed before. I muit 
 only add, that having fuch a high value for 
 their race, no one tinnks it a difcrracc to 
 perform the meaneft offices, being all to be 
 attended in like manner themfelves when 
 it comes to their turns, each lookinp- on 
 the honours done to every branch of their 
 gavernmenr, as their own. Hence all their 
 public ranks and ceremonies are the mofb 
 magn'/ticent that can be imagined •, there is 
 fcarce any thing done even in entertainments 
 between the private tribes, but there are 
 proper officers, deputed far it, and all ex- 
 penfcs Daid out of the common ftock, with 
 deputies and overfeers for every thing. 
 Their honfes 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 ; 
 
 U 2 with 
 
232 The Adventures of 
 
 with tlie men of each family joining to 
 their own women, that is, their wives 
 fillers, and daughters. The women hav 
 their fubaltern ofhcers Hkc the men. The 
 lirli apartment of cver;^ break of a ilrcct 
 belongs to the m.en, then the womens be- 
 longini'- to them, then the women of the 
 next family joining to them, and their men 
 beyond them, and fo on, with large pu- 
 blic halls at proper diflanccs for public 
 afiemblies ; fo that every thing they do 
 is a fort of paradox to us, for they are the 
 freeft and yet llri6lefc people in the world -, 
 the whole nation, as I obferved before, be- 
 ing more like one univerfal regular college, 
 or community, than any thing elle. The 
 women aje perpetually employed as well as 
 the men •, it is their bufinefs to work all the 
 fine garments for themfelves and the men, 
 which being much the fame except devices 
 and flov/crs for their friends and lovers, arc 
 made v.'ith Icfs diincuhry ; the chief difle- 
 rencc is in the weannor them. But the chief 
 diilinCticn of fexes is in the ornaments of 
 their necks, and hair. Crowns and fillets arc 
 worn by all, ji^il after the model of the little 
 pi^lurcyout Reverences fawin thecaj^rveti all 
 their tapeilry, embroidery, and the like, with 
 infinite other curiofities, are the works of their 
 women, fo that the chii-f qualification of their 
 women or ladies, for they are all fuch, is 
 to excel at the loom, needle, or dillaff. Since 
 
 I 
 
 I 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. 233 
 
 I came there, by the Pophar's defire, they 
 hav^e added that of painting, in which I be- 
 lieve, the vivacity of their genius will make 
 them excel all the reft of the woild. Not 
 teaching for hire, I thought it no difgrace 
 in me to inftrudl fuch amiable fcholars in' 
 an art no man our^ht to be afliamed of. It 
 is a thing unknown with thefe people for 
 young ladies of any degree, or even young 
 men, to have nothing tKc to mind or think 
 of but vifits and dreis. When I gave them 
 an account of the hves of our quality and 
 gentry, they cried out, What barbarians ! 
 Can any thing become beauty more than 
 knowledge and ingenuity ? They feenred 
 to have fuch a contempt, and even a hor- 
 ror -for a life of that nature, that the young 
 ladies afked me with great concern, if our 
 ladies had any lovers ? as if it were impof- 
 fible to love a woman who had nothing to 
 recommend 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 more than beautiful brutes. They 
 afked me alfo, if I did not think myfelf 
 fortunate by my captivity, where I met with 
 ladies, ,.vv^ho thought the ornaments of the 
 mind more defirable than thofe of the bodv, 
 and told me they imputed what thev fav/ in 
 me, to my good fortune of being born of 
 their race by the mother's fide ; nay, could 
 fcarce believe but my father had a mixture 
 
 U 3 of 
 
ij-i- The Adventures of 
 
 of their blood fome way or other. I afiu- 
 red them, I efliecmed myfelf very happy 
 to be in the midll of fo many charms of 
 body and mind •, and added, that thouoh 
 they had the ineilimabie happinels of being 
 born all of one race, without any mixture 
 of foreign vices, yet, in effed, all the world 
 were originally brothers and fifters, as fpring- 
 ing from one pair, fince men and women 
 did not rife out of the ground like mulh- 
 rooms. This 1 faid, to gi\e them a little 
 hint of natural and revealed religion, which 
 are infeparably linked together. But to re- 
 turn to myfelf: The Pophar being my near- 
 eft, relation, took me into his own family, 
 as his conftant companion and attendant, 
 when he was not on the public concerns ; 
 where I likewife accompanied him fome- 
 times, and received nioft diftinguiihing marks 
 of his favour. He would often confer with 
 me, and inftruc^ me in their ways and 
 cuftoms, and the polity of their govern- 
 ment, inquiring fiequently into the parti- 
 cularities of our governments, both civil and 
 religious. He never endeavoured to pcr- 
 fuade me to conform to their religious cere- 
 monies, and my own good fenfe told m^ it 
 was prudence not to meddle v.'ith them. I 
 rather thought he feemed^ inclined to have 
 more favourable fentiments of our religion, 
 as fuch, than his own, tliough he was pro- 
 digioully bigotted to their civil cufloms •, 
 
 faying. 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. 235 
 
 faying, it was impofTible ever to preferve a 
 commonwealth, when they did not live up 
 to their laws •, which iliould be as few, and 
 as fimple as pofTible. For when once peo- 
 ple come to break in upon fundamentals, all 
 fubfequent laws would not have half the 
 llrength as primary ones. To thefe he ad- 
 ded many other refledlions, that fliewed him 
 a man of confummate wifdom, and wor- 
 thy the high poft he bore. He had had two 
 fons, both dead, and two daughters livings 
 the one was about ten years old, when I ar- 
 rived there, (it is fhe your Reverences faw in 
 that pidture), the other born the year before 
 the Pophar kt out for Grand Cairo. Plis 
 lady, much younger than himfelf, iliewed 
 fuch frelli remains of beauty, as demon- 
 flrated that nothing but what fprung from 
 herfelf, could equal her ; both the Fophar 
 and his conlbrt looked on me as their own 
 fon, nor could I expe6l greater fiivour had I 
 really been fo. I took all the care imagina- 
 ble not to render myfelf unv^orthy of it, 
 and both revered and loved them beyond 
 what I am able to exprefs ; though indeed, 
 as I obferved, the whole race of them was 
 nothing but a kingdom of brothers and 
 friends •, no man having the leaft fufpicion 
 or fear of one another. They were fo ha- 
 bituated to the obfervance of their laws, 
 by their natural diipofitions and the never- 
 ceafmg vigilancy of their governors, that 
 
 they 
 
2^5 The Adventures of 
 
 they feemecl to have a greater horror for 
 the breach of their l;iws, than the punifli- 
 ments attending it •, faying, that infinite dif- 
 orders might be committed by the malicious 
 inventions of men, if there was nothing 
 but fear to keep them in their duty. Such 
 force has education and the lisiht of nature 
 rightly cultivated •, for myfelf I was left to 
 follow what liberal employment 1 had a 
 mind to. Philolbphy, mulic, and palming 
 had been the chief part of my lludy and di- 
 verfion, till my unhappy capti\ ity and the 
 lois of my brother \ but as I was fallen a- 
 mong a nation of philofophers, that noble 
 fcience, the miilrefs of all others, made up 
 the more fcrious part of my employment •, 
 though at fome times, by the Pophar re- 
 gent's earneft delire, I applied myfelf to 
 the other two, particularly painting. I'hey 
 had a great many old-fafliioned mufical in- 
 flruments, and an infinite number of per- 
 formers in their way, who attended their 
 feafts and public rejoicings •, but their mu* 
 fic, both vocal and inilrumental, was not 
 jjear fo perfecl as one might have expedted 
 of fo polite a people, and did not come up 
 to the elevated geniu?. of oin* Italians. 
 Their pliilofophy chiefly turned on tl^e 
 more ufeful part of it, that is, tlie mathe- 
 matics and direction of nature : in the mo- 
 ral part of it they have a fyftem, or rather 
 notion, of which 1 forgot to acquaint your 
 
 Kevciences 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. 237 
 
 Reverences before ; ic is a too high and 
 exalted notion of providence, if that ex- 
 preifion may be allowed, by which they i- 
 magine all things to be fo governed in this 
 world, that v/hatever injury a man does to 
 another, ir will be returned upon him or 
 his pofterity, even in tjiis world, in the 
 fame manner, or even in a greater degree, 
 than what he did to others. 
 [InqtiifUor. You will be pleafed to explain 
 your own fentiments in this particular, 
 fince v/e hope you don't deny that fun- 
 damental law of nature and religion, 
 viz. That the divine providence pre- 
 fides over all things •, and as for fublu- 
 nary things, w^e prefume you believe 
 that providence does not only fhew itfelf 
 in the wondeifui produftion and harmo- 
 ny confpicuous in all natural cauies and 
 effedls, beyond all the wit and art of 
 men •, but alfo over the moral part, 
 that is, the free adions of men, by 
 fuitable rewards and punifnments in this 
 world or the next, to make an equal 
 and jufb compenfation for all the good 
 and evil of this life, as God is the juft 
 and equal father of all. So pray ex- 
 plain yourfelf, that we may know your 
 real fentiments on that head. 
 GaudentiG, I hope. Reverend Fathers, I 
 iliall convince you, my fentiments are 
 really orthodox in this point j no man 
 
 has 
 
238 The Adventures of 
 
 has more reafon to magnify Providence 
 than myfclf •, but Ilcathcnifli people mav 
 carry a juft belief to fuperllition. That 
 there is a providence over the phyfical 
 part of the world, no man who has any 
 iufl knowledo;e in nature can be io-no- 
 rant, fince he pay be convinced by the 
 leail infe6t, every thing being adapted 
 to its peculiar ends, with fuch art and 
 knowledge in the author of it, tliat all 
 the art and knov/ledf>;e of men cannot 
 do the like ; and by conlequence not 
 bein^; able to make itfelf. it mufl be 
 produced by a caufe infinitely knowing 
 and forefeeing. Then, as to the moral 
 part of the world, the fame reafon fbews, 
 that fince the great creator defcends fo 
 low as to take care of the leafl infedl, 
 it is incredible to think that the nobleft 
 part of the world, that is, the free ac- 
 tions of men, fliould be without his 
 care. But as he has given them the 
 glorious endowments of free will, the 
 fame providence knows how to adapt 
 the direction of them by ways and 
 means fuitable to their beings •, that is, 
 by letting them know his will, and pro- 
 pofing fuitable rewards and punifn- 
 ments for their pood and bad adions : 
 v/hich rewards and punifhments, it is 
 evident, are not aKvays feen in this life, 
 fmce the wicked often profper, and the 
 
 good 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. 239 
 
 good fuffer, but by confequence nuifl 
 be referved for another Hate. 
 But thefe people not having a juil notion 
 of the next life, though they believe a 
 future ftate, carry matters fo far, that 
 they think every injury done to ano- 
 ther, will be fome way or other retalia- 
 ted upon the aggrefibr, or his pofterity, 
 in this life j only they fay, the punifli- 
 ment always falls the heavier the longer 
 it is deferred. In this manner do they 
 account for all the revolutions of the 
 earth, that one v/icked adion is punilli- 
 ed by another •, that the defcendcnts of 
 the greateil monarchs have been loft in 
 beggary for almofl endlefs generations, 
 and the perfons that difpofTefled them 
 treated after the fame manner by fome 
 of the defcendents of the* former ; and 
 fo on : which notion, in my opinion, is 
 not juft, fince a fincere repentance may 
 wipe off the moil grievous offences. 
 But as perfons, generally fpeaking, are 
 more fenfibly touched with tlie puniili- 
 ments of this life, it is not to be doubt- 
 ed but there are often moft fignal 
 marks of avenging providence in this 
 life, in order to deter the wicked. 
 Inqiiifitcr. Go on.] 
 Finding the Pophar had a prodigious 
 fancy for painting, by fome indiiterent pie- 
 ces he had picked up, I applied myfelf, 
 
 with 
 
24c The Adventures of 
 
 1 
 
 with extraordhiary diligence, to that art, 
 particulariy fince he would have me teach 
 his daughter, whole unparallcUed charms, 
 though but in the bud, made me inknfible 
 to all others. By frequent drawing, I not 
 only pleafed him and others, but almofc 
 niyfelf*, every one there, men and women, 
 we^'e to follow fome art or fcience •, the 
 Pophar defired me to impart my art to fome 
 of the young people of both fcx:s, faying 
 there were very great encouragements for 
 the inventors of any new arts, which I 
 might judly claim a title to. I did fo, and 
 before I left the place, I had the plcaUire 
 to fee fome of them equal, or even excelling 
 their mafcer. 
 
 Thefe were the chief employments of my 
 leifu re-hours •, though I was forced to leave 
 them for coi^fiderable inter\als, to attend 
 tlie Regent in the private vifitations of his 
 charge, whicli he did frequently from time . 
 to time, fometimes to one Nome, fometimes 
 to another, having an eye over all, both 
 Oiucers and people. Thele vifitations were ' 
 rather prefervatives againil, than remedies 
 for, anv diforders. tie ufed to fiiy, that 
 the commonwealth was like a great ma- 
 cliinc with different movements, which if 
 f equcntly vifited by the ari:iil, the lealt 
 flaw being taken notice of in time, was not 
 only foon remedied, but was a means of 
 p:eferving all tlie rell in a conftant and re- 
 
 gular 
 
Sig. GauDentio di Lucca. 241 
 
 gular motion ; but if negleded, would foon 
 diibrder the motions of the other parts, and 
 either cod a great deal to repair, or bring 
 the whole machine to deftru6lion. Un]:is 
 on public folemnities, which were always 
 very magnificent, the Pophar (not to bur- 
 den his people) went about without any 
 great train, accompanied by only an affift- 
 ing elder or two, the young Pophar, and 
 myfelf. Pie had frequent converfations with 
 the fubalterns, and even with the meanefl 
 artifans, calling them his children ; and 
 they having recourfe to him as their com- 
 mon father. For the firfl five years of his 
 regency, the only difficulty vv^e had of any 
 moment to determine was an affair of the 
 moll delicate nature I ever heard : though 
 it does not concern myfelf, I fnall relate it 
 to your Reverences for the peculiar circum- 
 ilanCes of it, being a cafe entirely new, as 
 v/ell as unprovided for by the laws of their 
 confcitution. 
 
 The cafe was this : Two twin -brothers 
 had fallen in love v/ith the fame woman, 
 and fhe with them. The men and the wo- 
 man lived in different parts of the fame 
 Nome, and met accidentally at one of their 
 great folemnities •, it v/as at the feail of the 
 liin, which is kept twice a-year, becaule, 
 as 1 informed your Reverences, their king- 
 dom lies between the tropics, but mere on 
 this fide tlie liiic than the other. This fitu- 
 
 X at ion 
 
242 The Adventures of 
 
 1 
 
 ation Is tlic occafion that they have two 
 iprings and two lunimers. At the begin- 
 ning of^cach ipring, there are great feafis 
 in every Nome, in honour of the iun •, they , 
 are held in tlie open fields, in tellimony of 
 his being the immediate caufe (in tlieir opi- 
 nion) of the produ6tion of all things. All 
 the faciifice tliey offer to him are live little 
 pyramids of incenfe, according to the num- 
 ber of their Nomes, placed on the altar in 
 plates of gold till they take fireoftiiemfelves. 
 Five young men and as many women are 
 deputed by the governors to perform the of- 
 fice of placing tJ\e pyramids ot incenfe on the 
 aliar : they arc 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 woman, between two rows of 
 young men and women, ])laced theatre-wife 
 one above another •, and make the moll 
 beautiful fliow^ that eyes can behold. . - , 
 liappeiv:d that one of the twin-brothers was 
 deputed, with the young lady I am fpeak 
 ing of, to make tlie lirll couple for the * 
 placing the incenfe on the altar. They^ 
 marched up on different fides till they came 
 to the alcar : when they have placed the in- 
 cenfe, they falute each other, and crofs 
 down, the men l)y the ranks of tlie wo- 
 men, and the women by the men, which 
 they do with a wonderful grace becoming 
 fu:h an augud alTcmbly. The defign of ' 
 
 this 
 
Sig. Gaudeictio di Ll^cca. 243 
 
 this is to encourage a decorum in the carri- 
 age of the young people, and to give the in 
 a fight of each other in their greatefl lutlre. 
 When the five couple have performed their 
 ceremony, the other ranks come tv/o by 
 two to the altar, fakning each other, and 
 crofling as before ; by which means the 
 young people have an opportunity of feeing 
 every man and woman of the whole compa- 
 ny, thou-'h the placing of them is done by 
 lot. If they have not any engagement be- 
 fore, they generally take the firil liking to 
 one another at fuch interviev/s, and the wo- 
 man's love and choice beino-'what deter- 
 mines the marriage, v/ithout any view of in- 
 tereil, being, as I faid, all equal in quality, 
 the young gallants make it their biifinefs to' 
 gain the affeftion of the perfon they like by 
 thei/ future fervices. To prevent inccnve- 
 iiiencies of rivalfhip at the beginning, if the 
 man be the perfon the v/oman likes, he pre- 
 fents her with a flower juft in the bud, 
 which fhe takes and puts in her breafb. If 
 fhe is engaged before, ike fbews him one, 
 to fignify her engagement •, which if in the 
 bud only, Hiev/s the courtiliip is gone no 
 further than the li:'ft propofal and liking ; 
 if half blown, or the hke, it is an emblem 
 of further progrefs ; if full blov/n, it figni- 
 fies that her choice is determined, from 
 whence they can never recede •, that is, (lie 
 can change the man that prefents it, but he 
 
 X 2 cannot 
 
244 '^ ^^^ Adventures of 
 
 cannot ciu\lleno;c her till fhe has worn it 
 pubiicly. If" any dillikc Ihould happen af- 
 ter that, they aie to be fliut up, never to 
 have any liuihand. If fhe has no engage- 
 ment, but docs not approve of tl:e perlon, 
 fhe makes him a low courtefy, with her eyes 
 ihut till he is gone away. The women, 
 it is true, for all this, have fome little co- 
 quettifli arts, difiembling their affedions 
 now and then, but not often. If the man 
 be engaged, he wears fome favour or other 
 to fhew it ♦, if he likes not the woman, he 
 prefents her with nothing •, if the woman 
 Ihould make fome extraordinary advances, 
 without any of his fide, flie has liberty to 
 live a maid, or to be difpoled of among the 
 widows, being looked upon as fuch, who, 
 by the by, marry none but widowers. But 
 to return to the twins. It happened that the 
 brother who went with the lady to the altar, 
 feeing flic had no bud upon her breaft, fell 
 in love with her, and ihe with him -, the 
 awe of the ceremony hindered them from 
 taking any further notice of one another at 
 that time. As Ihe went down the ranks, 
 the other brother faw her, and fell in love 
 with her likewife, and contrives to meet her 
 witli a bud in his hand, juft as the ceremo- 
 ny ended-, which fhe accepts of, taking him 
 to be the perfon who had marched up with 
 her to the altar -, but being obliged to go 
 off with the other young ladies, whether the 
 
 concern 
 
S\g. Gaudentio di Lucca. 245 
 
 concern fhe had been in, in performing the 
 ceremony before fuch an illuftrious ailem- 
 bly, or the heat of the weather, or the joy^ 
 '^ fhe conceived in finding her affedion reci- 
 procal, or all together, had fuch an effecfb, 
 that ilie fell into a fainting-fit among her 
 companions •, who opening her bofom in 
 hafle, not minding the fiower, it fell down, 
 and was trod under foot. Jufl as Ihe v/as 
 recovered, the brother who performed the 
 ceremony, came up and prefented his bud; 
 ihe thinking it had been that Ihe had lofc, 
 received it with a look that fliewed he had 
 made a greater progrefs in her affe6lions 
 than what that fiower expreffed. The laws 
 not permitting any further converfation at 
 that jundure, they retired to their reipec- 
 tive habitations. Some time after, the bro- 
 ther who had the luck to prefent the firft 
 flower, whom for diftinclion I fliall call the 
 younger brother, as he really was, found a 
 v/ay to make her a vifit by Health, at a 
 grated windov/, which, as 1 obferved, was 
 publicly prohibited by the wife governors, 
 but privately connived at to enhance their 
 love. ' He came to her, and,, after fome a- 
 moTous converfation, makes bold to prcfcnt 
 her the more advanced mark of his affection •, 
 which ilie accepted of, and gave*lum in re- 
 turn a fcarfv/orked with hearts feparated by 
 little brambles, to Ihew there were fome dif- 
 ficulties for him to overcome yet : however, 
 
 X 3 ' they 
 
24^ Tlie Adventures of 
 
 they gave one another mutual afTurances of 
 Jove, and he was permitted to profcfs hini- 
 felf her lover, without declaring her name, 
 for fome private realbns llie had. Not long- 
 after, the elder brother came, and procu- 
 red an opportunity of meeting her at the 
 fame window. The night was very dark, 
 fo that he could not fee the fecond flower 
 which (he had in her bofom j only (he recei- 
 ved him with greater figns of joy and free- 
 dom than he expected •, but refleding on 
 the figns he had remarked in her counte- 
 nance, and after her illnefs by a fort of 
 natural vanity for his own merits, flattered 
 himfelf that her pafTion was rather greater 
 than his, excufed himfelf for beino; lb lono; 
 without feeing her, and added, that if he 
 were to be guided by the height ot his 
 flame, he would fee her every night. She 
 reflecling how lately fhe had feen him,, 
 thought his diligence was very extraordina- 
 ry, but imputed it to the ardour of his paf- 
 fion j in fine, iht gave him fuch afilired 
 figns of love, that he thought in himfelf he 
 might pafs the middle ceremony, and pre- 
 fent her with the full-blown flower, to 
 make fure of her. She took it; but told 
 him flie would not wear it for fome time, 
 till Ihe had pafled fome forni'-', and had fur- 
 ther proof of his confliancy •, but, for his con- 
 firmation of her aflcdlion, flie put out her 
 hand as far as the grate would permit, 
 
 which 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. 247 
 
 which he kifled with all the ardours of an 
 inflamed lover,, giving her a thoufand afTu- 
 rances of his fidelity, and fhe in return gave 
 him a riband with two hearts interwoven 
 with her own hair, feparated only with a 
 little hedge of pomegranates almoft ripe,, 
 to fhew that the time of p-atherino the fruit 
 was nigh at hand. Thus were the three lo- 
 vers in the greateil degree of happinefs ima- 
 ginable-, the brothers wore her favours on 
 all public occafions, congratulating each o- 
 ther for the fuccefs in their amours; but, as 
 lovers affed a lecrecy in all they do, never 
 telling one another who were the objects of 
 their aff^e61:ion. The next great feaft drew 
 on, when the younger brother thought it 
 was time to prefent the laft mark of his af- 
 fe6lion in order to demand her in marriage,. 
 which was ufually performed in thofe pu- 
 blic folemnities. He told her he hoped it 
 was now time to reward his flame, by wear- 
 ing the open flov/er, as a full fign of her 
 confent, and gave her a fuU-blov/n artificial 
 carnation, with gold flames and little hearts 
 on the leaves, interwoven with wonderful 
 art and ingenuity. She thinking it had 
 been a repetition of the ardour of his affec- 
 tion, took it, and put it in her bofom with 
 all the marks of tenderncfs, by which the 
 fair lex in all countries know how to reward 
 all the pains of their lovers in a moment. 
 Upon this he refolved to alk her of her pa- 
 rents i 
 
24§ The i^DVENTURES of 
 
 rents-, which was the only thing nccefiaiy 
 on his fide, the woman having riglu t3 de- 
 mand any man's Ion in the kingdum, if he 
 had but prefcnted her with the lall mark of 
 his affection. The ekier brother having gi- 
 ven in his fome time before, thought the pa- 
 rents approbation was the only thing want- 
 ing on his fide, and refolves the fame day 
 on the fame thing. They v/ere ftrangely 
 furpriled to meet one another -, but feeing: 
 the different favours, they did not know 
 what to make cf it. When the father 
 came, they declared the caufe of their co- 
 ming, in terms, which fully exprefied the 
 agony of their minds : the father was in as 
 great concern as they v/ere, aifuring them 
 he had but one daughter, v^ho, he was con- 
 fident, would never give fuch encouragement 
 to two lovers at the fame time, contrary to 
 their iav/s -, but feeing their extrcnie like- 
 nefs, he guelfcd there muft be fome mil- 
 take. Upon this the daughter was lent for; 
 who, being informed it was to declare her 
 confent in the ck^ice of her lover, came 
 down with four nowers in her bofom, not 
 thinking but th.e two full blown had be- 
 longed to the lame perfon, lince fhe had re- 
 ceived two before llie liad worn the firil. 
 The defcription the poets give of the god- 
 defs Venus rifing out of the lea, could not 
 be m.ore beautiful than the bloom that ap- 
 peared in her cliecks v;hen Ihe came into 
 
 the 
 
 I 
 
Sig GaudEntio di Lucca. 249 
 
 the room. I happened to be there prefent, 
 being fe.nt before by the Pophar, to let the 
 father know of the regent's intended vifit -, 
 that being a confiderable officer, he might or- 
 der his concerns accordingly. As foon as 
 the young lady heard the caufe of their co- 
 ming, and faw them indiftingniihably like each 
 other, with the public figns of her favours 
 wrought with her own hand, which they 
 brought along with them, Ihe fcreamed out, 
 " I am betrayed !" and immediately fell in 
 a fwoon, fiat on the floor, almoft between 
 her two lovers. The father, in a condition 
 very little better, fell down by his daughter, 
 and bathing her with his tears, called to her 
 to open her eyes, or he mud die along with 
 her. The young men flood like ftatues, 
 with rage and defpair in their looks at the 
 fame time. I being the only indifferent per- 
 fon in the room, though extremely fur- 
 prifed at the event, called her mother and 
 women to come to her affiflance ; who car- 
 ried her into another room, undreffed her, 
 and, by proper remedieSi-4Drought her at laft 
 to herfelf. The firfl word flie faid was, 
 " Oh ! Berilla, what have you done ?" All 
 the reft was nothing but fobs and fighs, 
 enough to melt the hardefl heart. When 
 fhe was in a condition to explain herfelf, 
 fhe declared, fhe liked the perfon of the 
 man who went up with her to the altar ; 
 that fome time after the fame perfon, as fhe 
 
 thought^y 
 
2r,o The Adve\tures of 
 
 tliought, had prefentcd her with the firll 
 marks of his afredion, which flie accepted 
 oi", and in fine had given her conlent b^ 
 wearing the full-blown flower ^ but whicii 
 of the two brothers it belonged to, fhe could 
 not tell •, adding, that ihe^ was willing to 
 fubmit to the decilion of the elders, ct to 
 undergo what puniflimcnt they thought fir 
 for her heedlefs indiicretion; but protefled, 
 that Ihe never defigned to entertain two rer- 
 fons at the lame time, but took them to be 
 the fame perlon. The care of their mar- 
 riages' being one of the fundamentals of 
 their government, and there being no pro- 
 vifion in the lav/ for this extiaordinary cafe, 
 the matter was referred to tlie Pophar re- 
 gent, -who was to be tlicre in a fev/ days : 
 guards in the mean time were fet over the 
 brothers, for fear of mifchief, till a full 
 hearing. The afiair was difcufled before 
 the Pophar regent, and the reft of the el- 
 ders of the place. 'Hie three lovers ap- 
 peared before them, each in fuch agony as 
 cannot be exprcfleti. The brothers were fo 
 alike, it was hard to diilinguifli one from the 
 other. The regent afked then:, which of the 
 two went up to the altar with the young 
 lady ', the elder faid it was he •, which the 
 youngerdid not deny. The lady being inter- 
 rogated, owned llie defigned to entertain 
 the perfon that went up with her to the al- 
 tar^ but went no further than the firft liking.. 
 
 Thea 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. 251 
 
 Then they ailved which of the two brothers 
 gave the firfl; {lower ; the younger faid, he 
 prellimed he did, fmce he fell in love with 
 her as flie went down the ranks, and con- 
 trived to give her the flower as foon as the 
 ceremony was over, not knov/ing of his 
 brother's affedion, neither did fhe bear any 
 mark of engagement, but accepted of his 
 fervice-, the lady likewife owning the receipt 
 of fuch a flower, but that fhe loft it, faint- 
 ing away in the croud j but when, as fhe 
 thought, he reftored it to her, flie did not 
 like him quite fo v/ell, as when fhe received 
 it the firft time, fuppofing them to be the 
 lame perfon. Being af!<:ed v/ho gave her 
 the fecond, third, and laft mark of cno-aQ-e- 
 nient, it appeared to be the younger bro- 
 ther, whofe flower fhe wore publicly in 
 her bofom ; but then flie received the full- 
 blown flower from the elder brother alio. 
 The judges looked at one another for fome 
 time, not knowing well v/hat to fay to the 
 matter. Then the regent aflced her, when 
 flie gave her confent, if flie did not under- 
 ftand the perfon to be him that went up 
 with her to the altar ? She owned fhe did ; 
 which v/as the elder : but in facl had pla- 
 ced her aflc'6tions on tlie perfon who gave 
 her the firfl- flower, which was the youno-er. 
 Then the two brothers were placed before 
 Iier, and flie was afl>:ed, that, fuppoflng fl:c 
 .ere now at liberty, without any engage- 
 ment. 
 
252 Thr Adventures of 
 
 ment, which of the two brothers Ihe would 
 chufe for her hufband ? ihe Hopped, and bhifli- 
 ed at the quelVioii, but at length faid, the 
 younger had been more afnduous in his 
 coui tfnip ; and with that burk into tears, 
 calling a look at the younger brother, which 
 eafily fhewed the fcntiments of her heart. 
 Every one was in the lafl fufpenfc liow the 
 recent would determine the cafe •, and the 
 young men expreflcd fuch a concern in their 
 looks, as if the final fentcnce of life and 
 death, happinels or mifery, was to be pro- 
 nounced to them. Wlien the regent, with a 
 countenance partly fevere as well as grave, 
 turning towards the young lady, Daughter, 
 faid he, your ill fortune, or indifcretion, has 
 deprived you from having either of them : 
 both you cannot have, and you have given 
 both an equal right •, if either of them 
 will give up their right, you may marry 
 the other, not elfe. What do you fay, fons? 
 fays he, will you contribute to make one of 
 you happy ? 'Fhey both perfiiled they would 
 not give up their right till the lall gafp. 
 Then, fays the regent, turning to the lady, 
 who was almoll dead with fear and confu- 
 fion, fin'.c n.ither of them will give up 
 their right, I pronounce fentcnce on you 
 to be Unit up from the commerce of men, 
 till the death of one of your lovers •, then 
 it Avail be left to your choice to nuarry the 
 furvivor. So giving orders to have her taken 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. 253 
 
 away, the court was going to break up, 
 when the younger brother falling on his 
 knees, cries out, I yield my right, rather 
 than the adorable Berilla fliould be mifera- 
 ble on my account ; let me be fliut up from 
 the commerce of men, for beino- the occa- 
 fion of fo divine a creature's misfortune. 
 . Brother, take her, and be happy -, and you, 
 ' divine Berilla, only pardon the confufion 
 my innocent love has brought upon you ; 
 and then I fhall leave the world in peace. 
 Here the v/hole court rofe up, and the 
 young man was going out, v>^hen the regent 
 flopped him -, Hold, fon, fays he, there is a 
 ^greater happinefs preparing for you than you 
 exped- •, Berilla is yours, you alone deferve 
 her, you prefer her good to your own , and' 
 as I find her real love is for you, here join 
 your hands, as I find your hearts are alrea- 
 dy. They were m.arried immediately \ the 
 regent leaving behind him a vafc idea, not 
 only of his juilice, but wifdom, in fo intri- 
 cate a cafe. I drew an iuil'orical piece of 
 painting of this remarkable trial, exprefilng 
 as nig-h as I could the v-oftures ai;d ag-onies 
 of the three lovers, and prcfcntcd it to the di- 
 vine Ifyphena, the regent's daughter, telling 
 her, that if fne were to accept of flowers, as 
 tliat young lady did, fhe v>^ould ruin all 
 the youths of Mezoran a. She received it 
 bluiliing, and faid llie (hould never receive 
 any but from one hand, nor even that, if 
 
 Y \vx 
 
2^4 Tlie Adventures of 
 
 flie tliought flic fliould do him any harm ; 
 adding, that fhe thought her flither Jiad 
 given a jufi: judgment •, then v/avcd the dif- 
 courfe with luch innocence, yet knowledge 
 of what ilic faid, that I was furprifed to tiie 
 Lift degree •, not being able to guefs whether 
 I had offended her or not. 
 
 Thefe vifitations in the company of t! 
 Pophar, gave mc an opportunity of feeir 
 all the diliercnt parts and chief curiofities 
 of the v/hole emjHre. Tlieir great towns, 
 efpccially the heads of every Nome, were 
 built, as I faid, much after the fame form, 
 differing chicfiy in thefituation, and are prin- 
 cipally defigned for the winter- refidence, 
 for their courts and colleges, but particu- 
 larly for inftru6ling and polifliing their 
 youth of both fexes •, and fuch admirable 
 care and ccconomv, to avoid all diilblute- 
 nefs and idlenefs, that, as I obfeiA^cd be- 
 fore, there is no fuch thing known, as for 
 perfons to have no o\.htr bufinefs on 
 their hands but vifits and drefs •, elleeming 
 thofc no better than brutes and barbarians, 
 who are not conftantly employed in impro- 
 ving their natural talents in Ibme art or il " 
 ence. Tlieir villas, or plr.ces ofpleafui\, 
 are fcattered all over the country, with moft 
 beautiful variety : the villages and towns 
 built for manufartures, trades, conveniens 
 of agriculture, dr. are innumerable j th« 
 canals, and ereat lakes, fome of them like 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. 255 
 
 little feas, are very frequent, according as 
 the nature of the country will allow •, wilii 
 pleafure-houfes and pavilions, built at due 
 diftances round tlie borders, interfperfecl 
 with iHands and groves, fome natural, fome 
 artificial, where at proper feafons you might 
 fee thoufantls of boats f!<.imming backwards 
 and forwards, both for pleaiure and the pro- 
 fit of catching fiih, of which there is an 
 inexhauflible (lore. There are alfo vail fo- 
 reils of infinite variety and delight, dillin- 
 guiflied here and there with theatrical fpaces 
 or lawns, either natural, or cut out by art, 
 for the conveniency of pitching their tents 
 in the hot feafons, with fuch' romantic 
 fcenes of deep vales, hanging woods, and 
 precipices, natural tails, and cafcades, or 
 rather cataracts of water over the rocks, 
 that all tlie decorations of art are nothing 
 but foils and fliadows to thofe majeilic 
 beauties of nature •, befides glorious pro- 
 fpe^ls of different kinds over the edges of 
 the mountains where we pafTed in our vifi- 
 tations, fometimes prefenting us with a 
 boundlefs view over the moft delicious 
 plains in the v/orld ; in other places, having 
 our view terminated v/ith other windinGc 
 hills, exhaling their reviving perfumes from 
 innumerable fpecies of natural fruits and 
 odoriferous fhrubs. Travelling thus by eafy 
 journeys, ftaying or advancing in our pro- 
 grefs as we thought fit, I had an opportu- 
 
 Y 2 nity 
 
2^6 The Adventures of 
 
 nity of admiring with infinite delight the 
 effects of indultiy and liberty, in a country 
 where nature and art Teemed to vie wirl^ 
 each other in their different produdlion 
 There was another extraordinary fatisfac- 
 tion I received in thefe vidtations, wdiich was 
 th? opportunity of feeing, and partaking of 
 their grand matches, or rather companies, 
 if I may ufe the expreflion, of hunting and 
 fiiliing. All the young people witli their 
 governors, or all who are able or w^illing to 
 go, at particular feafons difperfe themfelves 
 for thele hunts all over the kingdom : the 
 countiy being fo prodigious fertile, tliat it 
 furniflies them, almoft Ipontaneouily, with 
 whatever is neceffary, or even deiedable for 
 life, the people living in fome meafure in cam- 
 !i!on, and having no other interelt but that 
 of a vvX-11-reguiated community. They leave 
 the towns at certain feaion^, and'go and 
 live in tents for tlie convenicncy ot hunting 
 and fiihing, according as the country and 
 feafons arc proper for each recreation ; the 
 fiat part of the country (though it is gene- 
 rally more lijlly than champaign) is flocked 
 with prodigious quantities ol fowl and game, 
 as pheafants, partridges of ditferent kinds, 
 much larger than our wild hens •, turkeys, 
 and peacocks, with other fpecies of game, 
 which we liaye not in Italy ; hares almoll 
 innumerable, but no coneys that ever I fav/; 
 unlcfs v/e call coneys a lefier Ibrt of hare, 
 
 which 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. ic^^ 
 
 which feed and run along the cliffs and 
 rocks.^ but don't burrow as oiUTv do. There 
 is alfo a fmall fort of wild goat* much lefs 
 than ours, not very fleet, of a very high 
 tafle, and prodigious fat. They take vafc 
 quantities of all forts, but iliil leave fuiii- 
 cient flock to fupply next feafon, except hurt- 
 ful beads, which they kill whenever tiiey 
 can. But their great hunts are in the moun- 
 tains and woodland parts of the country, 
 where the foreils are full of infinite quanti- 
 ties of mall and fruits, and other food for 
 wild beafls of all kinds ; but particularly 
 flags of four or five different fpecies; fomeof 
 which, almofl as big as a horfe, keep in 
 the wildefl parts, whofe flefli they dry. and 
 feafon with fpices, and is the richeil food 
 I ever tailed. Their wild fwine are of two 
 kinds, fome vaflly large, others very little, 
 not much bigger than a lamb, but prodi- 
 gious fierce. This laft is moil delicate meat, 
 feeding on the mails and wild fruits in the 
 thickeil part of the groves-, and multiply- 
 ing exceedingly, where they are notdiilurb- 
 ed, one fow bringing fixteen or eighteen/ 
 pigs i fo that I have icen thoulands of 
 them caught at one hunting- match, and 
 lent in prelents to the other parts of the 
 kingdom, where they have none j which is 
 their wav in all their recreations, havino- 
 perfons appointed to carry the rarities of tlie 
 country to one another, and to the gover- 
 
 y 3 nors, ^ 
 
258 The Adventures of 
 
 nors, parents, and friends left behind. 
 When they go out to their grand hunt, 
 they chufe fome open vale, or vaft lawn, 
 as far in the wild forefls as thty can •, wher. 
 they pitch their tents, and make their Tcn- 
 dezv( us : then they fend out their moll 
 courag>!ous young men, in fmall bodies, 
 of ten in a company, well-armed, each with 
 his fpear and liis iufil Hung on his back, 
 which lafl of late years they find more fer- 
 viceable againft the wild be.fls than Ipears, 
 having got fimples of them from Perfia. 
 Tiicfe go quietly through the wildefh 
 parts of the foreft at proper diflances, fo 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 feveral days out about this ; but 
 are to make no noife, nor kill any wild 
 beaft, unlefs attacked, or they come upon 
 him. in his cOuch, at unawares, that they 
 may not diduib the refl. When they have 
 made their report, feveral thoulands of them 
 furround a confidcrable part of the forell, 
 (landing clofe together for their mutual af- 
 fiflance, making as great a noife as they 
 can, with dogs, drums, and rattles, and other 
 noify inftruments, to frighten the game to- 
 wards the centre, that none may elcape the 
 circle. Wlicn this is done, all advance in 
 a bread, encouraging their dogs, founding 
 tlieir horns, beating their drums and rat- 
 tles, 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. 259 
 
 ties, that the moft courageous beafts are all 
 roufed, and run before them towards the 
 centre, till by this means they have driven 
 together feveral hundreds of wild beafls, 
 lions, tygers, elks, wild boars, ftags, fox- 
 es, hares, and in fine all forts of beails 
 that were within that circle. It is moil ter- 
 rible to fee fuch a heap of cruel beails ga- 
 thered together, grinning and roaring at 
 one another, in a moil frightful manner : 
 but the wild boar is the mailer of all. 
 Whoever comes near him in that rage, 
 even the largeil lion, he ilrikes at him with 
 his tuiks, and makes him keep his diilance. 
 When they are brought within a proper 
 compafs, they pitch their toils round them, 
 and inclofe them in, every man joining 
 clofe to his neighbour^ holding out their 
 ijpears to keep them oft. If any beail iliould 
 endeavour to make his efcape, which fome 
 will do now and then (particularly the wild 
 boars j, they run againil the points of tlie 
 ipears, and make very martial i'port. I 
 was told, that a prodigious wild fow once, 
 broke through three files of fpears, over- 
 turned the men, and made a gap, that fet 
 all the reft a running almoil in a body that 
 way, fo that the people were forced to let 
 them take their career, and lofl all their la- 
 bour. But now they have m.en ready with 
 their fufils to di^op any beail that fliould of- 
 fer to turn ahead. When they are inclofed, 
 
 there 
 
260 The Advlntures of 
 
 there is moil terrible work, the greateft 
 beads fighting and goring one another, for 
 rage and fpite, and the more fearful riin- 
 nino- into the toils for flieltcr. Then our 
 men with their fulils drop the largeft as faft 
 as they can. When they intend to flioot 
 the wild boars, three or four aim at him at 
 a time, to be fure to drop him or difable 
 him, othcrwife he runs full at the lafl that- 
 woundcd him, with fuch fury, that fome- 
 times he will break through the ilrongcft 
 toils i but his companions all join their 
 fpears to keep him off. When they have 
 dropped all that- are dangerous, and as ma- 
 ny as they have a mind, they open their 
 toils, and dilpatch all that are gafping. I 
 have known above five hundred head of 
 beads of all forts killed in one day. When 
 all is over, they carry off their fpoil to the 
 rendezvous, feafling and rejoicing, and 
 lending prefents as before. 
 
 There is oftentimes very great danger, 
 when they ^o through the woods to make 
 difcovery of their haunts •, brcaufc, if, in 
 fmall companies, fome flubborn bead or o- 
 ther will attack them diredlly •, every man, 
 therefore, as I faid, has a fufil (lung at his 
 back, and his fpear in his liand for his de- 
 fence. Being once in one of their parties, 
 we came upon a prodigious wild boar, as he 
 v;as lying in his haunt •, fome of us were 
 for pafTing by him^ but I thought fuch. a 
 
 noble 
 
Sis. Gaudentio di Lucca. 261 
 
 o 
 
 noble prey was not to be let go -, fo we fur- 
 rounded him, and drew up to him, with 
 more courage and curiofity, than prudence ^ 
 one of my companions, who was my inti- 
 mate friend, being one of thofe who con- 
 duced me over the deferts, went up nigher 
 to him than the reft, with his fpear in his 
 Jiands, ftretched out ready to receive him, 
 in cafe he fliould come at him ; at which the 
 bcaft ftarted up of a fudden, with a noife 
 that would have terrified the ftouteft hero, 
 and made at him with fuch a fury, that we 
 gave him for loft. He ftood his ground 
 with fo much courage, and held his fpear fo 
 firm and exad, that he run it diredlly up 
 the mouth of the beaft, quite into the inner 
 part of his throat -, the boar roared, and " 
 fliook his head in a terrible manner, endea- 
 vouring to get the fpear out, which if he 
 had done, all the world could not have 
 faved the young man. I, feeing the dan- 
 ger, ran in with the fame precipitancy, and 
 clapping the muzzle of my gun almoft 
 dole to his fide, a little behind his fore- 
 fhoulder, Ihot him quite through the body^ 
 fo he dropped down dead before us. Jujl 
 as we thought the danger was over, the 
 fow, hearing his cry, came rui'hing on us, 
 and tliat fo fuddcnly, that before 1 could 
 turn myfelf v/itli my fpear, llie ftruck at 
 mic behind with her fnout, and pudiiiig on, 
 knocked me down with her impetuofity ; 
 
 and 
 
21)2 
 
 The Adventures of 
 
 and the place being a little fliclving, flie 
 came tumbling quite over me, which was 1 
 the occafion of fuving my life. Alhamed of 
 the foil, but very well apprifed of the dan- 
 ger, I was icai'ce got up on my feet, and j 
 on my guard, when, making at me alone, 
 though my companions came in to my af- 
 fillance, flie pufhed at me a fecond time 
 with equal fury. 1 held my fpear with all 
 my might, thinking to take her in the 
 mouth •, but milling my aim, 1 took her juft 
 in the throat, where the head and neck 
 join, and thruft my fpear with fuch force^ 
 her own career meeting me, that 1 flruck 
 quite through her V7indj)ipe, tlie fpear ilick- 
 |fcing fo fad in her neck- bone, that w"hen (lie 
 dropt, we could fjarce get it out again. 
 She tolled and reeled her head a good while 
 before flie fell-, but her windpipe being cut, 
 and bleeding inwardly, fhe was choaked. My 
 com}:)anions had hit her with their fpears 
 on the fides and back •, but her hide and 
 briftles were fo thick and hard, they did 
 her very little damage. They all applaud- 
 ed my courage and vidor}-, as if I had kill- 
 ed both the fwine. But I, as jullice requi- 
 red, gave the greateil part of the gloiy, for 
 the death of the boar, to the courageous 
 . dexterity of the young man, who had expo- 
 fed hknfelf fo generoufly, and hit him fo 
 exaJl in the throat. We left the carcafes 
 there, not being able to take them with us ^ 
 
 but 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. 263 
 
 but marking the place, we came afterwards 
 with fome others to carry them off. I had 
 the honour to carry the boar's head on the 
 point of my fpear j which I would have gi- 
 ven to the young man, but he refufed it, 
 flying, that I had not only killed it, but 
 favfcd his life into the bargain. The ho- 
 nour being judged to me by every one, I 
 fent it as a prefent to the divine Ifyphena ; 
 a thing allowed by their cultoms, though 
 as yet I never durft make any declarations 
 of love : file accepted of it, but added, llie 
 hoped I would make no more fuch pre- 
 fcnts •, and explained herf-rlf no further. 
 
 Thefe people having no v/ars, nor fmgle 
 combats with one another, which lail are 
 not allowed for fear of deflroying their 
 own fpecies, have no other way of Ihewing 
 their courage, but againil wild beails ; ^ 
 where, without waiting for any exprefs or- 
 der of their fuperiors, they v/iU expofe 
 themfelves to a great degree, and fometimcs 
 perform exploits worthy the greateft heroes. 
 
 Their iifning is of two kinds •, one for 
 recreation and profit ; the other to deftroy 
 the crocodiles and alligators, which are on- 
 ly found in the great lakes, and the rivers 
 that run into them, and that in the hotter 
 and champaign parts of the country. In 
 fome of the lakes, even the iargeft, they 
 cannot live •, in others they breed prodigioui- 
 As they fiih for them only to deftroy 
 
 them, 
 
264 The Adventures of 
 
 them, they chufc tlie propcreft time for this 
 purpofc, that is, when the eggs are hatch- 
 ing ', which is done in the hot fands, by the 
 fides of the rivers and lakes. The old ones 
 are not only very nivenous at that time, 
 but lie lurking in the water near their eggs, 
 and are fo prodigious fierce, that there is 
 no taking their egq;s, unlefs you firfl: con- 
 trive to kill the old ones. Thc-ir v/ay to fifli 
 for them is this : They beat at a diftance, 
 by the fides of the rivers and lakes, wliere 
 they breed, which makes the old ones hide 
 themfelves in the water. Then twenty or 
 thirty of the young men row quietly back- 
 ward and forward on the. water where they 
 fuppofe the creatures are -, having a great 
 many ftrong lines with hooks, made after 
 the manner of fifa-hooks, well armed as far 
 •as the throat of the amimal reaches. Thcfe 
 hooks they faften under the wings of ducks 
 and v/ater-fcwls, kept for the purpofe, 
 wiiich they let drop out Ox* the boat, and 
 fwim about the lake. Wlienever the ducks 
 cctne over the places where the creatures 
 a- , tliefe laft faike at them, and fwallow 
 the poor ducks immediately, and fo hook 
 themfelves, v.iih the violence and check of 
 the boat. As foon as one is hooked, 
 they to^\ Mm, flniivJL'ring and beating the 
 water, at a ibMUge rate, till they have 
 brought h'm into the middle of the water at^, 
 a diftjnce from the reft of his companions, 
 
 v/ho 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. 26^5 
 
 who all lie nigh the banks ; then the other 
 boats furround him, and dart their harping- 
 fpears at him, till they kill him, Theie 
 harping-fpears are pointed with the fincft 
 tempered fteel, extremely fharp, with 
 beards to hinder them from coming out of 
 his body ; there is a line faflened to the 
 fpear, to draw it back, and the creature a- 
 long with it ; as alfo to hinder the fpear 
 from flying too far, if they mifs their aim. 
 SoiTiQ ot them are prodigious dexterous at 
 this -, 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 fpear hits the fcales of his back, it will 
 fly off" as from a rock, not without fome 
 danger to thofe who are very nigh, though 
 they generally know the length of the 
 firing. I was really apprehenfive of thofe 
 Arrange fierce creatures at firft, and it was a 
 confiderable time before I could dart with 
 any dexterity •, but the defire of glory, and 
 the applaufes given to thofe that excel, who 
 have the fkins carried like trophies before 
 their miilreffes, thcfe, and the charms of the 
 regent's daughter, fo infpired me, that I 
 frequently carried the prize. 
 
 It is one of the fincfl recreations in tlie 
 world i you might fee feveral hundred boats 
 at a time, either employed, or as fpe^tators, 
 with fliouts and cries, when the creature is 
 hit in the right place, that make the very 
 
 Z banks 
 
z66 The Adventures of 
 
 banks tremble. When they have killed all 
 the old ones, they fend their people on the 
 filore, to rake for the eggs, which they 
 burn and deilroy on the fpot ; not but fome 
 will be hatched before the reft, and creep 
 into the water, to ferv^e for fport the next 
 year. They deftroy thefe animals, not on. 
 ly for their own fecurity in the ufe of the 
 lakes, but alfo to prcferve the wild fowl and 
 fifli, which arc devoured and deftroy ed by 
 the crocodiles. 
 
 But the fifning on the great lake Gilgol, 
 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 
 fifli. The lake is above a hundred Italian 
 miles in circumference. At proper fea- 
 fons, the Vv'hole lake is covered with boats ; 
 great numbers of them full of ladies to fee 
 the fport, befidc what are on the illands and 
 flicres, with trumpets, hautboys, and other 
 mufical inftrunients, playing all the while. 
 It is impoITible to dcfcribe the difierent 
 kinds of fifli the lake abounds with •, ma- 
 ny of them we know nothing of in Europe ; 
 though they have fome like ours, but much 
 larger, as pikes, or a fifli like a pike, 
 two or three yards long •, a fifli like a 
 bream, a yard and a lialf over •, carps forty 
 or fifty pound weight-, they catch incredible 
 numbers of them •, fome kinds in one part 
 of the lake, feme in another. Thiey filli in 
 
 . this 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. I67 
 
 this manner, and afterwards feaft on v/hat 
 they catch, for a fortnight or three weekSj 
 if the feafon proves kind, retiring at night 
 to their tents, either on the iflands, or 
 jlhore, where there are perfons employed in 
 drying and curing what are proper for ufe ; 
 fending prefents of them into other parts of 
 the country, in exchange for venifon, fowl, 
 and the like. Though there are noble 
 lakes and ponds, even in the forefts, made 
 by the inclofures of the hills and woods, 
 that are flored with excellent fiih ; yet they 
 are entirely deftitutc of the beft fort -, that is, 
 fea-fifh, which we have in fucli quantities in 
 Europe. When this filhing is over, they 
 retire to the towns, becaufe of the rainy fea- 
 fons, which begin prefently after. 
 
 I am now going to enter on a part of my 
 life, which J am in forne doubt, whether it 
 is proper to lay before your Reverences, or 
 not : 1 mean the hopes and fears, the joys 
 and anxieties of a young man in love •, but 
 in an honourable way, with no lefs a perfon 
 than the daue"hter of the reo-ent of this vaft 
 empire. 1 fhall not however enter into the 
 detail of the many various circumftances at- 
 tending fuch a paOlon •, butilialljuft touch 
 on fame particular pafTages, which were ve- 
 ry extraordinary, even in a pafTion which ge- 
 nerally of itfelf runs into extremes. Your 
 Reverences will remember, that there is no 
 real dillindlion of quality in thefe people, 
 
 Z 2 nor 
 
268 The Adventures of 
 
 nor any regard either to intereft or dignity, 
 but merely to perfonal merit •, their chief 
 view being to render that ilate happy which 
 makes up the better part of human life. I 
 had nothing therefore to do in this affair, 
 but to fix my choice, and endeavour to 
 pleafe and be pleafcd. My choice was foon 
 determined •, the firfl time I faw the incom- 
 parable Ifyphena, the regent's daughter, 
 though llie was then but ten years old, 
 ten thoufand budding beauties appeared in 
 her, with fuch unutterable charms, that 
 though I as good as defpaired of arriving at 
 my wiflied-for happinefs, 1 was refolved to 
 fix there, or no where. 
 
 I obferved, when I was firfl introduced into 
 her company by the regent her father, that 
 fhe had her eye fixed on me, as a ftranger, 
 as I fuppofed, but yet with more than a 
 giriifb curiofiry. 1 was informed afterwards, 
 that file told her playfellows, that that 
 ilrano-er fliould be her huiband, or no one. 
 The wife Pophar her father had obferved it, 
 and whether it was from his knowledge of 
 the fex, and their unaccountable fondnefs for 
 llrangers, or whether he difapproved of the 
 thouf>-ht, 1 cannot tell, but he was refolved 
 to try both our conftancies to the utmofl. I 
 was obliged by the Popliar to teach her and 
 fome other young ladies, as well as fome 
 young men, to paint ; but it was always in 
 the father or mother's company. Not to de- 
 tain 
 
Sig. Gaudentio Di LrUCCA. 269 
 
 tain your Reverences with matters quite fo^ 
 reign to, and perhaps unworthy your cogni- 
 fance, it was five years before I durft let her 
 fee the lead glimmering of my aflfeclion. 
 She was now fifteen, which was the height 
 of her bloom. Her father feeing flie carri- 
 ed no mark of any engagement, afked her in 
 a familiar way, if her eyes had made no 
 conquefts : fhe blufhed, and faid, fhe hoped 
 not. He told me alfo as a friend, that 1 was' 
 older than their cuftoms cared to- allow 
 young men to live fingle •, and with afmile 
 aflved me, if the charms of the BafTa's 
 daughter of Grand Cairo had extinguilhed 
 in me all thoughts of love. I told him 
 there were objeds enough in Mezorania, to 
 make one forget any thing one had feen be- 
 fore,, but that being a ilranger I was willing 
 to be thoroughly acquair^ted with the geni- 
 us of the people,, left I fiiould make any one 
 unhappy.- I was juft come back from one 
 of our vidtations, when I was llruck with 
 the moft lively fenfe of grief I ever felt in 
 my life. 1 had always obferved before, that 
 Ifyphena never w^ore any fign of en- 
 gagement, but then I found fhe carried a 
 bud in her bofom. 1 fell ill immediately 
 upon it •, which fhe perceiving, came to fee 
 me without any bud, as fhe ufed to go 
 before, keeping her eyes upon me to fee 
 what effedl it would have. Seeing her conti- 
 nue without any marks of engagement, I 
 recovered, and made bold to tell her- one 
 
 Z 3 day. 
 
2?o The Adventures of 
 
 day, that I could not but pity the miferable 
 perfon, whoever he was, who had loft the 
 place in her bolbm he had before •, fhe 
 laid unconcernedly, that both the wearincr 
 and taking away the flower from her bofom, 
 was done out of kindnefs to the perfon. I 
 was then fo taken up with contrary 
 thoughts, that I did not perceive (he meant 
 to try whether fhc was the object of my 
 thoughts or not. However, finding fhe 
 carried no more marks of engagement, 1 
 was refolved to try my fortune for life or 
 death •, v/hen an opportunity offered beyond 
 my v/ifh. Her mother brought her to per- 
 fect a piece of painting fhe was drawing : 
 I obferved a melancholy and trouble in her 
 countenance I Iiad never feen before •, that 
 moment the mother was fent for to the re- 
 gent, and I made ufe of it to afk her, what 
 it was that affeded her in fo fenfible a man- 
 ner ? 1 pronounced thefe words with fuch e- 
 motion and concern on my own part, that 
 Ihe might eafily fee I was in fome very great 
 agony. She exprcffed a great deal of con- 
 fufion at the qucftion, infomuch, that, with- 
 outanfwering a word, Ihe got up, and wcntout 
 of the room, lea\ing me leaning againft the 
 wall almoft without life or motion. Other 
 company coming in, I was roufed out of 
 my lethargy, and flunk away to my own a- 
 partment, but agitated with fuch numbcr- 
 lefs fears, as left me almoft deftitute of rea- 
 fon. However, 1 was refolved to make a 
 
 moft 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. 271 
 
 mod jull difcovery, and to be fully deter- 
 mined in my happinefs or mifery. There 
 was a grated window on the back-fide of the 
 palace, where I had {^Qn Ifiphena walk 
 Ibmetimes, 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, afl<:ed her for heaven's fake what was 
 the matter, or if I had offended her ? She 
 immediately burft into tears, and juft faid, 
 " Afl<: no more," and withdrew •, though I 
 cannot fay with any figns of indignation. 
 Some time after, I was fent for to inftrudl 
 her in the finifhing ot her piece. I mufb 
 tell your Reverences, that I had privately 
 drawn that pidlure of her which you law, 
 and put the little boy in afterwards. In a 
 hurry 1 had left it behind me in my clofet, 
 and the Pophar finding it by accident, had 
 taken it away without my knowledge -, and 
 fhewn it to the mother ; and making as if he 
 did not mind Ifyphena, who flood by, and 
 faw it (as ihe thought, undifcerned), feemed 
 to talk in a threatening tone to the mother 
 about it. When I came in, 1 had juft cou- 
 rage enough to caft-one glance at Ifyphena, 
 when, methought, I faw her eyes miCet mine, 
 and fhew a mixture of comfort and trouble at 
 the fame time. As this fubjeft cannot be very 
 proper for your Reverences ears, I fhall 
 compnfe in half an hour v/hatcoft me v/hole 
 years of fighs and foUicitude, though hap- 
 pily 
 
272 The Adventures of 
 
 pily crowned at lafl with unfpeakable joys. 
 This trouble in Ifyphena was, that having 
 made herfelf miftrefs of the pencil, fhe h.;d 
 privately drawn my pi6lure in miniature, 
 which flie kept fecretly in her bofom, and it 
 having been difcovered by the mother, as 
 that which I had drawn was by the fa- 
 ther, to try her conftancy he had expref- 
 fed the utmofl indignation at it: butlfyphe- 
 na's greatefl trouble was, left I fhould know 
 and take it for a difcovery of her love, be- 
 fore 1 had made any overtures of mine. In 
 procefs of time we came to an eclaircifle- 
 ment-, fhe received my two firft flowers ; 
 but becaufe 1 was lialf a flranorer to their 
 race, we were to give fome more fignal 
 proof of our love and conftancy than ordi- 
 nary : we had frequently common occafions 
 offered us, fuch as might be loolced upon 
 as the gi eateft trials. She was the paragon 
 not only of the kingdom, but polhbly of 
 the univxrfe, for all perfeftions that could 
 be found in the fex. Her ftature wa^ about 
 the middle hze, the juft proportion of lier 
 fhape made her really taller than flie feemed 
 to be ; her hair was black* indeed, but of a 
 much finer glofs than tlie reft of the fex, nor 
 quire fo much curled, hanging down in eafy 
 trefles over her ftioulders, and fliading fome 
 
 * The author being an Italian, did not diink black hair 
 fo beautiful. 
 
 . paft 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. zy^ 
 
 part ofher beautiful cheeks. Her eyes, though 
 not fo large as our Europeans, darted fuch 
 luflre, with a mixture of- fweetnefs and vi- 
 vacity, that it was impoflible not to be charm- 
 ed with their rays •, her features were not 
 only the moil exa6l, but inimitable and pe- 
 culiar to herfelf. In fine, her nofe, mouth, 
 teeth, turn of the face, all concurring toge- 
 ther to form the moil exquifite fymmetry, 
 and adoi ned with a bloom beyond all the 
 blufhes of the new-born aurora, rendered 
 her the moft charming, and the moft dan- 
 gerous obje6l in nature. The nobleft and 
 gayeft youths of all the land paid their ho- 
 mages to her adorable perfecHons, but all in 
 vain : fhe avoided doing hurt where fhe 
 could do no good -, fhe did not fo much 
 fcorn, as fhut her eyes to all their offers, 
 though fuch a treafure gave me ten thou- 
 fand anxieties before I knew what Ihare Ij 
 liad in it •, but when once fhe received my^ 
 addicffes, the fecurity her conflant virtue 
 gave me was proportionable to the immenle 
 value of her perfon. For my part, 1 had 
 fome trials on my fide. I was furrounded 
 with beauties, who found a great many ways 
 to fhew me they had no diflike to me. 
 Whether being a flranger, of different fea- 
 tures and make from theit youth, gave them 
 a more pleafmg curiofity, or the.talinefs of 
 my ftature, fomething exceeding any of 
 thcirsj or the gaiety of my temper, which 
 
 gave 
 
274 T^^ Adventures of 
 
 gave me a freer air than is ufual with them, 
 beinpr, as I oblcrved, naturally too grave, 
 (be that as it will), Ifyphena's bright ftnfe 
 eaiily faw I made ibme Tacrificcs to her. 
 But we had greater trials than thefe to un- 
 vergo, which 1 lliall briefly relate to your 
 Reverences, for the particularity of them. 
 W' hen 1 thought 1 was almoil arrived at the 
 height of my happinefs, being afliired of 
 the heart of the divine Ifyphcna, the Pophar 
 came to me one day with the molt feeming 
 concern in his countenance I ever remarked 
 in him, even beyond that of the affair with 
 the great Bafifa's daughter: after a little 
 paufe, he told me, he had obfcrved the love 
 between his daughter and myi'elf ^ that, out 
 of kindnefs to my perfon, he had confulted 
 their wife men about it, who all concluded, 
 that, on account of my being a flranger, 
 and not of their race by the father's fide, I 
 could never marry his daughter •, fo that I 
 muft either folcmnly renounce all preten- 
 fions to her; or be ihut up for ever without 
 any commerce with his people, till death. 
 But, lays he, to Hiew that we do juftice to 
 your merit, you are to have a public 
 ftatue erecled in your honour, becauie you 
 have taught us the art of painting ; which 
 is to be crowned with a garland of flowers 
 by the moft beautiful young woman in the 
 kingdom •, thus you will live to glory, 
 though you are dead to the world. But if 
 
 vou 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. 275 
 
 you will renounce all pretenfions to my 
 daughter, we will furnifh you with riches, 
 fufficient, with the handfomenefs of your 
 perfon, to gain the greateft princcfs in the 
 world, provided you will give a folemn oath 
 never to difcover the way to this place. I 
 fell down on my knees before him, and 
 cried out, " Here take me, fhut me up, 
 " kill me, cut me in a thoufand pieces, I 
 *' will never renounce ifyphena." — He faid 
 no more, but that their laws mufb be obeyed. 
 I obferved tears in his eyes, as he went out, 
 which made me fee he was in earned. I 
 had fcarce time to refletft on my miferable 
 ftate, or rather was incapable of any re- 
 fledlion at all, when four perfons came in 
 with a difmal heavinefs in their looks, and 
 bade me come along with them -, they were 
 to conduct me to the place of my confine- 
 ment. In the mean time, the Pophar goes 
 to his daughter, and tells her the fame thing; 
 only adding, that I was to be feat back to 
 my own country, loaded with fuch immenfe 
 riches as might procure me the love of any 
 woman in the world : for, fays he, thofe 
 baibarians (meaning the Europeans) will 
 marry their daughters to any one who has 
 but riches enough to buy them ; the men 
 will do the fame with refpect to the v/omen ; 
 let the woman be whofe daughter Hie will, 
 if Ihe had but money enough to pui chafe a 
 kingdom; a king v/ould many her. Be- 
 fore 
 
 f* 
 
27^ The Adventures of 
 
 fore he had pronounced all this, Ifyphena 
 had not (trength to hear it out, but fell 
 down in a fvvoon at his feet : when fhe was 
 come to heiklf, he endeavoured to comfort 
 her, and added, that fhe was to have the 
 youn2 Pophar's fon, a you:h about her age ; 
 for though he was not old enough to oro- 
 vern, he was old enough to have children. 
 He went on and told her, I was to have a 
 ftatue ere:red in honour of mc, to be crown- 
 ed by the faireft woman in all Mezorania, 
 which, fays he, is judged to be yourielf, 
 and, if you refule it, Amnophillais to be the 
 perfon. I'his was the mod beautiful woman 
 next Ifyphena, and by Ibme thought equal 
 to her, whofe figns of approbation and liking 
 to my perfon I had taken no notice of, for 
 the fake of Ifyphena. She anfwered with a 
 refolution that was furprifing, even to her 
 father. That fhe would die before fhe would 
 be wanting to her duty, but that their laws 
 allowed her to chufe whom flie pleafed for 
 her hufband, without being undutiful -, that 
 as f )r the crowning of the ftatue, fhe ac- 
 cepted of it, not for the reafon he gave, but 
 to pay her lall refpcds to my memory, who, 
 (lie was fure, would never marry any one 
 elfe. As for the young Pophar, flie would 
 give her anfwer when this ceremony was 
 over. V/hen all things were ready for 
 it, there was public proclamation made 
 in all parts of the Nome, that whereas 
 
 «^ 
 
Sig Gaudentio di Lucca. 277 
 
 i had brought into the kingdom, and freely 
 communicated to themi the noble art of 
 painting, I was to have a public flatue 
 erefled in my honour, to be crowned with a 
 crown of flowers by the hand of the faireft 
 woman in all Mezorania. Accordingly, a 
 flatue of full proportion, of the finefh po- 
 lifhed marble, was eredled in one of their 
 fpacious fquares, with my name ingraven 
 on the pedeflal in golden charadlers, fctting 
 forth the fervice I had done the common- 
 wealth, &c. The flatue had the pi<flure of 
 Ifyphena in one hand, and the emblems of 
 the art in the other. The lall kindnefs I 
 was to receive, was to be permitted to fee 
 the ceremony with a perfpedlivc glafs, from* 
 the top of a high towxr belonging to the 
 place of my confinement, from whence I 
 could difcern every minute circumflance 
 that pafTed. Immediately the croud opened 
 to make way for liyphena, who came in the 
 regent's triumphant chariot, drawn by eight 
 white horfes, all caparifoned with gold and 
 precious flones, herfelf more refplendent 
 than the fun they adored. There was a 
 fcaffold with a throne npon it jufl clofe to 
 the flatue, with gilt fleps for her to go up 
 to put the crown on the head of it. As foon 
 as fhe appeared, a Hicut of joy ran through 
 the whole croud, applauding the choice of 
 her beauty, and the v/ork fhe was going to 
 perform •, then proclamation was made a^ain 
 for the fame intent, fettins; forth the rea- 
 
 A a fons 
 
2/8 The Adventures of 
 
 fons of the ceremony. When all was filent, 
 fhe (leps from the throne to the degrees with 
 the crown hi her hand, holding it up to be 
 feen by all, fupportedby AmnophillaandMe- i 
 nifa, two of the mod beautiful virgins after 
 herfelf. There appeared a ferenity in the 
 looks of Ifyphcna beyond what could be ex- 
 pelled, expreffnig a fixed relolution at the 
 fame time. As foon as fhe had put the 
 crown on the head of the ftatue, which was 
 applauded with repeated fhouts and accla- 
 mations, fhe flood flill for fome time, with 
 an air that fliewed fhe was determined for 
 fome great adion ; then turning to tlic officers, 
 ordered them to make proclamation, that 
 every one fnould remark what fhe was go- 
 ing to do. A profound filcnce enfuing 
 through the whole aflembly, flie went up 
 the flcps again, and taking out the molt 
 confpicuous flower in the whole crown, fiiib 
 nut it in the right hand of the flarue, and 
 then clapped it into her bofom, v/itli the o- 
 ther two ihe had received from me before, 
 as a fign of her confent for marriage, whicli 
 could not be violated. This occafioned a 
 Hiout ten times louder than any before, ap- 
 plauding fuch an heroic a6t of conftancy, 
 as had never been feen-in Mezorania. Tlie 
 regent ran up to her, and embracing her 
 vv'ith tears of joy trickling down his cheeks, 
 fiid; fhe fnould have her choice, fince fl^e 
 had fulfilled the law, and fupplied all defedls 
 by that extraordinary adl of fidelity : and 
 
 immediateljH 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. 2/9 
 
 imrncliately gave orders to have that heroic 
 adion regiftered in the public records, for 
 1^ an example and encouragement of conftancy 
 to pofterity. But the people cried our. 
 Where is the man ! where is the man ! let 
 their conflancy be rewarded immediately. 
 Here the reader^ as -vjell as the fuhltjher^ will 
 lament the irreparable lofs of the fhects 
 which were mijlaid at his ccming over. He 
 does not pretend to charge his memcry with' 
 what they contained, juji having had time 
 to run them over in the Italian^ when Sig- 
 nor Rhedi got them copied cut for him. As 
 far as the publijh:r remember s\ thekfifieets 
 contained fever al difcctirfes between the Po- 
 phar and Gaudentioy concerning religion^ 
 philofophy^ politics., and the like -, with the 
 account of the lofs of his wife and children^ 
 and feme ether accidents that befel him du- 
 ring his flay in the country ^ whichy as we 
 fhallfee., induced him to have the place., wifh 
 fevcral curious remarks of Signor Rhedi : all 
 which would dcubtlejs have given a great 
 deal of faiisfamon to the reader. But no 
 one can be fo much concerned for the lofs as 
 the publifJorr^ fince they cannot nozv be re- 
 paired, by reafcn of the death of the fame 
 Signor Rhedi, never' to be fuffuiently regret- 
 ted by the learned world. '\ *^ 
 
 Thefe difcourfes * made very oreat im- 
 preffions on the m.ind of a perlon of fo 
 
 * Probably about the ChrlfHan religion. 
 
 A a 2 much 
 
^8o The Adventures of 
 
 much penetration as the regent was, info- 
 nnich that he feemed refolved, when his 
 regency was our, which v/anted now but 
 a year, to go along with me into Europe, 
 dunng the Itay he was to make at Grand 
 Cairo, that he might have an opportunity 
 of examining matters at the fountain-head-, 
 wifely judging a confideration of fuch con- 
 fequcnce, as that of religion, to be no indif- 
 ferent thing. For my own parr, notwith- 
 llanding the beauty and i iches of the coun- 
 try, I could find no fatisfa6lion in a place 
 where I had loft all that was dear to me, 
 though I had the comfort to have my dear 
 Ifyphena, and her three children, all bapti- 
 zed by niy own hand before they died : nei- 
 ther could length of time allay m.y grief •, 
 but, on the contrary, every thing 1 faw re- 
 vived the memory of my irreparable lofs. 
 I confidercd the infiubility of the flectirg 
 jpys of this world, v/here I thought I had 
 built miy happinefs, for a man of my for- 
 tune, on the mod folid foundation. But 
 alas ! all was gone as if it had been bur a 
 dream, and the adorable Ifyphena v/as no 
 more. The good old Pophar was in a very 
 little better condition, having lofb his dearelt 
 daughter, and his little grandchildren, par- 
 ticularly tliit eldefb boy, who is in that pidure 
 with his mother. This reflection on the vanity 
 of human felicity, made him more difpofed 
 to hear the truihs of our divine religion, fo 
 that he v/as refolved to go and fearch fur- 
 ther 
 
 1 
 
Sifij. Gaudentio di Lucca. 281 
 
 'O 
 
 ther into the rcafons for it. There was 
 another yet more forcible reafon induced 
 me to folicit the Pophar for my return 
 to my native country, which was the care 
 of my future ftate. I had lived fo many 
 years without the exercife of thofe duties 
 our church obliges us to perform, and, 
 though I had not been guilty of any great 
 crimes, I was not wilHng to die out of her 
 bofom : however, to do all the good I 
 could to a country where I had once en- 
 joyed fo much happinefs, this being the laft 
 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 op- 
 pofite fide tov/ards the fouthern tropic j 
 at lead, I did not know, but there might 
 be fome habitable climate not fo far over 
 the fands, as towards Libya and Egypt.. 
 I had often fignified my thoughts to him 
 in that refpedl. I told him, that though 
 his kingdom was fafc, and inacceffible to all 
 but ourfelves on that fide, it was poffible,, 
 it might be nigher the great ocean on 
 the oppofite one, or that the fands might 
 not be of fuch extent j or, in fine, there, 
 might be ridges of mountains, and from 
 them rivers running into the ocean, by 
 which, in procefs of time, fome barbarous 
 people might afcend, and difturb their long 
 uninterrupted reft, without any fence to 
 guard againft fuch an emergency. This- 
 
 A a 3 laft. 
 
/^ 
 
 2S2 The Adventures of 
 
 lail thought alarmed liim ; lb we were re- 
 folved to make a new trial, without com- 
 municating the dcfign to any but the chief ^ 
 council of five, where we were fure of in- ^ 
 violablc fecrccy. AVhat confirmed mc in 
 my notion was, that, when we were on the 
 utni.oft point of our mountains fouthward, 
 looking over the deferts, 1 could perceive 
 fomething like clouds, or fogs, hanging al- 
 ways towards one part. I imagined them 
 to be fogs covering the tops of fjme great 
 mountains, which mufb • have habitable 
 vales. Being refolved to make a trial, we 
 provided all things accordingly, and let out 
 from the furtheft pan of the kingdom 
 Southwards, taking only five perfons in cur 
 company, (leering our courfe diredly to- 
 wards that poin: of the hc^izon, where 1 
 obferved the thick air always hanging to- 
 wards one place. We took provilions^ and 
 water but for ten days, leaving word tliat 
 they fhould not trouble theiurelve^ about 
 u>, unlefs v/c made a confiderable flay, be- 
 caufe in cafe we found mountains, we 
 fhould always find fprings and fruits to 
 iubfilt on, by making a further fearch into 
 the country : otherwifc, if we faw no hopes 
 at the five days end, we ^vould return the 
 other five, and take frefli mcafures. 'I'hc 
 third day of our voyage, we found the de- 
 ferts nothing fo barren as we expcv^ed, the 
 ground grew pretty hard •, and the fourth 
 
 day 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. 283 
 
 clay we difcovered fome tufts of mofs and 
 fhrubs, by which we conjedured we Ihoukl 
 foon come to firm land •, the evening of 
 that day we difcovered the tops of hills, 
 but further off than we thought ; fo that 
 though we travelled at a great rate all that 
 night and moft of the next day, we could 
 only arrive at the foot of them the fifth 
 day at night. After lome little fearch v/e 
 came to a fine fpring, and, to our comfort, 
 no (igns of inhabitants •, if there had, we 
 fhould ha\e reti3rned immediately to take 
 further advice. The next morning we got 
 up to the top of the higlieft hill to difcover 
 the country ; but found it to be only the 
 point of a vail mountainous country, like 
 the word part of our Alps, though there 
 wTre fome fertile vales and v/oods, but 
 no footfiieps of its ever having been inhabits 
 ed, as we believed, fince the creation. Find- 
 ing we could make good provifion for our re- 
 turn, we were in no great pain about time ; 
 but vvandered fromi place to place, viewing 
 and obferving every v;ay. After proceeding 
 along thofe craggy hills and precipices in 
 this manner for five days, they began to 
 lefTen tcv;ards our right, but feemcd rather 
 to increafe the other v/ay : at length, in 
 the mofl difmal and horrid part of the hill- 
 brow, one of our young men thought lie 
 fpied Ibmcthing like the figure of a mjap, 
 fitting by a little fj-^ring under a cra^-ey rock 
 
 jutt 
 
284 T"Jie Adventures of 
 
 juft below us ', we fcnt three of our people 
 round another way to keep him from run- 
 ning into the wood, while the Pophar and 
 myfelf ftole quietly over the rock where he 
 was. As foon as he faw us, he whips up 
 a broken chink in the rock, and difappear- 
 ed immediately : we were lure he could not 
 get from us •, fo we doled and learched, till 
 we found a little cave in the windings of the 
 rock, where was his retiring place. His 
 bed was made of mofs and leaves, with lit- 
 tle heaps of dried fruits, of different fortSj 
 for his fuflenance. When he faw us, he 
 was furprifed, and ruOied at us like a lion^ 
 thinking to make his way through us, but 
 being all five at the mouth of the cave, he 
 flood ready to defend himfelf againfl our at- 
 tempts. 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 fafh, or girdle, round his waifl, 
 by which, to c-.ir great lurprife, we found 
 he was a European. The Pophar Ipoke to 
 him in Lingua Franca, and afked him 
 who, or what he was •, he lliook his head 
 as if he did not underfland us. I fpoke to 
 him in French, Italian, and Latin, but he 
 was a (Iranger to thofe languages -, at length 
 he cried out Inglis^ IngUs. I had learned 
 fomethino; of that lan^uacre, when I was a 
 ftudent at Paris : for knowing my father 
 had a mind I fhould learn as many langua- 
 ges 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. 285 
 
 ges as I could, I had made an acquaintance 
 with feveral EnQ-liHi and Scotch iludcnts 
 in that univcrfity, particularly with one F. 
 Johnlbn, an Englifh Benedidine •, and could 
 jpeak it pretty well for a foreigner, but had 
 almofl 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 Englifh, he fell down on 
 his knees, and begged us to take pity on 
 him, and carry him to fome habitable coun- 
 try, where he might poflibly get an oppor- 
 tunity of returning home again, or, at 
 leaft, cf living like a human creature. Up- 
 on this he came out to us, but looked more 
 like a wild beail, than a man •, his hair, 
 beard, and nails were grown to a great 
 length, and his mien was a3 haggard, as if 
 he had been a great while in that v/ild 
 place ; though he was a flout well built 
 man, and fhewed fomething above the com- 
 mon rank. We went dcv.-n to the fountain 
 together, where he made us to underfland, 
 that his father was an Eafl- India merchant, 
 and his mother a Dutch woman of Batavia; 
 that he had great part of his education in 
 Eondon; but being very extravagant, his 
 father, whofe natural fon he was, had turn- 
 ned him off, and fent him to Batavia, to his 
 mother's friends •, that, by his courage and 
 indufcry, he was in a way of making his 
 fortune, being advanced to be a lieutenant 
 in the Dutch guards at Batavia •, but was 
 
 unhappily 
 
2B6 The Adventures of 
 
 unhappily call away on the coaft of AfTicSy * 
 where they had been on a particular adven- 
 ture : That he and his companions, four in d 
 number, wandering up in the country to 
 feek provifions,. were taken by fome flrange 
 barbarians, who carri.d theni a vaft un- 
 known way into the continent, defigning to 
 eat them, or facrifice them to their inhuman 
 gods, as they had done by his compa- 
 nions. But being hale and rat at the time 
 of his taking, they relerved him for fome 
 pardcula; ieaft : ihat, as they were carry- 
 ing him through the woods, another parry 
 of barbarians, enemies to the former, met 
 them, and fell a-fighting for their booty : 
 which he perceiving, knowing he was to be 
 eaten if he tlaid, Hunk away in the fcuffle 
 into the thickcft woods, hiJing himfelf by 
 day, and marching ail night" he did not 
 know where, but, as he conjedured, fall 
 hioher into the country. Thus he wander- 
 ed from hill to hill, and wood to wood, till 
 he came to a defert of fands, which he was 
 refblved to try to pafs over, not daring to 
 return back, for fear of falling into the 
 hands of thofe mercilefs devourcrs. He 
 pafTed two days and tw^o nights v/ithout 
 water, living on the fruits he carried with 
 him, as many as he could, till he came to 
 this mountainous part of the country, which 
 he found uninhabited •, taking up his a- 
 bode in that rock, where he never had any 
 
 hope3 
 
Sio". Gaudentio di Lucca. 287 
 
 't> 
 
 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 miferable place, now 
 upwards of five years. After we had com- 
 forted him, as well as we could, I afls:ed 
 him, which way the main fea lay, as near as 
 he could guefs, and how far he thought it 
 was to it ? He pointed with his hand to- 
 wards the fouth, a little turning towards the 
 eaft, and faid, he believed it might be thirty or 
 forty days journey -, but advifed us never to 
 go that way, for we fhould certainly be de- 
 voured by the barbarians. I afked him 
 whether the country was habitable from 
 that place down to the fea -, he told me yes, 
 except that defert we had pafied ; but whe- 
 ther it was broader in other places, he could 
 not tell. 
 
 All the time he v/asfpeaking^ the Pophar 
 ,eyed him from top to toe -, and calling me 
 alide. What monfter, lays he, have we got 
 here ? There is a whole legion of v;ild 
 beads in that man. I fee the lion, the goat, 
 the wolf, and the fox, in that one perfon. 
 I could not forbear fmiling at the Pophar's 
 .flvill in phyfiognomy, and told him we 
 fliould take care he fbould do no harm. 
 Then I turned to the man, and afted him, 
 whether he would conform himfelf to the 
 laws and rites of the country, if we carried 
 .him among men again, where he fliould 
 
 want 
 
2S8 The Adventures of 
 
 want for nothing. He embraced my knees, 
 and faid, he would conform to any laws 
 or any religion, if 1 would but let him fee 
 a habitable country again. I l^ared at the ^ 
 man, and began to think there was fome 
 truth in the Pophar's fcience. However, 1 
 told him, if he v/ould but behave like a rati- 
 onal creature, he flioukl go along with us : 
 but he mufl fuffer himtelf to be blindfolded, 
 till \v^ came to the place. He ilartled a lit- 
 tle, and feemed to be prodigious fufpicious, 
 leil we fhould deceive him. But on my 
 alTuring him on the faith of a man, that he 
 fliould come to, no harm, he confentcd. 
 
 After we had refreflied ourlelvcs, being 
 both glad and concerned for the informa- 
 tion we had received of the nature of the 
 country, which was the intent of our jour- 
 ney, in order to guard againft all inconve- 
 niencies, we covered his eyes very clofe, 
 and carried him back with us, fometimes 
 on foot, fometimes on one of the fpare 
 dromedaries, till we 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 clothed him like our- 
 felves, that is, in our travelling-drefs, to 
 fhew he was not an entire flranger to our 
 race. He feem.ed loft in admiration of what 
 he faw, and embraced me with all the figns 
 of sratitude imao-inable. He readily con- 
 foraied to all cur cuftcms, and made no 
 
 fcruple 
 
Sig, Gaudentio di Lucca. 289 
 
 fcruple of afTifting at all their idolatrous ce- 
 remonies, as if he had been as good a Hea- 
 then as the bed of them. Which I feeins:* 
 without declaring myfelt to be a Chriilian, 
 told him I had been informed, the people 
 of the country where he was educated, 
 were Ghriflians ; and wondered XoJee.him 
 join i*^. adoring the fun, Pugh ! fays he, 
 ibme bigotted people make a fcruole, but 
 moft of our men of fenfe think one rehgion 
 IS as good as another. By this I pejccived 
 our favage was of a new fet of people, which 
 I had heard of before I left Italy, called 
 Poliiki *, who arc a fort of Atheifls in maf- 
 querade. The Pophar, out of his great 
 fkill in phyfiognomy, would have no con- 
 verfation with him, and commanded me to 
 have a llri6t eye overhim. However, the 
 information he had given us of the poflibili- 
 ty of -invading the kingdom the way he 
 came, anfwered the intent of our voyage, 
 and my former conjecfures ; about which 
 there was a grand council held, and orders 
 given to fecure the foot of our outermofl: 
 mountain fouthwards, which ran a great way 
 into the defert \ fo that it was fullicient to 
 guard againft any of thofe barbarous inva- 
 ders of the continent. But to return to 
 our European llwage ; for he may be juft- 
 
 * Thefe Politici were forerunners of our modern free- 
 thinkers, whofe principles rend to the dellruJlion of all 
 human fociety, as oUr author fhews incomparably ^vell 
 by and by, 
 
 B b ly 
 
290 The Adventures of 
 
 ly called fcs bei«g more dangerous in a 
 commonwcalrh, than the very Hycklbes 
 themfclves •, though he was a perfon who 
 had had a tolerably civilized education, ba- 
 tinor the want of all fenfe of reliorion, which 
 was owing to his perpetual converfation with 
 libertines : He had a fmatterinor of mod 
 kinds of polite learning, but without a bot- 
 tom in any rerpe6V. After he had been with 
 lis fome time, his principles began to lliew 
 themfelves in his practice. Firil, he began 
 to be rude with our women •, married or 
 fmgle, it was all alike to him •, and, by an 
 unaccountable fpirit of novely or contradic- 
 tion, our women feemed to be inclined to 
 be very fond of him •, fo that we were at 
 Our wits ends about him. Then he began 
 to find fault with our government, defpifing 
 and condemning all our ceremonies and re- 
 gulations: but his great aim was, to pervert 
 our youth, enticing them into all manner of 
 liberties, and endeavouring to make them 
 believe, that there was no fuch thing as 
 moral evil in nature ; that there was no 
 harm in the greateft crimes, if they could 
 but evade the lav/s and puniflim.ents attend- 
 ing them. As I had endeavoured to create 
 a confidence in him, he came to me one 
 day, and faid, that fince I was an European 
 as well as himfelf, we might make our- 
 felves men for ever, if I would join with 
 Y.ia: ; You fee, fays he, thefe men cannot 
 
 fight i 
 
Sig» Gaudentio t)i Lucca. 291 
 
 fight *, nay, will rather be killed thenifelves, 
 than kill any one elfe : can't you (liew me 
 the way out of this country, where we will 
 get a troop of flout fellov/s well armed, and 
 come and plunder all the country ? we fliall 
 get immenfe riches, and make ourfclvcs 
 lords and mailers of all. I heard him v/ith 
 a great deal of attention, and anfwercd him, 
 that I thought the projcd might cafily take, 
 only for the horrid wickednefs of the fa6l ; 
 ei'pecially for us two, who had received fucli 
 favours from the Pophar and his people ; 
 he, in his being delivered from the greateft 
 mifery •, and myfelf, in having been freed 
 from flavery, and made one of the chief men 
 of the kingdom : that the action would de- 
 ferve to be branded with eternal infamy, 
 and the blackeil ingratitude : befide the in- 
 finite villanies, injuflices, crimes, and deaths 
 of innocent perfons, v/ho mufl perifh in the 
 attempt •, which would always flare us in 
 the face, and torment us with never-ceafmg 
 ftings of confcience till our death. Con- 
 fcience ! fays he, that is a jefl •, a mere en- 
 gine of priefl-craft ; all right is founded 
 in power : let us once get that, and who 
 will difpute our right ? As for the injuflice 
 of it, that is a m.ere notion •, diflindion of 
 crimes, mere bigotry, and the effedl cf edu- 
 cation, ufhered in under the cloak cf reli- 
 gion. Let us be but fuccelsful, and I will 
 anfwer for all your fcrupks. I told him, it 
 
 B b 2 was 
 
292 
 
 The Adventures of 
 
 v/as a matter not to be refolved on on a 
 fudden ; and that 1 would confidcr on it. 
 But I 'bid him be fure to keep his matters 
 to himfelf. I went immediately to the Po- 
 phar, and gave an account of what had paf- 
 fed. He was llruck with horror at the re- 
 cital ; not fo much for the confequences, as 
 that human nature could be brought to 
 fuch a monftrous deformity. If, fays he> 
 your Europeans are men of fuch principles, 
 who v/oulci not fly to the furthed corner of 
 the earth, to avoid their fociety ? Or rather, 
 who can be fure of his life among fuch peo- 
 ple ? Whoever thinks it no greater crime in 
 itfelf, to kill me, than to kill a fly, will 
 certainly do it, if I fl:and in his way. If it 
 were lawful, continued he, by our conflritu- 
 lions to kill this man, he deferves a thou- 
 fand deaths, who makes it lawful to dellroy 
 all the world befldes. 1 anfwered, that all 
 the Europeans were not men of his princi- 
 ples, nor even thofe of his nation, who 
 v/ere generally the mofl: companionate and 
 beft-natured men' in the world. But that 
 he was of a new fet of wretched people, who 
 called themfelves DciftSj and interiorly laugh- 
 ed at all religion and morality, looking upon 
 them as mere engines of policy and priefb- 
 craft. Interiorly ! fays he •, yes, and would 
 cut any man's throat exteriorly and actually, 
 if it were not for fear of the gallows. Shut 
 him up, cried he, from all commerce of 
 men, lefl: his breath (liould infcdt the whole 
 
 world i 
 
Sig. Gaudentio Di Lucca. 293 
 
 "world •, or rather, let us fend him back to 
 his cave, to live like a wild beaft ^ where 
 if he is devoured by the favages, they do 
 him no injury, on his own principles. I 
 reprefented to him, that w^e wTre jull on 
 our iourney back to Grand Cairo, where we^ 
 might carry him blindfold, that he fhould 
 not know our way over the fands, and there 
 give him his liberty •, but that we would 
 Ihut him up till then. This being agreed 
 on, I took a fufficient number of men, to 
 feize him *, and to do it without any mif- 
 chief, for he was as llout as a lion, we con- 
 trived to come upon him in his bed, where 
 WT caught him with one of our young wo- 
 men. Three of our men fell upon him at 
 once, and kept him down, while the reft 
 tied his hands and legs, and carried him in- 
 to a ftrong-hold, whence it v;as impoffibkr 
 for him to efcape. I'he woman was ihuc 
 up, apart,., according t;o ojiu; Jayvs..^ When he 
 found himfelf taken, he called me by tjjie 
 nioft cruel names he coukl think on, as, the 
 moil wicked and treacherous villain tha^re- 
 ver was, thus to betray him, and the^ ti uil 
 he had put in me. Yes, fays 1, it is a 
 c r,i me , to d i (c o ve r your ice re t s.^ ^^nd ^1^0 c ri rr; e 
 in you to lubvert the government,' anel iec 
 all mankind a-cutting one another's throats, 
 by your monftrous principles : ib 1 left him ^ 
 for the prefent. Some time after, I v/cnt 
 to him, and told him, our council iiad de- 
 creed he fhould be carried back from whence 
 
 B b 3 he 
 
294 '^^^^ Adventures of 
 
 he came, and be delivered over to the fa- 
 vages, either to be devoured by them, or 
 to defend himfelf by his principles, as well 
 as he could. He cried out, Sure we would 
 not be guilty of fuch horrid barbarity ! 
 Barbarity ! faid I •, that is a mere jeft : they 
 v^ill do you no injury ; if your flefh is a ra- 
 rity to them, when they have you in their 
 power, they have full right to make ufe of 
 it. He begged by all that was dear, we 
 -would not fend him to the favages ; but ra- 
 ther kill him on the fpot. Why, fays I, 
 you are v^orfe than the greateft cannibals ; 
 becaufe they fpare their friends, and only eat 
 their enemies ■, whereas your principles fpare 
 no body, and acknowledge no tye in nature. 
 At length he owned himfelf in a miftake, 
 and feemed to renounce his errors •, \vhen I 
 told him, if he v/ould engage his mjoft fo- 
 lemn prom.iie, to fuffer himfelf to be blind- 
 folded, and behave peaceably, we- would 
 carry him to a place where he might iind an 
 opportunity to return to his own country. 
 But, fays I, what fignify promifes and en- 
 gagements in a man who laughs at all obli- 
 gations, and thinks it as jud and lawful to 
 break them^ .as to make them ? No, he 
 curfed himfelf with the mod dreadful nnpre- 
 cations-, if he were not tractable in all things 
 we iliould command him. But, fays he a- 
 gain, won't you deliver me back to the fa- 
 vae^es ? I anfwcred in the fame tone. Should 
 we do you any wrong, if we did ^ At length, 
 
 to 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. 295' 
 
 to appeafe him, I promifed him faithfully we 
 would put him in a way to return into his 
 own country ; but bid him confider, if there 
 were no fuch thing as right and wrong, 
 what would become of the world, or what 
 fecurity could there be in human life ? 
 
 In a few weeks, the time drew on for our 
 great journey to Grand Cairo, where I was 
 in hopes of feeing my native country once 
 more. All things were now as good as 
 ready ; the Pophar and myfelf had other de- 
 figns than ufual, and were in fome pain to 
 think of leaving that once fo happy country. 
 Though, as 1 faid, all things that could 
 make me happy, were buried with my dear 
 Ifyphena. The Pophar had fome ferious 
 thoughts of turning Chriftian , the eviden- 
 ces of our religion were foon perceived by 
 a perfon of his deep penetration •, though 
 perfons of little learning, and great vices, 
 pretend they don't fee them. But, like a 
 wife man, he was refolved to examine into 
 it, in the places where it was exercifed in 
 the greateft fplendour. We provided a good 
 quantity of jewels, and as much gold as 
 we could well carry, for our prefent expen- 
 fesat Grand Cairo, and elfe where, in future 
 exigencies. I went to my Deift in his grot- 
 to, and threw him in as much gold and 
 jewels as were fufficient to glut his avarice, 
 and make him happy in his brutal way of 
 thinking. But I would not truft myfelf 
 
 with 
 
1^6 The Adventures of 
 
 with him alone, for all his promifes, as 
 he, on his fide, expreffed flill a diffidence 
 of trufling any body ^ I fupnofe from the 
 confcioufnels of his own vile principles. 
 Then I threw him a blinding-cap, which 
 we had made for him, that he fhould not 
 fee our way over the deferts. This cap was 
 made like a head-piece, v/ith breathing 
 places for his mouth and nofc, as well as to 
 take in nourifhment, opening at the back 
 part, and clafping with a fpring 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. \Ye went to him 
 and tied his hands, which he let us do quiet-, 
 ly enough •, but flill begged us, that we 
 would not betray him to the favages. I bid 
 him think once more, that now his ov/n in- 
 terior fenfe told him, that to betray him 
 would be a crime •, by confequence there 
 was fuch a thing as evil. 
 
 All things being in readincfs, we mount- 
 ed our dromedaries. The Pophar and all 
 the reft kiffed the ground as ufual ^ I did 
 the fame, out of refped to the place which 
 contained the remains of my never too much 
 lamented Ifyphena, the allies of whofe heart 
 are in the hollow of the ftone, whereoavis 
 her j)i<5lure. Not to mention the ceremo- 
 nies of our taking leave, we were conduced 
 
 in 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. 297 
 
 ♦ 
 
 in a mournful manner over the bridge, and 
 
 lanched once more into the ocean of fands 
 and deferts, which were before us. Our fa- 
 vage was on a dromedary which would 
 follow the reft, but led by a cord fattened to 
 one of them, for fecurity. It ftumbled 
 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 on other occafions, he 
 was prodigioufly ftartled at the thoughts of 
 death. We arrived at Grand Cairo at the 
 vlfual period of time, without any parti- 
 cular difafter. As foon as we were fettled, 
 the Pophar ordered 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. 1 unlocked 
 the blinding-helmet, and told him, we had 
 now fulfilled 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 Eu- 
 ropean merchants who affured him of the 
 fame. Delivering to him his gold and jewels, 
 1 begged him to reflcv^ on his obligations to 
 us, and the c^rateful acknowledo-ments due 
 to our memory on that account : we had 
 taken him from a miferable folitude, where- 
 he lived more like a wild beaft than a man v' 
 and where he was in danger of being found- 
 
 and 
 
298 The Adventures of 
 
 and devoured by the cannibals : we had 
 brought him into one of the happiefl: coun- 
 tries in the world, if he would but have 
 conformed to its laws ; and now had given 
 him his liberty to go where he pleafed, with 
 riches llifficient to make him eafy, and be- 
 nefits to make him grateful all his life. 
 I then took my leave of him. But to our 
 forrow v/e had not done with him yet. As 
 foon as the Pophar and the reft had per- 
 ibrm.ed the ceremony of vifiting the tombs 
 of their ancefbors, or rather the places wliere 
 the tombs had been, the good old man and 
 tnyfelf began to think of meafures for our 
 journey into Italy. He ordered his people 
 to llay 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 op[)ortunity of the then next following 
 caravan, becaufe he was upon bufmefs that 
 nearly concerned him. We had agreed with 
 a mailer of a fnip to carry us to Venice, 
 which, as I had the honour to acquaint 
 your Reverences before, was a French fliip, 
 comm>andcd by Monfieur Godart. We had 
 fixed the day to go abroad, when, behold! 
 our favage, at the head of a band of Turks, 
 came and feized every one of us, in the 
 name of the great BalTa. By great good 
 fortune, while I (laid at Grand Cairo, I 
 had the grateful curiofity to inform my- 
 fclf what was become of the former Baf- 
 
 fa's 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. 299 
 
 fa's daughter, we left there five and twenty 
 years ago. The people told me, the daugh- 
 ter was married to the Grand Sultan, and 
 was now Sultanefs, mother to the prefent 
 Sultan, and regent of the empire ; adding 
 that her brother was their prefent great Baf- 
 fa. This lucky information faved all our 
 lives and liberties. We were carried prifon- 
 ers before the great Bafla, the faithlefs fa- 
 vage accufing us of crimes againfl the flate-, 
 that we were immenfely rich, (a crime of itfclf 
 fufficient to condemn us), and could make a 
 difcoveiy of a country of 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 BafTa. There I told him who I 
 was ; that I was the perfon who had faved 
 his filler's, the now Emprefs, life •, and, to 
 convince him, told him all the circumftan- 
 ces except that of her love, though he had 
 heard foniething of that too : I fhewed him 
 the ring flie had given me for a remem- 
 brance, (which he alfo remembered), add- 
 ing, that we were innocent men, who 
 lived honeftly according to our own laws, 
 cominp; there to traffic, like other mer- 
 chants, and had been traduced by one of 
 the greateft villains upon earth. In a word, 
 this not only got us off, and procured ns an 
 ample paflport from the great Baffa for our 
 further voyage-, but he alfo ordered the 
 
 informing 
 
300 The Adventures of 
 
 informing wretch to be feized, and fent to 
 the galleys for life. He offered to turn 
 Turk, if they would fpare him. But being 
 apprifed of his principles, they faid he 
 would-be a difgrace to their religion •, and 
 ordered him away immediately. Upon 
 which, feeing there was no mercy, being 
 grown mad with rage and deljpair, before 
 they could feize his hands, he drew out a 
 piftol, and fhot himfclf through the head ; 
 not being able to find a worfc hand than his 
 own. The Pophar, good man ! bore thefe 
 misfortunes with wonderful patience, though 
 lie aflured me his greatell grief was., to fee 
 human nature fo far corrupted, as it was in 
 that impious wretch, who could think the 
 moil horrid crimes were not worth the no- 
 tice of the fupreme governor of the uni- 
 vcrfe. But we fee, fays he, that providence 
 can make the wicked themfelves the inftru- 
 ments of its jull vengeance : for can any 
 thing be fo great a blot upon human nature, 
 as to be its own deftroycr, when the very 
 brutes will ilruggle for life till the laft gafp ? 
 However, he was uneafy till he had left 
 that hatefuL place. Befides, there were 
 fome figns of the plague breaking out ; Qi 
 we went down to Alexandria as fall as we 
 could. And to encourage Monfieur Go- 
 dart, he made him a prefent before- 
 . hand of a diamond of a confiderable value. 
 We fct fail for Candy, where Mcnikur 
 
 God arc 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. ^oi 
 
 Godart was to touch, the i6th day of Au- 
 guft, anno 1712. But, alas! whether thefe 
 troubles, or not being ufed to the fea, or 
 fome infedion of the plague he had caught 
 at Grand Cairo, or all together, is uncer- 
 tain ; but that great good man fell fo danger- 
 ouily ill, that we thought v/e fhould Icarce 
 get him to Candy. He afllired me, by the 
 knowledge he had of himfelf and nature, 
 that his time was come. We put in at the 
 firil creek, where the land-air a little re- 
 freflied him ; but it was a fallacious crifis ; 
 for, in a few days, all of us perceived 
 his end draw near. I'hen he told me 
 he was refolved to be baptized, and die 
 in the Chriftiaii . faith. I got him in- 
 ftruded by a Reverend pried belona;ing to 
 Moniieur Godart ; his name was Monfieur 
 Le Gixlle, whom I had formerly known 
 when he v/as a fludent in the college for fo- 
 reign millions ; and, what was the only 
 comfort I had now left, I faw him bapiized, 
 and yield up the ghofl with a courage be- 
 coming the greateit hero, and tJie beft of 
 men. This was the greatell affli6lion 1 ever 
 had in my whole life, after the dea;h of 
 his daughter. He left me all his effects, 
 which were fufficient to make me happy 
 in this life, if riches coukl procure happi- 
 nefs. 
 
 We had fome days to Ray, before Mon- 
 fieur 'Godart could make an end of his bu- 
 
 G c finds. 
 
302 The Adventures of 
 
 finefs,. I was walking in a melancholy po- 
 fture along the fca-fliore, and relieving on 
 the adventures of my pafl life, occafioned 
 by thofe very waters v/hereon I was looking, 
 when I came, or rather my feet carried m^e, 
 to a hanging rock, on the fide of the illand, 
 juft on the edge of the fea, and where there 
 was fcarce room enough for nvo or three 
 perfons to fland pi ivately under covert, very 
 difficult to be difcerned •, where going to fit 
 down, and indulge my miclancholy thoughts, 
 I efpied a Turk and two women, as if con- 
 cealed under the rock. My own troubles 
 rot allov/ing me the curiofity to pry into 
 other people's concerns, made me turn Ihort 
 back again : but the elder of the two wo- 
 men, who v/as miftrefs of the other, fee- 
 ing by m.y drefs, that I was a llranger and a 
 Chriflian, (being now in that habit), came 
 rurning to me, and falling on her knees, 
 laid hold of mine, and begged me to take 
 pity on a diflreffed woman, who expeiRed 
 every momiCnt to be butchered by one of the 
 mod inhuman villains living, from whofe 
 violence they had fled and hid themfelves in 
 that place, in expeftation of finding a boat 
 to convey them ofr. I lifted her up, and 
 thought I fiw fomething in her face I 
 had feen before, though much altered by 
 years and troubles. She did the fame by 
 me, and at length cried out, O heavens ! it 
 ran not be the man I hope ! I remem.bered 
 
 confufedly 
 
Sior. Gaudentio di Lucca. 
 
 '& 
 
 303 
 
 confufedly fomething of the voice, as well 
 as the face ; and, after a deal of afronifh- 
 ment, found it was the Curdifli lady, who 
 had faved my life from the pirate Hamet. 
 Oh ! fays fhe, 1 have juft time enough to 
 tell ye, that we exped to be purfued by that 
 inhuman wietch, unlefs you can find a boat 
 to carry us off before he finds us, otherwife 
 we muft fall a facrifice to his cruelty. I 
 never (laid to confider confequences, but 
 anfwered precipitately, rhae I would do my 
 bed J lo ran back to the il:iip as fail i could, 
 and with the help of the firtt li^an brought 
 the boai to the rock. 1 was iuii s;ettino- out 
 to take hold or her hand, when we heard 
 fome men coming rufliing in behind us, 
 and one of them cried, Hold, villain, that 
 wicked woman iliaii't efcape lO ; and fires a 
 piftol, which mifTing the lady, Ihot the man 
 attending her, into the belly, fo that he fell 
 dov/n prcfently, though not quite dead. I 
 had provided myfeL with a Tuikilh fcymi- 
 tar, and a cafe of piflols, under m.y fafh, 
 for my defence on Hiipboard ; I faw there 
 was no time to deliberate, fo I fired direclly 
 at them, for they were three, and had the 
 good luck to drop one of them. But Ha- 
 met, as I found afterwards, minding no- 
 thing but his revenge on the woman, fired 
 again, and mifiing the lady a fecond time, 
 fliot her maid through the arm, and was 
 drawing his fcymitar to cleave her down, 
 
 C c 2 when 
 
^04 The Adventures of 
 
 when I ftept in before the lady •, but flioot- 
 ing with' too much precipitancy, the bullets 
 palled under his arm, and lodged in the 
 body of liis fecond ; he darted back at 
 the fire fo near him, which gave me tim.e to 
 draw my fcymitar. Bting now upon equal 
 terms, he retired two or three paces, and 
 cried. Who art thou that ventured thy 
 life lb boldly for this wicked woman ? I 
 knew his voice perfectly well, neitlicr was 
 he lb miuch altered as the lady. 1 am the man, 
 iaki I, whoftr life thou wouldft have taken, 
 but this lady faved it, whofe caufe I fliall 
 now revenge as well as my own, and my 
 dear brother's. Vv'^e made no more words, 
 but fell to it with our fcymitars, witli all 
 our might; he v/as a brave ftout man, and 
 let me fee 1 Ihould have work enough to 
 hev/ him^ down. After leveral attack^, he 
 gave me a confiderable w^ound on my arm, 
 and I cut him acrofs the cheek a pretty 
 large gafli, but not to endanger his lifej 
 at length the julllcc of my caufe would 
 have it, that flriking off his turban at once 
 llroke, and v/ith another falling on liis bare 
 head, 1 cut him quite into the brains, that 
 fome of tliem fpurted on my fcymiitar. Me 
 fell dow^n, as 1 thought, quite dead, but 
 after fome time he gave a groan, and mut- 
 tered thefe -words, Mahomet, thou art jufl:, 
 I killed this woman's huf[)and, and flbe has 
 been the occafion of my death ^ with thcfe 
 
 words 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. 305 
 
 words he gave up the ghoft. By this time 
 the lady's attendant was dead; fo I took the 
 lady and her woman without flaying, for 
 fear of further difficulties, and putting them 
 in the boat, conducted them to the lliip. 
 Monfieur Godart was extremely troubled at 
 the accident, faying we fliould Iiave all^the 
 iOand upon us, and made great difficulty to 
 receive the lady; but upon a juft repreien- 
 tation of the cafe, and an abundant recorn- 
 penfe for his effects left behind, we got him 
 to take her in, and hoift fail for Venice as 
 fail as wc 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 faving my life.. 
 During our paiTage, I begged her to give 
 us the hiflory of her fortunes fmce J left 
 her, which I prognofticated then could not 
 be very happy, confidering the hands fhe 
 was fallen into. Says fhe. You remember 
 I made a promife to Hamet, that I would 
 marry him on condition he v/ould lave ypur 
 life. Yes, Madam, faid I, and am ready 
 to venture my own once more in return for 
 fo great a benefit. You have done enough, 
 fays fhe ; and with that acquainted vis, that 
 wlien ) was fold off to the ftrange r^.er- 
 chancs, Hamet carried her to i^lgiers, and 
 claimed her promnfe. I was entirely igno- 
 rant, fays file, of his having a hand. in the 
 death of my dear lord ♦, but, on the contrary, 
 C c 3^ the- 
 
3o6 The Adventures of 
 
 the villain had contrived his wickednefs Co 
 cunningly, that I thought he had generouay 
 ventured his own life to lave his, and beinc^ 
 as you know, a very handfome man, of no 
 very inferior rank, and exprcffing the moft 
 ardent love for my perfon, and I having no 
 hopes of returning into my own country, 
 fulfilled mypromife made on your account' 
 and married him. We lived contentedly 
 enough together for fome years, batino- that 
 we had no children, till his conflant co'Jnpa- 
 ni- n, who v/as the man attending; me at 
 the reck, and was killed by that villain, fell 
 out about a fair.fiavc, which Omar, fo he 
 was called, had bou-iht, or taken prifoncr 
 m fome of their piracies. Hamet, as well 
 as he, tell in love with her, and v/ould have 
 taken her for his concubine, but the othex 
 concealed her from him : they had like to 
 have fought about it ; Hamet vowed re- 
 venge. The other, who was the hoi.efler 
 man of the two, was advifed to be upon his 
 guard, and to deliver the woman to him ► 
 which he never would confent to, but was 
 refolved to run all rifks, rather than the 
 young lady fliould futfer any diflionour. 
 In the mean time, her friends, who were 
 rich people of CircaHia, hearing where flie 
 was, made imerefl to have her ranfomed, 
 and taken from both of them, by the autho- 
 rity of the Dcy of Algiers, who was other- 
 \vii-- lio inei:d to ilamct. This_ laft had 
 
 been 
 
SIg. Gaudentio di Lucca. 307 
 
 been informed, that Omar, becaufc he could 
 not enjoy her himfelf, contrived to have her 
 ranlbmed from his rival, and I myfelf had a 
 hand in the affair, for which he threatened 
 revenge on both of us ; and being alfo dif- 
 gufled with the Dey, he gave orders to have 
 his fhips ready to remove, and follow his 
 trade of piracy. Then Omar informed me 
 how Hamet had murdered my firil: huf- 
 band, by hiring the Arabians to do it, 
 while he pretended to defend him to avoid 
 my fufpicions, with fuch circumftances of 
 the fa61:, that I faw the truth was too clear. 
 The horror and deteftation I was in, is 
 not to be exprefied, both againft Hamet, 
 and againft myfelf, for marrying fuch a 
 nionfter. Omar added, that he was cer- 
 tainly informed, that as foon as he had us 
 out at fea, he would make away with us 
 both ; and told me, if I would truft m^y- 
 felf with him, he would undertake to carry 
 me off in a boat, and condu6l me into my 
 own country. I was refolved to fly to the far- 
 theft end of the earth to avoid his loathed 
 f]ght ; fo refolved to pack up our moft pre- 
 cious things, and go along with him. He 
 procured a boat to meet us, ai a little creek 
 of the iffand, by a pcrion he thought he 
 could conBde in, but who betrayed the 
 whole affair to Hamet. Of which alfo 
 we had timely notice, and rem^oving from 
 the ftation where wc exj,:cdtcd the boat^ 
 
 and 
 
3o8 The Adventures of 
 
 and fled along the coafb as privately as we 
 could, and hidouriclves under the rock where 
 you found us, expeding either to find fome 
 favourable occafion to be carried ofiT, or to 
 die by the hand of Hamet, which we cer- 
 tainly had done, had not he met with his juft 
 death by yours. The lady had fcarce gi- 
 ven us this Ihort account of her misfortunes, 
 and we were not only congratulating her for 
 her deliverance, but admiring thejufticeof 
 providence, which reached this villain, both 
 to bring him to condign punifliment for the 
 murder of the innocent Curd, and make 
 him die by my hand, five and twenty years 
 after he had robbed and killed my brother 
 with all his crew, fokl me for a flave, and 
 attempted to kill me alfo, had not the fbrange 
 lady faved my life : I fay, we were making 
 fuch like reflections on this ftrangc accident, 
 when they told us from above, two vef- 
 fels feemed to come full fail upon us, as if 
 they were puifuing us with all their mi ht. 
 We made all ;he fail we could, but our fhip 
 being pretty heavily loaded, we faw v/e 
 muft be overtaken. Some of us were re- 
 folved to fight it out to the laft, in cafe they 
 were enemies. But Monfieur Godart would 
 not conlent to it, faying the BafTa's pafiport 
 would fecure us, or by yielding peaceably, 
 we might be ranfomed. They came up to 
 us in a fliort time, and ialuted us v/ith a 
 volley of fhot, to fhew v/hat we were to 
 
 trufl 
 
SIg. Gaudentio di Lucca. 309 
 
 truft to. ' We ftruck our fails, and let them 
 board us without any refiitance. Monficur 
 Godart, with too mean a fpirit, as 1 thought, 
 told thcni with cap in hand, that he would 
 give them any farisfadion, and afiiired them 
 he would not willingly fail out with the fub- 
 je<5ls of the Grand Signior. They feized e- 
 veiy m^an of us, and Ipying the lady and 
 nie, There they are, faid they •, the adulter- 
 efs and her lover, with the fpoils of her 
 murdered hufband. Which words, (hew- 
 ing they v/ere Turks in purluit of us from 
 Candy, quite confounded Monfieur Godart 
 at once, and made m.e imagine, I fliould 
 have much ado to find any quarter. 1 hey 
 haled us upon deck, miaking Ihew, as if 
 they were going to cut off my head. 1 ne- 
 ver thought myfelf fo nigh death before ; 
 but had the prefence of mind to cry out in 
 the hearing of the whole crev/, that Vs^e were 
 fervants of the Grand Sultanefs j and pro- 
 duced the pafTport of the great Balla her 
 brother, charging themi on their peril not 
 to touch us. This ftopt their fury a litrle ; 
 fome cried out, Hold, have a care what, 
 you do i others cried. Kill them all for rob- 
 bers and miurderers, the Sultanefs will ne- 
 ver prote6t fuch villains as thefe. When 
 the hurlyburly was fomething appeafed, 
 Monfieur Godart reafoned the cafe with 
 them, and told them, if they murdered us, 
 they could never conceal it , fince all the 
 
 crew 
 
3IO The Adventures of 
 
 crew of the three fhips heard our appeal to the 
 Sultancfs mother, th. pa.lport fcLcina forth 
 among other things, that I had faved the life 
 of the Grand Suitanrfs. This brouL^hr them 
 to a demur. The chicf of them began to 
 confult among rhemfelves what was beil to 
 be done. When I, begging leave to fpcak, 
 tol'd them, if they would carry us to Con- 
 ftantinoplc, we would willingly fubmit . ur 
 I'ves, aivJ all that belonged to us in cafe 
 theSultanefs id not own thcfa^ and take 
 us into her protecUon:. tj^at, in cafe they 
 pu: us to death, ibmc one or other, in fuJi 
 a numbcrr, would certaindy inform a'ainft 
 them, the conilqucnces of which they knew 
 very well. 1 touched alfo but tenderly 
 on the death of Ilamet, and our innocence. 
 1'he firfl part of my fj^ecch made them pafs 
 over the other. They demurred again, and 
 at length refolved to carry us to Conllanti- 
 nople, and proceed againfl: us by way of 
 juflice, not doubting to make good prize 
 of us, on account of our bcing'Chriilians. 
 Thus wjs our journey to Venice interrupted 
 for fome time by this accident. Vv^hen we 
 came to the j)ort, MonfieurGodart got leave 
 to fend our cafe to Monfieur Savigni, the 
 French refident •, w'lo found mean's to re- 
 prefent to the Sultanefs moiher, that there 
 was a flranger in chains, who p-etendtd to 
 be the perfon who had faved her life, when 
 flie was at Grand Cairo, ^and would o-jve her 
 proofs of it, if he could'be admitted to her 
 
 Highncfs's 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. 311 
 
 Highnefs's prefence. I would not fend tlie 
 rincr fhe crave me, for fear of accidents. The 
 Sultanefs gave orders immediately, I Jfhould 
 be brought to her prefence ; faying, fhe 
 could eafily know the perfon, for all it 
 was fo long before. I put on the fame 
 kind of drefs 1 was in when fhe firft 
 faw me, which, if your Reverences re- 
 member, was the travelling drefs of the 
 Mezoranians. When I was brought into her 
 prefence, I fcarce knew her, being ad- 
 vanced to a middle age, and in the attire of 
 the Grand Sultanefs. She 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 fhe gave me at parting, as if I were 
 making a prefent ot it. Madam, faid I, 
 behold a Have, who had the honour to fave 
 your Highnefs's life, and now begs his own, 
 and that of his companions ; and mofl hum- 
 bly requeils your Highnefs to accept of this 
 jewel, as a token of our lafl diflrefs. In- 
 ftead of anfv/cring me, which put me in 
 great pain, as doubting whether I was right 
 or not, fhe turned to her nighcfl attendants, 
 and faid in a pretty foft voice. It is he, I 
 know him by his voice, as well as drefs : 
 and rifinp; off her feat, came and took the 
 ring. Hien looking attentively at it. Yes, 
 Sir, faid fhe, I own the ring and bearer-, and 
 acknowledge you to be the perfon who faved 
 
 mv 
 
312 The Advextures of 
 
 my life. For which rcafon, I give you 
 yours, and all that belongs to you, forbid- 
 ding all under pain of death, to give you 
 the lead trouble ; and withal ordered a ve- 
 ry rich Turkifli robe to be thrown over my 
 Ihoulders, as a fign of her favour. Imme- 
 diate orders were lent to the port to fct Moa- 
 fieur Godart and all his crevv at liberty, 
 and to fead us as particular friends of the 
 Grand Sultanefs. The company being dif- 
 miffed, fhe made a fign for me to flayt ha- 
 ving further bufmefs with me. Wnen all 
 were gone, but two of her chief favourite 
 women, fhe came to me without any cere- 
 mony, and taking me in her arms, as if I 
 had been her brother, embraced me with a 
 great deal of tendernels •, her joy to fee me, 
 niaking her lay afide her grandeur, and 
 yield to the tranfports of undifguifed nature. 
 She led me. by the hand into a moft magni- 
 ficent apartment ; faying. Come, Signior 
 Gaudentio, for fo 1 think you are called ; 
 after you have refrellied yourfelf, you fliall 
 tell me your adventures. She made no 
 fcruple to fit down with me, being now not 
 only midrefs of herfelf, but of the whole 
 Otroman empi-e, as well as fure of her at- 
 tendants. We had a refrcHiment of all the 
 rarities of the Eaft, with the richcft wines 
 for nie, though fhe drank none herfelf. I 
 long to hear your adventures, continued 
 ilie, of fo many years abfence. So I told 
 
 her 
 
Sig Gaudentio di Lucca. 313 
 
 her in fliort, how 1 was carried by that 
 flrange merchant into an unknown country ; 
 without telling her the way we went thither ; 
 where I had married the regent's daughter. 
 She bluflied a little at that part, and fhew- 
 ed the remains of all her former beauty. 
 But it put me in mind of my own indifcre- 
 tion, to touch on fuch a nice point. She 
 pafTed it off with a great deal of goodnefs j 
 and, recovering myl'elf, I continued to ac- 
 quaint her of the leafons of my return, 
 as well as how I was taken by Hamet the 
 firil time, which fhe had not been acquaint- 
 ed with before \ and laltly, how I met with 
 the fame Hamet again, killed him, and 
 by that means came into that misfortune. 
 I called it then a misfortune, faid I, but 
 look upon ic now to be one of my greateft 
 happinelles •, fmce, by that occafion, I have 
 the honour of feeing your Highnefs in that 
 dignity of whch you are the mofl worthy of 
 any one in all the Ottoman empire. She 
 feemed to be in admiration at the courfe of 
 my lite \ and added, I think, Signor, you 
 faid you were married ; is your fpoufe with 
 you ? No, Madam, faid I : alas ! Ihe is 
 dead, and all my children, and I am going 
 to retire, and lead a private life in my na- 
 tive country. With thefe and other difcour- 
 fes we paiTed the greateft part of the day, 
 when ihe bid me go back to the iliip in pu- 
 blic, attended with all the marks of her 
 
 D d hi2;h 
 
314 The Adventures of 
 
 high favours ; but flie faid fhe would fend 
 for me privately in the evening •, for, add- 
 ed fhc, I have a thoufand other things to 
 afk you. Accordingly 1 was introduced 
 privately into the feraglio ; which flie, be- 
 ing Sultanefs-regent, could eafily do. There 
 Ihe entirely laid afide her grandeur. We 
 talked all former paflages over again, with 
 the freedom of friends and old acquaintan- 
 ces. In our converfation, I found flie was 
 a woman of prodigious depth of judgment, 
 as indeed her wading through fo many dif- 
 ficulties, attending the inconftancy of the 
 Ottoman court, particularly the regency, e- 
 vidently fliewed. I made bold to afl^ her, 
 how file arrived at that dignity, though flie 
 was the only perfon in the world that defer- 
 ved it •, and took the liberty to fay in a fa- 
 miliar way, that I believed her Highnefs 
 was now fenfible of the lervice I did her, in 
 refuHng to comply with her former de- 
 mands, fmce the fates had referved her to 
 be the greateit emprefs of the v/orld, not 
 the conlbrt of ^ wandering flave. Had I 
 not been entirely affured of her goodnefs, 
 I fhould not have dared to have touched on 
 that head. She blufhed with a little confu- 
 fion at firft, but putting it off with a grave 
 air. Grandeur, fays fhe, does not always, 
 make people happy. Ten thoufand cares 
 attend a crown ; but the indifference I have 
 ^or all things, make mine fit eafier than it 
 
 might 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. 315 
 
 might have done othenvile. It is true, 
 continued flie, that young people very fel- 
 dom fee their own good, and oftentimes 
 run into fuch errors, by the violence of their 
 paffions, as not only deprive them of great- 
 er bkiTings, but render their misfortunes 
 irretrievable. Some time after you were 
 gone, my father the Grand BafTa was accu- 
 fed by fome underhand enemies, of male- 
 adminiilratiqn, a thing too frequent in our 
 court, and privately condemned to be 
 ftrangled. But having fome trufty friends 
 at the Porte, he had notice of it, before 
 the orders came : he immedeately departed 
 from Grand Cairo, and took a round-about 
 way towards Conflantinople, to prevent, as 
 the way is, the execution of them.. He 
 fent me bifore to prepare matters, and to 
 intercede with the young Sultan, my late 
 deceafed Lord, for his life, leaving word 
 where I might let him know of the fuccefs 
 of my interceflion. I prcfented myfelf be- 
 fore the Sultan with that modeft aflurance, 
 which my innocence, my youth, and grief 
 for miy father's danger,, gave me. 1 fell 
 down on my knees, and, with a Eood of 
 tears, begged»my father's life. The Sultan 
 looked at me with fome amazement, and, 
 whatever it w^as he faw in my face, not only 
 granted my requeft, and confirmed my fa- 
 ther in his former pod ^ but made a profef- 
 fion of love to my perfon ; and even continu- 
 
 D d 2 ed 
 
31 6 The Adventures of 
 
 ed it with more conflancy, than I thought a 
 Grand Sultan capable of, having fo many ex- 
 quifite beauties to divert him, as they gene- 
 rally have. I confentcrd, to fave my father's 
 life ; and whether the indiffcrency 1 had 
 for all men, made him more eager, I can- 
 not tell J but I found I was the chief in his 
 favour. He had fome other miflrelTes now 
 and then, of whom he was very fond. But 
 never teafing him, nor fretting myfclf a- 
 boutit, I eafiiy found I continued to have 
 the folid part of his friendHiip -, and bring- 
 ing him the firil: male child, the prefent 
 emperor, I became the chief Sultanefs ; 
 and by his death, and the minority of my 
 fon, am now regent •, by which I am capable 
 of rendering you all the fervice the Otto- 
 man empire can perform : which I efteem 
 one of the happiefl events of my life. I 
 returned her the moft profound bow, and 
 humble thanks a heart full of the moft live- 
 ly fenfe of gratitude could profefs. She of- 
 fered me the firft pofl of the Ottoman em- 
 pire, if I would but become a muflulman, or 
 only fo in appearance. Or if, faid fhe, you 
 had rather be nigh me, you fhall be the 
 chief officer of my houfehold. I have had 
 alTurance enough, added flie, that neither 
 your inclinations nor principles can be for- 
 ced ; neither will I endeavour to do it, but 
 leave you as much at your liberty, as your 
 generous mailer did, when he bought you 
 
 of 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. 317 
 
 of Hamet. I expreffed all the grateful ac- 
 knowledgments pollible, for fo generous an 
 offer ; but affured her with an air that even 
 expreffed forrow for the refufal, that I' lay- 
 under religious obligations, which bound 
 me indifpenfably to return into my own 
 country. She was become now as much 
 miflrels of her inclinations, as llie had ac- 
 quired prudence and experience by the 
 long command flie had over her hufband's 
 heart, and the whole Ottoraan^ empire. So 
 after a month's flay fhe let me go, with all 
 the marks of honour her dignity would fuf- 
 fer her to exprefs. She would have punifli- 
 ed the perfons that took us, but I interce- 
 ded for them. Monfieur Godart, who was 
 well rewarded for the lofs of his time and 
 confinement, can teflify the truth of this 
 hiflory. The lad words flie faid to me, 
 were, to bid me remember, that a Turk and 
 a woman were capable of generous gratitude 
 and honour, as well as Chriftians. So we. 
 fet fail for Venice. 
 [^Secretary. Here one of the inquifitors 
 came in with a gold medal in his hand, 
 and turning to the cxaminant, faid, Sig- 
 nor Gaudentio, I believe you have found 
 a relation in Italy, as well as in Africa, 
 and one of the fame nation with your 
 mother.* It is the Perfian lady you 
 brought along with you, whom we fe- 
 cured the fame time we did you •, but 
 D d 3 would: 
 
31 8 The Adventures of 
 
 would not let you know it, till we could 
 procure intelligence from Venice, and a 
 perfon who could fpcak the Perfian lan- 
 guage. We own we find her in the 
 fame (lory with you, and nothing mate- 
 rial againil: you from Venice. Upon the 
 examining her effecls, we found this 
 medal ot the lame make with yours by 
 ■which you knew who your mother was. 
 She fays it was about her neck, when 
 ihe was fold to the Perfian merchant. But 
 fince we (hall give you both your liber- 
 ties in a fl:iort time, flie fhail be brought 
 unto you, and we give you leave to fay 
 what you will to her, with the interpre- 
 ter by. Upon this the lady was intro- 
 duced, with her maid and the interpre- 
 ter. As foon as flie faw our examinant 
 in good health, and feemingly at liber- 
 ty, a joyful ferenity fpread itfclf over 
 her countenance, fuch as we had not 
 feen before. Our examinant afked her, 
 to be pleafed to give an account of her 
 life, as far as fhe thought proper, and 
 how llie came by that medal. 
 Lady. Aill know of myfelf, faid (he, is, 
 that the noble Curd, who bought me 
 of a Perfian merchant for a companion 
 for his only daughter, about my own 
 age, whom he thought I refembled very 
 much, often declared to me, that the 
 merchant bought me of a Turkifh wo- 
 man. 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. 319 
 
 man, who left that medal about my 
 neck, fuppofmg it to be fome charm or 
 prefervative againft diftempers, or be- 
 caufe a filler of mine had the fame faft- 
 ened about her neck, Vvdth a gold chain, 
 which could not be taken off without 
 breaking •, but who, or where the fifter 
 was, I never knew. The noble Curdidi 
 Lord, who bought me, grew prodigious 
 fond of me, and bred me up as another 
 daughter •, and not only fo, but having 
 an only fon, fomething older than my- 
 felf, he connived at a growing love he 
 perceived between his ion and myfelf ; 
 which, after fome difficulties on both 
 fides, at length came to a marriage ; 
 thoucrh it coll my generous benefaftor 
 and father-in-law his life. For another 
 young Lord of Curdiftan, falling in love 
 with me, often challenged Prince Call 
 (that was my dear hufband's name) to 
 decide their pretenfions by the fword, 
 which I had always forbid him to do ; 
 faying, that man fliould never be my 
 huiband who expofed my reputation by 
 a duel ; fince the world would never 
 believe, that any man would expofe his 
 life for a v/oman, unlefs there had been 
 fome encouragement given on both 
 fides : whereas 1 never gave the lead to 
 any but Prince Cali. However, the o- 
 ther met him one dav, and attacked him 
 
 fo 
 
320 The Adventures of 
 
 {o furioufly, that Prince Cali was forced 
 to kill him in his own defence, makinor 
 a thoiifand proteflations, that hrhad al- 
 moft fuBcred himfelf to be killed, ra- 
 ther than to difobcy my orders. But 
 the father of the prince who was flain, 
 with a company of aflafllns, laid an am- 
 bufcade for Prince Call and his father, 
 in which this latter was killed, and mod 
 of his train. But by the valour of his 
 fon, and two of his companions, the 
 chief aflafllns were laid dead on the fpot, 
 and the refl: put to flight. But Prince 
 Cali, after the death of his father, fear- 
 ing further treachery of that nature, 
 prefently after we were married, remo- 
 ved to another part of the kingdom ; 
 from \\ hence being fent on a commiflion 
 by his king, he was inhumanly murder- 
 ed by the barbarous Hamet. This is 
 the lum of my unfortunate 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 fl- 
 fter and the mother's flflrer that was lofl:, 
 and both of them prelerved to fave each 
 other's life. Tlie lady then declared, 
 ilie would turn Chrifliian, flnce her mif- 
 fortunes were come to that period ; and 
 
 that 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. 321 
 
 that Ihe was refolved to leave the woild, 
 and retire into fome of our monafteries. 
 We put her among the nuns of our or- 
 der, where flie promifes to be a fio-nal 
 example of virtue and piety. The in- 
 quifitors ordered the examinant to give 
 them the remaining part of his life, 
 which, in all appearance, if they found 
 his flory to agree with their informa- 
 tions, might purchafe him his liberty. 
 Upon which Gaudentio proceeded as 
 follows.] 
 I was telling your Reverences, that at 
 length we fet fail from the Porte, and (leer- 
 ed our courfe diredly for Venice, where we 
 happily anived without any confiderable ac- 
 cident, the loth of December 171 2. I 
 do not queftion but your Reverences are al- 
 ready informed, that fuch perfons did ar- 
 rive at Venice about that time. .Monfieur 
 Godart is well known to feveral merchants, 
 and fome of the fenators of that famous ci- 
 ty, whom he informed of what he faw with 
 his own eyes. But there were fome particu- 
 lar pafTagcs, unknown to your Reverences, 
 wherein I had like to have made fhipwreck 
 of my life, after fo many dangers -, as I did 
 here of my liberty ; thoui:h I do not com- 
 plain, but only reprelent my hard fortune 
 to your Reverences confideration. It hap- 
 pened to be the carnival tim.e during our ilay 
 at Venice. Curiofity led me, as well as a 
 
 great 
 
322 The Adventures of 
 
 great many other flrangcrs of the fiifl rank, 
 to fee the nature of it. I put on my Me- 
 zoranian habit, fpangled with funs of gold, 
 and the fillet-crown on my head, adoined 
 with feveral jewels of very great value, which 
 I believe was the moft remarkable and ma^*;- 
 nificent drefs of any there. I went un- 
 manned, being afifured my face and perfon 
 were unknown to all the world. Every one's 
 eyes were upon me. Several of the m,afque- 
 raders came up to me, and talked to me, 
 particularly the ladies. They fpoke to m.e 
 in feveral languages, as Latin, French, Ita- 
 lian, Spanifli, High Dutch, 6 r. I an- 
 fwered them all in the Mezoranian lan- 
 guage, which feemed as ftrange to them, as 
 my drefs. Some of them fpoke to me in 
 the Tuikidi and Perfian lang uge, in Lin- 
 gua Franca, and forne in an Indian lan- 
 guage I really did not underdand. 1 anfwer- 
 ed them ilill in the Mezoranian, of which 
 no body knew one word. Two ladies par- 
 ticularly, very richly drefled, followed me 
 where-ever 1 went. The one, as it pro- 
 ved afterwards, was Favilla, the celebrated 
 courtefan, in the richeft drefs of all the com- 
 pany ; the other was the lady who was with 
 me when I was taken up, and who was the 
 occafion of my fettling at Bologn.i •, I mean 
 the true occafion, for I will conceal nothing 
 from your Reverences. Notwithflanding 
 their diligence, I got away unknown at that 
 
 time. 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. 323 
 
 time. The next time 1 came, I appeared 
 in the fame drefs, but with richer jewels ; I 
 had more eyes upon me now than before. 
 The courtefan purfued me again in a dif- 
 ferent, but richer drefs than the form.er. 
 At length lie got me by myfelf, and pull- 
 ing off her mafk, fhewed me a wonderful 
 pretty face, only there was too fierce an af- 
 furance in it. She cried in Italian, O Sig- 
 nor, you are not fo ignorant of our language, 
 as you would feem to be ! you can fpeak Ita- 
 lian and French too : though we don't know 
 who you are, we have learned you are a man 
 of honour. If you would not underftand 
 our words, you may underlland a face, 
 which very great perfonages have been glad 
 to look at ; and with that put on one of 
 the moft enfnaring airs I ever faw. I don't 
 doubt but your Reverences have heard ot 
 that famous courtefan, and hov/ the greatefb 
 man in Venice was once her Have. I was 
 jufl going to anfwer her, v/hcn the other 
 lady came up, and pulling off her mafls: al- 
 fo, faid almoft the fame things, but with a 
 modefty more graceful than her beauty, 
 which was moft exquifite, and the likeft 
 the incomparable Ifyphena I ever faw. I 
 made them both a moft refpe(5lful bow, and 
 told them, that it had been much fafer for 
 me, if I had kept myfelf ftill unknown, 
 and never feen fuch dangerous charms. 1 
 pronoun cetl thefe words with an air, that 
 
 flic wed. 
 
324 The Adv'entures of 
 
 lliewed, that I was more pkafed with the 
 modefly of the laft lady, than the com- 
 manding afifurance of the firil. The coiir- 
 teian, though a little nettled at the preference 
 fhe thought I gave the other, put on a more 
 ferious air, and faid, llie had been inform- 
 ed, there was fomcthing very extraordinary 
 in my charader, and fhould be glad to hear 
 more of it by herlelf ; that her name was 
 Favilla, and that fhe lived in fuch a ftreet, 
 where I fliould find her houle remarkable 
 enough. The Bolognian lady, whom your 
 Keverences knew very well, and who was 
 then at Venice, on account of the death of 
 her uncle, one of the fenators, who had left 
 her all his efFe6ls, faid modeilly, If where I 
 favour her with a vifit, as fhe had been in- 
 formed that I was a learned man and a vir- 
 tuofo, being inclined that way herfelf, fhe 
 fhould be glad of an hour's converfation 
 with me on that fubje6t, telling me her 
 name, and where flie lived -, adding, if I 
 would inform myfelf of her chara(5ter, I 
 need not be ailiamed of her acquaintance ; 
 nor, I hope, of mine, Madam, fays the 
 other, thinking flie had been refletfbed on by 
 that word. It was Monfieur Godart, who, 
 with a levity pecuHar to his nation, had 
 made the dilcovery who I was, though he 
 knew nothing of me but what pafTed fince 
 1 came from Grand Cairo. I was going to 
 reply to the ladies, when company came 
 
 up, 
 
Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. 325 
 
 up, and broke oif the difcourfe. I was re- 
 folved to fee neither of them, and v/onld go 
 lio more to the afiembly, though almoll un- 
 avoidably Lfaw both afterwards. 1 inqui- 
 red into Fav ilia's charafter, though I fcarce 
 doubted of it by what I fawand heard, and 
 was informed that llie was an imperious 
 courtefan, who had enQaved leveral perfons 
 of the firft rank, of diilerent nations, and 
 enriched heifelf by their fpoils : this deter- 
 mined me not to fee her. But, as Monfieur 
 Godart and myfeif were walking to fee the 
 town, he brought me either induiLricufiy^ 
 or accidentally, by her door ; jQie was fit- 
 ting- at/the window x;f one of the nioll: mag- 
 nificent-palaces in Venice, (fuch fpoils had 
 Ihe reaped from her bewitched lovers.) As 
 foon as fl^e efpied, me, llie fent a fervant ta 
 tell.me,'J timt-. that lady; would fpc^k with 
 me; Imade. fame difnculty,, but Mon- 
 Ikur Godahtvtold r^ie,. a man of honour 
 could; not refufe fuch a favour as that ; fo I. 
 went- in,- -aiui 'Monfieur Godart with me. 
 The lady received me with a moil charm- 
 ing agreeable kk^ much difFerent from her 
 former, aiTiirance, and conducted me ir>to 
 a moil magnificent apartment, leavinglVIon- 
 fieur Godart entertaining a very pretty lady, 
 her compa.nio^i. Not to detain your Reve- 
 rences too long, when I would not undcr- 
 fcand what. file meant, ihe offered me mar- 
 riage, with the inheritance of all her'effedls; 
 
 E e I 
 
226 The Adventures of 
 
 I was put to the hifl nonplus. T aHurcd her 
 with a moll profound bow, that though I 
 was not worthy of fuch a happinefs, I had 
 an indifpcnrablc obligation never to marry. 
 All the bluod immediately came into her 
 face : I did not know v/hat flic was going 
 to do, but iinding her in that diforder, I 
 made another bow, fjying, I would confi- 
 der further on iier propoial ; and walked di- 
 recily out of the houfe, defigning to leave 
 Venice as foon as my affairs woukl give 
 me leave. Some time after Monfieur Go- 
 clart came to me, and told ine, he was for-- 
 ccJ to do as 1 did \ that the lady was in fuch 
 an outrageous fury he did not know what 
 miglu be the confequencc. 'Ihree nights 
 atter, as Monfieur Godart and a young kinf- 
 inan of his, and myftlf, were going to- 
 v/ards the Rialto, in the dufk of the even- 
 ing, four rullians attacked us unawares-, two 
 of them f.'t upon me, the other two at- 
 tacked Monfieur GoJart and his kinfman ; 
 the poor young gentleman was run through 
 the body the firlt pulh •, 1 m ide Ihift to dif- 
 able one of my adverfaries, but in doing it, 
 the other lun mc through the ribs, but the 
 fword took only part ot my body, and milling 
 luy entrails, the point W':nt out on the fide of 
 my back. Monficm- Godart, who, to give 
 him his due, beha\ed with a great deal of 
 courage and bravery, had killed one of his 
 men, and wounded the other j and tlie ruf- 
 fians. 
 
• Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. yij 
 
 Hans, feeeing us now two to tv/o, thought 
 fit to march off as well as they could. I 
 was forced to be led to my lodging, not 
 doubting but the wound was mortal, though 
 it proved otherwife. The affair made a 
 great noife about town : we very rationally 
 luppofed it was Favilla who had let the af- 
 faftins on ; but we knew her to be fo power- 
 ful with the fenators, that there was no 
 hopes of juflice. While 1 was recovering, 
 I was told there was a lady, with two wait- 
 ing women, defired to fee me on very ear- 
 neil bufmefs, if it would not be incommo- 
 dious to me. (Monfieur Godart would not 
 ftir from my bedfide, for fear of accidents). 
 Who fliould this be but Favilla, who came 
 all in mourning for my misfortune. I pre- 
 tended to be a dying man, and took the li- 
 berty of telling her of her way of li- 
 ving, to what a difmal pafs her paflions 
 had brought her ^ in fine, 1 faid fo much, 
 and begged her, by all that was dear to 
 her, to confider her Itate, that, burfling into 
 a flood of tears, flie promifed me, if I died, 
 fhe would become a penitent nun. I ef- 
 fediied fo much by letters afterwards, that, 
 though I recovered, flie performed her pro- 
 mife. 
 
 The Bolognian lady had heard of my mif- 
 fortune, and, by a goodnefs peculiar to the 
 tender. fex, particularly with regard to ftran- 
 gers, (he fent often to know how I did, with 
 
 E e 2 prefents 
 
328 The Adventures of 
 
 prefents of the richeft cordials that could be 
 got in Venice. Finding my illnefs continu- 
 ed longer than was expected, fhefent me 
 word, that, thous-h it Avas not fo decent for 
 her to make the firfl vifit, fhe had heard ib 
 much of my adventures, as very much rai- 
 fed her curiofity to hear them from my own 
 mouth, when I was capable of converfation 
 without doing me any prejudice. I had in- 
 formed myfelf of her character from very 
 good hands •, fo that I was very curious to 
 converfe with a perfon of thofe incompara- 
 ble talents I heard Ihe was miftrefs of. She 
 was the only woman, next to Ifyphena, and 
 the great Baffa's daughter, I ever much liked 
 in my life. To fum up all in fhort, fhe 
 came feveral times to fee me, infoniuch that 
 we contra6ted the moil virtuous friendfhip, 
 by our mutual inclination to learning and 
 the fympathy of our tempers, that ever 
 fubfifted between two peribns of different 
 fexes. It was on her account I refolvcd to 
 fettle at Bologna •, and having fome know- 
 ledge in nature and phyfic, I took on me 
 that chara6ler, to be the oftcner in her com- 
 pany without fcandal. We were neither of 
 us inclined to xmarry. As flie.is one of the 
 mod virtuous women living, and I am pretty 
 much advanced in years, being both entire- 
 ly mafters of ourfelves, we thought our in- 
 nocent friendfliip could be offenfive to no 
 one. What has paiicd fince I came to this 
 
 town. 
 
•V- 
 
 Sig. Gaudentio di Lucca. 329* 
 
 town, I don't doubt but your Reverences 
 
 are apprifed of. 
 
 This is a true and full account of my life 
 
 hitherto •, whatever is blameable in it I hope 
 
 your Reverences will pardon, as I fubmit it 
 
 entirely to your judgments. 
 
 Secretary. As I had the honour to inform 
 you before, we inquired into all thofe 
 facts which he faid happened to him in 
 ; the company of Monfieur Godartj which 
 finding to be true, we judged the reft 
 might be fo. We alked him, if he 
 would condu6l fome of our mifiionaries 
 to that ftrange country he mentioned; he 
 told us he would: but not willing to truft 
 him entirely, as not knowing what he 
 might do with them, when he had them, 
 in unknown countries, we thought fit to 
 give him his liberty firft to go where he 
 would, even out of Italy, with afiu- 
 rances, if he came back of his own ac- 
 cord, we would fend mifiionaries along 
 with him. He went to Venice and Ge- 
 noa about his concerns, and is nov/ come 
 back, and with us ; fo that we believe 
 the man to be really what he profefiTes 
 himfelf to be.] 
 
 FINIS. 
 
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