May21.
In the port of
Aguna. |
611. “Report of an Armenian, who came from the court of the Prester John some twelve days since. Goods carried from Dialeque [? Diabeque, modern Diarbekir] to the King's court, called Dombia [in the ancient French maps Dambea, modern English Dembia], “(a very great city),” twenty–five days' journey by caravan, being all kinds of India clothing, English commodities, and velvets from China of all sorts, and their worth. “Commodities which his country yieldeth, with their prices.” From Cairo to Dembia, fifty days' travel by caravan. Account of the king's state. He sits on a gilt bedstead like those of China, and daily receives great troops of men, some days 2,000, and on Fridays, their fast day, a far greater number. Thirty or forty great men sit near the king, at whose houses all complaints and suits are heard, and the king, on their report, administers justice. A great shame amongst them for any man to be drunk; the king's drink is made of honey, for they have not any wine in their country; when he eats all people depart, except his council; “the quantity of meat is little, some 15 or 20 dishes to the king's table.” The women sit and converse with the men. The Turks only come near them for merchandising. The King has four wives for succession, but the commonalty hath but one; his religion is nearer the Greeks than any other. He has not less than 300,000 fighting men; their arms are like the Turks; some 40,000 mules, the only beast they go to war with, for their long enduring and passing the mountains; they ordinarily make war with savage people who have not the knowledge of God. Great quantity of elephants, but they are not used for war, being killed for their teeth. The present king is called Susinnus. Dembia is situate on the Nile, which at that place is at least eight leagues across, and has at least eighty islands, small and great. Four or five days' journey from Dembia is a mountain called Phillassa, inhabited by Jews, so steep that they are wound up in baskets, and very high, the compass is ten days' journey; it is very fruitful, and inhabited with many people, who are tributary to Prester John, but often rebel. Zeila, two day's journey without Bab-el-mandel, is twenty-five days' journey to Dembia. [Three pages. Indorsed, “An Armenian his report of the Prester John or the Ethiopian emperor.” O. C., Vol. I., No. 84.] |
| May? |
612. Queries relative to coinage; whether the price of silver should not be raised as that of gold has been; proportion of gold to silver; the East India Company gives more for silver than the Mint master; suggestions that the East India Company should bring the bullion into the Mint, and from thence carry it away in Spanish money; officers to be appointed to see that no more be carried away than is allowed by their stint; proportion of exportation over importation certified by the merchants to be at least 200,000l. per annum; proposal that all merchants or goldsmiths be prohibited by proclamation, from giving a higher price than the King, except the East India Company. Articles to be propounded to the merchants. [DOMESTIC, Jac. I., Vol. LXIX., No. 8. Cal., p. 129. The proclamation is dated May 14, 1612.] |
