THE FIRST VOYAGE TO GUINEA 



river side, whither when they came, they were brought 

 with a great company to the presence of the king, who 

 being a blacke Moore (although not so blacke as the rest) 

 sate in a great huge hall, long and wide, the wals made of 

 earth without windowes, the roofe of thin boords, open in 

 sundry places, like unto lovers to let in the aire. 



And here to speake of the great reverence they give to 

 their king, it is such, that if we would give as much to 

 our Savior Christ, we should remoove from our heads 

 many plagues which we daily deserve for our contempt 

 and impietie. 



So it is therfore, that when his noble men are in his 

 presence, they never looke him in the face, but sit cow- 

 ring, as we upon our knees, so they upon their buttocks, 

 with their elbowes upon their knees, and their hands 

 before their faces, not looking up until the king command 

 them. And when they are comming toward the king, as 

 far as they do see him, they do shew such reverence, 

 sitting on the ground with their faces covered as before. 

 Likewise when they depart from him, they turn not their 

 backs toward him, but goe creeping backward with like 

 reverence. 



And now to speake somewhat of the communication 

 that was between the king and our men, you shall first 

 understand that he himselfe could speake the Portugall 

 tongue, which he had learned of a child. Therefore after 

 he had commanded our men to stand up, and demanded 

 of them the cause of their comming into that countrey, 

 they answered by Pinteado, that they were marchants 

 traveiling into those parties for the commodities of his 

 countrey, for exchange of wares which they had brought 

 from their countries, being such as should be no lesse 

 commodious for him and his people. The king then 

 having of old lying in a certaine store-house 30 or 40 

 kintals of Pepper (every kintall being an hundred weight) 

 willed them to looke upon the same, and againe to bring 

 him a sight of such merchandizes as they had brought 

 with them. And thereupon sent with the captaine and 



149 



A.D. 

 1553- 



The king of 

 Benin his 

 court. 



Reverence to- 

 ward the king. 



The communi- 

 cation between 

 the king of 

 Benin and our 



Pepper, 



