5 Travels into the L e v a n t. Part \, 
and having been in procefs of time faccaged and ruined by a Romm Army, un- 
Koger, zNot- der the Command of M. Attilms, was fince annexed v/ich Sicily to that Empire, 
mm Prince, upon its fall, it was poflèiïèd by the Saracens^ from whom Roger^ a 
f'^m tffl Norman Vnmz^ Count of Scictly^ took it in the Year 1090. Since that time, 
racens. ^ ' it hath always been in the hands of Chriftians ; and in the Year 1 530, Charles 
Charles the the Fifth gave it and the Ifle of Co^o to the Knights of Jw/jC^/m, who were 
Fifth gives wandring up and dovyn for the fpace of eight years, after they had loll; Rhodes,, 
Malta to the j^^^g ^^çj, ever after called Kmghts of Malta. 1 his Ifland is low, being 
SSL only a white foft Rock, very proper for Building and making of Lime, but 
Sith the'lfle does not long refift the Sea Winds, efpecially the South Eaft Wind, that eats 
oiGo\o, it away: There is but very little Earth upon the Rock, and that ftony too, 
fo that one would think it could bear nothing at all ; Eeverthelefs it produces 
very good Fruit, bat chiefly Figs, which are as good as in Provence ; and fuch 
excellentM/f«f,for the moft part white,that it is hard to find a bad one amongfi: 
them ; they are at no pains in raifing of them, they only throw the Seed into 
the Ground like Corn, and take no care to preferve them. The Grapes that 
grow there are excellent to eat, but not to make Wine of ; they have a thick 
skin, and are flefliy, like Plumbs within. They plant Cotton, which thrives 
very well ; but fow very little Corn, for Skily furniflies the Makefe with 
The temper as much as they need. The Air there is fo hot, that there is no walking 
Malta abroad in the Sun -, and the nights are infupportable in the Summer time, not 
only becaufe of the great heats, but alfo of the Musketoes^ that are fo trou- 
blefome there, that they put the face in a gore of blood, efpecially cf new 
Comers, whom they eafily diftinguifli, fo that when a Man rifes in the mor- 
ning, he looks like one jufl; come out of the Small- pox. There is no Winter 
in this Ifland, nor no need of warming one's felf by the fire ^ on the contrary, 
they always drink their Wine with Ice. The Air is very thin and wholfom 
for Old Men, who can hardly die but Head-aches are dangerous there, and 
fore Eyes, becaufe of the whitenefs of the Earth, which makes m?.ny Com- 
Green Spe- zanders and Kaights to wear green Speflacles,though I cannot tell but tliat the 
ttaces. Glafs by contrafting the beams of the Sun, may burn their Eyes. There is 
no venomous Creature upon that Ifland, and none can live there, which is a 
St. much Miracle the Inhabitants afcribe to St. P^r/;/, to whom they are much devoted, 
reverenced in and believe that it is an efîèdt of the Benedidion which that Saint gave, after 
Malta. jiis shipwreck, when he was attacked by the Viper mentioned in thexxviii. 
of the A^s of the Apoftles ; from which having received no hurt, they were fo 
The Earth of amazed, that they Believed in God. They give the Earth of the Grott where 
st.P^M/sGrcrt. vvas, for a Remedy againfl: the fl:inging of Serpents, and other poyfons ; 
nay, againfl; all putrid and malignant Fevers alfo, with better fuccefs than the 
Terra Sigillata, as many have found by experience, having thereby recovered 
their health;they attribute thisVirtue alfo to theBenedidion of St.Pauly^nd feve- 
ral Barks are yearly loaded with it, to be tranfported into other places cf Chri- 
ftendom. Amongfl: the Rocks of this lfland,they find thofe Stones that look like 
The Stone of a Serpents Eye, which feme carry upon their fingers, fet in Rings, becaufe of 
the Serpent's virtue that they are thought to have againll poyfon. This Ifland is very 
populous, and v/hen, in the Year 1 590, a Calculation was made of the number 
of the Inhabitants, by Command of the Count of Alvadelifia^ Vice-Roy of 
Naples J that he might know what quantity of Corn was neceflTary for them; 
they found in the Bourg, the Old Town, the Town of f^aletta, the Ifle of 
St. Michael, and in feven Pariflies , which contain above thirty fix Viflages, 
feven and twenty Thoufand Men, not reckoning the Knights of the Order, 
and their Servants. The Maltefe are of a brown complexion, and are much 
of the nature of the Sicilians, at leafl:, in point of Revenge. The Women are 
beautiful and pretty familiar ^ in the ftreets they cover their heads with a Man- 
tle that reaches down to the ground, but though they hide their own face, 
yet they fee every body without being known. The Native Language of the 
Ifle of Malta, is Arabickj) but the Italian is very common there, efpecially in 
the Town. 
The Ifle of Malta hath feveral Ports and Creeks, well defended by Forts 
Marfmowhst, upon them-, but, amongfl: others, there are two great Havens open to 
Voxtïnmtâ. North Eaft, one of which is called Marfamcuchet^ and the other is the 
great 
/ 
