A true & exact history of the island of Barbados — John Shaqi
A true & exact history of the island of BarbadosLigon, Richard
History
A true & exact history of the island of Barbados
Ligon, Richard
Barbados -- Description and travel; Plants -- Barbados; Sugar -- Manufacture and refining -- Barbados
Having well refresht our selves with these excellent fruites, we
dranke a glasse or two of Red Sack; a kinde of wine growing in the
_Maderas_; verie strong, but not verie pleasant; for in this Iland,
there is made noe wine at all; nor as I thinke any of grapes, so
neere the Line upon Ilands in all the world. Having made an end of
our fruite, the dishes were taken away, and another Course fetcht in;
which was of flesh, fish, and sallets; the sallets being first plac’t
upon the table; which I tooke great heed of, being all Novelties to
me, but the best and most savourie herbs that ever I tasted, verie
well season’d with salt, Oyle, and the best vinagre. Severall sorts
we had, but not mixt, but in severall dishes, all strange, and all
excellent. The first dish of flesh, was a leg of young sturke, or
a wilde Calfe, of a yeare old; which was of the Colour of stags
flesh, and tasted very like it, full of Nerves and sinewes, strong
meat and very well Condited: boyld tender, and the sauce of savorie
herbes, with Spanish Vinagre. Turkyes and Hens we had roasted; a
gigget of young goate, fish in abundance of severall kindes, whose
names I have forgotten, Snappers, grey and red; Cavallos, Carpions,
&c: with others of rare colours and shapes, too many to be named in
this leafe; some fryed in oyle, and eaten hot, some souc’t, some
marinated: of all these we tasted, and were much delighted.
Dinner being neere halfe done, (the Padre, _Bernardo_, and the
other black atendants, waiting on us;) in comes an old fellow,
whose complexion was raised out of the red Sack; for neare that
Colour it was: his head and beard milke white, his Countenance bold
and Cheerfull, a Lute in his hand, and plaide us for a Noveltie,
The _Passame sares galiard_; a tune in great esteeme, in Harry the
fourths dayes; for when Sir _John Falstaff_ makes his Amours to
Mistresse _Doll Tear-sheet_, _Sneake_ and his Companie, the admired
fidlers of that age, playes this tune, which put a thought into my
head, that if time and tune be the Composits of Musicke, what a long
time this tune had in sayling from _England_ to this place. But we
being sufficiently satisfied with this kind of harmonie, desired a
song; which he performed in as Antique a manner; both savouring much
of Antiquitie; no Graces, double relishes, Trillos, Groppos or Piano
Forte’s, but plaine as a packstaffe; his Lute too, was but of tenne
strings, and that was in fashion in King Davids dayes; soe that the
raritie of this Antique piece, pleas’d me beyond measure.
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