Tribunal fourteen steps high that was all overlaid with fine gold Her face was very beautiful and her hands were heaved up towards Heaven at her armpits hung a many of little idols not above half a finger long filed together whereupon demanding of the Chineses what those meant they answered us That after the waters of Heaven had overflowed the earth so that all mankind was drowned by an universal Deluge God seeing that the world would be desolate and no body to inhabit it he sent the goddess Amida the chief Lady of honour to his wife Nacapirau from the Heaven of the Moon that she might repair the loss of drowned mankind and that then the goddess having set her feet on a Land from which the waters were withdrawn called Calemphuy which was the same Island whereof I have spoken heretofore in the streight of Nanquin whereof Antonio de Faria went on land she was changed all into gold and in that manner standing upright with her face looking up unto Heaven she sweat out at her armpits a great number of children namely males out of the right and females out of the left having no other place about her body whence she might bring them forth as other women of the world have who have sinned and that for a chastisement of their sin God by the order of nature hath subjected them to a misery full of corruption and filthiness for to shew how odious unto him the sin was that had been committed against him The goddess Amida having thus brought forth these creatures which they affirm were thirty three thousand three hundred thirty and three two parts of them females and the other males for so say they the world was to be repaired she remained so feeble and faint with this delivery having no body to assist her at her need that she fell down dead in the place for which cause the Moon at that time in memory of this death of hers whereat she was infinitely grieved put her self into mourning which mourning they affirm to be those black spots we ordinarily behold in her face occasioned indeed by the shadow of the earth and that when there shall be so many years ran out as the goddess Amida brought forth children which were as I have delivered thirty three thousand three hundred thirty and three then the Moon will put off her mourning and afterwards be as clear as the day With these and such like fopperies did the Chineses so turmoil us as we could not chuse but grieve to consider how much those people which otherwise are quick of apprehension and of good understanding are abused in matter of Religion with such evident and manifest untruths After we were come out of this great place where we saw all these things we went unto another Temple of religious Votaries very sumptuous and rich where they told us the Mother of the then reigning King named Nhay Camisama did abide but thereunto we were not permitted to enter because we were strangers From this place through a street arched all along we arrived at a Key called Hichario Topileu where lay a great number of vessels full of pilgrims from divers Kingdoms which came incessantly on pilgrimage to this Temple for to gain as they believe plenary indulgences which the King of China and the Chaems of the Government do grant unto them besides many priviledges and franchises throughout the whole Country where victuals are given them abundantly and for nothing I will not speak of many other Temples or Pagodes which we saw in this City whilest we were at liberty for I should never have done to make report of them all howbeit I may not omit some other particulars that I hold very fit to be related before I break off this discourse whereof the first were certain houses in several parts of this City called Laginampurs that is to say The School of the poor wherein fatherless and motherlesâ— children that are found in the streets are taught to write and read as also some trade whereby they may get their living and of these houses or schools there are about some five hundred in this City Now if it happen that any of them through some defect of nature cannot learn a trade then have they recourse to some means for to make them get their living according to each ones incommodity As for example if they be blind they make them labour in turning of handmils if they be lame of their feet they cause them to make laces riband and such like manufactures if they be lame of their hands then they make them earn their living by carrying of burdens but if they be lame both of feet and hands so that nature hath wholly deprived them of means to get their living then they shut them up in great Convents where there are a number of persons that pray for the dead amongst whom they place them and so they have their share of half the offerings that are made there the Priests having the other half if they be dumb then they are shut up in a great house where they are maintained with the amerciaments that the common sort of women as oyster-wives and such like are condemned in for their scolding and fighting one with another As for old queans that are past the trade and such of the younger sort as by the lewd exercise thereof are becomâ— diseased with the pox or other filthy sickness they are put into other houses where they are very well looked unto and furnished abundantly with all things necessary at the charge of the other women that are of the same trade who thereunto pay a certain sum monthly and that not unwillingly because they know that they shall come to be so provided for themsâ—lves by others and for the collecting of this mony there are Commissioners expresly deputed in several parts of the City There are also other houses much like unto Monasteries where a great many of young maids that are Orpâ—ans are bred up and these houses are maintained at the charge of such women as are convicted of adultery for say they it is most just that if there be one which hath lost her self by her dishonesty there should be another that should be maintained by her vertue Other places there are also where decayed old people are kept at the charge of Lawyers that plead unjust causes where the parties have no right and of Judges that for favoring one more thâ—n another and corrupted with bribes do not execute justice as they ought to do whereby one may see with how much order and policy these people govern all things In the prosecution of my discourse it will not be amiss here to deliver the marvellous order and policy which the Kings of China observe in furnishing their States abundantly with provisions and victuals for the relief of the poor people which may very well serve for an example of charity and good government to Christian Kingdoms and Commonwealths Their Chronicles
men were only going forth to apprehend an offendor by the Kings commandment Having said thus with an intent to confirm me I could not for all that be satisfied but was seized with so terrible a fear as I was not able to utter a word howbeit at length recollecting my self a little I signified to them the best I could how if they would permit me to return to my Skiff for to fetch a thing which I had forgotten I would give them forty Crowns in Gold whereunto they answered that if I would give them all the Silver in Malaca they would not let me go for if they should they were sure to lose their heads This speech of theirs redoubled my fear which yet increased when I saw my self invironned with twenty more of those armed men who guarded me all that night The next morning the King being advertised that I was there commanded me to be brought unto him into the next Court where I found him mounted on an Elephant and accompanied with an hundred persons besides those of his guard which were far more in number When he saw me coming towards him much troubled and indeed more dead then alive he said twice to me Be not afraid but come nearer to me and thou shalt know the cause why I sent for thee Thereupon having made a sign to me with his hand that I should look that way he pointed me to I turned me about and beheld a great many bodies extended on the place and weltring in their own blood amongst the which I presently knew the Mahometan Coia Ale with whom I came which I no sooner perceived but like a man distraught of his wits I cast my self at the feet of the Elephant whereupon the King rode and with tears in my eyes cryed out O Sir have pity on me and take me for thy slave rather then cause me to end my days with the torments which have taken those out of the world whom I see here I swear unto thee by the faith of a Christian that I have not deserved death as having no way offended thee Consider likewise I beseech thee that I am Nephew to the Captain of Malaca who will give thee any ransom for me thou wil◠desire as also that thou hast the Iurupango wherein I came in thy Port full of goods all which thou mayst take it if thou pleasest Hearing me speak in this sort God forbid said he that ever I should do any such thing no no be not afraid but stand up and recollect thy self for I see well thou art much troubled and when thou art in better case to hear me I will tell thee wherefore I caused the Moor that came with thee to be executed and in good faith if he had been either a Portugal or a Christian I would not have put him to death no though he had killed mine own son Howbeit perceiving that all which he could say would not rid me of my fear he commanded a pot of fresh water to be brought me whereof I drunk a pretty quantity and withall made one of his followers to fan me with a ventilow for to refresh me A quarter of an hour or thereabouts was spent in this action at the end thereof finding that I was so well recovered as I was able with good sence to answer unto the questions he should ask me Portugal said he unto me I know that thou hast bern told since thy coming hither how I killed my Father as indeed I did because I was sure he would have killed me incited thereunto by the false reports of some of his slaves would have made him believe that I had gotten my mother with child whereof I had never so much as the least thought whereby thou mayst see what ill tongues can do Indeed it is true that being most assured he had without all reason given such credit to those slanderous reports as he was fully resolved to have taken away my life to decline that imminent peril I prevented him and caught him in the same snare he had layd for me But God knows how much against my mind this fell out and how I always made it my chiefest glory to render him the dutiful offices of a most obedient son as it may well appear now at this present for to keep my mother from being a sad and desolate widow as many others are seeing my self to be the cause of her misery and obliged to comfort her I have taken her to wife judg then whether I have been wrongfully blamed or no since that for her I have refused many great parties that have been propounded unto me from Patacia Berdio Tanauçarin Siaca Iamba and Andragia who were no less then Sisters and Daughters of Kings and offered unto me with very rich dowries Now being informed that such false reports had been dispersed abroad of me for to arrest the tongues of Detractors which are so audacious as to talk of any thing comes in their heads I caused it to be proclaimed that none should dare to speak of that affair But for as much as without any regard at all of this my Injunction this fellow of thine which lies there in the company of those other Dogs like unto himself spoke yesterday of me most reproachfully in publique saying I was an Hog or worse then a very Hog and my mother a salt Bitch as well to punish his slanders as to preserve my honor I was constrained to put him to death together with these other Dogs who were no less slanderous then he Wherefore I am to desire thee that as my friend thou wilt not think this procedure of mine any way strange Now if thou shouldst happen to think that I have done it on purpose to seize upon the Captain of Malaca's goods be confident that I never meant it thou mayst truly certifie him so much For I swear unto thee by my Law that I have ever been a great friend to the Portugals and so will continue all my life Hereupon being somewhat recovered from the fear I was in a little before I answered him How his Highness had much obliged his very good friend and brother the Captain of Malaca by the execution of that Mahometan who had imbezelled away a great part of the goods committed to his charge and understanding that I had discovered his knavery he had twice gone about to poyson me whereunto also I added how this Dog when he was drunk would bark at every one and speak his pleasure at large This answer made upon the sudden and not knowing well what I said very much pleased the King who commanding me to come nearer to him Verily continued he by this speech of thine I perceive thou art an honest man and my friend and being so I doubt not but thou wilt give a good interpretation to my actions contrary to those mastiff Dogs that lie there weltring in their own blood Having said so he took a purse from his girdle trimmed with gold
himself that out of his impatience judged according to the wicked inclination of his heart Moreover asking of them whether in their Law they believed that the great God which governeth this All came at any time into the world clothed with a humane form they said No because there could be nothing that might oblige him to so great an extremity in regard he was through the excellency of the divine Nature delivered from our miseries and far esloigned from the Treasures of the Earth all things being more then base in the presence of his splendor By these answers of theirs we perceived that these people had never attained to any knowledg of our truth more then their eyes made them to see in the picture of Heaven and in the beauty of the day for continually in their Combayes which are their prayers lifting up their hands they say By thy works Lord we confess thy greatness After this Antonio de Faria set them at liberty and having given them certain presents wherewith they were very well pleased he caused them to be conveyed to Land that done the wind beginning a little to rise he set sail having all his Vessels adoâ—ned with divers coloured Silks their Banners Flags and Streamers displayed and a Standart of Trade hung out after the manner of the Country to the end they might be taken for Merchants and not for Pyrats and so an hour after he anchored just against the Key of the Town which he saluted with a little peal of Ordnance whereupon ten or eleven Almadiaes came presently to us with good store of refreshments Howbeit finding us to be strangers and discerning by our habits that we were neither Siams Iaos nor Malayos nor yet of any other Nation that ever they had seen they said one to another Please Heaven that the dew of the fresh morning may be as profitable to us all as this evening seems fair with the presence of these whom our eyes behold Having said thus one of the Almadiaes asked leave to come aboard us which they were told they might do because we were all their brothers so that three of nine which were in that Almadia entred into our Junk whom Antonio de Faria received very kindly and causing them to sit down upon a Turky Carpet by him he told them that he was a Merchant of the Kingdom of Siam and going with his goods towards the Isle of Ainan he had been advertised that he might better and more securely sell off his Commodities in this Town then in any other place because the Merchants thereof were juster and truer of their word then the Chineses of the Coast of Ainan Whereunto they thus answered Thou art not deceived in that which thou sayst for if thou be a Merchant as thou affirmest beleeve it that in every thing and every where thou shalt be honored in this place wherefore thou mayst sleep without fear Antonio de Faria mistrusting some intelligence might come over Land concerning that which he had done to the Pyrat upon the River of Tanauquir and so might work him some prejudice would not dis-imbarque his goods as the Officers of the Custom-house would have had him which was the cause of much displeasure and vexation to him afterward so that his business was twice interrupted by that means wherefore perceiving that good words would not serve to make them consent to his Propositions he sent them word by a Merchant who dealt between them that he knew well enough they had a great deal of reason to require the landing of his goods because it was the usual course for every one so to do But he assured them that he could not possibly do it in regard the season was almost past and therefore he was of necessity to hasten his departure as soon as might be the rather too for the accommodating of the Junk wherein he came for as much as she took in so much water that threescore Mariners were always laboring at three pumps to clear her whereby he ran a great hazard of losing all his goods And that touching the Kings Customs he was contented to pay them not after thirty in the hundred as they demanded but after ten as they did in other Kingdoms and so much he would pay presently and willingly To this offer they rendred no answer but detained him that carried the message prisoner Antonio de Faria seeing that his messenger returned not set sâ—il immediately hanging forth a number of flags as one that cared not whether he sold or no Whereupon the Merchants strangers that were come thither to trade perceiving the Commodities of which they hoped to make some profit to be going out of the Port through the perversness and obstinacy of the Nautarel of the Town they went all to him and desired him to recall Antonio de Faria otherwise they protested to complain to the King of the injustice he did them in being the cause of hindring their Traffique The Nautarel that is the Governor with all the Officers of the Custom-house fearing left they might upon this occasion be turned out of their places condescended to their request upon condition since we would pay but ten in the hundred that they should pay five more whereunto they agreed and instantly sent away the Merchant whom they had detained prisoner with a Letter full of complements wherein they declared the agreement they had made Antonio de Faria answered them that since he was out of the Port he would not re-enter it upon any terms by reason he had not leasure to make any stay howbeit if they would buy his Commodities in gross bringing lingots of silver with them for that purpose he would sell them to them and in no other manner would deal for he was much distasted with the little respect the Nautarel of the Town had carried towards him by despising his messages and if they were contented to accept thereof that then they should let him know so much within an hour at the farthest otherwise he would sail away to Ainan where he might put off his Commodities far better then there They finding him so resolved and doubting to lose so fair an occasion as this was for them to return into their Country embarqued themselves in five great Lighters with forty chests full of lingots of silver and a many sacks to bring away the Pepper and arriving at Antonio de Faria's Junk they were very well received by him unto whom they represented anew the agreement they had made with the Nautarel of the Town greatly complaining of his ill Government and of some wrongs which without all reason he had done them but since they had pacified him by consenting to give him fifteen in the hundred whereof they would pay five they desired him to pay the ten as he had promised for otherways they could not buy his Commodities Whereunto Antonio de Faria answered that he was contented so to do more for the love of them then for any profit
you may and cause us not to be all miserably slain with your further stay Howbeit little regarding or afraid of their words he went ashore only with six souldiers having no other arms but swords and targots and going up the stairs of the Key whither it were that he was vext for having lost so fair an occasion or carried thereunto by his courage he entered into the gallery that invironed the Island and ran up and down in it like a mad man without meeting any body That done and being returned abord his vessel much grieved and ashamed he consulted with his company about what they should do who were of opinion that the best course we could take was to depart and therefore they required him to put it accordingly in execution Seeing them all so resolved and fearing some tumults among the souldiers he was fain to answer that he was also of their mind but first he thought it fit to know for what cause they should fly away in that manner and therefore he desired them to stay for him a little in that place because he would trie whether he could learn by some means or other the truth of the matter whereof they had but a bare suspition for which he told them he would ask but half an hour at the most so that there would be time enough to take order for any thing before day some would have alledged reasons against this but he would not hear them wherefore having caused them all to take their oaths upon the holy Evangelists that they would stay for him he returned to land with the same souldiers that had accompanied him before and entering into the little wood he heard the sound of a bell which addressed him to another Hermitage far richer then that wherein we were the day before There he met with two men apparaled like Monks with large hoods which made him think they were Hermits of whom he presently laid hold wherewith one of them was so terrified as he was not able to speak a good while after Hereupon four of the six souldiers past into the Hermitage and took an Idol of silver from the altar having a crown of gold on its head and a wheel in its hand they also brought away three candlesticks of silver with long chains of the same belonging to them This performed Antonio de Faria carrying the two Hermits along with him went abord again and sailing away he propounded divers questions to him of the two that was least affraid threatning to use him in a strange fashion if he did not tell the truth This Hermit seeing himself so menaced answered That an holy man named Pilau Angiroo came about midnight to the house of the Kings Sepultures where knocking in haste at the gate he cryed out saying O miserable men buried in the drunkenness of carnal sleep who by a solemn vow have profest your selves to the honour of the Goddess Amida the rich reward of our labouâ—s hear hear hear O the most wretched men that ever were born There are strangers come into our Island from the further end of the World which have long beards and bodies of Iron these wicked creatures have entred into the Holy House of the seven and twenty Pillars of whose sacred Temple an holy man is keeper that hath told it me where after they had ransacked the rich treasures of the Saints they contemptedly threw their bones to the ground which they prophaned with their stinking and infectious spitting and made a mockerie of them like Devils obstinate and hardned in their wretched sins wherefore I advise you to look well to your selves for it is said that they have sworn to kill us all as soon as it is day Fly away then or call some people to your succour since being Religious men you are not permitted to meddle with any thing that may shed the blood of man Herewith they presently arose and ran to the gate where they found the Hermite laid on the ground and half dead with grief and wearinesse through the imbecillity of his age whereupon the Grepos and Meingrepos made those fires that you saw and withall sent in all haste to the Towns of Corpilem and Fonbana for to succour them speedily with the Forces of the Country so that you may be assured it will not be long before they fall upon this place with all the fury that may be Now this is all that I am able to say concerning the truth of this affair wherefore I desire you to return us both unto our Hermitage with our lives saved for if you do not so you will commit a greater sin then you did yesterday Remember also that God in regard of the continuall penance we perform hath taken us so far into his protection as he doth visit us almost every hour of the day wherefore labour to save your selves as much as you will yet shall you hardly do it For be sure that the earth the air the winds the waters the beasts the fishes the fowls the trees the plants and all things created will pursue and torment you so cruelly as none but he that lives in heaven will be able to help you Antonio de Faria being hereby certainly informed of the truth of the businesse sailed instantly away tearing his hair and beard for very rage to see that through his negligence and indiscretion he had lost the fairest occasion that ever he should be able to meet withall CHAP. XXVI Our casting away in the Gulf of Nanquin with all that befell us after this lamentable Shipwrack WE had already sailed seven dayes in the Gulf of Nanquin to the end that the force of the Current might carry us the more swiftly away as men whose safety consisted wholly in flight for we were so desolate and sad that we scarce spake one to another In the mean time we arrived at a Village called Susequerim where no news being come either of us or what we had done we furnished our selves with some Victual and getting Information very covertly of the course we were to hold we departed within two hours after and then with the greatest speed we could make we entred into a straight named Xalingau much lesse frequented then the gulf that we had past here we navigated nine dayes more in which time we ran an hundred and fourty leagues then entring again into the said Gulf of Nanquin which in that place was not above ten or eleven leagues broad we sailed for the space of thirteen dayes from one side to another with a Westerly winde exceedingly afflicted both with the great labour we were fain to indure and the cruel fear we were in besides the want we began to feel of Victuals In this case being come within sight of the mountains of Conxinacau which are in the height of forty and one degrees there arose so terrible a Southwind called by the Chineses Tufaon as it could not possibly be thought a natural thing so that our Vessels being
been cast away just against the Isles of Lamau having lost all that we had and nothing left us but our miserable bodies in the case they now saw us moreover we added that being thus evil intreated by fortune arriving at the City of Taypor the Chumbin of Justice had caused us to be apprehended without any cause laying to our charge that we were thieves and vagabonds who to avoid pains-taking went begging from door to door entertaining our idle laziness with the alms that were given us unjusty whereof the Chumbin having made informations at his pleasure as being both Judg and party he had laid us in irons in the prison where for two and forty days space we had indured incredible pain and hunger and no man would hear us in our justifications as well because we had not wherewithall to give presents for to maintain our right as for that we wanted the language of the Country In conclusiâ—n we told them how in the mean time without any cognisance of the cause we had been condemned to be whipped as also to have our thumbs cut off like thieves so that we had already suffered the first punishment with so much rigour and cruelty that the marks thereof remained but two visibly upon our wretched bodies and therefore we conjured them by the charge they had to serve God in assisting the afflicted that they would not abandon us in this need the rather for that our extream poverty rendred as odious to all the world and exposed us to the induring of all affronts These two men having heard us attentively remained very pensive and amazed at our speech at length lifting up their eyes all bathed with tears to heaven and kneeling down on the ground O almighty Lord said they that governest in the highest places and whose patience is incomprehensible be thou evermore blessed for that thou art pleased to harken unto the complaints of necessitous and miserable men to the end that the great offences committed against thy divine goodness by the Ministers of Iustice may not rest unpunished as we hope that by thy holy Law they will be chastised at one time or other Whereupon they informed themselves more amply by those who were about us of what we had told them and presently sending for the Register in whose hands our sentence was they straitly commanded him that upon pain of grievous punishment he should forthwith bring them all the proceedings which had been used against us as instantly he did now the two Officers seeing there was no remedy for the whipping that we had suffâ—red presented a Petition in our behalf unto the Chaem whereunto this Answer was returned by the Court Mercy hath no place where Iustice looseth her name in regard whereof your request cannot be granted This Answer was subscribed by the Chaem and eight Conchacis that are like criminal Judges This hard proceeding much astonished these two Proctors for the poor so named from their office wheâ—efore carried with an extream desire to draw us out of this misery they presently preferred another Petition to the Soveraign Court of Justice of which I spake in the precedent Chapter where the Menigrâ—pos and Talegrepos were Judges an Assembly which in their language is called The breath of the Creator of all things In this Petition as sinners confessing all that we were accusâ—d of we had recourse to mercy vvhich sorted well for us for as soon as the Petition was presented unto them they read the Processe quite through and finding that our right was overborn for vvant of succour they instantly dispatched away two of their Court vvho with an expresse Mandate undâ—r their hands and Seals went and prohibited the Chaems Court from intermedling with this cause which they commanded away before them In obedience to this Prohibition the Chaems Court made this Decree We that are assembled in this Court of Iustice of the Lyon crowned in the throne of the world having perused the Petition presented to the four and twenty Iudges of the austere life do consent that those nine strangers be sent by way of appeal to the Court of the Aytau of Aytaus in the Citie of Pequin to the end that in mercy the sentence pronounced against them may be favourably moderated Given the seventh day of the fourth Moon in the three and twentieth year of the raign of the Son of the Sun This Decree being signed by the Chaem and the eight Conchacis was presently brought us by the two Proctors for the poor upon the Receit whereof we told them that we could but pray unto God to reward them for the good they had done us for his sake whereunto beholding us with an eye of pitie they answered May his Celestial goodness direct you in the knowledge of his works that thereby you may with patience gather the fruit of your labours as they which fear to offend his holy Name After we had past all the adversities and miseries whereof I have spoken before we were imbarqued in the company of some other thirty or forty Prisoners that were sent as we were from this Court of Justice to that other Soveraign one by way of appeal there to be either acquitted or condemned according to the crimes they had committed and the punishment they had deserved Now a day before our departure being imbarqued in a Lanteaa and chained three and three together the two Proctors for the poor came to us and first of all furnishing us with all things needful as clothes and Victuals they asked us whether we wanted any thing else for our Voyage Whereunto we answered that all we could desire of them was that they would be pleased to convert that further good they intended to us into a Letter of Recommendation unto â—he Officers of that holy Fraternity of the Citie of Pequin thereby to oblige them to maintain the right of our cause in regard as they very well knew they should otherwise be sure to be utterly abandoned of every one by reâ—son they were strangers and altogether unknown The Proctors hearing us speak in this manner Say not so replyed they for though your ignorance discharges you before God yet have you committed a great sin because the more you are abased in the world through poverty the more shall you be exalted before the eyes of his divine Majesty if you patiently bear your crosses whereunto the flesh indeed doth always oppose it self being evermore rebellious against the Spirit but as a Bird cannot fly without her wings no more can the soul meditate without works As for the Letter you require of us we will give it you most willingly knowing it will be very necessary for you to the end that the favour of good people be not wanting to you in your need This said they gâ—ve us a sack ful of Rice together with four Taeis in silver and a Coverlet to lay upon us Then having very much recommended us unto the Chifuu who was the Officer of
of light women exempted from the tribute which they of the City pay for that they are Curtisans whereof the most part had quitted their husbands for to follow the wretched trade and if for that cause they come to receive any hurt their husbands are grievously punished for it because they are there as in a place of freedom and under the protection of the Tutan of the Court Lord Steward of the Kings house In this inclosure do likewise remain all the Landresses by them called Maynates which wash the linnen of the City who as we were told are above an hundred thousand and live in this quarter for that there are divers rivers there together with a number of wells and deep pools of water compassed about with good walls Within this same inclosure as the said Aquisendan relates there are thirteen hundred gallant and very sumptuous houses of religioâ—s men and women who make profession of the four principal Laws of those two and thirty which are in the Empire of China and it is thought that in some of these houses there are above a thousand persons besides the servants that from abroad do furnish them with victuals and other necessary provisions We saw also a great many houses which have fair buildings of a large extent with spacious inclosures wherein there are gardens and very thick woods full of any kind of game either for hawking or hunting that may be desired And these houses are as it were Inns whither come continually in great number people of all ages and sexeâ— as to see Comedies Playes Combates Bul-baitings Wrastlings and magnificent Feasts with the Tutons Chaems Conchacys Aytaos Bracalons Chumbims Monteos Lauteas Lords Gentlemen Captains Merchants and other rich men do make for to give content to their kindred and friends These houses are bravely furnished with rich hangings beds chairs and stools as likewise with huge cupbards of plate not only of silver but of gold also and the attendants that wait at the table are maids ready to be married very beautiful and gallantly attired howbeit all this is nothing in comparison of the sumptuousness and other Magnificences that we saw there Now the Chineses assured us there were some feasts that lasted ten days after the Carachina or Chinese manner which in regard of the state pomp and charge thereof as well in the attendance of servants and wayters as in the costly fare of all kind of flesh fowl fish and all delicacies in musick in sports of hunting and hawking in playes comedies tilts turnayes and in shews both of horse and foot fighting and skirmishing together do cost above twenty thousand Taeis These Inns do stand in at least a million of gold and are maintained by certain Companies of very rich Merchants who in way of commerce and traffique employ their mony therein where by it is thought they gain far more then if they should venture it to sea It is said also that there is so good and exact an order observed there that whensoever any one will be at a charge that way he goes to the Xipaton of the house who is the superintendant thereof and declares unto him what his designe is whereupon he shews him a book all divided into chapters which treats of the ordering and sumptuousness of Feasts as also the rates of them and how they shall be served in to the end that he who will be at the charge may chuse which he pleases This book called Pinetoreu I have seen and heard it read so that I remember how in the three first Chapters thereof it speaks of the feasts whereunto God is to be invited and of what price they are and then it descends to the King of China of whom it sayes That by a speciall grace of Heaven and right of Soveraignty he hath the Government of the whole earth and of all the Kings that inhabit it After it hath done with the King of China it speaks of the feasts of the Tutons which are the ten Soveraign dignities that command over the forty Chaems who are as the Vice-royes of the State These Tutons also are termed the beams of the Sun for say they as the King of China is the Son of the Sun so the Tutons who represent him may rightly be termed his beams for that they proceed from him even as the rayes do from the Sun But setting aside the bruitishness of these Gentiles I will only speak of the Feast whereunto God is to be invited which I have seen some to make with much devotion though for want of faith their works can do them little good CHAP. XXXIV The Order which is observed in the Feasts that are made in certain Inns and the State which the Chaem of the two and thirty Vniversities keeps with certain remarkable things in the City of Pequin THe first thing whereof mention is made in the Preface of that Book which treats of Feasts as I have said before is the Feast that is to be made unto God here upon earth of which it is spoken in this manner Every Feast how sumptuous soever it be may be paid for with a price more or less conformable to the bounty of him that makes it who for all his charge bestowed on it reaps no other recompence then the praise of flatterers and idle persons wherefore O my Brother saith the Preface of the said Book I counsel thee to imploy thy goods in feasting of God in his poor that is to say secretly to supply the necessities of good folks so that they may not perish for want of that which thou hast more then thou needest Call to mind also the vile matter wherewith thy father ingendred thee and that too which is far more abject wherewith thy mother conceived thee and so thou wilt see how much inferiour thou art even to the bruit beasts which without distinction of reason apply themselves to that whereunto they are carried by the flesh and seeing that in the quality of a man thou wilt invite thy friends who possibly by to morrow may not be to shew that thou art good and faithful invite the poor creatures of God of whose groans and necessities he like a pitiful Father taketh compassion and promiseth to him that doth them good infinite satisfaction in the house of the Sun where as an Article of faith we hold that his servants shall abide for evermore in eternal happiness After these words and other such like worthy to be observed the Xipaton who as I told you is the chief of them that govern this great Labyrinth shews him all the Chapters of the Book from one end to the other and bids him look what manner of men or Lords he will invite what number of guests and how many days he will have the feast to last for addeth he the Kings and Tutons at the feasts that are made for them have so many Messes of meat so many Attendants such Furniture such Chambers such vessel such plate such sports
tears Whereupon turning him towards us who all this while lay prostrated on the ground with our hands lifted up as if we were worshipping God I must confess said he unto us that I have so great compassion of your misery and am so grieved to see you so poor as you are as I assure you in all verity that I had rather if it were the good pleasure of the King be like unto one of you as wretched as you are then to see my self in this office which questionless was conferred on me for my sins wherefore I would be loth to offend you but the duty of my place obliging me thereunto I must desire you as friends not to be troubled if I ask you some questions which are necessary for the good of Iustice and as touching your deliverance if God affords me life be assured you shall have it for I am most confident that the King my Masters inclination to the poor is truly Royal. These promises exceedingly contented us and to thank him for them we had recourse to our tears which we shed in abundance for our hearts were so full as we could not possibly bring forth a word to answer him The Broquen caused four Registers the two Peretandaos of the Court aforesaid and some eleven or twelve other Officers of Justice to come immediately before him Then rising on his feet he began with a severe countenance and a naked Scymitar in his hand to examine us speaking so loud as every one might hear him I Pinaquila said he Broquen of this City of Pungor by the good pleasure of him whom we all hold for the hairs of our heads King of the Nation of the Lequios and of all this Country of the two Seas where the fresh and salt waters divide the Mynes of his treasures do advise and command you by the rigour and force of my words to tell me clearly and with a clean heart what people and of what Nation you are as also where your Country is and how it is called To this demand we answered according to the truth that we were Portugals Natives of Malaca It is well added he but what adventure brought you into this Country and whither did you intend to go when as you suffered shipwrack We replied thereunto That being Merchants who make no other profession then of traffique we had imbarqued our selves in the Kingdom of China for to go from the Port of Liampoo to Tanixumaa where we had formerly been but that arriving near to the Island of Fire we were surprized by a mighty tempest so that not able to oppose the violence of the Sea we were constrained to lie at the mercy of the winds for the space of three dayes and three nights together and that at the end thereof our Junck ran her self upon the Sands of Taydican where of ninety and two persons that we were threescore and eight were drowned no more escaping of that great number but these four and twenty of us which stood before him all covered over with wounds that were saved as it were by miracle through the spâ—cial grace of God At these words standing a little in suspence By what tytle replied he did you possess so much riches and so many pieces of silk which were in your Iunck and that were worth above an hundred Taeis as I am informed Truly it is not credible that you could get so much wealth any other way then by theeving which being a great offence against God is a thing proper to the servants of the Serpent of the house of smoak and not to those of the house of the Sun where they that are just and of a pure heart do bathe themselves amidst perfumes in the great Pool of the most Almighty We answered hereunto that assuredly we were Merchants and not thieves as he was pleased to charge us because the God in whom we believed forbad us by his holy Law either to kill or to rob Hereupon the Broquen beholding them which were about him Doubtless continued he if that which these men affirm be true we may well say that they are like unto us and that their God is much better then all others as me thinks may be inferred from the truth of their words Then turning himself towards us he examined us as before with a stern countenance and the behaviour of a Judg that exerciseth his charge with integrity In this examination he bestowed almost an hour and in the last place said unto us I would fain know why those of your Country when as heretofore they took Malaca carried thereunto by extream avarice did kill our men with so little pity which is still made good by divers widdows who in these Countries have survived their husbands To this we made answer how that hapned rather by the chance of war then out of any desire of robbing which we had never used to do in any place wheresoever we came What is this you say replied he can you maintain that he that conquers doth not rob that he which useth force doth not kill that he which shews himself covetous is not a thief that which he oppresseth performs not the action of a Tyrant and lo all these are the goodly qualities which are given to you and whereof you are said to be culpable and that by the affirmation of verity it self whence it is manifest that Gods abandoning of you and permitting the waves of the Sea to swallow you up is rather a pure â—ffect of his justice then any injury that is done to you This said he arose out of the Chair where he was set and commanded the Officers to return us back to prison promising to give us audience according to the grace which it should please the King to shew us and the compassion that he would have of us wherewith we were very much afflicted and in great dispair of our lives The next day the King was advertised as well of our imprisonment as of the â—nswers we had made by the Broquens letters wherein he had intermingled something in favour of us by means whereof he did not cause us to be executed as it was said he had resolved to have done upon certain false reports which the Chineses had made to him of us In this prison we continued very near two months with much pain never hearing in all that time so much as any word spoken of that first proceeding against us Now forasmuch as the King desired to be more amply informed concerning us by other more particular inquiries then the letters of the Broquen he senâ— a certain man unto us named Randinaa for to come secretly to the prison where we were to the end that under the pretext of being a Merchantâ— stranger he might exactly learn the cause of ouâ— arrival in that place and that upon the report he should make thereof to the King he might proceed to do that which should seem just unto him Howbeit though this was closely
carried yet was it our good fortune to be advertised of it the day before his coming to us so that we had time enough to arm our selves outwardly with all the apparances of misery and affliction we could possibly devise and counterfeit which expedient next to Gods assistance stood us in more stead then any other we could have thought upon This man then came one morning well accompanied to the prison and after he had viewed us all one after another he called to him the Iurabaca who served to interpret for him Ask these men said he what is the cause that the mighty hand of God hath so abandoned them as to permit their lives through an effect of his Divine Iustice to be subjected to the judgement of men without having so much remorse of conscience as to set before their eyes the tâ—rrour of that dreadful vision which doth use to fright the soul at the last gasp of a mans life for it is to be believed that they who have done that which I observe in them have heaped sin upon sin We answered him thereunto that he had a great deal of reason for what he spake in regard it was very probable that the sins of men were the principal cause of their sufferings howbeit that God as the Soveraign Lord of all did nevertheless in that case accustome to take pity of them with sobs and tears continually called upon him and that it was also his bounty wherein all our hope was placed to the end he would be pleased to inspire the Kings heart with a will to do as justice according to our works for that we were poor strangers destitute of all favour a thing whereof men make most account in this woâ—ld That which you say replyed he is very well provided that your hearts be conformable to your words and then you are not to be found fault with for it is most certain that he which enammels all that our eyes do behold for the beautifying â—f the night and that hath likewise made whatsoever the day doth shâ—w us for the sustenance of man who are but worms of the earth will not refuse you your deliverance seeing you beg of him with so many sighs and tears wherefore I intreat you not to dissemble with me but truly to confess what I desire to understand from you at this present namely what people you are of what Nation in what part of the world you live in and how the Kingdom of your King is named whereunto you shall adde the cause that hath brought you hither and to what place you were going with so much riches which the Sea hath cast up on the shoars of Taydican whereat all the Inhabitants have so wondred as they were perswaded that you were Masters of all the Trade of China To these and other like questions which this Spie asked of us we returned him such answers as was most behoofull for us to give him wherewith he was so contented that making us many offers he promised to move the King for our deliverance In the mean time he spake not a word to us of the occasion for which he was sent but still fained himself to be a stranger and a Merchant like one of us Howbeit when he went away he carefully recommended us to the Jaylour and willed him not to let us want any thing promising to satisfie him for it to his content In acknowledgment whereof we gave him many humble thanks with tears in our eyes whereby he was greatly moved to compassion so that he gave us a Bracelet of gold that weighed thirty Duckats and also six sacks of Rice and withall desired us to excuse hâ—m for the smalness of the present he had given us After this he returned back to the King unto whom he rendred an account of all that had past with us assuring him that we were not such as the Chineses had made him to believe and offered for proof thereof to pawn his life an hundred times if need were which was the cause that the King abated much of the suspicion wherewithall they had inveighed him about our manner of lying But as he was resolving to give order for our enlargement as well upon the report of this man as in regard of the letter which the Broquen had written him there arrived at the Port a Chinese Pyrat with four Juncks unto whom the King gave his Country for a place of Retreat upon condition that he should share with him the moity of the booty which he should take by means whereof he was in great favour with the King and all them of the Country Now forasmuch as our sins would have it that this Pyrate was one of the greatest enemies the Portugals had at that time by reason of a fight that we had had with him a little before in the Port of Lamau where Laâ—cerote Pareyra born at Lyma commanded in chief and in which he had two Juncks burnt and three hundred of his men slain this dog was no sooner advertised of our imprisonment and how the King was resolved to free us but that he imbroyled the business in a strange manner and told him so many lies of us that he lacked but little of perswading him that ere long we would be the cause of the loss of his Kingdom For he assured him that it was our custom to play the Spies in a Countâ—y under pretence of trading and then to make our selves Masters of it like robbers as we were putting all to the sword that we met withall in it which wrought so powerfully with the King that he revoked all that he had resolved to have done and changing his mind he ordained that in regard of what had been told him we should each of us be dismembred into four quarters and the same set up in the publique streets that all the world might know we had deserved to be used so CHAP. XLVIII The King of the Lequios sending a cruel Sentence against us to the Broquen of the Town where we were prisoners to the end he should put it in execution and that which hapened unto us till our arrival at Liampoo AFter that this â—ruel Sentence of death had been pronounced against us the King sent a Peretanda to the Broquen of the City where we were prisoners to the end that within four dayes it should be executed upon our persons This Peretanda departed presently away and upon his arrival at the City he went and lodged himself at a certain widows house that was his sister a very honourable woman and from whom we had received much alms This same man having secretly imparted unto her the cause of his coming how he was not to return but with a good Certificate unto the King of the performance of this exâ—cuâ—ion she went strait-way and acquainted a Niece of hers with it who was daughter to the Broquen of the City in whose house lay a Portugal woman the wife of a Pilot who was a
through all the town accompanied with a great multitude of people that followed him at the sound of trumpets drums and other such instruments the Captain himself as also the Ambassador and the rest of us together with all the Bramaas marching on foot after him with boughs in our hands and two men before him on horseback that rode crying O all ye people praise with gladness the beams which proceed from the midst of the Sun who is the God that makes our rice to grow for that you have lived to see a man so holy that knowing how to drink better then all the men of the world hath laid on the ground twenty of the principall drinkers of our troop to the end his renown may be daily more and more augmented Whereunto all the crowd of people that accompanied him answered with such cries and acclamations as the very noyse thereof frighted all that heard it In this equipage they lead the Portugal to the Ambassadors house where they set him down with a great deal of respect and many complements then on their knees they rendred him to the Ambassador desiring him to have a care of him as of an holy man or the son of some great King for said they it cannot be otherwise seeing God hath bestowed so great a gift on him as to know how to drink so well Whereupon having made a gathering for him they got together above two hundred lingots of silver which they gave him and untill the time that we departed he was continually visited by the inhabitants whereof many presented him with rich pieces of silk and other gifts as if they had made an offering to some Saint upon a solemn day of his invocation After these we saw other men that were very white named Pavilens great archers and good horsemen apparrelled in caslocks of silk like those of Iapon and that carried their meat to their mouths with little sticks after the manner of the Chineses these same told us that their Coyntry was called Binagorem and that it was distant from thence about two hundred leagues up the river their merchandize was store of gold in powder like to that of Menancabâ— of the Island of Suâ—atra as also lacre aloes musk tin copper silk and wax which they exchanged for pepper ginger salt wine and rice the wives of these men which we saw there are very white of better conversation then all the rest of those countryes well natured and exceeding charitable demanding of them what was their Law and what was the divinity that they adored they answered us That their Gods were the Sun the heaven and the stars for that from them they received by an holy communication all the good that they enjoyed upon earth and furthermore that the soul of man was but a breath which ended in the death of the body and that afterwards tumbling up and down in the ayr she mingled her self with the clouds untill such time as coming to be dissolved into water she died again upon the earth as the body had done before I omit an infinite many of such extravagances which were told us and that gave us good cause to wonder at the blindness and confusion of these wretches and doth also oblige us to render thanks continually unto God for delivering us from these errors and this false belief Now from the diversity of these unknown Nations which we saw in these parts it is easie to infer that in this Monarchy of the world there are many countries yet undivided and unknown to us CHAP. LX. Our arrivall at Pegu with the death of the Roolim of Mounay COntinuing our course from this town of Pavel we came the next day to a village called Luncor invironed about the space of three leagues with a great number of trees of Benjamin which from this place is transported into the Kingdoms of Pegu and Siam From thence we sailed for nine daies together down that great river all alongst the which we saw many goodly towns and then we arrived at another river called Ventrau thorough the which we continued our voyage to Penauchin the first Borough of the Kingdome of Iangumaa where the Ambassador registred his vessells and all that were within them because such was the custom of the country Being departed from thence we went and lay that night at the Rauditens which are two strong places belonging to the Prince of Poncanor Five days after we came to a great town called Magdaleu which is the country from whence lacre is brought to Martabano the Prince thereof during the time that we stayed there shewed the Ambassador a generall muster of all the men of war that he had levied against the King of the Lauâ—os with whom he was at difference because he had repudiated a daughter of his which he had married three years before intending to espouse a gentlewoman by whom he had had a son that he had legitimated and made choice of for heir of his Kingdom thereby frustrating his Nephew by his daughter of his right Passing on then thorough the streight of Madur wherein we sailed five days we arrived at a village called Mouchell the first place of the Kingdom of Pegu there one Chalagâ—niâ— a famous Pyrat that went up and down robbing in this place with thirty Ceroos well equipped and full of warlike men assailed us one night and fighting with us till it was almost day he handled us in such sort as it was the great grace of God that we escaped out of his hands nevertheless it was not without the loss of five of the twelve vessells that we had together with an hundred and fourscore of our men whereof two were Portugals The Ambassador himself had a cut on one of his arms and two wounds besides with arrow shot which had almost cost him his life all of us likewise were cruelly hurt and the Present which the Calaminham sent to the King of Bramaa being worth above an hundred thousand duckats was taken by the Pyrat together with a great deal of rich merchandize that was in the five vessells whereof he had made himself master In this sad equipage we arrived three days after at the City of Martabano from whence the Ambassador wrote the King a letter wherein he rendred him an accompt of all that had happened to him in his voyage as also in his disaster Whereupon the King sent presently away a Fleet of sixscore Ceroos with a number of choice men amongst which were an hundred Portugals in quest of this Pyrat This Fleet having by good fortune discovered him found that he had put on shore his thirty Ceroos wherewith he had assailed us and was with all his forces retired into a fortress which was full of divers prizes that he had taken in severall parts thereabout our men immediately attacqued the place and carried it easily at the very first assault only with the loss of some few Bramaas and one Portugal howbeit many were hurt with
of all Iapan do now flourish all they of the Ship thought it requisite that I should go to the Fortresse of Osquy where we heard the King then was Now though I feared to undertake this Journey in regard the Country was all up yet I resolved for it at the perswasion of them of the ship who all in generall intreated me very earnestly unto it Having prepared my self then and received a Present worth five hundred Crowns which Don Francisco Captain of the Ship sent to the King I took four of my companions with me and so went away After I was landed at the Town Key the first thing I did was to go to the house of the Admirall of the Sea who received me with great demonstrations of friendship and confirmed me against the fear I was in whereupon having given him an account of the cause of my coming thither I desired him to give me horses and men that might conduct me to the King which most willingly he did and more freely then I required Being departed from this Town the next morning about nine of the clock I arrived at a place called Fingau which might be a quarter of a league from the Fortresse of Osquy There I sent one of those of Iapan which I had with me to let the Captain of the place understand that I was arrived and that I had an Embassie to deliver to his Highnesse from the Vice-Roy of the Indiaes In which regard I intreated him to appoint me such a time as he pleased that I might speak with him Hereunto he returned me this answer by a Son of his That my Companions and I were very welcome and that the King was in the Isle of Xequa where he was entertaining himself in the catching of a great Fish whereof the name was not known and which was come thither from the bottom of the Sea with a great number of many other little fishes and that having cooped him up in a Channel there it was likely that he would spend all the day in that sport and not return till night But that he would howsoever immediately advertise him of my arrivall Thereupon he sent me to repose my self in a better lodging which he gave me where I was abundantly furnished with all that was necessary for mee yea and he told me by way of Complement that all this Country was no lesse the King of Portugals then Malaca Cochin and Goa Then one of his Followers whom he had appointed to wait on us gave us an extraordinary good reception in a Pagode whereof the Bonzâ—s made us a very sumptuous Feast In the mean time the King having notice of my arrivall dispatched away from the Island where hee was catching that great Fish three light Galleys and in them his Chamberlain a great Favourite of his named Oretandano who about evening came to me to the place where I was and having told me that by word of mouth which the King had enjoyned him he drew forth a Letter and having kissed it with the Ceremonies and Complements used amongst them he delivered it unto me wherein I found this written Being at his present imployed in an exercise which is very pleasing unto me I have been advertised of thy arrival in my Country wherewith I am so contented that I protest unto thee I would have come away presently unto thee had I not sworn that I would not part from hence till I had killed a great Fish which I hold coop'd up here Wherefore I intreat thee as my good Friend since by reason thereof I cannot go to thee that thou wilt come thy self to me in this Vessel which I have sent for thee for on thy coming and on the death which I hope to give to this Fish my perfect content depends Having read this Letter I instantly imbarked my self in the Galley wherein Oretandono came for me and my followers in the other two with the Present they carried And forasmuch as those Galleys were very swift we arrived within lesse then an hour at the Island which was some two leagues and an half off Now we came thither at such time as the King with above two hundred men in boats with darts in their hands was pursuing a prodigious Whale which was altogether unknown and strange to them as having never seen such a Fish before in all that Country After they had killed and drawn it to land the King was so pleased therewith that to recompence all the fishermen that were imployed in the action he exempted them from a certain Tribute which they had accustomed to pay before as also conferred new Honours on some Gentlemen whom he loved and that were there with him and gave a thousand Taeis in silver to his Pages withall he received me with a smiling countâ—nance and questioned me very exactly about many particulars whereunto I answered the best that I could alwayes adding something of mine own thereunto as judging it necessary for the increasing of the Portugals reputation and of the great esteem vvherein we vvere at that time in the Country for all the inhabitants held it for most certain that the King of Portugal was indeed the only Prince which might terme himself the Monarch of the world as well for the large extent of his territories as for his power and mighty treasure in regard whereof chiefly they of these Countryes made great account of our amitie These things done the King vvent from this Iland towards Osquy and about an hour within night he arrived at his Castle vvhere he was received with a great deal of rejoycing and applaued by every one for so honourable an exploit as that of killing the Whale attributing to him alone that which all the rest had done whereby one may see that this pernicious vice of flatttery raigns so absolutely in the Courts of Princes as it hath established its felf a place even amongst the very Gentiles and Infidels The King having dismissed all them that had accompanied him vvent to Sup with his Wife and Daughters and would not then be attended on by any body because the feast was made at his vvives charge And whereas vve vvere then at a Treasurers house of his where vve vvere appointed to lodg he sent for us all five and intreated us that vve should eat in his presence after the manner of our Country adding that the Queen did infinitely desire it Then having caused a table to be covered for us and on it placed store of excellent good meat and vvell drest vvhich vvas served up by very fair vvomen vve fell to eating after our manner of all that vvas set before us vvhilest the jeasts vvhich the Ladies broke upon us in seeing us feed so vvith our hands gave more delight to the King and Queen then all the Comedies that could have been represented before them for those people being accustomed to feed vvith tvvo little stâ—cks as I have declared elsevvhere they hold it for a great incivilitie to touch
to pass in regard whereof it imports much to cherish and make esteem of them For eight months and more our hundred Portugals had scoured up and down this Coast in four well rig'd Foists wherewith they had taken three and twenty rich Ships and many other lesser Vessels so that they which used to sail in those parts were so terrified with the sole name of the Portugals as they quitted their Commerce without making any further use of their shipping By this surcease of Trade the Custom-houses of the Ports of Tanauçarim Iunçalan Merguim Vagaruu and Tavay fell much in their Revenue in so much that those people were constrained to give notice of it to the Emperor of Sornan King of Siam and soveraign Lord of all that Country beseeching him to give a remedy to this mischief whereof every one complained Instantly whereupon being then at the City of Odiaa he sent with all speed to the Frontire of Laâ—hos for a Turkish Captain of his named Heredrin Mahomet the same who in the year one thousand five hundred thirty and eight came from Suez to the Army of Soliman the Bashaw Vice-roy of Cairo when as the great Turk sent him to invade the Indiaes but it fell out that this man slipping from the body of the Army arrived in a Gally on the Coast of Tanauçarim where he was entertained by the Sornau King of Siam and for a Pention of twelve thousand Duckets by the year served him as a General of that Frontire Now for that the King held this Turk for invincible and made more account of him then of all others he commanded him from the place where he was with three hundred Ianizaries that he had with him and giving him a great sum of mony he made him General of all the Coast of this Sea to the end he might free those people from our incursions withall he promised to make him Duke of Banchaa which is an estate of great extent if he could bring him the heads of four Portugal Captains This proud Turk becomming more insolent by the reward and promises which the King made him posted presently away to Tanauçarim where being arrived he rigged forth a Fleet of ten Sails for to fight with us being so confident of vanquishing us as in answer of certain Letters which the Sornau had written unto him from Odiaa these words was found in one of them From the time that my head was esloigned from the feet of your Highness for to execute this small enterprize wherein it seems you are pleased I should serve you I continued my Voyage till at the end of nine days I arrived at Tanaucarim where I presently provided my self of such Vessels as were necessary for me and indeed would have had but only two for I hold it most infallible that those would suffice to chase away these petty Thieves howbeit not to disobey the Commission which Combracalon the Governor of the Empire hath given me under your great Seal I have made ready the great Gally as also the four little ones and the five Foists with which I purpose to set forth with all speed For I fear left these Dogs should have news of my coming and that for my sins God should be so much their friend as to give them leasure to fly which would be so great a grief unto me that the very imagination thereof might be my death or through an excess of despair render me like unto them but I hope that the Prophet Mahomet of whose Law I have made profession from mine infancy will not permit that it should so happen for my sins This Heredrin Mahomet being arrived at Tanauçarim as I have delivered before presently made ready his Fleet which was composed of five Foists four Galliots and one Gally Royal Within these Vessels he imbarqued eight hundred Mahometans men of combat besides the Mariners amongst the which were three hundred Ianizaries as for the rest they were Turks Greeks Malabares Achems and Mogores all choyce men and so disciplined that their Captain held the Victory already for most assured Assisted with these Forces he parted from the Port of Tanauçarim for to go in the quest of our men who at that time were in this Island of Pulâ—o Hinhor whereof the foresaid Christian was King Now during those levies of men of War this petty King going to the Town for to sell some dryed fish there as soon as he perceived what was intended against us he left all his Commodities behind him and in all haste returned to this Island of his where finding our men in great security as little dreaming of that which was in hand against us he related it all unto them whereat they remained so much amazed as the importance of the matter did require In so much that the same night and the next day having well caulked their Vessels which they had drawn ashore they lanched them into the Sea after they had imbarqued their provisions their water their artillery and ammunition So falling to their oars with a purpose as I have heard them say since to get to Bengala or to Racan for that they durst not withstand so great an Army but as they were unresolved thereupon and divided in opinion behold they saw all the ten Sails appearing together and behind them five great Ships of Guzarates whose Masters had given Heredrin Mahomet thirty thousand Duckets for to secure them against our Portugals The sight of these fifteen Sails put our men into a very great confusion and because they were not able at that time to make to Sea for that the wind was contrary they put themselves into a Creek which was on the South side of the Island and invironned by a Down or Hill where they resolved to attend what God would send them In the mean time the five Guzarat Ships shewed themselves with full sails at Sea and the ten Sails with oars went directly to the Island where they arrived about Sun-set Presently thereupon the Turkish Captain sent out Spies to the Ports where he was advertised that they had been and entered by little and little into the mouth of the Haven that so he might render himself more assured of the prize which he pretended to make with hope that as soon as it was day he should take them all and so bound hand and foot present them to the Sornau of Siam who in recompence thereof had promised him the State of Banchaa as I have said before The Manchua which had been at the Port to spy them out returned to the Fleet about two hours within night and told Hâ—redrin for news that they were fled and gone wherewith it is said this Barbarian was so afflicted that teering his hair I always feared said he weeping my sins would be the cause that in the execution of this enterprize God would shâ—w himself more a Christian then a Sarazin and that Mahomet would be like to these Dogs of whom I go in quest This said he fell down
all along in the place and so continued a good while without speaking a word Nevertheless being come again to himself he gave order like a good Captain to all that was necessary First of all then he sent the four Galliots in quest of them to an Island called Taâ—basoy distant from that of Pulho Hinhor about seven leagues for he was perswaded that our men were retired thither because this was a better Harbor then that of the Island from whence they were gone As for the five Foists he divided them into three whereof he sent two to another Island named Sambilan and other two to those which were nearest to the firm Land for that all these places were very proper to shelter one in As for the filth Foist in regard she was fleeter then the rest he sent her along with the four Galliots that she might before it was day bring him news of that which should happen with promise of great reward for the same but during these things our men who had always a watchful eye seeing the Turk had rid himself of his greatest Forces and that there was no more remaining with him but the Gally wherein he was they resolved to fight with him and so sallying out of the Creek where they had shrouded themselves they rowed directly to her Now in regard it was past midnight and that the Enemies had but weak Sentinels for that they thought themselves most secure and never dreamt of any body lying in wait to attaque them there our four Foists had the opportunity to board her all together and threescore of their lustiest men leaping suddenly into her in less then a quarter of an hour and before the Enemies knew where they were for to make use of their Arms they killed above fourscore Turks as for the rest they cast themselves all into the Sea not one man remaining alive The dog Hâ—redrin Mahomet was slain amongst the rest and in this great action God was so gracious to our men and gave them this Victory at so cheap a rate that they had but one young man killed and nine Portugals hurt They assured me since that in this Gally in so short a time what by water and the sword above three hundred Mahometans lost their lives whereof the most part were Ianizaries of the Gold Chain which among the Turks is a mark of honor Our Portugals having past the rest of the night with much contentment and always keeping good watch it pleased God that the next morning the two Foists arrived from the Island whither they had been sent who altogether ignorant of that which had past came carelesly doubling the point of the Haven where the Gally lay so that the four Foists made themselves Masters of them in a little space and with the loss of but a few men After so good a success they fell diligently to work in fortifying the Gally and the two Foists which they had taken and then flanked the South-side of the Island with five great Pieces of Ordnance to defend the entry into the Haven Now about evening the other two Foists arrived making to Land with the same indiscretion as the others and although they had much ado to reach them yet were they constrained at length to render themselves with the loss only of two Portugals Hereupon our men resolved to attend the four Galliots that remained and which had been sent to the next Island but the next day so great a wind arose from the North that two of them were cast away upon the Coast not one that was in them escaping As for the other two about evening they discovered them very much in disorder destitute of oars and separated above three leagues the one from the other But at last about Sun-set one of them came to the Port and ran the same fortune as the former without saving any one of the Sarazins lives The next morning an hour before day the wind being very calm our men discovered the other Galliot which for want of oars was not able to recover the Port in regard whereof our men resolved to go and fetch her in as accordingly they did and coming somewhat near her with two Cannon shot they killed the most part of them that were in her and so bording her took her very easily Now because all her men were either slain or hurt they drew her to land by force of other Boats so that of the â—en Sail of this Fleet our men had the Gally two Galliots and four Foysts as for the other two Galliots they were cast away on the Isle of Taubasoy as I have delivered before and touching the fift Foyst no news could be heard of her which made it credible that she also suffered shipwrack or that the wind had cast her upon some of the other Islands This glorious victory which it pleased God to give us was obtained in the month of September one thousand five hundred forty and four on Michaelmas Eve which rendred the name of the Portugals so famous through all those Coasts that for three years after there was nothing else spoken of so that the Chaubainhaa King of Martabano hearing of it sent presently to seek them out and promised them great advantages if they would succour him against the King of Bramaa who at that time was making preparation in his City of Pegu for to go and besiege Martabano with an Army of seven hundred thousand men CHAP. L. The Continuance of our voyage to the Bar of Martabano and certain memorable particularities hapening there BEing departed as I said from the Island of Pulho Hinhor we continued our course towards the Port of Tarnassery for the affair of which I have spoken but upon the approach of the night the Pilot desiring to avoid certain sands that were to the Prow-ward of him put forth to Sea with an intention as soon as it was day to return towards land with the Westerly wind which at that instant blew from the Indiaes by reason of the Season We had now held this course five dayes running with much labour by many different roombs when as it pleased God that we accidentally discovered a little vessel and for as much as we thought it to be a Fisher-boat we made to it for to be informed from them in her whereabouts we were and how many leagues it was from thence to Tarnassery but having passed close by her and haled her without receiving any answer we sent off a Shallop well furnished with men for to compel her to come abord us Our Boat then going directly to the vessel we entred her but were much amazed to find in her only five Portugals two dead and three alive with a Coffer and a sack full of Tangues and Larius which is the mony of that Country and a fardle wherein there were Basins and Ewers of silver and two other very great Basins Having laid up all this safely I caused the Portugals to be brought into our