come all their Books in regard the persons that attend upon this Prince apply themselves only to their Studies It is reported that they learnt all these things by their frequent Commerce with the Chineses and that they are also originally descended from them And in truth the greatest Province of the Island of Niphon is call'd Quanto according to the name of the Sea-Coast part of China where lies the greatest Traffick between the Japonners and Chineses Moreover if there be any credit to be given to the Chinese Histories they say it was but a small part of their vast-Empire which extended it self from North to South 56 Degrees of Latitude from the Frozen Sea to the Equinoctial Line being bounded to the West by the Caspian Sea and extending Eastward over all the Southern America to New Spain Father Thomas Barr a Portuguese has often told me when I was at Agra a capital City of the Great Mogul where the Jesuits have a very fair House that this and several other young Lords improv'd themselves so far in six or seven years that they were as Learned as their Masters themselves and that they were more zealous in converting those of their Nation Now the Jesuits at that time had no House for the Instruction of Youth and Proselytes and therefore they desir'd this young Lord to lend them one of his Thereupon he having four very fair ones with great Revenues belonging to them gave that which was nearest to the City to his Converters A while after the youngest of his Sons fell sick and was carried to this House for the Air 's sake where he recover'd by the care of the Fathers and the Prayers of the Christians but his Father did not long enjoy the pleasure of so great a Cure which seem'd almost miraculous for he dy'd at what time both his Sons and the Christians stood most in need of his protection The two eldest who were with the Emperour understanding the the Death of their Father came to take possession of their Inheritance and demanded of the Jesuits the House which their Father had given them for in Japon no Parent can alienate the Estate of his Children nay when they come to such an Age he is oblig'd to put them in possession of their Estates reserving only such a proportion to himself The Jesuits loth to part with so fair a convenience would not quit their hold though it were for their own quiet and to engage the whole Family to stand by them in their time of trouble This refusal provok'd the two Brethren and this quarrel between them and the Jesuits happen'd at the same time that the Dutch President was labouring to bring about his designs He hâ—d notice of this dispute and as he was a great Impostor he made 〈◊〉 his business to enflame the two Brothers not only against the Jesuits but against the Portugals in general giving them a Copy of the Letter which he had fram'd as is before-mention'd These two Lords who were Favourites of the Emperour joyning Interest of State to their particular Interest made their complaints at Court with extraordinary aggravations urging that there was no security for the Estates of particular Men for the quiet of the Empire nor the Life of the Prince unless not only all the Portugals but also all the Natives of Japon who had suck'd their Errors were exterminated out of the Island To make good the reasons of their Exasperation they shew'd the Emperour a Copy of the Letter and put him into such a fright as well for his Person as the Empire that he would admit of no justification on the other side Some of his Lords who were Friends to the Portugals besought him to examin the truth of what was alledg'd before he proceeded to utmost extremities against a whole Nation and against his own Subjects But he was inexorable and presently gave private Orders to certain Commissioners to go through all the Provinces of the Empire and to banish not only the Portugals but also all the Christian Natives Now in regard they had their private confederates as well in the Court as in other places they had intelligence in all parts of the cruel resolution tak'n against them though none were more zealous and faithful to them then the two Lords of Ximo Francis and Charles Thereupon the Christians met together to consult for their own safety and their common preservation and seeing all attempts to justifie themselves prove ineffectual they resolv'd to stand upon their guards and to dye in the defence of their Innocency and Religion The two Lords put themselves at the head of the Christians Army the elder of which had been a Souldier and understood the Art of War the younger kept up their Spirits and Courages by his continual Exhortations The Emperour's Commissioners understanding that the Christians were thus embody'd gave him speedy notice thereof but said nothing either of the number of their Forces or of their designs The Jesuits and Austin Fryars at Goa told me that the Army of the Christians consisted of above 40000 Men besides those recruits that came up to them before and after the Battel was fought The Emperour not beleiving that the Army was so numerous sent against them at first not above 25 or 30000 Men under the Command of the youngest of the two Lords of Ximo that liv'd at Court But those Troops were no sooner upon their March but he rais'd new Forces and sent another Army after them consisting of 40000 Men commanded by the young Lord to whom the Dutch President had shew'd the Letter first of all The Christians having intelligence of the approach of these two Armies prepar'd to receive them choosing an advantagious place to intrench themselves The first Army soon appear'd in sight of the Christians who lay so encamp'd that the Imperialists could discover no more than one part of them However before the Engagement the youngest of the Christian Brothers advis'd his other Brother to send to the General of the Emperour's Army who was their Brother likewise to desire Peace and to beseech him to intercede for them to the Emperour and to assure him that they were ready to lay down their Arms and throw themselves at his Feet and to justifie their Innocency To this purpose a Letter was fram'd and sent to the General but the Messenger that carry'd it was nail'd to a Cross in sight of the whole Army of the Christians and at the same time the Enemy came on with great fury to assail them The Fight lasted almost three hours with equal advantage the Captain of the Imperialists seeking every where for his Brothers while they strove to avoid him The Christians who knew that all their safety consisted in their Victory and that there was otherwise no hope of pardon fought with so much valour that the Imperialists were forc'd to give ground Their General was slain upon the place and at length the whole Army of the Idolaters was cut
Raja of Velouche which are of a large extent He and all his Subjects being Idolaters unless it be about nine or ten thousand poor People call'd Christians of S. John as being baptiz'd after the same manner that S. John baptiz'd the People in the Wilderness After the taking of Cochin of which we have given a full Relation in our Indian Travels General Vangous who commanded at the Siege became so haughty that he despis'd all the other Officers as well Military as those that belonged to the Government and Justice of the City However to recompence one of the Raja's by whose means he had taken the City he persuaded him to quit the Name of Raja and to assume the Title of King that he might have the Honour to set the Crown upon his Head To this end he made great inquiry through his whole Army for a Goldsmith and having found out one that undertook it and caus'd him to make a Crown of massie Gold that weigh'd near ten Marks which I believe the Raja found more inconvenient and weighty upon his Head than an old Muckender with three corners bound about his Head which is the mark of the Raja's Sovereignty While they were making this Crown there were great preparations for the Ceremony It was performed in a Garden near the Town where was set a large Tent spread all over with painted Calicut Within was a Throne erected with a Canopy of China Damask and all the Steps to the Throne were cover'd with Persian Tapistry The day being come the greatest part of the Army Officers and Souldiers went to fetch the Raja who lay in his Hut a quarter of a League off where they mounted him upon one of two Elephants which the General sent him being attended likewise with two led Horses and two Palanquins for more State Being come to the place he was clad in a Scarlet Robe with great Hanging Sleeves and so brought in where Vangous was sitting upon his Throne with a Sword and a Crown by him The Raja being come to the Foot of the Throne the Major of the Army took the Sword deliver'd him by the General and girt the Raja who then ascending the Steps of the Throne prostrated himself before the Holland General while he put the Crown upon his Head Then the new King riseth up and lays his Hand upon the Head of a Cow that stood near the Throne Which done kneeling with his Hands clasp'd and lifted toward the Head of the same Cow he took his Oath to be true and faithful to the Company and to embrace their Interests On the other side the General promis'd him on the behalf of the Company that they should assist him when he should have occasion against his Enemies Which Solemnities being very gravely perform'd the Musquettiers gave three Volleys and the new King was conducted back to his Hut with the same Pomp that he was brought Thus you see the Pride of a Pepper Merchant to make Kings and domineer over Crowns One other famous Act of Vangous must not be forgotten You must know that at the taking of Cochin the Jesuits had in that City one of the fairest Libraries in all Asia as well for the great quantity of Books sent them out of Europe as for several rare Manuscripts in the Hebrew Chaldee Arabic Persian Indian Chinese and other Oriental Languages For in all the Conquests of the Portugals their first care was to summon all the Learned People of the several Nations and to get all their Books into their hands During that little time which the Jesuits staid in Aethiopia they had copied out all the good Books that came to their knowledge and sent all those Books of Cochin They had staid longer in Aethiopia had it not been for the Jealousie of the Patriarchs and their Bishops which are very numerous so that if there be two men in one Village that belong to one Church the chiefest calls himself Bishop At their Ceremonies of Baptism when they name the Holy Ghost they apply a hot Iron to the neck of the Infant saying that the Holy Ghost descended upon the Apostles in the shape of Fiery Tongues The Patriarchs and Bishops were jealous of the Jesuits finding that they had insinuated themselves into the favour of the King and Grandees of the Court. Which so enraged the Aethiopians that they caus'd the People to mutiny preaching that the King was about to alter the Religion of the Country and to draw along with him several of the Lords And the Fury of the People grew to that height that whatever the King could do or say he could not appease their Fury So that they put him in prison and elected his Brother in his place The cause of this disorder was laid upon the Jesuits and was the reason that they were expell'd the Kingdom neither had they scap'd so but that they were afraid of the Governour of Mozambique and the Portugals that inhabit all along the Coast of Africa But to tell ye what became of this Library General Vangous made no conscience to expose it to the ignorance of his Souldiers so that I have seen the Souldiers and Seamen tear several of those beautiful Volums to light their Tobacco CHAP. VI. Of the Sieur Hollebrand Glins President of the Factory at Ormus WHen the Ships come to Ormus it is a great prejudice for the Goods to lie out of doors For such is the extremity of the Heat in that part that if the Spices especially the Cloves be not carried to the Water-side every foot and there laid to steep in the Water for four and twenty hours they would turn to a mere powder Sugar is brought thither in great Wooden Chests but if there be the least Cleft for a Fly or an Emmet to get in in a small time the Chest will be half emptied As for Camphire which is brought from Borneo in Pipes if it lie a little too long in that warm Air it will exhale above half away To remedy these Inconveniences Sieur Hollebrand resolved to build a bigger Warehouse Among the rest of the Workmen that were imployed in this Building was a Gunsmith who came in the interim in a Ship from Batavia This poor Fellow was imployed to make Locks for the Warehouse for in those Parts they have no other Keys or Locks either than what are made of Wood So that it was a Crime for him to be found idle at any time And therefore the President finding him one Sunday in the Afternoon drinking with two of his Companions that came from the Ship to see him gave the Fellow half a dozen good Licks with his Cane and would have given him more but that the Smith being a sturdy Fellow and feeling the Blows smart wrested the Stick out of the President 's Hands and flung it out of the Window For which the President upon pretence that the Fellow had struck him four Blows which was untrue as I my self being there could witness sent him
whom he was to treat in point of Trade To which the Athemadoulet reply'd that he had no Commission from the King to meddle with those Deputies but only to entertain the Begzade that brought the King's Letter which he had already done Thereupon the Father desir'd him he would be pleas'd to speak to the King to nominate Commissioners to treat with them which the Athemadoulet promis'd to do That day in the evening a Messenger was sent to Father Raphael to acquaint him that the King had appointed the Nazar to treat with the Deputies the next day and to know their demands Of which the Father gave the Deputies quick intelligence The next day being the First of September Father Raphael fail'd not to be with the Deputies very early in the Morning to bring them to the Nazar but he was very much surpriz'd to see that they would not go altogether but still loo'k with an evil Eye one upon another and continued their former differences To the end therefore that he might set things to rights he went to the Nazar and told him that he thought it would be the best way for the Merchants Deputies to come first because that they were the Persons with whom he was chiefly to Treat The Nazar answer'd that the King understood that they were all five in the same Commission joyntly To which when the Father answer'd the second time that it would be the best way to do as he had propos'd The Nazar with a Surly Countenance why What 's the matter now said he to the Father Are not you French-men asham'd to be thus at odds one with another and to give all the World nay the very Foot-boys occasion to discourse of your Divisions What would they have us think of them and their Commission Are they so little afraid of offending the King Or is their King more indulgent then the King of Persia who would never pardon such faults in his Subjects To this rebuke the Father made no reply Only he desir'd the Nazar that he might have two Horse-men to attend the Deputies at Zulpha telling the Nazar not a word of his design to bring the Merchants an Hour sooner then the Gentlemen This fell out to the Fathers desire For the Father sent one of the Horse-men to Zulpha to the Gentlemen with order to drink with them and not to be over hasty but to bring them fair and softly along with him with the other he made hast to the Merchant Deputies and causing them to double their pace they got betimes to the Nazar's House where they were civilly receiv'd Dupont presented the Nazar with the Deputies Commission translated into the Persian Language after which they fell into a discourse which lasted above three quartes of an Hour concerning the Customs Tolls and Quality of the Merchants and the justness of the French in their Dealing They had just finish'd their Discourse of Trade when the Nazar was advertiz'd that the three Gentlemen were arriv'd who thereupon desir'd Father Raphael to go and receive them The Father went and waited upon them in neatly chiding them for having stay'd so long and making the Nazar wait Well said he now you are together go into that Cabinet and write down your demands and the Articles of your Commission The Merchant Deputies which had now discours'd with the Nazar what they had to say were well enough content to enter into a General Conference with the Gentlemen Then calling for Pen Ink and Paper they made a draught of their Demands the chief of which were three Years Immunity from Customs and Tolls to begin from the time of the arrival of our Ships and that after that they should enjoy all the Priviledges and Favours granted to other Nations They also desir'd precedence above all other Nations when they should be call'd to Court as they suggested that they had at the Court of the Grand Signior And lastly they requir'd a House for those that belong'd to the Company to live in the City These demands were dictated word for word by Father Raphael to the Nazars Secretary in the Name of all the five Gentlemen and because the Nazar's Secretary knew not how to pronounce them the Father undertook to write them in the Persian Character which being done and the writing read in the hearing of the Deputies the Nazar took the Paper to present to the King Thus after a fair Banquet accompany'd with Music both Vocal and Instrumental the Deputies were dismiss'd by the Nazar who bid them rely upon his care for that he would do them all the Favour that lay in his pow'r and give them his Majesties Answer in a short time The Deputies very well satisfy'd with the Nazar's reception sent him afterwards a Present which was a Shame both to the Nation and the Company that pretended to such great and high things and endeavour'd to six and opinion of their Wealth and Grandeur among Strangers For they sent him only a Tin Cup Enamel'd and eight little Cases of Perspectives or Looking-Glasses the whole not amounting to above 40 Crowns They also made much such another Present but meaner to the Mirzateker consisting of about a Dozen Pair of Gilt Scissars for Women We must speak the Truth For they were not a little saught at for their ridiculous Presents which were the Scorn and Contempt of those that receiv'd them when the Deputies were gone To Father Raphael they presented a Purse with 40 Tomans or Six Hundred Crowns in it believing that he would never accept of it and indeed he refus'd it with scorn not a little angry with them that they should have such mean thoughts of him as to believe him Mercenary Two days after the Nazar gave notice to the Father that the King had granted the French their Demands and had order'd every one of them a Calaat or a Vest-Royal and in respect of Superiority a Horse for Monsieur Lalin That the Kings Answer and the Grant were both ready for the Directors of the Company according to their desire The King was then onward upon a journey to Mazandran three days Travel from Ispahan at one of his Palaces call'd Tajabat A Pleasant Situation in the mid'st of a great Valley shaded with Trees and full of Villages The Ninth of October came a Letter from the Nazar to Father Raphael signifying the King's Pleasure that both he and the Deputies should repair to Tajabat with all speed Thereupon the Father and they made such hast that in less than three days they got to Tajabat where the Nazar order'd them to lye in the House of an Armenian Renegado The King sent them immediately eight or ten bottles of Wine with four Gold Dishes full of lovely Fruits and Tapistries for their Dining Room But these Presents occasion'd new Quarrels For there being two Factions and both living apart there was a great dispute who should have this present Father Raphael having done all that possible he could to reconcile the
prodigious length and bigness Beber's end was no less sad For when the French Companies Ships were arriv'd M. Caron who commanded them and M. Rambos with an Armenian who had the management of the chiefest part of the business had been acquainted with what had pass'd at Surat between Beber and the Capuchins Presently Affections and Interests parted Caron and Rambos took Beber's part the Armenian held for the Capuchins which was at length the ruin of Beber and Rambos The Holland Commander going aboard to visit the Sieur Caron upon his return would not permit the Captain to stir out of his Cabin so that Rambos and the Armenian took upon them to wait upon the Commander Upon this Occasion the Armenian took upon him to precede Rambos and briskly threw himself before the French-man who being provok'd at the Affront gave the Armenian a swinging cuff o' the Ear before all the company To be short the Sieur Caron Rambos and Beber holding all together the Armenian found himself too weak to resist and in regard he had the Management of the Cash he was accus'd of Misbehaviour and was condemn'd to be hang'd But because they could not execute the Sentence which they had given at Surat they sent him away to the Council Royal of the Island of Madagascar of which M. Mondevergue was chief who was so far from confirming the Sentence given at Surat that he admitted the Armenian to justifie himself and finding that he was not only innocent but that he might be very useful to the Company he sent him back to Surat with more power then he had before This put Beber and Rambos into a fit of Despair to see the person whom they thought to have ruin'd now above them Thereupon they found a way to get 12000 Roupies a piece for their Wages which they pretended to be due from the Company and with that and 24000 Roupies which Beber had of his own they Embarqu'd both together for Goa Where being arriv'd Beber dy'd soon after But as for Rambos he return'd home again through Ispahan OBSERVATIONS UPON THE TRADE OF THE EAST-INDIES THat Nation which has a design to settle a Trade in the East-Indies must be sure in the first place to possess themselves of a convenient place in that Country to carine their Ships and shelter themselves during the tempestuous Seasons This want of a good Haven is the reason that the English have not made those advantages which otherwise they might have done because it is impossible that any Vessel should remain in those Seas without being carin'd or else eaten by the worms Therefore because it is a long way from Europe to the East-Indies it would be requisite to have a retreating place at the Cape of good Hope to take in fresh Water and Provisions whether going or coming but especially in their return in regard that the Ships being then laden cannot take in Water for any long time The Road of the Island of St. Helen's where the English have built a Fort is a very commodious place and if the Water be not so good upon the North-side yet the Plain is an excellent spot of Ground to sow with convenience of all things necessary for human support This advantage the English and Dutch have depriv'd all other Nations of by their Forts upon the Cape of good Hope and St. Helen's And therefore some River's mouth near the Cape of good Hope ought to be sought for for the same purpose which would be far more convenient then the Dauphin Island where there is no Trade but that of buying Cattel for their Hides which being a Trade of so little consequence would ruin a Company to follow it The reason why I make this Proposal is because that in the year 1648 two Portugal Vessels being bound from Lisbon to the East-Indies and resolving to touch at the Cape to take in fresh Water mistook their just Depths so that the Sea running high they fell into a Bay 18 or 20 Leagues from the Cape upon the Coast that looks to the West In that Bay they found a River whose Water was very good and the Blacks of the Country brought them Refreshments of all sorts of Fowl Fish and Bullock's flesh There they staid above 15 days and before they set sail they took two of the Negro's which they carri'd along with them to Goa to teach them the Portuguese Language on purpose to try if they could discover by them any knowledge of the Trade of the Country The Dutch Commander at Surat desir'd me to inform my self when I went to Goa what the Portugals had learnt from those two Negro's But one St. Amand a French Ingeneer who was Supervisor of the Fortifications of Goa told me That he could not make them learn one word of the Language and that he could only guess by their signs that they had some knowledge of Ambergreece and Elephants Teeth The Portugals however made no question but to meet with Gold if they could find a way to trade higher up i' the Country The Revolutions of Portugal and their Wars with Spain have hinder'd them from making any more particular discovery of the Coast Which it were to be wish'd the French would undertake provided they gave no cause of jealousie to the Hollanders of what they were going about There is also a necessity of possessing or at least having the liberty of some place near Surat to ride safe in and to wash and tallow in in case they should be staid by the Rain-Seasons The reason is because that during that ill season at what time it is impossible to keep the Seas the Mogul jealous of his Fortress of Surat suffers no Foreign Vessel in the River where nevertheless the Ships being unladen may ride securely from the terrible Tempests that last for five Months The only secure place for the Companies Vessels would be the Town of Dia belonging to the Portugals The advantage of the situation is considerable for several reasons The circuit of the City contains almost 400 Houses and might be capable to receive a greater number of people where the Ships would find all conveniencies during their stay It is seated upon the Coast of Guzerat upon a point of the Gulph of Cambaye looking toward the South-east The form of it is almost round and above half the Circle environ'd by the Sea It is not commanded by any Hill and the Portugals have begun those Fortifications which might be easily finish'd It contains several Wells of very good Water and a River which falls into the Sea near the City whose Water is better then that of Surat or Souali and the Harbour is very commodious for Shipping The Portugals when they had first settl'd themselves in the Indies kept there a Fleet compos'd of Galleys Brigantines and other light Vessels whereby they made themselves Masters for a long time of all the Trade of the Places we have treated of So that no Ship could trade without the