spyces which growe in the Region of Calicut Of the byrdes and beastes which are found in the Region of Calicut and of the wyne of the trâ—e From whence all kyndes of spyces are brought to â—he cytie of Calicut Of the Iland of zaylon of the cinomome tree Of the cytie of Tarnasseri and of the maners of the cytezyns Of the excellent cytie and Kingdom of Pego. Of the Ilande of Sumatra or Taprobana Of the Ilande of Bornei Of the Ilande of Giaua Howe the Spanyardes abused the submission â—rendship of the inhabitauntes of the Ilandes Howe the Portugales soughte newe Ilandes in the East partes and howe they came to Calicut Howe Magellanus by a strayght or narow arme of the Sea sayled by the Weste into the Easte to dyâ—ers Ilandes where also he was slayne Howe the Spanyardes came to the Ilandes of Molucca of the people with great hanging eares The third nauigacioÌ„ of Christophorus ColuÌ„bus How Pinzonus coÌ„panion to the Admiral sought newe Ilandes The foure nauigacions of Americus Uesputius to the newe Ilandes The fyrste viage of Uesputius The second viage of Uesputius The thyrde viage of Uesputius The fourth viage of Uesputius Howe the Kyng of Portugale subdued certayâ—â—â—laces in India and of the ryche cytie of Malacha Of the Ilande of Medera and the fortunate Iâ—â—â—â—es otherwyse called the Ilandes of Canaria ¶ Finis ¶ Of the newe India as it is knoweÌ„ found in these our dayes In the yeare of oure Lorde M.D.LIII. After the descripcioÌ„ of Sebastian Munster in his Booke of the vniuersall Cosmographie Libr. v. De terris Asiae Maioris And translated into Englishe by Richard Eden THere are two viages or nauigacions made oute of Europa into India The one southeast froÌ„ spayne by the coastes of Aphrica and Ethiopia euen vnto Arabia to the citie called Aden And froÌ„ thence to the Ilande of Ormus and froÌ„ Ormus to the citie of Cambaia and from thence euen vnto the citie of Calicut Cambaia is situate nere vnto the floudde Indus This citie is of great powre riche and abundauâ—t in al kyndes of grayne corne The soyle hereof bringeth forth sondry kyndes of swete oyntmentes and cotten which groweth on certain trees called Gossampini this cotton is otherwyse called Bombage or sylke of the trees The Kynge of Portugall subdued this cytie and bylded hard by thesame a stroÌ„g fortresse with which thing the Turke bâ—eing sore greued commaunded a greate nauie of shippes with greate sumptuousnes to bee furnisshed in the goulfe called Sinus Arabicus to the ende that he might dryue the Portugalles out of India and the better to accomplishe this his purpose he appointed one Soliman a noble man of warre beyng also the Captayne of Alcayre to be the admiral general or gouernour of his nauie hauing in his retenue .xx. thousand souldiers beesyde mariners gonners whiche were in numbre foure thousand This nauie was appointed in the hauen Suezio beeinge a port of the redde sea in the yeare of Christ .1538 And arryued fyrste at the citie Aden where laying anker the gouernour of the nauie sent letters to the king of Aden certifying him that he woulde take his viage into India from thence to expell the King of Portugall The Kinge of Aden whiche was theÌ„ tributarye to the King of Portugall receyued the Turkes letters thankefully offering him selfe all that he might make to so mightie an Emperoure desyringe the gouernoure to come forth of the ship and to beholde the cytie obedient and readye at his coÌ„maundemente in the which also accordinge vnto his dignitie office he should be worthely interteyned but the gouernour agayne allured and entysed hym to come out of his citie and so by crafte circumuented him that he toke him priesoner and coÌ„mauÌ„ded him to be hanged on the sayle yarde of the shyp with hym foure other of the rulers of the citie of Aden affyrming that he was coÌ„maunded of the Turke so to handel them because the cytiezins of Aden had not only made a leage with the Portugales but had also payde theÌ„ tribute whiche nacion the Turke playnely entended to drieue out of India And thus after the Kynges death that most riche and beautiful cytie was â—uer a praye to theues spoylers and murtherers without resystaunce Then the gouernoure departing froÌ„ thence lefte there behynde him a garrison of two thousand men of warre and saylyng forwarde on hys viage he came to the citie called Dium whiche the Portugales held his armie was greatly encreased by the waye as wel by laÌ„d as by sea by reason of the great confluence of the Turkes which on euery side resorted to him so that in a short space they rowled before theÌ„ a bulwarke or couÌ„tremure of earth in manâ—r as bigge as a mountayne which by little and litle they moued neare vnto the trenche or ditche of the castell so that they might safely stand behynde the bulwarke thus raysing a mount they besieged the castell on euery syde battered the walles towres thereof very sore yet that notwithstanding were at the length enforsed to departe not withoute great losse and slaughter of theyr souldiers for this Dium is the sâ—rongest citie that is vnder the dominion of Cambaia but the cytie of Cambaia is situate in the goulfe called Guzerat and is well inhabited and in maner most excelleÌ„t of all the cities of India and is therefore called Cayrus or Alcayâ— or Babilon of India It is enuiroÌ„ned with a walle hath in it very fayre byldinges y e Soldan or chefe ruler hereof is of Mahumets secte as are y e Turkes Lacha groweth there more pleÌ„tifully theÌ„ in any other couÌ„tre The inhabitauÌ„tes for the most parte goe naked couering only theyr priuie partes they bynd theyr heades about with a clothe of purple color The SoldaÌ„ or prince of this citie hath in a redines for the warres .xx. thousand horsemen he hath also a mightye and magniâ—ical court WheÌ„ he waketh in y e morning there is heard a great noyse of cimbals druÌ„slades timbrelles shames pipes flutes truÌ„pettes and diuerse other musical inâ—â—rumentes hereby signifying that the king lyueth is in health and merye in lyke maner doe they whyle he is at dyner To the kyngdom of Cambaia is the Kingdom of Ioga nexte adioyniâ—g which reacheth farre on euerye syde In this kingdoÌ„ by reason of the greate heate of the sonne the bodyes of meÌ„ begin to waxe blacke and to be scorched the people of thys countreye haue ringes hanging at their eares and colers aboute theyr neckes of sundry sortes albeset and shyninge with precious stones The soyle hereof is not very â—ruitful this region is rough with mountaynes the byldinge are despicable and â—uyl to dwel in there is beyonde this an other KingdoÌ„ called Dechan this cytie is very beautiful to behold fruitful in maner of al thinges the king hereof vseth great pride and solemnitie
all the yere after The women kepe the meÌ„ children with them vntyll they bee xv yeares of age then send them to theyr fathers The women haue nought els to do but to take charge of their children and to gather certayne fruites But the men labour and haue care how they may fynde theyr wyfe and chyldren They are exercysed in fyshing and sell fyshes both newe taken and olde dryed to marchaunte straungers whereby they receaue great commoditios ¶ Of the greate Empyre of Cathay being vnder the dominioÌ„ of the great Cham whiche some call the great Can Emperoure of Tartaria in olde tyme called Scythia THe superiour or high India whiche is nowe called Cathay is a region excedinge large and of greate power whose Emperour is y e great Cham of Tartaria hauinge vnder him many Prouinces people and Princes and innumerable IlaÌ„des in the great East sea called the greate Ocean He hath vnder his dominion great famous cities as are these Cambalu Quenquinafu Miâ—n Cacausu Canglu Tâ—dinfu Tingui and dyuers other AmoÌ„g the people of this countrey one maÌ„ hath manye wyues whiche declare theyr loue to their husbandes after this sort WheÌ„ the husband is dead euery one of his wiues pleade their cause before a iudge to proue which of them was most louing to her husband beste beloued of him so y t she which by the sentence of the iudges is found to haue been most faythful and diligeÌ„te decketh herselfe moste gorgiously in all her sumptuous araye procedeth like a Virago stoutly cherefully to the fire where the corps of her husbande was burnte castinge her selfe into the same fyre embrasing and kissing the dead bodi of her husband vntyll she also be coÌ„sumed by the fyre whiche she reputeth for an honourable sepulture whereas his other wyues are estemed to lyue in shame and infamie They ioyne in mariage neyther in respect of riches or nobilite but onlye for loue beautie rather for y e encrease of posteritie then for pleaâ—ure There is also another strauÌ„ge custome amoÌ„g these Indians y t is that wheras the poorer sort are not able to geue any dowry with theyr doughters to mariage they bringe theÌ„ forth eueÌ„ in y e floure of their age to y e market place with truÌ„pettes such other instrumeÌ„tes as they vse in the warres Where the multitude beynge called together the maydes fyrste of all discouere theyr backe partes euen vp to the shoulders afterward theyr forepartes in lyke maners And vpon this declaring their pouertie nakednes are maried to such as lyke theÌ„ best This people of Cathay are of the nacion of theÌ„ which in tyme past were called Scythians a kind of men as saith Haitho of subtill wyt affyrming that onely they see with two eies that all other men besyde them are blind of the one eye Theyr quickenes of witte is great but their boasting is more The hole nacioÌ„ is perswaded that they greatly excel all other meÌ„ in subteltie of wit and knowledge The inhabitantes are whyte men with small eyes withoute beardes vtterly voyde of all godly knowledge For some of them pray to the sunne some to the mone some to Images some to an oxe and some to other monsters of theyr phantasticall supersticion They haue no law written and are of no faith And albeit that in workemaÌ„ship and artes they are marueylous wyttie yet haue they no knowledge of dyuine or godly thinges It is a timorous kynde of men and greatly fearinge death And are therefore in theyr warres more politike then valient In the warres they vse arrowes certayne other kyndes of weapons vnknoweÌ„ to men of other couÌ„treis The monie which they vse is made of a certayne paper beeinge foure square with y e Kinges ymage printed theron Theyr housholde stuffe is of golde syluer other metals they haue greate scarcenes of oyle The great Emperour of Cathay keepeth his courte in the riche mightie cytie called Cambalu being the chefest citie of all the Empyre of such greatnesse that it conteyneth in circuite sixe lâ—ages This citie is foure square so that euery quadrature or syde of the wall hath in it thre principal portes or gates Also in all the corners of the walles are veri faire palaces in which the artillery or armure of the cytie is reserued The stretes are made very streyght and right forth so that froÌ„ any one gate to the other beinge directly ouer against the same a man may se plainly through the cytie hauing y e houses on euery syde lyke palaces placed in goodly ordre most beautifull to behold Without the cytie there are twelue great suburbes adhereÌ„t to the .xii. gates of y e cytie whether the marchauÌ„tes straungers haue their coÌ„tinual recourse as to y e burse or strete It can not be spoken what great abundaunce of marchaundise and riches is brought to his citie a man wold thinke that it were sufficient to serue all the worlde Precious stones pearles silke and spices of dyuers kindes are brought thether from India and Mangi other regions There passeth not a daye in the yeare in which there are not about a thousand waynes ladeÌ„ with silke which are brought to this citie by straunge marchauntes What greate pompe glory forniture of all thinges is obserued in the Emperours courte it can not be spokeÌ„ He hath in his courte twelue thousand horsemen whiche haue the custodie of his body distribute their waytinge dayes after this order y t whereas one of y e captaynes of this garisoÌ„ with his thre thousand souldiers hath wayted vpoÌ„ the kinges personne three dayes another captayne in lyke order wyth as manye menne succedeth in hys rowme for other three dayes and lykewyse an other after hym executethe the same offyce When the Emperoure maketh anye bankette it cannot be said what great pompe is obserued He hath sytting at his lefte hand his chefest quene whoÌ„ he most estemeth and at his right haÌ„d hys sonnes aâ—d suche as are of the kinges bloud but thei syt somwhat lower further of The other noble men which wayte not sytte in a place yet somewhat lower All such as in the court syt at meat vse none other drinking cuppes then of gold The Princes whiche wayte on the Emperoure at hys meate haue all theyr mouthes couered with fyne silken clothes least in any case they should blow or breath on the kinges meate or drinke And wheÌ„ the Emperour lifteth vp his cup to drinke al the musicions and minstrels that stand about him playe on theyr instrumeÌ„tes while in the meane time all suche as wayte on hym stoupe downe make lowe curtesie How great honoure is exhibited to this Emperour ' howe many precious and riche presentes are offred vnto him by his Princes Dukes Leaue tenauntes and presydentes of prouinces and rulers of cities no man is
his pompes triumphes are in maner incredible they that wayt vpon the kinge weare on the vpper partes of theyr shoes certayne shyning precious stones as Piroâ—i whiche are a kind of Rubies or CarbuÌ„cles with DiamaÌ„des such other But what maner of Iewelles they vse in y e stede of collers eareringes and ringes you may well consyder wheras they geue suche honour to theyr fâ—te In this kingdom is said to be a mountayne out of the which Diamandes are digged ¶ Of the Diamande stone called in Latine Adamas THe Diamande is engendred in the mynes of India Ethiopia Arabia Macedonia and Cyprus and in the golde mynes of the same countries That of India excelleth all other in beautie and clearenes that which is of the coloure of yron is called Siderites it is ofteÌ„tymes found in colour like vnto cristal though it be sometimes lyke therto in whytnes yet doth it differ from cristall in hardnes in so much that if it be layd vpoÌ„ an anuil and strongly strikeÌ„ with a hammer the anuyl and hammer shal soner be wounded and leape away then the stone perished or diminished it doth not onelye refuse the forse of Iron but also resisteth the power of fyre whose heate is so farre vnable to melte it that it can not so muche as heate it if we geue credit to Plinie and is also rather made purer therby then anye wayes defyled or corrupted neuertheles the singuler and excellent hardnes of this stone is made so softe with y e hoate bloud of a Goate or a Lyon that it maye be broken and if it be put with molteÌ„ lead in hoate fornaces it waxeth so hoate that it wylbe dissolued yet are not aâ—l DiamaÌ„des of such hardnesse for that of Cyprus and also that of the coloure of Iron called â—iderites may be broken with hammers and perced with another Diamand his vertue is to be bewray poisons and to frustrate thopperacion therof and beeing therefore greatly estemed of Kinges and Princes it hath euer been of gâ—eat price The mountaine of India out of the which the Diamandes are digged is compassed with a walle on euery syde kepte with a strong defence ¶ Of the kingdoms cities of Narsinga and Canonor THe king of Narsinga in riches and dominion excelleth all other Kinges in those partes The chiefe cytie where the King is resident is in situaâ—ion and fynenes much lyke vnto the cytie of Milayne but that it sâ—andeth in a place somewhat declyning and lesse equall This king hath euer in a redâ—nes manye thousandes of men of armes as one that is euer at warre with other countreys borderers nere aboute him He is geuen to most vile Idolatrie and honoureth the deuyll euen as doth the king of Calicut The maners and fashions of the inhabitaÌ„tes are after this sorte The gentlemen or such as are of greatest reuenewes vse to weare an inward cote or peticote not very long hauing theyr heades bounde aboute with listes rowles of sundry coloures after the maner of the Turkes The coÌ„mon people couer onli their priuie parts and are besyde all together naked The Kynge weareth on his head a stately cap made of the riche cloth of Asia beyng two haÌ„dfulles in length WheÌ„ he goeth to y e warres he weareth a vesture of y e silke called Gossâ—mpine which he couereth with a cloke adorned w t plates of gold y e hemme or edge of his cloke is beset with all maner of ouches Iewelles Hys horse is iudged to be of such valure if you respect y e price as is one of our cities And this is by the meanes of y e innumerable multitude sundrie kindes of precious sâ—ones perles where with y e â—rappers barbes other furnitures of his horse are couered w t an incredible poÌ„pe glori The soyle of Narsinga beareth nether wheate nor grapes and â—s in maner without al kinde of fruites except â—itrons and gourdes the inhabitantes eate no bread but ryce fishe and fleshe and also walnuttes which that countrey beareth there begin spyces to be found as ginger pepper mirabolanes Cardamome Cassia and dyuers other kyndes of spyces Cananor is a very excellente cytie fayre and beautifull in all thinges sauing that the Kinge thereof is an Idolater This citie hath a hauen whether the horses of Persia are brought but theyr tribute or custome is excedinge great the inhabitantes lyue with ryce flesshe and fyshe as do they of Narsinga in the warres they vse the sweorde the round target speares and bowes haue nowe also the vse of gonnes they are all naked sauing their prieuie partes and go beare headed except when they goe to the warres for then they couer theyr heades with a redde hatte which thei folde double and bind it fast with a lyst or bande In the warres they vse neither horse mule or asse nether that kynde of camels which we coÌ„monly call dromedaries but vse onely ElephaÌ„tes There is also in the kingdoÌ„ of Narsinga another godly citie called Bisinagar it is coÌ„passed aboute with a walle situate on the side of a hyll beeyng .viij. myles in circuite hauinge also in it a famous market place The soyle is very fruitful there are all delicate thinges to be fouÌ„d that may encrease the pleasures of this lyfe There maye no where be fouÌ„d more pleasauÌ„t feldes and woddes for hauking huÌ„tinge a man woulde thinke it were a very Paradyse of pleasure The king of this citie is of great power he keepeth dayly many thousandes of meÌ„ at armes vsinge Elephantes in the stede of horses And hath euer foure hundreth Elephantes prepared for the warres ¶ How the Elephantes in India are prepared to warre THe ElephaÌ„t is a beast very docible and apte to be taught and little inferiour from humaine sense excellinge all other beastes in fortitude and strength Therfore y e Indians when they prepare them to the warres put great packsaddels vpon theÌ„ which they bind fast with two chaines of Iron coÌ„ming vnder theyr belyes UpoÌ„ the packsaddels they haue on euery side a litle house or towre or cage if you list so to cal it made of wood These towres ar made fast to the necke of the beaste with certayne sawed bordes of the thickenes of halfe a hande breadth Euery towre receyueth thre men And betwene both the towresâ— vpoÌ„ the back of the beast sytteth an Indian a man of that countrey which speaketh vnto the beaste For this beast hath marueylous vnderstanding of the language of hys natyue countrey doth wonderfulli beare in memorie benefytes shewed vnto him It is also moste certayne that none other beast draweth so nere to the excellence of humayne sense or reason as doeth this beast as maye most playnly appeare yf we coÌ„sidre how he is geueÌ„ to loue glory to a certeyn frendly gentlenes honest maners ioyned with a marueylous discrecion
laid on a great fyre and the asshes therof reserued in erthen pottes putting thereto a porcion of salte petre and buryinge the same in theyr owne houses While the bodies are burning they cast into the fyre al kyndes of swete sauouring gummes and spices as Aloe Frankencense Myrre Storax Coralle sandalles and suche other innumerable In the meane tyme blowing truÌ„pets shawmes after the maner of theÌ„ which amoÌ„ge the gentiles were canonized into y e numbre of the goddes And within xv dayes after y e husbandes death the wyfe calleth to her all her kinsfolkes bidding them to a banket fo being decked with al her iewels she procedeth with theÌ„ to the place where her husbande was buried where a graue is redye digged for her inclosed about with silkeÌ„ cloth hauinge in it a fyre made of sweete wood When the woman hath thus feasted her kynsfolkes she eateth much of the herbe called Betola wherby she is driuen into a madnes In thys meane whyle innumerable truÌ„petters wearing such vestures as they vse in the deuyls seruice go as it were on procession aboute the graue while the womaÌ„ runneth vp and down daunsing coÌ„tinually like a frantike bodie And thus wheÌ„ the ceremonies are fynished she casteth her selfe headlong into the fyre and graue and that with no lesse cherefulnes theÌ„ yf she should be receaued into heauen And vnlesse the womaÌ„ shoulde performe thys custome she should incurre most vyle infamie be a mocking stocke to all her nacioÌ„ as one that loued not her husband But the coÌ„mon people vse not thys custome but only the rulers princes And therfore the king him selfe is often tymes presente at these solemnities ¶ Of the kingdoms and cities of Pego and Bangella FRom the cytie of Iarnasseri to the cytie of Bangalla is .xi. dayes saylinge This cytie hath a kynge and the countrey is very fruyteful with great plentie of wheat fleshe suger ginger and gossampine cotton and hath therfore very rich marchaÌ„tes There yearely passeth from this citie fyftie shyppes frayghted wyth gossampine cottoÌ„ and silke clothes which are caried from thence to the Turkes Syrians Arabians Persians Ethiopians Indians Here are also founde certayne Christian merchaunt men which come out of Thempire of the great Cham of Cathay bringing with them Aloe CastoreuÌ„ and the swete guÌ„me called Laserpitium with other swete sauours In this cytie the men spinne and carde and make clothe and not the womenne From this cytie Eastwarde is another great citie called Pego beyng situate by a verye fayre ryuer The Kinge of thys cytie is an Idolater and hathe innumerable menne of worre both horsemenne and footemenne The soyle beareth wheate plentifullye and bringeth foorth in maner all kyndes of beastes hath therfore great abundaunce of fleshe Yet are there but fewe Elephants But of other beastes and foules greate plentie as is at Calicut speciallye of popingiayes whiche are of louder voice theÌ„ in any other place There is little trafficque or marchaundise in this region except iewels precious stones and speciallye Rubies called Pyropi whiche are broughte thether from the cytie of Capelan These precious stones shyne so brighte in the darke nyghte as thoughe it were the sonne beames The countrey adioyning bringeth forth Lacha Sandalum called saunders Also brasile gossampine cotton and sylke FroÌ„ Pego to the cytie of Malaccha whiche some call Melaqua is eygheâ— dayes saylinge where on the other syde is sene a great Iland called Sumatra otherwise Samotra was in time paste called Taprobana This Malaccha hath a goodly coÌ„modious hauen by reasoÌ„ wherof moe shippes arriue there then in any other place bringinge with them spyces and other marchaundise in great abundance The region is not generally fruytful yet hath it wheat and fâ—eshe but greate scarcenesse of wood The soules wander in the feldes as they doe in the region of Calicut But the popingiayes are here much fayrer It bringeth foorth also spices saunders tinne elephaÌ„tes horses shepe wilde oxeÌ„ pecockes and such other kyndes of beastes It is not lawfull there to bye and sellâ— except you bye spices and sylke It is also there very daungerous to walke in the citie in the nighte season beecause of the theft cruelnes of the inhabitaÌ„tes which kil one another like dogges And therfore the marchaund strauÌ„gers lodge not out of their shippes How the Portugales subdued Malaccha shalbe said hereafter in the descripcion of the newe Ilandes ¶ Of the greate and ryche Ilande of Sumatra or Samotra sometyme called Tabrobana SOme thinke this Sumatra to be that Iland which of the old writers is called Tabrobana It is verye great and riche and hath in it foure Kinges crowned with Diademes They are Idolaters in religion maner of lyuinge and apparell not muche vnlyke the Kinge of Tarnasseri They exceade all other men in bignesse of bodie They haue greye or blewe eyes and are of cruell countenaunce and terrible voyce They are long lyued and lyue euen vntyl an hundreth yeares of age The sea in certaine chanels is of such heigth and depth that no anker may come to the bottome therof The inhabitantes are great fyshers on the sea and haue great pleasure to take the shelle fysshe called the Tortoyse of the sea of whiche some are of suche houdge bignes that the shelle of one of them may suffise to make a house well able to receaue a hole famelie For some of them beare shelles of xv cubites in length and are therefore apt for that purpose The most part of this Ilande is burnte with heate and hath in it many desolate places and wildernesses There are founde many and greate Pearles For theyr money they vse coyned golde syluer and tynne The goldeÌ„ coyne hath on the one syde a deuils head grauen and on the othersyde a chariot which Elephantes draw This region bringeth foorth more plentie of Elephantes of greater stature a better broede then are found in any other place In the sea about this Ilande are often tymes sene the great monstrous fysshes kynde of Whales called Balene which bring many incoÌ„modities to the inhabitantes They are of such monstrous bignes that when they approche to the Sea bankes they seeme lyke vnto hylles they haue rough backes full of sharpe prickes And except men walke very warely by the sea bankes they are in dauÌ„ger to be sodeynly swalowed vp of these monsters Some of theÌ„ haue so greate and wyde mouthes that they sometymes swallowe whole shippes with the meÌ„ This couÌ„trey bringeth foorthe Lacha Lacca or Lacta which steyneth silke cloth in high redde or crimison coloure It is engendred in a tree not much vnlyke vnto our walnut trees Ther is also great pleÌ„ty of pepper higher theÌ„ is founde in other places In â—heir mother toÌ„ge pepper is called Molaga It is solde there by measure as wheat is with
able to expresse forasmuche as he hath vnder him in maner innumerable Kingdomes Prouinces Nacions and DominioÌ„s which are on euery syde about Cathay acknoweledge him to be theyr onelye Lorde and King whom they honoure and reuerence as a great God mighti Mahumet In what pompe triumphant magnificence he sheweth him self when he goeth to hauke or hunt and how many tentes he pitcheth in the felde which being sene a farre of a man would thinke to be a greate cytie he that desyreth to knowe let him reade Paulus Venetus in the second boke of hys nauigacions into India where he shal find thinges to marueyl at In Cathay they make a pleasaunt drinke of ryce certayne spyces which in drinking excelleth the swetenes of wine In many places they haue great lacke of wood In the stede wherof they digge out of the mountaynes a certayn kinde of blacke stone whiche burne in the fyre like coles and continue so long that yf they be kyndled ouer night they kepe fyre vnto the morning ¶ Of certaine Prouinces and regions subiect vnder the dominion of the greate Cham Emperour of Cathay THere passeth through the kingdom of Cathay a certayne greate ryuer called Pulisachnites which emptieth it selfe in the great Ocean sea by the whiche ryuer shyppes haue their passage into that lande Ouer this ryuer is a very fayre bridge of marble beyng in length three hundreth pases and in breadth eyghte pases with .xxiiii. arches and grauen LioÌ„s on euery syde adourning the rayles or highest margentes of the same From hence it is not farre to the fayre and greate kingdom of â—ainfu in the which are many goodli vynes For in the kingdom of Cathay there groweth no wyne but is brought the ther from this region In this kingdome is greate vse of marchaundyse and hath plentie of conning artificers so that al the armure which the great Cham vseth in his warres is made there Toward the region of Mangi is situate the ryuer Caromoram whiche for the greate breadth and depth hath no bridge In this region is greate abundaunce of Ginger silke byrdes and speciallye Phesantes Somewhat beyonde this is the great cytie of Quenquinafu beynge the chief cytie of the same kingdome In this region are founde many muskecaâ—tes This beast in this countreye is but lyttle and fayre aboute the bignesse of a meane catte with grosse heare lyke a harte hauinge blunte clawes on his fete with two longe teeth in the vpper iawe and two in the nether iawe and hath nere vnto the nauell a bladder full of a certayne matter like vnto bloud being of wonderful â—tagrant sauoure and is the true muske ¶ Of the Prouince of Mangi and merueylous cyties conteyned in the same THe Prouince of Mangi hath in it many notable and great cities in the whiche is greate exercyse of marchaundyse and specially in the citie of Conigangui is solde great plentie of salt In the cytie of Panchi there is great sale of silke In the cytie of Sianfu is made great pleÌ„tie of clothes of golde and silke In the cytie singui is a famous market where great abundaÌ„ce of marchauÌ„dise is brought by the ryuer Nere vnto the citie of Caigui groweth plentie of blade and ryce that it is caried from thence to the court of the greate Cham. In y e citie of singui are nuÌ„bred to be about sixe thousande bridges of stone hauinge so highe arches that greate shippes maye passe vnder the same without bowing down of the mast There is another citie called Quinsai which is so fayre great that there is thought to be no bigger in al the worlde It conteyneth in circuite a huÌ„dreth Italien miles which make xxv leages It hath twelue thousande bridges of stone and those so highe that greate shippes with the maste standing vp right maye passe vnder This cytie is situate in a marrishe ground muche lyke vnto venes Therfore if they should lack bridges they coulde not passe ouer froÌ„ the one syde of the streete to the other It hath innumerable artificers and many marchauntes The cytezins lyue pleasantly and specially the womeÌ„ which are fayrer theÌ„ in other partes of â—ndia Toward the South syde of the cytye there is a great lake or poole within y e walles of the cytie whiche coÌ„teyneth in circuitie about .viii. leages hauinge about the bankes therof many noble mens houses very fayre both without and within In the middeste of this lake there are two litle IlaÌ„des and in euery of theÌ„ a goodly palace in y â— which are reserued al suche ornamentes vessels as they vse for theyr mariages solemne feastesâ— for whereas any of the cytezins entende to make any great banket or feast they bring theyr gestes to one of these palaces where they are honorably enterteined In the stretes of y e citie are certaine comoÌ„ towres into y â— which al such as dwell neare therto carie theyr goodes stuffe yf it so chaunce y e fyre be in the citie The inhabitantes are Idoloters eate the fleshe of horses camels of other vnclene beastes The great Cham hath in this cytâ—e a myghtie garison to the intente to auoyde rebellion thefte murther For on euery bridge there wayteth dayly nightlye .x. watchmen for the same purpose and because the Prouince of Mangi is exceding large the great Cham hath deuyded it into nyne Kingdomes assigninge vnto euerye one a peculier Kynge whiche are al of greate powre and yet subiecte to the greate Cham. One of them dwelleth in the citie of Quinsai In thys Prouince of Mangi is an other Kyngdome called Fugui in whiche the people eate mannes flesshe so that they dye not of any disease They drinke the bloud and eate the fleshe of such as are slayne in y e warres There are hennes found in this region which in the stede of fethers haue heare much lyke cattes heare of blacke colour And laye very good egges ¶ Of the regioÌ„ of Tangut and of the great desertes voyces of deuylles hearde in the same of the Salamandra FRom the Kingdome of Persia there are two iourneyes to the region of Cathay For either the south side must be obserued towarde India or elles to passe by the prouinces of Carcham Cotam Peim Northeastwarde to the citie of Lop beynge the greatest and most notable cytie in all that region lying betwene the East and the North at the entrauÌ„ce at the great desert In this cytie al suche marchauntes as entende to passe the desertes make preparacioÌ„ for all thinges necessarye for their yourneye And rest in the same vntill they are well prouided of strong asses and camels to carye there vitayles And when in y e desert their vitayles begin to fayle theÌ„ they kyl theyr asses or leaue theÌ„ there in the wyldernes because
¶ A treatyse of the newe India with other new founde landes and Ilandes aswell eastwarde as westwarde as they are knowen and found in these oure dayes after the descripcion of Sebastian Munster in his boke of vniuersall Cosmographie wherin the diligent reader may see the good successe and rewarde of noble and honeste enterpryses by the which not only worldly ryches are obtayned but also God is glorified the Christian fayth enlarged Translated out of Latin into Englishe By Ryrcharde Eden ☞ Praeter spem sub spae ¶ To the right hyghe and mighty Prince the Duke of Northumberlande hys grace I Reade in auncient writers most noble prince how that mightie kyng and conquerour of the world Alexander the great at such tyme as he beheld y e tombe of fearse Achilles therewith called to his remeÌ„braunce howe excellently the Poet Homere had set forth his heroical factes which notwithstaÌ„ding he thoughte to be muche inferiour vnto his he sighed sayde Oh the most fortunate which haste founde such a troÌ„pe to magnifi thi doinges meaning hereby that the fame of Achilles was no lesse notable to hys posteritie by homers writing theÌ„ it was in hys lyfe tyme by hys owne marcial affayres Wherby we maye perceue such magnanimitie to haue ben in our predicessours men of noble stout courage y t they thought it not sufficiente in their life time to deserue prayse honour except the same might also redounde to theyr posteritie y t they mighte therby bee encouraged to do the like Whyche thing truely hath ben y e cause y t in al ages noble enterprises haue ben coÌ„mended such as haue attempted y e same haue bene honoured Wherfore if honest coÌ„mendacions be a iust reward dew to noble enterprises so much do they robbe spoyle from y e dignitie therof which in any poynt diminishe the same no lesse confoundinge the order of thinges then he whiche cloteth an ape in purple a king in sackecloth This I speake y â— rather beecause there chaunsed of late to come to my handes a shiete of printed paper more worthy so to bee called then a boke entytuled of the newe founde landes The whyche tâ—tle when I readde as one not vtterlye ignoraunt hereof hauynge before in my tyme readde Decades and also the nauigations de nouo orbe there seemed too me no lesse inequalitye betwene the tytle and the booke then if a man woulde professe to wryte of Englande and entreated onelye of Trumpington a vyllage wythin a myle of Cambrydge Wherefore partelye moued the good affeccion whyche I haue euer borne to the science of Cosmographie whyche entreately of the descripcion of the worlde whereof the newe founde landes are no smal part much more by y â— good wyll whych of duetie I beare to my natyue countrey countreymeÌ„ which haue of late to their great praise whatsoeuer succede atteÌ„pted w t newe viages to serche y e seas and newe found laÌ„des I thought it worthy my trauayle to their better comfort as one not otherwise able to further theyr enterprise to traÌ„slate this boke oute of latin into Englishe The which albeit it do not so largely or particulerlye entreate of euery part region or coÌ„moditie of y e sayd new found landes as the worthines of the thing might requyre yet sure I am that aswel they which set forth or take vpoÌ„ theÌ„ this viage as also they which shal hereafter attempt y e lyke may in this smal boke as in a little glasse see some cleare light not only how to learne by the example daÌ„mage good successe and adueÌ„tures of other how to behaue them selues direct theyr viage to their most coÌ„moditie but also if dew successe herein shoulde not chaunce according vnto theyr hope expectacioÌ„ as ofteÌ„times chaÌ„ceth in great affaires yet not for one foyle or fal so to be dismayd as with shame and dishonor to leaue wyth losse but rather to the death to persist in a godly honeste lawful purpose knowing that wheras one death is dewe to nature the same is more honourably speÌ„t in such attemptes as may be to the glorye of God coÌ„moditie of our countrey then in soft beddes at home amoÌ„g the teares weping of women Which manlye courage like vnto that which hath ben seen and proued in your grace aswell in forene realmes as also in this oure countrey yf it had not been waÌ„ting in other in these our dayes at suche time as our souereigne Lord of noble memorie Kinge Henry the .viij. about the same yere of his raygne furnished sent forth certen shippes vnder the gouernaunce of Sebastian Cabot yet liuing one syr Thomas Perte whose faynt heart was the cause that that viage toke none effect yf I say such manly courage wherof we haue spoken had not at that tyme bene wanting it myghte happelye haue comen to passe that that riche treasurye called Perularia which is now in Spayne in the citie of Ciuile and so named for that in it is kepte the infinite ryches brought thither froÌ„ the newe found land of Peru myght longe since haue bene in the towre of London to the kinges great honoure and welth of this his realme What riches the Emperoure hath gotten oute of all the newe founde landes it may wel appeare wheras onlye in the Ilandes of Hispana or Hispaniola and Cuba other Ilandes there aboute were gathered in two monethes twelue thousand poundes weyght of gold as youre grace maye reade in this boke in the descripcion of the Ilandes Yet speake I here nothynge of perles precious stones and spices Neyther yet of the greate aboundaunce of golde whiche is engendred almost in al regions neare vnto the AEquinoctial line And wheras I am aduertised y t youre grace haue bene a greate fortherer of thys viage as you haue bene euer studious for the coÌ„moditie of your countrey I thought my trauayl herein coulde no wayes be more worthely bestowed then to dedicate the same vnto your grace Most humbly desiringe youre honoure so to accepte mine intente herein as one whose good will hath not wanted to gratifie your grace with a better thing if mine abilitie were greater Thus Almighty God preserue your grace in health and honour long to continue ¶ Your graces poore oratour Rychard Eden ¶ Rychard Eden to the reader WHereas in this Booke welbeloued Readâ—r y u mayest â—eade maâ—ye straunge thinges aâ—d in maner incredible except the same were proued most certayn by dayly experieÌ„ce approued auctoritie as shall hereafter appeare I thought it good for thy bettâ—r instruction to make this Preface wherby tâ—â—u mightest more playnly sensibly coÌ„prehend â—he reasons causes yf not of al yet of some of the chiefest thinges which are conteyned in the sameâ— Therfore wheras thou shalt râ—ade of the great abundauÌ„ce of gold precious stones spices which the Spaniardes Portugales haue brought froÌ„ the South partes of the worlde as from the newe founde landes
Ilandes the sodeyn straungenes or greatnes of the thing shal not so much amase thy wittes and gender in thee incrudelitie yf thou coÌ„sider the saying of wyse Salomon who affyrmeth y t there is no new thing vnder the Sunne that the thing that hath been cometh to passe again which saying doeth greatly coÌ„fyrme the trueth of such thinges as are spoken of in this Boke wheras the same perhappes to some meÌ„ might otherwyse seme in maner incredible yf the lyke had not been sene in â—yme paste approued by auctoritie of moste holy scripture which declaring the great wysdoÌ„ ryches noble viages of King SalomoÌ„ sayth that God gaue him wisdoÌ„ and vnderstaÌ„ding exceding muche and a large heart and that he prepared a nauie of shippes in the porte of Azion Gaber by the brinke of the redde sea which sayled to Ophir brought froÌ„ thence .xxi. score hundreth whiche is xlâ— M. weyght of golde Agayâ—e that the weyghte of golde which was broughte to Salomon in one yere was .vi. huÌ„dreth thre score .vi. taleÌ„tes of gold wheras the Hebrue talente called Talente HaebraicuÌ„ sanctuarii was of our stâ—rling money 500. pounde Talent Haebraiâ—um uulgare was halfe so much Lykewyse y t siâ—uer was nothing worth in the dayes of SalomoÌ„ and y t he made siluer gold in HierusaleÌ„ as pleÌ„tiouâ— as stones Agayâ— that he ouerlayd the house of the Lord with precious stones beautiâ—ully and the gold wherwith he couered it was golde of Paruaim Also that the kinges nauie of shippes weÌ„t once in thre yere to Tharsis and brought Gold Siluer Apesâ— Peacockes and Elephantes teeth Which wordes surely seme so to confirme such thinges as are spoken of in the nauigacions wherof this boke entreateth that nothinge can make more for the truth of the same and briefely to speake of the places whether Salomons shippes sayled for Gold as Tharsis and Ophir This ought to be coÌ„sydered for a general rule that nearest vnto the south partes of the world betwene the two Tropikes vnder y e Equinoctial or burning lyne where the sunne is of greatest forse is the chiefest place where gold is engendred although it be sometymes founde in colde regioÌ„s as in Scotland in Crayford more likewyse in Hâ—ngary yet nether pure of it self nor in great quaÌ„titie the reason whereof is largely declared in the â—ookes of George Agric Albertus Magnus And wheras it is written in y e â—oke of Kinges in the Actes of Salomon that he prepared his shippes in Azion Gaber beyng by the brinke of the readde sâ—a and sayled from thence to Ophir for Golde it is apparaunt that howsoeuer the names of thinges haue altered and perisshed in tyme he sayled from thence southwarde towarde the Equinoctial lyne for asmuche as there is none other passage oute of the narownesse of the readde sea but onely into the mayne South sea by the which the Portugales euen at this daye make theyr viage to Calicut Samoâ—ra Madagascar and such other Ilandes in the South east partes of the worlde where Golde Spyces Apes and Elephantes are nowe founde in lyke maner But as for Tharsis beyâ—ge a cytye of Cilicia in Asia the lâ—sse the naâ—iue countreye of S. Paule the Apostle and situaâ—e muche more toward the North theÌ„ is Iudea and in maner directlye ouer againste Iudea on the othersyde of the sea called Mare MediteraneuÌ„ in the same clime in the which standeth the Ilande of Sicilia and the cytie of Ciuile in Spayne it hardelye agreeth with the principles of Philosophie coÌ„mon experience that golde should be there engendred in lyke abundaunce as in Regions more towarde the south much lesse Elephantes and Apes which are no where engeÌ„dred farre froÌ„ the AEquinoctial lyne or beyonde the two Tropikes nor yet wil engendre yf they be broughte into those partes of the world The lyke is to be vnderstande of Popingiayes and spyces and dyuers other beastes fruites and trees which are engendered in ceâ—tayne climes of the worlde and wyll not prospere in other places the reason wherof were here to longe declare For lyke as pepper wyll not growe in Spayne no more wyll the Orange tree bringe foorth fruite in Englande Wherefore it maye seme by good reason that the Golde Apes and Elephantes teeth which were broughte from Tharsis yf it were Tharsis of Cilicia were not engeÌ„dered there but rather brought thether by marchauÌ„tes from the south partes of the world out of Mauritania Marmarica Ethiopia Libia Arabia or otherwise by lande from the East India lyke as at this daye the greate multitude of Spyces Golde Precious stones Sylke and Iuerye whyche is at Calicut and Cambaia growe not al in the regioÌ„s there about but are brought thether froÌ„ dyuers other countreys as doeth more largely appeare in this Boke And that SalomoÌ„s factours for exchauâ—ge of other marchaundyse bought the same in Tharsis beâ—â—g broâ—ght thether froÌ„ other countreyes as it is written in the thyrde Boke of the Kinges that Salomon had great plentie of Gold of Marchauntes Apothecaries So that to conclude I would rather thinke sauing reformacion of oâ—her better learned that this Tharsis not Tharsis of Cilicia from whence Salomon had so great plentie of Gold and Iuerie were rather some other couÌ„trey in the south partes of the world then this Tharsis of Cilicia Forâ— not onely olde and newe Histories dayly experience and the principles of natural Philosophie doe agree y t the places most apte to bring forth gold spices precious stones are the South and Southeast partes of the world but also our Sauiour Christ approueth the same declaring that the Quene of the South meaning the Quâ—ne of Saba came froÌ„ the vtmoste partes of the worlde to heare the wysdom of Salomon And lyke as by the auctoritie of these woordes it is playne froâ— what partes of the world she came the same to a philosophical head is apparent by sâ—che râ—ches presentes as she broughte with her For albeit that in the Chronacles of Salomon it is â—ot written by expressed wordes that she came froÌ„ the Southe yet is it wrytten that she came to Hierusalem with a very great trayne with camels laden with spyces swete odours exceading much gold precious stones which descripcion doeth well agree both with the situacion of the cytie of Saba in Ethiopia vnder Egipt and also with the couâ—trey of Saba being in the middel of Arabia inuironned about with great rockes wherin is a great wood of Precious trees some of Cinomome Cassia some bringing forth frankâ—ncense and myrre as writeth Plinius lib. 12. and Theophrastus li. 9. de Hist. Plant. Wherefore the Quene of â—aba myghte worthely be called â—he quene of the South forasmuch as bothe Saba or rather Sabat in Ethiopia whiche Iosephus thinketh to be the Iland of
was proued to be most wyse and certayne of hys frendes asked hym why he durste be so boulde he aunswered that Plato was hys frende and so was Socrates but trueth hys frende more then they bothe euen so I thinke it no iniurye nor contumelye to Saynct Augustyne yf the same were sayde of hym also geuynge hym otherwyse hys dewe commendacions as he was surelye an excellentâ— man of dyuyne wytte and knowledge and so trauayled in settynge foorth Christes true Relygion in those turmoylous dayes in perpetual combatte agaynste learned heretykes and Prynces of the worlde that he is worthelye called a Doctour and Pyller of Christes Churche And as for Lactantius the intente of whose wrytinges was chiefelye to â—hys ende to dyminisshe thestimacion of Philosophye as at those dayes it was necessarie to doe amonge the Gentyles and to aduaunce Goddes woorde whyche they contemned for the symplicitie of the same albeit he attempted as farre as hys learninge woulde serue hym to make all thynges in Philophie vncertayne yet are hys argumentes so slender that vnlesse GOD by the secrete working of hys spyryte hadde called the Gentyles to the true Faythe I feare me leaste fewe or none of them specyallye of the greate wyttes woulde haue been conuerted by â—actantius argumentes Howe he dalyeth in denyinge the yearth to bee rounde and that it is possyble that it myghte bee longe and rounde lyke an Egge or otherwyse longe and holowe lyke a bote meanynge I suppose that the Sea myghte bee conteyned in the holownesse of the same wyth suche other opinyons grounded of no reason it were to longe to rehearse Yet forasmuche as he was a learned manne and for the better satisfyinge of suche wyttes as arâ— desyreous to know some appearaunce of truth by naturall reason and demonstracions lette vs admytte that the earth were rounde after anye of those fasshions whiche he describeth yet can it not bee denyed but that it is conteyned wythin the holowenesse yf I maye so call it of the ayre hauynge the heauen in euerye place dyrectelye ouer euery parte of the same as sayeth the Poete and Philosopher Virgill Caelum undique sursum Excepte perhappes Lactantius shoulde thinke that it honge by some thynge or were otherwyse borne vppe wyth pyllers as the Poetes Fable that the Gyaunte Atlas beareth the worlde on hys shoulders whereby they meane that a manne of valiente mynde must stoutelye beare the chaunces of the worlde Of whyche hangeinge or bearynge of the earth I reade a better and more true sayinge in the holye Scripture where it is written Fert omnia uerbo orâ—s sui that is that God sustayneth and beareth all thinges wyth the woorde of hys mouth Holye Iob also sayeth that the LORD â—tretcheth oute the Northe ouer the emptye and hangeth the earth vpon nothynge Meaninge by nothinge the ayre because to oure senses it appeareth in maner as nothynge Or otherwyse that it is not dependynge of anye other substaunce but to bee sustayned onelye by the power of GOD who hath appoynted the Elementes theyr places and lymittes and causeth the heuye to stande faste as wytâ—esseth Moyses in hys songe sayinge By the wynde of thy nostrels the waters gathered together the flouddes stoode styll as an heape and the deepe waâ—er congeled togeather in the heart of the Sea Wherefore yf the heauen bee rounde whiche no manne can reasonably denye that euer sawe the Sunne and sterres moue And yf the earth bee the center of the worlde dependinge as we haue sayde beefore then mâ—ste it needes folowe that they whiche inhabiting the Northweste partes of the earth haue the Pole Artike eleuate thyrtye degreeâ— muste needes bee Antipodes to them whiche inhabitinge the Southeaste partes of the earth haue the Pole Antartike eleuate in the same degree and so the lyke to bee vnderstand of all other eleuacions and degrees And yf here anye wyll obiect that eyther the earth or firme land is not so large or so farre exteÌ„ded or other wyse not inhabited althoughe it were so large or that the sea iâ— greater then the lande to thys I aunswere that no maÌ„ knoweth further hereof then is tryed and founde by experience as we haue sayde beefore And albeit that the sea were larger then the firme land yet forasmuche as there are Ilandeâ— founde in all places of the mayne Sea and in maner all inhabited there is no reason to the contrarye but that the people of those Ilandes maye be Antipodes to such as dwel on the fyrme lande on the contrary parte whether the earth be round and longe yea or square yf you wyll notwythstandynge But wyth what certayne demonstracionâ— the Astronomers and Geometricians proue the earth to bee rounde and the Sphericall or rounde forme to bee mooste perfecte it were to longe to declareâ— I wyll therefore make an ende of thys matter wyth the sayinge of Sayncte Paule in hys Oracion to the menne of Athens That GOD made of one bloudde all nacions of menne to dwell vpon the hole face of the earth ¶ I hadde entended here well beeloued Reader to haue spoken somewhat of suche straunge thynges and Monsters whereof mencion is made in thys Booke to thende that suche as by the narownes of theyr vnderstandinge are noâ— of capacitie to conceaue the causes and natures of thynges myghte partely haue been satisfyed wyth some sensyble reasonsâ— But beynge at thys tyme otherwyse hindered it shal suffise al good and honeâ—t wittesâ— that whatsoeuer the Lorde haâ—h pleased that hath he done in heauen and in earth and in the Sea and in all depe places◠¶ Ecclesiasticus Capit. i. ¶ The eye is not satisfyed with syght the eare is not fylled with bearinge ¶ The Table ¶ Of the Ilande of Iaua Of the Ilande of Madagascar Of the Ilande of zanzibar Of the two Ilandes in the which men and womeâ— dwell a sunder Of the mightie Empyre of Cathay subiect vnder the dominioÌ„ of the great Cham or Cane Emperour of Tartaria Of certayn Prouinces subiect vnder the dominioÌ„ of the great Cham. Of the Prouince of Mangi Of the Region of Tangut Of the newe Ilandes howe when and by whom they were founde Of the two Ilandes Iohanna and Hispana Of the Canibales which eate mans fleshe Of the maners of the inhabitantes of Hispana How Christophorus ColuÌ„bus after that he had founde the newe Ilandes returned to Spayne and preparing a new nauie sailed agayn to y e Canibales How ColuÌ„bus the Admiral passed many IlaÌ„des and what chaunced to hym his in that viage Of the newe India as it is founde and knoweâ— in these oure dayes Of the Adamant stone otherwise called the Diâ—mant Of the KingdoÌ„s cities of Narsinga Canonor Howe the Elephantes in India are prepared to the warres Of the beaste called Rhinoceros Of Calicut the moste famous markette towne of India Of the maners of the Indians in Calicut Of Pepper and other
and oppressions they hadde rather paye tribute then to be thus dayly vexed with incursioÌ„s neuer to be at quiete Upon this complaynte it was agreed that they shoulde paye yearely tribute to the ChristiaÌ„ king that they should applie theÌ„ selues to gather and encrease theyr rotes whiche were to them in the stede of flowre and wheat and so consumed that with great labour they coulde scarcely fynde any in the wooddes They payde therefore for their tribute euery thre monethes certayn pound weyghtes of gold but suche as had no gold payde spyces gossampine cotton In the meane time the Spaniardes who should haue been occupied in digging for golde gaue theÌ„ selues to play wantoÌ„nes idlenes coÌ„temning falling into hatered w t their gouernour by which theyr liceÌ„ciousnes the people of the IlaÌ„d beyng prouoked became more disobedient wyld degeneratinge froÌ„ al kind of honestie faithfulnes yea y â— spaniardes also became so negligeÌ„t in seking for gold y t sometyme the charges exceaded the gaynes Neuerthelesse in the yere of Christ 1501. they gathered within y e space of two monethes twelue thousand poundes weyght of golde But the Admirall appoyntinge his brother Bartholomeus Columbus to be gouernour of the Iland he in the yeare .1495 determined to returne to Spayne to certifye the kyng of al these matters In which viage he manfullye defended him self in battayl against the rebelles of certayne other Ilandes which had coÌ„spyred agaynst the Spanyardes ¶ How the Portugals sought new IlaÌ„des in the East partes and how they came to Calicut IN this meane tyme that y e Spanyardes soughte newe and vnknowen landes in the West partes the Portugales attempted to doe the same in the Easte partes And least one of them should be a lette or hinderauÌ„ce to the other they deuyded the world betwene them by the aucthoritie of the Bishop of Rome AlexaÌ„der the .vi. of that name And that on this condicion that froÌ„ the Ilandes called Hesperides whiche are now called Caput ueride the one should sayle Westwarde and the other towarde the South pole thus deuyding the world betwene theÌ„ in two equal partes So that whatsoeuer vnknowen landes shoulde be discouered in the Easte partes the same to be dewe to the Portugales And all suche as shoulde be founde in the Weste partes to appertayne to the Spanyardes Whereby it came to passe that the Spaniardes euer by the South sayled into the Weste where they founde a large mayne laÌ„d with IlaÌ„des great litle innumerable hauing in them great pleÌ„tie of golde and pearles and other great riches But the Portugales by the Southe and costes of the Ilandes called Hesperides and Equinoctial lyne Tropicus Capricorni came y â— into East by thâ— goulâ—e called Sinus Persicus euen vnto the costes of India with in the riuer of Ganges wheras is now the great market towne kingedoÌ„ of Calicut And froÌ„ thence to the IlaÌ„d of Taprobana now called Sumetra Zamara or Samotra so forth to Aurea Chersonesus whereas is nowe the great cytie of Malaccha beyng one of y e most famous market townes of al y e East partes From Malaccha they entered into a great goulfe by which they came to the region of â—inarâ—m Not farre from Malaccha are the Ilandes called Molucca in which al kyndes of spyces growe and are brought to the cytie of Malaccha But the Spanyâ—rdes hauing knowledge what greate coÌ„moditie the Portugales had receyued by the Ilandes of Molucca attemted to proue yf they also might find the same Ilandes in sayling so farre Westward that they mighte at the length by West and southwest come into the East as by good reasoÌ„ they presupposed the roundnesse of the earth would permitte if they were not otherwyse lette by the fyrme or mayne land lyinge in the waye and stoppinge theyr passage whereof as yet was no certeyntie knoweÌ„ And this dydde they to thintent that by this meanes they myghte more easelye and wyth lesse charge bringe spyces from thence into Spayne Therefore the maner of this viage was that they shoulde sayle from the Weste vnder the lowest hemispherye or halfe coÌ„passe of the earth so to come into the East A thinge surelye that myghte seeme verye harde to attempte beecause it was vncertaine whether that most prudente and beneficiall nature who worketh al thinges with most high prouidence had not so deuided and seperated the East from the West partely by sea and partely by land that there might by this way haue been no passage into the East For it was not yet knowen whether that great region of America whiche they call the fyrme or mayne lande dyd seperate the Weste sea froÌ„ the East But it was founde that that fyrme lande exteÌ„ded from the West to the South And that also towarde the North partes were fouÌ„d two other regioÌ„s whereof the one is called Regio Baccalearum the other Terra Florida which if they were adherent to the sayde fyrme land there could be no passage by the Weste seas into the East India forasmuch as ther was not yet founde any strayghte of the sea wherby any enteraunce mighte be opeÌ„ into the East In this meane while the kyng of Spayne beynge elected Emperoure prepared a naâ—uie of fyue shippes ouer the whiche he appointed one Magellanus to be captayne commaundinge him that he should sayle towarde the coastes of the sayd fyrme land dyrectinge his viage by the south partes thereof vntyl he had eyther found the ende of the same or elles some streyghte wherby he mighte passe to those odoriferous Ilandes of Molucca so famously spoken of for the great abuÌ„daunce of swete sauours and spices founde therein The shippes therefore beyng well furnisshed with all thinges necessarie Magellanus departinge from Ciuile in Spayne the tenth day of August in the yeare of Christ .1519 came fyrst to y e IlaÌ„des of Canaria and from thence to the Ilandes called Hesperides from whiche dyrectinge hys course betwene the West and the East toward the sayd fyrme land in few dayes with prosperous sayling he discouered a corner or poynt of the sayd mayne laÌ„d called Promontorium S Muriae where the people dwell called Canibales whiche are accustomed to eate mans fleshe FroÌ„ hence he sayled on southwarde by the long tracte of this firme laÌ„d which reacheth so farre into y e south and extendeth so many degrees beyond y e circle called Tropicus Capricorni y t the south pole called pole Antartike is there eleuated fortie syxe degrees And thus beyng brought into the East they saw certayn Indians gatheringe shel fyshes by the sea bankes beyng men of very high stature clothed w t beastes skinnes To whom wheras certayne of the Spaniardes went a land shewed them belles paynted papers they begon to daunce leape aboute the
Indian sea This Melcha is situate more toward the West and Calicut more enclininge towarde the south Vesputius came fyrst to y â— grene IlaÌ„des called Insulae uerides and sayled from them to Serraliona beynge in the Southe partes of Ethiopia from whence saylinge on yet further he sawe in the middest of the sea an Iland high and merueylous where also the M. Pilate of this nauie lost his shippe by running vpon a rocke but all the mariners escaped This shippe was of thre hundreth tunne and had in it al the power of the nauie When Vesputius had entered into the Iland he found it rude and vnhabited yet was it full of byrdes but had no beastes except Lisertes with forked tayles and Sâ—rpeÌ„tes Thus makinge prouision for necessaries he was enforced to returne to portugale failing of his purpose ¶ How the king of Portugale subdued certayn places in India and of the ryche Cytie of Malacha FOrasmuche as therefore in the yeares folowinge there weâ—e more often nauigacions made from the West by the south into the East and the Portugales had now fouÌ„de a safe passage by y e sea they thought it expedient for theyr better safetie to make certaine fortificacions and places of refuge in the Easte The which theyr intent the better to accomplishe King Emanuel appoynted one Alphonsus an experâ—e man on the sea to be captayne of this viage Who desyring to reuenge the losses and iniuries which the Portugales had before sustained sayled directly to Aurea Chersonesus now called Malacha a merueylous great and riche citie whose king is an infydel of the secte of the Moores for euen thus farre was the secte of Mahumet extended Alphonsus therfore at his coming thether besieged the cytie made warre agaynst the Saracens whiche helde the same In this conflict a greate noumber of theyr enemies beynge slayne the Portugales â—ntred into the citie by forse and kept the â—amâ— permitting free libertie to theyr souldiers to spoyle kyll and burne The king himselfe fyghting vpon an Elephante and beyng sore wounded fledde with the resydue of his companye A greate numbre of the Moores were slaine with the losse of a fewe Portugales manye were taken and great spoyle caried awaye in the whiche were seuen Elephantes and all kyndes of ordinaunces perteyning to the warres made of copper to the noumbre of two thousande pieces The cytye beynge thus taken and sacked and the enemyes drieuen to flyghte Alphonsus the Capitayne the better to prouyde for the sauegarde of the Christians buylded a stronge forte at the mouth or entraunce of the riuer which runneth through y e citie At this time that is to witte in the yeare of Christ. M. ccccc.xij there were in Malacha many strauÌ„gers and marchauntes of dyuerse nacions whereby the cytie was replenished with great ryches and abundaunce of spyces They of theyr owne mocion desyred to make a leage with Alphonsus and were of him gently receaued So that for theyr better safetie he permitted them to â—well in the houses neare about the forte And by this meanes this markette towne was reâ—dified and broughte to muche better state then euer it was before These thiÌ„ges thus happely atchiued al thinges in Malacha set in good order Alphonsus leauing in the forte a garrison of .vi. hundreth valiante souldiours returned into India where he besieged the chiefe castell of the cytie of Goa which he a fewe yeares beefore hadde with no smal daunger of our men and great slaughter of their enemies subdued the dominion of Emanuel kynge of Portugale was nowe possessed of the mores he maÌ„fully recouered agayne and enforsed them to render vp the same Also the ambassadours of the Kinge of Narsinga the Kinge of Cambaia and the King of Grosapha with the legates of dyuers other kinges and Princes offered them selues to be at a leage wyth Alphonsus thereupon broughte theyr presentes vnto hym No lesse powre and dominion obtayned the king of Spayne in the Ilandes of the Weste partes In so muche that at his commaundement were buylded sixe townes in the Ilandes of Cuba Lykewyse in the Ilande of Iucatana was buylded a greate cytie wyth fayre houses The Ilande of Cozumella the Spanyardes called Sancta Crux beecause they came fyrste thether in Maye on the daye of the Inuencion of the Crosse. In the Ilande of Hispana or Hispaniola were erected .28 suger presses to presse y e sugre whiche groweth plentifully in certaine canes or redes of the same couÌ„trey FroÌ„ hence also is brought the wood of Guaiacum otherwyse called Lignum sanctum wherewith dyuerse diseases are healed by the order of the newe dyete ¶ Of the Iland of Medera and the fortunate IlaÌ„des otherwyse called the Ilandes of Canaria BEtwene Spaine the IlaÌ„des of Canaria is the Ilande of Medera which the Spaniardes in our time founde vnhabited and saluage But perceauinge that the soyle thereof was very fruitefull they burnt the woodes and made the ground apt to bringe foorth corne and buylded many houses and so tilled the same that at this day is no where founde a more fruiteful lande It hath in it many springes of fresshe water and goodly ryuers vpon the which are bylded manye sawe mylles wherewith manye fayre trees lyke vnto Ceder Cypresse trees are sawed and cut in sunder wherof are made most fayre tables coberdes cofers and chayres and such other curious workes made of wood These trees are of redde colour swete sauour the bodies and braunches whereof are broughte into Spayne in great plentie The Kynge of Portugale thought it good to plante in this Iland that kynde of redes in which suger groweth wherin he was not deceaued in his opinion For they growe there moste fruitefully and beare suger which excelleth the sugre of Candye or Sicilia There were also vynes broughte out of Candye and planted in this Ilande where they prosper so wel that for y e moste part they bring forth more grapes then leaues and those very great In this Iland is also great plentie of Partriches wyld doues Peacockes wild bores diuers kindes of other beastes which onely possessed the Iland before men dyd inhabite the same Also the Ilandes called Insulae fortunatae whiche are nowe called Canaria for the multitude of dogges which are in them are sayd to be no lesse fruytefull These Ilandes are tenne in noumbre of the which seueÌ„ are inhabited thre remaine desolate They which are inhabited are called by these names Fracta laucea Magna sors Grancanaria Teneriffa Ginera Palma and Ferrum At Columbus first comming thether the inhabitantes went naked without shame religioÌ„ or knowledge of God But in successe of time foure of the greatest IlaÌ„des embrased the Christian faith They haue eche of them a priuate language Teneriffa and â—rancanaria are bigger then the other Teneriffa maye be