any They make their prouison of water in great Borachoes made of whole goate-skins and sometimes are much distressed through want of it There is no fowle in all the desart but Pigions which nestle in those ruines The king of this hether part of the desart is a Mahometan tributarie to the Turke and so superstitious or timorous that by reason of certaine vowes customes and auncient traditions hee neuer entreth vnder any roofe the better to behold his forces about him He is so strong that at an hours warning he will bring 100000. horsemen to the field with out any difficulty their horses being the goodliest in the world Their Attire is after the Turkish fashion Turbant onely excepted in steed whereof they haue a kind of Capp rowled about with a black Turbant They are of a swart complexion and all as well men as women goe almost naked It is very true that such as intend to write back to Aleppo take with them at their departure some sitting Pigions from their young-ones which afterwards they let flie backe againe from what part soeuer they will handsomely loaden with their letters And the like doe they in some other cases for speedy warnings through all those parts After thirty dayes iourney more or lesse wee came to Nane where the whole Carauan takes water vpon Euphrates and there we reposed and refresht our selues some eight dayes together expecting boates for our transportation It is a good Towne full of bad people but yet there begins to cease all penury and discommodity for want of victuals finding in that Country all kind of meates and refreshings fit for mans life So wee embarked our selues there and after twelue dayes came within foure leagues of Babilon hauing seene nothing else on either side the riuer but Palme-trees Date-trees which beare most excellent fruite when they bee ripe and returne a most comfortable odour on the water Betweene Nane and Babilon there is a great lake which is vulgarly named the Pitchie sea I went expresly to see the head of it which proceedeth out of a rocke in fiue seuerall clefts about the bignes of a mans waste which soone after meeting al in one run 18. leagues long till it looseth it selfe vnder the ground This blacke and thick lickour serues to build withall instead of lime There the Basha sent vs all manner of necessarie assistance to bring our men and Merchandice to Babilon paying a certaine custome as one per centum siluer and precious stones excepted which are tole-free This Citty which now the Turkes call Bagdat is at this present scituate vpon the Riuer Tigris and not vpon Euphrates as aunciently it was though it bee still the selfe same stuffe and rubbish which the Babilonians carried foure leagues further to rebuild their CITTIE on the banke of TIGRIS wherein finding yet a further inconuenience they transported it on the other side as to this day there are yet extant great tokens togeather with some habitations which haue still kept in the first place There is also a great bridge of boates though som-what incommodious by reason of the largenes and height of the Riuer The towne is twice as bigge as Paris but therein are many great Gardens Orchards and arrable grounds that which seemes most admirable is to see so great an enclosure compassed with so faire wals For indeed 4. waggons may goe a front vpon them and are built all with bricke The houses within the Cittie are lowe enough vaulted vnder and tarassed on the top The Castle is exceeding strong faire great and well stored with munition There the Basha makes his dwelling place I sawe him walke abroad on a day and t was reported hee had very neere 50000 foote to waite vpon him and as many horse the best arraied that can euer bee hauing their harnesses all deckt with gold siluer and precious stones to the very stirrups with a great noise of Trumpets Drummes Cimbals Clarions and hautbois I was so curious likewise as to goe to the place where it is said the great tower of Babel was built being about halfe a dayes iourney distant where I sawe nothing but a high mountaine of earth in the midst of a plaine wherein digging you may finde certaine bricks whereof it is laide the tower was built From Babilon I went to Ezpan now the cheife and most gallant Cittie of Persia I durst allmost say of all the world where the Sophy is most resident The way is troublesome and discomodious enough beeing of fifteene long dayes trauaile through wast desarts voyde of al townes and houses or any other succour partly by nature partly so wasted of purpose to impeach th' approches of the Turke Onely from one dayes Iourney to another the Sophie hath caused to bee erected certaine kind of great harbours or huge lodgings like hamlets called Carauan-sara or Surroyes for the benefit of Carauanes out of which lodgings trauailers dare not issue without a conuoy which the gouernors of the said places giue from one to another and the Captaine of the conuoy must bring back a good certificat from the Captaine of the Carauan how hee hath faithfully brought them to the next lodging and that they were wel pleased with his conuoy Otherwise vpon the least complaint the king should heare hee would cause the Gouernors head to be cut off his house set a fire vnder whom the spoyle were committed restoring to the full out of his owne treasure what goods soeuer of the Marchants which were past recouerie Yet is it true thereof haue beene seene few examples by reason of very few misdemeanures in that nature but whensoeuer any hath happned that iustice hath beene seuerely executed Now these lodgings are exceeding comely with faire shops belonging thereto and are able to entertaine all Carauans neuer so great the like being so set throughout all Persia. Hispaan is halfe as bigge againe as Paris very strong very populous wonderfull frequented aswell because of trafficke as for the Kings presence and all the Courts of Iustice Checker and Religion It is vnpossible to relate the pleasures recreations and delights which are there either for stately Buildings great faire Gardens store and goodnes of fruits continuall riding and all other kinds of noble exercises with an incredible Pompe triumph and magnificence where once they vndertake it There is also great peace and plenty through all Persia both of common things which others haue in some sorte aswell as they as of sundry other singularities which none haue but they indeed or at least with such abundance and excellencie Among other the finest fairest and best bezear-stones which they find cleauing to the liuer of certaine goates There also is found the greate mine of Turquesses and the greatest quantity of silke that can be imagined which the men themselues doe spinne For their bodyes they are reasonable handsome for their minds reasonable tractable and ciuill Being in the said Cittie I saw
a cap a long cloake in forme of a gowne They lie in the field vnder vile Cabbins of Turfe Thence I entred the Kingdome of Brameny which containeth but 2. dayes iourney in length and in a manner of the same qualities and habit with the Canarrins Onely they haue a kind of linnen cloth which they make Marchandice of Thence to the Kingdome of Coulam who are Gentiles and of a swartie hue which hauing trauersed from one end to the other in a 11. dayes iourney I beheld no place of importance There is nothing there but all open Thence I tooke my way to Conchin possessed by the Portugals though the King keepes neuerthelesse still there his title and Court The Cittie is about the bignesse of Mante and is as well frequented with Marchants as any other place in all the Indies being the thorow-fare to China And there is a Citadell of exceeding great strength Thence I went to the Mountaine of S. Thomas where they are all Christians and haue alwayes so borne themselues notwithstanding their king is a Gentile their number being so great that very hardly may they be rooted out besides that the passages to it are most difficult They goe for the most part almost naked as commonly they doe in all those Countries And there is a certaine place where there is a Miraculous crosse whether they goe to procession in the holy weeke And then during their seruice time while they repeate the passion this crosse begins to change colour and to sweat I know not what kind of blacke liquor like inke but the passion being ended it returnes to its former nature They hold it to be a grace which Saint Thomas obtained from God for their perseuerance in the faith The Cittie is about the bignes of Poissy there are found certaine stuffs by them much esteemed although they bee made but of hearbs wherewith they cloath themselues and make a great trade thereof Thence I returned to Conchin from Conchin to the kingdome of Bengala wherein the Portugals also hold the capitall citty best fortresse of which the whole kingdome takes their name which notwithstanding is very small of little strength It is a countrey full of all sorts of commodities Among the rest they haue prettie couerlets of yellow linen-cloth all pinkte and wrought with needle worke whereof some are to bee seene in these parts This Cittie lies all open being of the bignes of Saint Denis and is some 5. weekes iourney from Conchin Thence to the kingdome and Iland of Seilan which the portugals holde being a place of importance In that contrey are whole forests of Cinamon all other countries being destitute of it There be also whole mountaines of Christall and out of their riuers they draw Perles Rubies Saphirs and Cats-eyes which are of great valew and whereof they make a great trade in China It is a good country and exceeding plentifull in corne rice fruits and all other things which are frequent throughout the Indies And is held to be 300 leagues compasse being all Gentiles True it is that the beasts which they adore varie from the others for they will worship the first creature they meete withal They eate nothing that hath bloud and of their very bread they will make no more then wil be eaten at a meale for if it be kept but 2. houres they are forbiden by their religion to eate it Moreouer there is a Riuer of salt water which issueth out of the sea and runneth neere the fort where there is a certaine fish or rather a kind of sea dragon a monster or I know not what coms often howling euen vnder the windowes will not depart before they haue giuen him his pray because as they say the Gouernour hath vsed him to it causing all such as he beareth grudge vnto or he any way distrusteth to be throwne to him so that none but he and his men can tell what is become of them Thence I bent my course for the kingdome of Ior as much as I could by land for this climate is all full of waters and Ilands and is very temperate being about a monthes trauaill betweene Seilan and Ior which is a very pretty little towne about the bignes of Auignon They are Gentiles and of a yellowish hew they worship I know not what shape with three heads they obserue the like abstinence as is aboue mentioned and haue very neere the selfe same commodities Thence I past to Malaca an exceeding strong fortres belonging to the Portugals 10. dayes trauaill beyond Ior. There you haue an aire most vnholesome and those whose constitution is able to beare it and liue at least their complexion is all changed to a yeallow There groweth a certaine fruit prickled like a ches-nut and as big as ones fist the best in the world to eate these are somewhat costly all other fruits being at an easie rate It must be broken with force and therein is contained a white liquor like vnto creame neuerthelesse it yelds a very vnsauory sent like to a rotten oynion and it is called Esturion There groweth likewise and no where els Nutmegs and Cloues vpon their trees or stalkes as also the Bezar-stone which is found ioyned to the breast of Monkies but not so good as those of the Persian Goates Likewise there be Diamonds but farre inferior to those whereof I am to speake anon yet are there Porcupine-stones of the couller of white soape which are had in great estimation hauing seene one about the bignes of a Nutmeg sold for 300. crownes which indeed was a faire one they make vse of it allmost against all diseases leauing it an howre to steepe in water which afterwards they drinke of though it be as bitter as Gall. This kingdome is of the Molucos and the Hollanders possesse there a strong fortresse called Sonde whence they bring vs the birds of Paradice for they are found noe where else the countrey folkes take them vp dead and sell them for 8. rialls a peece All a long this coast is found great quantitie of gray Amber and black Muske and Ciuet But the men of those countries are very liquorish of the Amber and eate the most part of it as fast as they finde it They are well furnished with all manner of commodities wine only excepted But they haue in steed of it a certaine drinke called Caahiete as blacke as inke which they make with the barke of a tree and drinke it as hot as they can endure it Their houses are low vaulted and tarrased on the top the better to sleepe in the coole aire From Malaca I went to Macao neere a months trauaile which is a Cittie scituate on the sea coaste at the foote of a great Mountaine where in times past the Portugalls had a greate fort and to this day there be yet many that dwell there This is the entrance into China but the place is of no
Ierusalem so contrary one to another and so much beaten and beaten againe as it is both shame and losse that such toyes should be vttered but that euer some prettie wit must get money by making others loose their tyme I thought this Author could not but proue profitable and welcome Seeing that with no other end but onely to see learne he did vndertake his trauell without loade or engagement of marchandise or of any priuate end or company ranging still vp downe and curiously prying and peircing as far as he could into euery Iland or Continent yea neuer by water where hee might by land hath discouered in yonder world more Nations more People more Kingdomes more Townes more Fashions more Particularities then euer any man before or since to our knowledge Now for the Style this man doth not stand vpon flowers nor I my selfe who do follow him as neere as I can Neyther doth hee fill the paper with idle talkes of a Tempest or a Ship-wracke a Robberie here a Disgrace there or shamefully recount how many Kicks how many Knocks and Bastinadoes hee had this way or that way a thing more then most common among Turkes and Infidels He sweares vpon his credite he had none Neyther doth he stand vpon any other vayne particulars but directly goeth to the maine saying what hee can and what hee knoweth goes to the heart and life of whom he intends to bee reuenged not onely for his long imprisonment but also for somewhat more then he dares write for this present Whereof neuerthelesse he will giue an inkling in his fit place before he end sufficient enough to enforme of the whole such as are not altogether blind or deafe But nowe it is high tyme to heare him speake ⸫ THE TRAVAILES of Monsieur de Monfart to CHINA by land the like whereof was neuer yet performed IN the name of GOD in the yeere of our LORD 1608. I Henry Defeynes commonly called by the name of the Mannor of Monfart wayting then vppon the most Illustrious most Reuerend Cardinall of Ioyeuse vpon some priuate discontent taken against such a person of whom I could not well nor yet trulie would reuenge my selfe knowing nothing doth so much aggrauate and nourrish vp griefe as Idlenes yea idlenes in the same place where the griefe hath beene taken and in continuall sight of the cause and subiect thereof neither seeing at that time any worthy warre in Christendome to applie my bodie and minde away from my wonted thoughts did fully resolue to vndertake some farre and hard trauell that by leauing behinde olde displeasures and purposely going to seeke and finde me new I should striue to banish the one by meanes of the other or at least trie what change the chiefest I thinke comfort in misery would worke in me For sure it is not to haue fellowes otherwise a man might soone be contented First then I went the common and neerer way from Paris directly to Venice not yet well resolued which way I should bend afterwards but determining there to take my course At Venice I must needs indeed take ship Therefore hauing resolued vpon Babilon Persia and the East Indies I sayled to Alexandretta otherwise called by the Turks Scanderone in Syria This is a common way a knowne towne which serues for a hauen to Aleppo though three dayes iourney off It is an ill-fauoured vnluckie and vnwholesome Citty within eyght myles of Tharshis the birth-Cittie of S. Paul But many going returning daily from thence haue both sayd and written so much of it as I neede little to add Onely thus much that it is the first place of firme land where first and formost and for the first discommoditie there are no Innes to bee found for trauellers so that they must eyther carrie their owne victuals and prouision themselues or put it vppon Cammels Secondly almost all trauellers but trulie at least and chiefely all Christians come to loose the right of themselues and become as poore wretched slaues subiect to all iniuries disgraces robberies mis-vsings in words and deeds by theeues drunkards or the next base fellow from which their very Ianizaries and Gardes cannot alwayes defend them though they be payd deerely for it and sometimes indeed do their best for the same and for some priuate offence eyther punish the malefactors themselues or cause them sharply to be punished But against hundreds of theeues as they flocke ordinarily together to assayle passengers there is none nor can be any Iustice or helpe at all So that a Christian being now become the weaker though twice stronger must here begin whether he will or no to obserue his masters commandement and turne the left cheeke when hee hath beene smitten on the right For indeed the readie way to preuent more blowes is euen to take the hand that hath stricken you very hartilie kissing it with a cheereful countenance stroake the knaue by the beard which he will take verie kindly From Scanderone therefore I went to Aleppo and your chiefe place in the way is Antiochia where Christians were first so called This Aleppo is one of the fairest and greatest Mart-Citties in all the world And from thence one cannot trauell with a simple guarde or Conuoy but with whole Carauans otherwise called Caffes that is whole numbers and multitudes of men with their Cammels ioining and cleauing all in a troope like an Armie to march together in those hence forward most hard desolate and very dangerous wayes There hauing found the vsuall Embassador from the Basha of Babilon Captaine of the Caffe or Carauane which goeth twice a yeare from thence thether I gaue him a 100. Rials of eight for my dyet safe conduct through the Arabian desart The Carauane cōsisted at that time of 10000 men or rather more They trauell all by night as well to auoide the vehement heate of the day as to be guided by the starre and therefore such guides as are expert in that faculty name themselues Pilots They carry all their victuals on Cammels till they come to certaine place beyond the Desart wherof I le speake anon This desart is all sandy and destitute of paths or highwayes neither may there be any by reason of the continual motion which the wind causeth in the sand All that groweth there as well trees as shrubbs are Caper-plants or Tamariskes on which the Cammels do feede There shall you find no kind of fierce or Sauage beasts but only Asses Roes Gazells which is a kind of wild goates with an innumerable number of Staggs yea in such quantity and so bolde as often times they run through the Carauane not knowing whether men are to be feared or no. We were most commonly constrained for meere necessity to goe and bayte out of our way to enioy the vse and commodity of some wells which to this day are preserued among the ruines of certaine townes that heretofore were builded in those places And sometimes without finding
great importance they are Gentiles and there the inhabitants begin to bee faire complextioned Thence I Trauailled 2 months to the Cochinchines finding nothing by the way worthie of note no not so much as necessaries so that wee were faine to carrie our victuals with vs the greatest part of the way They are Subiects to the King of China but sometimes they rebell and make warre against him And there is great number of Christians among them Their Kings treasure consisteth in a certaine kind of wood called Calamba for which the Portugalls pay 100. crownes a pound to make Pater-nosters with It is of a mixte color with blacke and yeallow vaines the better sorte of it is moiste so that being cut it expelleth a kind of fat oylie liquor It groweth out of a certaine tree which they fell and let it lie a while a putrifying then they bruse it and within the same they finde this kind of wood like many hard knots They are a very white people because there it begins to be colde lowe of stature flat nosde and little eyed with a very few haires on their chins and mustachoes none at all on their cheekes the haire of the head they weare long like women tied vp with a black silke haire-lace weare a flat cap vpō them They weare cloth Breeches made very leuell a short robe aboue them like a master of the chamber of accounts There are found a kind of Serpents that will swallowe vp a whole Stag Two Friers assured me that trauailling in that countrey together with 16 other men through a fenni-marsh about the dawning of the day they met to their seeming a great tree lying along the ground the boughes beging lopped off vpon which they all began to sit down rest themselues but no sooner were they sate but that which they tooke for a tree fiercely rowsd it selfe from vnder them and left them all to picke strawes on the ground for indeed this was one of those Serpents Their custome is as they say to put themselues in ambush among the boughs of a tree and when they espie their pray to draw neere bee it man or beast they fal vpon him with open mouth and deuoure it There are also store of Lions Leopards and Tigres and there the fruits begin to resemble those of these partes but the fruit which aboue al others aboundeth there is the Mirabolan Thence I set forwards to Canton the principall Cittie of all China some 3. moneths trauaill distant beyond which there is no passage say any body what hee will to the contrary for neuer any man proceeded further except as they say 6 Iesuits who dwelled 20 yeares at Canton as well to learne the language perfectly as to let their haire to growe long after the countrey manner of whom there was neuer since heard any newes nor is their hope euer to see their returne That people is very white and apparelled as is aboue said they are likewise Gentiles and worship the same Image with three heads Their women of of the better sorte and quality which are able to liue of their owne without working neuer goe out of their houses but as they are carried in a chaire And to that effect from their infancie they put their feete into certaine woodden slippers to make them stump-footed and impotent in so much as they are not able to goe the reason they alleadge for it is that women were made to no other ende then to keepe at home The Christians are not permitted to lie within the Cittie but as soone as night approaches they must retire thēselues to their ships being lawfull for them to traffick whersoeuer they please by day light And for their trafficke what rarities soeuer there be throughout all China are to bee had in this citty which are diligently brought thither to wit great store of cloth of gold and silke cabinets wrought vessels Venus shells Massiue gold and many other things They will exchaunge or barter gold for twice as much waight in siluer for they haue no coyned money for when they would buy any thing they carry with them a peece of gold and will cut of as much as they intend to bestowe on what they take They make carued Images of siluer which they erect heere and there through the streets and no bodie dares touch them The Citty is gouerned by 4 rulers and each one hath his gouernment or circuit a part secluded from each other those of one quarter dare not goe and labour in another and those which cause them selues to be carried from one part to another must change their bearers when they come to the gate of the next circuit those gates are opened euery morning and shut euery night vnlesse there be any cōplaint made of some misdemeanure committed within the circuit for then they shut them suddenly or if they be shut they open them not till the offendor bee found The King bestowes these commands on those who are best learned This is a most faire Cittie and well built very neere as big as Paris but there the houses are arched and nothing neere so high Their Venus-shells consist of certaine kind of earth or clay which hath remaind a 100 yeares in one place and remoued euery eight dayes There is so much sugar in that Country that it is by them very little set by yet is silke in farre more great abundance but withall more course then ours by reason of their store being so great as they are constrained to make it abroad in the fields on the very trees in this wise when the wormes are hatched whereof the eggs are farre greater then ours They obserue what quantitie of wormes each tree will bee able to feede then they lay so many on it leauing them there without any more adoe except it bee to gather the quods when they are ready to be spunne which is done as they gather Apricocks for indeed a farre off they appeare to be so and is a very fine sight to behould they vse a strange kind of fishing with Cormorants and surely from thence must needes haue deriued at first the like inuention which as I heare was of late brought into England and thence hether They tie their necks a litle aboue their stommacks least they should deuour the fish they take then comming to their maister hee pulleth it a liue out of their throates likewise for water foule they make vse of great bottles with two holes which they leaue floating vp and downe the water a good while to acquaint the foules therewith then some fellowes will wade vp to the necke in the water thrusting their heads into those bottles and hauing a bag vnderneath come as neere the foule as they will taking them with their hands without the rest being afraid of it From Canton I returned to Macao and tooke my way through the kingdome of Pegu which is much transformed from what it was heretofore by reason of a
certaine king who forbad his people the exercise of husbandry and Tillage or any other thing necessary for the vse of man And hauing gathered togeather all the victualls of the country caused it strongly to be immured where he kept his residence suffering the most part of his subiects to perish through famine or sicknes so that at this instant the whole countrey remaines waste and desolate Where in times past there was wont to be found many rare commodities namely most faire rubies and is now all togeather frequented with sauage beastes yea in so great quantity that they haue almost driuen out the inhabitants Yet for such as remaine there to this day they bee Gentiles and of a swhartie hue Thence I made it 18. dayes iourneyes to the Realme of Camboge which is very spatious but voyd of any rarieties of note onely that the King is able to bring 400000. men to the field and makes warre vpon the King of Sian Thence I came to Sian the King whereof is able to bring 600000. men to the field These two Kings haue neyther Horses nor any fiery Instruments but make vse onely of bowes and a certaine kind of pike made of a knottie wood like Canes called Baubuc which is exceeding strong though pliant and supple for vse Both these Kings are Gentiles but yet differ enough in manners for the King of Sian worshippeth a white Elephant And that of Camboge doth as the most of the aboue-mentioned I saw nothing remarkable in both these kingdomes hauing but coasted them but onely much Benzoin in Sian which is an aramaticall gumme distilling out of a certaine tree when they haue first cut an incision into it whereof they make a great trade as being the onely place where it is found I spent three moneths in trauersing these two Kingdomes Thence I embarqued my selfe in one of the Portugall ships which vsually trafficke thither for Benzoin and arriued at Conchin a most fertile Kingdome as likewise all the others be in those Climes Pegu onely accidentally excepted From Conchin I trauailed by land 2. moneths and a halfe to Bisnagat otherwise called Ballagat by the Portugals which is a most faire Cittie and the Metropolitan of the kingdome vnto which it giues his name It stands within two leagues of the rocke of Diamonds belonging to the King who makes his ordinarie abode in the said Citty and retaineth 15000. men continually labouring in the said mine with straight commandement that all the great ones be layed vp in his Treasurie suffering none to be sold but little ones such as we see in these parts So that there is not any great ones sold or transported vnlesse it bee by stealth or some deuice As I haue seene one with the great Mogor as bigge as a Hens egge and of that very forme which he caused expresly to bee peirced like a pearle to weare it on his arme which stone had beene so purloin'd from this King and cost the other 500000. Parots which is little lesse then a million It waigheth 198. Mangelins and each Mangelin waigheth fiue graines I my selfe found meanes by mony priuily to haue another great one conueyed into my handes whereof I will speake more by and by This King is a Gentile and of a hard Swartie complexion Hee worshippeth the tooth of a Monkey and some in his Kingdome worship a certaine kind of Serpent Thence I trauailed 11. dayes till I came to the Realme of Decan Dialcan or Idalcan their King dwelleth within a dayes iourney of Goa which is a strong Citty the Portugals hold and the viz-roy of the Portugall-Indies keeps there his residence against whom this King who is a Mahometan and very mightie makes warre now and then Thence I came to Goa it selfe an Iland but fiue leagues in compasse neuerthelesse the greatest Mart towne in all the Indies for there all the aboue-mentioned Kingdomes and the Portugals mutually come to discharge and recharge themselues It is a verie faire Cittie about the bignes of Poictiers At the mouth of the Port on each side is erected a great Fortresse very strongly manned by the Portugals In this Iland is the hard Waxe made which we call Spanish Waxe and is made in manner following They inclose a large plotte of ground with a little trench filled with water then they sticke vp a great number of small staues vppon the sayd plot that being done they bring thither a sort of pis-mires farre bigger then ours which being debar'd by the water to issue out are constrained to retire themselues vppon the sayd staues where they are kil'd with the heate of the Sunne and thereof it is that the Lacka is made This is a Climate where it raines without intermission the three moneths of Winter and so outragiously that it is vnpossible to keepe the sea vppon that coast without Shipwracke After the rayne is fallen comes there a land winde which dryeth vp the ayre and two houres after is very safe sayling Thence I embarqued my selfe with the permission and Pasport of the Viz-roy for Lisbone but we had such a terrible tempest that we were eyght whole dayes in the bottomes and Iles of Las Chagues despairing euer to come out againe in the end God miraculously deliuered vs and brought vs to Mozambique which is a Fort belonging to the Portugals Then to Solfale where they are Mahometans and all blacke And thence onely commeth the Ebony Then we arryued at Lisbone where I was imprisoned and continued so foure yeeres long without euer telling me the cause why Finally after much adoe I was set at libertie through the great meanes my LORD the Duke of Mayenne made for me when he came into Spaine about the marriages And as it seemeth in fauour and hope of them or els I fully beleeue I had neuer beene released For as I heard there by the meanes of some prisoners the Viz-roy of Goa had giuen straight warning that I was an vndertaking man who had exactly viewed all those Countries and could doe much hurt vnto the King their Master by the acquaintances and intelligences I had of them if euer I could come among the French English or Hollanders There was I in my chamber of the prison by an vnlucky aduenture miserably robd of a little hollow pipe of white latten long and slender which I had euer kept so close that no body in the world knew of it and therein were 35. rough Diamonds which was all that I euer had gotten in my long and painefull trauels among which the others being but common there was a mighty great one waighing no lesse then 79 Carrats and therfore of an vnestimable valew the first theefe was presently yea within a quarter of an howre robd of them by another so being passed from hand to hand when after many daies and troubles I almost had giuen ouer at enquiry all last the second theefe was found out by meanes of the first and being found