come all their Books in regard the persons that attend upon this Prince apply themselves only to their Studies It is reported that they learnt all these things by their frequent Commerce with the Chineses and that they are also originally descended from them And in truth the greatest Province of the Island of Niphon is call'd Quanto according to the name of the Sea-Coast part of China where lies the greatest Traffick between the Japonners and Chineses Moreover if there be any credit to be given to the Chinese Histories they say it was but a small part of their vast-Empire which extended it self from North to South 56 Degrees of Latitude from the Frozen Sea to the Equinoctial Line being bounded to the West by the Caspian Sea and extending Eastward over all the Southern America to New Spain Father Thomas Barr a Portuguese has often told me when I was at Agra a capital City of the Great Mogul where the Jesuits have a very fair House that this and several other young Lords improv'd themselves so far in six or seven years that they were as Learned as their Masters themselves and that they were more zealous in converting those of their Nation Now the Jesuits at that time had no House for the Instruction of Youth and Proselytes and therefore they desir'd this young Lord to lend them one of his Thereupon he having four very fair ones with great Revenues belonging to them gave that which was nearest to the City to his Converters A while after the youngest of his Sons fell sick and was carried to this House for the Air 's sake where he recover'd by the care of the Fathers and the Prayers of the Christians but his Father did not long enjoy the pleasure of so great a Cure which seem'd almost miraculous for he dy'd at what time both his Sons and the Christians stood most in need of his protection The two eldest who were with the Emperour understanding the the Death of their Father came to take possession of their Inheritance and demanded of the Jesuits the House which their Father had given them for in Japon no Parent can alienate the Estate of his Children nay when they come to such an Age he is oblig'd to put them in possession of their Estates reserving only such a proportion to himself The Jesuits loth to part with so fair a convenience would not quit their hold though it were for their own quiet and to engage the whole Family to stand by them in their time of trouble This refusal provok'd the two Brethren and this quarrel between them and the Jesuits happen'd at the same time that the Dutch President was labouring to bring about his designs He hâ—d notice of this dispute and as he was a great Impostor he made 〈◊〉 his business to enflame the two Brothers not only against the Jesuits but against the Portugals in general giving them a Copy of the Letter which he had fram'd as is before-mention'd These two Lords who were Favourites of the Emperour joyning Interest of State to their particular Interest made their complaints at Court with extraordinary aggravations urging that there was no security for the Estates of particular Men for the quiet of the Empire nor the Life of the Prince unless not only all the Portugals but also all the Natives of Japon who had suck'd their Errors were exterminated out of the Island To make good the reasons of their Exasperation they shew'd the Emperour a Copy of the Letter and put him into such a fright as well for his Person as the Empire that he would admit of no justification on the other side Some of his Lords who were Friends to the Portugals besought him to examin the truth of what was alledg'd before he proceeded to utmost extremities against a whole Nation and against his own Subjects But he was inexorable and presently gave private Orders to certain Commissioners to go through all the Provinces of the Empire and to banish not only the Portugals but also all the Christian Natives Now in regard they had their private confederates as well in the Court as in other places they had intelligence in all parts of the cruel resolution tak'n against them though none were more zealous and faithful to them then the two Lords of Ximo Francis and Charles Thereupon the Christians met together to consult for their own safety and their common preservation and seeing all attempts to justifie themselves prove ineffectual they resolv'd to stand upon their guards and to dye in the defence of their Innocency and Religion The two Lords put themselves at the head of the Christians Army the elder of which had been a Souldier and understood the Art of War the younger kept up their Spirits and Courages by his continual Exhortations The Emperour's Commissioners understanding that the Christians were thus embody'd gave him speedy notice thereof but said nothing either of the number of their Forces or of their designs The Jesuits and Austin Fryars at Goa told me that the Army of the Christians consisted of above 40000 Men besides those recruits that came up to them before and after the Battel was fought The Emperour not beleiving that the Army was so numerous sent against them at first not above 25 or 30000 Men under the Command of the youngest of the two Lords of Ximo that liv'd at Court But those Troops were no sooner upon their March but he rais'd new Forces and sent another Army after them consisting of 40000 Men commanded by the young Lord to whom the Dutch President had shew'd the Letter first of all The Christians having intelligence of the approach of these two Armies prepar'd to receive them choosing an advantagious place to intrench themselves The first Army soon appear'd in sight of the Christians who lay so encamp'd that the Imperialists could discover no more than one part of them However before the Engagement the youngest of the Christian Brothers advis'd his other Brother to send to the General of the Emperour's Army who was their Brother likewise to desire Peace and to beseech him to intercede for them to the Emperour and to assure him that they were ready to lay down their Arms and throw themselves at his Feet and to justifie their Innocency To this purpose a Letter was fram'd and sent to the General but the Messenger that carry'd it was nail'd to a Cross in sight of the whole Army of the Christians and at the same time the Enemy came on with great fury to assail them The Fight lasted almost three hours with equal advantage the Captain of the Imperialists seeking every where for his Brothers while they strove to avoid him The Christians who knew that all their safety consisted in their Victory and that there was otherwise no hope of pardon fought with so much valour that the Imperialists were forc'd to give ground Their General was slain upon the place and at length the whole Army of the Idolaters was cut
strictly keep the Civil and the Ten Moral Commandments much answerable to ours which their Prophets have left to them So that they punish Murther and Adultery even in Princes and Princesses terrible Examples whereof you may here read at large And the Church and State Government are subservient in a Subordination the one being a Prop to the other Even Statesmen may find Subject of weighty consideration in the Antiquity Model and Exactness of their Government As for instance Though they have a special regard to Monarchy so as to keep the Succession within the same Line yet the Great Constable and the King's Council have Power left them to propose and chuse the fittest Person among the Royal Children or Collateral Successors who is nominated in the King's Life-time to prevent after Disturbances They have also on the other side very singular and unimitable ways to prevent the Insurrections Divisions and Rebellions of the Militia and the People But above all the Traveller and Traffiquer into those Parts will be like to run into a thousand Inconveniences and Losses of Health Life and Estate without being guided by such Directions as he carefully gives herein which others cannot possibly so soon and so well know It is in fine herein declared by what means the French Holland and Portugal East India Companies were Settled Improved and Worsted in those Countries also the Coinage and the Reduction thereof to ours the particular places where all sorts of East India Commodities are best and cheapest had the Rates and Exchange Returns are here to be found the manner how to know their Falsifications in Gold Silver Jewels Drugs Silks Linen and all the other Merchandizes which are brought from those Nations are here set down It being otherwise hard or impossible to escape the Cheats of the Persians Chineses and Japoners without such Instructions I 'le say no more but that in this Work was imployed the Help of another Worthy Gentleman who labour'd in the first Volum of Tavernier's Translation but it was brought to an end and perfection by me who had the occasion to be more particularly acquainted with Monsieur Tavernier himself his Native Tongue and other Particularities abroad Edmund Everard The TABLE to Tavernier's Volum of Japon China and Tunquin c. A Relation of Japon and of the cause of the Persecution of the Christians in those Islands pag. 1. A Relation of what pass'd in the Negotiation of the Deputies which were sent to Persia and the Indies as well on the behalf of the French King as of the French Company for the settling of Trade 26 Observations upon the Trade of the East Indies 51 Of the Commodities which are brought as well out of the Dominions of the Great Mogul as out of the Kingdoms of Golconda and Visapour and other neighbouring Territories And also of the Weights and Measures of the said Commodities 57 Chap. 1. A discourse in general concerning the City of Tunquin and of the manner how the Author came to have knowledge thereof 1 Chap. 2. Of the Situation and Extent of the Kingdom of Tunquin 5 Chap. 3. Of the Quality of the Kingdom of Tunquin 7 Chap. 4. Of the Riches Trade and Money of the Kingdom of Tunquin 13 Chap. 5. Of the Strength of the Kingdom of Tunquin by Sea and Land 14 Chap. 6. Of the Manners and Customs of the People of the Kingdom of Tunquin 16 Chap. 7. Of the Marriages of the Tunquineses and their Severity toward Adulteresses 18 Chap. 8. Of the Visits Feasts and Pastimes of the Tunquineses 21 Chap. 9. Of the Learned Men in the Kingdom of Tunquin 24 Chap. 10. Of their Physicians and the Diseases of the Tunquineses 28 Chap. 11. Of the original Government and Policy of the Kingdom of Tunquin 31 Chap. 12. Of the Court of the King of Tunquin 38 Chap. 13. Of the Ceremonies observ'd when the Kings of Tunquin are advanced to the Throne 40 Chap. 14. Of the Funeral Pomp of the Kings of Tunquin and of their manners of burying their Dead 46 Chap. 15. Of the Religion and Superstition of the Tunquineses 49 Of the Government of the Hollanders in Asia Chap. 1. Of the Island of Formosa and how the Hollanders possessed themselves of it and how it was taken from them by the Chineses 57 Chap. 2. Of Maurice Island where they cut Ebony 61 Chap. 3. Of the Grandeur of the General at Batavia and what befell his Wife and his Niece 65 Chap. 4. Of General Vanderbroug and of the Original of the City of Batavia 69 Chap. 5. Of the Countrey about Cochin and how the Holland General crown'd one of the Indian Princes 74 Chap. 6. Of the Sieur Hollebrand Glins President of the Factory at Ormus 77 Chap. 7. Touching the Islands of the Prince 79 Chap. 8. How the Hollanders sent to declare War against the Persians and of the ill success of their Fleet. 80 Chap. 9. Of the Severity of the Holland Commanders in the Indies 83 Chap. 10. Touching the Women 85 A MAPP OF THE ISLES OF IAPON ORIENTALL OCEAN THE SEA OF COREER THE SOUTH SEA MAPP OF TUNQUIN An Alphabetical Index to the Map of Tunquin made on the place by B. Tavernier The first Figures are Longitude the second Latitude BOdego whence they embarque the King's Body as also the Huts for those that attend the King's Body 144-21 Bonten an excellent Haven 151-9 Camelee a great River but bad Port 146-13 Chancon an Isle where S. Xavier died February 4. 1552. 155-21 Checo the Capital City of Tunquin and King's Seat 144-21 Colaure 146-14 Cuaci the Bounds between Tunquin and Cochinchina 142-16 Cuadag a Lake 140-22 Cuadâ—g the Port where all the great Ships lie not able to enter the great River of Cheche being stopped up 142-20 Dinphoan a good Port but difficult entrance 149-10 Haifo this Isle is a Forest of Orange and Pomgranat Trees 145-14 Hainanen an Island wherein is two Rivers one is very hot and smells of Sulphur and the sick come from all the adjacent parts to bath in it 148-19 Island of Fishes 146-19 Pulociampelio Isle 146-15 Sansoo one of the greatest Cities of Cochinchina and greatest Trade but the Port failing it now decays 143-15 Tacan an Isle where the Fowls retire during the heat 148-12 Tortose Islands 152-11 Tulatan Isle 147-14 An Alphabetical Index of all the Towns in the Map of Japon A AChas 175-34 Acosaqui 177-34 Aizu 184-38 Akas 174-34 Amessima 171-34 Amusana 175-34 Anai 174-34 Anzuqui 176-35 Aqui 173-34 Aquita 182-40 Arcy 177-34 Ava 174-33 Ava 181-34 Autua 170-33 Axicanga 182-36 Aximot 181-36 B Bandel 179-34 Bigen 174-35 Bingo 173-34 Bipchu 173-34 Bugen 172-34 Bungo 171-33 C Camba 179-34 Cango 177-36 Cansula 182-35 Cataizu 175-33 Caucani 175-34 Cochite 170-33 Coreer Isles 169-34 The Sea 171-34 Coyssina 171-34 D Daura 180-34 Deva 182-38 Dongo 172-33 F Facoua 180-34 Fairma 174-34 Favissida 178-34 Fintsautwa 177-34 Firanda 170-33 Firazima 172-34 Fitaqui 182-37 Flagway 177-34 Foncorai 178-34 Foqui 174-35
those considerable Presents that suppli'd his losses By means of my Brother 's thus long sojourning in Tunquin and the familiar acquaintance which he had at Court together with the Trade which he drove in the Kingdom as he was diligent to inform himself of all the Curiosities of the Country it was easie for me upon the same foundation to lay the Structure of these Memoirs Though I may safely say I was no less laborious in my own particular and by the frequent Discourses which I had with a great number of the Tunquineses with whom I met both at Bantam and Batavia that came thither to Trade and whom I often treated at my own Expences to inform my self of the particular Ceremonies and Customs of their Country Thus you see the Grounds and Foundations of this Relation which is both faithful and exact and by which that noble Country of which the Descriptions hitherto have been so obscure and uncertain shall be truly discover'd and set forth such as it is declaring withal that no other Consideration or Interest then that of speaking truth has incited me to undertake this Description For the better observation of a right Method in pursuance of this Relation and to conduct the Reader gradatim to the more perfect knowledge of this Kingdom I will speak first of its Situation its Extent and its Climate Next I shall come to discourse of its Qualities its Riches and its Trade which are the three Springs and Sources of the Strength and Force of a Nation Next I shall give an Account of the Customs and Manners of the People as well in their particular OEconomy and Civil Society as in relation to their Marriages their Visits and Festivals Next to this we shall give a brief Account of the Learning and learned Men and among them of their Physicians and the Subject of their Art that is to say of the Diseases particular to the Country We shall also give a Relation of the Original of the Government and Policy of the Kingdom of Tunquin of the Condition of the Court of the Inauguration and Funerals of their Kings and in the last place of the Original of the Inhabitants And I dare ingage that the Map of the Country and the Cuts which were drawn upon the place will no less contribute to the Divertisement of the Reader then to the Explanation of the Matter which they contain CHAP. II. Of the Situation and Extent of the Kingdom of Tunquin WE shall have the less reason to admire wherefore our Predecessors had so little knowledge of this Kingdom when we consider that having formerly been a considerable part of China the Inhabitants in the same manner as the Chineses did kept themselves close within their own bounds never minding to have any Commerce with other People whom they contemn'd and lookt upon as Barbarians come from the other part of the World But now that they find that Strangers come to find them out in their own Territories they begin to see that other People have as good Government as themselves which has bred in them a desire to Converse and Trade with Foreigners so that now they associate themselves in friendly manner with all other People as I have observ'd them to do both at Batavia and Bantam Most people believe this Country to lye in a very hot Climate nevertheless it is now known to be very temperate by reason of the great number of Rivers that water it which together with the Rains that fall in their Seasons cause a brisk freshness of the Air which indeed happ'ns most usually over all the Torrid-zone as I have observ'd in my Indian Travels From whence we may also have reason to believe the Country to be very fruitful and thick inhabited To the East this Kingdom lies upon the Province of Cauton one of the best of China To the West it is bounded by the Kingdom of Brama To the North it borders upon two other Provinces of China Junnan and Quansi To the South it lies upon Cochinchina and the great Gulph of the same name To return to the Climate the Air is so mild and temperate that all the year long seems to be but one continual Spring Frost and Snow are never there to be seen and besides the Pestilence the Gout the Stone and other Diseases so frequent in Europe there are never known There are but two Winds which divide the whole Year between them the one blowing from the North the other from the South and both continuing the same for six months together The first refreshes the Earth in that manner that there is nothing so delightful as the Country of Tunquin The other begins to blow from the end of January to the end of July and the two last months are their months of rain The greatest inconvenience is that there arise once in seaven years as well in this Country as in other parts of the Indies those hideous and terrible Tempests that blow down Houses tear up Trees by the roots and make strange Desolations They seldom last above four and twenty hours nor are their sad Effects to be felt but only upon the Seas of China Japon Cochinchina Tunquin and the Manilles being rarely known in any other Seas The Astrologers of those parts believe that these terrible Tempests proceed from the Exhalations that rise out of the Mines of Japon It comes with that suddain force that when it surprizes a Vessel out at Sea the Pilots have no other remedy then to cut down all the Masts that the storm may have the less force upon the Ship In this fair extent of Land almost equal to that of France are several Provinces whose limmits are not well known the Tunquineses being no great Geographers nor having bin over curious to write the Annals of the Nation But the most understanding and knowing among them assur'd me at Batavia that the whole Kingdom contain'd above twenty thousand Cities and Towns They also affirm'd that there might be many more but after the manner of their Neighbours the Cochinchineses many of the People choose rather to upon the Water then upon the Land so that you shall see live the greatest part of their Rivers covered with Boates which serve them instead of Houses and which are very neat though they also keep their Cattel in them CHAP. III. Of the Quality of the Kingdom of Tunquin THis Country for the most part is a level Extent which rises up and down into pleasant Hillocks the greatest Hills which it has lying to the North. It is water'd by several Rivers which inter-cut and glide through the Country some of which carry Galleys of good burthen and large Shallps very commodious for trade Yet in all the Country there grows neither Corn nor Wine by reason of the want of rain which never falls but in the Months of June and July But it bears an infinite quantity of Rice which is the chief sustenance of the People Of this Rice also
or two after the Captain renewed his Charge but then in a Majestic Fury she utterly forbid him the Fort. He taking little notice of her rage goes to the General and after some Discourse makes the same Proposal and receives the same Answer But then the Captain gave the Husband such a Bone to pick that he would not give the Wife Sir said he twice already have I demanded your Niece in Marriage this is now the third time that I make the same demand if you refuse me you shall ask me four times before I accept of her and so saying briskly left him The General reflecting upon the Captain 's words went to his Wife and told her the Story who guessing at the effects of a long Voyage Familiarity call'd Madam Niece into examination She not being us'd to Dissimulation confess'd the whole matter and without any more to do was married to the Captain to the great wonder of the whole City till the birth of a Boy at the end of six moneths unfolded the Riddle But this lying in was her ruin for about five or six days after the Mother and the Nurse being ill the chief Chirurgeon of the Fort order'd them to take a little Cremor Tartar and to that purpose sent a young man to the Master Chirurgeon of the Town to send him two quantities of Cremor Tartar in two Papers He being drinking with his Friends sends a young Barber newly come from Holland to put up the two quantities according to direction But the Barber mistook the Glass and put up Sublimate instead of Cremor Tartar So the two Women taking their Doses dissolved in two Silver Cups of fair Water died in 24 hours after CHAP. IV. Of General Vanderbroug and of the Original of the City of Batavia GEneral Vanderbroug was of Anverse and having studied in the Jesuits College retained some tincture of Learning which he endeavoured to improve as much as his business would give him leave While he was General he caus'd the Alcoran to be translated out of Arabic into Dutch He was also a man of courage and several times expos'd himself to great hazards for the Service of the Company as you shall see by the following Relation After the Hollanders had taken several Prizes from the Portuguezes by Sea they wanted a place of Retreat where they might repair their endamaged Ships and repose after the toils of the Sea At first they cast their eyes upon the Island of Java in that place where the English had built a small Convenience for their Trade There is a Road in that part where Vessels ride securely all the year into which a River discharges it self that will receive Shallops of good burthen for above a thousand Paces The Water of this River is most excellent for being carried never so far to Sea it never stinks nor engenders Worms which can only be said of the Thames and Ganges besides The Hollanders therefore came and lay upon the point of a River over against the place where the English had their small House They had with them then the greatest part of the Ships which they had in the Indies laden with those great Bales of Cloth which come from Bengale and the Coast of Surat so big that a dozen men can hardly manage them These Bales they landed and of them made a kind of Fortification planting a good number of great Guns between them For they never wanted great Guns ever since they traded alone to Japon the onely Kingdom of the World abounding in Copper from whence they brought prodigious quantities to Macao and Goa where they cast their Artillery Thus the Hollanders thought that by Sea no body could endamage their small Fortification made of Bales of cloth which was defended by their Vessels which they had in the Road But by Land they were afraid that the King of the Island viz. either of Materan or Bantam might disturb them Observing therefore the Situation of the Island which on that side was all covered with Woods which reached on that side within a League of the Sea and that where they ended to the Shoar there was no other way but a Bank which separated the Marsh from the River So that the Hollanders the better to secure themselves against the two Kings resolved to raise a Tower upon the Bank In this Tower they planted several Culverins and small Pieces cramm'd with artificial Wildfire and every evening relieved their Guards The King of Materan perceiving this and believing that the Hollanders would not stop here advanced a powerful Army to pull down the Tower To which purpose he brought with him great Chains of Iron and Cables made of the Coco Flax believing that by the favour of the Night having got his Chains and Ropes about the Tower by the strength of his Men and Elephants he might easily pull it down But having fail'd in his Enterprize and for that the Hollanders Artillery kill'd him abundance of Men he retreated with his Army But it was not long before he return'd again with a more powerful Force by Land and also a great Fleet of small Vessels to assist him by Sea With these Forces he gave a furious Onset a second time which the Hollanders with no less vigour sustained and beat him off But nothing discouraged with his loss he resolved to give a third Onset onely he staid some few days in expectation of more Forces In the mean while one of the most considerable Captains of his Army was accus'd to the King not to have done his Duty though seasonably advertiz'd that the King was resolv'd to seize upon his person and cut him to pieces For you must know that among the Javans when any person has merited Death they tie the Offender all along upon a great piece of Timber and the next Lord or great person that has a mind to try the goodness of his Scimitar comes and cuts the Body into four pieces the first stroak being made upon the Brest the second upon the Pit of the Stomach the third upon the lower part of the Belly The four pieces if they be Men are burnt if Women thrown to the Dogs which they keep for that purpose For the Javans never burn any person This Javanese Lord therefore knowing what he was to trust to made his escape to the Hollanders and was kindly received by Vanderbroug To ingratiate himself he told the Dutch General all the King's Designs in reference to the carrying the place where he would make his Onset and what number of men he had This however did not sufficiently chear up the General who knew his own weakness So that the Javanese perceiving him still pensive I find said he that thou art afraid of the King's strength and reason thou hast but be rul'd by me Thou art not ignorant that the Javanners are rigid Observers of the Law of Mahomet and that if any Uncleanness from a Christian hand falls upon their Clothes they fling them away and
the use of Batavia But happy for him General Vanderlin's Lady falling into a hard Labour before the time of Execution and desiring his Pardon at such a solemn Juncture easily obtain'd it seasonably recovering him from the Misfortunes of Folly and Necessity A RELATION OF JAPON AND Of the Cause of the Persecution of the Christians in those ISLANDS THE Modern Geographers have made Descriptions of Japon by means of such conjectures as they have drawn from the Relations of certain Merchants who have traded in those Countries But in regard there are very few Merchants who are skilful in Geography as being such who only mind the profit and advantage of their Voyages those Descriptions have prov'd very uncertain As to the knowledge of the Ancients in reference to this part of the World it is no less imperfect and it is but only by conjecture to this day that we believe the Abadii of Ptolomy to be that Island which is now call'd Niphon That which I could learn of most certainty was by the Relation of several persons who have Travell'd these parts that the Empire of Japon is at present compos'd of several Islands of which some perhaps may not be absolute Islands but rather Peninsula's and particularly those that make a part of the Land of Yesso the Inhabitants whereof are Vassals and Tributaries to Japon Nevertheless a Holland Pilot who has been industrious to discover whether the whole Country it self were an Island or a Continent adjoyning to that vast Tract of Land call'd Corea unknown to this day in those parts where it extends it self behind China to the bottom of Tartarie Niulhan saith that it is separated from Japon by a narrow Sea which at this day is call'd The Streights of Sanguar Through all the Islands of Japon where formerly were accompted to have been 66 Kingdoms there are three remarkable for their largeness of which that of largest extent is called Niphon the next Ximo and the third Xicock The Japonners accompt it a Journey of twenty seven days from the Province of Quanto to the Country of Yesso and they say farther that this Country of Yesso in those parts which are remote from the Sea is so full of inaccessible Mountains that those Japonners who have attempted a discovery by Land could never accomplish their design being discourag'd by the length of the Journey and the difficulties and badness of the ways The Island of Niphon is four times as big as the other two and there is also a Mountain therein that vomits up Flames of Fire like Mount Etna in Sicily formerly it was distinguish'd into thirty five Kingdoms but at this day it is only divided into five parts the names whereof are Jamasoit Jetsen Jetsesen Quanto and Ochio lying all in order as you travel from West to East These five parts are again divided into several Provinces The Island of Ximo or Saycock is situated to the South-West of Niphon being about 160 Leagues in circuit The Island of Xicock is seated by the South of Niphon being about 120 Leagues in compass The other Islands that lye round about are not so considerable for in those Seas lye several Islands scatter'd up and down as in the Archipelago between the Morea and the Coasts of Asia the less As to the rest I refer the Reader to the Map annexed believing it to be very true as having been made upon the places themselves The Emperour at present keeps his Court in the City of Yeddo in regard the Air is there more temperate and the Heats not so violent but when he has a Son that is arriv'd to the Age of fifteen years he sends him to Surunga there to reside till the death of his Father makes him way to the Throne Since Yeddo has been made choice of for the Seat of the Empire it has so greatly enlarg'd it self from day to day that it is at present three Leagues in length and three in breadth very populous and the Houses standing very close together When the Emperour rides through the City or that there is any publick shew to be seen it is impossible to get by the crowd of the people though the Women are not permitted to be of the number The Emperours Palace is cover'd with Plates of Gold to which the Palaces of the Lords are every way correspondent in Magnificence so that afar off the City affords the richest and most magnificent Prospect that was ever beheld Though it be not so beautiful within by reason that the ordinary Houses are built only of Wood. The Great Dairy keeps his residence at Meaco which is also a very large City containing above a hundred thousand Houses it was formerly the capital Seat of the Empire at what time the Dairy's were laid aside So soon as he is Crown'd by the Bonzes who are the Priests and Lawyers he is then no more to expose himself to the light of the Moon nor to shave his Head or cut his Nails The Natives report that the Empire of Japon was formerly govern'd by a Prince call'd Dairy who had acquir'd so high a reputation for Holiness that his Subjects ador'd him as a God and that to increase the awe and reverence of the people he suffer'd his Hair and Nails to grow affirming that it it was a piece of Sacriledge to make use either of Razor or Sizzars The Princes that succeeded him though they had only the name of Kings have still preserv'd the same custom believing that it becomes not their Grandeur to appear in view of the Moon as being Sons of the Sun If he have a Daughter that is ripe for Marriage the Emperour is oblig'd to Marry her and she it is that bears the Title of Empress though she should happen to have no Children which is contrary to the Maxims of all the Eastern Monarchs who give the Title of Queen and Sultaness only to her among all the rest of their Wives that is first brought to Bed of a Male Successor to the Crown At the end of every seven years the Emperour sends one of the chief Princes of his Court to the Dairy with a Basket full of Earth and to tell him that all the Lands which the Emperour commands are at the Dairy's Devotion and indeed the Empire belongs to him by right of Succession though at present he enjoys only the Title and very large Revenues which render him highly considerable in the Empire The Japonners are Idolaters and adore the Sun but though they have a great number of Temples and different Idols yet they are not over obstinate in their Devotion only the Emperour is very severe against all other Religions They never stir out of their Native Country to travel unless it be to China and the Land of Yesso and within these few years the Emperour has prohibited his people under extream penalties from having any Commerce with Foreigners the Chineses and Hollanders excepted He had receiv'd Ambassadours at several times from several Princes but
never sent any of his own to them again Nevertheless it is affirm'd that several Lords of these Islands newly converted to the Faith in the year 1585 sent their Children to Rome to render their acknowledgments to Gregory the Thirteenth and that being return'd back in the year 1587 to Goa they were afterwards receiv'd and welcom'd again into their own Country with great marks of joy The little inclination which they have to Navigation and Traffick proceeds in part from the great abundance of all things necessary for Human support which their own Country produces and then in the next place from the jealousies of the Emperour who is afraid of the alterations which new Religions may make in his Government for they are very fickle and easily seduc'd after Novelties which has been the occasion of many Revolts and Civil Wars till Quabacondon wrested the Empire out of the hands of the Dairy and reunited all the Provinces They are so fiery and revengeful that upon the least affront given them if they cannot have an opportunity of a present revenge they will rip up their own Bellies and kill themselves I was told a Story to confirm this Two young Lords that serv'd the Emperour met in the Palace and jostl'd one the other by accident the most furious of the two was immediately for drawing his Sword The other told him the place was not convenient that he was going to wait but that if he would stay for him in such a place he would give him satisfaction Accordingly the party that thought himself affronted went and stay'd but his impatience was such that after he had stay'd a while not finding the other to come he ripp'd up his own Bowels for very vexation Upon which the people crowding about him ask'd him the reason of his killing himself to which they could draw no other answer but this A cowardly Raskal has affronted me By and by the other comes makes way through the throng and surpriz'd with what he beheld Poor Creature said he thou need'st not have doubted my being as good as my word this Dagger shall assure thee of it And so saying he kill'd himself upon the place and fell by the others side There is no Nation under Heaven that fears Death less than this or that is more enclin'd to cruelty If any Prince or great Lord makes a Feast for his Friends at the end of the Feast he calls his principal Officers and asks 'em if there be any that has so much love for him as to kill himself before the Guests for his sake Presently there arises a dispute among them who shall have the Honour and who ever the Prince is pleas'd to name rips up his Belly with a Cric which is a kind of Dagger the poynt whereof is Poyson'd This custom is also practis'd upon the Death of their Masters or when they lay the Foundations of any Palace for they are so superstitious as to believe that these Victims are necessary to render both the Owners of the Building and the Habitation fortunate They punish all manner of Theft with Death 'T is also a capital Crime among them to play for Money Adultery is only punish'd in the Women But Coynage of false Money setting Houses on Fire Deflowring and Ravishing of Virgins are not only punish'd in the persons of the Criminals but also of those who are next of kin to them The Women live retir'd and are very faithful to their Husbands The Emperour having put to Death one of the Lords of his Court out of hopes to enjoy his Wife she fearing violence besought the Emperour to give her time to consider which was granted for some few days At the end whereof she shut her self up in a Room with her Children and after she had delivered a Paper to one of her Servants to carry to the Emperour she set the Chamber a Fire and burnt both her self and her Children The Emperour met with nothing else in the Paper but reproaches of his Tyranny and attestations of joy from the Lady that she had the opportunity to Sacrifice her self to the memory of her Husband Several other stories I have heard which make me believe that this Nation is not uncapable of doing actions worthy a Roman Vertue The Portugals were the first people of Europe that discover'd the Islands of Japon They were thrown upon the Coast by a violent Storm in the year 1542 and understanding that there was great store of Gold and Silver in the Country they return'd with a resolution to settle themselves The first place where they thought to fix was neer Surunga a City which stands about four Leagues from the Sea But because there is but one Road and that not very secure neither for Shipping they remain'd there not above five years At length they took possession of a little forsaken Island call'd Kisma which they peopl'd afterward's but since the last Persecution of the Christians the Portugals were forc'd to abandon it having no more Commerce with the Japonners How the Hollanders came to erect their Factories there I shall tell the Reader in another part of this Relation Seven years after the first coming of the Portugals to Japon St. Francis Xavier made a Voyage thither to Preach the Gospel The first place where he Landed was the Island of Niphon where he stay'd two years and some Months and travel'd several parts of these Islands but his principal design being to go to China he took shipping accordingly The Vessel was no sooner out at Sea but St. Francis fell sick so that the Captain put him ashore again in the Island of Sechen by others call'd Haynan belonging to China where in a few days after he dy'd and never was in China as some have reported and believ'd After his death the Christian Religion spread it self very much in China the people being very docible and apprehensive of the instructions which were given them but the behaviour of the Portugals displeasing the Principal Governours and those who had most Power at Court they did them ill Offices to the Emperour and the Bonzes misliking the new Religion and jealous of the effects thereof were the fomenters of continual persecutions against the new Converts pretending they favour'd the designs of the Portugueses Nevertheless the Christian Religion daily got footing and perhaps the whole Nation would have embrac'd it if the covetousness and wickedness of the Christians themselves had not been the chief impediment of their conversion The Hollanders did all they could to lay the fault upon the Portugals but the truth will easily appear by the Letter written to one Leonard Campen a Hollander wherein it is said that when the Hollanders were ask'd by the Natives what Religion they were of they made this answer We are no Christians we are Hollanders I do not go about to blemish a whole Nation for the fault of a few but only to shew what a dangerous thing it is to make an ill choice of Officers
would be a vanity to question in this particular cannot be read over without Horrour In sixteen years that is from 1613 to 1629 the Christians were so multiply'd that there were above 400000 but in the year 1649 the same Hollander relates that those Japonners who were brought from thence by the Company 's Ships to Amsterdam affirm'd that Christianity was utterly extirpated out of the Island Being at Ogli a large Town upon the fairest Arm of the Ganges I met a Holland Merchant who had serv'd the Company in Japon a long time and had made several Voyages He came thither with two 〈◊〉 laden with Bars of Silver and Copper which he had exchang'd for Silks which the Hollanders buy at Bengale This Merchant knowing I was there came to visit me and I finding him to be a sincere honest Man and well verst in the affairs of Japan especially in reference to the last persecution of the Christians grew covetous of his converse and invited him often to my House In our familiar discourses concerning the settlement of the Hollanders in the East-Indies and of the extraordinary gain which they make by their Trade there and passing thus from one thing to another at length I ask'd him who was the Author and Contriver of a Massacre so horrid as that was reported to be Whereupon he related to me all the particulars of which I have here made a recital and many more which I have forgot or omitted as being either not pertinent to my subject or else already related by others He had his information from such of the Natives that had escap'd out of the Battel and several of the Idolater Merchants in whose memories the fact was then fresh and indeed he was so ingenious in his Story that I could not find any motive to incite me to misdoubt the truth of it For many times he could not forbear shedding tears and to interrupt his discourse with his sighs often imprecating Heav'ns Vengeance upon the President and protesting he wonder'd the Company employ'd him so long But God reserv'd his punishment to himself For the deserts of his crimes always attending him and provoking judgments and misfortunes upon whatever Enterprize he took in hand he miserably perish'd in sight of Lisbon in fair weather All the men in the Ship were sav'd only he returning to recover a certain Cabinet of Jewels which he had there the Ship split and the Portugals had the satisfaction to see him swallow'd up in the Sea who had been the occasion of the Ruin of so many of their Country-men in Japon and immediately they rang their Bells in the City for joy of his Death In my last Voyage to the Indies I was at Bandar-Abassi where the Hollanders have a Factory Thither arriv'd two Vessels from Japon to take in Silks which the Hollanders buy of the Persians to exchange in Japon The Captain of one of the Ships told me that during several trading Voyages which he had made to that Island the Emperour had caus'd two Inquisitions to be made after the Christians in the first of which the Inquisitors met with 247 who were all most exquisitely tormented to Death in the latter they only found 63 among whom were seventeen Children twelve Girls and five Boys of which the eldest were not above thirteen years of Age. Among all the persecutions which the Christians suffer'd there was none comparable to this for extremity of Torments For the Japonners are the most ingenious in cruelty of any people in the World and the most constant in suffering For there have been Children from ten to a dozen years old who for 60 days together have endur'd to have their Bodies fasten'd to the Cross half burnt half torn in pieces while their Executioners forc'd them to eat on purpose to prolong their Lives in misery and yet they would not renounce the Faith which they had embrac'd Neither did this barbarous Inquisition extend only to the Christians but to their Kindred and Relations nay to their very Neighbours For if a Priest were taken in any House all the people in that House and the Houses adjoyning were hall'd to Execution for not having made the discovery At the beginning of every year there is a new Inquisition at which time all that can write are requir'd to subscribe or else the chief of the Family subscribes for all the rest that they neither are Christians nor are acquainted with any Christians and that they abominate Christianity as a Religion dangerous to the State Don John of Braganza being advanc'd to the Crown that sudden change which in one day and without the least Tumult in Lisbon wrested the Crown of Portugal from the King of Spain wrought the same effect at Goa All the Portugals at Goa at the same time acknowledg'd their new Soveraign the Viceroy who was a Spaniard was sent away to Spain by the first Vessels that were homeward bound and Don Philip de Mascarennas a Portugal Governour of Ceylan came to Goa and took upon him the command of Viceroy So soon as he came to the Government his first thoughts were how to Establish the Trade of the Portugals in Japon which when they were expell'd amounted to three Millions of Pardo's yearly one Pardo being worth twenty seven Sous of French Money The hopes therefore of regaining so great a loss made him toward the end of the year 1642 take a resolution to send a solemn Embassy to the Emperour of Japon furnish'd with magnificent Presents For which reason he made choice of what was most rare and most likely to be acceptable to the Emperour and the Grandees of his Court The most costly of these Presents was a piece of Lignum Aloes otherwise call'd Wood of Calambour four Foot in length and two Foot in Diameter a larger piece then which the Indies had never seen having cost 40000 Parao's To this he added a great quantity of fair Coral Beads of an extraordinary bigness This is the most acceptable Present that can be sent to the Lords of Japon which they fasten to the Strings wherewith they draw their Pouches together With these he sent a great number of Carpets and Hangings of Cloth of Gold Silver and Silk and several pieces of Tissue of Gold and Silver 'T is said the whole Present cost the City of Goa above eight hundred thousand Pardo's which amounts to about 86666 l. 13 s. 4 d. of English Money Besides all this the two great Ships which were prepar'd for the Embassador carry'd one of them 50 Peeces of Canon and the other 35 both laden with all sorts of Commodities which are esteem'd and priz'd in Japon amounting to about 83333 l. 6 s. 8 d. Sterling The Equipage of the Embassador was no less sumptuous And because the Viceroy would not be thought to give any occasion of offence to the Emperour he would not suffer one Jesuit in the Train but only four Augustins for the Admiral and four Jacobins for the other
liberality that by their converse he not only learnt the Language but by vertue of their good Character the Emperour would often send for him and ask him several Questions concerning our Europe in reference to the Qualities of the Countries the Manners of the People the several Forms of Government the Extent of the several Kingdoms their Riches Strength and War-like Discipline of all which the Admiral gave him so handsome an Accompt that the Prince took great delight in his Discourse And at length he had gain'd so much the favour and confidence of the Emperour that he utterly laid aside all the ill thoughts which he had of him and condemn'd to Death as a false Witness and a Traducer the Japonese that had accus'd him After so fortunate an escape the Admiral thought it but common prudence to make a fair retreat in the Grandeur of his Reputation and thereupon he took leave of the Emperour who loaded him with Honours and Presents The Courtiers were also sorry for his departure so that some of them accompany'd him back and took order for his entertainment which was very magnificent all the way to Nangisaqui where he took Shipping a few days after and return'd to Batavia All the People throng'd to the Port to see him when he Landed He told them in few words the success of his Voyage Some applauded his ingenuity and courage others extoll'd the Service which he had done the Company and Nation The Council receiv'd him also with thanks and praises and gave him all the Gold and Plate which he had brought back A while after he departed for Amsterdam where he was no sooner arriv'd but he presented a Petition to the States General against the East-India Company for sending him back to Japon and for reparation of the violence and injury done him The business was long in debate but at last the Company was condemn'd to pay him great damages and Interest for the same But to return to the President He began now to be weary of being confin'd to one Factory though he made up his Pack well enough where he was But his Ambition carry'd him farther and he thought he had done Service enough to be advanc'd to a higher Dignity Neither was his presence so necessary at Japon where he had settl'd the Dutch Trade in as good a condition as it could well be And in truth the Hollanders had then almost the whole Trade of the East-Indies They had taken from the English Formosa Amboyna and â—ooleron and by that means engross'd all the Trade of Cloves Mace and Nutmegs They had taken Baton by surprize The Inhabitants of the Celebes Ternate and Tidor were become their Vassals and the King of Macassar having made an Alliance with them had expell'd the Portugueses out of his Dominions By means of their Factories in Sumatra they had got all the Pepper Trade of the Western Coast of that Island into their hands besides several other advantages which they had in several other places where they had encroach'd upon the Portugals Spaniards and the English themselves The East-India Company at that time entertain'd 140 Ships part Men of War and part Merchant-men provided with great Guns Ammunition and Provision of all sorts and in these Ships above 6000 Men part Souldiers part Mariners Batavia was the Soul of their Conquests made upon the Ruins of the Portugueses which had they lain all together would have made a large Empire and by which they might have grown infinitely rich had not the expences of their Navies and Souldiers eaten out the gains of their vast Trade One of their wisest Generals told me frequently We have said he but too many Fortresses we need no more then the Cape of Good Hope and Batavia Factories well settl'd good Ships and honest Men to serve us For in short their Officers pillage unmercifully and cause the Commerce and Dominion of their Country men to be detested by the Indians through their Covetousness and Cruelty I know my self that in the year 1664 the Expences of the Hollanders in the East-Indies amounted communibus annis to twelve Millions a year not to reckon Shipwracks decay of Ships and wast of Goods and yet their Cargo's for Asia and Europe have not amounted to above ten Millions and sometimes the Cargo's are so mean that the Receits do not answer the Expences Nevertheless their perseverance and courage were worthy of admiration For what could be more to be admir'd then to see that a small number of Merchants assembled at first upon the single score of Trade should afterwards presume to make War in Regions so far distant assail so many Princes and Nations plant so many Colonies besiege so many Cities and Forts and lastly set forth so many Navies at such prodigious Expences that it would put many potent Soveraigns to a plunge to do as they did This was the Estate of the Holland East-India Company at what time the President the principal Subject of this Relation was recall'd from Japon to Batavia there to take upon him the Office of Chief Director He carry'd thither great store of Wealth and built several magnificent Houses in the City His Authority also was very large but he exercis'd it according to his usual custom and was hated by all the Officers of the Company and the Citizens themselves He thought himself secure of the Employment of General but he was deceiv'd in his hopes upon which he took pet and return'd for Amsterdam where he liv'd quietly for some years At length his turbulent and ambitious Spirit put him upon new Designs to revenge the injury which he thought he had receiv'd To which purpose he return'd to the Indies His undertaking was not so prosperous for those that employ'd him and who merited to have been better serv'd He pillag'd couzen'd and caus'd several disorders in their affairs and at length returning home again perish'd in the River of Lisbon with his Money and Jewels as hath been already related The End of the First Part. A RELATION OF What pass'd in the Negotiation of the DEPUTIES Which were sent to PERSIA and the INDIES As well on the behalf of the KING as of the FRENCH COMPANY for the settling of Trade IN the Relation which I have undertaken I shall make a faithful Report of things in such manner as I saw them transacted by the Deputies sent to Persia and the Indies as well on the behalf of the King as of the French Company for the settlement of Trade The Thirteenth of July 1665. the Sieur Lalin Gentleman in Extraordinary to the King and the Sieur de la Boulaye a Gentleman of Anjou with the Sieurs Beber Mariage and du Pont Deputies of the new French Company for the settling of Trade in Persia and the Indies arriv'd at Ispahan and took up their Lodgings at Zulpha being the Suburbs of the same City where also at that time liv'd the Sieur L'Estoile a French Merchant Lalin and Boulaye without saying any
our beds that are plank'd with Deal or other wood Over the girths they only lay a single Coverlet or Sheet which is a manner of lying easie enough considering the heat of the Country The fourth day after our departure from Brampour being near a great Town call'd Semqueles in a flat Country we perceiv'd all the Plain cover'd with Tents It appear'd to be the Camp of one of the chief Kans or Lords whom the Great Mogull had sent with 50000 men against the Rebel Raja Sevagi This Lord understanding who we were very civilly sent us Melons and Mango's and bid his Officers tell us withal that we were out of all danger and might safely pursue our journey Whatever I could say to Beber to perswade him that it was but an act of civility and good manners to wait upon the Prince I could by no means engage him I seeing his impertinency shifted my habit and sent one of my servants to the Camp to learn whether the Kan drank Wine and understanding that he did I took a bottle of Spanish and another of Schirus Wine and a small pocket Pistol delicately embellish'd with silver and with this small Present away I went to wait upon the General Being come into his Presence I excus'd Beber as not being well and immediately presented him the little Pistol which he took and bid me charge being desirous to try it After he had shot it off said he to his Lords that stood by Now must we confess these Franqui's to be ingenious This man sees that I am going to the Wars and presents me wherewithal to desend my life Then casting his eyes upon the little Hamper where the Bottles were he ask'd what it was They told him in his Ear. Oh said he looking at the same time upon two or three Mim Bachi's or Colonels that were present This Franqui Gentleman has given me a bottle of Wine well we must drink it for I find I shall please him in so doing When the Mollah's heard him talk of Wine they slunk away which made the Kan laugh heartily These are Agi's quoth he they have bin Pilgrims to Mecca and never drink Wine after they come home again Having taken my leave he sent me a Pomere which is a kind of Scarf that may also serve for a Girdle It was made of white Sattin with flow'rs of Gold and might be worth about a hundred Roupies He that brought it told me I should do the Kan a great kindness to send him another bottle of Wine thereupon I sent him two of three which was all my store He sent me six Horsemen to conduct us three days journey till we had pass'd a great River that flows from the Mountains of the South which washing the City of Baroche from whence it takes its Name falls into the Bay of Cambay When we came to our last stage which is a great Town call'd Barnoli from whence it is but 14 Leagues to Surat Beber sent one of his Hirelings to give notice thereof to Father Ambrose When the News came the Father went with the Aleppo Merchant often already mention'd to borrow the English President 's Coaches and there were about 15 or 16 more Coaches all in a train with several Horsemen and Merchant Banians that made hast to meet the Deputy This happen'd upon the first of November 1666. They carri'd with them Provision enough to make merry and every Banian had his Present ready For my part I as soon as I had saluted the Father Capuchin I went directly to my Lodging where I had left two Servants to take care of a Sum of Money which I had receiv'd of the King of Persia unwilling to hazard it upon the Road. For in whatever part of the Indies I came I had credit enough to buy without Money I only gave my Bills for payment at Agra Visapour Golconda or Surat where I generally left my Money as having receiv'd it there for the most part of the Lords or Kings of the Country As for Beber he was no Changeling the follies that he committed are too numerous to be related but how he began the year 1667 is not to be omitted M. Thevenot upon his return from Madraspatan and Golconda lodg'd in the Capuchins house Beber going to visit him told him that the Capuchins were the Hollanders Spies and that he had often advis'd Father Ambrose to break with them and not to go any more to their House That while he frequented their Society the French Company would be sure to find some obstacle in their Trade when the Ships should arrive and that if the Hollanders had not been at Agra they might have done what they pleas'd with the King That the hundred thousand Roupies which they had presented to the King and Grandees of the Court had hinder'd them from obtaining what they design'd By which it appear'd he understood not the humour of the Hollanders for they are not so liberal nor would all their tricks or presents have any thing avail'd them the Great Mogul being desirous that all Nations should be welcome to his Dominions especially Merchants as well they that import little as they that bring in much M. Thevenot told him that he had never observ'd so much of the Hollanders in all his travels for if it were true that they had such a desire to hinder the Trade of other Nations they would not afford them passage in their Ships or to put their Goods aboard as they often did Moreover they send away many times one or two Ships according to the quantity laden all with strangers Goods from Maslipatan or Surat in which Ships there is not oft-times so much as one Bale belonging to the Company And this added he is farther observable That they afford their Freight cheaper then the English or any other Nation who have Ships in these parts Thus Monsieur Thevenot endeavour'd to convince M. Beber who would have had Father Ambrose have fallen out with the Hollanders But he knew better things then to disoblige persons to whom he was so much beholding as he was every day For every week they allow'd the house a certain quantity of Bread and Meat and upon Fast-days sent them Fish Eggs Brandy and Wine which were no such unkindnesses to be quarrell'd with Monsieur Thevenot at the same time told Beber that he should do well to repay Father Ambrose the Money which he had borrow'd to pay for the Coach which he had broken to serve him as also that which he had given the Seamen for trying if they could discover the Companies Vessels upon the Coast But he turn'd his deaf ear to that discourse and would never be persuaded to reimburse the Money which Father Ambrose laid out for him Monsieur Thevenot perceiving his unwillingness and pressing him to do things handsomly put him into such a chase that he fell a swearing after such a violent rate in a Parlour that was parted only by a thin board from the
Governour of Dia's Passport who made it in the Name of the Viceroy that liv'd at Goa The Imposition which the Ships paid was sufficient to maintain the Fleet and Garrison and to enrich the Governour besides When the Rain-Seasons are over that the wind sits at North and North-east you may sail from Dia to Surat in three or four Tides with light Vessels but great Ships that are laden must fetch a compass about the Bank The City has no Land belonging to it but what it stands upon yet it would be no difficult thing to agree with the Raja or Govervour of the Province and to obtain as much as should be sufficient for the Inhabitants Neither is the Land about it very fertile and besides the people are the poorest in the whole Empire of the Mogul Nevertheless the Country is so well stor'd with Cattel that an Ox or a Bufalo will not cost above two Piasters The English and Hollanders make use of these Cattel to feed their People and to spare the Provisions of their Ships while they stay at Souali But it is observable that the Bufalo's flesh in those parts causes frequent Dysenteries which the Bullocks flesh or Beef never does The Raja that commands the Country has only the Title of Governour for life Which is common to most of the Raja's in the Mogul's Empire whose Ancestours were Lords of Provinces where now their Descendants only enjoy the Titles of Governours Having thus got possession of a good Post the next thing of Importance is to choose out two men considerable for their Honesty Prudence and Skill in Trade who are to be allow'd the full of their Expences These two persons are to serve the Company the one in the nature of a President with a Council consisting of a certain number of persons to assist him The other in the quality of a Broaker who must be an Idolater of the Country and not a Mahumetan in regard all the Workmen he has to deal with are Idolaters Civility and Faith of Promise are altogether requisit to gain Credit among strangers And these particular qualities are requir'd in the particular Broakers who are under the Broaker-General in the Provinces where the Factories are settl'd Good Intelligence is necessary for these two persons to understand the alteration of Manufactures This alteration happens either through the craft and subtilty of the Workmen and the Merchants themselves or by the correspondence of the Broakers and Workmen Which alteration may cause so much dammage to the Company that the Broakers shall gain ten and twelve i' the hundred by it If the President and Broaker-General combine with the particular Broakers and Merchants it will be a difficult thing for the Company to avoid being deceiv'd but if these two persons are but faithful and honest the fraud may be easily remedi'd by changing the particular Broakers The Officers of a Company may be unfaithful to their Trust in this respect When a Vessel arrives in Port the President for the Nation receives the Company 's Letters and the Bills of Lading upon which he calls his Council sends for the Broaker and gives him a Copy of the said Bills The Broaker shews them to three or four of the principal Merchants of the Country who are wont to buy by whole sale If the President and the Broaker hold together for their own profit the Broaker instead of facilitating the sale as he ought to do advises the Merchants to be shie and to offer only such a price Then the President sends for the Broaker and these two or three Merchants and in the presence of the Council he asks the Merchants what they will give for the Goods in the Bills of Lading mention'd If the Merchants are resolute to give no more then so much The President puts off the sale 15 days longer more or less as he pretends himself press'd to sell In the mean time he sends for the Merchants several times for a shew and at length to avoid suspicion and to discharge himself he asks the advice of the Council and as they approve orders the delivery of the Goods to the Merchant But though the Temptations be very great to which these two Officers are subject by reason of their pow'r their frequent opportunities and their distance from their Superiours the Company besides their being wary in their Election may remedy these disorders by depriving them of that pretence which the Dutch Commanders and Broakers have of being constrain'd to sell off presently to the Merchants in gross to avoid the expences of delay The Errour which the Hollanders commit in this respect is That their Officers bespeak every year upon Credit all the Goods which they have occasion for in the Empire of the Mogul according to the Orders which they receive from Batavia The credit of this Advance costs them sometimes twelve sometimes fifteen per Cent so that so soon as their laden Vessels are arriv'd in the the Port where they are to be sold they are oblig'd to sell them presently off at the Merchants rate first offer'd to their Broakers to make up a present stock to pay off their credit for the Goods bespoke for their Ships to carry back again and to get more credit for the next year This is that which cherishes that confederacy between the President the Broaker and the Merchant who makes advantage enough of this necessity of selling Whereas the better way were for them that carry the same Commodities which the Hollanders do to carry Money also to pay the Workmen for the Goods bespoken for the next year The Company making this advantage shall not be put to pay that great Interest of 12 and 15 per Cent. and besides they shall have better Goods and better cheap The Ships loading shall be ready before they arrive in Port and being quick laden they may return before the bad Season Neither shall the Company be put to sell their Goods at a low price because their Broakers will have time to stay for the coming of Merchants from other parts or else because they have time enough to send them to other places where they are sure of a quicker sale Observe also That it is far more profitable to carry to the Indies Gold and Silver in Ingots rather then ready coin'd for being coin'd the Money is valu'd only according to their Alloys and there is always a defalcation made for the charge of Coinage The Broaker also if he be dishonest may combine with the Master of the Mogul's Mint which is settl'd in several parts of the Empire and put a lower value upon the Gold and Silver then it deserves by telling the President and Council that upon the touch it appears to be no more worth But it is an easie thing to avoid this deceit provided the President be a person of credit and prudence by sending for one of the Refiners of Gold and Silver that live in the Country who perfectly understand the Touch of Metals
which is made of the second is more lively then the third When they have cut the Herb they throw it into Pits which they make with Lime which becomes so hard that you would judg it to be one intire piece of Marble They are generally fourscore or a hunder'd paces in circuit and being half full of water they fill them quite up with the Herb. Then they bruise and jumble it in the water till the leaf for the stalk is worth nothing becomes like a kind of thick mud This being done they let it settle for some days and when the setling is all at the bottom and the water clear above they let out all the water When the water is all drain'd out they fill several baskets with this slime and in a plain Field you shall see several men at work every one at his own basket making up little pieces of Indigo flat at the bottom at the top sharp like an egg Though at Amadabat they make their pieces quite flat like a small cake Here you are to take particular notice that the Merchants because they would not pay custom for an unnecessary weight before they transport their Indigo out of Asia into Europe are very careful to cause it to be sifted to separate the dust from it which they sell afterwards to the Natives of the Countrey to dye their Calicuts They that sift this Indigo must be careful to keep a Linnen-cloath before their faces and that their nostrils be well-stopt leaving only two little holes for their eyes Besides they must every half hour be sure to drink milk which is a great preservative against the piercing quality of the dust Yet notwithstanding all this caution they that have sifted Indigo for nine or ten days shall spit nothing but blew for a good while together Once I laid an Egg in the morning among the sisters and when I came to break it in the evening it was all blew within As they take the Paste out of the Baskets with their Fingers dipt in Oil and make it into Lumps or Cakes they lay them in the Sun to dry Which is the reason that when the Merchants buy Indigo they burn some pieces of it to try whether there be any dust among it For the Natives who take the Paste out of the Baskets to make it into Lumps lay it in the Sand which mixes with the Paste and fouls it But when the Merchants burn it the Indigo turns to Ashes and the Sand remains The Governours do what they can to make the Natives leave their Knavery but notwithstanding all their care there will be some deceit Salt-Peter GReat store of Salt-Peter comes from Agra and Patna but the refin'd costs three times more then that which is not The Hollanders have set up a Ware-House fourteen Leagues above Patna and when their Salt-Peter is refin'd they transport it by water by Ogueli A Mein of refin'd Salt-Peter is worth seven Mamoudi's Spice CArdamom Ginger Pepper Nutmegs Nutmeg-Flowers Cloves and Cinnamon are all the different sorts of Spices known to us I put Cardamom and Ginger in the first place because that Cardamom grows in the Territories of Visapour and Ginger in the Dominions of the Great Mogul And as for other Spices they are brought from other Foreign parts to Surat which is the grand Mart. Cardamom is the most excellent of all other Spices but it is very scarce and in regard there is no great store in the place where it grows it is only made use of in Asia at the Tables of great Princes Five hundred pound of Cardamoms are pric'd from a hundred to a hundred and ten Rials Ginger is brought in great quantities from Amadabat where there grows more than in any other part of Asia and it is hardly to be imagin'd how much there is transported candited into Foreign parts Pepper is of two sorts There is a sort which is very small another sort much bigger both which sorts are distinguish'd into small and great Pepper The larger sort comes from the Coast of Malavare and Tuticorin and Calicut are the Cities where it is brought up Some of this Pepper comes from the Territories of the King of Visapour being vended at Rajapour a little City in that Kingdom The Hollanders that purchase it of the Malavares do not give Money for it but several sorts of Commodities in Exchange as Cotten Opium Vermilion and Quicksilver and this is the Pepper which is brought into Europe As for the little Pepper that comes from Bantam Afchen and some other parts towards the East there is none of it carried out of Asia where it is spent in vast quantities especially among the Mahumetans For there are double the Grains of small Pepper in one pound to what there are of the great Pepper besides that the great Pepper is hotter in the mouth The little Pepper that comes to Surat has been sold some years for thirteen or fourteen Mamoudi's the Mein and so much I have seen the English give for it to transport it to Ormus Balsara and the Red Sea As for the great Pepper which the Hollanders fetch from the Coast of Malavare five hundred pound in truck brings them in not above thirty-eight Reals but by the Commodities which they give in Barter they gain Cent. per Cent. The Nutmeg the Nutmeg-Flow'r the Clove and Cinnamon are the only Spices which the Hollanders have in their own hands The three first come from the Molucca Islands the fourth which is Cinnamon from the Island of Ceylan 'T is observable of the Nutmeg that the Tree which bears it is never planted which has been confirm'd to me by several persons that have liv'd several years in the Country They related to me that the Nutmeg being ripe several Birds come from the Islands toward the South and devour it whole but are forc'd to throw it up again before it be digested The Nutmeg then besmear'd with a viscous matter falling to the ground takes root and produces a Tree which would never thrive were it planted This puts me in mind of making one observation upon the Birds of Paradise These Birds being very greedy after Nutmegs come in flights to gorge themselves with the pleasing Spice at the season like Felfares in Vintage time but the strength of the Nutmeg so intoxicates them that they fall dead drunk to the Earth where the Emets in a short time eat off their Legs Hence it comes that the Birds of Paradise are said to have no Feet which is not true however for I have seen three or four that had Feet and a French Merchant sent one from Aleppo as a Present to Lewis the Thirteenth that had Feet of which the King made great account as being a very lovely Fowl But notwithstanding all the Hollanders Projects you may buy Cloves at Macassar without purchasing them of the Hollander in regard the Islanders buy them of the Dutch Captains and Soldiers which the Hollanders have in those places