the ambassadors of England and the messengers commissioners of Prussia met together at the towne of Hage in Holland the 28. day of August in the yere of our lord 1407. And there was a treaty between theÌ„ concerning the summe 25934. nobles and an halfe demanded on the behalfe of the sayd Master generall for amends and recompense in consideration of wrongs offered vnto himselfe and vnto his subiects of Prussia as is aforesayd Also the sayd Master and his Prussians besides the summe not yet declared in the articles which is very small are to rest contented and satisfied with the summe of 8957. nobles in lieu of al the damages aforesaid no times of paâ—ment being then assigned or limited but afterward to be reasonably limited and assigned by our sayd soueraigne lord the king Insomuch that our said soueraigne lord the king is to write his ful intention determination concerning this matter in his letters to be deliuered the 16. day of March vnto the aldermen of the marchants of the Hans residing at Bruges Otherwise that from thenceforth all league of friendship shall bee dissolued betweene the realme of England and the land of Prussia Also it is farther to be noted that in the appointment of the summe next before written to be disbursed out of England this condition was added in writing namely that if by lawful testimonies it may sufficiently and effectually be prooued concerning the chiefe articles aboue written or any part of them that satisfaction was made vnto any of those parties to whom it was due or that the goods of and for the which complaint was made on the the behalfe of Prussia in the sayd articles did or doe pertayne vnto others or that any other iust true or reasonable cause may lawfully be proued alledged why the foresaid sums or any of them ought not to be payed that theÌ„ in the summes contained in the articles abouementioned so much only must be cut off or stopped as shal be found either to haue bene payd already or to appertaine vnto others or by any true iust and reasonable cause alleaged not to be due Neither is it to be doubted but for the greater part of the summe due vnto the Prussians that not our lord the king but others which will in time be nominated are by all equity and iustice to be compelled to make satisfaction Also at the day and place aboue mentioned it was appointed and agreed vpon that our lord the king and his liege subiects for the said 4535. nobles demanded of the Engliâ—h in consideration of recompense to be made for iniuries offered vnto the Prussians are to discharge pay the summe of 764. nobles which are not as yet disbursed but they haue reserued a petition to them vnto whom the sayd summe is due or if they please there shal be made satisfaction which will be very hard and extreme dealing Item that in the last assembly of the sayd ambassadors of England and messengers of Prussia holden at Hage made as is aforesayd for the behalfe of England there were exhibited anew certaine articles of iniuries against the Prussians The value of which losses amounted vnto the summe of 1825. nobles and three shillings Item on the contrary part for the behalfe of the Prussians the summe of 1355. nobles eight shillings and sixe pence Item forasmuch as diuers articles propounded as well on the behalfe of England as of Prussia and of the cities of the Hans both heretofore and also at the last conuention holden at Hage were so obscure that in regard of their obscurity there could no resolute answere bee made vnto them and other of the sayd articles exhibited for want of sufficient proofes could not clearely be determined vpon it was appointed and concluded that all obscure articles giuen vp by any of the foresayd parties whatsoeuer ought before the end of Easter then next ensuing and within one whole yeare after to be declared before the Chancelour of England for the time being and other articles euidently exhibited but not sufficiently proued to be proued vnder paine of perpetuall exclusion Which being done accordingly complete iustice shall be administred on both parts Item as concerning the eleuenth article for the behalfe of the Prussians first exhibited which conteined losses amounting vnto the summe of 2445. nobles as touching the first article on the behalfe of England exhibited in the land of Prussia conteining losses which amouÌ„ted to the summe of 900. nobles after many things alleadged on both parts relation thereof shall be made in the audience of the king and of the Master generall so that they shall set downe ordaine and determine such an ende and conclusion of those matters as shall seeme most expedient vnto them Now concerning the Liuonians who are subiect vnto the great Master of Prussia IN primis that the Master of Prussia demaunded of the sayd English ambassadours at their being in Prussia on the behalfe of them of Liuonia who are the sayd Master his liege people to haue restitution of their losses vniustly as he sayth offered vnto them by the English namely for the robbing and rifling of three ships The value of which ships and of the goods contained in them according to the computation of the Liuonian marchants doeth amount vnto the summe of 8037. pound 12. shillings 7. pence Howbeit afterward the trueth being inquired by the sayd ambassadors of England the losse of the Liuonians exceedeth not the summe of 7498. pound 13. shillings 10. pence halfepeny farthing Item forasmuch as in the sayd ships on the behalfe of the sayd Master and of certaine cities of the Hans there are alleadged aboue 250. men very barbarously to be drowned of whome some were noble and others honourable personages and the rest common marchants mariners there was demaunded in the first dyet or conuention holden at Dordract a recompense at the handes of the sayd English ambassadors albeit this complaint was exhibited in the very latter end of al the negotiations informe of a scedule the tenor whereof is in writing at this present beginneth in maner following Cum vita hominum c. Howbeit in the last conuention holden at Hage as is aforesaid it was concluded betweene the ambassadours of England and the messengers and commissioners of the land of Prussia and of the cities of the Hans that our sayd soueraigne lord the king should of his great pietie vouchsafe effectually to deuise some conuenient and wholesome remedie for the soules of such persons as were drowned Item that our sayd soueraigne lord the king will signifie in writing his full purpose intention as touching this matter vnto the aldermen of the Hans marchants residing at Bruges vpon the sixteenth day of March next following Otherwise that from hencefoorth all amity and friendship betweene the realme of England and the land of Prussia shall be dissolued Neither is it to be doubted but that a great part of the sayd goods for the which they of
house as much as he will without the cost of any thing but of the letting in Also there is a great caue or ditch of water that commeth through the Citie euen vnto the high place where come euery morning at the break of the day twentie or thirtie Canoas or troughes of the Indians which bring in them all maner of prouision for the citie which is made and groweth in the Countrey which is a very good commoditie for the inhabitants of that place And as for victuals in the said Citie of beefe mutton and hennes capons quailes Guiny-cockes and such like all are very good cheape To say the whole quarter of an oxe as much as a slaue can carry away from the Butchers for fiue Tomynes that is fiue Royals of plate which is iust two shillings and sixe pence and a fat sheepe at the Butchers for three Royals which is 18. pence and no more Bread is as good cheape as in Spaine and all other kinde of fruites as apples peares pomegranats and quinces at a reasonable rate The Citie goeth wonderfully forwards in building of Frieries and Nunneries and Chappels and is like in time to come to be the most populous Citie in the world as it may be supposed The weather is there alwayes very temperate the day differeth but one houre of length all the yere long The fields and the woods are alwayes greene The woods full of popiniayes and many other kinde of birdes that make such an harmonie of singing and crying that any man will reioyce to heare it In the fields are such odoriferous smels of flowers and hearbs that it giueth great cement to the senses About the Citie of Mexico two three or foure leagues off are diuers townes of Indians some of 4000. or 6000. housholds which doe stand in such a goodly soyle that if Christians had the inhabitation thereof it would be put to a farther benefite In my time were dwelling and aliue in Mexico many ancient men that were of the conquerours at the first conquest with Hernando Cortes for then it was about 36. yeeres agoe that the said Countrey was conquered About Mexico there are diuers Mines of siluer and also in other places there about but the principall Mines that are in all New Spaine are in Sacatecas 80. leagues from Mexico and the Mines of S. Martin thirtie leagues both to the Northwestward of Mexico where is great store of gold and siluer Also there is a place called the Misteca fiftie leagues to the Northwest which doth yeeld great store of very good silke and Cochinilla Wine and oyle there is none growing in the Countrey but what commeth out of Spaine Also there are many goodly fruits in that Countrey whereof we haue none such as Plantanos Guyaues Sapotes Tunas and in the wildernes great store of blacke cheries and other wholsome fruites The Cochinilla is not a worme or a flye as some say it is but a berrie that groweth vpon certaine bushes in the wilde field which is gathered in time of the yeere when it is ripe Also the Indico that doeth come from thence to die blâ—w is a certaine heathe that groweth in the wilde fieldes and is gathered at one time of the yeere and burnt and of the ashes thereof with other confections put thereunto the saide Indico is made Balme Salsa perilla Cana fistula sugâ—r oxe hides and many other good and seruiceable things the Countrey doeth yeeld which are yeerely brought into Spaine and there solde and distributed to many nations ROBERT TOMSON A voyage made by M. Roger Bodenham to S. Iohn de Vllua in the bay of Mexico in the yeere 1564. I Roger Bodenham hauing a long time liued in the city of Siuil in Spaine being there married and by occasion thereof vsing trade and traffique to the parts of Barbary grew at length to great losse and hindrance by that new trade begun by me in the city of Fez whereupon being returned into Spaine I began to call my wits about mee and to consider with my selfe by what meanes I might recouer and renew my state and in conclusion by the ayde of my friends I procured a ship called The Barke Fox pertâ—ining to London of the burden of eight or nine score tunnes and with the same I made a voyage to the West India hauing obteined good fauour with the Spanish merchants by reason of my long abode and marriage in the countrey My voyage was in the company of the Generall Don Pedro Melendes for Noua Hispania who being himselfe appointed Generall for Terra Firma and Peru made his sonne Generall for New Spaine although Pedro Melendes himselfe was the principall man and directer in both fleets We all departed from Cadiz together the last day of May in the yere 1564 and I with my ship being vnder the conduct of the sonne of Don Pedro aforesayd arriued with him in Noua Hispania where immediatly I tooke order for the discharge of my merchandise at the port of Vera Cruz otherwise called Villa Rica to be transported theâ—ce to the city of Mexico which is sixty and odde leagues distant from the sayd port of Villa Rica In the way are many good townes as namely Pueblo de los Angeles and another called Tlaxcalan The city of Mexico hath three great causeyes to bring men to it compassed with a lake so that it needeth no walles being so defended by the water It is a city plentifull of all necessary things hauing many faire houses churches and monasteries I hauing continued in the countrey the space of nine moneths returned againe for Spaine with the Spanish fleet and deliuered the merchandise and siluer which I had in the ship into the Contractation house and there receiued my fraight which amounted outwards and homewards to the value of 13000 ducats and more I obserued many things in the time of my abode in Noua Hispania aswell touching the commodities of the countrey as the maners of the people both Spanâ—ards and Indians but because the Spanish histories are full of those obseruations I omit them and referre the readers to the same onely this I say that the commodity of Cochinilla groweth in greatest abundance about the towne of Pueblo de los Angeles and is not there woorth aboue forty pence the pound A notable discourse of M. Iohn Chilton touching the people maners mines cities riches forces and other memorable things of New Spaine and other prouinces in the West Indies seene and noted by himselfe in the time of his trauels continued in those parts the space of seuenteene or eighteene yeeres IN the yeere of our Lord 1561 in the moneth of Iuly I Iohn Chilton went out of this city of London into Spaine where I remained for the space of seuen yeres from thence I sailed into Noua Hispania and so trauelled there and by the South sea vnto Peru the space of seuenteene or eighteene yeeres and after that time expired I returned into Spaine and
Court. If happely in one moneth euery Post be not able to goe so long a way yet doeth there notwithstanding once euery moneth arriue one Poste out of the shire Who so coÌ„meth before the new moone stayeth for the deliuery of his letters vntil the moone be changed Then likewise are dispatched other Posts backe into all the 13. shires againe Before that we doe come to Cinceo wee haue to passe through many places and some of great importance For this Countrey is so well inhabited neere the Sea side that you cannot goe one mile but you shal see some Towne borough or hostry the which are so aboundatly prouided of all things that in the Cities and townes they liue ciuily Neuerthelesse such as dwel abrode are very poore for the multitude of them euery where is so great that out of a tree you shall see many times swarme a number of children where a man would not haue thought to haue found any one at all From these places in number infinite you shall come vnto two Cities very populous and being compared with Cinceo not possibly to be discerned which is the greater of them These cities are as well walled as any Cities in all the world As you come in to either of them there standeth so great and mighty a bridge that the like thereof I haue neuer seene in Portugal nor else where I heard one of my fellowes say that hee tolde in one bridge 40. arches The occasion wherefore these bridges are made so great is for that the Countrey is toward the sea very plaine and low and ouerflowed euer as the sea water encreaseth The breadth of the bridges although it bee well proportioned vnto the length thereof yet are they equally built no higher in the middle then at either ende in such wise that you may see directly from the one ende to the other the sides are wonderfully well engraued after the maner of Rome-workes But that we did most marueile at was therewithall the hugenesse of the stones the like whereof as we came in to the Citie we did see many set vp in places dis-habited by the way to no small charges of theirs howbeit to little purpose whereas no body seeth them but such as doe come by The arches are not made after our fashion vauted with sundry stones set together but paued as it were whole stones reaching from one piller to an other in such wise that they lye both for the arches heads and galantly serue also for the high way I haue bene astonied to beholde the hugenesse of the aforesaid stones some of them are xii pases long and vpward the least 11. good pases long and an halfe The wayes ech where are galantly paued with fouresquare stone except it be where for want of stone they vse to lay bricke in this voyage wee trauailed ouer certaine hilles where the wayes were pitched and in many places no worse paued then in the plaine ground This causeth vs to thinke that in all the world there bee no better workemen for buildings then the inhabitants of China The Countrey is so well inhabited that no one foote of ground is left vntilled small store of cattell haue we seene this day we saw onely certaine oxen wherewithall the countreymen do plow their ground One oxe draweth the plough alone not onely in this shire but in other places also wherein is greater store of cattell These countreymen by arte do that in tillage which we are constrained to doe by force Here be solde the voydings of close stooles although there wanteth not the dung of beastes and the excrements of man are good marchandise throughout all China The dungfermers seek in euery streete by exchange to buy this durtie ware for herbs and wood The custome is very good for keeping the Citie cleane There is great aboundance of hennes geâ—se duckes swine and goates wethers haue they none the hennes are solde by weight and so are all other things Two pound of hennes flesh geese or ducke is worth two foi of their money that is d. ob sterling Swines flesh is sold at a penie the pound Beefe beareth the same price for the scarcitie thereof howbeit Northward from Fuquieo and farther off from the sea-coast there is beefe more plentie and solde better cheape We haue had in all the Cities we passed through great abundance of all these victuals beefe onely excepted And if this Countrey were like vnto India the inhabitants whereof eate neither henne beefe nor porke but keepe that onely for the Portugals and Moores they would be sold here for nothing But it so falling out that the Chineans are the greatest eaters in all the world they do feed vpon all things specially on porke which the fatter it is is vnto them the lesse lothsome The highest price of these things aforesaid I haue set downe better cheape shal you sometimes buy them for the great plentie thereof in this countrey Frogs are solde at the same price that is made of hennes and are good meate amongst them as also dogs cats rats snakes and all other vncleane meates The Cities be very gallant specially neere vnto the gates the which are marueilously great and couered with iron The gatehâ—uses are built on high with towers the lower part thereof is made of bricke stone proportionally with the walls from the walls vpward the building is of timber and many stories in it one aboue the other The strength of their townes is in the mightie walles and ditches artillerie haue they none The streetes in Cinceo and in all the rest of the Cities we haue seene are very faire so large and so straight that it is wonderfull to behold Their houses are built with timber the foundations onely excepted the which are layd with stone in ech side of the streetes are pentises or continuall porches for the marchants to walke vnder the breadth of the streets is neuerthelesse such that in them 15. men may ride commodiously side by side As they ride they must needs passe vnder many high arches of triumph that crosse ouer the streetes made of timber and carued diuersly couered with tiles of fine clay vnder these arches the Mercers do vtter their smaller wares such as list to stand there are defended from raine and the heate of the Sunne The greater gentlemen haue these arches at their doores although some of them be not so mightily built as the rest I shall haue occasion to speake of a certaine order of gentlemen that are called Louteas I wil first therefore expound what this word signifieth Loutea is as much to say in our language as Sir and when any of them calleth his name he answereth Sir and as we do say that the king hath made some gentleman so say they that there is made a Loutea And for that amongst them the degrees are diuers both in name and office I will tell you onely of some principals being not able to aduertise you of all The
heate of the Sunne in the day causeth the deepe lakes of Ladega and specially of Onega to cleaue and if there should come then a sudden thaw as oftentimes in that time of the yeere doeth then doe these lakes open and breake whereby many men are lost and both men and horse drowned although other riuers do remaine frozen a long time after In the towne of Some also there are many warehouses whereof we cannot be destitute for the reposing of our wares as also as many barkes as you wil to transport your wares from thence to S. Nicholas road and that for three pence a poods caryage so that from the Citie of Nouogrod vnto S. Nicholas road you may haue wares caried for two altines The pood commeth vnto 23. altines the tunne Prouided alwayes that you buy your wares there your selfe and send it thence for there is no hope that the natiues will bring their wares from Nouogrod to Some in hope to sell vnto vs considering the great trade that they haue at the Narue which is within 180. miles off them Written by Thomas Southam a seruant to the company An Act for the corporation of Merchants aduenturers for the discouering of new trades made in the eight yeere of Queene Elizabeth Anno 1566. WHereas diuers very good Subiects of this Realme of England in the latter ende of the reigne of the late right high and mightie prince our Soueraigne Lord king Edward the sixt at the gracious incouragement and right good liking of the said king and by his Maiesties liberall example did at their aduenture and to their exceeding great charges for the glory of God the honor and increase of the reuenues of the Crowne and the common vtilitie of the whole Realme of England set forth thrâ—e ships for the discouery by Sea of Isles lands territories dominions and Seigniories vnknowen and by the Subiects of the sayd late king not commonly by seas frequented and after that Almightie God had called to his mercie the said king who died before the finishing and sealing of his most ample and gracious letters of priuiledges promised to the said Subiects as wel in consideration of the said enterprise as for diuers other respects it pleased our late souereigne Q. Mary at the humble suites of the same subiects to graunt by her letters Patents vnder the great Seale of England bearing date at Westminster the 26. day of February in the second yeere of her raigne for the considerations mentioned in the said letters Patents to the saide subiects being specially named in the saide letters Patents and to their successors that they by the name of Merchants aduenturers of England for the discouerie of lands territories Isles dominions and Seigniories vnknowen and not before their late aduenture or enterprise by seas or Nauigations coÌ„monly frequented should be from thenceforth one body and perpetual felowship and communaltie of themselues both in deed and in name and that the same felowship and communaltie from thenceforth should and might haue one or two gouernours foure Consuls and 24. assistants of the said felowship and comminaltie of Merchants aduenturers and that they by the name of the Gouernour Consuls assistants felowship and comminaltie of Merchants aduenturers for the discouery of lands territories Isles dominions and Seigniories vnknowen by the seas and Nauigations and not before their said late aduenture or enterprise by Seas frequented should or might be able in the lawe to implead and to bee impleaded to answere and to be answered to defend and to be defended before whatsoeuer Iudge or Iustice temporall or spiritual or other persons whatsoeuer in whatsoeuer court or courts and in all actions real personal and mixt and in euery of them and in all plaints of Nouel deseison and also in all plaints sutes quarrels affaires businesse and demaunds whatsoeuer they be touching and concerning the said felowship and comminaltie and the affaires and businesse of the same only in as ample maner and forme as any other corporation of this Realme might doe giuing also and granting vnto them by the said letters Patents diuers authorities powers iurisdictions preheminences franchises liberties and priuiledges as by the same letters Patents more at large will appeare And among other things mentioned in the said letters Patents whereas one of the three ships by the said fellowship before that time set foorth for the voyage of discouery aforesaid named the Edward Bonauenture had arriued within the Empire and dominion of the high and mightie Prince Lord Iohn Vasiliwich Emperour of all Russia Volodimersky great duke of Musky c. who receiued the Captaine and Merchants of the saide shippe very graciously granting vnto them freâ—â—y to traâ—fique with his subiects in all kinde of merchandizes with diuers other gracious priuiledges and liberties therefore the said late Queene by the same letters Patents for her her heires and successors did graunt that all the maine lands Isles ports hauens creeks and riuers of the said mighty Emperour of all Russia and great duke of Moâ—co c. and all and singular other lands dominions territories Isles ports hauens creeks riuers armes of the seas of al and euery other Emperour king prince ruler or gouerner whatsoeuer he or they be before the said late aduenture or enterprise not knowen or by the aforesaid merchants and subiects of the said king and Queene by the seas not commonly frequented nor any part or parcell thereof and lying Northwards Northeastwards or Northwestwards as in the said letters patents is mentioned should not be visited frequented nor hunted by any the subiects of the said late Queene other then of the said company and fellowship and their successors without expresse licence agreement consent of the Gouerner Consuls and Assistants of the said felowship and communaltie or the more part of them in maner forme as is expressed in the saide letters patents vpon paine of for feiture and losse as well of the ship and ships with the appurtenances as also of the goods merchandizes and things whatsoeuer they be of those the subiects of the said late Queene not being of the saide fellowship and communaltie which should attempt or presume to saile to any of those places which then were or after should happen to be found and traffiqued vnto the one halfe of the same forfriâ—ure to be to the vse of the said late Queene her heires successors and the other halfe to be to the vse of the said felowship communaltie as by the same letters patents more plainly will appeare Since the making of which letters patens the said fellowship haue to their exceeding great costes losses and expences not onely by their trading into the said dominions of the saide mightie prince of Russia c. found out conuenient way to saile into the saide dominions but also passing thorow the same and ouer the Caspian sea haue discouered very commodious trades into Armenia Media Hyrcania Persia and other dominions in Asia minor hoping by
of it a Castle and the hauen is chained the citie hath onely two gates to say one for the lande and another for the sea they haue in the towne continually be it peace or warres 800 souldiers and fortie and sixe gunners besides Captaines petie Captaines Gouernour and Generall The lande gate hath alwayes fiftie souldiers pikes and gunners with their harâ—es watching there at night and day At the sea gate fiue and twentie vpon the walles euery night doe watch fifteene men in watch houses for euery watch house fiue men and in the market place 30 souldiers continually There may no soldier serue there aboue 5. yeres neither will they without friendship suffer them to depart afore 5. yeres be expired and there may serue of all nations except Greekes They haue euery pay which is 45. dayes 15 Mozenigos which is 15 shillings sterling Their horsemen haue onely â—ixe soldes Uenetian a day and prouender for their horses but they haue also certaine lande therewith to plow and sowe for the maintenance of their horses but truely I maruell how they liue being so hardly fed for all the sommer they feede onely vpon chopt strawe and barley for hey they haue none and yet they be faire fat and seruiceable The Uenetians send euery two yeeres new rulers which they call Castellani The towne hath allowed it also two gallies continually armed and furnished The 30 in the morning we ridde to a chappell where they say Saint Katherin was borne This Chappell is in olde Famagusta the which was destroyed by Englishmen and is cleane ouerthrowne to the ground to this day desolate and not inhabited by any person it was of a great circuit and there be to this day mountaines of faire great and strong buildings and not onely there but also in many places of the Iland Moreouer when they digge plowe or trench they finde sometimes olde ancient coines some of golde some of siluer and some of copper yea and many tombes and vautes with sepulchers in them This olde Famagusta is from the other foure miles and standeth on a hill but the new towne on a plaine Thence we returned to new Famagusta againe to dinner and toward euening we went about the towne and in the great Church we sawe the tombe of king laques which was the last king of Cyprus and was buried in the yere of Christ one thousand foure hundred seuentie three and had to wife one of the daughters of Venice of the house of Cornari the which family at this day hath great reuenues in this Island and by means of that mariage the Venetians chalenge the kingdom of Cyprus The first of October in the morning we went to see the reliefe of the watches That done we went to one of the Greekes Churches to see a pot or Iarre of stone which is sayd to bee one of the seuen Iarres of water the which the Lord God at the mariage conuerted into wine It iâ— a pot of earth very faire white enamelled and fairely wrought vpon with drawen worke and hath on either side of it instead of handles cares made in fourme as the Painters make angels wings it was about an elle high and small at the bottome with a long necke and correspondent in circuit to the bottome the belly very great and round it holdeth full twelue gallons and hath a tap-hole to drawe wine out therâ—at the Iarre is very auncient but whether it be one of them or no I know not The aire of Famagusta is very vnwholesome as they say by reason of certaine marish ground adioyning vnto it They haue also a certaine yeerely sicknesse raigning in the same towne aboue all the rest of the Island yet neuerthelesse they haue it in other townes but not so much It is a certaine rednesse and paine of the eyes the which if it bee not quickly holpen it taketh away their sight so that yeerely almost in that towne they haue about twentie that lose their sight either of one eye or both and it commeth for the most part in this moneth of October and the last moneth for I haue met diuers times three and foure at once in companies both men and women Their liuing is better cheape in Famagusta then in auy other place of the Island because there may no kinde of prouision within their libertie bee solde out of the Citie The second of October we returned to Arnacho where wee rested vntill the sixt day This towne is a pretie Uillage there are thereby toward the Sea side diuers monuments that there hath bene great ouerthrow of buildings for to this day there is no yere when they finde not digging vnder ground either coines caues and sepulchres of antiquities as we walking did see many so that in effect all alongst the Sea coast throughout the whole Island there is much ruine and ouerthrow of buildings for as they say it was disinhabited sixe and thirtie yeres before Saint Helens time for lacke of water And since that time it hath bene ruinated and ouerthrowen by Richard the first of that name king of England which he did in reuenge of his sisters rauishment comming to Ierusalem the which inforcement was done to her by the king of Famagusta The sixt day we rid to Nicosia which is from Arnacho seuen Cyprus miles which are one and twentie Italian miles This is the ancientest citie of the Island and iâ— walled about but it is not strong neither of walles nor situation It is by report three Cyprus miles about it is not throughly inhabited but hath many great gardens in it and also very many Date trees and plentie of Pomegranates and other fruites There dwell all the Gentilitie of the Island and there hath euery Cauallier or Conte of the Island an habitation There is in this citie one fountaine rented by saint Marke which is bound euery eight dayes once to water all the gardens in the towne and the keeper of this fountaine hath for euery tree a Bizantin which is twelue soldes Venice and six pence sterling He that hath that to farme with a faire and profitable garden thereto belonging paieth euery yeere to saint Marke fifteene hundred crownes The streetes of the citie are not paued which maketh it with the quantitie of the gardens to seeme but a rurall habitation But there be many faire buildings in the Citie there be also Monasteries both of Franks Greekes The Cathedrall church is called Santa Sophia in the which there is an old tombe of Iaspis stone all of one piece made in forme of a cariage coffer twelue spannes long sixe spannes broad and seuen spannes high which they say was found vnder ground It is as faire a stone as euer I haue seene The seuenth day we rid to a Greeke Frierie halfe a mile without the towne It is a very pleasaunt place and the Friers feasted vs according to their abilitie These Friers
called Giagra the tree whereon these Nuts doe grow is called the Palmer tree and thorowout all the Indies and especially from this place to Goa there is great abundance of them and it is like to the Date tree In the whole world there is not a tree more profitable and of more goodnesse then this tree is neither doe men reape so much benefit of any other tree as they do of this there is not any part of it but serueth for some vse and none of it is woorthy to be burnt With the timber of this tree they make shippes without the mixture of any other tree and with the leaues thereof they make sailes and with the fruit thereof which be a kinde of Nuts they make wine and of the wine they make Sugar and Placetto which wine they gather in the spring of the yeere out of the middle of the tree where continually there goeth or runneth out white liquour like vnto water in that time of the yeere they put a vessell vnder euery tree and euery euening and morning they take it away full and then distilling it with fire it maketh a very strong liquour and then they put it into buts with a quantity of Zibibbo white or blacke and in short time it is made a perfect wine After this they make of the Nuts great store of oile of the tree they make great quantity of boordes and quarters for buildings Of the barke of this tree they make cables ropes and other furniture for shippes and as they say these ropes be better then they that are made of Hempe They make of the bowes bedsteds after the Indies fashion and Scauasches for merchandise The leaues they cut very small and weaue them and so make sailes of them for all maner of shipping or els very fine mats And then the first rinde of the Nut they stampe and make thereof perfect Ockam to calke shippes great and small and of the hard barke thereof they make spoones and other vessels for meat in such wise that there is no part thereof throwen away or cast to the fire When these Mats be greene they are full of an excellent sweet water to drinke and if a man be thirsty with the liquour of one of the Mats he may satisfie himselfe and as this Nut ripeneth the liquor thereof turneth all to kernell There goeth out of Chaul for Mallaca for the Indies for Macao for Portugall for the coasts of Melinde for Ormus as it were an infinite number and quantity of goods and merchandise that come out of the kingdome of Cambaia as cloth of bumbast white painted printed great quantity of Indico Opium Cotton Silke of euery sort great store of Boraso in Paste great store of Fetida great store of yron corne and other merchandise The Moore king Zamalluco is of great power as one that at need may command hath in his camp two hundred thousand men of warre and hath great store of artillery some of them made in pieces which for their greatnesse can not bee carried to and fro yet although they bee made in pieces they are so commodious that they worke with them maruellous well whose shotte is of stone and there hath bene of that shot sent vnto the king of Portugall for the rareness of the thing The city where the king Zamalluco hath his being is within the land of Chaul seuen or eight dayes iourney which city is called Abneger Threescore and tenne miles from Chaul towards the Indies is the port of Dabul an hauen of the king Zamallaco from thence to Goa is an hundred and fifty miles Goa GOa is the principall city that the Portugals haue in the Indies wherein the Uiceroy with his royall Court is resident and is in an Iland which may be in circuit fiue and twenty or thirty miles and the city with the boroughs is reasonable bigge and for a citie of the Indies it is reasonable faire but the Iland is farre more fairer for it is as it were full of goodly gardens replenished with diuers trees and with the Palmer trees as is aforesayd This city is of great trafique for all sorts of marchandise which they trade withall in those parts and the fleet which commâ—th euery yeere from Portugall which are fiue or sixe great shippes that come directly for Goa arriue there ordinarily the sixth or tenth of September and there they remaine forty or fifty dayes and from thence they goe to Cochin where they lade for Portugall and often times they lade one shippe at Goa and the other at Cochin for Portugall Cochin is distant from Goa three hundred miles The city of Goa is situate in the kingdome of Dialcan a king of the Moores whose chiefe city is vp in the countrey eight dayes iourney and is callâ—d Bisapor this king is of great power for when I was in Goa in the yeere of our Lord 1570 this king came to giue assault to Goa being encamped neere vnto it by a riuer side with an army of two hundred thousand men of warre and he lay at this siege foureteene moneths in which time there was peace concluded and as report went amongst his people there was great calamity and mortality which bred amongst them in the time of Winter and also killed very many elephants Then in the yeere of our Lord 1567 I went from Goa to Bezeneger the chiefe city of the kingdome of Narsinga eight dayes iourney from Goa within the land in the company of two other merchâ—nts which carried with them three hundred Arabian horses to that king because the horses of that countrey are of a small stature and they pay well for the Arabian horses and it is requisite that the merchants sell them well for that they stand them in great charges to bring them out of Persia to Ormus and from Ormus to Goa where the ship that bringeth twenty horses and vpwards payeth no custome neither ship nor goods whatsoeuer whereas if they bring no horses they pay 8 per cento of all their goods andâ— at the going out of Goa the horses pay custome two and forty pagodies for euery horse which pagody may be of sterling money sixe shillings eight pence they be piâ—ces of golde of that value So that the Arabian horses are of great value in those countreys as 300,400,500 duckets a horse and to 1000 duckets a horse Bezeneger THe city of Bezeneger was sacked in the yeere 1565 by foure kings of the Moores which were of great power and might the names of these foure kings were these following the first was called Dialcan the second Zamaluc the third Cotamaluc and the fourth Viridy and yet these foure kings were not able to ouercome this city and the king of Bezeneger but by treason This king of Bezeneger was a Gentile and had amongst all other of his captaines two which were notable and they were Moores and these two captaines had either of them in charge threescore and ten
that he had promised me in the name of the king but he would not let me depart before the comming of the king which was greatly to my hinderance because I was twenty and one moneths sequestred that I could not buy nor sell any kinde of marchandize Those commodities that I brought thither were peper sandols and Porcellan of China so when the king was come home I made my supplication vnto him and I was licenced to depart when I would From Martauan I departed to goe to the chiefest Citie in the kingdome of Pegu which is also called after the name of the kingdome which voyage is made by sea in three or foure daies they may goe also by lande but it is better for him that hath marchandize to goe by sea and lesser charge And in this voyage you shall haue a Macareo which is one of the most marueilous things in the world that nature hath wrought and I neuer saw any thing so hard to be beleeued as this to wit the great increasing diminishng of the water there at one push or instant and the horrible earthquake and great noyse that the said Macareo maketh where it commeth We departed from Martauan in barkes which are like to our Pylot boates with the increase of the water and they goe as swift as an arrowe out of a bow so long as the tide runneth with them and when the water is at the highest then they drawe themselues out of the Chanell towardes some banke and there they come to anker and when the water is diminished then they rest on dry land and when the barkes rest dry they are as high from the bottome of the Chanell as any house top is high from the ground They let their barkes lie so high for this respect that if there should any shippe rest or ride in the Chanell with such force commeth in the water that it would ouerthrowe shippe or barke yet for all this that the barkes be so farre out of the Channell and though the water hath lost her greatest strength and furie before it come so high yet they make fast their prowe to the streme and oftentimes it maketh them very fearefull and if the anker did not holde her prow vp by strength shee would be ouerthrowen and lost with men and goods When the water beginneth to increase it maketh such a noyse and so great that you would thinke it an earthquake and presently at the first it maketh three waues So that the first washeth ouer the barke from stemme to sterne the second is not so furious as the first and the thirde rayseth the Anker and then for the space of sixe houres while the water encreaseth they rowe with such swiftnesse that you would thinke they did fly in these tydes there must be lost no iot of time for if you arriue not at the stagious before the tyde be spent you must turne backe from whence you came For there is no staying at any place but at these stagions and there is more daunger at one of these places then at another as they be higher and lower one then another When as you returne from Pegu to Martauan they goe but halfe the tide at a time because they will lay their barkes vp aloft on the bankes for the reason aforesayd I could neuer gather any reason of the noyse that this water maketh in the increase of the tide and in deminishing of the water There is another Macareo in Cambaya but that is nothing in comparison of this By the helpe of God we came safe to Pegu which are two cities the olde and the newe in the olde citie are the Marchant strangers and marchantes of the Countrey for there are the greatest doings and the greatest trade This citie is not very great but it hath very great suburbes Their houses be made with canes and couered with leaues or with strawe but the marchants haue all one house or Magason which house they call Godon which is made of brickes and there they put all their goods of any valure to saue them from the often mischances that there happen to houses made of such stuffe In the new citie is the pallace of the king and his abiding place with all his barons and nobles and other gentlemen and in the time that I was there they finished the building of the new citie it is a great citie very plaine and flat and foure square walled round about and with ditches that compasse the wals about with water in which diches are many crocodils it hath no drawe bridges yet it hath twentie gates fiue for euery square on the walles there are many places made for centinels to watch made of wood and couered or guilt with gold the streetes thereof are the fayrest that I haue seene they are as streight as a line from one gate to another and standing at the one gate you may discouer to the other and they are as broad as 10 or 12 men may ride a breast in them and those streetes that be thwart are faire and large these streetes both on the one side and on the other are planted at the doores of the houses with nut trees of India which make a very commodious shadowe the houses be made of wood and couered with a kind of tiles in forme of cups very necessary for their vse the kings palace is in the middle of the citie made in forme of a walled castle with ditches full of water round aboue it the lodgings within are made of wood all ouer gilded with fine pinacles and very costly worke couered with plates of golde Truely it may be a kings house within the gate there is a faire large court from the one side to the other wherein there are made places for the strongest and stoutest Eliphants appointed for the seruice of the kings person and amongst all other Eliphants he hath foure that be white a thing so rare that a man shall hardly finde another king that hath any such and if this king knowe any other that hath white Eliphantes he sendeth for them as for a gift The time that I was there there were two brought out of a farre Countrey and that cost me something the sigth of them for that they commaund the marchants to goe to see them and then they must giue somewhat to the men that bring them the brokers of the marchants giue for euery man halfe a duckat which they call a Tansa which amounteth to a great summe for the number of merchants that are in that citie and when they haue payde the aforesayde Tansa they may chuse whether they will see them at that time or no because that when they are in the kings stall euery man may see them that will but at that time they must goe and see them for it is the kings pleasure it should be so This King amongst all other his titles is called the King of the white
I know to be true Those that are desirous to discouer and to see many nations may be satisfied within this riuer which bringeth foorth so many armes and branches leading to seuerall countries and prouinces aboue 2000 miles East and West and 800 miles South and North and of these the most eyther rich in golde or in other marchandizes The common souldier shall here fight for golde and pay himselfe in steede of pence with plates of halfe a foote broad whereas he breaketh his bones in other warres for pronant and penury Those commanders and chieftaines that shoot at honour and abundance shall finde there more rich and beautifull cities more temples adorned with golden images more sepulchres filled with treasure then either Cortez found in Mexico or Piçarro in Peru and the shining glorie of this conquest will eclipse all those so farre extended beames of the Spanish nation There is no countrey which yeeldeth more pleasure to the inhabitants either for those common delights of hunting hawking fishing fowling or the rest then Guiana doth It hath so many plaines cleere riuers abundance of Phesants Partriges Quailes Railes Cranes Herons and all other fowle Deere of all sorts Porkes Hares Lions Tygers Leopards and diuers other sortes of beastes either for chase or food It hath a kind of beast called Cama or Anta as bigge as an English beefe and in great plentie To speake of the seuerall sorts of euery kind I feare would be troublesome to the Reader and therefore I will omit them and conclude that both for health good ayre pleasure and riches I am resolued it cannot bee equalled by any region either in the East or West Moreouer the countrey is so healthfull as of an hundred persons more which lay without shift most sluttishly and were euery day almost melted with heate in rowing and marching and suddenly wet againe with great showers and did eate of all sorts of corrupt fruits and made meales of fresh fish without seasoning of Tortugas of Lagartos or Crocodiles and of all sorts good and bad without either order or measure and besides lodged in the open aire euery night we lost not any one nor had one ill disposed to my knowledge nor found any Calentura or other of those pestilent discases which dwell in all hot regions and so neere the Equinoctiall line Where there is store of gold it is in effect needlesse to remember other commodities for trade but it hath towards the South part of the riuer great quantities of Brasil-wood and diuerse berries that die a most perfect crimson and carnation And for painting all France Italy or the East Indies yeelde none such For the more the skin is washed the fairer the colour appeareth and with which euen those browne and tawnie women spot themselues and colour their cheekes All places yeeld abundance of cotton of silke of balsamum and of those kindes most excellent and neuer knowen in Europe of all sortes of gummes of Indian pepper and what else the countries may afford within the land we knowe not neither had we time to abide the triall and search The soile besides is so excellent and so full of riuers as it will carrie sugar ginger and all those other commodities which the West Indies haue The nauigation is short for it may be sayled with an ordinarie winde in sixe weekes and in the like time backe againe and by the way neither lee shore enemies coast rockes nor sandes all which in the voyages to the West Indies and all other places we are subiect vnto as the chanell of Bahama comming from the West Indies cannot well be passed in the Winter when it is at the best it is a perilous and a fearefull place The rest of the Indies for calmes and diseases very troublesome and the sea about the Bermudas a hellish sea for thunder lightning and stormes This very yeere there were seuenteene sayle of Spanish ships lost in the chanell of Bahama and the great Philip like to haue sunke at the Bermudas was put backe to Saint Iuan de Puerto rico And so it falleth out in that Nauigation euery yeere for the most part which in this voyage are not to be feared for the rune of yeere to leaue England is best in Iuly and the Summer in Guiana is in October Nouember December Ianuarie Februarie and March and then the ships may depart thence in Aprill and so returne againe into England in Iune so as they shall neuer be subiect to Winter-weather either comming going or staying there which for my part I take to be one of the greatest comforts and incouragements that can be thought on hauing as I haue done casted in this voyage by the West Indies so many calmes so much heat such outragious gustes foule weather and contrarie windes To conclude Guiana is a countrey that hath yet her maydenhead neuer sackt turned nor wrought the face of the earth hath not bene torne nor the vertue and salt of the soyle spent by manurance the graues haue not bene opened for golde the mines not broken with sledges nor their Images puld downe out of their temples It hath neuer bene entered by any armie of strength and neuer conquered or possessed by any christian Prince It is besides so defensible that if two forts be builded in one of the Prouinces which I haue seene the flood setteth in so neere the banke where the channell also lyeth that no ship can passe vp but within a Pikes length of the artillerie first of the one and afterwards of the other Which two Forts will be a sufficient guarde both to the Empire of Inga and to an hundred other seueral kingdomes lying within the said riuer euen to the citie of Quito in Peru. There is therefore great difference betweene the easinesse of the conquest of Guiana and the defence of it being conquered and the West or East Indies Guiana hath but one entrance by the sea if it hath that for any vessels of burden so as whosoeuer shall first possesse it it shall be found vnaccessible for any enemie except he come in Wherries Barges or Canoas or else in flat bottomed boates and if he doe offer to enter it in that manner the woods are so thicke two hundred miles together vpon the riuers of such entrance as a mouse cannot sit in a boat vnhit from the banke By lande it is more impossible to approch for it hath the strongest situation of any region vnder the sunne and is so enuironed with impassable mountaines on euery side as it is impossible to victuall any company in the passage which hath bene well prooued by the Spanish nation who since the conquest of Peru haue neuer left fiue yeeres free from attempting this Empire or discouering some way into it and yet of three and twentie seuerall Gentlemen Knights and Noblemen there was neuer any that knewe which way to leade an army by land or to conduct shippes by sea any
Within Cochin is the kingdom of Peppâ—r The Pepper thâ—t the Portugals bring is not so good as thâ—t which goâ—th for Mecca wâ—ich is bâ—ought 〈◊〉 by y e streights Great priuileges that the citizens of Cochin haue A very strange thing hardly to be beleeued Note the departing of the ships from Cochin The order how they fish for pearles These pearles are prised according to the caracts which they weigh euery caract is 4. grames and these men that prise theÌ„ haue an instrument of copper with holes in it which be made by degrees for to sort perles withall Cairo is a stuffe that they make ropes with the which is the barke of a tree The cutting gathering of Sinamom A car things A foolish feare of Portugals S. Thomas his sepulchre A painted kind of cloth died of diuers colours which those people delight much in and esteeme them of great price In the Iland of Banda they lade Nutmegs for there they grow In the Ilands of Andemaon they eate one another The commodities that grow in the kingdom of Assi The great trade that is at Malacca At the Moluccos they lade the Cloues The kingdome of Assa. The ship of drugs so termed of the Portugals Ilands not discouered China is vnder the gouernment of the great Tartar A yeerely Carouan from Persia to China A market kept aboord of the ships A prince of a marueilous strength and power * Oâ— Achem. The mountaines of Zerzerline The commodities that go out of Orisa This cloth we call Nettle cloth The riuer of Ganges The commodities that are laden in Satagan Moores are of the sect of Mahomet A ceremony of the gentiles when they are dead Marchandise comming from Sion Niper wine good to cure the French disease Great extremitie at sea Tauay vnder the king of Pegu. Martauan a citie vnder the king of Pegu. A custom that these people haue when the king is in the warres A law in Pegu for killing of men Great pride of the Portugales A reuenge on the Portugales A thing most marueilous that at the comming of â— tide the earth should quake This tide is like to the sides in our riuer of Seueine These tides make their iust course as ours doe This Macareo to a tide or a currant Houses made of canes couered with leaues of trees Godon is a place or house for marchants to lay their goods in The forme of the building of the new citie of Pegu. A rich and stately palace Foure white Eliphants This maneâ— called Tansa is halfe a duckat which may be shire shillings foure pence A warlike poliâ—iâ— An â—xcâ—llâ—â—t dâ—â—ise to hâ—â—t â—â—d take wilde Eliphanâ—s An â—xcellâ—â—â— pastime of the Eliphaâ—ts These canes 〈…〉 to them in Spainâ— whiâ—h they call loco de tore A strange thiâ—g â—hat a beaâ—â— so wâ—lde should in so shorâ— time he made tameâ— The gâ—â—â—test strength that the king of Peâ—â— â—ath A goodly order in a barbarous people The oâ—â—er of their weapons and â—umber of his men 26. Crowned kings at his command Fifteene hundreth thousand men in one Campe. Eating of serpents The riches of the king of Pegu. The great pompe of the â—ing The order of Iustice. No difference of persons before the king in controuersies or in iustice The comâ—â—â—dâ—râ— that are ventured in Pegu. Note the departure of the ships from S. Tome to Pegu. Commodities brought into Pegu. The Chikinos are pieces of gold worth sterling 7. shillings Great rigour for the stealing of Customes Description of the fruitfulnesse of that soyle Deling is a small litter caried with men as is aforesaid A lawe for Banckrupts Euery man may stampe what money he wil. How a man may dispose himselfe for the trade in Pegu. Good instructions The Marchandizes that goe out of Pegu. Idol houses couered wiâ—h gold Rubies exceeding cheape in Pegu. An honâ—st care of heathen people Bargainâ—s made with the nipping of fingers vnder a cloth This Toufâ—on is an â—xtraordinary sâ—orme at Sea The Toufon coÌ„meth but euery 10. or 12. yeeres A manifest token of the ebding and flowing in those Countreis This Island is called Sondiua Sondiua is the â—ruit fullest Countrey in al the world Chatigan is a port in Bengala whither the Portugales go with their ships The King of Rachim or Aracam neighbour to Bengala Or Aracam The commodities that goe from Chatigan to the Indies The Portugal ships depart toward Portugall out of the harbor of Cochin Goa was beâ—ieged Opium a good commoditie in Pegu. Peper tree Ginger Cloues Nutmegs and Maces White Sandol Canfora Lignum Aloes Beniamin Long peper This Muske the Iewes doe conâ—â—erâ—eit and take out halfe the good muske and beat the flesh of an asse and put in the roome of it Rubies Saphyres and Spinels The Balassi arowe in Zeilan Spodiom On the coast of Melynde in Ethiopia in the land of Caâ—raâ—ia the great trade that the Portugals haue Buying and selling without wordâ— one to another Golden trades that the Portugals haue An order hold to prouide to goe ouer the Desert from Babylon to Alepo 36. Dayes iourney ouer the wildernes An order how to prouide for the going to Ierusalem The author returneth to Venice 1581. A very good order that they haue in those Countreyâ— for the recouering of the goods of the dead Order of apparel in Peguâ— The order of the womens apparel in Pegu. Abilfada Ismael his Cosmographie March 11. The last of April Currall Amber greese Sope. Broken glasse The best sort of spices at Babylon Balsara Ormus The prices of spices at Babylon Michael Stropene an Italian accused our men to be spies Two causes of our mens imprisonment at Ormus The author of the book of the East Indie◠‖ This is he whose letters to his father from Goa are before put downe and he was sometimes of New colledge iâ— Oxford Iames Storie their painter They arriued at Goa the 20 of Nouember 1583. Diu. Chaul The Italians our great enemies for the trade in the East Birra Felugia Babylon The tower of Babel Boyling pitch continually issuing out of the earth Ormus Diu. Daman Basaim Tana Chaul Goa This was the 20. of Nouember Bellergan â— towne Bisapor Gulconda Masulipatan Seruidore Bellapore Strange mariages Mandoway a very strong town Vgini Agra a great citie The great Mogor The like is reported of the riues of China Wil. Leades serued the king of Cambaia The superstitious ceremonies of the Bramanes Ganges Bannaras A pilgrimage of the Gentiles This tying of new maried folks together by the clothes was vsed by the Mexicans in old time Patenaw Gold found Tanda in Gouren Couche this seemeth to be Quicheu accouÌ„ted by some among the prouinces of China Pure Gentilisme In Mexico they vse likewise for small money the fruit Cacao which are like almonds Hugely Porto Angeli The like cloth may be made of the long grasse in Virginia Satagam Tippara or porto Grande Bottanter a great Northren country Marchants of China Moscouie and Tartarie